Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

ThegoodFight. 221 true- hearted friend, to refpeâour good name,but alwaies a eceemous aduetfa- tie toempòyfonour foule. Their are nonew things to thechildrenof God:the mercyof God, and themaliceofSathan, they know themwell tobee vndiuided companions. Neither is the Scripture wanting toalibre vsofthe conquefl. It wasfaidofold, thar the Serpent, hithead beingbroken ,couldbutbridle thehedes, nCrrwe.3.äfe andit path beene afrefh renewed, that Greater u be Which W invs, then beewhich _- is itsthe work!', and weeall, fomany as are newin the lifts againft thisarray lant a a Ieb44; bane this warrant fealed,(feeing it is a part lithe newTefiament)with theblood ofChrift, Thatthe Godofpeace;la; treadSatan under ourfeet Portlyb. The third b Itohi.i .tb fight isfor the maintenance of the caufeof Religion,againftboth the cunningof oppofers, and the maliceofperfecutors; That euery Chriftian isto fight witi a holy aeale for the purity ofreligion, S. fade (hall witnefleforme; 7e we., needful, for me (faith bee) towrite ontoyou, toexhertyen thatyenfbouldearner ly cementi for thefaith Which wasoncegiuen to the Saints o. Thekingdome ofheaven (faith our Sa. abode 3. . uiour)Puffers violence, and the violent takesit byforce a; There is torce in getting d Mae.rr°ssé truth, there mull bea kinde of forcealto inmaintaining it; Drtoidehofereligion for hisheritage a He is notworthy to haue it, whichwill not [tripe to preferue it. a Pi?Liattr. Now for this kindeoffight thereare two things required a Firer, skill : and lb- rat' costly, courage. Skill, becaufe every corner is ío fullof cunning and fubtill va- derminers of religion: Atheifls, lefuites, Seminaries, Seflaries: there fight not with violence and profeffed enmity, but with plaufible reafons, with fmooth per. fwafions, and withall gloarg pretenceswhich hell can deuifeto entangle. What need haue men then ofexercifed witsf, mod vnderflending hearts à, knowing how gHeKn63 5f. wifely to handlethat fameJword ofthe Spirit to relft them ? How retinilite is lEp4,5.r7o it, that Chrifian fouldiers fhould be dailyprodding the feats offpirituallarmes, that they may knowhowto grapplewith the aduerfaryat every kind ofweapon, and to make their part good againft entry encounter? Asskill is required, fo cou- rageand ref-elittionallo : For know youwhat the Apofile laid tothecesnuerted Hebrewes, iAfreryeereceiseedlght,( rhat is, Comehauing knowledgeandfitting iHeb,to.32è) ofthe truth)ye enduredagreatfight ofaffiiLtions : Is not here needeofcourage ?. what thinke we ofthemocking of lfmael, thedifdaine of Herod', the fcourging ÌLk ss. , ofPilatem,offpoyling ofgoods, ofbeing made agazingßacke by reproaches",nay, of wMate. refs/lance toblood" ? Doe not there things require a refolution ? Were it not fit- n Bab. m,33á wingthat we fhouldbe well prouided, who mull got throughall there bickerings, io left whenwe hauefiruck a ftroakeor two, weefhould be wearied andfaint in our o H6.rì.q: mindes', and lobe like the childrenofEphraim, ofwhom thePfalme faith q, that P pi,'rs a ° beingarmed, andfhootingwith theBow , they turned baekein the dayofbattell? 9 P As thenecefsity ofthis kindeoffight torthe maintenance of thecaufe of Re- ligion, lyerhvpon all, fo vpon twodegrees efpecially, Magifiratesand Miniftets. Theyareboth called Leaders.of the people, and therefore asofLeaders, whole r r Sam. q:r6, experience mull inftruâand wholevalour mull incouráge, and put heart into o- vn a ten an. theta, there is twiCe fo much required. It is their office tofianditt the breach ',and tegUbnm, togae outand int beforethe people, and to beam the fitockandburnt of the firfi Hob '' 7. 'stapling. If they be found and fincere, infant and refolute in the caufe ofGod, tpivn,O' Oh, what life and courage {hall theyput into the multitude, which doe cues de. teal o6'8jo pend vpon their cenduá? If theybe cold and daftardly, andglue ground in the day ofbattell,howwil they make the hartsof thepeopleeuento die within them, & what hopewill Satan haueto let vp hisfiandard inthe midit of GodsChurch? But as the eagerneffe in this combate is required ofMagifratesand Minilers more thenofothers, foof vs whobe Minillersmoli ofall. lathe old Law things n Composer. in theSanthuary weredoable rothat whichwas common, the Shekellof theSan. 4.witb ftury twice Co weighty as the commonShekella, the cubite of the Sanâuàry :compare twice fo long as thecommon cubite *. TheMafia. had need to with as; Ktn.r.rs,wúff ,:. did aCrron.3,rg.

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