The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

8. Once more; suppose that in your temptations you saw the tempter appearing to you, and pleading with you as he doth by his inward suggestions, or by the mouths of his instruments. If you saw him, and heard him h•ssing you on to sin, persuading you to gluttony, drunkenness, or uncleanness? If the Devil appeared to you, and led you to the place of lust, and offered you the harlot, or the cup of excess and urged you to swear, or curse, or rail, or scorn at a holy life; would not the sight of the Angler ma• his g•me, and […] your courage, and spoil your sport, and turn your stomachs? would you be drunk, or filthy, if you saw him stand by you? Think on it the next t•me you are tempted. Stout men have been appalled by such a sight. And do you not believe that it's he indeed that tempteth you? As sure as if your eyes beh•ld h•m, •t's he that prompteth men to ••er at godliness, and puts your wanton ribald speeches, and oaths, and curses into your mouths: He is the Tutor of the enemies of grace, that teacheth them doc•è del•rare, ingeniosè insanire, ingeniously to quarrel with the way of life, and learnedly to confute the arguments that would have saved them; and subtly to dispute themselves out of the hands of mercy, and gallantly to scorn to stoop to Christ, till there be no remedy; and with plausible eloquence to commend the plague and sickness of their souls; and irrefrag•bly maintain it, that the way to Hell will lead to Heaven; and to justify the sins that will condemn them; and honourably and triumphantly to overcome their friends, and to serve the Devil in mood and figure, and valiantly to cast themselves into Hell, in despite of all the laws and reproofs of God or man that would have hindered them. It being most certain that this is the Devils work, and you durst not do it if he moved you to it with open face, how dare you do it when faith would assure you, that it's as veri•y he, as if you saw him?