Ephefian.r, Chap.6+ V E fight,&c. 27im.4.7.Iaceb,Gen. 32. z8. being a patterneof all true hearted"Ifraelites, whofe lives are a wraflling by teares and prayers, againft all fpirituall wickedneffe. Sometimes it is not manifeft to the eye ofthe world , that the matter is fo with them as it is , they are thought to have fairelives; but many a man, merry in company, hath a threw at home : fo the Saints , though they may feeme tobe plea- fant, have that in fecret which doth fill their hearts withfighs and theireyes with teares,fomething outward, or inward, or both,where- with they alwaies wranle. It mull be thus: for the fire ofgrace is like the heat of the body in this, if the heat ofthe ftomach had nothingto wtaftlewith, it would bring all the body, and fo it felfe, into an utter confumption : ifGods grace had not fomething without or within, exercifingof ir, with which it might wraftle,itcould nor, in this eftate we are in, be preferved. y., Again, thrfe wraftlings in temptation do bring us to know the power, wildome, and faithfulneffe ofGod, to know our felves and others. Thirdly ; without tidying, we mutt not be crowned, 2 Tim. z. S:, and if any man ftrive for amaftery , &c. for though this is not the caufe, it is the way to our glory. of t. The which Both, firft, let fuch knowwho lead pleafant lives, and are at cafe in Sion , who are not poured fromveffell toveffell, but walkeon, as iftheir league and covenant were thicken with hell, that theircourfe is not the life ofChriftians ; (this is awraftling and con- ffiéìingg eftate)and itis a liignethat theftrong man poke(%th the hoüfe, that all is foquiet. vfe 2. Secondly, this muff make us, though we finde much ftrife in the way, that wemutt not faint, nay we mutt take heart : for this, that we findefuch a conffítt, isa token that we are the Lords,and that he hath talcoutthe ftrong oneof the world. "Jeff. But you will fay, May every one that findeth a ftrife be lureofthis,: Natural( men have afight often in themfelves, condemning that they doe, approving thecontrary; video meliore,praboque. togA¡. t.4»f ,. There is a fight betweene the naturali light ofconfcience, and the fenfuall courfes. But by the three rules roe may (1:1i-erne thefight ofthe fpritandflefbfrem it. t. Firft, our ftrife is caufednot from enormous fwarving , but from the corrupt quality which infettethus throughout, our birth, fin, the law ofevill which dwelleth in the members. Now this is a thing which the light ofnaturedothnot defcry. 2; Secondly, the light ofnature caufetha ftrife , whenwe doe flame groffe things,or in groffe neglect : but the ftrifeof the fpirit is in good things, againft t4ie notperfett performanceof them : thus Pauls fight was, that he could not xa7en ,...Say accomplifh the things he would, inthe manner he defired. 3. Thirdly, this naturali accufing was inus alwaies : but thisftrife of the fpiritwefinde byexperience, we never knew what it meant, till, giving
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