1JireEiions for a well growzded FaitiJ. ------------------ ·1'rutb} And therefo~c his art and wo~k is to colour falfhood, an~ ma_ke it feem y:ruth : For this is the deceiving of the mtnd : And therefore for a jimttr to plead h1s mijfaJt~ f'?r h1s excufe, and fay., I tliou,IJt it bad been fo or fo i I tbougln it had been no ji1t, or no duty: th1s IS but toconfefl, and nor to ex~uji:: It fs but as much as to fay, my Vnderjla11di11g tinned with my TViU, and was deceived by the Tempter, and overcome. 2· And the bait which he u(eth with theWiU, ii alwayes fome apptarini good : And ftlf love and love ofgood is the principle which he abufeth, and maketh his ground to work upon; as God alfo ufeth it in drawing us to ~ood. · §. 22· Ill. The SuccourJ and Auxiliaries of the Devil, and his principl1 means att! thefe: r. He doth what he can to get an ill tempered Body on his fide : For as fin ·did let in bodily dillernpers, fo do rhey much befriend rhc fin that eaufed them. A choleric~{_ temper will much helphim ro drawmen to paiTion, malice, murda, cruelty and revenge:. A [angujne and biljouJ temper mixt, will help him to draw men to lufi and and tilthinefs,and levity,and wamonnefs,and time-walling plcafures:Afanguine temper mixt wirh a piwitou!, much helpeth him to make men blockifh, and regardlefs, and jnfen.; fible of the great conccrnments of the foul: AJle.~matick.. temper helpeth him to draw people to drow1,y fluggifhnefs, and to an idleflothful life, and fo will means to maintain it, and to a back– wardncfs to every work that is good. A healthful temper much hdpeth him to draw people t.O gluttony, dnmki.:nnefs, lull, ambition, coveroufi1efs, and neglect of life eternal: Afickly temper hclpeth him to tempt us to pievi!hnefs and impltiency: And a Mdahcholy temper he!peth him in all the temptations mtntioned but even now, ~. 23· 2. Heufeth his greatefi Skill to get the grcatel\jl<jh/y intercfr 9n his fide: fo that it may be a matter of Great pleafurt, Grtat advancement, and b.mour and applau[f_, or Great commodity to a man, if he will fin : Or a matter of Grtat .fo./f~!ring , and Great di.jgrace , and Great lofs to him that will not fin, or that will be holy and obedient to God : For Fl<jhly Intereft being the common matter of all his Temptations , his main bufinds is to greaten this as much as fmlY be. §. 24· 3· He maketh very great advantage of the Common C•ftoms ofthe Countrey that men live in: This carrieth away. thoufands and millions at once. When the common vote and cufiom is for fin~ 3nd againf\ Chrifi.and holinefs, particular perfons think themfelves excufed, that they are no wifer, or better than all the Countrey abom them. And they think they are much the &fer for finning in tQ great a crowd, and doing but as mail men do; and he that contra.did:eth them, cometh on great difadvantage in their eye, when he is to oppofe an Army of advcrfaries, and feemeth to think hirn-- felf wifer than fo many. · ~. 2 5· 4• Alfo he is exceeding indufhious to get Education on his fide ; He knoweth how apt men , are to retain the form which they were rnolded or cafi into at firtl : If he get the firfi polfeffion, by actual as well as Original fin, he is not catily cafi out. Efpecially when Education doth confpire with Common Cujlom, it delivereth rnofi of the people and Kingdoms of the Earth into his hands. §. z6. 5· Alfo he is indufirious to get the approved Do/Jrine of the Teachers of the people on his fide. If he can get it to pafs once fora Revtlation or Command ofG9d, he will quickly conquer con· fcience by it, and take down all refiftance; He never cloth wai more {Uccefsfully againfi: God, than when he beareth thenameofGod in his colours, and fighteth againfi: him in his own name. Maho– metans, Jews, Papifis, and all Hereticks are the Trophies and Monuments of his vitlories by this way• .Mifchief is never fo much reverenced, nor proceedcth fo fuccefsfully, as when !t is made a Religion ! When the Devil can charge men to do his bufinefs in the Name of God, and upon pain of d.:~mn!l_· tioH, he hath got the firongeH weaifons that ever he can make u(C of. His ordinary bait is fomc f/efhly pleaJure ; but he goeth high indeed when he prefumeth to offer the everlafting pleafures: He tempted Chri£1 with all the Kingdoms ancj glory of the world: But he tempreth many millions of fouls, with the offers of the Kingdom of Heaven it felf. For he will offer it to. them that he is en– deavouring to keep from it ; and make it the bait to draw men from ·it into the way to Hell. · 9· 27. 6. He is exceeding diligent to get the wealthand profPerity of the world on his fide: That he may not feem to flatter his fervants with empty· j>romifes, but tO reward the~ with real felicity and wealth. And then he would make the finner believe, that Chrift U the deceiver, and promifech a Kingdom which none of them ever faw, and which he will not give them; but that he himfelf will not deceive them, but make good his promifes even in this life without delay : For they fee .with their eyts the things which he promiteth, and they (ball have them prefently in poffeffion, to fecme them from deceit. : 9· 28. 7• He is exceeding induflrious to get common fame and reputation on his fide: That he may be able to keep his caufe in credic ; and to keep the caufe of ChriH, and holinefs in difgrace : E'or he knoweth how exceeding prone men are, to fall into the way of honour and efi:eem and which mofi men praife ; and how loth they are to go in the way which is hated and evil rPokfln of by the mol\ of men. · 8. He is very diligent to get the Sword and Govrrument ofKingdom_1, and States, and Comllr'eyJ, and Cities, and Corporations into his hands, or on his {i~c: for he knowetb tht multitude of c!Je ignorant and vulgar people, are exceeding prone to be of the Religion of thofe that are able to help or hurt them; and tO follow the fironger fide: And that the will and example of the Ruler is as the fi(,f\ 01eet or t1amp, which all the re!\ are printed after. :rherefore he will do his worfr, to gi« the ' · greatdt. to;r
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