Gods husbandry

Again,¹ the devil is very busy to water and cherish the seeds of guile, that are borne and bred with us, and within us: for out of his malice, he is very desirous to keep men from salvation, and to hold them under his own command and tyranny. Wherefore if he cannot retain them still, as his absolute and professed vassals, yet he takes great pains to maintain a more secret dominion over them, and to become the Lord of their hearts, in a more private and undiscernible manner.

Againe,¹ the diuell is very busie to water and cherish the seedes of guile, that are borne and bred with vs, and within vs: for out of his malice, he is very desirous to keepe men from saluation, and to hold them vnder his owne command and tyranny. Wherefore if hee cannot retaine them still, as his absolute and professed vassals, yet hee takes great paines to maintaine a more secret dominion ouer them, and to become the Lord of their hearts, in a more priuate and vndiscernable manner.

1. 12 From satan.

Wherefore when he is cast out from a manifest domineering over them, by the shining of the Lamp of true religion within them,¹ as Christ sore told that he should; yet still he striveth by craft, and policy, to keep possession of the turret of their ⟨p. 9⟩hearts, as being loath to be beaten out of his old and long usurped kingdom, so long as any one defensible fort remaineth. Now the devil worketh effectually in the children of disobedience (as the Apostle testifieth),² and so finding them full apt to dissemble, and making the matter worse by his forcible tentations, and subtle insinuations, it is no marvel if many come no further than to bare shows; especially seeing men are usually so careless in searching themselves, and in resisting his tentations.