Satan's sophistry answered by our Saviour Christ and in divers sermons further manifested /…Satans sophistrie ansuuered by our Sauiour Christ and in diuers sermons further manifested /…

The use of this doctrine is manifold:¹ first▪ hence we learn to consider aright of th• creatures of God, namely, that we do no• content our selves to look upon the substance of them; but besides the outward substance, we must consider the secret blessing o• God upon his creatures proceeding from hi• word, that is his decree. As for example, […] must not only look upon the outward substance of bread, but besides that, we m•• ⟨p. 49⟩consider the blessing and decree of God, that bread should be the means to nourish man: for besides the bread, there is the staff of bread, that is, that power and faculty whereby it nourisheth and maintaineth life,² which it hath from the decree and blessing of God upon it. And as we see an old weak man, take away his staff and he will soon fall to the ground: even so if the Lord take away the staff of bread, that is, his secret blessing, though a man had all the dainties under heaven, his life would fail in the midst of them all; for the weak life of man must needs fall & decay, if once the Lord take away the staff of bread.

The vse of this doctine is manifold:¹ first▪ hence we learne to consider aright of th• creatures of God, namely, that we do no• content our selues to looke vpon the substance of them; but besides the outward substance, we must consider the secret blessing o• God vpon his creatures proceeding from hi• word, that is his decree. As for example, 〈…〉 must not onely looke vpon the outward substance of bread, but besides that, we m