Besides these▪ Th• Subjects, the devoted Vassals which this •ly▪ God hath already gained unto his party, o• the Humane Race, do set themselves with might and main to promote his Interest every where, being led captive by him at his will ▪ and all the Pleasures, all the Profits ▪ all the Preferments of Time, do afford Weapons to be• friend this execrable Enterprise. But […] which completes our peril is, that we harbour ⟨p. 46⟩[…] our own Breasts a treacherous Enemy which ••des with all these; a Cage of unclean Lusts have lodged themselves within us which at the first Summons would presently surrender us into the hands of the bitter and hasty Nation that are gaping for us. All the Arrows which the spiritual wickednesses in high places do shoot at us, are headed & feathered from our selves, from our own Sensuality, or Covetousness or Ambition, and a certain Old man that sleeps in our own Bosoms. If it were not for this perfideous Inmate, our Enemies would go grudging about the streets for want of Bread. Alas, we have within our own Bowels, a Sheba tha• riseth up in Rebellion against our Eternal King. This is our amazing case, and it will be so until we have fought our way quite through the Field of blood which the Church mili••n• is groaning in. The Omnipotent GOD hath fired a Becon before our eyes, and given us that faithful Warning in 1. Tim. 6.12. That we must fight a good Fight, or we cannot lay hold on Eternal Life. Such a Voice as that we have from the shrill Trumpets of God, in Matt. 11.12. That we must like Soldiers, exert an Holy Force and Violence or be shut out from the Kingdom of heaven in howling Anguishes, until the very Heavens ⟨p. 47⟩be no more. Thus must we work out our own Salvation; Thus must we strive to enter in a• the strait gate. The real Christian is to be pitied on the same score that the Bird of prey is hated, namely, quia semper vivit in Armis; as long as he breathes he never has it said unto him, Lay down your Arms. O the Besotment, the Lethal Stupidity of the Soul whom these Intimations will not awaken!
Besides these▪ Th• Subjects, the devoted Vassals which this •ly▪ God hath already gained unto his party, o• the Humane Race, do sett themselves with might and main to promote his Interest every where, being led captive by him at his will ▪ and all the Pleasures, all the Profits ▪ all the Preferments of Time, do afford Weapons to be• friend this execrable Enterprize. But 〈…〉 which compleats our peril is, that we harbou• ⟨p. 46⟩〈…〉 our own Breasts a treacherous Enemy which ••des with all these; a Cage of unclean Lusts have lodg'd themselves within us •hich at the first Summons would presently surrender us into the hands of the bitter and hasty Nation that are gaping for us. All the Arrows which the spiritual wickednesses in high places do shoot at us, are headed & feather'd from our selvs, from our own Sensuality, or Covetousness or Ambition, and a certain Old man that sleeps in our own Bosomes. If it were not for this perfideous Inmate, our Enemies would go grudging about the streets for want of Bread. Alas, we have within our own Bowels, a Sheba tha• riseth up in Rebellion against our Eternal King. This is our amazing case, and it will be so untill we have fought our way quite through the Field of blood which the Church mili••n• is groaning in. The Omnipotent GOD hath fired a Becon before our eyes, and given us that faithful Warning in 1. Tim. 6.12. That we must fight a good Fight, or we cannot lay hold on Eternal Life. Such a Voice as that we have from the shrill Trumpets of God, in Matt. 11.12. That we must like Souldiers, exert an Holy Force and Violence or be shutt out from the Kingdom of heaven in howling Anguishes, until the very Heavens ⟨p. 47⟩
