The combat between Christ and the Devil displayedThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed

This serves to discover unto us, the deep guile and subtlety of the Devil,¹ that can so cunningly turn himself from one extreme unto another. And look as he dealeth here with Christ the head, so doth he continue towards all his members, if he cannot bring them to one extreme, he will assay them hard in the other. If he cannot bring a man to covetousness, and keep his heart to the love of money, then let him beware of riot and prodigality. Is a man given to pleasures and delight, and an length is deprived of them? then let him beware; the Devil swallow him not up with overmuch grief, as he sought to do with the^a incestuous person of Corinth. Doth a man come to love religion, that formerly was given to looseness of life? then if it be possible the Devil will carry him to schism & heresy. The Devil cannot abide that a man should keep the mean according to Gods word, Isay 30. 21. He would have our first parents to be Gods, or no body, Gene. 3. 5. And so still he laboureth to bring a man to some extreme. We therefore in all estates during life, must labour to keep the golden mean, as Christ here did, neither doubting on the one hand nor presuming on the other, but retaining still that blessed faith, whereby his blessed heart was firmly settled in these assaults. Thus much for Satan's drift. Now come to the words of this temptation.

This serues to discouer vnto vs, the deepe guile and subtilty of the Diuell,¹ that can so cunningly turn himselfe from one extreame vnto another. And looke as he dealeth here with Christ the head, so doth hee continue towards all his members, if he cannot bring them to one extreame, he will assay them hard in the other. If hee cannot bring a man to couetousnesse, and keepe his heart to the loue of money, then let him beware of riot and prodigality. Is a man giuen to pleasures and delight, and an length is depriued of them? then let him beware; the Diuell swallow him not vp with ouermuch griefe, as he sought to do with the^a incestuous person of Corinth. Doth a man come to loue religion, that formerly was giuen to loosenesse of life? then if it be possible the Diuell will carrie him to schisme & heresie. The Diuel cannot abide that a man should keepe the meane according to Gods word, Isay 30. 21. He would haue our first parents to be Gods, or no body, Gene. 3. 5. And so still he laboureth to bring a man to some extreame. We therefore in all estates during life, must labour to keepe the golden meane, as Christ heere did, neither doubting on the one hand nor presuming on the other, but retaining still that blessed faith, whereby his blessed heart was firmly setled in these assaults. Thus much for Satans drift. Now come to the words of this temptation.