Hold, the Chri/fianbeingfoiledmayberaid. i33 ragevs tofight the fpirituall combate, with affured hopeof vidorie, feeing it is n,anifea that we Elandnot byour ovine power, which like abrokenGaffe or crackt weapon would faile vs whenwe did moil trua and relie upon it, butby the almightie power of God, againa which neither Satan nor the gates ofhell can anie iot preuaile. And in this regard wee may well reioyce in our infirmities with the Apoale Paul, becaufe by reafon ofthem it more manifef}lie appea- reth that the power ofChriadwelleth invs, which is able to defend vs fromSatans malice and violent rage, not onelie whenwe (land manfullie in the encounter, butalfo when we are foiled and put to theworn. Yea in this refpe61themore weakeand full of infirmities the poorechriaian is,themore is the praife ofGods glorious might manifeflcd andmagnified ; for when Satan, who is fo malitious, puiffant and politike an enemie, hath long time affaulted a fillyweakemanor woman, and yet cannot whollie preuaile, but returneth away foiled and ouercorne; it mufl needes be confeffed that they areaffiaed andareng- thened by force fuperior power which farre excelleth Sa- tan in flrength and policie ; whereas it feemeth no fuch wonder when as the firong Chriftian, who hathobtaineda great meafure ofknowledge, faith, and othergraces,giueth Satan the repulfe. Neither are men fo readie to afcribe the praife ofvi&orie to the Lord, becaufe his immediate power and helping hand doth notfo manifealy appeare; although in truth theirvi &orie alto commeth wholly from him, for without hisgifts andgraces, they were as feebleand unable toElandas the weakeft; but yet theweaker and finaller the meanes are,the moremanifeft is the Lords power and Wif- dome, whoherebydoth accomplifh things whichareaboue thepower ofmen and Angels. For example ; the power and goodneffe ofGod appearethgreat,when as heprouideth for vs foodeconuenient,and giueth arength thereto to nourifh andfuaainevs ; and yet itis more tnanifefl, when as hee fo f rengthenethvs by vertue ofone meale thatwee neede no more in fortie daies, as he did Elias ; but then it fhineth as it were inhis fullarength, when as he fullainethvs without. K 3 any §.Se:fi`.Ttb Godi power 'soft cleerely ap;.eareth in our aeaknee.,
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