Four godly and fruitful sermons two preached at Drayton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…

The reasons of this doctrine are,

First,¹ that such crafty foxes do more easily come within a man, and sooner deceive him. An open enemy cometh as it were before ones face, and so his blows may be better warded off: but a false friend cometh behind ones back, and fasteneth a deadly blow ere a man be aware: and therefore Joab, when he would speed Abner and Amasa, did not bid open defiance unto them, but (being therein more crafty and subtle, then either godly or manly) gave them kind salutations, and, under pretence of love, most cruelly murdered them both. And as it is for the outward man, so is it also for the soul. The most dangerous temptations are those that proceed from feigned friends under the colour of love, and desire of our good. If Satan had come unto Eve, and told her, I charge you eat of the tree in the midst of the garden, & whatsoever the danger be, stand not upon that, for I will have your husband and you to be damned, she would never have hearkened unto him: but when he persuaded her, that he was her friend, and meant her good, namely, that by eating thereof she might be made like unto God himself, knowing both good and evil, then was she overtaken by him, and so being overcome her self, she became the instrument of the devil, to deceive her husband in like sort. And so it is with many, that have held out well against raging and violent temptations, and yet have been foully drawn aside, and shamefully foiled by milder temptations, ⟨p. 69⟩unto profit, or pleasure, or credit.

First,¹ that such craftie foxes doe more easily come within a man, and sooner deceiue him. An open enemie commeth as it were before ones face, and so his blowes may be better warded off: but a false friend commeth behind ones backe, and fasteneth a deadly blow ere a man be aware: and therefore Ioab, when he would speed Abner and Amasa, did not bid open defiance vnto them, but (being therein more crafty and subtill, then either godly or manly) gaue them kind salutations, and, vnder pretence of loue, most cruelly murdered them both. And as it is for the outward man, so is it also for the soule. The most dangerous temptations are those that proceed from fained friends vnder the colour of loue, and desire of our good. If Sathan had come vnto Eue, and told her, I charge you eat of the tree in the midst of the garden, & whatsoeuer the danger be, stand not vpon that, for I will haue your husband and you to be damned, she would neuer haue hearkened vnto him: but when he perswaded her, that he was her friend, and meant her good, namely, that by eating thereof she might be made like vnto God himselfe, knowing both good and euill, then was she ouertaken by him, and so being ouercome her selfe, she became the instrument of the diuell, to deceiue her husband in like sort. And so it is with many, that haue held out well against raging and violent temptations, and yet haue beene foulely drawne aside, and shamefully foiled by milder temptations,