deceive, entangle, and undo the souls of men.
advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. A little for the opening of the words
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; lest Satan over-reach us. The Greek word πλεονεχτηθῶμεν, signifieth to have more than belongs to one. The comparison is taken from the greedy merchant, that seeketh and taketh all opportunities to beguile and deceive others. Satan is that wily merchant, that devoureth, not widows houses, but most men's souls.
'We are not ignorant of Satan's devices,' or plots, or machinations, or stratagems, Νοήματα. He is but a titular Christian that hath not personal experience of Satan's stratagems, his set and composed machinations, his artificially moulded methods, his plots, darts, depths, whereby he outwitted our first parents, and fits us a pennyworth still, as he sees reason.
The main observation that I shall draw from these words is this:
Doct. That Satan hath his several devices to deceive, entangle, and undo the souls of men.
I shall, 1. Prove the point.
2. Shew you his several devices; and,
3. The remedies against his devices.
4. How it comes to pass that he hath so many several devices to deceive, entangle, and undo the souls of men.
5. I shall lay down some propositions concerning Satan's devices.
A Table showing the principal things in this Treatise