Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That the world iaamofi dangeroateenemie. it tech and murthereth his religious brother Abet as foone as hee faw that God refpe6led him. The fonnes of men with giantlike furie opprefle the fonnes of God, the Sodomites maligne holy Lai, lfmaelperfecuteth t/aae, Efau Jacob, the idolatrous Egyptians cruelly oppreffe Ïfrael, the people and Church of God, 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, Chria and his Apofiles,and the vnbelceuing Pagans,the be- leeuing Chriflians. In a word, there was neuer any efcaped, but affoone as they haue been friends with God, they were prefently accounted the worlds enemies ; and no fooner doth God receiue them into fauour, but the world pùrfueth them with malice and hatred. But as the world is exceeding malitious, and therefore ¢.Setel.5. willing ; fo alto it is very powerful], and therefore able to That the world hurt vs, feeing neither policie nor flrength is wanting veto i,alabtd cue it; for the children ofthie world are miler in theirgeneration mie- then thechildren of the 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 betray and circumuent va. So that Chriflian wifedome which dares not exceed the bounds of timplicitie and truth, feemeth vnto them dalcifh fottifhnes, and Tillie foolifhnes;and in regard' Of theiraduantagesofdiflimula- tion, lying, and bate treacherie,it were moil eafie for them to overmatch and got beyond them, did not the Lord by his infinite wifedome and power defeate their policies,and conuert the wifedome of theft Ahitephels into meere föo- liThnes. So alfo it is exceeding firong both in it owne flrength, 4.Sea.6. and in refpe& of the great forces which our owne corrupt That tbe world flefh doth minifler vnto it. In it felfe it is fo puiífant,that Sa. ra a powerfwu tan maketh choice of it as his chiefe champion to fight á- garb ¡it once gainfi vs; it is his right hand wherewith he 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'