A History of Angels, Text (3 of 4)

A History of Angels · Text (3 of 4)

p. 99Another martch of the Divells eminent in it self, and most dangerous and ensnaring to others, is that wee call worldlines, wee know the Divel is called the God of this world, and, they that will be rich, that is, they that set their hearts upon it, that propose this to themselves, they will be rich, they will abound, they will, that is, what ever it cost them, though they breake never so many hedges for it, though they tread never so many unjust or weary steps, they fall into temptation and a snare: The Divell hath them in his snares, and leades them whither hee will, whither hee hath a minde to leade them, 1. Tim. 6.9. Other sins have their aggravations, but this is the most earthly of all other, and in some respects, the most unworthy a man; And therefore the seate of this lust is ordinarily the basest spirits, there it hath its rise, and growth, and in order to effects, it is the root of all evill, that is, aswell as other vices, it is extreamely fertill of ill, whether you consider the evill of sin, or the evill of punishment for sin, this love of riches, what will it not constraine men to, they will breake all the commandements in a round for the satisfying of those lusts, what frauds, deceits, perjuryes, cruelties, murthers, hatreds have bene exercised p. 100for the nourishing of this lust, nay what other sins of lust and uncleannesse, of the lowest and basest kinde? People often subject their bodies and soules to the satisfying of this affection; And for the evill of punishment, the Apostle saith heere, that they pierce themselves thorough with many sorrowes, that is, they have a carefull and sorrowfull life of it, (contrary to that good Solomon speakes of, of rejoycing in their portion, and enjoying it with thanksgiving) they are full of cares, and their injoying time comes never, for they grow poore by their riches, they extenuate that in their affection, which to their sence they abound in, when they have more then their chests or their barnes can hold, their hearts tell them this is nothing: Besides they expose themselves to the greatest labours, to the greatest wearinesse that is imaginable, they toyle by day, and they cannot rest by night, the feare of loosing pierceth as much as the paine of getting, and there is no end of their travaile; But there be other sorrowes also, terrors of conscience, and flashings of hell, which ordinarily accompany those lustings, and are the reward and salary of their actions, besides the great evill which I have not named, that they erre from the faith, for having changed their God, and set up covetousnes, which is Idolatry, its no wonder if they fall from the faith, and if not in profession, in deede, become apostates; I have wondred why this should be said of covetousnes, rather then of any other vice, that is Idolatrous, nor a covetous person, which is an Idolater, Eph. 5.5. It is certain ambition, and pride and self love is idolatrous also, it is true that covetous persons worship the same things that Idolaters doe, silver and gold, the Idole of the gentile are silver and gold, the worke of mens hands; materially they worship the same, therefore p. 101saith Christ, yee cannot serve God and Mammon, Math 6.24. Ye cannot put your trust in the Lord and in riches, the Lord and riches cannot be your strong tower together, perhaps it may be this, that though in respect of our devotion and addresses other things may be our God, that is, wee may serve them, worke to them, labour to please them, so the Apostle sayes, their belly is their God, yet in respect of trust and confidence (which is much of the worship God hath from us) riches especially carry it away there, for the world hath got an opinion (though a very false one) that riches can doe all things, therefore they vale and bow to it, and trust in it, besides because this is generally received, and men are called wise, when they doe well to themselves; therefore the Apostle brands this especially with that, which is a truth also of other lustings, that in a more intense and earnest pursuite of them, Idolatry is committed; Now in this the Divell as in other things juggles with us extreamely, one of the baites and snares, with which hee holds those personally and professedly subjected to him, is some money they shall get, some hidden treasure, these poore captives hee abuseth infinitely, and after severall yeares expectations of some great riches, and many diggings and minings, wherein by breaking some method, or other they faile a thousand times, they meet at last with winde in steed of gold, with that which lookes like it, but prooves leaves or dust when they use it. Remigius reports that of all the moneys, that the witches that fell under his examination, acknowledge to have received from the Divell, there were but three stivers prooved currant, the rest were leaves, or sand, when it came to use; hee doth the same in effect with all earthly men, either hee deludes their hopes, they get not what they expected, p. 102hee makes them labour for that hee knowes they shall not obtaine, or deceives them in their enjoyments, they make nothing of what they possesse, and it is all one, not to have and not to enjoye, in truth, that is out of his power: The comfort of things, the good of things hee cannot give if hee would, and hee would not if hee could, the Divell incourageth us to cracke the nut, but God takes away the kirnell, gives it to them that are good, before him; comfort and enjoyment and delight are the portion of his people, A mans life stands not in the abundance of the things that hee possesseth, that is, the good and happinesse of life, and therefore, A litle that a righteous man hath, is better then the revenues of many wicked, Eccles. 2.26. God giveth to a man good in his sight, wisedome and knowledge and joye, that is, wisedome to pursue right things, and to goe right wayes to attaine the end hee desires, knowledge how to improove them, and joy, that is, the good and comfort of things, and life; But to the sinner hee giveth travell, hee giveth to gather and to heape up that hee may give it to him that is good before him; they dig the mines, they plough the ground, but the Saints enjoy, they reape and gather.

Coroll.Therefore particularly to this, let the rich man rejoyce in that hee is made low, and the brother of low degree, that hee is exalted; that is, shew them God, and heaven, convert them, and they are eaven presently, both are alike neere God, and so comfort and happinesse, that which the world pretends to, but cannot give; Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine, that is, which gives contentment, there is the gaine you looke after, there is the happinesse that wealth promiseth, but it is God that gives it; now a rich and a poore brother are neere God alike, if the rich at least be made low, if hee have learned not to trust in uncertaine riches, if his pride that riches p. 103causeth be abated, and the poore brother be exalted, that is, that hee sees not such a difference in respect of solid comfort, and happinesse, hee sees himself in as good a posture as rich men. Indeed that men are, that they are to God, and their true vallue is according to the proportion of their neernesse to him, not to what they are to riches, to Princes, or to the great things of this world.

So yee see these six heads wherein the Divells great temptation lyes, from whence wee have deducted some Corollaries, wee proceed to one or two more drawne in generall from that which hath bene said.

And first yee see hence the drudgery of the Divell,Coroll. Gods worke and the Divells, carries wages in their 1mouth in those pathes wee have runne over, there is nothing but deceit and falshood, a man is cozened, his nature is debased, and to judge a right, the reward of sinning is not onelyonly in another life, and in this life by afflictions, but the very sinning is misery enough, to be defiled and made filthy by lust, to be puft up and swollen by pride, to be made earthly and base by worldly mindednesse, to follow the Divell in all, how miserable how vilde is it, how debasing to mans nature? Let the children of the Divell, the peoples, the disciples of the Divell glory in their portion, wee know it is their shame, they boast in their liberty, they have no tyes or bonds, but wee know that to whom men obey, of the same they are brought in bondage; now they obey the Divell, for they doe his workes, they fulfill his lusts; On the other side, let not us faile to glory in our condition, and to improove it, how sweet is our portion, the traines the wayes of God are pleasant, all his wayes are pleasant, and all his pathes prosperity, to have naturall desires, which exceed not their bound and liberty p. 104to satisfy them, without the fire, the scald, the Itch of lusts, to have a spirit so great by meeknes, and humility, as it is above those ills, it seemes most to fall under, to be be-lowe envye, for the world sees not your riches, nor your greatnes, and above misery and shame, to have a spirit so meekned as it cannot breake, againe to be above your condition what ever it is, and to use it, to possesse your estate, and not to be possest by it, to looke on money as a servant of the lowest forme, to pitty them that Idolyze it, and to improove more your litle by enjoyment, then they doe their riches by looking on it and Idolizing of it. Againe to goe further into the consideration of what wee said before, and see how you outstrippe them for another life, in knowing and loving that which they ignorantly persecute, in having your assurance in God, whereas they have none at all, nor in any thing; I could be large heere in the comparison of our service and our way, which should be the object of our joy and rejoycing, when ever wee thinke of it, and thinke of it wee should often, for that purpose: For since God hath made the miserable condition of the wicked, a foyle to the love of his elect, wee should do so also, and run over by way of comparison, the heads and grounds of our comfort, but I shall rather in the second place

Coroll.Intreat you to improove these things, If you know 2these things, happy are yee if yee doe them; if you know the differences of your conditions, if you know the wayes of Sathan, from your owne, and where they part, happy are you, if you tread those wayes and those paths, and for those broade high wayes, those common roades, these beaten pathes of Hell, which wee have described, our wisedome and our glory will be to keepe a loofe of, to keepe farre from them, it will be lesse p. 105shame for us to be shamed by other things, to be caught by other traines, then the common snares: Although it be true that in the pursuite of those things, Sathan useth his greatest wiles, and his finest peeces of subtilty, however let us keepe a loofe of, let us carry a watchfull eye to those great and common snares, the Divell may alter his method, but his But, and end, is the same, hee findes these things sutable to corrupt nature, and hee improoves all that is within us, to worke vilde and base impressions those wayes, therefore let us watch him, where hee watcheth us, and let us not thinke that because wee have escaped the pollution of the world, that therefore wee shall escape him, hee spinnes his web the finer for you: Which is the reason why I have spent sometime in these particulars of his most usuall martches, that yee might see the way in some of its foulnesse, together with the guide, that yee might see the hooke under the bayte, and be undeceived in things so greatly concerning you.

Now therefore having your adversary so fully and largely described to you, in his nature, in his power, in his ministry, as hath bene shewed at large in this tract of Angells, (for some peece of the Divells power, you must fetch from what hath bene said of the good Angells, that wee might not be obliged to repeate things twise) it remaines that wee should fight, that is, that wee should addresse our selves to the combate, for there is in this adversary what ever might prepare you, and stirre you up to a most formed and exact warre.

For first hee is as hath bene shewed a most inveterate and sworne enemy, hee ceaseth not to accuse day and night, hee knowes all our good, lyes in maintaining good tearmes with God; Therefore his care is to beget p. 106ill blood between us, hee inticeth us to offend him, and when hee hath done, hee aggravates this offence to the utmost capacitie of it, Hee goes about like a roaring Lyon, hee goes about; therefore hee is not idle, hee workes continually, and it is like a roaring Lyon, hee hath not onelyonly a Lyonish nature in him apt to devour, and to fall upon the prey, but hee is ever roaring, that disposition is alwayes wound up to the height, and intended in him, other enemies not so, so that heere is the worst disposition that can be imagined ever acted and mannaged, with the greatest intensenesse.

2But then secondly if his evill nature had not much power joyned to it, hee were lesse considerable, lesse formidable, though wee say there is none so weake, but hee hath power to doe hurt; But I beseech you consider, his power is fitted to his nature, if hee meane ill, hee is able to doe also much ill, there is no part or faculty of your soule or body, that hee cannot reach, and that at all times, in all conditions, in all postures, alone, or in company, idle, or imployed, sleeping, or waking, when you are fit for nothing els, you are fit to receive his impressions; Nor is hee an enemy of the weaker sort, and so lesse considerable, an arme of flesh, against poore fleshly creatures is great, but hee is a spirit; Our originall sin, our fleshly corruptions wee finde evill enough, enemies bad enough, even to the making us cry out with Paul of the body of death. But we wrestle not against flesh & blood; this text tells you you have another kinde of combatant, for the description of whose power to finde fit names, the highest comparisons will faile us, Principalityes, powers, rulers, spirituall wickednesses above: They are not called Princes, but principalityes, not Potentes, but Potestates, not mighty, but powers, Lord not of a part, but of the whole world, of the darknesse of p. 107the world, all the wicked of the world, which are darknesse are of their side, fight under them against us, and all the darknes in our owne harts is with them also, all those fumes and foggs of lusts, all those mists of ignorance, and unbeliefe are part of his armie; Againe, instead of wicked spirits they are called spirituall wickednesses, and that above, both in high things and in high places, they are above us, they hang over our heads continually: You know what a disadvantage it is to have your enemy get the Hill, the upperground, this they have naturally and alwayes.

Againe there are enough of them, they can immediately beleaguer a man, cōpassing him round, possesse every part of him: Seaven Divells can enter at once into one man, or if need be a whole legion; doe wee beleeve these things, and are wee not stirred, are wee not affraid, if we apprehend the approach of an enemy, and the towne wherein wee are be in danger, what wringing of hands is there, what praying, what provision, and yet perhaps hee may be diverted, hee may accord; But there is no truce in this warre, a perpetuall combate, that time you are not upon your watch you will be taken, for your enemy knowes it, if an enemy in warre knew certainely when the watch were neglected, hee would take that time, now hee knowes when you neglect your watch, when your faith and affections sleepe, which of other enemies cannot be said.

But then thirdly, if the contentions were for things 3of litle moment, the matter were lesse, but if there be any thing great in heaven, or earth, that is the prize of this warre, whether it be the happinesse of your life, the peace of your conscience, the eternall condition of your soule, and body, or which is more, the glory of God, for all these are strucke at continually.

p. 108Captaines when they make orations to their souldiers, they tell them they fight for their country, for their possessions, for their wives and children, for their liberties, but what is all this to our warre? To our prize? Wee fight for peace of conscience which passeth all understanding, we fight for eternall life, wee fight for God and Christ, whose glory in us lyes at the stake every day, and suffers, or is relieved by our fighting: I beseech you are not these things worth contending for? Will not so goodly a prize put spirits into you? Some have done wonders while their lovers have lookt upon them, others while they have fought for their loves; What doe you fight, for nothing? Yes, it is a love you fight for too, & one that fought for you even to death, you doe but requite him, hee is before hand with you; and doth not your love looke upon you also? Yes. If you can see him, I assure you hee sees you, and there is not a watch you make, there is not a stroake you strike, but it pleaseth him, and it refresheth him, as on the other side there is not a negligence, or a faile, but it wounds him, and afflicts him; what say you will all this that hath bene said put courage into you, and make you fight, it is brought for that purpose, I beseech you let it put on strong resolutions to please the Lord, to resist this cursed enemy, this damned enemy, for so hee is, he carries his condemnation about him; and yet this enemy which is left so mighty, and powerfull, for our tryall, for our reward, if wee fight manfully, if wee fight the battailes of the Lord, (if wee be wise, if wee will) all tend to the glory of our victory, to the honour of our God; onelyonly let us resist the Divell, being strong in the faith, to which purpose I will endeavour to search a little into, and to speake something of this heavenly armour which God hath given us for that purpose.

p. 109Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that yee may be able to withstand in the evill day, and having done all to stand, Eph. 6.13. In this 13. ver. wee are bid to take unto us the whole armour of God, as in the 11. verse wee are bid to put it on, with the reason added, that wee may be able to withstand in the evill day, and having done all to stand.

From the first words observe this, that no weapons will serve to fight with the Divell but Gods, nothing will make you shot-free, but the armour of God, for so sayes the Apostle, the weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, 2. Cor. 10.4. So as heere you see the reason, because carnall weapons are weake ones, to be carnall and to be weake are convertible termes, as to be spirituall, and to be mighty, are also; now you have to doe with a mighty enemy, as you have seene already, therefore you must have mighty weapons, you must have a wedge fit for the knot; David had never overcome Goliah, if hee had not come with spirituall weapons, 1. Sam. 17.45. Thou comest to mee with a sword, with a speare and with a shield, but I am come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israell, whom thou hast defyed: It was not the sling nor the stone that did the feate, but it was this mighty Lord of Hostes, in whose name hee came; To goe armed therefore against the Divell in the strength of your owne resolutions, or your temper, or constitution, or your habits, and education, is to fight against Goliah with a stone and a sling, without the name of God; Nay your experiences, your contrary reasonings, they may have influence into your sin, but they will never into the victory, unlesse this stone and sling, these underweapons be mannaged by the name of God. For your resolutions this cunning tempter knowes that there is nothing so naturall, so proper to a man as man, as p. 110changeablenesse, as on the contrary, it is the high and incommunicable Charracter of God to be without variation, or shaddow of changing, all the matter is but to finde a plausible reason for the saving of his credit. For our temper and constitution, hee hath lusts peculiar for every temper. Besides hee can easily perswade lusts to give place to one another for a time, as pride to uncleannesse, &c. And his power is much upon the body, and the humours and constitutions of it, to stirre and worke upon those humours, that by the helpe and mediation of the fancy shall worke to his end, and gaine the will and understanding: As for your education and habits, experience showes that many things that looke like morall virtues, are nothing but the ignorance of ill, or the law of a constraint: Besides hee hath his methods, and by a few degrees will leade you to that, and by steppes that would have utterly deferred you, had it bene represented to you, all at once, and for your reasonings, and experiences you will finde that to be the proper weapon, hee is elder then Adam, hee is wiser then Salomon, set holinesse aside, hee hath beene trayned up to sophistry and deceit, and therefore verse the 11. the Armour of God is applyed to the wiles of the Divell, so as you have no reliefe, but what was Davids, Psal. 118.10. All nations compassed mee about, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them, they compassed mee about, yea they compassed mee about, there was a perfect Paristhesis of ill, and enemies a perfect beleaguering, so ver. 12. They compassed mee about like bees; you shall see how Bees in swarming time, will compasse a bush, so will Divells and their effects multitudes of Divelish thoughts, and temptations; A man shall not see his way out, they are behinde him and before him, and as in the words following, They are kindled as the fire of p. 111thornes, so the Greeke and Chaldea reade it, they fall quickly into a great blaze, or the word is also quencht (as Hebrew words signify often contraries,) they kindle quickly and like thornes, but they quench also as soone, for in the name of the Lord will I destroy them, this is all your reliefe to deale with your enemies, as David did, your faith is your victory, whereby you overcome the world, 1. Iohn 5.4. that is, in Christ, it is the power of his might that makes us strong; Christ hath a might, a mighty abilitie, hee is endowed with power from above, which being put forth in us, gives us a power to be strong, and to stand our ground, as ver. 10. for in those words the habit seemes to be distinguish't from the energy and operation, when a man is acted by the Divell, either by an immediate possession, or some eminent strong way of lusting, that hee is strong in the Divell and in the power of his might, that is, you shall finde a power full operation of the might of the Divell upon him, so as did wee not see a humane shape, wee should thinke it were the Divell indeed, so greatly is his might acted upon men, with power; Now after this manner should wee be strong in the Lord, by the influence of his spirit, by the strength of his armour, other strengths will proove but weaknesse, so much for that point.

Secondly it is not without its observation that it is called heere and before the whole armour of God, foreign. There is no man pretends so little to religion, but hee will doe a little, hee will pretend to some graces, hee will make some sallyes, as if hee would fight, but the difficulty, and the wisedome, and the strength lyes in the universality, there is a chaine in graces, you loose all if you loose one, as Iames saith, Hee that breakes one command is guilty of all; and God that gives you armes not to clog you, but to defend you, hath given you p. 112nothing to much, it is not the beauty, but the use of an armed man which hee considers: That place which is open, to be sure the Divell will strike in; for hee knowes the bare places, and one open place will serve to kill you aswell as an hundred, therefore God hath made a defence for all, therefore the Scripture calls for a growing up in all grace, or in all things, Eph. 4.15. 2. Pet. 1.5. Therefore Peter calls for an addition of one grace to another till you be compleate. Adde (saith hee) to your faith vertue, &c. For if these things be in you, and abound, that is, if you have all those parts, and that in a way of height and eminency, if they be not scanty and narrow, then you will abound also, that is, you will neither be barren, nor unfruitfull: I beseech you consider this, it is the universality, it is the whole armour of God, that will alone serve our turnes, and which alone wee sticke at; All difficulty lyes in exactnesse, in bringing things to their end, and their perfection, every one is a beginner and a pretender to learning, to knowledge, to arts, to religion it self, but the exactnes, the universality is the portion but of a few, let us doe otherwise. How good is God, who hath given us a whole armour, let us not shew our selves at once enemyes to our selves, and unthankfull to him, unlesse wee feare neither God nor the Divell, on the other side let this comfort us, that there is a whole armour, there is a whole Divell, that nature is improoved to the utmost capacity of a rationall nature for ill, for hurt, if there were not a whole armour, wee were undone.

3Thirdly, wee are commanded to take unto us this whole armour of God, and ver. 11. to put it on, God makes it, God gives it, hee makes it efficacious, but there are our parts also, wee must take it to us, and put it on, there is a sluggishnesse in mens natures, if God p. 113would doe all, and men might sleepe the whilest, perhaps they would lye still, and let him trusse on their armour, but this is not the law wee live by, this is not the tearmes wee stand in with God, what wee cannot doe, God will doe for us, but what wee can doe, that wee must doe; Hee doth not worke with us, as wee worke with a hatchet, or a dead instrument, but as the soule workes with the body, that is, in it, and by it, so as the body doth its part, and feeles the labour, the soule at first gives life to our body, so doth God to our soules, when they are dead in sins and trespasses hee quickens them; Also the soule gives guidance to the body and direction, and assistance, so doth God, hee never failes us, hee is still by us, at our right hands, but wee have our parts, our reason, and understandings, our will and our affections, they come into play every day, and if God can do nothing by them, hee will do nothing without them; This, when men beleeve so much in other things, as they will scarce trust God with any thing, they will see a reason, and a meanes sufficient to produce every event, they will be at every end of every businesse, why doe they devolue all upon him in religion, without stirring at all? Because they minde it lesse, which is the meanes to make God minde it not at all; Therefore I beseech you, let us do our parts, fetch assistance from God, and worke under him, receive influence and spirit from him, and use them, intend mightily what wee doe, for it is to God, and for him; those that worke under any Agent, though never so mighty, do so, and this know, that the more mighty any supreane Agent is, the more it intends, imployes, and fills the instrument, as hee that serves a wise man, though hee do nothing but by the direction and appoyntment of his master, yet hee shall finde his understanding p. 114intended and imployed, for a wise directer doth more intend, and fill the subordinate instruments, and Agents not contra.

Now hee comes to the end and use of the Armour, that they might be able to stand in the evill day, and having done all to stand, the word is foreign, to resist, to stand against; you see heere is a reall combate, as your enemies are great which you have heard of before, so is the combate, it will cost you resisting, and fighting, and there is a day appointed for it, an evill day, that is, a day of battaile, our whole life is so many evill dayes, therefore sayes the Apostle, Redeeme your time because the dayes are evill, Eph. 5.16. that is, troublesome and full of temptations, if you would make any thing of your lives, of the opportunities you meet with all, of the occasions that fall out, you must redeeme them, a little time and opportunity is worth much, it will be lost to you if you redeeme it not; So all our dayes are evill, as Iacob said, but some more especially may be called by way of eminency the evill day. All the dayes of Iob were in a manner evill, because none were without some molestation, and trouble, I had no rest (sayes hee) neither was I in quiet yet trouble came, Iob 3.26. But the great evill day was, when Sathan was let out upon him; the great evill day to the Disciples was when Christ was crucifyed, and they were Winnowed by Sathan; So there are more especiall times and parts of our life, when God will try us by letting out Sathan upon us, but those times and seasons know no man, no more then the day of judgement, and therefore wee must be ever ready for them, upon our feet, and with our armour about us; standing is a warlike posture, a posture of watch, a posture of fight, it is not a standing still, but it is a fighting, a resisting, yee have not resisted unto blood p. 115striving against sin; God expects that wee should fight a good fight, that wee should quit our selves like men, and wee had need doe so, unlesse wee would be undone, and foyled, and therefore hee addes and having done all to stand, that is, doe what you can, you will but stand, it will be little enough to doe the worke, the enemies are so mighty and great, the warre is so sharpe: God hath an purpose for many holy ends so ordered it, that you shall have worke enough of it; some carry it thus, omnibus confectis stare, that is, all the afore said fell, and cruell enemies being overcome, having done all, having defeated them all, vanguished them all, you may stand as conquerour; What a glorious thing will this bee, that as Christ your captaine, shall stand last upon the earth, so you shall stand with him, glorying and tryumphing to see your enemies dead before you, when as others that were fainte and delicate, that would not stand and fight and arme: As they were heere led captives by Sathan, at his pleasure, so shall be led into tryumph by him at last: Thinke of this that by doing your duty, by standing your ground, by arming, and fighting in the power of Christ, in the armour of God, this mighty Hoast shall lye dead before you, And those which you have seene to day, in this evill day yee shall see them againe no more for ever, you have therefore two things to incourage you: First, the necessity of your fight. Secondly, the glory and pleasure of the victory; Necessity will make Cowards fight: And therefore commanders provide dilligently, that their enemies may have a backe-doore to runne away, because necessity, and dispaire will produce wonders: I beseech you doe but see, and heere is an absolute necessitie, unlesse you take all this armour, stand, and withstand yee will not stand at last, this is little enough, you must doe all this that having p. 116done all, you may stand, but then having done all, you shall stand, that is, stand as conquerour, stand as Christ stands, with your enemies slaine about you: You shall have the pleasure of revenge, which heere you may take in by faith, and of victory, the shouting of a conquerour; Cowards have but the pleasure of idlenesse, and the shame and misery of slavery, they have their good times heere, what is their good times? To sleepe, to be idle, to be abused, and deceived, thy labours are better then his pleasures, then his enjoyments; What then is thy good times? Thou art comforted, and hee is tormented, thy captaine tells thee thou hast done well, well done good and faithfull servant; Thy conscience tells thee thou hast fought a good fight, but praise is not enough in thy captaines mouth, enter thou (sayes hee) into the joy of thy Lord, hee shewes thee a crowne of righteousnes, which hee hath kept by him all the while, and which thou mayest thinke on every day, till thou hast it, but then hee gives it thee, hee puts it on: Where is now your ambition, where is your spirit, and your courage, thinke not on meane things, but on crownes, and victories, and glories, and if you enter the list, if you fight, do it to purpose, labour so to withstand, that at last you may stand; So runne (saith the Apostle) that yee may obstaine, 1. Cor. 9.24. Every one is a pretender, and a runner, but few carry the prize, they finde hot worke, they grow weary, and quit the list, Thou therefore (sayes Paul to Timothy) indure hardnes as a good souldier, of Iesus Christ, 2. Tim. 2.3. that is, though thy armes presse thee, and thy worke pinch thee, yet indure, it is worth the while, that thou mayest shew thy self a good souldier of Christ, and mayest please him that hath chosen thee, thou must not please thy self in his worke, for hee pleased not himself in thine. Christ pleased not himself, this is written, God tooke notice p. 117of it, the time will come when hee will please thee, and then it followes ver. 5. If any man fight, hee is not crowned, except hee strive lawfully or duely, that is, it is not enough to enter the list, and fight, but there is the law of combate, and the law of fight, if you do not fight as yee ought according to the law of combate, the law of armes, if you give over to soone, and stay not till the victory be gotten, till your enemy be profligated, and abased, hee had as good have done nothing, this hee amplifies ver. 6. by the similitude of a labourer, The husband man that laboureth first, must be partaker of the fruit, for so first hath reference to labouring, not to fruit, fruit and crownes, reaping and glory are the effects of labour, and due fighting; thinke not to goe to heaven with your armes acrosse, or your head upon your elbow, or with good beginnings, and faint offers, t'is lawfull fighting, t'is hard labour, leades you to glory, and ver. 7. sayes hee: Consider what I say, what were the matters so hard, or the similitudes so deepe? No, but the meaning is, turne it in your minde, often thinke of it, almost continually, do not thinke to goe to heaven with ease, you can never thinke to much that you must fight hard, and contend lawfully, and labour mightily, and indure all things, as soldiers that would please their captaine, before ever yee shall be crowned and reape, and then hee concludes with, The Lord give thee understanding in all things, which shewes how hard it is, for us to apprehend these things aright, so as to have them worke upon us, and to be affected with them to purpose, so as not to have sleight thoughts of them, though they be things not hard to be understood.

To conclude, all good things are of God, though wee be taught, hee must open our understandings, as when wee are commanded, hee must worke in us to p. 118doe, and especially in the things whereof wee speake.

It will not be improper heere by way of incouragement, to consider as what power and might Sathan hath, so what bonds and restraints also?

First, all the Divells can doe nothing without aformed commission from God, this the example of Iob makes most cleare, the Divell ruin'd his estate, by the Sabeans, but not till God had given him power, hee infected his body with miserable diseases, but hee was faine to aske new leave for it, so 1. Kings 22. An evill spirit offered his service to deceive Ahab, so an evill spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, but both by commission: So the Sorcerers of Egypt, they acknowledged the hand of God, when themselves were stopped, it was no more impossible for them to make Lice then other things, but God let them goe on a while, that his power might appeare the greater in giving the stoppe; So Zach. 3. The Lord rebuke thee ô Sathan, God can doe it though no other can, so Christ sayes, The Prince of this world is cast out, Ioh. 12.31. The Prince of this world is judged, Ioh. 16.11. hee is not onelyonly under God, but under Christ God-man, hee is subjected to our friend and husband, and that in little things. They could doe nothing on swine without leave, Luk. 8.32. much lesse can the Divell touch us in any thing, without a commission; Besides, what wee have told you of their chaines which Peter and Iude mentions, shewes the power God hath over them; And generally wee have this assurance, that a haire from our head shall not perish without the will of our Father. So as our greatest enemy is subject to our best friend, and mannaged to our advantage, which should incourage us to fight and secure us of the issue, for the God of peace will tread Sathan under our feet, at last, Rom. 16.20.

p. 119The Divell and wee are in earnest, but God, as those two captaines lets the young men play before him, and can stoppe them when hee will, hee is in no paine in respect of the combate or issue, but hee hath the pleasure to see weake saints overcome gyants, by hanging on him by the string of faith. God is on our side, and the Divell is so subject to him, as there is no greater subjection, let hope then aswell as necessity incourage us to fight, wee have both those arguments in their height; God will mannage his graces in us, to our advantage, but let us doe our parts.

Wee come now to the particular peeces of armour, whereof the first is, The girdle of truth, having your loynes girt about with truth, In the loynes is strength, as is sayd of Behemoth, his strength is in his loynes, Iob 40.16. In them also is the power of generation, for so God sayes to Iacob, Kings shall come out of thy loynes, Gen. 35.11. This metaphor therefore applied to the minde devotes strength, steddinesse and constancy; on the contrary men that are delicate, effeminate, and unstable, the Latine calls them, clumbs without loynes, now that which fits this part, in some thing that begirts it, that the part wherein strength lyes may feele strength from without, and that is properly a girdle, therefore Peter sayes, Gird up the loynes of your minde, 1. Pet. 1.13. and Christ bids us, Let your loynes be girded, Luk. 12.35. this whether men travell, or whether they fight, or both together, which is our condition, is necessary: For when they travailed, they used to gird themselves, and the Belt or girdle, hath bene alwayes a peece of soldiers armour when they fought: You see now a reason why the loynes should be girt to this warre: Wee need not goe farre for a girdle, the Holy Ghost tells us, it is truth, if you aske mee what is truth, I answere in a word, Right p. 120sights and judgements of things, and sincerity, this is that which girds up the loynes of your minde, and therefore Christ addes, Let your loynes be girded, and your lights burning, as before Luk. 12. Certainely cleare and right sights of things with sincerity, are the most begirting things in the world, this you may know, especially by considering what is the cause of loosenes, and laxenesse, and unsteddines in our course, and yow will finde it, because men are either insincere and unfaithfull, or misapprehensive, and darke; A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes, because there is a mixture in the principles of his motion, hee hath two objects in his eye, two ends in his heart, and is carried up and downe diversly, according to the predominant humour, and quality, so as yee never know where to finde him, nor can ever hold him, because hee is yours but in part, for an end, such a one was Saul and Iehu, and so are all hypocrites, the contrarye to which was Nathaniel, who had this honour from Christs mouth, that hee was a true Israelite in whom was no guile, Ioh. 1.47. that is, hee was a man round simple, candid, and plaine, which came to Christ honestly, not for ends, for lounes, or to intrappe him, as others did: Christ himself disdaines not this commendation of whom it was said, 1. Pet. 2.22. that there was no guile found in his mouth, and David sayes, Hee is a blessed man in whose spirit there is no guile, Psal. 32.2. that is, who is sincere in every thing, having his ends what they should be, and his actions and expressions sutable, that you may reade his heart in his professions and actions; such a disposition carries you right on, makes you steddy in your motion, without turning to the right hand or to the left, Girds you up, and strengthens your minde to motions, to fightings, makes you intend what you doe strongly, because you doe but p. 121one thing, that which put Martha, into such a distemper was, because shee was troubled about many things, you see then, now how sincerity begirts, & how in sincerity & double mindednesse loosens your loynes, & nerves, but doth not misjudging and darknes doe the same, loosen your loynes, making you unsteddy, and weake, contrary to this begirting? You will finde it doth: Men are what they see, and what they judge, and no other, and though some men doe not fill up their light, yet none goe beyond it, a man wants courage that wants light, and Hee that walkes in darknesse knowes not whither hee goes, and that is contrary to this begirting, and hee must needs make many false paces, for hee knowes not whither hee goes, If a man walke in the night hee stumbleth, because there is no light in him, Ioh. 11.10. In him- hee hath the instrument of seeing, the eye, but there is no light shining upon that eye, though a man should be sincere, if hee want right lights and sights of things hee will be rendered the weaker and more unsteddy, hee will stumble often, with a good intention about him, nothing gives more courage then knowledge, nothing intimidates more then ignorance; Againe, comfort and joy renders strong and steddy, now light is the embleme of joy, and therefore when the Angell came to poore Peter, fettred in chaines, as hee was, a light shined in the prison, Acts 12.7. so sayes David, The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I feare, Ps. 27.1. and when in a low condition hee expected comfort from God, Thou wilt save the afflicted people, sayes hee, but wilt bring downe high lookes; for thou wilt light my candle (sayes hee) the Lord will en lighten my darknesse, Psal. 13.27.28. Now comfort begirts, & comfort you see comes in by light: Againe. Glory, the apprehension of it, the notion of it, begirts, & renders strong exceedingly, Christ, for the glory set before p. 122him, &c. did wonders, but light and glory runne together, and the notion of glory comes in by light, Isa. 60.1.2. Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, so it is called, The light of the glorious gospell, 2. Cor. 4.4. there would have bene no glory seene if there had bene no light, and there is a glory also in light, Acts 22.11. Paul said, hee could not see, for the glory of the light, therefore light is glorious, now this dazelled his bodily eyes, but our spirits see better and more strongly for glorious lights, which gives assurance, and courage, and so strength also; In a word, our whole armour is called the armour of light, Rom. 13.12. So great a thing is light to armour and to strength, according to the more or lesse, of which men are weake or strong to any course to which they pretend, but above all to religion: Now for the Divell against whom wee arme, doth not hee play in the darke almost altogether, when hee would deceive our sence, hee casts sand in our eyes, mists before us, to deceive and blinde us, and then wee judge of things not as they are, but according to the medium wee see through: So for our comfort how doth hee enervate us, and loosen our loynes, by leading us into darke thoughts of God, and of our condition, how doth hee unsteddy our steps, and intimidate us, by putting scruples in our wayes, and hiding from us those truths, wherein our strength would consist; If hee can make us insincere, hee hath enough, wee shall then seeke darknes, and chuse it rather then light, of such Christ sayes, that they loved darknes rather then light, because their deeds were evill, Ioh. 3.19. But be sincere, the right eyeing, the right seeing, the right apprehension of things is that truth which begirts us, and together with sincerity renders us strong and mighty to fight p. 123with him, to contest with his wiles, with his lyes, with his impostures, for his dealings with us is nothing els: But be wee but sincere, that is, honest to your selves and to God, and discover him, and hee is gone; This therefore is a neate cleane peece of armour, fitted for the part, and for the enemy wee contest with all. If you aske what you shall doe for it, I would advise you by way of corrolary to two things,

First,Corroll. converse much with the Father of lights, In his light wee shall see light, Psal. 36.9. Be neere God that hee may shine upon you continually, hee hath no false lights as impostures have to shew their wares by, what ever light hee affords you, is right, and gives you the thing as it is; Hee hath no false glasses, that greaten, or lessen the proportion of things, but such as render them as they are. Converse much with the word the booke of lights, all it sayes is true without a reason, though it be all reason, converse with the Saints the subjects of lights, they have light that will shine before you, all these lights convey truth to you, the right notion of things; And that is it which begirts you, renders you strong and steddy, fit to deale with the Divell, the father of all impostures and deceits, also think, ruminate much of things according to what true notion you have ever had of them; in some times and parts of our lives wee have right notions of things, with such sight as carry their owne evidence with them, represent them often to your selves, this will make your light shine to you, your light may be under a bushell in your owne heart, and truth without this, may be to seeke when you should use it, when you should judge and walke by it, you may have many right principles in you, but Raked under Ashes, but wisedome is to have them at hand and for use, that when the Divell p. 124comes with his wiles and his mists, shining and blazing, truth may scatter them and melt them, and cause them to waste away assoone as they dare to appeare for example. If hee shall shew the pompe and glittering of titles and honour, and would lead you out of your way, by that foolish shine; a right judgement of things hath for him, that the outsides of things are for children, that the masks and vizards, either of good or ill are not much considerable, that honour is in truth, that which is lasting, which hath its rise in worth, and is given by God, and wise men, that such honour properly should rather follow, then lead good actions, that the praise of men and the praise of God are seldome consistent, that it is a signe of diffidence of God, to be too anxious to receive honour from men, that there is no reason that should moove you, which the Divell can neither give, nor continue to you: I give you but a tast, if hee tempt you to gratify the flesh by lust or idlenesse, by a soft and delicate life, by indulgeing to bodily things, Truth will girde your loynes, and make you stand steddy heere in also, by telling him that it is wisedome to till the better part, that nothing stands in so proper an antipathy to the spirit as the flesh, that Paul beat downe his body and brought it into subjection, that the body is to be considered onelyonly as an instrument and not to be idolized and indulged to, for it selfe, that belly & meat shall both be destroyed ere long, but the soule dies not, that idlenes is death before your time, with this difference, that it is considerable in your punishment, which death properly is not, for no man is punished for dying; That Iesus Christ was a perpetuall motion, that good men have used to finde little rest but in their consciences, and their graves, till they come to heaven, that your condition p. 125heere is to be a souldier, to indure hardnes, and fight, for which truth armes you, not to live delicately and take your ease, this might be enlarged in many other particulars, and in these more fully, I onelyonly give an instance, that you may know what I would, and may learne to begirt your selves with right notions, against the wiles of the Divell.

For the other part, namely sincerity, for the heightening and improoving of that, I shall put upon you but this burthen, love much; sincerity is immixednesse, and rightnesse of ends, a spirit goeing right forward, drawne right forth, without guile or ends; Love will concentrate all in God, make all lines meet in him, self love makes men insincere to God and others, because it drawes away from the pretensions which are to God, it sucks away the sappe and the juice that should goe into the body of the tree, it is like a cut that draynes the channell, which should runne with full source into the sea; but love gives all and wishes for more, in no respect so much as to give that also, so as it gathers up the soule and girds up the loynes for God, as bring what subtilties and wiles you will, it measures, all you say by Gods interest, so as offer as before, honours, or pleasures, or lusts, it will aske you; what is this to God, how doth it suite with his ends, how doth it comply with his glory, how is it squared to his liking and good pleasure, since you live if hee be pleased, you are happy if hee be glorifyed, love hath made you so much his, that nothing can be good to you but what is to him, love hath given all in grosse, and therefore can reteyne nothing in retayle, that therefore to mixe your actions or your ends, is to divide you from God, who is your love, and under a coulour of bettering your condition to rob God, and p. 126undoe your self together, for love is wise, and will tell you also, that it is good loosing your self in God, and that when by studying for God, you forget your selves, you are then most of all remembred; I shall adde no more, so much for this first peece, onelyonly remember to act these notions, and sincerity in the vertue and power of him, who is the reall and essentiall truth Iesus Christ.

You have already heard of that peece, which gives the great and generall impresse, that which strengthens the part of strength, that which renders fit and prepared for every good thing, and which is of exceeding great influence into this battaile, The girdle of truth, that is such sights, and such a disposition of spirit as begirts and strengthens to what wee should doe. Wee come now to arme the breast which lyes as much exposed, and is as considerable as any part; For the breast containes the noble and vitall parts, the heart, the lungs, the liver, and for this there is a Plate, a breast-plate, and that is righteousnesse, this Christ our captaine put on before us, Is. 59.17. Hee put on righteousnes as a breast-plate, and wee, according to the duty of a souldier that takes his example from the captaine, for so say your brave commanders (whether in order to fighting or armeing) what you see mee doe, doe yee likewise, and according to the charracter and impression which wee receive from his fulnesse, wee take on righteousnes also as a breast-plate; if you aske mee what this peece is, for it must be something spirituall, by which you deale with the Divell, I answere that it is holynesse, and innocency of life; The first peece was sincerity or integrety (as it lay in the will) respecting the end and ayme of all our actions, which having a continuall and direct influence upon the end begirts exceedingly; This is the p. 127walke of a Christian in order to that end, that righteous and holy frame of spirit by which hee walkes and mooves, justly and holily in all his actions, this is that wherein Paul excercised himself so much, to have a conscience voyd of offence, towards God and man, Acts 24.16. That is, so to walke as neither to offend the conscience of another, by any scandall or stumbling blocke, nor to offend or wound his owne; This if you take it generally, one may call perhaps sanctification, not taking sanctification as it is, some times for consecration or seperation, as the vessells or dayes were consecrated, or set a part, but for sanctity, that is, inherent righteousnes, or holynes, or more particularly considering it in the walks and motions of it, it may be distinguish't into Piety or Godlinesse, and Iustice or righteousnes, the one respecting God more immediately, the other men; Such a distinction you have, Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnes of men, so Titus 2.12. Wee are to live soberly, righteously and godly, there is the distinction of righteousnes and godlinesse, to which sobriety or temperance is added, as a meanes of doing it, and living so, because by it wee deny our selves in wordly lusts, as the words before are, denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, upon these two feete therefore, this sanctity or righteousnes mooves vizt. Religion towards God, and Iustice towards men: To pursue these tracts, were to give you the whole walke of religion, which is not my intent, for I give you now, but an exposition in order to our combate, onelyonly a few things: In this righteousnes there is an order, they gave themselves first to the Lord, and after to us, by the will of God, 2. Cor. 8.5. God must be first considered, and secondly, what ever you doe to men, it must be for God, and as to the Lord, and not to men, that is, not making them the p. 128Alpha or Omega the rise, or the ultimate end of any of our motions, so as motions to wards God, are first and especially to be considered, First seeke the Kingdome of God, & David sayes often, early in the morning will I seeke thee, still God is especially to be considered, Hee that loves father or mother more then mee, is not worthy of mee, Mat. 10.37. and therefore in respect of intencenesse, you must Love God with all your hart, and soule, and minde, & though wee are to doe acts of righteousnes to wards our brethren, with all our strength, yet that intencenesse is required especially in respect of God, and by the vertue of religion; As for righteousnesse towards man, it is that by which wee are inclined, to give every one that duty and observance which is their due, and under this consideration, falls all men, with whom wee have to doe, and Angells also, for since God onelyonly is the object of religious worship, they must fall under the notion and consideration of our brethren or neighbours, for in refusing worship, they say, they are our fellow-servants, & of our brethren the Prophets, and of them which keepe the sayings of the booke of God; so as they refuse not their due, but Gods due, which is religious worship, Rev. 22.9. and of that moment is this righteousnes, towards our brother; that the truth of religion towards God, cannot consist with the neglect of this, if a man say hee loves God, and hates his brother, hee is a lyar, 1. Ioh. 4.20. And this commandement have wee of God, that hee that loves God should love his brother also: This in the negative is a sure argument, that there is no religion towards God, where there is not righteousnes towards men, Gall. 5.19. The workes of the flesh are manifest (saith Paul,) unrighteous, unworthy actions, clearily manifest a wicked man, if hee be unrighteous and unjust towards men, hee is irreligious towards God.

p. 129This righteousnes hath for its measure, or rule, the love wee beare our selves, for God being loved by us, with the love of union, wee must needs love our selves next and immediately, which is that thing wee desire to close and joyne with God; but others secondarily, as those wee would have also participate of the same good, and from this love, (the rule and measure of our righteousnes,) none are to be excluded, that are capable of God, and happinesse, because the roote of love aswell to others as our selves, is God, the measure of which is love to our selves, and therefore no particular enmity should interupt, therefore wee should love our enemies; You see how wee have stated, and whither wee have ledde this notion of righteousnes, wee cannot leave it in a better place, and it was fit to say some what of that of which the word sayes so much, and which armes so faire and noble a part.

But how doth this peece arme the breast, or how is it fitted thereunto? The breast containes I told you the vitall parts, wherein properly as in the subject, is the feate of life, that holines therefore, that righteousnesse, that image of God is wounded by unrighteousnesse; by sinne, the Divell that wicked one shoots at the fairest marke, and by unrighteousnes wounds, that is it which drawes downe Gods wrath, puts a sting into every condition, into death it self, that weakens the heart, makes timerous and fearefull; the breast-plate in Greeke is Thorax, and they say it is derived from foreign, hoc est, subsilite, to leape or shake, Propter cordis palpitationem, for the heart ever mooves, but unrighteousnes and an evell conscience, makes it shake inordinately, renders men timerous, and fearefull; now this peece of armour, this breast-plate of righteousnesse secures you of this, those shaking, those darting wounds, p. 130and ads courage and assurance, so Prov. 28.1. The wicked flyes when none pursues, but the righteous are bold as a Lyon, now the use of armour is to render you, not onelyonly safe, but bold and secure; Contrary to which are those feares, that make wicked men affraid of their owne shaddowe, they goe without being driven, saving by their owne conscience, which is also excelently exprest. Lev. 26.36.37. And upon them that are left alive of you, I will send a faintnesse into their hearts in the Lands of their enemyes, and the sound of a shaking leafe shall chase them, and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword, and they shall fall when none pursueth.

And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth, and yee shall have no power to stand before your enemies. Heere is a disposition, quite contrary to such strength and courage, as this peece, the breast-plate of righteousnes gives, doe you not see now need of an armour, when wickednesse and unrighteousnes brings you into that miserable condition; unrighteousnes is opposite to the being of a holy man, the renewed state of a man which consists in righteousnes and true holinesse, and to the comfort and welbeing of a saynt, which stands as you have it, Rom. 14.17. In righteousnes, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; marke the order, first righteousnes, which is as I may say, the materiality of peace, and then joy in the Holy Ghost. But may not the righteousnes of Christ, imputed by faith more properly be called, this peece of armour, then our owne inherent righteousnesse or holinesse? Answ. without all question, that is, the Roote and source of all our righteousnesse, Rom. 8.3.4. That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit. That is, wee are reputed in Christ to have fulfilled the whole law, for saies hee, the righteousnes of the p. 131law is fulfilled in us; there were two things the law required, a just suffering for what wee were in arreare, a due expiation for sinne, and a perfect obedience, now in Christ wee are reputed to have done all this, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse, to every one that beleeveth, Rom. 10.4. This was the first intention, and scope of the law videlizet, that Christ might justifie and bring men to life, by his observation and keeping of it, and therefore the Apostle blames them vers▪ 3. that being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse, they would establish their owne righteousnesse, by which meanes they submitted not to Gods righteousnes, that is, to that way that hee had set and ordained. But secondly, having made them righteous, and acquitted by imputation, and standing right before God; God leaves us not thus, but the love of God producing in us, and upon us, some lovely effect, makes sutable impressions and Charracters, to the relation wee hold to him, you have the print and Charracter of a sonne upon you, aswell as the relation of a sonne, which is nothing els but a certaine image and likenesse of his holinesse, and therefore if you bee in Christ, you are a new creature, 2. Cor. 5.17. Now how can any be a new creature, without the infusion of new qualities, new guists, without an essentiall change, for it is a new creation, therefore the scriptures describes all the parts of this infused holinesse, yee were darknesse, but now yee are light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8. also: you have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him, Coll. 3.10. There is for your light, for your apprehensions, you have another sight of things then ever you have had, other lights, other notions. Also, you have a new heart, a new disposition of spirit, another bent and frame, and propension, then you have had, so that of Ezek. 36.26. p. 132I will give you a new heart and a new spirit, and you are to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse, Eph. 4.24. Christ therefore that doth all for us doth much in us, hee is a head of influence, wee have him all among us, and every one hath him all in their measure; and according to those influences, and infusions, wee have our denominations, so Abell was called righteous, so Noah, Iob, also Zacharij & Elizabeth, Luk. 1.6. were both righteous before God, walking in all the ordinances and commandements of the Lord blamelesse. In this sence a man may be called Righteous; that is, regenerate, that is, renewed, although corruption remaines, as you call a house white aswell as a Swan, though there be many spots on it, and such a one may be said not to sin, 1 Joh. 3.6. because hee is not given up to sin, but hath his heart armed and fenced with a holy frame, and a pursuite of righteousnesse. Now having thus distinguished, and explained things, this scripture in all the parts and peeces of the armour, seemes rather to speake of the working and motion of the graces of God in us, then the imputation of Christs to us, which is that which indeed gives the forme, enargy, and operation to every peece; but because according to what Christ is to us, so in a proportion, and according to our measure hee is in us, by his influence, by his infusions, therefore wee are to till and improve him in us, and as the divell could do nothing against us, but by virtue of our corruptions; so Christ makes use of his owne infusions, of his owne graces, of his workes in us, with which through him, wee fight against the divell, so as by the righteousnes of Iesus Christ infused into us, and derived by his spirit, our vitall parts are armed, and secure against the divell, who by unholines, and unrighteousnes would destroy that building of Gods owne rearing.

p. 133I have bene some thing large in this, both in shewing you what righteousnes is, as it respects God and man, and in distinguishing it from the imputed righteousnes of Christ, which is the temire wee hold by, and by which wee stand accepted before God; and in shewing you, how it secures you against sin, which is the divells weapon to wounde us withall; If ye aske mee how you shall put it on, in a word, be renewed in the spirit of your minde, things are maintained, as they were gotten, be converted often, one conversion is not enough, the worke of repentance, that is, of a change of heart, is of a continuall dayly use; you must be changed from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord righteousnes in you, acted, and enlarged by the spirit of God, must worke out unrighteousnes in you, acted and fomented by the divell, and you must do your part to righteousnes, as you have done to sin, and as ye have yeilded your members servants to uncleannesse, and to iniquity unto iniquity. So now yeild your members servants to righteousnes and to holinesse, Rom. 6.19. Your Members, that is, your whole soule, the faculties of it, the endowments of it must be yeilded in service to God, as they have bene to sin and the divell, they must be now weapons in Gods hand, under the command of his spirit, for so saies hee ver. 13. neither yeild your members as weapons or armes of unrighteousnes, for so signifies the word, which wee translate instruments: Wicked men, unrighteous men furnish the divell with weapons to kill and destroy themselves, their owne weapons slayes them, the divell doth but helpe to point them and sharpen; but wee must yeild our selves to God, and our members, weapons of righteousnes to God, and by doing this, sin shall not have dominion over you, for saies hee, yee are under grace, not under the law, that is, the grace of God in Christ, and p. 134the assistance of his spirit will enable you to overcome sin, and the divell, which the law would never have done: Nothing hinders more then discouragement, but feare not, imploy your members as weapons for God, and you will prevaile, the rigour of the law, Christ hath satisfied, and those parts which remaines you, which are left for you, grace will work in you, and by you, so as let the divell be what hee will be; sin or unrighteousnesse shall not have dominion over you, and consequently not the divell, against whome ye fight, for hee moves in the strength of unrighteousnesse.

Wee are come now to the third peece of armour, which is for the feet and leggs, for the Breast-plate reached downe to the knees, and this covered the rest; by the feete are commonly denoted the affections, by which we martch or move to good, or ill, they are the movings and outgoings of the soule, and the feet and legs are a part, which needs asmuch armeing as any other thing, for in their motion to fight, they conflict with the difficulties of the place, and in their fightings are exposed to wounds and danger; other parts are freed from that more, they are not so much offended with the ground on which they are, but these are aswell exposed to the difficulties of the place, as to the wounds of the combate. The armour therefore for this part, is the preparation of the Gospell of peace, that is, an ability and readines with chearfulnesse, to preach and confesse the Gospell.

First, that this is a great duty to confesse, or manifest upon all occations, your beleefe of the Gospell appeares by that place, Rom. 10.10. with the mouth confession is made to salvation; that is, it is a part of the duty which you owe to God, in order to your eternall salvation, to confesse and promulge the glorious Gospell, p. 135which in your hearts you beleeve, for the faith of the Gospell should so fire your heart, with the glory of God, that the flame should breake out; On the contrary it is an absurd and foolish thing, to talke of fire where no flame or heate appeares, to speake of beleeving to righteousnesse, where there is not at all occations, a readinesse to confesse with the mouth. This being laid for a foundation, you shall see how two other places will helpe to interprete this. Those shooes, the feet armour, I take to be a fitnesse and readinesse to preach, or declare the Gospell of peace; this semes to be extremely parrallelled, with Rom. 10.15. taken out of Isa. 52.7. How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospell of peace, Heere you have the Gospell of peace, the same thing named in this place, and the bringing or communicating of it expressed by feet. As heere by the armour of the feet, but if any shall say this is onelyonly applicable to Ministers, because in the beginning of this 15. ver. it is said, How should they preach except they be sent, that is utterly a mistake, for by sending there is not meant, the particular and lawfull call of Ministers, which the Apostle heere treats not of, but imports onelyonly, that it is a speciall signe of the love of God, when the Gospell is brought any whither, for hee sends it, it drops not out of the clouds, by chance or hazzard, but it comes whither God sends it, whither hee addresseth it, and therefore should be received accordingly; The other place is, 1. Pet. 3.15. Be ready alwaies to give an answere to every one of the hope that is in you. The word ready is the same word, that is heere prepared, foreign, and heere foreign with a readines, or preparation, having your feet shod with a readinesse of the Gospell of peace; that is, as heere with a readinesse, to give an account of it, or preach it, or confesse it, as in the former p. 136places, as you have occation, either by offering and declaring it, or by answering and giving account of the hope that is in you, of the Gospell the ground of that hope, or of your actions according to that rule and word; you see how this exposition suits with a generall duty in other places commanded, and runnes paralell with the very phrases, and expressions of them, so as the exposition falls naturally and without constraint. If you aske mee now how this readines and preparation of preaching, and confessing the Gospell upon all occations, armes the legs, and feet, which denotes our Martches, and Motions in this warre against the divell.

1Answere first, because it imployes a great boldnes in the faith of Christ, which fits for motion and going forwards; hee that is ready, and prepared to be a Preacher, or Confesser, to give an account of his faith, hath as it is said of the Deacon, attained a good degree, and great boldnesse, and as Christ saith, Hee that casts out divells in my name, will not lightly speake evill of mee; so hee that is ready and prepared to confesse and publish as hee hath occation, the Gospell of God is prepared for advanceing, for martching, for goeing forward; this therefore it implyes, to wit, a boldnes of minde, and a courage.

2Secondly, the objections that the divell and wicked men frame against our actions, and motions are extreamely hindering, make us heavy and timerous; but if you be able and ready to be a confessour, if yee can preach or give account of it, and you be prepared to it, you are safe enough, you will take any stepps, and walke boldly, so as it is not onelyonly a signe of courage as before, but it doth actually and really inable you.

3Thirdly, to this you must adde what the Apostle addes considerately, that it is the Gospell of peace, about which, and for which you moove; this agrees extreamely p. 137well to this motion, for being to goe through many uneaven waies, and to breake through the thickest ranckes of enemies; you are helped by this, that you are at peace with God all the while, what ever enemies you meet with in the way, so as this Gospell of peace fits you for motion, and by confessing, and promulgeing your faith, to conflict with others. So I state this armour which the holy spirit appropriates to the legs and feet, I alter not the words of the Text, I shew you how it fits for motion:

The help is therefore to this peece of armour, is, first to be filled with right knowledge, how can yee beleeve on him of whome yee have not heard, how can you preach him, how can you confesse him, of whome ye are not well instructed, concerning whome you are not taught; an implicite faith heere to beleeve as others doe, as your teachers doe, will not helpe you.

Secondly, you must be zealous, that will render you 2ready and prepared; a zealous man wilbe communicating what hee hath, will have his confessions and answeres at hand, when his Brothers darknes or scandall shall call for it, hee will put on for converting for enlightening of men, it will grieve him to see the world, and the divell gaine from God.

Thirdly, you must be possest with the peace I spoke 3of, the Gospel of peace, will never come of from you, if your hearts be not filled with peace; this is that Christ left his disciples to worke with, and by. Peace I leave with you, my peace, (that is, the peace of the Gospell) I give unto you, so John. 16.33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in mee ye might have peace. In the world yee shall have tribulation, that is, you are to martch to heaven through a troublesome world, the profession and preaching of the Gospell will cost you much, but in Christ, p. 138and in the Gospell you shall have peace; The other is but outward, that is the most intimate peace, a peace that passeth all understanding, a peace that will enable you to goe to warre, and deny your selves of outward peace. How did this peace that made Paul and Sylas sing in the Prison, inable them to preach Christ abroade. What bold confessions could Stephen make in the midst of all his enemies, upon the very point of Martirdome, when hee was at peace with God, and sawe Christ the King of peace at the right hand of God; It is not the enemye so much as the strength or weaknesse to resist, and fight, that is considerable if there be more with you then against you; It is no matter what is against you, if you have a deepe and quiet peace within, it is no matter what noyses you heare abroade. The Martirs that were filled with that peace in their sharpe warfares, could say non patimur sed pati videmur, we rather seme to suffer, then suffer indeed; this will make you strong in every motion towards fight, and this will ayde you to this profession, and confession of Christ, which will both assure all your owne motions, and by which as with spirituall feet, you doe move mightily against the divell.

Corrol.For the use of this in particular, wee may consider how happy our conditions are, that wee are preachers and publishers of peace, blessed are the peace makers, and how beautifull are their feet; this wee are if wee be filled with peace, a peace that passeth all understanding, will passe its own bounds and fill others also.

2But then secondly, in a sence wee are all preachers, all confessors, they that teach, must doe, and they that doe, must teach, that is by that doing, by the light of their actions which shines; but in truth, wee should not onelyonly be contented to walke holily our selves, but wee p. 139should be ready and prepared to communicate what ever wee have of the Gospell to others, as occation shall offer it selfe and draw it forth, which is both a great motion and walke against the divell; and as it is heer exprest, it armes our feet, and secures our motion exceedingly in this warre, so as wee are not subject to the shaking of objections, and disgraces which the divell would represent to us, and cast in our way continually.

Thirdly, in this preaching and confessing the Gospell 3upon all occations, doe it as the Gospell of peace, bring it as the Angells did, who knew well the minde of God, Glory to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men, Luk. 2.14. Also feare not, for behold, I bring you good tydings of great joy, which shalbe to all people, ver. 10. Offer the Gospell like the Gospell, that is, like good newes, the good newes of peace, let the world knowe that it is brought and offred to all men, that it is good tydings of great joy to all people: Christ is an universall good, and as the heires of great kingdomes, are the common possessions of all the subjects; so the Son of the God of the whole earth, is good newes to all mankinde, and it is pitty but that they should knowe it, and that it should be offred to them, as it might be their owne fault if they intertaine it not. And as Christ said to his disciples, when ye come into any house, say peace be to it. It is time enough for your peace to returne to you, when they refuse to receive you. This if any thing will take with the guilty world, who from the sence of their owne ill are a thousand times apter to dispaire, then beleeve, or at least to be hardened in a negligent desperate way: This will also make good the ends of the Gospell, which are the glory of Christ, and the alluring, and gaining of the elect; and a soule p. 140gained by the freest way of grace, will vent its obedience by love, and this will put honour upon your selves, render your feete beautifull, render you acceptable and desireable, where ever you come in the world, when you shalbe shod with the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace.

4Fourthly, as ye are to make after much knowledge, for a cleare rule of all your actions, and stepps, even to a readinesse to confesse it, and preach it; for that is the preparation heere meant, that yee may bee in a readinesse, so when you are in such a preparation, walke boldly, let the world see by your walking and your motion, and steddines that jou are armed, when you can passe through foule waies, good report and ill report, when ye walke among thornes, tread upon Serpents and Adders, and they shall not hurt you. Paul sure had his hand well armed, when the viper dropt from it without hurting him, so it is a signe you are well armed, when yee feare no wayes into which providence shall leade you, and when you come of without hurt, though there be pikes and stakes in the way, ye are not pierced; this walking by example, and as occation is by voyce, by confession, or preaching, will make many followers, you will become leaders your selves, and that will be a glorious walkeing, when yee shall not onelyonly treade hard Pathes, but lead up troopes, wee see even bruit beasts in motion are put on by the voyce as well as by example, or any other way: Let the world know that warre is but the Vizard, but there is peace within, underneath: Let them know that there are sweets and roses, though they see nothing outwardly but thornes, and Bryars, your walking steddily will shew that your selves are armed, and your example and voyce together, will have a great influence upon others, to be p. 141sure a readinesse and preparednesse to confesse the Gospell of peace, will arme you for all the hard martches, and what ever the divell shall object in your way.

Wee are come to the fourth peece of Armes, which is a Shield fitted not so much to any one part, (as the other peeces) as to the whole, for it is moveable, and propper to keepe of at a distance, & this is faith: Now this above all things is to be taken up, that is, Especially, this is the most considerable peece of Armour you have; Some reade it in all things, that is, with every peece of Armour, yee must mingle faith, with Truth, with Righteousnesse, with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace: or referre it to temptations, that is, you must oppose faith to every temptation, which is true; but I rather thinke it is meant heere, Especially, that is, to say above all things in a more especiall manner, Take unto you the Shield of faith, like that place Coll. 3.14. where the same word is used, And above all things but on Charity, so as though every peece of Armour be very considerable, yet none like the shield of faith, and hee gives you the reason, because by it you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the Divell, who for his superabundant malice and wickednes hee calls the wicked one, that is, who with the greatest and most intense height of wickednesse pursues God and Man, but especially, good men the Saints; And yee shall not quench, some of his darts onelyonly, but all his darts, hee hath enough of them, hee hath of all kindes, this shield will receive them, and repell them all; Hee tells you also, of what kinde they are, They are fieri darts, his Arrowes are poysoned Arrowes, they do not onelyonly wound as Iron and steele doth, but there is a Poyson, a burning in them, of an ill quality, hard to cure, hard to be quenched; but now the holy Ghost prescribes you a remedy, p. 142an Armes fitted on purpose as they are darts, faith as a shield shall repell them, as they are poysoned and fiery; faith as Water, or Balsome, or Oyle, shall Quench, by faith ye shall be enabled to Quench them: Faith properly as a shield doth not quench but repell, but faith enables you; that is, there is a mighty power and operation in faith, doeing that which nothing els can doe, that as yee have salves, properly to draw out stings, or thornes, and as yee have Balsomes, to take out fire and poyson, to quench and destroy the malignity of a poysoned dart, so you have faith fitted and proportioned to quench the fiery darts of the wicked, your greatest enemy, and who shoots continually, and therefore are they called all his fiery darts; hee wants not Ammunition, hee need not feare for want of Powder, hee hath great and cursed abilities, and a spirit fitted to act them alwayes; but faith can deale with him, and render all his dartings vaine, and of no effect. You see now the full meaning of these words, and of how great a consideration faith is, to this warre, so as from the reason of the thing which the Apostle gives, it deserves an Emphesis, An above all; that is, especially want not this, as Sallomon saies of wisedome, Above all gettings get understanding, and keepe thy heart with all dilligence, so above all things take the shield of faith. Before wee consider more particularly, of this so much commended faith, wee will thinke a little what those fiery darts are, which are to be received, and quenched by faith; by fiery darts heere, I understand not so much temptations to all kindes of him, though faith serves for all meets with them also, but the Breast-plate of righteousnesse semes propper also for them, but some fiery envenomed impoysened darts, to which nothing but the shield of faith can be opposed; faith will secure you in all things p. 143aswell as other peeces of armour, but especially faith is of use heere; And these darts seme to be either some burning vyolent temptations to lusts, or after them to dispaire: For the first, our natures since the first defilement by orriginall corruption, were never perfectly coole, it is by some principle within us, that Sathan workes upon us, our natures are stuble and tinder; there is a great deale of combustible matter within us, which the wicked one knowes well enough, and therefore shoots his Granadoes, his fire-workes, his fiery darts, if wee were Ice and Snow, if we were perfectly coole and cold, to lusts, the divell would not loose his paynes nor his darts, but being fiery our selves, apt to burne, hee flings in fire, fiery darts, and wee are instantly and presently, in a flame, like charcoale burnt already, or stuble prepared already for burning by the sunne; so hee did to David in the case of Bathsheba, though hee were a good man, tooke him at an advantage, when his corruptions were most fiery, neerest burning, when idlenesse, security and peace, had dryed and heated him to lusts, and vanity, then hee flung in a fiery dart, and the flame was unquenchable. The like hee did with Amnon, who having received the fiery dart, was so vexed that hee fell sicke for his sister Tamar, 2. Sam. 13.2. and was so destroyed with that flame, as hee never ceased till hee counted folly in Israel: in wayes most barbarous and wicked, both in the prosecution of his love, and in his abusing and rejecting of her afterwards, and the one was as fiery as the other, hee hated her now more then hee had loved her, ver. 15. the love was without measure, so was the hatred; so are men stung with the fiery darts of the divell, there is nothing but extreames, no Mediocrity, all is without measure, and then for a little of that they call p. 144pleasure, they have a world of paine, and gall, and bitternesse; which is the other fiery darts, made way for by lusts, and that is dispaire; for I should thinke that in this instance, the inhumanity and barbarousnesse of Amnon afterwards to his sister, came from the terrour and confusion of his conscience, what fruit had you of those things whereof you are now ashamed, Rom. 6.21. After the sin is committed, shame and horrour ceazeth presently, which hurryes the minde ordinarily as fast to dispaire as it did before, to the countinent of the lust; therefore lusts should be lookt upon, as they are goeing not as they are comeing, or as they are promising, peracto scelere magnitudo ejus conspicitur, as Tacitus inferres of Nero, after hee had killed his Mother, therefore wee should looke on sin with that eye, which within a few howers wee shall see them; and this is the second head of the fiery darts I told you of, namely inections to dispaire, how many after the commissions of Murthers, Adulteryes, Treatheryes, have bene consumed and likt up, by these fiery darts, and brought to miserable ends, under the notion of dispaire: What thinke you of Spira, who for a little shrincking and retracting his confession, the profession of the Gospell I told you of, esteemed the flames of hell lesse then those hee felt, and wisht himselfe often there that hee might knowe the difference; What thinke you before him of Iudas, who found no rest, no quiet of spirit, but in the Gallowes, hee was utterly druncke up by dispaire, and went downe quicke to his owne place. But the saints feele these fiery darts, as David did for lusting, so himselfe also and divers others for dispairing, therefore hee saies, Hee roared all the day, and his soule, and his bones were sore vexed, and his eye, his soule & his Belly were consumed, and the divell heerein takes the advantage of some outward p. 145lowenesse and depression of condition, either in body, or estate, or reputation, or some melancholy of body, or constitution, which is a temper easily fired to extremities; and that the Saints have their fyering to lustings, or dispaire aswell as others, whether they be of things bulky in themselves or little.