ftate ofa C l2711íia s 3 deeds thereof, asyoongchildren muff haue time to growe ¡dtheirbodies -r, and fo in like irianerthe flingofthe Serpent is not pulledout at once:butthe poyfon ofour nature is minifhed by little and little, and cannot before the house ofdeathbeWholy taken away. 7imoth. I perceiveby your godlïc difcourfe, themanifolde conflietesbe- tweene the flefh& the ipirít,and that the flefh is liketo amightyGyant,fuel aoneas wasGoliah,flrong,luflie,tiirring,cncmy toGod,confederatwith the Diuell : and the fpirit like toa little child,fuçha one as was little Dauid', news borne,weake andfeeble,not alwaies furring; now then what meanes doe you vfe toweaken the flefh,and ftrengthen the fpirit? t Ewfeb. Ivfe totamemy flefhwith prayer and falling, watching, deeds. of . mercie, holiemeditations and reading the Scriptures, and in bodilie labour, and in withdrawingall tnaner ofpleafures from the fleih, andwith exercifes contrarie to theviceswhich I ind mybodie'moil inclinedto,and with abfiai. ping from all things that encourage the flefh againll the fpirit: as reading - of toyesandwanton books,feeingofPlaycs andEncerludes ,wanton communi- cation,foolifh idling , and effeminate thoughtes andcalking:ofcouetoufiies, which Paule forbiddeth Ephef. 5.magnifyingofworldlypromotions. Ifthefc will not mortifie my flefh, thenGod fendeth me tome .troubles, andfo ma. kethme togrooveand waxeperfe ,and fineth and tryeth mee as golds in tlt fireoftentations and tribulations. 7hus very often hemakethmeto take vp my croffe and nayleth my flefhvnto it , for themortifyingthereof.Markethis, ifGod fend thee to thefea,andpromife to goe with thee, hee will rails vpf_ tempeU again(}thee, to proouewhetherthouwilt abide byhis word, & that thoumaifl feele thyfaith and weaknefl'e,and perceive his goodnes : for ifit werealwayes faireweather & thouneuer into fuch ieopardie,whence his mercie onlydeliuereth thee, thyfaith fhouldbe onlyaprefumption,& thou ihouldeflbeeuer vnthankfuIl to God, and mercileffe vnto thy neighbour. IfGodpromife riches , theway thereupon ispouertie whomehe loueth ,him hechafleneth: whomhe exalteth,he ca ilethdowns": whomhefauethhe firIt damn2th: hebrie ethno man to heauen,'excepthe fendhim to hell firLI : ifhe promife life, hee fayeth firfl: when he buildeth , hee cafleth downs all firfl: heis nopatcher ; hecannotabide another mans foundation : he wil not worke tillall bepafremedie,andbrought to filch a cafe that men may feehowe that his hand,his power,his mercie,hisgoodnes, his truethbath wrought altogea Cher:he willlet noman be partaker with him ofhispraife& glorie : his workes are woonderfull and contrary tomans works;who euer(fauehee)deliuered his owne fon,his onlieforme , his deere fonne, hisdarling, vnto the deathand for hisenemies,to winhisenemies,to ouercome themwith loue,that they might fee loueand loue againe,and ofloue likewife todoeto other men, andto o- uercamethem withwell doing ? Iofeph taw theSunneand theMoon & feuen flarres worshippinghim,neuerthelefleere that came to pat God layde him where heecould feeneitherSunne, norMoone neither any star of the Skie, F f4 and
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