A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

In a spite to man; because he is Gods Image: he cannot hurt God, therefore have at his Image. Besides; man is to be advanced to that heaven, from which he is hurled down for ever. If therefore he possibly can, he will pluck him to hell where himself must be for ever. Thus Satan gave life to sin, that gave death to all the world. In a spite to Christ; for Christ and Satan were never friends. The Lion of Judah, and the Lion of this world, were never at peace. The devil doth what he can to bruise CHRISTS heel, in hurting his members; and CHRIST hath throughly burst his head. In CHRISTS birth Satan set hard to kill him by Herod, in the wilderness he tempted him, he never rested till he had brought him to the Cross: he had him then where he would. But as the devil came to destroy ⟨p. 91⟩CHRIST, so CHRIST came to destroy the devil, t For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. But as Christ resisted him when his living body was on the pinnacle of the temple: so he overcame him when his dead temple hung on the pinnacle of the Cross. Scaliger writes, that the Chameleon when he spies a Serpent shading under a tree, gets up and lets down a little thread, not unlike a spiders, breathed out of his mouth: at the end whereof their hangs a little drop as clear as crystal, which falling on the serpents head kills him. So Christ mounted on the tree of his Cross, sends down from his side a thread of blood, that fell on the old serpents head, and for ever slew him. Now if thou wouldest prevent this generation, infatuate the father of sin, disable the devil. Allow him no bed of fornication in any member of thy body, or corner of thy soul. Would he beget adultery in thee? afford him not the bed of an unclean thought. Would he beget revenge? afford him not the bed of anger. Would he beget usury? allow him not the bed of covetousnesse. Tolle concubitum, debarre this copulation, prevent this conception and thou shalt never have that bastard laid at thy doors.

In a spight to man; because he is Gods Image: he cannot hurt God, therefore have at his Image. Besides; man is to be advanced to that heaven, from which he is hurled downe for ever. If therefore hee possibly can, he will plucke him to hell where himselfe must be for ever. Thus Satan gave life to sinne, that gave death to all the world. In a spight to Christ; for Christ and Satan were never friends. The Lion of Iudah, and the Lion of this world, were never at peace. The devill doth what he can to bruise CHRISTS heele, in hurting his members; and CHRIST hath throughly burst his head. In CHRISTS birth Satan set hard to kill him by Herod, in the wildernesse he tempted him, he never rested till he had brought him to the Crosse: he had him then where he would. But as the devill came to destroy