OfSatans f ratagexn.t. .fuggeflions,he wasnot guiltie offinne.Whofcexample ifwe imitate,Satans b.tifphemous temptations fhal neuer bee laid to our charge ; neither is it poifible tobe free from tempta- tions, although it be pofíìble by Gods grace to refill them. Butmore of this hereafter. Ifby this meanes he cannot ouerthrow their faith &bring them to defpaire,thenhee taketh aduantage of their fimpli- citie, by inticing ahem to commit finucs of ignorance. For example,he will tell them that it is lawful!, nay expedient to vfe their Chrif}ian libertic,when he tempteth them to licen- tioufiieffe; and to the end he may more eafily decciue them, he will fet afaire glofl'e vpon foule finnes,and'feeke to iuflifie them by Gods word, apparellingvices in the habite ofthofe vertues whichmoil refemble them. Hewill tempt to coue toufies,vnder Phew offrugalitie,telling them that theywho prouide not for their familie are worfe than Infidels; and to prodigalitie,vnder the pretence ofliberalitie, alleaging that theywho low plentifullie fhall reape plenfully. Hee will al- lure them to temptGod, by negleóting thofe meanes which he bathgraunted them, vndcr the colour ofaffiance in God; and to trutin the meanes,vnder the vizard ofcarefull prom dence. He will tempt them to propound this end of their goodworkes, that they maybe faued by them,becaufe God hath promifed to reward them ; or to negle& good workes, as vnneceffarie to faluation, becaufe faith alone iuflifieth. Which temptations ifwe wouldwithf}and,weemuff labour after true fauìngknowledge that we may difcerne betweene vertueand vice,truth and error,that whichGod hath forbid- denas vnlawfull, from that which heehath commanded as lawfull; to this enti vung diligentlie all good meanes which tendto thispurpofe,as hearing,reading, meditating, &con- ferring ofGodword,that fo the cloudes of ignorance be- ingdifpelled with the light ofknowledge,weemay difcouer Satans delufions and deceits. Otherwife if he depriue vs of knowledge,which is the eie ofthe foule, hee may eafily fe- duce vs out ofthe right way into the gulfe ofperdition. And thusSatan dealethwith the weake Chriflian : but if hefinde thofe whom hee affaulteth flrong men inChrifl, fo G 3 that See lib. ;. Cap.,:. Hfw Satan ht. ticeth the weak chriflian to ccn:mit.finnes ofigrtarancc. 4.Sec7.S.
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