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they would if they could, bereave us of ourGod,our Saviour, Sanctifier, of all our hopes of falvation, and glory of heaven. SEC T. II.

Ufe 1. ARE devils thus mighty and malicious? then

mind this, confider what enemies you must fight againft. Methinks a ferious confideration of their power should raise up your hearts to blefs that God that keeps you from them. Oh the mighty advantage they have over you! Should the Lord but give the chain, what work would they make in the world? How would they rend the heavens, shake the earth, undo all men and women in the world in an instant? My brethren, I would not have you dread them too much; and yet because they are fuch mighty malicious enemies, I would not have you flight them too much. I tell you there is nothing in this inferi or world able to stand before them, no creature, no man. The good angels indeed can match and mafter devils; but if God ftop his angels, and withdraw his hand, they would quickly over-run, unquiet, unfettle all the world. Oh then maintain fuch apprehenfions of their greatness, as that you may for ever blefs that God who binds up fuch enemies, that they do not the mischief unto which their nature inclines them, and enables them.

2. Are devils mighty and malicious? then let all tempted ones fly to God, and rely on his power; be they never fo mighty, yet the Lord only is Almighty; he hath all devils in a chain, and he ftraitens or enlargeth it as he pleafeth: His power is not only in heaven, but on earth, and in hell; and here is the hope of faints, here is their tower of refuge; He that dwelleth in the fecret places of the Moft High, fhall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. O then that God's people would in all danger hafte to their fortrefs! that they would fay of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortrefs, my God, in him will I trust. But the ufes of this nature we fhall bring into the next point, and to that I haften.

CHAP. V. SECT. 1.

Of the main Doctrine intended.

UR fpiritual combat is a wrestling, Eftin emin e pale, there is a wrestling to us; or we wrestle; [pale] dicitur,

dicitur, quia corpus [palletai id eft, quatitur. The Greek word, according to the proper notation of it, fignifieth such a strife as maketh the body of him that striveth to hake; and howfoever fometimes it is given to a ftrife of fport; yet here it is used for a ferious and fieree fight and combat; fo fierce as it may well make the foul thake again.

But why is this combat called a wrestling?

1. Because Satan's fight is very clofe. This is the nature of wrestling, not to fight at a distance, but very near; Satan is so near that he clofeth with us; yea, gets within us. He takes hold of the heart within, the foul within. Other wrestlers may catch at the head, or arms, or thighs, or they may fold their arms about the middle of the body, and strive with it; but Satan is a fpirit, and enters into fpirits; his wrestling is fo clofe, that neither understanding, will, affections, nor any thing within can efcape his fangs.

2. Because this fight is very violent; wreftling is not an eafy, lazy, idle combat. They that wreftle do it with. their might, and strength, and utmost vigour. So deals Satan with us, he goes about as a roaring lion, 2 Pet. v. 8. he is very active to do mifchief, he puts to his ftrength to devour fouls: And accordingly muft we deal with Satan; Finally, my brethren, be frong in the Lord, Eph. vi. II. as we must take heaven by violence, fo we must escape hell by violence; devils are not to be dallied withal; we muft quit ourselves like men; refift unto blood.

3. Because this fight hath in it many wrenches, windings, wiles, and arts. The cunning wrefler carries it not merely with his ftrength, but with his feats; his eye is upon all advantages; with a wrench, a turn, a trip, afleight, he gets the mastery. Satan in this refpect is an eminent wreftler; he makes it his trade, and is well acquainted with all the myfleries of it. He hath thousands and ten thoufands of firatagems and wiles. He hath his bathe and noema. ta, as the apostle calls them, I Cor. ii. 12. that is, his depths, his profound plots and contrivances, moulded by malice and fubtilty in his own large understanding, fur pifhed with the experience of our corruptions, and the fuccefs of his many temptations for fome thousands of

years,

years, managed with all the crafts and policies of the most dark and hidden corners of hell. He hath his methodaias, as they are called, Eph. vi, 11. exquifite methods, in the wily conveyance of his ftratagems, in ordering his affaults, and fpitting his fiery darts. And is it not our duty and prudence to be well fkilled in his wiles, and to counterwork him in his crafts; are we not therefore advised to put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil? Eph. vi. 11. As there is no standing without armour, fo there is no fear of falling if we are but armed and prepared for him; his wiles fhould make us wife unto falvation, that tho' he wrestle artificially with us, we may be able to stand.

4. Because in this combat each party hath ufually his aids or feconds. It is thus both with Satán and us. I. He hath his aids; these are led under the conduct of these two captain-generals the world and the flesh. This world is the devil's darling, and chief champion. On the right hand it encounters us with profperity, it casts before us the golden apples of riches, and how prone we are to listen to thefe Syren-fongs, our experience tells us. On the left hand it tempts us by adverfity, turning its fmiles into frowns, its allurements into threats, its offers of honours and riches to proud menacings of poverty and ignominy; and how terrible these are in the eyes of flesh and blood, the best hearts can tell. The flesh is the devil's darling, by which we understand the corruption of nature; it fighteth and lufteth against the fpirit, it rebels against the law of our mind, and leadeth us captive to the law of fin. The flesh lufteth against the spirit, and the fpirit lufteth against the flesh, and thefe are contrary the one to the other; fo that we cannot do the fame things that we 'would,' Gal. v. 17. Rom. vii. 19. Both thefe are Satan's aids. 2dly, We have our aids: As God first takes our part, and he hath appointed his own Son as general of the field, called the Captain of our falvation, Heb. ii. 10. Whenfoever we wreftle, he ftands by with a reserve, as it were, for our relief at a pinch, and if we will but call upon him at our need, he will never leave us, fail us, nor forfake us, 2. The angels take our part: Behold the cha

riots of fire upon the mountains round about Elifha. Wreftlers are usually compast with a ring, and fuch a ring have faints; The angels of the Lord encamp round about them

that fear him, and they deliver them,' Pfal. xxxiv. 7. Now what better aids or feconds can we have than the angels of God, and the God of angels? Surely there are more for us than can be against us: Oh the comfort of this! SECT. II. Use of Terror.

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S our spiritual combat a wrestling? then woe to the wicked, that never wrestle at all: Let them know, that they are not the Lord's foldiers, but the devil's revellers, and therefore he fights not against them, because they are his friends, When the strong armed man (Satan) keep

eth his palace, his goods are in peace,' Luke xi. 20. but when a fronger than he cometh to difpoffefs him, there will be many a ruftle, and many a wrestle, and ufually fuch a man will feel the conflict. Now woe to them that are at ease in Zion, Amos vi. 1. Can we be God's fervants and not his foldiers? Is not Christ's church on earth a truly militant church? in a warfare as well as wayfare? Oh then what is their condition that are rid only by the devil! they will not grapple with Satan, they love to fleep in a whole fkin, they crown themfelves with pleasant garlands of restful security, they imagine they may go to heaven in a bed of down: Oh but what will be the end of these men? The devil hath already laid them on their backs, and there remains nothing more but to kick them out of their fecurity into hell.

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S our fpiritual combat a wrestling? then courage, Chriftians, from those words, Be firong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. vi. 1o. One rightly observes, That the Chriftian of all men needs courage; a cowardly fpirit is beneath the loweit duty of a Chriftian: The fearful are in the forlorn of those that march for hell, the violent and valiant are they who take heaven by force; except thou canst prove thy pedigree by an heroic fpirit, except thou wilt dare to be holy in fpight of men and devils,

never think that thou art begotten of God. O how uncomely a fight is it, a bold finner and a fearful faint! ons refolved to be wicked, and a Chriftian wavering in his ho ly courfe! to fee hell keep the field, impudently braving it with difplayed banners of open profanenefs, and faints to hide their colours for fhame, or to run from them for fear, who should rather wrap themselves in them, and die upon the place. GURNAL's Chriftian Armour:

Take courage therefore, O ye faints and be ftrong When Joshua was to march before Ifrael into Canaan, the Lord was fain to raife up his fpirit with redoubled words 'Be firong and of a good courage. Only be thou ftrong ' and very courageous; Have not I commanded thee? ba ftrong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither b thou difmayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whi ⚫therfoever thou goeft,' Josh. i. 6, 7. I fay the fame to you, who are to march thro' this wilderness into the hea venly Canaan, Take courage, for the Lord your God is with you: What if devils come behind and trip up your heels? Nay, what if they fly in your faces, and grapple with you hand to hand? Any weak David may wrestle with Goliah, fo long as the battle is the Lord's, and that he comes to the field in the name of the Lord of hofts, the God of Ifrael. But motives I fhall referve for the next ufe.

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SECT. IV.

Ufe of Exhortation with Motives.

S your fpiritual combat a wrestling? come then, fall on the duty; here's a world of devils ready to encounter you may imagine, and really it is fo, that they come fwift ly, furiously, ftrongly, their arms fpread wide, and their fangs are open, and if they can, they will faften on the whole man; their aim is to throw body, foul, and all into hell. What will you do now? will you turn your backs and fly? Shall the devil conquer without a stroke? No, God forbid. I beseech you stretch forth your arms, bid devils defiance, and refift them to your utmost, wrestle with all your might. Why, this is the duty I am pref fing on you: Be ferious and wrestle, though all shake by it. The motives are feveral. As,

1. There

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