Lux,tt.ir. a.Pet, y:Q... That God Pur- nette Satans temptations to the good ofhis ahildrett. immiumazummtv 3.08 Satan! temptati®ns inaprocHtnet our redemption. %o hispleafure and according to his will, now he is call outby theprince ofprinces, as it is Ioh.r 2.3 I .and ourSauior Chrift bath cllablífhedhis kingdome invs,ruling and governingvs with the iccpter ofhisword and holy fpirit.Whereas he was the firong man who quietly kept hispoffeffion invs,Luk. r r, z! our Sauiour Chrifi ho is fironger than hc,hath fpoiled him ofhis armour wherein hee trufted,and bath thrufl him out ofhis poffeffion. Whereas hee was a cruell tyrant who held vs fact bound inhis captiuitie, our Sauiour Chrifl hath redeemed vs out ofhis thraldotne, fo as now he cannot hurt vs thoughheeneuer ceafeth to affáult vs; and thoughhe go eth about like a coring lion feekir:g whom he may dcuoure, yet nowwee are enabledby Gods fpirit to relíl him fled- fairly in the faith, and fo armed with the coate-armour of Gods fpirituall graces,that thoughhe maywith the violence ofhis affaults foile vs,yet fhall he neuer be able toouercomc vs. God doth indeede fuffer this wicked enemie to make warre again cuen hisdearefl children, and that fometimes after aflrangeand extraordinarie manner, not that heewill:: giue them ouer againe vnto his thraldome,out of hich hee, hathpurchafed them with fodeare a price,but partly to driue themhereby to flie.vntohim by earnedand effeetuallpraier, imploringhis aide againfi Satans crueltie, and that hauing receiucd it they may afcribe the whole glorie ofthevietory to himalone, bywhofe flrength they haueouercome; and partly toPhew vnto them their owne weakeneffe, that they may notrelie nor ref+vpon it. Sometimes hee fuffreth them tobe thus affaulted,thathis power may be magnified in their weakeneffe; and fometimes that thegraces which hee bath bellowed vpon them,mayThine glorioufly to all the world.. Somtimes for the confirmationofotherswho (hall hereafter be tried with the like temptations, when they haue in their brethren often experience ofGods loue and power and fa-. therly affìflance ; and fometimes the more to flrengthen thernfe.lues in his fpirituáll graces, and to confirme them more fullyin the affurance ofhis loue and their faluation.For as a citie which bath once bin befieged andnot facked, will tuerafter bemore firong tohold out ifit be affauited by the Like. Okra. f
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