`` O fSatansgrate rrns; CHAP. XIX. nowSiam allnreth vs intofinnebydegrees, anddraxethvl from one e.rtrense to another. Nd thus haue I fhewedat large Satans&fl poli- 4,Sea.ue tickaratagem, whichbee vieth to circurnuent vs by fitting his temptations according toour nature and difpofition, or our fateand condi- .d. , °' : tion. A fecond policie whichSatan vfeth to circumvent vs,is this ; ifhecannot at the firfl intice vs to fall into outragiouswickednes,he feeke todraw vs thereun- saran tabeud to by degrees,beginning at the leafl,and fo bringing vs from ref) to dray, that toa greater, till at lall wee corne to the highei Rep of io into out b wickcdnes : whereby it con-meth to paffe, that as thofe who de reér. walke to the topofanhighhill,whofe afcent arifethby little and little,come to the top without «earines,before theywel perceived that they didafcend; fo they who goe forward itt the waiesofwickednesby degrees, dowithoutany control.. ,rent orcheckeofconfcience climbe vp to the highef top thereof,whence Satan cafteth them down headlong into the pit ofdeflruetion. For exatnple,ifhe fee aprofeffor ofreligi onwhich maketh confcience of his «aies,he Bothnot vfual-. ly feeke at firfl todraw him into heinous finnes, vnleffe the cordsofhis temptations be exceeding flrong; but firitheal- Iurethhim to corne into the companicofwicked men,byof - feting fome pleafureor profit, or by occafion ofaffinitieand tmariage,ioininghim ifhecanwith fuch ayokefellowas vii drawhim fafler backe,than he candraw her forward in the courfe ofgodlines.Ifhe thus farrepreuaile,then he tetnpteth him to winke at their fins which in confcience beecondem- neth,that he may fill inioy his pleafure and profit, or conti- nue in their loue and fauour; then in the nextplace bee mo- uethhim to thinke them tolerable finnes which they corn- mit, and nothing fo outragiousas others fall into; andavhen he bathmade this progrefîe;thenheinticethhim to tafle of finne,which he fo fweetneth with the fugred delights ofthis G vainc
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