V E R. W. Epbefans, Chap.6. 7I:I of difpatchingTychicus, verf. 21.22. Thirdly, afarewell, verf 23.24. The lumme of the Exhortation is, that we would fortifie our lei ves,to the endwe may goe through with there things which oppofe us inour Chriflian warfare. Now the manneris twofold: Firft, by looking at the ftrengthwc haveout ofour felves in God. Secondly,byharneffing our felveswith a fpirituall ftrengthinherent in us. For there do not one explaine the other, becaufe r Pct.', 5. Gods ftrength and faith are diftinguifhed, as thematter apprehended,and the hand apprehending; and it is more futablc to this Allegory : For the ftrength of the common fouldiers is as much,yea farremore in the wifcdome and power of their Leader, then in their owne valour and furniture. But one may fay, Why doth he fay in thepoorer ofhis might, and not in the Lord onely ! Anfw. The hrfl is a more generallobjeEl of our faith [in the Lord,] in his wifedome, mercy, faithfulneffe , (for all rhefe doe flrengthen us.) The other is that immediate thing in which is all our helpe, as kee- ping us to Salvation. Now that the Apoflle having exhorted to belecfe, and godly life doth ftrike up a Drum , and found an alarm; it doth give us to understand, that the praltice ofgood duties bath no final! enmity againf! them. The Devill will Toone(if we fit our felves this wayes) cry for "clubs, and reach us forne knockes. We fhall know that thefe things fhall colt us the letting on. Thus in Christ whenhe let upon theworkeof our redemption, Satan did tempt him, as t»tatth. 4,and Rom. 7.22. when he would doegood, evill would flirre in him : andwhen Paul, r Thef. 2. 18. did purpofe to come and vifit them for the ftrengthcningof their faith, Satan did hinder him : and eSYrat. 12. 46. when Christ was fruitfully teaching, there we fee his acquaintance atthe doore tofpeake withhim, calling him from the werke in hand, matth.16.22, 23. when he told themof his fuffering, SaranbyPeter fought to turne him from it; (Save thy felfe.) O Each is the force of Satans oppofrtion, that a man when once he fettcth him- felfe to this or that good thing carnettly,he is beaten from it farther then before: even as the peoplewerc,who are types tous; when they turnedthemfelves to forfake Egypt, their fervitude was redoubled, Exod. 5. They therefore muff teach usnot to count it ftrange when we finde buch difficulties in the wayes whichare good : for when a man doth looke torighteoufneffc,he doth then leave the kingdome ofdarknefPe, and the tyrant cannot endure this with patience. As at other tryalls, fo at this we mull not wonder. t Pet. 4.12. Deerely beloved, tbinke it not orange concerning thefiery tryall. Why fhould we thinke that fo Orange which is fo frequent, as our meat is not more ufuall ! When we would buckle to force more fpirituall duties, then fuchan ill difpo- &ion commeth uponus: evil! is prefenr, the Devill dothmake usto be annoyed with fwarmesof idle thoughts : then what need we ufe fuch ftriEtneffe ! be good to your belie, then this friendwould fpeake with us,this bufincffc is undone,this matter lyeth indefpaire, thy mother is at DO: Yfe i.
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