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 /…

We must learn from hence to suspend our judgements:¹ and if we see any so fearfully tempted, & their temptations so extreme and grievous, that they say of them selves that they be cast-aways, or that while they yet live they are already in hell; let us take heed we be not too rash in condemning of them, neither let us speak or think of them as cast-aways: for our Saviour Christ was tempted in the highest measure that could be, and why then may not these kind of temptations befall the dearest children of God? Therefore that which is written of Francis Spira, that he was a reprobate & a cast-away, was penned very inconsiderately, though he affirmed the same of himself; for there did nothing befall him, which may not befall a child of God: for we see that our Saviour Christ himself was tempted in the greatest measure that might be, and we have daily experience from time to time, that some of the dear children of God have been in like sort assaulted to despair for a time, to think themselves reprobates and cast-aways, yet it hath pleased the Lord in time to restore them to the feeling of his love, and they have continued the faithful servants of God till their dying day.

We must learne from hence to suspend our iudgements:¹ and if we see any so fearfully tempted, & their temptations so extreme and grieuous, that they say of them selues that they be cast-awayes, or that while they yet liue they are already in hel; let vs take heed we be not too rash in condemning of them, neither let vs speake or thinke of them as cast-awayes: for our Sauiour Christ was tempted in the highest measure that could be, and why thē may not these kind of temptations befall the dearest children of God? Therefore that which is written of Francis Spira, that he was a reprobate & a cast-away, was penned very inconsiderately, though he affirmed the same of himself; for there did nothing befall him, which may not befall a child of God: for we see that our Sauiour Christ himselfe was tempted in the greatest measure that might be, and we haue dayly experience from time to time, that some of the deare children of God haue bene in like sort assaulted to despaire for a time, to thinke themselues reprobates and cast-awayes, yet it hath pleased the Lord in time to restore them to the feeling of his loue, and they haue continued the faithfull seruants of God till their dying day.