Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

Thegood Fight. 225 was once with the flareof Ifrael vnder the Philiflimes °, ofwhichit is faid,There c z Sam , than ne Smithfanndthroseghout all the land, and , neitherfwordnor ffearefound in 19, 20. thehands ofany of the people e het towhom this nakedoeffe were a n pleafure, or a matterof indifferece, would you imagine him tomeanewell, ortobeea friend tohis countrey ? I amCure you wouldnot. Now Pan!, fpeaking of the combatewee arero haue with thedeuili , and deferibing by parcels , that holy armour wherewith heemuft beevnderflood, mentioneth amongother things, thefwordofthe Spirit , which is the word of God.. This we fee wasour Saviours oEph,6,17, weapon in that conflid which is storied in the Gofpel *: with this two-edged o Math.q, fword. of, ItisWritten, he cutáfunder all thofe knots, wherewithSathans pur- sRoo ¡,z6, pole was to entangle him. Who fo then that(defpife thisweapon,flrall call it be- bindeY them ,fhall hare=the knowledge of it , (hall fay toGod , as the wicked YPf1Sat7. are re ortedcodoe; Deport romvs, forwedetre not the howled eo thy Wáitsa, P P 1t f f k g f y aIobzr.r4' thai! thiskepreaching robe (as was laid b ofold:) Thtbortherzof theLori, (hall with ofit as the Gadarens did ofChrift °, that it might depart out oftheir rosîto: c Math.a, 34 who Co (I fay) llrall bee thus affeaed, the charitablee ceniure , andthe moil fa- vourable vetditR which canbe giuenof them, isthis, that they are wil£ull be- trayers of their owne foules into the powerof thedeuill. Now it is no hard mar- ter ,to thew how deftruedly this imputation may bee laid vpon our times; I haue Written unto them(faid theLord; of olde, to the Iewes) thegreat thingsof my Law , bne theywere counted aì af range thing'. I doe not fee how it can beede. t Hof. I. nied, but that God may íuflly complaint fo now. Great bath his kindueffe beetle co chete times, in enlarging and imptooning the freeere ofhis word : and yet (alas) what a worldOf people.is thereamongfl vs, to whom the Scripture remaineth as abookt that is fealedup., nay, (which is even fearefull to thinke e Ifay.:9, sr. on) who freme to be of that careleffe and negligent humour, as though it wereall one to them, though there hsdbeeneneuer any Bible written, nor any filchbooke by the fpeciall prouidencéof God , preferned tohisChurch? A- gaine, althoughthe Scripture of God beeentertained into fame houles, as a kinde of needtullimplement , to fillvp Comecorner, which otherwife Might lie voile, yet with many they are vied like their harnefle in there peacefull times, madea prey to theraft and daft,or laid vp like the fword ofGelieb whichDavid tookefrom him ',like a monu nent,that it may be laid vpon occafion. Therethey f Few there be that doemike them their Counfellers e,orthat doe endeauour to g Pfaff tr9.a4 hot[ them in their heft roome, even tolet them dwell plenteonflyh intheir hearts, h Furthermore, forthe openingand explaning thereof by thole whomGod bath deputed thereto, (which is,asit werecertaine rules and precepts ofdefence, tea. ehurgvs how to handle this weapon againft our fpiritualladuerfarie) how is it reckonedof? Where it is had, it is little effeemed; where it is wanting , it is Ieffedeared. Few doe rcuerence it as Gods ordinance, fewdepend vponit as vpon thearme i , and power ofCloduntofaluation k. Whatfighting can therebee ilfay againft Sachan, when thisfword of the Spirit is in difgrace? what fpoile of kRom.r. r6. fouleswillthe deuillmake, when men are nor thus armed torefift? Confider the Rorie of Sampfeni. When the PhiliftiMes had taken him and put out his llad,,6 eyes, then they mightdoewith him what they would, thoughbeewere a ftrong man, anda noble man, yet theybound him with fetters, and made him grinde likea horfe in a mill : andlo when as the light of Godsholy ordinance is wan- ting, Sathanbath opportunitie to worke hiswill : men maybee drawn toany thing ; no opinionfo groffe,no worfhip ofGod fo fuperfticious,no fafhionof life fo vile , but theywill loose embraceit. Sothen if our corsfciencestell en, that Godsword isnot to vs, as it was to leremy. m , the ioy andreioycing ofour htart; m ise. i ,r8: that wee are not like the Satiraritans, ofwhom it isfail , that when Philipcame. andpreached among them , There wasgreat ioy in the citie a , nor likethe mats n Aß.$.9, of Macedonia , which appeared to Taal inav,fion, and becaufeof the want X of

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