Veil' 9. the Epiffle on of like fucce %,for over much eaQrnefs inyeelding, might give falle Prophets hope to deceive : thus Origen; and Peter Martyr afterwards, and Pifcalor after him doe colle& the reafon. Others thinke by praifing their obedience he encourageth to conflancy, to continue fledfaft in the good way, and to take heed of receiving contrary do&rine. To which purpofe he exhorts them to joyne prudence and fimplicity, to be fo fimple as not to know how to invent corrupt do &tinè, yet fo wife and skilfull as to be able to difcerne a ftran- gers voyce from Chrifts voyce, like good fheep, John to. 4, 5. and true Ptophets from lyers; which difcretion Paaal prayed for to the Philippians, Chap. s. verfes 9, lo. and exhorts the Thef aloniano unto it, Chap. 5. verf. 21. Why it is needful!, fee 1 Yoh. 4. 1, 2. Revel. 22. Ephef. 4. 14. Which admonifheth all with knowledge to joyne judgement, and reproveth fuch as be wife to the world, but lacke the wifdome of the word. The third reafon is from of prance of viCory; fo they watch and obferve theft evilliworkemen, which (carter graines oferrors in the Lords field; and ffrive again(( their errors, they (hall furely overcome by themight andgrace ofGod verf. 20. The God of peace will bruife Satan under your feet,&c. There is in this promife, an allufion to the promife in Paradile, made to our fir(} parents, of the woman Seed to bruife the Serpents head, Gen.3. which implyeth fuch a conqueft and overthrow of Satan, as he fhould never recover himfelfe. As Jofbua let his feet on the neckes of the five Kings, and deftroyed them. This hath been already in the head Chrift perfe&ly fulfilled, and (hall be in his members, who muff encounter a while with Satan and his itaftruments : but fo they behave then)- (elves valiantly, and place all their affi- ance in God, it (hall quickly come to paffe, that Satan (howfoever he may feem to prevaile) yet even when one would thinke he (hould overcome all, then (hall he take the foyle. For God to the Romans. 64 who is with his Church, is flonger then the enemies which do fight againft it : and the peace of his Church is to dear unto h }m, as none that make divi. lion; {hall be able to (land before him. Ml which hadmatter of exhortation:to quicken us,unto all vigilancyin prayer, and good endeavours to withfland- the affaults of the devil], caking great heed of fecurity, cafe, and Ipirituall`. floathfulneffe, left we be fùrprized on a hidden. And here is alto matter of confola- tion,that we faint not whatfoever corn- bates and encounters with Heretickes, SJhifmatickes ,orotherwilehappen, yet (!ill to hold up our head,,and take heed to us, under the aydeand help of God and his, grace, feting the vi &ory'will be ours. f we hold out but a little while, we (hall vanquith, and that very fhort- ly even in this life, whereof we hive . fundyexamples; and not only at ,she day ofjudgement when our viCory will be eonfuìnate. A marvailous comfort that GodsMiniftecs and children (}rive againft errors,} nnes, and fchifnies, with certain hope of having theupper hand. Which as it muff beat down delpair,and drive away fearful! fluggifhneffe, to it keepeth from prefumption, to confider chat not by our own ftrength, not by our own arme, -or bow, or (Weld, but it is the firength ofGod that gives us the viCory , And therefore not to us Lord, not to to, but to thy name be rendred the glory. Upon there reafons, We in England, and other reformed Churches in Europe, may juftifie our reparation from the Papifls, whom um have left and are di- vided from: but -firff becaufe they left the Apoftles dotrines, and divided themfelves from the faith and religion ofChrift, to embrace novel-lei-Airs, and diabolicall fuperflitions, contrary to the, received doCrine from the..kegin -. ping : by whore hypocrifieand flattery,; if we mate not fuffered- our (elves to be' deceived to the perdition ()four fonts, but continue-Dill to fight again(} them,' under the Affiance of the firong God, with undoubted truft of an happy if- hl h h fue 7
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