Satans temps Who's, grout/. dui vpon he vncbaugeab'e mire of'Gods predeftirtatión. 'That,thtor- act temprati- .on is both foe- .lífhand ridicu- '' lexs,falfeartd 4r:rpioNs... Ito Satanrtemptations concerning gods r &Wonavfivered; bitter and vnpleafant vnto thee ? for Gods decree ofprede.. flination isfure and mot}vnchangeable as himfelfe is with- out change, and therefore ifthou art eluted of God thou maiell follow thydeli ghtes,goeon in thy finnes,liueas thou lift, yet furclie thou fhaltbee faued,and hee wil giue thee re- pen tance, though it bee deferred to the laft gafpe. But ifon the otherfide thou art a reprobate, reieed of God in his eternall counfell, then take what paines thouwilt,make thy throate horce withpraying,and thy baggeseniptie.with gi- uingalmes,be neuer fodiligEt inGods feruice,neuer fo care- full inmortifying thy fins, yet all is in vaine,for thofe whom he bath reprobatedThal be conderned.And therefore much better were it to take thy pleafure and tofollow thine owne delres whiléf} thou art in thislife:for the punifhmentsofthe life tocome will beenough,though thouaddeflno torments ofthis lifeveto them. And thus Both Satan reafon in the minde ofa carnali man,partly to continueand increafe his fecurity in the courfe offinne, andpartlie todifcredit the hohe do&rine ofGods eternall predeftination, as though it opened a dore to all licentioufneffe. But ifweconfider ofthis temptationaright, and found it to the bottome, wee fhall finde firf} that it is moll foolifhand ridiculous, fecondlythat it is molt falle and impious. That it is moll fóolifh it will eafili"e appeare,ifwe vfe the like mannerof reafoning inworldlie matters ; for it isall one as ifáman fhould thus fay : thy time is appointed, and the.Lord inhis counfaile bath let downe.how long thou fhaltliue; iftherefore it be ordained that thy time (hall bee fhort, vfewhat meanes thouwilt ofphyficke and gooddiet, yet (halt thounot prolong it one day; but ifGodbath de- creed that thoufhalthue toold age, take what courfes thou wilt,runne:into all defperate dangers, vfe furfetting and all diforder ofdiet, nay easeno meateat all, and yet thou (halt liuctill thouart anold man.Or as ifhe fhould fay ; Godbath decreedaireadie whether thou (bait be richor poore, and if hee:hath appointed thee tobeepoore, take neuer fomuch paines, follow thycalling as diligently as thouwilt, abflaine fr4tial1Wailfuinekand prodigalitie; yet fhalt thouneuer get'
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