1. First therefore, touching the will of our grand enemy the Devil, if we consider of it aright, we shall find him to be very maliciously bent against us, so that there is no hope of reconciliation with him, though we could be content to make a truce or a dishonourable peace with Gods and our e•• my: Satan's malice to mankind is endless, the cause thereof, is namely the love and favour of God to the faithful (whose estate he ⟨p. 12⟩span;•) shall be endless and eternal. As […] malice of Satan is inveterate, so it is ••o deadly, not to be satisfied by taking a••y our goods or good name, or afflicting us •ith sickness, no nor by taking away our ••••es, for nothing will satisfy him but destruction of soul & body, we may read in scripture that he is called a murderer, a man-slayer and our Saviour telleth us that he hath bin so from the beginning. You read in Peter that •• is compared to a roaring Lion, but in truth Satan is far more cruel then a roaring Lion, (who if we may give credit to Histories) spareth those that fall down flat before him; whereas if Satan get us at such advantage, •e would proudly trample us under foot, and make us sure for ever rising, and therefore […] we should look for any mercy at his hands, the Holy Ghost calleth him the great red Dragon, Rev. 12.3. which beast beareth such ••tural malice to mankind, that he devoureth •hem not only for hunger, but also for sport or hatred, in satisfying whereof he taketh great delight; such a beast is our enemy, who is so fleshly in blood and cruelty, and so overcarried with malice and hatred, that he esteemeth it his chief sport and pastime to destroy us, as we may read in Matth. 4.2. that he •ath the name of a tempter given him, he ⟨p. 13⟩is a tempter to tempt us to sin, and not only so, but he is an accuser after that we have sinned, requiring of God that he will execute his justice upon offenders, who have deserved punishment: of this there needs no further proof then his own testimony as we may read in Job 1.7.
1. First therefore, touching the will of our grand enemy the Devil, if we consider of it aright, we shall find him to be very maliciously bent against us, so that there is no hope of reconciliation with him, though we could be content to make a truce or a dishonorable peace with Gods and our e•• my: Satans malice to mankind is endless, the cause thereof, is namely the love and favour of God to the faithful (whose estate he ⟨p. 12⟩•span;•) shall be endless and eternal. As 〈…〉 malice of Satan is inveterate, so it is ••o deadly, not to be satisfied by taking a••y our goods or good name, or afflicting us •ith sickness, no nor by taking away our ••••es, for nothing will satisfie him but de••ruction of soul & body, we may read in scrip•ure that he is called a murtherer, a man-slayer and our Savior telleth us that he hath bin so from the beginning. You read in Peter that •• is compared to a roaring Lion, but in truth Satan is far more cruel then a roaring Lion, (who if we may give credit to Histories) spareth those that fall down flat before him; •hereas if Satan get us at such advantage, •e would proudly trample us under foot, and make us sure for ever rising, and therefore 〈…〉 we should look for any mercy at his hands, the Holy Ghost calleth him the great red Dragon, Rev. 12.3. which beast beareth such ••tural malice to mankind, that he devoureth •hem not onely for hunger, but also for sport or hatred, in satisfying whereof he taketh great delight; such a beast is our enemy, who is so fleshly in blood and cruelty, and so overcarried with malice and hatred, that he estéemeth it his chief sport and pastime to destroy us, as we may read in Matth. 4.2. that he •ath the name of a tempter given him, he
