Satan's Charge and the Sinner's Discharge

"An old author mentions a story of the devil's appearing to a dying man and shewing him a parchment roll which was very long ane wherein were written on every side the sins of the poor sick man, very many in number. There were written the idle words he had spoken, which made up three quarters of the words he had spoken in his life, together with the false words, the unchaste words, and angry words. Afterwards came in rank his vain and ungodly words and lastly his actions, digested according to the commandments; whereupon satan said, 'See here, thy virtues; see here what thy examination must be.' But the poor man answered, 'It is true, satan, but thou has not set down all; for thou shouldest have added, and set down here below, 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins;' and this also should not have been forgotten, 'That whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life;' whereupon the devil vanished.

"Thus, if the devil should muster up all our sins, and set them in order before us, yet, let but Christ be named in a believing way, and he will yield and flee from us with the greatest speed. The Captain of salvation overcame the tempter by saying, 'It is thus and thus written;' and his soldiers may still 'overcome the accuser of the brethren, by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.'"