I come from Compassing the earth. This is the devils pilgrimage, from one end of the earth to the other, & then to the other again, and then back again, like a wandering Merchant, which seeketh his traffic where he can speed cheapest. I have heard of some travellers which have gone about the earth, but ⟨p. 1066⟩I never heard of any that had seen all parts of the earth but this old Pilgrim Satan, which hath been in heaven, and in paradise, and in the earth, and in the sea, and in hell, and yet hath not done his walk, but like the Sun which courseth about the earth every day: so there is no day but Satan seeth every man upon earth: as a compass hath no end, so he makes no end of compassing. Because he is such a compasser of the world, therefore Paul calleth him The God of this word, not a piece of the world, as England, or Ireland, or France, or Germany, or Spain, but of the world, that is, of all the countries, and cities, and towns, and villages, and houses. The Pope talks of his kingdom, how many Provinces are under his dominion, but the devils circuit is greater then the Popes: one would think that he could never tend half his flock, because he is Vicar of so great a Monarchy, and yet he is never non-resident. You may see his steppes every where so brim and fresh, as though they were printed in ashes. If God make you see your country naked, your Temples desolate, your Cities ruined, your houses spoiled, you will say the Spaniards have been here: so when you see your minds corrupted, your hearts hardened, your wills perverted, your charity cooled, your Judges bribers, your Rulers persecutors, your Lawyers brabblers, ⟨p. 1067⟩your Merchants usurers, your Landlords extortioners, your Patrons simonists, your Pastors loiterers, you may say the devil hath been here. Seeing then these weeds grow in every ground, you may bear the devil witness, that he doth compass all the earth. If a man love his friend, he will say, I will go an hundred miles to do him good: but if the devil hate a man, he will go a thousand miles to do him hurt▪ The devil doth not go his progress like a King, only for delight, but all the way as he goeth, Peter saith, He seeketh whom he may devour.
I come from Compassing the earth. This is the diuels pilgrimage, from one ende of the earth to the other, & then to the other againe, and then backe againe, like a wandring Marchant, which seeketh his trafficke where hee can speed cheapest. I haue heard of some trauellers which haue gone about the earth, but ⟨p. 1066⟩I neuer heard of any that had seene all parts of the earth but this olde Pilgrime Satan, which hath been in heauen, and in paradise, and in the earth, and in the sea, and in hell, and yet hath not done his walke, but like the Sunne which courseth about the earth euery day: so there is no day but Satan seeth euery man vpon earth: as a compasse hath no end, so hee makes no ende of compassing. Because he is such a compasser of the world, therefore Paul calleth him The God of this word, not a peece of the world, as Englād, or Ireland, or France, or Germanie, or Spayne, but of the world, that is, of all the countries, and cities, and townes, and villages, and houses. The Pope talkes of his kingdome, how many Prouinces are vnder his dominiō, but the diuels circuit is greater then the Popes: one would thinke that he could neuer tend halfe his flocke, because he is Vicar of so great a Monarchie, and yet he is neuer non-resident. You may see his steppes euery where so brim and fresh, as though they were printed in ashes. If God make you see your country naked, your Temples desolate, your Cities ruined, your houses spoyled, you will say the Spanyards haue been heere: so when you see your mindes corrupted, your hearts hardened, your willes peruerted, your charitie cooled, your Iudges bribers, your Rulers persecutors, your Lawyers brablers, ⟨p. 1067⟩your Marchants vsurers, your Landlords extortioners, your Patrones symonists, your Pastors loyterers, you may say the diuell hath been here. Seeing then these weedes growe in euery ground, you may beare the diuel witnesse, that he doth compasse all the earth. If a man loue his friend, he will say, I will goe an hundred miles to doe him good: but if the diuel hate a man, he wil goe a thousand miles to doe him hurt▪ The diuel doth not goe his progresse like a King, only for delight, but all the way as he goeth, Peter saith, He seeketh whom he may deuoure.
