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

Reafoyra to encouragevi tofight thisf)irituallconfliE. Y 3 ferue as a flrong motiue toencouragevs to the fight. The fourth reafon toperfwade vs, is the neceflitie ofvn- g.Sea.4. dertaking this combat.There is no man fo cowardly that wil The neceffitie notfight when there is no hope in flight,nomercy to be ex- ofvr,derta- peted in the enemie, nooutrage and crueltiewhich wil not /¿ ng thisvvttr- be committed. Butfuch is our enemie that we cannot pofli- Are. blie flee from him,his malice isvnreconcileable, his crueltie outragious,for he fighteth not againflvs, to the end thathe mayobtains foueraigntie alone, abridge vs of our libertie, fpoilevs ofourgoods ; but he aimeth at our death and de- ftru&fion ofbodieand foule if therefore wee fo carcfullie arme our felues againfl earthly enemies, who when they haue done their vttermofl rage canbut íhorten amiferabl e life,howmuch more carefully fhould we refill this enemie, who feeketh todepriue vs of'euerlafiing life, and toplunge vs into aneuerdying death? Secondly, this fight is neceffarie, becaufe in our Baptifme wehaue taken amilitary Sacrament,andpromifed faithfully vnto theLord,thatwe will continue his faithfull fouldiers vnto the end, fighting his battailes againfl the flefh, the world and the diuell. There wehaue giuen our namesvnto Chrift,towhom we owe our felues and lines bya double right,bothbecaufe hehath giuen them vnto vs, and alfo re- flored them thefecond time whenwe had loft them. There we are put in mind ofhis bloudfhed för our redemption, which fhouldencourage vs to fight couragiouflie, that wee may be preferued fromfalling againe into the crush flauerie offinneand Satan. Thirdlie, vnleffewee fight this fpirituall combat, and in ,fighting ouercome, wee !hall neuer bee crowned with the crowns ofglory:for it is not giuen vnto any to triumph,who haue not föxghtvaliantlie andfiubdued their enemies. The euerlafling peace' of Gods kingdoms is not promifed to filchcowards as neuer entred the field, or beingentred haue prefentlie yeelded themfelues to bee the captiuesofSatan : but vnto thofc that fight couragiouflie and glorioufly ouer- corne. Ifanyran(faith the Apoffle) l rice for a rnIf7erie,he is not crownedexcept heflrsue.as he otyl t to dos : 2.Ti f.z.5. Sò the

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