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V
E
R.
W.
Epbefans,
Chap.6.
7I:I
of difpatching
Tychicus,
verf. 21.22.
Thirdly,
a
farewell,
verf
23.24.
The
lumme of the Exhortation
is,
that
we
would fortifie
our
lei
ves,to
the
end
we may goe through
with there things
which oppofe
us in
our Chriflian
warfare.
Now
the
manner
is
twofold:
Firft, by
looking at the
ftrengthwc
have
out
of
our
felves
in
God. Secondly,by
harneffing our felves
with
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
farre
more
in
the
wifcdome
and
power of their Leader,
then
in
their owne valour
and
furniture. But one may fay,
Why doth
he
fay
in
the
poorer
of
his
might,
and
not
in
the Lord onely !
Anfw.
The
hrfl
is a
more generall
objeEl
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
of
good
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
theworke
of
our
redemption, Satan did tempt him,
as
t»tatth.
4,and
Rom.
7.22.
when he would doe
good,
evill would
flirre
in
him
:
and
when
Paul,
r Thef. 2.
18.
did
purpofe
to
come
and
vifit
them for the ftrengthcning
of
their faith,
Satan did
hinder him
:
and
eSYrat.
12.
46.
when Christ
was fruitfully
teaching, there
we
fee
his
acquaintance
at
the doore to
fpeake
withhim,
calling him from the
werke
in
hand,
matth.16.22,
23. when
he
told
them
of
his
fuffering,
Saran
by
Peter
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
people
werc,who
are types
to
us;
when they
turnedthemfelves to
forfake
Egypt, their
fervitude was
redoubled,
Exod.
5.
They
therefore
muff teach
us
not to count
it
ftrange when we finde
buch
difficulties
in
the
wayes
which
are
good
:
for when
a
man
doth
looke to
rig
hteoufneffc,he
doth then
leave
the kingdome
of
darknefPe,
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 fuch
an ill
difpo-
&ion
commeth
upon
us: evil!
is
prefenr,
the Devill doth
make
us
to
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
in
defpaire,
thy mother
is
at
DO:
Yfe
i.