777 Ofthefpiritua/lexits which eee parry reorldy thing., now they willinglyhearken,when he faith,Ali this Veit lgbh, thee ifthouwilt doe me feruice? Would we therefore know wherein Satanspower chiefly confilleth, wherebyhee van- qquifheth fuchgreat multitudes, and raigneth and mirth as theprinceoftheworld in the hearts ofvnbeleeuers? Surely it is not fo much in his owne flrength, as in thefe worldly aides. Forhis powerand malice is fo limited byGod, that he cannot ouercome by force and violence any, whohaue but fo much as a delire to make refiflance; and hee is onely permitted to get the vio`lorie oucr thofe,who are willing to be ouercorne,andto leade them alone intohis feruitude and fubies%on,whom bee canperfwade to acknowledgehim as their lord and mailer. And therefore heefeldome bringeth his forces againli vs into theopen field, or attempteth to o- uercome vs byforce andviolence;but he feeketh treacherou- flie to betray vs,by perfwading vs to aparley,wherein heev- feth chefe worldly vanities, as his eloquent and moil preuai_ Ling orators,to allurevs to kaue the Lord, and toli(tenvnto him,feeingheperfwadeth vs to nothing, but that 1ibich ten- deth to ourprefent profit, and which is moll pleating to our natural! appetites. He will makevs bcleeue,that the finne is LICinga.to, but fmall,and thereward great; and fayvnto vs, as Befbahe toher fonne,1h.trte afmalfaiteVetothee;deniemenot.Though ifwehaue wifdomto difcerne it,we (hall eafily perceiue that ourharkning vntoit, will cots vs nolefl'e, then the loffe of Gods Kingdòme.He will offervs honours, and promife that we (hall behighlyaduanced aboueother men; but wemuff f3rfl by finnebow votohim anddoe him reuereuce: he will promife vs riches,butvpon the condition that we be content tovfe frailde,and deceit,oppreflion and crueltie,for the com- paffingofthem. He will tender vntovs varietieofdelights; but ifwewill hauethem,we mull to inioy them, negleét the feruiceofGod, and vfe them immoderatelyand in excefle. Vnto.whichperfwafions, we are too too readie to liflen and yeeld,notfnmply,becaufe Satan requireth it,but becaufewee dote on the loue of thefe worldly things which he offereth vntovs. Thefe thenare thattreble cord ofvanetie, whereby thediucil drawwctb men into all iniquities thefe arc the fly- thies
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