.flow the Chrífidnkindfoiledmety b r4ifd. tgr let them confider, that neuer any entred the battell (our chiefe captaine Chrill excepted) but they haue been iùb- iec& to the like. Adam who was the firongeil champian inhis owne firength that euer entred the lifts, was ouer- throwne at thefiríl encounter, and taken captiue offinne4in which b6dage he íhouldeuer haueremained,had not Chrift redeemed him. Noah was ouercomewith drunkennes; and ,Lot added thereunto incefl. Dauida notable fouldier in figh- ting theLordsbattels, was made a flaue to his owne lulls. Petera flout champian, ranne away and forfooke his ma- fler. In aword,there wasneuerany that li ued, who hauenot been foiled by Satan, and wounded with finne. One per- haps receiueth more and deeper wounds, or is longer held captiue in the chaises of finne than another ; but none haue efcapedaltogether. And thofe who haue receiued themoil gtieuous hurts, fo they haue an earned defire to haue thofe wounds healed which finne hathmade in theirconfciences, to the end they maybee .enabled to renue the fight againft their fpirituall enemies; may affure themfelues that Chrift the good Samaritane and their moll carefull captaine,will powre the oyle ofhis grace and mercie, and the precious balnie ofhis blood into their wounds, which will as eafilie cure them,though theybe manie and griefly,as ifthey were but few, and(asit were) but finali fcratches. And fo much concerning the firfl confolation,which may ferue for the comforting and railing vp of thofe who arc fallen. In the fécond place wee are to confider that Satan foiiethvs andcaufeth vs to fall into finne, not at hispleafu.re nor byhisowne abfolutepower, but becaufe theLord hath faid,thou (halt thus preuaile, for the further manifeflation ofmyglorie : for therefore theLord dothleaue his-children fometimes to themfelues, fo that being a(faultedby Satan they fall into finne, and bewray their infirmities andcorrup- tion; to the endhe may fhew hereby and declare the riches ofhispower, mercie,andgoodnes, which otherwife would notfomanifeflly appeare.And this theApofile plainly f9-hew- eth,z.Cor.i 2.8.9.10. where hee faith that heebefought the Lord thrice that hee might bee deli tiered from the pricke in K z the rbat Goals-moil valiant'ouldi- ers haue recei. uedfoilts, §.Se5jo: That satan preuaiietha- gainfi vsnot by his abfolute power, but by Godsptrmif- fron. z. Cora:. 8.10:.
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