The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

4. And lastly, the Temptations and suggestions of Satan, yea, and oft his external contrived snares, are such as frequently give men a palpable discovery of his agency, that there is indeed some evil Spirit that doth all this to the hurt of Souls. Were there no such Tempter it were scarce credible that such horrid inhumane Villainies should ever be perpetrated by a rational Nature, as Histories credibly report, and as in this Age our eyes have seen. That men should ever, even against their own apparent interest, be carried on obstinately to the last, in a wilful course of such sins as seem to have little or nothing to invite men to them,¹ but a delight in doing hurt and mischief in the World. Whence is it that some men feel such violent importunate suggestions to evil in their minds, that they have no rest from them, but which way soever they go, they are haunted with them till they have committed it, and then haunted as much to hang themselves in desperation. Whence is it that all opportunities are so strangely fitted to a sinners turn, to accommodate him in his desires and designs? And that such wonderful successive trains of impediments are set in the way of almost any man that intendeth any great good work in the World? I have among men of my own acquaintance observed such admirable frustrations of many designed excellent works, by such strange unexpected means,² and such variety of them, and so powerfully carried on, as hath of it self convinced me, that there is a most vehement invisible malice permitted by God to resist Mankind, and to militate against all Good in the World. Let a man have any evil design, and he may carry it on usually with less resistance. Let him have any work of greatest Natural importance which tendeth to no great benefit to Mankind, and he may go on with it without any extraordinary impedition: But let him have any great design for Common good, in things that tend to destroying sin, to heal divisions, to revive Charity, to increase Virtue, to save mens Souls, yea or to the public common felicity, and his impediments shall be so multifarious, so far fetched, so subtle, incessant, and in despite of all his care and resolution, usually so successful, that he shall seem to himself to be like a man that is held fast hand and foot, while he seeth no one touch him!

4. And lastly, the Temptations and suggestions of Satan, yea, and oft his external contrived snares, are such as frequently give men a palpable discovery of his agency, that there is indeed some evil Spirit that doth all this to the hurt of Souls. Were there no such Tempter it were scarce credible that such horrid inhumane Villanies should ever be perpetrated by a rational Nature, as Histories credibly report, and as in this Age our eyes have seen. That men should ever, even against their own apparent interest, be carryed on obstinately to the last, in a wilfull course of such sins as seem to have little or nothing to invite men to them,