The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 11
LECT. 11. Decemb. 19. 1649.
EPHES. 6. 14.
Stand therefore, having your loyns girt about with truth, [and having on this Breaſt-plate of righteouſneſs.]
V. 14. foreign
THeſe words contain the ſecond piece of the ſpirituall Armour. And this is fitly added to the former, having your loins girt about with truth. In lumbis maxima vis eſt ſtantium. If the loyns be infirm, the whole man is full of trembling, and with the leaſt violence preſently falls to the ground. Integrity and ſincerity ſtrengthen the loyns, and make the body ſtable. Deme Chriſtiano veritatem & corruet protinus. Bullinger in locum. Now the breaſt is as neceſſary for our ſure ſtanding, as the loyns: though the loyns be girded, yet if the breaſt be open to violence, the party comes ſuddenly to the ground. All the vitall parts, the heart, liver, lungs, &c. are in the breaſt; and if thoſe be not carefully ſecured, and preſerved, death and falling doth ſuddenly enſue. A little wound in the breaſt is mortall, and incurable. Therefore the Apoſtle would have his Souldier to make careful proviſion for that part, he muſt be as careful to put on his Breaſt-plate, as his Girdle. foreign ſignifieth both the breaſt, viz. the whole upper part of the body before, from the neck to the thighs, and it alſo ſignifies, that Armour which is uſed by Souldiers in the Warres, to defend that part of the body. The Breaſt-plate is the defenſive Armour, which the Souldier wears to ſecure the forepart of his body, from the violence of Sword, Pistoll, Lance, or other Weapon, uſed by the adverſary in time of battell. This the Latins call Loricam. Now the Apoſtle would have his Chriſtian Souldier, to take and uſe this in the day of temptation. That which is brought to ſet out this piece of Armour, is the grace of Righteouſneſs, foreign. That we may underſtand his meaning, we are to conſider the Acception of this word in the Scriptures. Now there is a twofold Righteouſneſs, The one Legall, the other Evangelicall. Legall Righteouſneſs is a perfect, compleat, ſtrict conformity to the Law of God in every thing. This righteouſneſs is not that which is meant in this place; for there is not one (meer) man in this world, who ever did, or ever ſhall wear this Breaſt-plate, ſince the fall of Adam. He indeed had this Armour put upon him in his Creation; but he and we in him loſt it by the fall, and ſhall never be able to recover it again. God looked down from Heaven, upon the Children of men, &c. but they are all gone out of the way, there is none righteous, no not one. Evangelicall Righteouſneſs is that which is interpreted ſo in the Goſpel, a qualified righteouſneſs. Now this righteouſneſs of the Goſpel is twofold, viz.
1. A righteouſneſs of imputation or juſtification, by vertue of which, a perſon ſtands righteous, and unſpotted before God: this is nothing elſe but the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, imputed or reckoned unto a believing ſinner, whereby he is conſtituted righteous in foro Dei. This is called in Scripture, ſometimes the Righteouſneſs of God, becauſe approved of God, contrived of God, imputed by God, ſometimes The Righteouſneſs of Faith, becauſe its applied, received, and put on by Faith, as a hand or Inſtrument appointed for that purpoſe. Somet…mes the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, becauſe its wrought by Jeſus Chriſt for us. This Divines Call, The Righteouſneſs of our Perſon, A Righteouſneſs without us, A Righteouſneſs communicated to us, A Righteouſneſs upon us, &c.
2. A Righteouſneſs of Sanctification, by which we work righteouſneſs. This is twofold. 1. Habituall, which is nothing elſe but the new nature, or new man created, and implanted in the heart of a Chriſtian, at the time of his new birth, or Regeneration, called by Divines, Inherent righteouſneſs, or a righteouſneſs in us. Of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 4. 24. that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs, and true holineſs; and of this alſo the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 John 3. 9. his ſeed abideth in him.
2. Actuall, which is nothing elſe but the manifeſtation and exerciſe of the work of righteouſneſs in a holy and unblameable converſation towards God and Man in our thoughts, ſpeeches, actions. This is called the working of righteouſneſs, Acts 10. 35. the doing of righteouſneſs, 1 John 3. 7. he that doth righteouſneſs is righteous, as he is righteous. This is called by Divines, A Righteouſneſs from us, The Righteouſneſs of our courſe or Converſation. Sometimes this Righteouſneſs is joyned with holineſs. And then Righteouſneſs ſtrictly refers to the Duties of the ſecond Table, and holineſs to the Duties of the firſt Table, Tit. 2. 12. Luke 1. 75. ſometimes it is put alone, and then it comprehends all Duties to God and man, Luke 1. 6. its ſaid of Zachary and Elizabeth, that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord, blameleſs.
Now there are ſome Expoſitors, which by the Breaſt-plate of righteouſneſs, underſtand the righteouſneſs of Imputation, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed by faith, for our juſtification. But this I ſuppoſe, is not the meaning of the Apoſtle here, becauſe he doth afterward ſpeak particularly of the ſhield of Faith, verſe 16. under which this righteouſneſs of Faith is comprehended. Others by the Breaſt-plate of righteouſneſs, underſtand only this laſt, viz. righteouſneſs of converſation, unblameableneſs, and innocency of life, ſo Calv. Zanch. Deodat, Bulling. Piſcator, and generally the whole Current of Interpreters. And this is moſt likely to be his meaning, if we conſider what goes before, viz. the Girdle of Truth, he firſt commends unto them, inward ſincerity, or truth of heart, and then that which is alwayes an effect or conſequence thereof, holineſs of converſation. Taking this to be the meaning of it, the Doctrine is this.
That holineſs and righteouſneſs of converſation, Doct.is of excellent and neceſſary uſe for him that would ſtand, and overcome Satan in the day of temptation. The Breaſt-plate of a righteous life is neceſſary to be put on, and uſed by every Chriſtian Souldier, that would be victorious in the day of ſpirituall Aſſaults. In the opening of this Doctrine, I ſhall clear theſe two things.
1. Wherein righteouſneſs of converſation conſiſts: what are the characters of a righteous man?
2. Wherein the uſefulneſs of it lieth, as to the withſtanding and overcoming in the day of Temptation.
1. Righteouſneſs of Converſation takes in theſe two things, which may be as Evidences and Tryalls.
(1.) He that deſires univerſally to obey all the Commands of the firſt and ſecond Table. Reſpect unto all the Commandments of God is that which in the Language of Scripture doth denominate a perſon truly righteous. Not that there is any man on earth, that perfectly fulfills the Law of God, Who can ſay, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from ſin? Prov. 20. 9. If any man ſhould dare to affirm this, the Holy Ghoſt tells him he is a lyar, and a ſelf-deceiver, 1 John 1. 8. But yet there are many, who do truly endeavour to be conformable to the whole will of God; and theſe are in a qualified interpretation, righteous perſons. This is that which the Apoſtle teſtifieth of himſelf, before the Governour Felix, Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exerciſe my ſelfe to have alwayes a Conſcience void of offence, towards God and towards man. There are ſome who are careful of the Commands of the ſecond Table, they would have a good Conſcience towards men; they would not cheat, nor defraud, they would pay every man his own, they are morally righteous; but they take no great care of the duties of the firſt Table, they are willingly unrighteous towards God, at leaſt in ſome duties, make no conſcience of prayer (publique, private, ſecret,) are not exact about the Sabbath, &c. theſe are unrighteous perſons, they defraud God of his right. Others are ſeemingly righteous towards God, but they are willingly wanting, and defective, in that which concerns man, at leaſt in ſomething: theſe are as far from righteouſneſs, as the other. Zachary and Eliz. are ſaid to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord, blameleſs, Luke 1. 6. They were without all queſtion blame-worthy in many things; but they did not willingly neglect any known duty; they did not ſay unto any Command of God, ſtand by, but did deſire to obey univerſally. True holineſs ſaith not as Naaman. In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, &c. 2 Reg. 5. 18. but ſaith with David, Concerning thy precepts, I account them in all things to be juſt, and therefore I hate every falſe way, Pſal. 119. 128. little duties as well as great, ſmall lies, meer omiſſions, &c. It is not one action which denominates a man righteous; but univerſality of obedience. God gives this commendation to Caleb, the Son of Jephunneth, that he wholly followed the Lord, Deut. 1. 36. and Moſes gives the ſame teſtimony to Joſhuah, Joſh. 14. 9. A righteous perſon knowes, (1) That there is the ſame purity in all Gods Commands. And (2) that there is the ſame obligation for every Command. He that ſaith, do not commit Adultery, ſaith alſo, Do not kill, &c. Jam. 2. 10, 11. And (3.) that one ſin allowed, will ruine and ſink his ſoul, and diſturb his peace, as well as many. And (4.) he hates ſin as ſin, and he loves obedience as obedience, and therefore applies himſelf to all holineſſe.
(2.) He that lives a righteous life, doth cordially bewail every Act of unrighteouſneſe. His ſin is his ſorrow and burden, and his Conſcience is wounded for the leaſt iniquity, not onelyonly that which is known to men, but even that which is known to God onelyonly: his ſecret wandrings produce both ſecret and open grief. Its ſaid of David, that his heart ſmote him, for the cutting off of the lap of Sauls Garment, 1 Sam. 24. 5. and 2 Sam. 24. 10. the ſame is ſaid of him, for the numbering of the people. Neither of theſe were ſins of any high or ſcandalous nature, and yet they occaſioned great trouble to Davids ſoul. Yea, true holineſs doth much lament the body of ſin, that dwells within him, though it do not break forth into actuall exorbitancies. Thus it was with Paul, Rom. 7. 23. 24. I ſee a Law in my members, &c. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me, &c. yea and ſecret ſins, as well as known ſins. And all this ſorrow in the heart of a righteous perſon, is not onelyonly, or principally, for the miſchief ſin hath or may work unto himſelf here, or hereafter; but chiefly out of that Antipathy which is in his heart againſt ſin, and out of reſpect to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, who is offended and wronged by his ſin. An unrighteous perſon caſts his ſins behinde his back, never remembers them, unleſs it be with ſenſuall delight, or at moſt, legal ſorrow, and that not ſo much for hatred of ſin, as fear of Hell; but a truly righteous perſon ſets them continually before his face. And that not onelyonly before, but after pardon. Pſal. 51. 3. and yet Nathan had told him before, that God had put away his ſin, he ſhould not die, 2 Sam. 12. 13. And ſo, Mary Magdalen.
(3.) He that is of a righteous life is as careful to abſtain from appearances of evill, as from apparent and direct evill. He dares not touch any thing that looks ſin-like, or that hath the leaſt affinity with it. If any thing be propounded to him, which hath the face of vice, he dares not for all the world, have any thing to do with it, he will not eat ſwines fleſh, or drink the broth, Iſay 64. 4. If the thing be doubtful, whether it may or may not be done, he will do that which is moſt ſafe, and leave it undon. Any thing which may be juſtly an occaſion of ſin to others. Any thing which may have ſinful conſequences: Any thing which may be liable to miſconſtruction. Any thing which may prove detrimentall to others. Any thing which may ſtrengthen, confirm, and ſettle wicked men in ſin, though the thing ſhould not perhaps be a ſin in it ſelfe: yet he that hath the Breaſt-plate of righteouſneſs, dares not do it, becauſe it hath the appearance of ſin. Any thing that is of evill report. It was lawfull for Paul to eat fleſh, (whatſoever is ſold in the Shambles, that eat, asking no queſtion for Conſcience ſake: (yet, when that action might have an appearance of evill, and be a ſcandall to others, he reſolves not to do it, 1 Cor. 8. 13. Paul might as lawfully have circumciſed Titus as he did Timothy; but when he foreſaw, that it would have produced an evill conſequence, viz. it would have confirmed the Jews, in the errour of the Circumciſion, he would not do it, Gal. 2. 3, 4 Holy Daniel, Cap. 1. 8. would not eat of the Kings meat, nor drink of his wine: there was an appearance of evill: he did not know but ſomething might be in it, which was uncleane to a Jew by the Law; or ſomething which had been conſecrated to Idolls. Tertullian will have no lights in the worſhip of God, becauſe mos erat haereticorum, Heretiques uſed ſo to do. 1. A righteous perſon hath an Antipathy againſt ſin, and this makes his heart riſe againſt any thing that is but like it. 2. A righteous perſon is acquainted with the ſubtlety of the Devil, and the incroaching nature of ſin, he that gives way to the appearances of ſin, will in a ſhort time yield to that which is apparently evil.