V E R. 8. Epbeflans, Chap. 4. Lord without feare. Great are there fpirituall powers in their nature, but to thole that are inChrift, theyare difarmed, fo that theycannot hurt us: they are naked devils , and we being in Chrift arc in a ftrong Fort : wherefore as for armed men, being in a ftrong hold, it were too much fhame to be afraid of naked enemies, that fhould offer with nothing in their hands to affaile them; fo, here,&c. True it is, as children not knowing what is what, are afraid of bull-beggers which cannot hurt them; foare wehere, but the Lord maketh us grow up in his ftrength. It doth ferve to comfort and fecure us, whofe lives are a warfare ; Viz: for, whata.comfortable fightwas that in the yeare88. to fee the Spa- And code fe niards led captives inour ftreetes, their murdering bullets and cruel! good comfort whips held out in wayof triumph ! But this is much more comfor- Ïna,na their table to fee there enemies (by reafon whereof we are fubjeâ to feare aifantts. all our life long) to fee thefefubdued: and'how confidently may we hold outour fight againft them,feeing weknowChrift our Lord doth hold them pynioned,that they cannot ftirre to hurt use Hethat being well appointed and accompanyed fhould feare a naked and bound enemie, were too too whitelivered : fo it is with us, we have our wea- pons and Chrift accompanying us,their weaponsare taken from them, they arebound, the Lordbids us not feare. Whenwe feele finne dar- ted againft us ; or feeme to feele feareofdeath, or thedevill muftring all his forces againft us; what muff wedoe, but looke toChrift, tell him, Lord thou haft taken finne and death out of the devils hand, and tookme fromhim; likewife (Lord) make my eye offaith eleate, that I may fee this thy victory for me : thy victory I know is full, though in my feeling it feeme otherwife. Looke with the eye of faith to Chrift, giveglory to him, that he hath done ir, and thou fhalt quickely feehis vidory applyed in thee. And though the Devil' hold hard, fearenot, all is vaine, he mutt yeeld the bucklers when all is done,to thy Lotd Iefus Chrift, his preymuff bedelivered up, hehath no right in it, nor power to hold it; Chrift did difcharge himof the one, and breake the other in hisdeath, he bath madea thewof them openly. It fheweth us what wemutt doe, if we will prevaile over there ene- pfe 3. mies, looke to Chrift, who bath taken them captive for us : finne is: ChTo bake itts v ro riQo- a ftrongthing;-both for the power it bath to allure,and otherwife; rybyfaith, Death a great enemie, we have no weaponcan faveus in that day of char we may batten, unleffe we looke it Chrift, who bath taken there Captive, g Pin4 i hnn. who hath overcome finne, death, theworld and the Devill; let us by faith mount into this chariot of Chrift his triumph, and wee are fafe. Further it is tobe marked that he faith, he ...Pending hath done this; Chr;Ronly which fheweth that it is Chrift whodoth overcome our enemies, we theConyur- are too weake for them, he bruifeth theserpents head, he diffolveth the enemies. wakes ofthedevi/i. It is apretty canvafe in Ethickes, Whether the Gen.a rt knowledge of our nothing is the foundationof vertue; and traely it is r lohn 3.8. T t a true 47/
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