CHAp.2.8. c.sCnwmen:arie upon the 418 Vfe. r,Euery faithful] Minifìer moil refoluetofight the good fightof a.riata.y fait h,and firer afflrftion as ',good fouldier of lefitg Chrif. SouIdters we fee are in cenrinuali danger, and euer in the face oftheir enemy , and there- fore their hues fhould not be deare veto them:hut efpecialiy theft Cap- taines ouer the Lords batteis,mafi make hght account of her liuca, which they mull rather forfake,tben cowardly eitherforiake the Eteld,or yceid the bucklers,but hold out vetovióìorie,í riving latofuliy. Qr eefit. How !hail a Minifierhe able to hold out in filch a conflit4 or skirmifh, fo dangerous,fo doubtful], againfi Co many , fo great, fo lear- ned, fo malicious, fo skornefull aduerlaries?eAnfw. He milli encourage himfelic by meditating vpon thepromifcs ofGod, who bath put him in his feruice, pat a powerful! word in his mouth, &'goeth withhim to fee that none touch him, or doe him any hazme. Teremie was lent againfi Princes,Prief}s,-people, who all he knew mu(i fight againfi him : how now fhouid one poore Iercmic hold out againfi them all ? the Lord fur-' Iern.t9. nifhethhimwith a gracious promileto !cane vpon iwi&'be with sheeto' deliver thee: ánd when he was in his Minifiery , found he this any idle promife, or God not fogood as his word.? No furel y for he was in dai- ly derifion eatery ene mocked him : 1.-eP heard raylings and reproacherof tet,.o:,ad rt. manyon every fide : yea, and ( which was hischeifefi greefe) hù wordwas a reproach anddertfen to theprofane, fo that he was mien determining to fpeakenomore in that name. But how did he vphold himfelfe in this temptation But the Lord is with mee like 4 mtghtie Qyanr , therefore my perfecutors'ball bee oaserrhrowne. Obselt. But for all this goodmen are preuailedagainfi, expoIcd to reproach , wants , imprifonment, banifh- ment , and death is (elfe. Anfw, As the Apofife fpeakethof themfelues, a.Cor.t.9. they were killed, but not ouercome : fo the enemy preuaileth againfi theperfon ofa pooreman and Ieremie himfelfe may Rieke and ;iarue in the dungeon : but neither againfi his faith, and confiancie, and much leffe againfi his doarine; and the truth which beeing firongefi ofall, (hall preuaileagainfi them to their confufion : fo are the Saints in fuffe- ring madeconqucrers. It mat not Vfe. a. Let nonebedilicouraged ,if any times bring oppofition to frerne Orange goodMinifiers,as though it were a frange andvnufuall.thing : if fome ifgood men be morewithltood one age onely fhouidbring forth loch a motif/tons birth it would be, thenworfe moreburdenfome,but no age is harren,yea notfruitfull herein, as might be madeplaine in all hi$orie. Neither may any conceive werfe-of the religion, whole teachers are oppofedby great ones : for whereasmene loue their owne deuifes,andwhat níamaffec`ieth natthe childofhis own braine ? neuer were any fo maligned by men,as thdLords owne inuen_ bans. ZJfe. 3.
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