A09463:196
The combat between Christ and the Devil displayedThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed
The combat between Christ and the Devil displayed: or A commentary upon the temptations of Christ: preached in Cambridge by that reverend and judicious divine M. William PerkinsThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed: or A commentarie vpon the temptations of Christ: preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious diuine M. William Perkins
London: printed by Melchizedek Bradwood for E. Edgar, 1606London: printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for E. Edgar, 1606
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.
Secondly, the devils policy doth notably appear in reserving this temptation for the last place; for he knows full well how forcible with man be the temptations of profits,1 pleasures & honours. From whence we may also learn, that temptations fetched on the right hand from honour, pleasure and commodity, are the most dangerous and do soonest creep into the heart of man, prevailing far more then temptations on the left hand, which are taken from adversity. The Devil foileda David worse in the time of peace & ease, then ever he could do during the time of Sauls grievous persecution against him. And he prevailed more against the Church by errors and heresies under Constantine and other christian Emperors, then he could do by most bloody persecution for the space of three hundred years before. Yea in these our days worldly hopes have drawn those from the sincerity of religion, whom outward violence could not move: prosperity is a slippery path wherein a man doth soon catch a fall, and therefore we must learn to be most watchful over our own harts when we have fairest weather with the world.
Secondly, the diuels policy doth notably appeare in reseruing this temptation for the last place; for he knowes full well how forcible with man be the temptations of profits,1 pleasures & honors. From whence we may also learne, that temptations fetched on the right hand from honour, pleasure and commodity, are the most dangerous and doe soonest creepe into the heart of man, preuailing far more then temptations on the left hand, which are taken from aduersity. The Diuell foileda Dauid worse in the time of peace & ease, then euer he could do during the time of Sauls grieuous persecution against him. And he preuailed more against the Church by errours and heresies vnder Constantine and other christian Emperours, then he could do by most bloudy persecution for the space of three hundred years before. Yea in these our daies wordly hopes haue drawn those from the syncerity of religion, whom outward violence could not moue: prosperity is a slippery path wherein a man doth soone catch a fall, and therefore we must learne to be most watchfull ouer our owne harts when we haue fairest weather with the world.