.. ..,,'' g.ScU. 6. Hew Satan dealeth with frncereprofef- fors,andfiai with the weake ariftian.. 84, OfSataniftratagem.r fwadingvs that pietie without honeflie, profeffìon without pra6lifè,faith without workesare fufficient for ourfaluation.. But ifthey be fincereprofeffors, then hee obferueth whe- ther they be babes or flrong men in Chrifl ; ifhe finde the babes,then he feeketh to abufe their fimplicitie, by drawing them eitherinto errours and herefes, or at leaf} into blind zealeand fuperflition.If hecannot fopreuaile, byreafon that' the bright beaniesoftheGofpell fhining in the preaching of the word doe difcouer his errors and lies, giuing light to thofe that fitin the darknes ofignorance, and in the fhadow of death, whereby their feete are guided into the way of peace,thenhe laboureth toouerwhelme them with the bur- thenoftheirfinnes, and to plunge them into the bottòmleffe gulfe ofhorrourand defpaire,by aggrauating theodioufnes oftheir rebellion, and huge multitudes of their outragious tranfgreffìons, by fetting before them the curfeofthe law, thevengeanceofGod due vnto them, his infinite andexaa iuf}ice which mull bee fatisfied, and vnfpeakable and end_ leffe torments preparedfor thedamned. But ifhe cannot ag_ grattate their fins,which in truth they haue committed, and makeofthem fuch anhuge mountaine as may ferue to ouer- whelme them, lice addethvnto them hisowne finnes, byca- lling into their minds outragiousblafphemies againfl God, and fuch horrible fuggeflions ofimpietie, as it will make their haires to f}andon end when theydo but thinkofthem, perfwading them that they are their owne thoughts, and therefore horrible finnes, whereas in truth they are but his fuggeflions, and therefore ifweedoe repell and reie61 them, they arenot our firm es but the finnes ofthe tempter : for as it is not our fault ifa theefe intice vs to fleale,fo weedoe not,. intertainehismotion, but Phew our deteflationofhis finne; fo it is not a fnne,to be tempted, ifwee. prefently doe repo: 1 the ftiggeflion, and doe riot yeeld vnto the temptation.. And this may appeare byour Sauiour Chrifl himfelfe, who though he were free from finne, yet he was tempted in all things like vntovs, and fo not free from Satins fuggeflions, . for tie was tempted to diffidence, to tempting God, yea to thewortipping ofthe diuellhimfelfe3 but refilling Satans fugellions3.
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