Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

10 Book I. come to the Field in rhe Kaflle of the Lord of Hofls, the God of !fraei. But mo– tives l llnll rcfervc for the next u[c. SECT. IV. Vfi t!f Exhortatiim, with Motives. 1$ yot~r fpiritual comh1t a wretlling; Com.e th~ri, fall on the.duty: here's a world of . D;v1l~ re.atly to cncoumer : you may 1magmc (and really 1t IS fo ) that they con.e fwtftly, funoutly? j,(rongly, thea a~ms fpread w1d~, and their fangs are open and if they can, they wdffal!eu on rh~ whole man; their aim is to throw body, fo;!l, aud all m to H.!l. Wnat wtll you do now! Will you turn your backs and fly 1 lhal! the Devil conqcter :without a f\rokec now God forbid 1 I befecch you llret<h forth your arms, b1dD~vols dehancc, refii't them to your utmort, wr~l!le with all your might. Why , thos ts the duty I am pre!ling on you : Be feritps, and wrdile, though all Jllake by tt. Tbe Motivn are fevera/. '·. There is ~ neceiGty for it; either you mull wrellle o/ith him, or be taken captive by hun ;•there IS no mrddle courfe ; and lhall not nece/Gty make you fi oh r! it 15 faid chat neceiiiry and defp1ir will produce wonders, they wduid make cowa~ds fight, and are yoa w0rfe than Cowards. 2· ThcVicrury is.certain, if'yoll will but wrefl!e. When Chrifi bath made a va!i- ~;::,~t: 7'.'' ::;;r,;et~~';;::t ;:d~:~'i&f/; fi..;;,;;n;!. 1~t\~:~·is~~~~~~ :~i!~L~;;;,c~~~~·~l~:teh~~:~::~"~ him already, ond la thalJ ye, if ;e will but valiantly C>tt<r in Chrifls mrne into the li(h. '· The fweuncfs 0f vicrory will obundantly rccompence the trouble of your wrdl– ling: ufi1ally we miflakein the traverfes ofour miuds: we reckon upon the fiv.eetuefs ~f fin, and rh~ trouble ot wrdllint;; but the right compuifon is between the fruit of fin, and the frui<s of Vicrory: you have o!ten had experience wh1c it is rob~ overcome, do you now make rryal how fweet the vicrory will be in overcoming. 4. The caufe is jufr, your combarc is lawful: God who is Juflice it fdf harh prccbim– Ephe.6.I•,u, edit by his Heraldo, Fin>i!ymy Bretbren bejlrong in the Lord, and ill tbepower ,fbiJ might. P11 t 011 tbc wbulearm .urof Gad, tbat ye migbt be ~<hie to f/and agai,:jl tbe aJJault of the DeJ•m."4· 7· vi/. l~rji/1 tbe De:ui, andhe ,.;u fleefrom ye.; ; be f,ber and watch., Jor yonr adverfa>y 1 Pet. S· 8 • the Devil is a ro"ring Lyon, wJI!t.!tb about, feekJng wbpmhe may dev.·:tr, r;bum re!if/ jled– fajl ; 11 the Fait/;. There are two things, which mak~a War lawful and jull, :. The call ot a jufi: authority. z. A jufl caufe, now in th(s conflict i>a concurrence of both. 1. You have a lawful authority calling you to fight, even God, who is the Authority Supream. z. Your cauf<is j-ufl, for Sathan affaulring any of the Children of God, is a meer tHurper, he harh no right over you, you are not his, but the Lords, by Creation. by Redemption, by {pecial D,dicatiou : you do but defend your own Souls, and the Ter– ritory and Dominion of God, and Jcfus Chrif.t myou, and over yt>u, who~e Domini– on you arc bound to pre!erve. St~rely, you have good caufc ro wrcJlle, it you had none bur rh1s, bccaufe your caufc 1s good. -. You have alttady in Baptifme taken a military Sacrament, and rb,erein promifed tho(you will continue Gods faithful So~IJiers unto your liv~s end : what, my Bre· thren, take prefs mony to lcrve m Gods wars agatnfi the p~vtl, and all h1s aJdes, and now torllnaway from your Colours! Afworn enemy ro ho, and SHan, lhould never. of all orher rnrn his bock; why yGu are lworn Encmres, and thcrt fore lland to 1t, be ot a good courage, refill unto blood. . . . 6. rhe Lord rneafures out your tc!'npt•tlons, wetgherh yonr llrength, and wdl not 'fulfcr you ro betempted above riJat you areable; he g!veth lh0uldc/s and,Jitteth the. . bunhen. Is Bot this his prom1f? 7here (Jath notemptatlOJZ tak$;z J'Oit> bttt fucv a1 zs ma• ~Cor • .to.'>· derate ' (or common tO man) bm God is faid;fid, "''"' will1w. juffer ya~t tobrtempt– id ab 1 :vc ti,.Jt yott are arc able., but will rritb_ ~be tempt at~ 11~ a/~ m'ak.! way to rfi,ap~, tbat yt maybe able tn bear it. Souls arc apt to complam, tbe Dcvzi u {lr011g ,andt.emptatton ~~Jlrong, a11 d I jha/1 j:dl hy theh"nd •f Saul : why, know now, that alJ thele ttmprauons are we1ghetl

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