Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

Thatthe worldiaamofi dangeroateenemie. it tech and murtherethhis religious brother Abetasfoone as hee faw that God refpe6led him. The fonnes ofmen with giantlike furie opprefle the fonnesofGod, the Sodomites maligne holy Lai, lfmaelperfecuteth t/aae, Efau Jacob, the idolatrous Egyptians cruelly oppreffe Ïfrael, the peopleand ChurchofGod, with more then barbarous furie,S,.:u/ pur.. fucth Dauid,lefabel the true Prophets,the heathen ifh Gen- tiles the Church of the Iewes, the Scribes and Pharifees, Chriaand his Apofiles,and the vnbelceuing Pagans,the be- leeuing Chriflians.In aword, therewas neuer any efcaped, but affoone as they haue been friends withGod, they were prefently accounted the worlds enemies ; and no fooner doth God receiue them into fauour, but the world pùrfueth them withmalice and hatred. But as the world is exceeding malitious, and therefore ¢.Setel.5. willing ; foalto it is verypowerful], and therefore able to That theworld hurt vs, feeing neither policie nor flrength is wanting veto i,alabtd cue it; for the children ofthie worldare miler in theirgeneration mie- then thechildren ofthe light, as the wifefl of men, and wife. Luke16 8' dome ofGod, giueth teflimonie; and a thoufand cunning fleights they haue todeceiue vs, and tenne thoufand fub till policies to betrayand circumuent va. So that Chriflian wifedome which dares not exceed the bounds oftimplicitie and truth, feemeth vnto them dalcifh fottifhnes, and Tillie foolifhnes;and inregard' Of theiraduantagesofdiflimula- tion, lying, and bate treacherie,it weremoil eafie for them toovermatch and got beyond them, did not the Lord by his infinite wifedome and powerdefeate their policies,and conuert the wifedome oftheft Ahitephels into meere föo- liThnes. So alfo it isexceeding firong both in itowne flrength, 4.Sea.6. and in refpe& of the great forces which our owne corrupt That tbeworld flefh doth minifler vnto it. In it felfeit is fopuiífant,that Sa. ra a powerfwu tan maketh choiceof it as his chiefe champion to fight á-garb ¡it once gainfi vs; it is his right handwherewithhe firiketh vs ;it isßrength.. the armorie which affoordeth vnto him all chafe mortali weapons wherewith hee woundeth vs; it is the treafurie which yeeldeth vntohimrall that wages whereby he hireth vs'

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