Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

That all thegodly areafrassltedwith tentation. fooneas we haue giuenour names vntoGod, and taken vp.. on vs the profeffionandpraáife ofChriftianitie, «rhich are the liuerie and cognifance ofour heauenly Lord andMafier. And this is manifefl by the example of Godschildren from time to time,who although they liued in peace and fecuri tie before they were intertaincd into Gods familie, yet no foo- ner were they admitted to bee ofGodshoufehold feruants, but Satan and the world haueraged againfl them, laboring both by inward temptations and outward furie, either to withdraw them fromGods feruice by flaming inticements, or vtterly todeflroy andouerthrow them byopen violence, Gen.s. No fooner had Abel offered a facrifice offweete finelling fauourvntoGod, but Satan flirreth vp Cain to become his butcher : Mofs wascontented to bee reputed the fonneofPharaohs daughter he enioyedall profperity,but as foone as hee ioyned himfelfe to Gods people and Church, Pharaoh feekethhis life: as long as the Ifraelites worfhipped the Egyptian Idols,they fat by their flefh-pots inpeace, and quietlyenioyed thefruites ofthe land; but as foone as they madebuta motion offeruing the Lord, the King furred vp by the diuell,doth rage againfl them with more thenbarba- röu§crueltie': whilell failperfecuted the Church of God, Satandid not fo much troublehim either outwardlie in bo- die or inwardly inmind; butno fooner was he truely con- uerted to the faith and preached the Gofpell, but pretendie he fetteth hiswicked impes on work e to takeaway his life ;; which the Lord not permitting, hemooueth them toperfe- cute himby imprifoning,whipping,and flouting him ; and not content with thefeoutward atfliaions, hee fendeth his a tor. iz. tneffenger to buffet him, that hemight be no leffe vexed in- wardly in mind then outwardly inbodie. Yeahe (parednot our Sauiour Chrifl himfelf, butas fooneas he began to flew hinifelfe to be the fonne ofGod and Redeemerofinankind,. in performing the duties ofhis calling, then efpeciallyhe bendeth alhis force againfi him,he tempteth and affaultéth 1aah.4, him fortiedaies together, and taking the foylehimfelfe,hee flirreth vphiswicked initruments to perfecutehim, and at. _length to takeaway his life, Whofoeuer

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