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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A22507	A commentarie vpon the fourth booke of Moses, called Numbers Containing, the foundation of the church and common-wealth of the Israelites, while they walked and wandered in the vvildernesse. Laying before vs the vnchangeable loue of God promised and exhibited to this people ... Heerein also the reader shall finde more then fiue hundred theologicall questions, decided and determined by William Attersoll, minister of the word.	Attersoll, William, d. 1640.; Attersoll, William, d. 1640. Pathway to Canaan.; Attersoll, William, d. 1640. Continuation of the exposition of the booke of Numbers.	1618 (1618)	STC 893; ESTC S106852	2,762,938	1,336

that seeing God hath created vs and giuen vs our being to serue him albeit we be redu●ed by others it shall not profit vs o● deliuer v● from iudgement Ignorance shall excuse no man it is the fountaine of all sinne it is the cause of all punishments Hos 4 1. Mar. 12 24. it is not enough for vs to say we are no seducers and deceiuers of others because if we be seduced and deceiued by others wee are partakers of their sinne and shal bea●e our iust condemnation Secondly seeing the poore seduced people Vse 2 shall not escape no more the the chiefe Ring-leaders and heads of the conspiracy against God it is our duty to search narrowly and view diligently that which is brought and taught vnto vs we must beware of seducers and Captaines that leade to lewdnesse of life or corruption of doctrine It behoueth vs to shew such loue to God and his truth as to withstand such as goe about to infect vs to shame them to bewray them to reprooue them to conuince them and to take heed that we be not drawne away with them eyther by their flattery or by their authority Hence cōmeth the exhortation of Christ Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues yee shall know them by their fruites Math. chap. 7. verse 15. By these the LORD our GOD tryeth vs whether we loue him with al our harts with all our soules He chargeth his people to seeke carefully to search earnestly Deut. 13 14. and to enquire diligently if there bee any such wickednesse There is no loue to God where his truth is not professed followed and maintayned The Apostle Iohn chargeth those to whom he wrote Not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 1. But where is this ability to bee found And where shall we meete with those that are able to discerne of spirits Looke vppon the greatest part of our congregations and behold they are not able to make any tryall of truth from errour They are fit to entertaine any doctrine They know no difference betweene the mists of Popery and the light of the Gospel They embrace this Religion because it is established by authority defended by the Law professed by the Prince countenanced by the Magistrate embraced by the multitude freed from trouble controlled by none But aske them a reason of the hope that is in them and call them to an account of the faith which they hold Aske them what they beleeue and how they thinke to be saued they are taken speechlesse and not able to giue any reasonable answer And how can it bee otherwise in many places where such as should bee eyes to others are blinde themselues a naked ministery hath made a naked people an ignorant ministery hath made an ignorant people a simple Teacher hath made a sottish hearer For as Moses saw that the people were naked Because Aaron had made them naked Exod. 32 25 vnto their shame among their enemies so wee see the people without knowledge and vnderstanding because the Watchmen are blinde the Embassadors are dumbe the Shepheards are simple the Teachers are not able to instruct themselues The meanes to bring vs to this spirituall iudgment to try the spirits Rules to be obserued to enable vs to try the spirits are to obserue these few rules and directions following First we must haue the word of God to dwell plentifully in vs we must reade and search the Scriptures as Christ commanded Iohn 5 39 and the men of Berea practised Acts 17. They examined the Doctrine of the Apostles by the touchstone of the Prophets and are commended for it by the Spirit of God We must not take euery thing that is deliuered but search and try the things that are deliuered Secondly we must continue constant in the things which wee haue learned thence Thus the Apostle exhorteth Timothy who had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe To perseuere in the things which hee had learned and was perswaded of knowing of whom he had learned them 2 Tim. 3 14. Thirdly we are to auoyd those places and persons where abhominations are set vp and maintained lest ioyning and partaking with them in their sinnes wee be also companions with them in punishments Thus doth the Apostle teach vs to giue a farewell to those places I heard a voice from heauen say Goe out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that ye receiue not of her plagues Reuel 18 verse 4. Fourthly we are to magnifie the Ministery of the word where it is planted and established we are diligently to attend vnto it and to heare it with all patience and reuerence to encrease in vs both knowledge and obedience to worke in vs faith a sound beleefe to bring vs to a true sight of our sinnes and to an vnfeigned repentance from dead works If these rules be carefully and wisely obserued we shall bee made able to try all things that we heare to refuse the euill and to hold fast that which is good Lastly we may from hence conclude the Vse 3 wofull condition of all seducers that seduce and deceiue the simple people they are sure to perish and to be destroyed It is a greeuous sinne not to embrace the truth of God but to erre from the wayes of saluation but it is more greeuous to draw away others and to plunge them into the pit of destruction They are accursed in the law which make the blinde to go out of the way and all the people were to say Amen Deut. 27 18. If we see a poore blinde man wandring hither and thither for want of a guide and groping to finde his way if wee lay stones or stumbling blocks before his feere to supplant him and cause him to fall downe all men are ready to condemne it of rigor and cruelty The very heathen which neyther know the Law nor vnderstand the Gospel could say Cicer. li. 1. offic that whosoeuer sheweth not the way to a trauailer and wayfaring man when he seeth him out of the right way is without all pitty and compassion as if one should refuse to suffer his neighbour to light his Candle that is gone out at his Candle that burneth But if a man should leade his brother beeing in a strange and vnknowne Countrey quite and cleane out of the way direct him of purpose into places of danger and thereby as it were blow out his Candle that burneth bright all men would haue accounted him a monster and vnworthy to liue vpon the earth If our brother want our helpe or counsell we are bound to do all good vnto him and it is a note of cruelty to shutte our mouthes or hands when they should bee opened as wee see in the examples of the Priest and Leuite Luk.

infinite in wisedome and knowledge and infinite in grace and mercy doth so order dispose gouerne all things by his ouer-ruling and ouer-reaching hand that neyther a Sparrow lighteth vpon the ground nor an haire falleth from our head without his appointment This reason is vsed by Christ our Sauiour Mat. 6 26. where perswading vs to lay aside all carking caring for worldly things and to rest wholly vpon God he doth cheefly beat vpon this point groundeth his reason vpon Gods prouidence who cloatheth the Lillies feedeth the Rauens and ministreth food to all liuing creatures Lastly no man hath so meane an estate and condition but he may gaine some glory to Reason 4 God in it yea all that befalleth vnto vs is for the best the calling wherein we liue howsoeuer it may seeme to vs euill and full of misery is vnto vs most good and profitable seeing as it is alotted alowed vnto vs of God so if we be found faithfull in it we may glorifie his great Name in it so that we may conclude with the Prophet The lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a goodly heritage Though our estate be not best considered in it selfe yet it is best to vs and we ought to praise the Name of God for that which we haue and not murmure for that which wee haue not to content our selues with things present and not desire the things that are absent considering the dealing of God in mercy and compassion toward vs withholding nothing he knoweth to be good for vs. The vses of this doctrine are to be knowne of vs that we may reape benefit by this benefit Vse 1 of contentation First it reproueth those that are neuer satisfied with the mammon of this world but so set their hearts vpon the earth that the more they deuoure the more they desire like men vnsatiable as the graue or the barren wombe that neuer saith It is enough Pro. 30 14 15 They are like the leane kine of Pharaoh when they had eatē vp the fat ones themselues were in neuer the better liking or like the dropsie-man who the more he drinketh the more he calleth for drinke or like the horse-leech that euer cryeth out Bring bring The wise man telleth vs there is no end of couetousnes he that is infected with it coueteth greedily all the day long but the righteous giveth spareth not Pro. 21 26. And in the booke of Ecclesiastes Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer Eccl. 5 10. nor he that loueth aboundance with encrease this is also vanity An example hereof we haue in Ahab King of Israel he had the wealth and riches of a Kingdome and yet he greedily and vnsatiably coueteth after Naboths vineyard 1 Kin. 21 3● vexing his heart more for that little which he had not then taking ioy in all the aboundance superfluity which he had which cost poore Naboth both his life and his liuing So the rich man in the Gospel had filled his house but not his heart and therefore resolueth to enlarge his barnes Luke 12. ● and to make them answerable if it were possible to his minde which was a foolish conceit it being altogether vnpossible to finde a proportion betweene that which is finite that which is infinite For when he had builded more added more to that and multiplied more to that he had added and filled them also full to the top yet that would not haue satisfied him because the capacity of his hart was far greater and as the fruites of the earth had encreased the hart would still haue swelled like the surges of the sea more and more and neuer made any end These are they which place their felicity in the aboundance of riches and put their trust in their wealth Such are called and accounted by the Apostle worshippers of images Col. 3 5. The couetous man can neuer be satisfied albeit his coffers be filled the more hee heapeth together the more he hopeth after Those treasures which while they were onely desired seemed great to them that desired them when once they are purchased and possessed are lightly esteemed and other which yet they want are coueted Salomon saith Hell and destruction are neuer full so the eyes of man are neuer satisfied Prou. 27 20. And as all Riuers runne vnto the sea ● 1 7 8. yet the sea is not full so riches haste vnto the couetous yet the couetous man is neuer full How wretched is their estate that are euermore pressed pinched with hunger and thirst and cannot be satisfied So is it with those that are sicke of this sicknesse of couetousnesse for all discontented persons want that they haue as well as that they haue not as fast as money encreaseth the loue of it encreaseth so that the richer they are the poorer indeed they are Sufficiency standeth not in abundance of the things possessed but when the concupiscence of the heart is limited If our vnsatiable desires be confined within the compasse of contentment we shall finde sufficiency in the meanest estate Thus we may bee rich in the middest of pouerty and it shall be truely saide of vs which the Spirit speaketh to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna I know thy pouerty but thou art rich Reuel 2 verse 9. He onely is rich who groweth rich toward heauen and setteth his mind on Eternity considering ●●mbros ad ●●plic epist ● 3 10. that godlinesse is great gaine with contentation 1 Tim. 6 6. Vse 2 If we liue according to nature we shall neuer be poore if according to opinion wee shall neuer be rich if according to godlines we shall euer be content Nature desireth but a little opinion is euermore vnsatiable godlines directeth vs to set our affections aboue where is all happinesse and contentation Secondly we learne from this truth to deriue and diduct another as it were a streame from the fountaine to wit to acknowledge it to be the will and heauenly pleasure of God to make some low and poore in this world and to set them in places inferiour to others It is not his ordinance that al should be alike or that all should be aloft or that all should be rich True it is it lyeth in his power to make them so who is the soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth hath all treasures at his commandement to bestow them as pleaseth him but he hath variably disposed his blessings in great wisedome to one he giueth much to another he giueth little to one great riches to another he sendeth pouerty and want In a great house and noble family all seruants are not equall neither haue they all one office neither haue they all one wages but one receiueth more another lesse according to the different place wherein they are set The Church of God is a great house there are many seruants and many offices in it some are placed ouer others and some appointed

trees planted by the riuers of waters which shall bring forth their fruits in due season The last is conference with others thereby stirring vp one another and receiuing benefit by the company of others This was the practise of the Prophet Dauid ● 19. 63. he was a companion of all them that feared God and kept his commandements He ioyneth these two together the company of the faithfull and the keeping of his lawes because the one is a principall helpe vnto the other Thus I haue runne ouer the chiefe meanes that serue to further vs in obedience by these wee must seeke it or else we shall neuer obtaine it The more we vse them and frequent them the greater shal our growth be in obedience The lesse we vse them the lesse obedient we shall be They that vse them not at all can haue no measure at all of obedience Shall we thinke to walke in the waies of godlinesse and neuer exercise our selues in the meanes appointed for vs Or is it possible for such to please God in obedience as neglect such waies as he hath left vnto vs Doe we then see men contemne the word of God and make no conscience to attend vnto it neither regarding diligently to resort to the hearing of it nor hearkning carefully to it when they are come to it Are there not many that neuer call vpon God nor beg of him the graces of his Spirit and that haue not the spirit of prayer to aske of him such things as they stand in need off Is not meditation with our selues and conference with others growne out of vse and rarely to be found among men An euident token that there is little obedience to be found in the world but a sea of disobedience that ouerfloweth all places For where there is little conscience in hearing litle care in praying little vse of meditating and conferring we may boldly pronounce without feare that there is litle obedience yeelded to the lawes and commandements of God CHAP. V. 1 ANd the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2 Command the children of Israel that they put out of the campe euery leper and euery one that hath an issue and whosoeuer is defiled by the dead 3 Both male and female shall ye put out without the campe shall ye put them that they defile not their campes in the middest whereof I dwell 4 And the children of Israel did so and put them out without the campe as the Lord spake vnto Moses so did the children of Israel HItherto we haue spoken of one part of the preface wherein wee haue seene a rehearsall of the order commanded of God to be obserued in the mansions and remoouings of the children of Israel Neuerthelesse one thing is wanting to wit that order be taken that this multitude be free from all pollution and impurity or vncleannesse and follow after sanctification For what is an vnregenerate and vnsanctified company but a rout of rebels and an heape of confederates conspiring together against God Wherefore we are now to proceed to the second part of the Preface which concerneth the purity of this people The former Chapters serue to manifest them to be a great people the chapters following to make them an holy people The former shew what they are the chapters following what they ought to be The former chapters declare what they are by the course of nature the next will declare what they are by the meanes of grace Heerin we are to obserue two things first the lawes that are giuen them to this end Secondly the lawes concerning the manner of their remoouing and marching in the wildernesse The lawes that concerne their sanctification are either generall and common or else particular and special The generall are in the 5 and 6 chapters and come first to be handled the particular are in the 3 chapters following The generall lawes are of two sorts some are necessarie and commanded in the law other are voluntary or vowed being vndertaken by a free profession of their religion Moses handleth in the first place such lawes as are commanded and necessarily to be practised and setteth them downe in this chapter The vowed or voluntary seruice is noted in the chapter following In this fift Chapter he entreateth of the meanes of sanctification it containeth two parts First of sanctification in matters fully and certainely knowne Secondly of sanctification in matters that are doubtfull and vnknown depending vpon the opinion or suspicion of others The first kind consisting in matters certaine is double first hee intreateth of casting out of the vnpure and vncleane out of the hoste in the foure first verses Secondly of cleansing and purging the trepasse and damage done to our neighbour to the 11. verse The second part standing in that which is doubtfull is the tryall of the honesty and innocency of the suspected wife to the end of the chapter Pelarg. comment in Numc cap. 5. Thus we see that as souldiers are wont to be cassired and turned out of the campe and put from their wages so when God numbred the people that were fit for prophane and sacred warre he doth after a sort depose and dismisse al those that were defiled through any impurity of body or minde therby declaring both what maner of persons he would haue all those be that professe to worship him and how he abhorreth and detesteth whatsoeuer is foule and filthy polluted and prophane and therefore he willeth all lepers al that haue an issue or haue touched any dead corps should be cast out of their tents Moreouer all deceitfull and fraudulent persons that haue beguiled their neighbors through falsehood and forgery shal no otherwise be accepted then by confession vnto God and restitution vnto men Lastly the iealousie of the suspitious husband is so corrected reformed by a ceremoniall obseruation as by a speciall remedy that either he is cōpelled to acknowledge his suspition to be false or else if the affection be iust he vnderstandeth it to be approued by the testimony of God himselfe and so euill is taken away out of Israel by the sentence of God the auenger Touching the first point which is concerning the putting out of their tents the vncleane we are to obserue 2 things First the commandement of God secondly the execution therof The commandement is propounded and then cōfirmed by strength of reason It is propounded both by his parts and by the manner of it The parts of the commandement are three distincty set downe first touching the lepers they must be put out from among thē and haue a place assigned vnto them to dwell apart by themselues out of the tents of the rest of the Israelites lest by daily conuersing with them they should infect and corrupt others Secōdly touching such as haue running issues about them of which we haue spoken before in the booke of Leuiticus these also must depart out of the hoste For albeit there were no feare of infection in these as also

they fall to be past feeling and cannot repent The Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Romanes That such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lust vnto all vncleannesse and punished one sinne with another Rom 1.28 For the sinne that followeth is a punishment which went before God forsaketh them with his grace that forsake him by their sinnes and when once God leaueth them the diuell findeth them Whensoeuer God departeth out of any person the vncleane spirit taketh possession for the house is empty swept and garnished and made ready to entertaine him Math. 12 44. This is it which the Prophet declareth concerning the secret iudgment of God vpon sinners that make shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of me so I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne counsels Psal 81 11 12. Where hee sheweth that seeing they would not be reclaimed and reformed hee laide the bridle in their owne neckes and suffered them to run their full swinge into all wickednesse In like manner the Apostle describing the sins of the Iewes that hated the Gospel stoned the Prophets persecuted the Saints and crucified the Lord of life sheweth that they had filled vp the measure of their sinnes and that the wrath of God was come on them to the vttermost 1. Thess 2 19. Reason 3 Thirdly sinne is fitly resembled to the fretting of a canker and to the vncleannesse of a leprosie both which goe forward and make no stay vntill the whole body be infected and euery member endangered This is the similitude which the Apostle vseth Their word shal fret as a canker 2. Tim. 2.17 of which sort is Hymeneus and Philetus For as one serpent engendreth another so doth one sinne conceiue and bring forth another It is like vnto the beast that is said to grow so long as it liueth So then lay these things together both that God forsaketh such as make no conscience of sinne and that sinne is likened to the conceiuing of the wombe to the eating of a canker and to the filthinesse of a leprosie wee may conclude that sin being entertained knoweth not stay but rolleth as a stone vntill it come to the Vse 1 bottome Now let vs handle the vses First consider from hence how dangerous it is to giue entertainment vnto sinne at the beginning which groweth to more perfection euery day we cannot stop this streame when we will it goeth beyond the strength of our nature God leaueth vs further to our selues when we begin to leaue his wayes We see this in the example of Cain he was reproued of God checked for his hatred against his brother admonished to repent but he harkened not to the voyce of the Lord but hardened his heart and shed innocent blood euen the blood of his brother Gen. 4 8. This appeareth in Iudas hee entertained couetousnesse in his heart from couetousnesse hee fell to plot with the Pharisies from plotting he proceeded to practising and in the end hee brake out into treason against his Lord and Master and ceased not till hee brake his owne necke Math. 26 15. The like we may say of Saul and trace out his falling from God step by step and the more he continued 1. Sam. 16 14. the more did the Spirit of GOD forsake him so that his hidden corruption brake out into open rebellion against God open persecution against Dauid and open desperation against himself and his owne soule Thus it falleth out with such as sinne against their conscience Some grow to be very diuels incarnate that do euery day giue strength vnto their corruption and adde drunkennesse vnto thirst who being past feeling giue themselues to wantonnesse to worke all vncleannes with greedinesse Some are like bruite beasts that are led onely by sensuality carnall and naturall men which haue nothing in them of the Spirit of God Iude 10. Continuance in sinne bringeth hardnesse of heart Such are in greatest danger and see it not they are in the midst of the fire and feele it not they taste deeply of the iudgment of God and regard it not Lay before them the grieuousnesse of sinne beseech them with bitter teares exhort them by the tender mercies of God denounce all the plagues punishments and iudgments of hell offer vnto them the sweet promises of the Gospel entreate them by the death of Christ and the dearest blood that he shed for them all these they tread vnder their feet and neglect them as things of no price sinne hath bewitched their hearts Sathan hath blinded their eyes and God hath giuen them vp into a reprobate sence For as among all the blessings that God bestoweth vpon the sonnes of men in this world a soft and tender heart is one of the greatest which is soone checked controuled soone made to bleed and raised to repentance and amendement of life Ezek. 11 19 so there can be no greater curse and malediction laide vpon any man then to haue a stony and stiff-necked a rebellious and yron heart which heapeth and hoardeth vp euery day vengeance against it selfe What an heauy punishment was this vpon Pharaoh when his heart was hardened Moses and Aaron came vnto him they laide before him the word of God they wrought miracles in the land of Egypt they called vpon him to let the people go he was visited with lice he was feared with thunders he was plagued with frogges he was tryed with darknesse he was punished with the death of the first borne yet could not all these enter into his heart nor pierce his conscience that was seared with an hot yron so that he proceeded in euill vntill he and his whole hoste were drowned in the red sea Heereunto accordeth that which the Prophet Ieremy sayth Can the blacke Moore change his skinne or the leopard his spots Then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Ier. 13 23. Seeing therefore such as beginne to sinne can haue do stay of themselues we must needs confesse it to be very dangerous and hurtfull to our soules For all such as breake out into this sinne are like to those that runne downe a steepe hill that when they are going haue no power to make any stay or stop vntill they come vnto the lower end Thus it is with those that haue giuen the onset vpon sinne they do as it wer open the flood gates of impiety which are not againe easily shut vp but the violence of the streame beareth all things before it For howsoeuer sinne at the first be entertained of men with some dislike and not without some strugling and striuing against it yet in processe of time and by continuance in sinne they grow shamelesse euen to haue an whores forehead that they cannot nor wil not be ashamed though the Sunne the heauen the earth and men beare witnesse against them they

goe bidde his friends farewell which were at his house and when he had more leysure Christ should be serued So it fared with them that were bidden to the marriage-feast who all with one consent beganne to make excuses the first said I haue bought a peece of ground and I must needes goe and see it another said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them and another saide I haue married a wife and therefore I cannot come Luke 14 18 19 20 Math 22 5. Thus wee see our nature is slow and vntoward to follow the Lord wee shift off and shrinke backe as long as wee can and many goodly excuses our corrupt flesh findeth to linger and put from vs all true obedience to Christ Iesus Faine wee would seeme desirous to follow God to come vnto Heauen but wee are loth to soyle and defile our feete Cant. 5 3 so that we must be violently thrust forward before we will yeeld so sturdy and stubburne our neckes are Ioh. 6 44. Wee see the truth of this in Nicodemus he bare a loue to Christ and a liking to his doctrine but first hee came to him by night for feare of the Iewes Ioh. 3 2 afterward hee waxed more bold in the cause of Christ before the face of the Pharisees and that in the open day thogh he receiued a checke Ioh. 7 50 and lastly he shewed himselfe more constant and zealous in professing himselfe to be one of his disciples in the buriall of Christ The like we see in Ioseph of Arimathea who at the first was a disciple of Iesus secretly Ioh. 19 38 but after declared himselfe manifestly in the costly and honourable buriall of his Master Thus it appeareth that the Kingdome of Heauen is like a graine of mustard seed which is one of the least of all seeds Matthew 13 31 and that the Elect themselues are brought on by small degrees their handes hang downe their knees are weake they goe halting and limping and quickly turne out of the right way they hang off and on a great while they meete with many lettes and incombrances both at home in themselues and abroad in others And albeit for further proofe and certainty of this point it were sufficient to send euery man that knoweth what true vocation and conuersion meane home to his owne dores to examine his owne heart yet consider I pray you briefly the heauenly calling of Saint Austine as it is testified by himselfe in his bookes of confession For when God beganne to speake to his conscience hee felt a world of tentations he was tossed and troubled with infinite combates and conflicts betweene the flesh and the spirit Lib 8. confess cap. 1. 2 7. betweene God drawing on the one side and the flesh the world and the diuell holding backe on the other part His pleasures past presented themselues before his eyes and hee thought hee might prolong the time at length he beganne to breake through this army of enemies and to speake vnto God after this maner Et tu Domine vsque quo q●am d●u quam ●iu cras cras quare non modo O Lord how long wilt thou suffer me thus how long how long shall I say to morrow and to morrow why should I not doe it now why should there not be an end of my filthy life euen at this houre Then hee was bidden to take vp and reade in the Scripture after which followed his wonderfull and finall conuersion ioyned with much weeping and lamentation This difficulty the Apostle found in his practice that when hee would doe good hee was so yoked that euil was present with him he did delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man yet he saw another law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne so that he did not those things which he would but the euilsi which he would not he did Rom. 7.21 22 23 29. This should teach vs to call vpon God by earnest prayer that we may receiue of him the presence of his grace the assistance of his Spirit that wee may ouer-stride all doubtes and difficulties that would stay vs and so entangle vs in the snares of sinne Let vs vse all holy and lawfull meanes to strengthen our faith that we may proceede from faith to faith and grow in the graces of God vntill we come to be perfect men in Iesus Christ And let vs not doubt of our calling when we see to the griefe of our hearts and the discomfort of our soules such wants and weakenesses in vs it is not otherwise with vs then with all the faithfull but let vs striue and fight against these lettes which would withdraw our mindes from God and take heede wee quench not the Spirit nor grieue him by whom we are sealed vnto the day of redemption 1 Thessalon 5 19. Ephes 1 30. And although Satan and the world make neuer so much suit vnto vs to entertayne the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season and sing neuer such sweet songs to enchant vs and lull vs asleepe in carnall security let vs stoppe our eares and strengthen our hearts against such lusts as fight against the soule Wee see sundry persons after theyr calling by the preaching of the word and after a long profession of the faith to turne backe againe as the dogge to his vomit 2 Peter 2 22 Prouerb 26 11. 2 Timoth. 4 4 some to theyr vaine company others after the loue of the world the lusts of the flesh the cares of this life and grow to bee more filthy and prophane then they were before Let vs take heed of such dangerous examples their doings are euill theyr fall is fearefull theyr end wil be more fearefull without repentance and practising of their first workes Fourthly we see the people of God before Vse 4 they could enter into the land of Canaan were constrayned to buckle and encounter with sundry enemies the Amalekites the Canaanites the Amorites the Bashanites the Midianites and sundry others Exodus 17 8. Numbers 21 1 and 31 1 2 c. all which in the end they subdued so that not one of them was able to looke them in the face Thus it fareth with all the faithful in this life As soon as wee enter into the race of Christianity by and by we must expect many and sundry enemies that crosse vs in the way some secret that seek to vndermine vs some open that with all violence flye vpon vs and driue against vs both seeke to ouerthrow vs yea such as before our calling seemed our friends and familiars now beginne to reiect and renounce vs now fall to nod the head at vs and to set themselues against vs because it seemeth strange to them that wee runne not with them into the same excesse of riot and therefore they speake euill of vs which shall giue account to him that is ready