OfSatansßrettagenu. 77 he vfeth in tempting vs to finne ; which. ifvc'ee would with- ojibe *wanes (landand defeate, we arc as carefully toobferue our own na- to clefeate sß. ture anddifpofition,that we may finde to what vices weeare tan' firmer moil prone,and fo with greater watch:tilneswe mayauoide peAcies, them. For as when a citie is befieged, the inhabitants will moil (Ironglyman that place, which by nature is moil weak andaffaultablc,,becaufe they know that the enemie will giue theonfet therewhere he is like to finde the eafrefl entrance: fowee beingbefieged withour fpirituall enemies, are moil carefully to obferue where our foules are weakctt to make refi(lance, andotter that part wee arc to watchwith greateft diligence,alluring our felues that there Satan will plant all his engines of batterie, that hauingmade a breach bee may enterand furprize vs.Andbecaufe the heart ofman is deceit- Ierem.17.9. full aboue all thing';, and none but Goddoth know it,let vs funvnon it often before the throne ofGods iudgement, and examine it byhis law,that therebywe may feeour fecret cot- ruptions,and after labour tokill and mortifie them.. Ifwe finde that we bee ambitiouflyareaed,w eare tovfe all goodmeaner that true humilitiemaybee wrought inour hearts,and wheniöeuer(honorsbeingoffered)we are tickled.. withambitiousand afpiring thoughts, let vs fufpeo`}that vn- der honour Satan hath hid a hooketo catchvs. And.there- fore before wee accept ft, we are to examine our felues whe- ther we be fit for fohigh a place,andwhether wecan attaine thereto by honefl and law full meanes,andwhether theplace itfelfe be fuch,that thereinwe may glorifie.God,benefit his Church,andkeepe a good confcience... So ifwe finde that we areaddi&ed vnto pleafüres,wee are with all care to (ludie and pra&ife true mortification; and when any pleafures arc offered vs,wee are to looke narrowly into thern,that we may difcerneifSatan bath not laid veder them a fnare to in, rap vs, either by tempting vs topleafures whichare vnlawful,or to the immoderate vfe ofthole which.' be lawful' ; and as we loue the fa nation ofour foules, let vs auoide the baire whenwe fec the flare. In like manner ifwee finde that we areprone tocouetotrf --- nes;let vs carefully labour to weane ourfelues from this vice, l -y
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