x;a fldm theChralian beingfoitedmay ofhisbodie ; butrather hereby is afouldier difgraced, ifei- ther he dare not march into the field,or beingentred thebat. tell doth ihamefullie fleeaway, or cowardlieyeeld vnto the enemie : fo in thisfpirituall warfare it is no difhoiiour to re_ ceiue foiles and wounds ofour fpirituall enemies, for the moll valiant fouldiers that euer fought the Lords battels, haue fuflained the like:nay ifin the fight they be taken prifo- ners, yet fo they refit} to the vttermofl oftheir power, and Mew ancarnaldelire to be out of the captiuitie offinne and Satan,this is acceptable to their captaine Chrifl,and hee will in.pitie andcompaflìon reflore them.to libertie Btit ifräther than they would endure thedangerofthe fight,theyprofeffe themfelues friends to finne and Satan; or ifhauing profeffed themfelues Chrifls fouldiers, they at the firfl encounter of their fpirituall enemiestempting them toany finne,doe for- fake Chrifls flandard fhamefullie,or cowardly yeeld to finne and Satan,voluntarilie liuing in their flauerie-withut delire oflibertie: then either they (hew themfelues notable co- wards,worthie to be cafhiered out ofGods campe; or traite- rous rebels, who though outwardlie theymadea profeflion that they wereChrifis fouldiers, yet inheart they defìrcd to ferue Satan._ Here therefore is incouragement for the weakeChrifliarr,. who is difcouraged andafhamed to looke his Redeemer Ie- fus Chriflin.the face,becaufe ofthemanifoldfoiles which he receiueth in this fpirituall combat; for howfoeuer before the fight oftemptations herefolucth manfully to make refiflance and to ouercome,yet when the dìuell flronglie aflaulteth,the world flattereth orfrowneth, and theflefir trecherouflybe- traieth him,fightingfecretlywith whole legions ofvnlawful lulls againfl the fpirit,then is hee foiled and often taken c.ap- tiue offinne. But let fuch to their comfort know,thatif=the-y continue their earnefl delire offighting full the Lords-bate tels,and ouercomming their fpirituall 'enemies, they arc ac- cepted ofIefus Chrifl; and in theende hee will giue thetas llrength toobtaine a-finali viclorie. And that their maniföld foiles and grieflÿwoundswhich they.receiue,of finne. and Satan'maynot difcourage them; let:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=