I of Reigning or Mttfter Sinnes.' · en-emie-S approach: This duty ofwatching the Scripture dotb efccn command, :as without which, by ·our fleepinelfe and . negligence, we fhall with Saul lt>re our fpear and crufe, eur fhength and comforts. Th~ particular means are faitb,tfat is the lhield, which above all, Ephe/6. we are eo take;as being mofi defenfive againft every morraJJ wound : For the foul– dier to throw away his fword, was no fuch dHhonour, as w cafi away his lhield, becaufe the one was offenfive, this later defenfive. As faith, fo zeal and fervency, that makes aman alwaies in a~ion, that puts upon exercife, whereby many di– feaf~s are prevented. TheUkemight be faid of humility, and ~ agodly fear, but Ifotbear. The next thing is, to an1Wer an objeCtion ; May not the godly, though not tot~Jiy or finally, yet for a while be overcome by fome Juft or other? Do we not {ee 'JJ""vid waHowing in his gore blood? Is aot Peter o– vercome by his inordinate feu, fo as to betray Chrifi: with· fearfull fwearings arid curfing~ ? The number of the god.Jy wiH be exceedingfew, if none be holy that are not fomerimes 247 or other ovcrcoq1e by fin ; Ifthen experience telleth this,why doth God futfer this ~arcial dominion of fin? how cometh it about that the godly are foyled at any time? ' The n~alons ofthis may beFirll-, viaPZrnJ~l!andfinful truft Why GQd fuf– iHa mans righteoufnej{e or ftrength, for Which God leavtth him ferf llh.e gogly to himfelf. K<::.e~ 33• 13· The righteous man comes to fall to , a mto m! from his righteoufnefi by trutling in it. Thus Peter was fo fadly overcGme by the carnall confidence he had in himfelf, Though all men foould jorfakj thee, yet he 'Weuld' not. If the child ler go his fathers hand, no \lJ'Onder if he fall in the mire., When we go out to fee a godly man in and ofhimfelf, we go to fee a reed fhaken wirh the winde: Therefore while the godly man fiicketh clofe to the rock, .and layetb his fall hold on this pillar, he will1hnd l.ke a mountain that cannot be· moved. z. They are left fometime.r to the dominion offin, thatfo they may difcern between the drudgerj to fin andSaum, and the obedi– ence to God. The godly fometimes finde a wearifornndfe, and· tedioufndfe in the wodhip of God ; Its a grief to pray, to bear, to wait on God, . therefore he lets them fall into the · · hands '-
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