Gurnall - BV4500 .G87 1655

Put on thewhole Armour ofGod. 75 they do not irregularly move, or inordinately lath out into de- fires of, cares for, or joy in the creature-comforts of this life, without which Satan will be too hard for thee. The Kftorian tells us, that in one of the famous battels between the Englifh and French, that which loft the French the day was a fhower of EngliJh arrowes, which did fo gall their horfe, as put the whole army into diforder, their horfe knowing no ranks, did tread down their own men : The affeaionsare but as the horfe to the Rider, on which knowledge fliould be mounted, if Satins barbed arrows light on them, fo that thy defires of the creature prove unruly, and juftle with thy defines of Chrift, thy care to keepe thy credit or eftate, put thycare to keep a good confcience to - diforder, and thy carnal joy inwife and chile trample down, or get before thy joy in the Lord,judge on which fide vitiory is like to fal.Well,fuppofe thou marcheil provided thus far in good- ly array towards heaven,while thou art fwimming in profperity ; malt thou not alto prepare for foule way and weather, I mean, an afflieted eftate? Satan will line the hedges with a thoufand temptations, when thou comeft into the narrow lanes of ad- verfity, where thou canit not run from this fort of temptation, as in the Champaigne of profperity : Poffibly, thou that didif e- fcape the fnare of an alluring world, mayeft be difmounted by the fame when it frownes ; though temperance kept thee from be- ing drunk with the tweet wines of thole *attires, yet for want ofpatience thou mayeft be drunk with the wine of aftonifhment, which is in affli6tions hand therefore, faith the Apoffle, to temperance addepatience ; either poffeffe thy felf in patience, or elfe fame raving devil ofdifcontent will polka thee.An impati- ent foule in affliftion is a bedlam in chains, yea, too like the de- vil in his chaines, that rageth againfl God, while he is fettered by him. Well, haft thou patience?an excellent grace indeed, but not enough ; thou muff be a pious man as well as a patient. Therefore faith the Apoftle, to patience?adde godlineffe. There is an atheiflical flupid patience, and there is a godly Chriflian pa- tience : Satan numbs the confcience of the one, and no won der he complains not that feels not; but the Spirit ofChrift fweet- ly calmes the other, not by taking away the fenfe of paine, but by overcoming it with the fenfe of his love. Now godlineffe comprehends the whole worthip of God, inward and outward. L 3 If

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