A00564:114
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And…The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And…
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.
London: printed by William Jaggard, 1615London: printed by William Iaggard, 1615
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This he could not do, but by working on our ready and inclinable affections. As a cunning artificer, that can produce greater effects, upon matter conveniently disposed thereunto, then nature could have done alone. When the Devil and our corrupt flesh meet, they engender a generation of sins. As his Sons the Magicians of Egypt could make living creatures, by applying and suggesting passive things to active, which would never have met but by their mediation. Or as the Statuary can make an Image, which the timber and axe could never have effected without him. So the wicked would never produce such tetricall and horrible effects, but by the Devils adding his heat to theirs, and by a prodigious coupling of his instigation & their lusts.
This he could not doe, but by working on our ready and inclinable affections. As a cunning artificer, that can produce greater effects, vppon matter conueniently disposed thereunto, then nature could haue done alone. When the Deuill and our corrupt flesh meet, they ingender a generation of sinnes. As his Sonnes the Magitians of Egypt could make liuing creatures, by applying and suggesting passiue things to actiue, which would neuer haue met but by their mediation. Or as the Statuary can make an Image, which the timber and axe could neuer haue effected without him. So the wicked would neuer produce such tetricall and horrible effects, but by the Deuils adding his heate to theirs, and by a prodigious coupling of his instigation & their lusts.
Thus weak he thinks us, and not seldom finds us. The natural man goes forth to fight with a mighty Giant, in a monomachy or duel: the Second he brings with him is the world: the natural ⟨p. 40⟩mans Second is the Flesh. He prepares to fight with a professed enemy, and calls out for his assistant, a private and close foe. He is weakly backed, that hath a traitor for his guard. To arm his presumption with policy, he seriously observes, which way the current of every mans humour runneth: knowing by long experience, what will most easily draw men to sin.