Fourthly, to couer his owne fraud and treachery, that it may not be
perceiued.

And when they finde this Impostor failing in the performance of his
vowed promises, then he wanteth not his shifts: as that these defects
are not to be imputed to him, or the weakenesse of the Art, but their
owne negligence or ignorance, who haue not exactly obserued such
directions, and in that manner they were deliuered: or mistooke his
meaning, which is commonly deliuered in[l] ambiguous tearmes, such as
will admit a double construction: and herein appeareth the lamentable
and woefull blindnesse of man, who is contented to swallow vp, and
excuse many of his lies by one truth fore-told; which hath casually come
to passe, whereas in other matters they make light account of, yea
cõtemne infinit truths, if they shall finde by long search and diligent
inquiry, but one falshood. Wherefore it behooueth vs to be carefull
Centinels ouer our selues, for that our grand[m] aduersary, proud,
enuious, and not standing in the truth, reposeth all his possibility of
victory in lies, and out of this poysoned sinke, deuiseth all kinde of
deceits, that so hee might depriue man of that happy and blessed estate
which he lost by pride, and draw him into the society of his owne
damnation: therefore it is a needfull caueat giuen by one of the ancient
Fathers: Our enemy is old against whom wee fight, sixe [n]thousand
yeares fully compleat are passed since he began to oppose himself
against vs; but if wee obserue the commandements of God, and continue
steadfast in faith, apprehending Iesus Christ, then shall we be able to
withstand all his violent assaults, and ouer-come him because Christ in
whom we trust, is inuincible.

[Footnote l: As that to Pope _Siluester_ the second, his demand;
who asked how long he should liue and enioy the _Popedome_?