Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

777 Of the fpiritua/l exits which eee parry reorldy thing., now they willinglyhearken,when he faith, Ali this Veit l gbh, thee ifthou wilt doe me feruice ? Would we therefore know wherein Satans power chiefly confilleth, whereby hee van - qquifheth fuch great multitudes, and raigneth and mirth as the prince ofthe world in the hearts of vnbeleeuers? Surely it is not fo much in his owne flrength, as in thefe worldly aides. For his power and malice is fo limited by God, that he cannot ouercome by force and violence any, who haue 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 into his feruitude and fubies%on,whom bee can perfwade to acknowledge him as their lord and mailer. And therefore heefeldome bringeth his forces againli vs into the open field, or attempteth to o- uercome vs by force and violence;but he feeketh treacherou- flie to betray vs,by perfwading vs to a parley,wherein hee v- feth chefe worldly vanities, as his eloquent and moil preuai_ Ling orators,to allure vs to kaue the Lord, and to li (ten vnto him,feeing heperfwadeth vs to nothing, but that 1ibich ten- deth to ourprefent profit, and which is moll pleating to our natural! appetites. He will make vs bcleeue,that the finne is LICinga.to, but fmall,and thereward great; and fay vnto vs, as Befbahe to her fonne,1 h.trte a fmalfaiteVeto thee;denie me not.Though if wehaue wifdom to difcerne it,we (hall eafily perceiue that ourharkning vntoit, will cots vs nolefl'e, then the loffe of Gods Kingdòme. He will offer vs honours, and promife that we (hall be highly aduanced aboue other men; but wemuff f3rfl by finne bow voto him and doe him reuereuce: he will promife vs riches,but vpon the condition that we be content to vfe frail de,and deceit,oppreflion and crueltie,for the com- paffing of them. He will tender vnto vs varietie ofdelights; but if wewill haue them,we mull to inioy them, negleét the feruiceofGod, and vfe them immoderately and in excefle. Vnto.which perfwafions, we are too too readie to liflen and yeeld,not fnmply,becaufe Satan requireth it,but becaufewee dote on the loue of thefe worldly things which he offereth vnto vs. Thefe then are that treble cord of vane tie, whereby the diucil drawwctb men into all iniquities thefe arc the fly- thies