44'4%. Of themanner of fight. 97 Is,that foul times he fettethuponvs immediatly inhis owne perfon,& fornetiniesmediatly vfing for his inffruments the world & the flefh.Ofthe fira we haueanexatnple.t.Chro.2i, z.where it is faid that Satan preuoked amid tonumber If- rael.So Ioh.i 3.2. the Euangelifl (heweth that the diuell did put in the heart of/tau Ifcariot to betray ChrifhAnd theA- poflle Peter.A&.5.3. telleth Ananias that Satan had filled his heart withhis fuggeflionsthat he fhould lievnto theho- lieGhofl. And thusalfo he tempted our Sauiour Chrifl im- mediatlyfortydaies together in thewildernes,Mat.4.When he thus fighteth againfi vs in hisowne perfon, he giueth the afrault either-in hisovine likenes, orels tranfformeth hiinfelf intoanangeli °flight. When he incountreth vs inhisor ne likenes and likeadiuell indeede,then he doth as it were pro- .claime openwanes, tempting vs not onelie to thofe firmes, which hauingforne apparance-ofgood in them, our corrupt , confcience doth approue of,or at leatl,can without anygreat terror winke at, but alto to all outragious wickedneffe and hellifhimpietie,which euen a ciuil worldlir:g would abhorre to thinkeof; namelie, toAtheifine,Idolatrie contempt ofall Teligion,blafphemies againfi Goti,periury, facrí`ledge,perfee cuting the knowne truth ,herefie,murther,adulterie,andfuck like : all whichatthe firfl fight may eafilybe difcerned to be the fuggeflions ofSatan, becaufe this hellifhbrood dee re- femble their wicked father in their verie countenance and outward apearance. And therefore Satan who fubdueth morewith the ferpents wiles thanwith the lions force,doth feldome yfethis fight againfi any which haue but the ciuill reflraining graceofGod,vnleí a he intice them theruntoby degrees(as before Ihaue filmed) or except hee finde them exceeding ignorant, to the end he maymake them beleeue that his fuggeflionsare their owne thoughts ; but heepraéli- Leth thefe temptations, for themoil part, againfi thofewho haueeuen foldthemfelues toworkewickednes,hauing their hearts hardned andconfciences feared with their cufloma- ble finning. And therefore moil commonlyhee tranfforrneth himfelfe 4 into anangeli oflight,temptingvs to finnebyvfingfriendly H perfwafions, That satis a(fauiteth vt forattime tüm- fel/e,and ¡tine- time by his ina fEeamentt.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=