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

4.Sec`zt.5. Theft that vvil fight agaifi ourfpirituall enetnies,trc fareofviElorie. áoGa, io,z4.: %. dugu1t, '''f. vAO.+Äï s :::.:a t. Reafons toencouragevs tofightin thisfPirituailconfiii, the Apoille Iames chap:r .verf. r 2.pronounceth the tnan blef: red that endureth tentatisn;forWhen hear tried(or rather as the words are,when by triall he shall be found approued)hefhall receiue crone oflife,7rhich the Lord bath promaifd to them that lone him. Whereby it appeareth, that none are crow- nedvnleffe they ftriueas they ought,and therforemuch lea they which flriue not at all ; that none are bleffed but thole who are tempted, and being tempted endure the tempta- tion; that firfl wemull be tried,andby triall approoued, be- forewe can receiue the crowne ofiife. Lafllie,weemaybe encouraged to this fight bycertaine hope ofviory,for we fight vnder the flandardofChrifl Ie- fus, whoalone is mightier then all our enemies that affault vs, Ifweedid indeede regard our enemies flrength and our o \wne weakeneffe onely,w e might wcl be discouraged from vndertaking this combat, but ifwee looke vpon our grand Captaine Chriff,whofeloue towardsvs is no leßé then his power, andboth infinit, there is no caufeofdoubting,for he that exhorteth vs toÿ fight,wil fohelpe vs that we (hall ob- taine vic`?-ory, Deficientesfubleuat,&vincentes coronar:When we faint he suslainethvs, and crowneth vs when wee oiler- come.He hathalready vanquished our enemies toour hand, andhath cooled their courage and abated their force. Hee bathbrufed the ferpentshead,fo that he (hail not be able to ouercometheleafl ofhisfollowers,wel may hehilfe againfl them,but he cannot hurt them, for his fling is taken away. Satan was the flrong man who possessed all in peace, but our SauiourChrifl who was a flronger thenhe,comrningvp- on him bathouercomehim,and taken from him all his ar- mour whereinhe trufled,and diuidedhis l oiles,Luk.r 1.21. 22. We fought againfl rmightie enemies and great poten- tates,Eph.¢.r 2.but our Sauiour hath fposledp;rncipalities and powers, andpathmade a lbewofthem openly bath triumphed osier them vpon the croffe,Col.2. r 5. andfo tJirouvhdeath hatb deflroyed him that had thepower ofdeath,that is,tbediatell, that he might deliuer allthemwhichfor fcare of-death were ail their lafefubiefl to bonda1e,as it is Heb.2. r4. r 5. He was indeeda mightieprince ofthis worldly Canaan,but our good Iofhua hath

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