Reafime mooingvt tofghtagain the world. 23 iinne anddeath. Ifwee make the world ourbedfellow, well may our corrupt flcfh thinke our bed loft as done, and fweete as rofes,and focaufe vsto fleepeadead fleepe in car- nall fecuritie; yet in truth like filthie fwine wee wallow in the linke and puddleof 6nne and wickednefhe; and ifcute wee awake out ofthis fpirituall lethargic, we Thall fee our eflatemoll defperate and damnablc,till we be Centred from this companion,and cleanfed from that filthineffe, where- with hee hash defiled vs. So that wee may conclude where the holy Pfalmillbcgan,Pfal.t.r.Blefedse theman thatdoth not wa1kein the countedofthewicked,nerffandin themay of frn- ners,norftinthefeate offcornere. Fiftly, if wee will be the feruants and Difciples cif Iefus 4.See1.7, Chrifl, we muff ofneceffitie make warre againfl the world, We mu/t fight for it will haue no peacewithvs, but as Toone as it difcer- againfltthe neth that we are chofen by him,it will purfue vs with mor- morldifwe Mil tall hatred ; fo that wee mutt fight againfl it,or it will fight pleChrif s difa< againfl vs, and fo defiroy vs for want of refiflance ; vnleflè wee canbe content to renounce the feruice ofour Sauiour, and yeeld ourfelues as flaues to the world, finne and Satan, who will reward vs for the prefent with the wages of vani- tie,and afterwardswith the wages of death. And this argu- ment the Apoflle`Peter vfeth,t.Pet.z. t t.Dearey beloved, I r.Pet.z.rr. befeechyouatJfrangers andpilgrimes,abflainefrom flefby lIafl r, whichfightagainfl thefoule. Sixtly,ifwe doe not fight againfl the world,butfuffer our g.Sea. 8. felues to be againe defiled with worldly lulls, after that Webreeme a- Chrifl bathfhcd his blood towafh and cleanfe vs,wee fhall pofatt ifvve fall into a fearefull relapfe, and make our latter end much thgevvorld atasR worfe thenontbeginning; we íhall like ftlthiedogges re- turne to our vomit, and with the tow that was wafhed, to our wallowing in thetrrire.And this the Apof#le Peterplain- lyafñrmcth,aPet.z.zo.For if they (faith he) after they haue z.Pet.z.zo.ar. efcaped from thefrlthineffeoftheworld ,through the knowledge ofthe Lord, andofthe Saviour Iefus (brig, areyet tangled therein againe,andouercome,the latter iewerfewith them then the beginning. 22. For it had beenbetter for them,not tohatee bnowaethe wayof rigbteoufneffe, then after they bane known C 4 át,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=