4700* 71 . Satansßratagemt. 79 wouldnot befow fo great and manifoldbenefits upon vs, as pawnes and pledgesofhis loue. If VC be inaducrfity,then he will labour toperfwade vs to vfe vnlawfull meancs for the repairing ofoureflates, diflru- fling inGods al-rulingprouidence and neuerdeceiuingpro= nrifes.Ifwebepoore,he inticethvs to (leale,defraud and' op preflë ourbrethren,that fo wee may become rich byothers Ipoiles. If weehaue loll any thing by themes or:other ca= fualtie,he temptethvs togoe to witchesandwizards,that fo we mayhazard our foules, which are.ofrnorevalue than the whole world, for therccouerie offorne earthly trifle. Ifwee fuller any greatcroffc or aß?idlion, hee will perfwade vs that Godbath forfakenand hateth vs,or els hewouldnot fogrie- uouflie aflliác vs; and hereby hemooueth vs to defpaire,tnur Inuring and repining againflGod.Which temptation'he fin-. deth fo forcible, that he confidently prefumed that hecould therebyhaue caufed lob tohaue141afphcmed Godtohis face.' Yea hee thought it a fit weapon tovfe againfl our Sauiour Chrifl; for,wanting ordinarymeanes to fuflainehis hunger, Satan tempteth him to diflrufl Gods prouidence, and to fl:iftfor himfelfc,by turningHones intobread,Matth.4.. Now if wee would v; ithfland Satan in this his cunning prauife,wee alfo are carefully to ebferue our elates, and to armeour felues againfl thofe temptations, to which that e Hate wherein we liue is moll fubied. In the time.ofprofperi tie weare continually to meditate, that whatfoeuerwe hatte it is thegift ofGod, bellowedon vs not for our dcferts, but ofhis free mercie and goodncffe, that by the confideration hereof we may be furredvp to true thankfulnes,and as often as wee looke vpon the gifts may thinkevpon the giner, and praifehis name for his benefits, and imp;loy them tohis glo- rie,and the good ofour brethren the pooremembers ofIefus Chrifl. Let vs remember that wee arebut flcwardsof thefe- earthly treafures,and therefore mull one daybe called to an account, and confequentlie the greater our receits bce, the greater will be our reckoning ; that thefe earthlie things are. - momentanie andmutable,and We alto mortali, and therfore thereisno rcafon that wee fhouldbe proudofthem,or con- - tenrne< Matth:4: §.Seei.2.- How weare te defeate Sßlaxs former ait..
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