Ofthemanner ofSaMnsfight: ' intoa thoufand diners íhapes, and in a fhort (paceill varies' 1 manywaies his temptations, that if hee cannotpreuaile by onemeanes,he may ouercomevsby another. And therefore it behoouethvs,ifwe will withfland him,to armeour fèlues, not on one fide alone, norto bee prepared againfl two or -threeaífaultsofour fpirituall enemie, but wee mull beready to anfwere all obiee&ions, andnot fowhollie incline toone fideand to the defending onepart, as that in themeane time wee leaue the other naked to bee wounded with Satans blowes. And to theend wemay the rather be encouraged to f}and conflantlie inour defence, wee are to know,that when Satan doth fooften fhift his temptations, and in a fhort di.. fiance oftime doth feeke tobringvs into quite contrarie rbeoff<ehaN- ces,it is amanifeft figne that heBoth not yet preuaile : for as T gingofsatans no enemie is fo foolifhas will after that s.ce path made one temptations4 fufficient breach for entrie,or forced one gateofthedtie to probablefigne from that to another, but rather enter where the v ey is that hedash Rot preuaile. made ; fo Satan laying fiege to our f>uies, would not feeke tomakea newbattry withhis temptations,ifthe íc ::per had Made way for him toenter and farprize vs; bee, would not tempt vstopride and prefumption, ifhe hadown-come our faith andplunged vs into deipaire; bee would neuer tranf- formehimfelfe into an angell oflight,ifhe could haueeuer- come vs in hisowne likenes; hewouldneuet tell vs ofGods mcrcie,ifhee hadaireadie ouerwhelmedvs with the fight of our fins and confederationofGods iuffice ; nor yet ofGods iuilice,ifhecould keepevs in carnali fecuritie, by fettingbe- fore vs his inercie : but thatway whereby he perceiues he a- nywhit preuailes, he will follow and continue carnet+ in the famepurfuite, till heperceiue he cannot catchvs. As there- fore when thefit oftheague fhifteth from time to time, it is agood figne that our nature waxing firong doth preuaile a- gainfl the difeafe; fo when Satans temptations in a fhort timeoften change, and that from one contrarie to another,it isa fgne. that Gods fpirit being f}rong invs, doth refif+Sa- tan andputteth him to thefe !lifts, whereas he would hold " by a confiant ceurfe ifhe preuailedagain ft vs. 45,ea S. The fift thing to beobferued in the manner ofSatans fight; is., 3
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