Satans stratagems, or The Devils cabinet-councel discovered whereby he endevors [sic] to hinder the knowledg of the truth ... wherein is laid open an easie way to end controversies in matters of conscience ... together with arguments to each book ... / by Jacobus Acontius ... ; as also the testimonies of some ancient divines, together with an epistle written by Mr John Goodwin ; and Mr. Duries letter touching the same.

The Authors Preface.

IF any man shall haply wonder at the rashness or fool-hardiness of him, who hath hoped to accomplish so endless a work, as to collect and commit to writing the Sratagems of Satan, which is all one, as if he would undertake to draw the Ocean dry. I would have that man consider with himself a little, whether or no, by how much the Arts of this cunning old cheater, are more nume∣rous, various and mysterious; we ought not to take the greater heed to save our selves from him? This I suppose he will confess: But how shall we take heed, if those Arts of Satan be unknown? Might we not justly fear, that there might be most danger, where we least suspected any? That where we did think to escape, there we should fall into some hidden snare? Which is too often seen in many persons, and they none of the simpler sort, but even the most eminent in the Church of God. Since then it lies us in hand to look to our selves, which we cannot do without this knowledg, we are necessitated to try, if by any means we may attain the same; and to beg of God (to whom every thing is easie) to be our assistant herein. Whose help having frequently implored, we hope we have not lost our labour, but that all good men shall bless God with us, for putting this thought into our mind, and graciously prospering our endeavours. One thing there is, which of a long time, hath much afflicted my Spirit: for every man is sensible, how much the wel∣fare of the Churches depends upon those that are of eminent au∣thority, so that if they stand, all things cannot but go well; if they fall, every man almost wil be overwhelmed in their ruin: Whence it is, that Satan aimes chiefly, and almost solely at them, leaving nothing unattempted which may defile, marr and corrupt them. And in case he do not always loose his labour, but sometimes gains the victory over them; those Stratag••ms, whereby he doth it, can∣not be laid open, but the failings of the vanquished must likewise be discovered, which discovery, how hatefull

a thing it is any man may easily conceive: For as any reprehension is ever displeasing to the nature of man: so is it then espe∣cially distasteful, when it is unusual and beside expectation. Now what is there can be done more unwonted and less expected, then for a man to reprehend those whom all good men do admire and very much reverence; to whom it seems to appertain to pre∣scribe Laws to others, rather then to have Laws set to them: to teach all men rather then to learn of any one? Yea, but (you wil say) such men wil be so far from taking any offence, that if you shal shew them any failings, out of their humanity and prudence they wil give you many thanks; indeed that is my hope. Yet is it a matter of greater moment then men are lightly aware of, to incur the il-wil of persons of such authority and reputation. How∣beit, I am much more troubled to consider the over eager inclina∣tions of some men, who account such as they have once begun to admire, to be no longer men but gods, against whom, if a man speak but a word, he is looked upon as if he blasphemed God him∣self. What should I do in this case? Should I, to avoyd ill will, forbear to discover such snares, as Satan sets to catch men in, not only to their own, but the whole Church of God's ruine? What were this less in me, then to hold confederacy with Satan, and to conspire their destruction? I have shewed all the favor I could, which was, to use as much gentleness as I could possible: I have spared mens names, and mentioned only the things themselves, wherein I perceived the snares of Satan to lie hid. Now, if so be any man shal interpret himself injured, by the reprehension of such things wherein he may be some ways concerned, let him but think with himself how justly and honestly he shal make any such interpretation: Verily, he may with as much reason, justifie the complaints of Drunkards, Adulterers, Homicides, and all other flagitious persons, against those whose duty it is to inveigh against the bad manners and wickednesses of men; then which what could be more absurd? But (thou maist say) what if those things thou speakest against, deserved not such a reproof? Surely, if any such thing be, when I shal know as much, I shal be very sorry for my oversight. For I am no such man as to think that I cannot err. Sure I am, it hath been none of mine in∣tent, either openly or closely, to provoke or offend any man. I take

him to witness that knoweth all things: so that who ever he be, that hath any the least drop of Christian clemency, ought easily be moved to pardon me in such a case. Howbeit, just it is, that he that shal be touched by the things we handle, do not make him∣self judg, but refer the matter to the judgment of such, who are herein, in respect of their own particular, nothing concerned. And far better it is for us, amongst our selves, to note the slips one of another, and lovingly to labor for an amendment, then to wait til our Enemies shal thereby take occasion to rail against us and our profession with a venomous tongue. Yet wil the Papists, in∣to whose hands this discourse shal come, laugh to see our wounds laid open. But, it is better they should laugh at our wounds, whiles in the mean time they are curable, then that we should suffer them, for want of medicines, to exulcerate and become incurable, and so make them laugh at our destruction. I would only say thus much to them, that when they have sufficiently lamented their own maladies, I wil give them free leave to recreate themselves with laughing at ours. Let them turn over the ancient histories, and see if the Church of God were ever in so good an estate, but that there were therein many things which might deserve the grief of every good man; and finding the condition of the Church to have been always such, what cause is there for them to wonder, if we are not in every part sound. But let them laugh that list. Our endeavor should be, by removing all just cause of reprehension, not so much to suppress their laughter, as by all excellency of exam∣ples, to invite them, together with us, to come unto Christ. And that thou maist not fear any sharpness of language in this Dis∣course, know, that we endeavor no other thing so much, in all this work of ours, as to reduce all those which handle any points in the Church, whether by word or writing, to the greatest mildeness and gentleness that may be. How unseemly therefore, and how un∣just a thing would it have been, if I had refused to be subject to that Law which I had set to others? How justly might that proverb be laid in my dish, Physician heal thy self? But to come to the paine: In this Treatise (Reader) we present thee with those Stratagems whereby Satan lies in wait to overthrow the Kingdom of Christ, and in such sort, to root it up, as it were, out of the world, that it might never be again repaired; and to set up

a Kingdom of his own and to maintain the same, if not all of them (for that were an impossible thing) yet I am perswaded the most principal. And, that thou maist wonder (shal I say, or rejoyce) the more thou shalt find them marshalled in such order and method; that thou shalt find them to make a certain kind of Art. We have added cautions for the avoyding of them, and they are such as (if I am not mistaken) whosoever shal not slight them, may have good ground to hope, that though Satan plot never so much, yet he shal but lose his labor. In some cases peradventure, when the caution seemed manifest enough of it self by the rule of con∣traries, we have forborn to put our selves to unnecessary labor. Some things indeed there are which for want of examples may seem somewhat obscure: which exam les were therefore omitted, because, such as we found ready to our hand, could not (as we conceived) be alledged without the offence of some men. Which thing (lest our labor might be fruitless to them ward) we were carefully to shun; in some cases we could not conveniently feign examples; in others, though we might have done it, yet we fear∣ed, lest they might occasion new contentions; which I wish we have not too much occasioned, notwithstanding all our care to the contrary. But if thou shalt read the Discourse frequently and attentively, there wil be nothing, which thou shalt not at length understand, even without examples. Some wil wish that this Argument had been handled more largely, and that not without just cause; to such, all that I shal answer is this, that I have done what the time would permit me; if I would have deferred the impression, the work might have appeared to the world, at least more polished and exact; but forasmuch as I conceived that it greatly concerned the common good of all Christians, that these Stratagems should see the light with all possible speed, I was wil∣ing rather to set at nought mine own reputation, then to defer the Edition the least moment. If the Lord shal afford me any leasure, I shal endeavor that they may hereafter come forth more com∣pleat and better adorned: In the mean time (gentle Reader) take in good part this abortive birth, and joyn thy godly prayers to mine, that the Lord would be pleased to furnish me with some∣what beter and more profitable, then what, for the present, I am able to present.