The combat between Christ and the Devil displayedThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed

Lastly, this excellent use of the word understood, believed, and obeyed must move all ignorant persons to labour for knowledge herein, and with all endeavour after growth in knowledge, by holy ⟨p. 20⟩obedience, to show forth their faith: If we had an enemy that had sworn our death and vowed to see our blood, how careful would we be, for our natural life, both to get us weapons, and also some knowledge to use the same, not only for our defence, but also for the annoyance of our deadly foe? Oh then how careful should we be for the safety of our souls to put upon us the whole armour of God, and to learn to use aright this sword of the spirit, that when we meet with Satan our irreconcilable enemy, in the field of temptation, which is this miserable world, we may be able both to award his blows, and to wound his head! It is lamentable to see how ignorant people will bless themselves in their ignorance, and say they defy the Devil, and spit at him in defiance, and yet they know not how they are entangled in his snares of their own sins: he little regards such defiance so long as their souls lie naked and bare before his deadly darts: let two men meet that be at enmity, the one armed the other naked, what will it avail for the naked man to defy his enemy with big words, while in the mean time his armed enemy takes away his life? Lo, Satan is this strong man armed, and ignorant persons are poor naked ca••ffes, they defy the Devil and spit at him with their mouth, but in the mean time the devil wounds their souls unto death. They will say they feel no such wounds, and therefore they fear him not: but they must know, that the less they feel, the more cause they have to fear; for Satan's wounds are most deadly when they are least felt.

Lastly, this excellent vse of the word vnderstood, beleeued, and obeied must moue all ignorant persons to labour for knowledge heerein, and with all endeuor after growth in knowledge, by holy ⟨p. 20⟩obedience, to shew foorth their faith: If we had an enemy that had sworne our death and vowed to see our bloud, how carefull would we be, for our naturall life, both to get vs weapons, and also some knowledge to vse the same, not only for our defence, but also for the annoyance of our deadly foe? Oh then how carefull should we be for the safetie of our soules to put vpon vs the whole armour of God, and to learne to vse aright this sword of the spirit, that when we meet with Satan our irreconciliable enemy, in the field of temptation, which is this miserable world, we may be able both to award his blowes, and to wound his head! It is lamentable to see how ignorant people will blesse themselues in their ignorance, and say they defie the Diuell, and spit at him in defiance, and yet they know not how they are intangled in his snares of their owne sinnes: he little regards such defiance so long as their soules lie naked and bare before his deadly darts: let two men meet that be at enmity, the one armed the other naked, what will it auaile for the naked man to defie his enemie with bigge words, while in the meane time his armed enemy takes away his life? Lo, Satan is this strong man armed, and ignorant persons are poore naked caffes, they defie the Diuell and spit at him with their mouth, but in the meane time the diuel woūds their soules vnto death. They wil say they feele no such wounds, and therefore they feare him not: but they must know, that the lesse they feele, the more cause they haue to feare; for Satans wounds are most deadly when they are least felt.