1oa Ofthe manncrofSatansfight God; fomuch leffe canwe difcerne betweene the ggeffi- _. onsofSatau andour owne flefhly thoughts, becaufe they are both corrupt and alike wicked. By reafon whereof it commeth topaffe that Satanwanteth no opportunitie ofcir- cumuentingvs, becaufe we canput nodifference betweene his temptations and our owne carnall defires : and therefore he hauinggotten (as it wvere)our owne watchword, wee are readie to open the gates ofour fouies when he offereth to enter, and to yeeld tohis temptations as foone as he affaul- teth vs, whereas no manalmoft is fooutragiouflie defperat that would w'ittinglie and willinglie entertaine Satans fug- geffions,whomhe knoweth tobe a ccinmon enemy toman- kinde, continuallie fecking their cletAru&cion, though hee íhould intice him hereunto by offering much riches and great preferments. Yea hence it is that after Satanhathma- ny times deceiued and circumuented vs,yet cannot wee be- ware ofhim, nor auoid his deceits. For whereas if aman doegiue vseuill counfell, or anie way cofen vs, yet after he hathonce or twicecome vnto vs,wee can take heed ofhim,, and though he make faire fhewes ofhoneffie and friendfhip, we will notwithPrandingbe very jealous and fiifpitious left againe hee ouerrcachvs; when Satan commeth to vs this day and tempteth vs to filch groíie wickednes, that we can- not chufe but difcerne them to be his fuggeffions,yet this is no-impediment to himbut that he may come againe tomot-- r.ow,and deceiuevs with fome more fubtill policie, becaufe we cannot difcerne betweene his fuggeffions and our owne thoughts, and therefore doe acknowledge no other author_ ofhis temptations but our fclucs. Hence alto it is that bee will not flicke to tempt the molt godly vnto thegroffefl impictie, and the molt learned and found in iudgement, to entertains the abfurdcff herefie or error,For ifhepreuaile (which fometimehe doth, as wemay, fee in the example ofDaasid, whom hee tempted to adulterie andmurther, though hee were a man according to Gods . owneheart;. andof Peter whom,he tempted to denie and. forfweare Chrit, though he were a moll worthie Apo- ale) then heegetteth a great viaorie, andgiueth them a fin- gulas
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