The mannerofSatanefis;ht. rvt- our Sauiour callethhim byhisname,faying, Get thee behind Match, t6.13, arseSatan, thouart an offence tomee, Matth.i6.23. And thus i now adaies he vfeth profeffors,yea preachers ofthe Gofpell, as meanes to tempt men to (inne, both' by their words and euill examples : which temptation is farre more dangerous andofgreater force, then ifall worldlings: íhould combine themfelues together, and labour both by perfwafion and example to feduce them ; for when they can fay, I am a profeffor as \ti'ell as thou, I ama feruant ofGodwho make "ing'13' t8. zconfcience ofmywaies as well as thou,. I am a`Prophet as well as thou, and therefore thouneedeit not to make anie doubt or fcruple in following mycounfell or example; it is amoll ílrong temptation to inticevs tofinne : for like fheepe weare mofl apt to follow after when2nyofour owne corn-. panic leadevs the way. And therefore ifWe would reffl this temptation,weemufflabour after true knowledge, that we maynotdepend vpon others for our dire&ion, but vpon the wordofGodalone, and not liue by example, but byprecept; for the flraitefl rule that euer was of themoil holymans life lour Sauiour Chrifl excepted) is often and in many places crooked (forwho is it that hath not erred and gone aflray ?) and therefore if' we aiwaies follow their examples inall par- ticulars,we íhall erre with them betidesall our owne errors. Soaltohe vfeth thehelpe ofour owne flefh to betray the §.Setf.g; fpirit,and leadevs captiue into finne ; andthat fo cunningly, That Satan that wee can hardlie difcernebetweene Satans fuggeflions vfetb the helot and our owne corrupt motions anddeliires : for beinga fpi- elh owne lit, hedoth not appeare in acorporal! fhape and perfwade iìngvs to¡in, vs to finnewith reali words, which are conuaied to the heart by the eare, buthecommeth to vs after a fpirituall manner, and fiigggefleth fecretly his temptations into theheart and minde dire&lieand irnmediatelie, fo as wee can feldome di- dlinguiïh his motions from our owne thoughts. For as the fpirit ofGod doth fomooue vs to all vertuous and holy a&i- ons, as that inthemeane time wewould thinkehis motions z.Cor.3 s;_ tobe our ownegodly cogitations,but thatwe are fufficiently inlru6led out ofGods word, thatwee cannot ofour felues ,fomuchas thinke a goodthought vnleffe it proceede from H 3 God : ;
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