Reafons toencourage vs tofight in tloif irituallconfic . i S hatb fubdued him, andhath left nothing for vs to doe who are his fouldiers and followers, but to tread in his necke in tokenofvidorie.But we alas are faint-hearted, like vnto Te- ther the firfl borneofgedeon,Iudg.8.2o.2 I. for though our Sauiour Chrifl háth conqueredthefe our fpirituall enemies, andhath put the fwordofhis Spirit into our hands, where- withwe might alfovanquifh them,yet we areafraid to draw the fword,becaufewe arebut frefhwaterfouldiers &white- liuered ; and thereforewe had need to encourage our felues, not onely by lookingon theviuiorie ofour chiefeCaptaine, but alfoon the conquefl ofour fellow fouldiers, whowere wake& fraile like our felues. So likewife Chrif} bathouer- come the world,and willeth vs tobe ofgoodcomfort,fecing we Thai be partakers with him in his triumph,ifwe wil ioyne withhim in his fight,Ioh. r6.33. Andthough our flefh be a Iohn t4.; treacherousenemie and flronger to vs then the fpirit,yet fo we will fight-againft the1uíls thereof we (Lail be fore ofvi- éorie,for he will affili vs Withhisholie fpirit, and therewith enablevs moreandmore to mortifie this old manand body offinne. Well maywe take a Toile in this fpirituall combat, but the Lordwill raife vs vpagaine; For though*efalyetfha! venotbe call ofbecauf the Lordpatted') vnderhis hand,as it is Pfal.37.24.And the Lord hath promifed,thathe wil not fuf_ fer vs tobe tempted aboveour power, but willgitte.the iflue with the tentation that zremay beable tobeare it,as it is i.Cor.io.i3. and he that hathpromifed is faithfull and true, yea truth it felfe, and therefore he will be as good as his word. Though therefore Satan incounter vs with all furie, let vs not bee faint-hearted, but couragiouflie endure his affaults,and fo in theend the vie&orie will be ours : for ifwee re,rf the diuell he lbillfiiefromvs,Iam.4,7.ifwefight the Lordsbattels valiant- ly, the God o fpeace!balltread Satan vnderour feete (bortly, as it is Rom.'6.2o. For the promifè ofbrufing the ferpents headmade by theLord,Gen.3.r 5. lothbelong not only to Iefus Chrifi our head, but alfo to all thofe whoaremembers ofhis-bodie. Let vs not therefore feare to fight againfibeaten and con- pea.6. queredenetnies,ílothfullypretendingour weakenesto with- fland
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