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

Ofthe Flefli. mie; wecannot famifh our e.nemie, but we our felues !hall pine withhunger. Whowouldnot thinks the eflate ofthofe citizens tobe mofl dangerous, who being befieged by for- raine forces, harbour amonga themmore traitors which arc hourely in readines toopen the gates andbetray the citie in- to their enemieshands,than truefrtbieéls and loyall citizens to 'land in their defence? But this is our cafè,we arebefieged with forraine forces,the world and the diucll;andwenourifh -in vsfecret traitors,euen the flefl-i, with whole legions of the luí#s thereof, Which are continually readietoopen thegates ofour ourfenfes offeeing,hearing,touching,ta- fling,finelling,wherebywhole troupes of temptations enter and fitrprize vs. The confderation whereof fhoul-d make vs moll watch §.sea, 3 fully to (land vponour guard,and to vie fuckChri(lian poli- Hevv thefiefh cie to withflandour enemies, and prevent their treacherous-is to be vveak .attempts,as true-hearted citizens wouldvfe in the likecafe; nod. who if they were befieged with forraine forces, and knew that they harboured traitors, whofought all opportunities of betraying their citie into their enemies hand, theywould iftheywere ílrongenough layhandon-them, -draw them to the place of judgement, condemne and put them to death; butif they found them too great and flrong a partie, then they wouldvfe all goodpolicie to make them weaker,byde- priving themoftheir foode and prouifion,weapons, armour and munition, andall othermeanes wherein confifled their chiefe flrength; and then they would let vpon thembeing thus difabled, and proceede in the courfe of iuflicebefore mentioned : fowe being in continual! danger tohaue the ci- tie ofour foules lacked through the treacheroufneffeof our fiefh, rnufl, ifwe be thong enough and powerfull through Gods fpirit,mortifie, kill, andabolifh the flefh,.and the lulls -thereof; but ifwe findé the fpirit weake and the flefh ílrong, we are todifable it by falling and.watchfulnes in prayer, by withdrawing from it the foode with which it is nourifhed, that is, voluptuous pleafures and worldly delights; but efpe- cially beingweake in our felues, we are to implore the aide and aflïflance ofGods fpirit, wherebywe may be flrengthe- p 4 zed

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