I-ob Oftherner411means to withfandourf#irìtuàll enemies. >opportunitie,when as we might lawfully be exercifedin the f duties ofour callings.In aword,whenweare tempted to any vice,we are to take occafion therebyofdoing the contrarie vertue ; in the meane time carefully auoiding the policie Of Satan, before fpoken of,wherebyhee laboureth to draw vs , from onevice to hiscontrarie extreame. And fo like valiant fouldiers we (hall notonely auoid the danger and violence of Satans ftrokes, but alfo wee (hall giue Satan the foile withhis ovineweapon, yeaand make himafraide toaffault vs againe with his temptations, left when hee prouokethvs unto fiune,we takeoccafion thereby toferueGod,andmore conftantly to imbrace vertue. §:Sef . 3. Fiftly,we are molt carefully to withfland Satans tempta- TheRI Lions when theyare fir(t fuggefted; and to giue him the re- meane, to pulle as Toone as wee perceiue that he is but beg nning to withßand make an entrance.For this gliding ferpent ifhe can but thruft temptations inhis head, will eafily makeroome for his whole bodie:and when they juggefled rft therefore we mull nip andbrute him in the head, andvie is , temptations like the ferpents brood, which ifinen defire to kill,they doenot tread vpon their tailes, for fo they would turne againe and fling them, but vpon their heads, and then theyhaue no power to hurt them. So wee are notfondly to thinke that we can without hurt vanquish Satans tempta- tions in the end when weehaue longentertained them : for vnle(% theybe nipped in the head,and with(tood in the be- ginning,theywill mortally poifonvswith the fling offinne. For as thceues comming tobreake intoahoule, if they can 'but find roome for thepoint oftheit wrench to enter, will eaílie by turning and winding about the vice make the doores, though venie ftrong, flie open and giue them en- trance; fo if this cunning theefe Satan can finde anie en- trance for his finII temptations, fo as wee canbee content to thinkevpon them, and reuolue them in our minds with any liking,heewill eafilie bur(}open the gatesof our foules,and entring further will rcb vs ofall Gods graces. Let vs there- fore ifwee would refill Satan, follow the aduiceoftheFlea- . thenPoet in afarre different matter: Princip0 obfrta:feròme- .dicinaparatur, Cummalaper longas conssatluêremoral. Orraa-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=