AS Satan the old ancient enemy to all truth, hath not, or doth not surcease to be himself, wandering without weariness, seeking by all means, that he may at the least, in some sort, make full the warrantise of that horrible judgement, against himself and his, where the smoke of torment ascendeth for ever, in bruising the heel of that blessed seed, endeavouring to dismember that body of his appointed limbs, which being knit together in the unity of one spirit, through the bond of peace, doth grow up into the fullness of one head Christ Jesus, standing out in his long continued course of rebellion, especially aiming at this mark, to darken or bedim the day light of Gods glory, whose majesty he can not bear, that himself might see advanced in the palpable darkness of our depraved being, whereof no time or age, since the worlds creation, amongst what, or what sort soever, but have been experienced at the full, as is easily seen, if the case be considered, by descent in all the ways of the word of life, by which the most mighty and eternal majesty of our God, hath directed and brought down his beloved people unto this grey headed estate, of these miserable days wherein we be. And as he hath through all ages tofore seriously laboured, to have and hold captive in the bond of intolerable servitude and spiritual slavery, in the palpable darkness of Egypt, the whole multitude of men, holding it the readiest way to win his hoped intent, to bring upon them the great flood of forgetfulness of Gods benefits, and in the countenance of an Angel of light, to steppe in betwixt the surpassing brightness of Gods glory, and the true acknowledgement ⟨image 3⟩of our natural being, an evident experience of that sorrowful separation betwixt God and man: so in these drossy days of inaccomptable evils, he now hath encouraged himself, with a bigger force, added to his malice, the long experience of his wicked ways, and to work out his purpose according to the time, his fierceness is augmented, by many thousand degrees, as who bestirreth himself most, when he is nearest the end.
AS Satan the old antient enimie to al truth, hath not, or doth not surcease to be himselfe, wandring without werinesse, seking by al meanes, that he may at the least, in some sort, make full the warrantise of that horrible iudgement, against himself and his, where the smoke of tormēt ascendeth for euer, in brusing the heele of that blessed seede, endeuouring to dismember that bodie of his appointed limmes, which being knitte togither in the vnitie of one spirite, throughe the bonde of peace, doth grow vp into the fulnesse of one heade Christ Iesus, standing out in his long continued course of rebellion, especially ayming at this marke, to darken or bedimme the day light of Gods glorie, whose maiestie he can not beare, that himselfe might see aduaunced in the palpable darkenesse of oure depraued being, wherof no time or age, since the worlds creatiō, amongst what, or what sort soeuer, but haue bene experienced at the ful, as is easily seene, if the case be considered, by discent in al the wayes of the worde of life, by whiche the most mightie and eternall maiestie of our God, hath directed and brought downe his beloued people vnto this gray headed estate, of these miserable dayes wherein we be. And as he hath through all ages tofore seriously laboured, to haue and holde captiue in the bonde of intellerable seruitude and spirituall slauerie, in the palpable darkenesse of Egipt, the whole multitude of men, holding it the readiest waye to winne his hoped intente, to bring vpon them the great floud of forgetfulnesse of Gods benefites, and in the countenaunce of an Angell of light, to steppe in betwixt the surpassing brightnesse of Gods glorie, and the true acknowledgemente ⟨image 3⟩of our naturall being, an euident experience of that sorowfull separation betwixte God and man: so in these drossie dayes of inaccomptable euils, he now hath encouraged himselfe, with a bigger force, added to his malice, the long experience of his wicked wayes, and to worke out his purpose according to the time, hys fiercenesse is augmented, by many thousand degrees, as who bestirreth himselfe most, when he is nearest the end.
