Why Godfieferethbisferuantl tabe tempted. 9 with euery finali temptation, wee learn to haue a more 'humble conceit ofour owne abilitie, and todependwholly Mutts. and vpon the Lord.And thisend is fet doven,Deut.8.2.and i3.3. Fiftly,the Lord permittethSatan continually to affaile vs ' 3.3 t6thhis temptations, to theendwemaycontinually buckle unto vs the whole armour ofGod, thatwe maybe ready for the battaile.For as thofe who haue no enemies to encounter them,caf} their armour afide and let it ruft, becaufe they are fecure from danger ; but when the enemiesare at hand and found the alarum,theyboth wake and fleepe in their armour readie for theaffault : fo,ifwe fhouldnot continually skir- mifh with our fpiituall enemies, we would lay afide the fpi- rituall armour; but when we haue continual! vfe ofit, both day andnightwe keepe it faf}buckled vntovs,that being ar- med at all points,wemay be able tomake refif}ance that we benot furprifed at vnavu ares. Laf}ly, by this conflict theLord flrengthneth and increa feth all his graces invs : for as by exercife the f}rength ofthe bodie is preferued andaugmented,& in fhort time decaicth . through idlencifeand floth;fo the gifts ofGods Spirit,faith, afance,hope,patience and the ref}languifh in vs, if they be not exercifed'with temptations.For tribulationbringethforth Rom..5.3.4 patience,andpatience experience, and experiencehope, and hope maketh notafharned, as it isRom.5.3.4.5. Forwhen once we haue been tempted andtried, and the Lordhath mercifullie deliveredvs fromthe temptation,afterwards being foaffaul tedwe patiently endure it,hoping for the Lords afflflance, ,belecuing and alluring ourfelues that the Lord whohath dciiueredvs will againe deliuer vs, as it. is Pfal.27:9, More- t.Sam, T7. ;7. ouer,whenwe fee the great needofthe .graces ofGods fpirit, Pialn.a7.9. this will be 'af}rong motiuc to intice vs to acareful! vfe ofal good meanes wherebywe may attunevnto them, whereas ifwewere free from this fpirituall conflieó,wc fhouldnot fo cIeerelyfee nor apRrehend thevfe andneceffìtic ofthem. CIt A P:. ..
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