there is a fourfold kind of faith Historical Temporary The faith of Miracles Justifying â—reden Deo faith 1. Historical faith is the knowledge and beleef of the truth of divine Revelations upon the testimony of God himself Of this the Apostle speaketh Jam. 2. 19. This faith was in Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. 2. The faith of Miracles is a special gift of bringing to pass some extraordinary work or foretelling some certain event by devine revelation 1 Cor. 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. 3. Temporary faith is an assent unto the Doctrine of the Scriptures accompanied with the external profession thereof and some kind of joy in the knowledge thereof for a time vide Mat. 13. 20 21. Of this faith the Apostle speaks when he saith that Hymeneus and Philetus have overthrown the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 18. 4. Justifying and saving faith of which the text speaks the great effect of it doth clearly evince it to be a faith of the best kind for no other faith besides justifying can quench the fiery darts of Satan Now in opening the nature of this grace I shall do two things 1. I shall give you a discription of it 2. I shall shew the several steps or degrees of it 1. For the Discription of it I shall give it thus Saving faith is a supernatural special gift of grace wrought in the heart of an elect person by the spirit of God through the preaching of the word of the Gospel whereby he is enabled to beleeve that Jesus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour and thereupon cast himself upon him for life and salvation according to the promise I shall open this Discription 1. T is a a gift of grace Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Acts 18. 27. He helped them much who had beleeved through grace 1. The first preparing of the heart to it 2. The first plantation of it the infusing of the habit 3. The means whereby it is wrought 4. The preservation and continuance of it all these are of grace Faith is a part of the new Creature the great and chief part of it and the new Creature is meerly of garce T is called indeed a mans own faith subjective but effective originaliter t is meerly of grace Col. 2. 12. The faith of the operation of God 2. T is a special supernatural gift This doth distinguish it from all other kinds of faith and all other common gifts which are bestowed promiscuously upon men by the Lord Heb. 6. 4. T is an evtraordinary gift afforded unto none but special favourites 3. T is wrought in the heart of an elect person T is bestowed onely upon the elect Here the Apostle calls it the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 26. And then t is wrought in the heart the Scripture makes the herrt or will to be the seat of faith Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness The will rather than the understanding is the subject of faith because faith is an act of Election whereby the soul chuseth Christ Now election is more than an act of the understanding 4. T is wrought by the spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel This sets out both the efficient cause and the instrumental cause The efficient cause is the Holy Ghost not excluding the Father and the Son for Opera Tunilatis ad extra sunt indivisa but the Holy Ghost is the immediate worker of it the Father and Son work this and all other graces by the Spirit and therefore he is called The spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. And the Spirit works it powerfully not only inciting and stirring up the soul to believe by a moral perswasion only but by an Almighty strength creating such an habit in the heart The Apostle therfore mentions the same power for the working of faith which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19. And then the ministry of the Gospel that 's the instrumental cause Rom 10. 17. called therefore the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Faith is therefore called the fruit of the lips Isa 57. 19. And we shall do well to take notice of this that the Apostle makes it to be the word preached by a lawful instituted Ministry Rom. 10. 15. It s not the preaching of men that run upon their own account but of such as are lawfully sent to preach the Gospel 5. Whereby he is perswaded that Jusus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour also Faith must have not only have a general beleef but a particular application also The just shall live by his faith Who loved me and gave himself for me 6. And thereupon casts himself upon Christ for life and salvation according to the promise This shews the very nature of faith T is Recumbency upon Christ T is cleaving to God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. T is the casting of our burden upon Christ T is coming to Christ as to a living Stone Faith is nothing else but the souls venturing it self upon Christ according to the promise This I ad according to the promise to distinguish true faith from false presumption 2. The several steps or degrees of this grace I shall give you that in six particulars 1. Knowledge T is impossible that there should be faith in Christ or in any thing propounded by God till there be the Knowledge of it T is true knowledge is not faith they are two several distinct habits yet it necessarily preceeds faith Faith is the sight of the mind now sight presupposeth a visible object The Apostle makes it impossible to beleeve where knowledge is not Ro. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard there is a knowledge indeed which followes faith 1 John 4. 16. We have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us Faith is called knowledge Isa 53. 11. Faith is an Cognovenius credendo Calvin advised grace it will not rush headlong into unknown paths when Christ asks the man when he had restored to his sight whether he did beleeve on the Son of God he answered that question with another Who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him John 9. 35 36 37 38. and when he knew the person then he both beleeved and worshiped him 2. Assent After the knowledge of the thing propounded is wrought in the understanding then followeth the Act of the Will giving an assent unto that which is known John 3. 33. This setting to of the seal is nothing else but the firm assent of the soul unto the truth revealed that Gods Testimony is true in every thing to which it gives witness This is that which is recorded of Abraham Gen. 15. 6. He beleeved in the Lord i. e. he did freely yeild his assent to the truth firmness stability of all that which God had delivered to him
dye either presuming or dispairing And you will be encouraged to this if you consider how many thousands have been brought out of themselves unto faith in Christ by the power of Gods Spirit working in and by this meanes Hereby Lydia was brought out of unbeleef Hereby the Jewes who crucified Christ were brought to beleeve in Jesus Christ for the saving of their souls Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart c. There is still the same Institution and the same effectual Power of the holy Spirit in this Ordinance for the working of the same disposition in thy heart Thus much for the fourth piece of this spirituall Armour the shield of Faith The next is the Helmet of Salvation of which in the next verse EPHES. 6. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And take the Helmet of Salvation IN these words we have the fifth Lect. 27. Feb. 21. 1649. piece of the spiritual Armour which is recommended to a Christian for his safe standing in the day of spiritual encounters viz. The Helmet of Salvation It is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because it doth totum caput circumqua que munire The Helmet is that defensive Armour wherewith the Souldier doth protect his head and face from danger in the day of battel That which is meant by this Helmet is the grace of the hope of salvation so it is interpreted by this Apostle in 1 Thess 5. 8. Let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation The hope of salvation is called Salvation by a metonymy because it doth expect salvation and because where it is true it doth produce and bring forth salvation As salvation is the end of faith so it is also the end of hope Col. 1. 5. And therefore the Holy Ghost gives to it the name of salvation We read in Scripture of a twofold salvation A Temporal and an Eternal Salvation Of the temporal Salvation we read Exod. 14. 13. 1. The outward deliverance of the Lord Psal 37. 39. c. Of eternal Salvation we read Luke 19. 9. Though hope be exercised about temporal Salvation c. Yet here eternal Salvation is meant In the words we may for method sake observe tow things 1. The thing enjoined The hope of Salvation 2. The manner of the injunction Take The lesson from the whole is this Viz. He that would withstand and overcome Satan in the day of Temptation must be very careful to Doctrine take and keep the well grounded Hope of eternal Salvation as an Helmet upon his head In the handling of which Doctrine I shall open these three things 1. I shall open the nature of this grace of Hope shew how it agrees with and how it differs from the former grace of Faith 2. I shall shew you wherein the grace of Hope is like a Helmet 3 Wherein its useful to resist and overcome Temptations 1. Hope is a saving grace of Gods holy spirit wrought in a regenerate person whereby he doth firmly and patiently expect the certain accomplishment of all future good which God hath promised and faith beleeves In the opening of this Description we shall see both wherein it agreeth and wherein it differs from faith There is such an Affinity between faith an hope that they can hardly be differenced they cannot be separated one from another they have respect one to another as the two Cherubins on the mercy seat Exod. 25. 20. And yet they are really distinguished in the Scripture they are several things Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. The Scripture makes them three several things The agreement and difference of them will be manifested by the unfolding of the former Description 1. Hope is a saving grace of Gods Spirit I say a saving grace to difference it from that natural Hope which is not saving we read of a hope that is as a spiders web Job 8. 14. Of a hope that shall be cut off Job 8. 14. Of a hope that shall be as the giving up of the ghost Job 11. 20. And then I say of Gods Spirit to shew the pedigree and the original of it The Scripture makes it to be a fruit and work of Gods Spirit Now herein faith and hope agree they are both in regard of their nature saving graces and they are both from the spirit of God as the fountain and efficient cause 2. Wrought in a regenerate person This is the subject of it Neither the profane person nor the hypocrite hath this glorious flower of hope growing in them that natural hope is found both in wicked persons and hypocrites but this saving hope hath abiding only in the hearts of such as are truly converted Now here also it agrees with faith As both of them proceed from the same root so both of them have the same general subject they differ in the particular subject Luther ut supra faith is in the understanding hope in the Will 3. Whereby he doth expect This word notes the nature of this grace Expectation or waiting is the proper work of hope Thus the Scripture doth express it Psal 62. 5. My soul wait thou onely upon God for my expectation is from him Psal 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope Psal 123. 2. As the eyes of servants c. so our eyes waite upon the Lord untill that he have mercy upon us Nor is it a slight careless expectation but a very vehement intention both of body in expecting and waiting when a man doth stretch out his spirit and mind to look for a thing so the word Karah signifies Isa 8. 17. I will wait upon the Magná intentione corporis erectione expectare Lord that hideth his face c. and I will look for him The Apostle sets it out by a greek word of the same signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 19. The earnest expectation of the Creature c. It signifies to look with a stretched out neck as a condemned prisoner for a hope for pardon Now herein it differs from faith faith is not in expectation but in making things evident hope is in expectation and waiting for things evidenced by faith 4. It expects firmly and patiently These two properties of hope we have in Scripture 1. It expects firmly or certainly The Apostle mentions the full Assurance of hope Heb. 6. 11. Hope is never without assuâ—ance saith Mr. Pemble though not of the thing yet of perswasion for the firmness and stedfastness of it is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast 2. It expects with patience 2 Thess 3. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ Faith is our Logick saith Luther to conceive what we must beleeve Hope
Now this assent is 1. General and universal to all the declarations of God 2. T is builded properly and principally upon the Authority of God who hath revealed it 3. Upon this Assent is raised in the soul a strong affection unto and a high esteem of all the Revelation and discovery made by God Appreciation unto you who beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. The soul surveyeth all those things declared in the word with a very judicious eye and judgeth meanly of all other things in comparison of them 4. Upon this prizing of these things followeth a very earnest longing and desire in the soul to be made pertaker of all those precious excellencies Desire of enjoying doth naturally follow affection this desire is unsatiable unquenchable Hence it is set out by hungring and thirsting Isa 55. 1. Hunger and thirst cannot be satisfied without the enjoyment of meat and drink 4. Vpon this Desire followeth Affiance and Confidence The soul is so wrought upon that it can come to Christ as a living Stone and upon him and the promise of grace and pardon made in him is enabled to set down its rest as upon the onely pillar of salvation This is that which the Psalmist calls the fixing of the heart Psal 112. 7 8. It imports a secure and settled resting upon God The Prophet calls it staying a mans self upon God Isa 50. 10. so Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee David calls it Rolling our way upon the Lord. Psal 37. 7. t is agreeable to that in Mat. 11. 28. 6. Vpon this followeth the souls Election and choice of that which is held on t in the Divine Revelation The soul doth freely and spontaneously chuse the promises of the Gospel and makes them his own This is one of the highest steps of faith when the soul is not onely willing to accept but to chuse the way of truth and to chuse all the contents of the promise This is that which David professeth of himself Psal 119. 30 31. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgements have I laid before me I have stuck unto thy Testimonies O Lord put me not to shame 2. Wherein lies the comparison between faith and a shield 1. Faith is like a shield for the strength of it Of all the parts of Armour which the Souldier wears the Shield was the strongest Polybius tels Historian li. 6. p. 467. us the manner of it It was made of a double board glewed strongly together it had a double cover one of strong linnen cloth another of raw Neats leather that it might quench the fiery Arrowes of the enemy when they hit upon it about the edges of it above and beneath there went a strong plate of Iron that it might not be cut above with the edge of the enemies sword and that it might not rot below with hanging upon the ground on the outside of it there was a strong bosse of Iron which they called the umbo to preserve it from being battered with stones spears and other violent weapons Faith is the strongest of all the graces it is impenetrable and impregnable You read of the power of faith 2 Thess 1. 11. The faith of miracles is of such strength that it doth pluck up mountaines by the â—oots Mat. 17. 20. Saving faith must needs be much more strong 2. Faith is a shhield for largeness The Roman shield did cover the whole body Polybius tels us that it was two foot and a half broad and above four foot in length so that he that could skilfully Polyb. ut supra handle the shield might be safegarded on every part T is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gate or door because of the largeness of it Faith is a very large grace of a great extent It covers the head and the heart and the feet and the body c. He that can but handle this shield of faith after a right manner may lye safe in the midst of the hottest temptations 3. Why we must take this above all Because this grace is that which Strengthens and Acts all the other The shield hath this excellency in it that it doth protect not onely the body of the souldier more than any other piece of Armour but also that it doth defend all the rest It is Armatura armaturae If any violence be offered to the head the shield is lifted upto defend that piece if the head piece be either cracked or knockt off the shield supplies the place of the head piece if the breast-plate be broken the shield supplies the man of a breast-plate if the girdle be slipt off the shield supplies the place of the girdle if the shooes be rent the shield is instead of shooes it s a lifeguard to every part of the Armour he that hath a shield hath double harness The grace of faith is that which gives strength to all other graces The Doctrine of truth will not hold out one combate if the grace of faith be not implied it is the grace of faith which strengthens the doctrine of faith The breastplate of righteousness wil soon bepierced if it be not secured by the shield of faith faith is the preserver and the strengthner of righteousness the shooes of resolution will soon wear away if they be not soaled with faith its faith that mainteines courage and whets resolution Hope will soon go out if it be not fed with faith if faith faile hope gives up the ghost hope expects what faith beleeves and if faith langish hope withereth hope is the flame of faith and if the fire of faith be put out the flame of hope is exringuished The sword of the spirit the word of God is as a sword without an edge if faith do not sharpen it The word preached did not profit saith the Apostle because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. Faith is that which puls the sword out of the scabberd The word of God without faith is like a sword lockt up in the scabbard it s like a sword in the hand of a Child but the word in the hand of faith is like a sword in the hand of a Gyant Prayer without faith is ineffectual Jam. 1. 6. It hath no promise of acceptance with God Whatsoever ye ask in prayer beleeve that you have it and you shall receive it Mark 11. 24. Prayer without faith is like dead Physick t is faith that is the soul and life of prayer As all the Stars have the light from the Sun though they have some kind of natural light in themselves so the grace of faith hath an influence upon all the other pieces of the spiritual Armour both for the preservation and their quickning And therefore faith is sometimes put for all the strentgh of a Christian I have prayed for thee that thy faith do not faile Luke 22. 32. If
hoofs for hardness Thirdly Satan tempts us frequently he is every moment spreading his Net and laying his Snare to intrap the Soul he takes every opportunity to assault us ergo we should take every opportunity to defend our selves against his Assaults 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your Adversary goeth about continually seeking whom to devour Himself saith Job 1. 7. That he is continually circuiting and going up and down to destroy T is not one Arrow that will secure us against such frequent and reiterated Temptations He made three Assaults upon our Saviour in a little space of time Mat. 4. init and when he left him it was but for a season Luke 4. 13. 2. He that would overcome must use all kind of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is diversly distinguished In regard of the manner of performing it it is either 1. Mental or Vocal Mental prayer is when the heart onely prayeth without the voyce such was that of Moses Exod. 14. 15. Such was that of Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 13. These are mutae preces tamen clamantes Vocal Prayer is when the desires of the heart are drawn out into verbal expressions such was that of David Psal 5. 3. Psal 64. 1. 2. Either with others or else solitary with our selves alone Prayer with others is either more publike as in the Congregation or more private as in the Family Solitary prayer is when the Christian enters into his Closet retires himself from all company and then powres out his desires to God such is that our Saviour enjoyns Matth. 6. 6. Such was that of our Saviour Luke 5. 16. In regard of the matter Prayer is either for the obtaining of good things this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text or else it is for the diverting of evill which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now all kind of prayer must be used by him that would overcome Temptations He must pray privately and publikely mentally and vocally c. Every kind of prayer hath in it something which is more peculiarly excellent which is not so excellent in any other kind of prayer Publike prayer excels in one kind private prayer is more excellent in other respects Nehem. 2. 4. Mental prayer in some respects excels vocall in others In publike prayer there is more strength vis unita fortior In private and secret prayer there is less distraction There is in the publike more Communion with Saints There is in the private often more Communion with God less interruption incumbrance c. Satan useth all kind of Temptations and therefore we should use all kind of prayer The whole vertue of prayer lies not in any one kind but in all kinds 3. A Conquering Prayer must be in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This hath four things in it 1. It must be in the Spirit and not onely in the outward man So the Scholiast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must not be a work of the head or hands or eyes onely but chiefly a work of the heart Prayer is called the powring out of the soul 1 Sam. 1. 15. The powring out of the heart Psal 62. 8. The lifting up or stretching out of the soul Psal 25. 1. We read indeed of the lifting up of the hands Psal 28. 2. Of the lifting up of the eyes Psal 123. 1. Of the bowing of the knee Ephes 3. 14. These are fit and convenient postures to manifest the inward affections of the heart but the main work of prayer is in the inward man Quod cor non facit non fit Satan is a Spiritual Enemy Satans Temptations are Spiritual Temptations and therefore prayer will do no good against him which is not Spiritual God will never honour a prayer with victory over Satan which is onely a bodily service yea prayer without the heart drives God away and brings temptations into the soul It will never be a Satan-conquering but a self-weakning prayer 2. Prayer in the Spirit i. e. Zealous and fervent not cold and faint So 't is used in the Scripture Rom. 12. 11. A cold faint prayer will never prove a Conquering-prayer 'T is fervent prayer that is the effectuall prayer Jam. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such have been the prayers of the victorious servants of God Such was Jacobs prayer Gen. 32. 31. compared with Hos 12. 4. Such was the prayer of Elias Jam. 5. 16. compared with 1 King 18. 42. We read of striving in prayer Rom. 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrastling in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Labouring fervently Col. 4. 12. Praying exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 3. 10. Powring out a prayer Psal 102. tit Lifting up a prayer Esa 64. 7. Stirring up our selves in prayer Esa 64. 7. All which expressions note ardency Satan is not cold but servent not faint but zealous in his Assaults he fights against us in his Spirit that is with all his might and if we do not pray in the Spirit we shall rather encourage him then get the Victory 3. In the Spirit that is in sincerity Spirit is used in Scripture in opposition to hypocrisie Joh. 4. 24. Ambrose expounds this of purity of heart and integrity Hoc est in Spiritu semper â—rare mundâ conscientiâ fide integrâ precem ad Deum dirigere In carne enim orat qui pollutâ mente orat A prayer proceeding from an impure heart is like rotten Arrows against an Enemy which will neither wound him nor kill him Hypocritical prayers shall not be heard of God Psal 66. 18. Nor shall they be fear'd of Satan Satan is not hypocritical and in appearance but real and in good earnest in his temptations and so must a Christian be in his prayer that means to overcome 4. In the Spirit i. e. By the help of the Holy Spirit The Saints have this happiness that the Holy Ghost makes intercession in them with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. Now he prayes in the Spirit that prayes by the help and assistance of the Spirit he that acteth the Graces of the Spirit in Prayer Faith Hope Heavenliness c. Some deride Prayer in and by the Spirit Satan is a Spirit and no prayer will put him to flight but that which is framed in the heart by the Holy Spirit of prayer It is not the gift of Prayer but the grace of Prayer which gets the day 4. A Conquering Prayer must be a watchfull Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is required as a necessary Qualification of Prayer Mat. 26. 41. There is a two-fold watchfulness in reference unto prayer 1. A watchfulness unto prayer Of this we read 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be ye sober and watch unto prayer A watchfulness in prayer Of which we read Col. 4. 2. Watch in prayer with thanksgiving He that would overcome Satan by prayer must do both these He must watch unto prayer that is 1. He must have the thoughts of
cause If either of these be wanting there can be no comfort in undertaking any Warre To go forth in any publique Warre against any without the Call of lawfull Authority is to commit murther I say in publique Warre because in case of absolute necessity when a man is assaulted by Theeves and Robbers pro termino in divisibili for that very instant he is his own Magistrate Andrews upon the Commandments p. 741. Exod. 22. 2. Necessitas dicit legem Legi It s observed that when Joshuah was dead the Children of Israel could not go out to warre though with the Canaanites whom God had devoted to destruction till they had received Authority from God they would first have a lawfull Guide Judge 1. 1. After the death of Joshua it came to passe that the Children of Israel asked of the Lord saying Who shall goe up for us against the Canaanites first to fight against them And David would not fight with Goliah untill he had a commission from Saul 1 Sam 17. 37. And to undertake a war when the cause is not just is no lesse then a breach of the same commandement Thou shalt not kill Especially in the magistrate who makes such a war for whether the private person who is a subject is to dispute the law fullnesse of the Princes war or whether he be not engaged to assist upon his command if he know not the war to be absolutely unrighteous is a great dispute but it is without controversy that the Authority making an unlawfull war is guilty of Murther But now in this matter there is a concurrence of both these 1 you have a lawfull Authority calling you out to fight God who is the Supreme Authority to whomall creatures owe obedience and subjection he calls you to make opposition against Satan And then 2 The cause is very just For Satan in assaulting any of the Children of God is a meer usurper he hath no right over you you are not his but the Lords by creation by redemption by speciall dedication c. Satan is Tyrannus sine titulo you do but defend your own souls and the Territory and Dominion of God and Jesus Christ in you and over you whose Dominion you are bound to preserve 3 From the Necessity of opposing There 's no other meanes which can do us any good if this be neglected There are but these four things which can be imagined to help an assaulted Christian Flying Yielding Compounding Opposing now none of these besides the last will be available in this case 1. Flying is to no purpose Whither can he Fly 1 There 's no castle or place of refuge on earth which can keepe out Satan The Devils are Spirits Spirituall wickednesses Eph. 6. 12. and we know no earthly place can keep out a Spirit Spirits have not flesh and bones they can easily penetrate into any place you cannot keep out the ayre out of any close Dungeon and how then can you keep out Satan who is more spirituall then the ayre or the light 2 The Devill is swift of foot he can easily overtake you if you should fly And ti 's observable that in all the spirituall Armour there is nothing appointed to cover the backparts If you once turne your back you give the Devill a faire marke where his Arrows will presently fasten 2. Yielding will not helpe you the Devill is a very mercilesse creature he that submits himselfe to his fury puts the Knife into his own bowels The Devill gives no quarter to any sinner that ever yeelds some Say of the Lyon that he will spare the prey that lyeth under his feet but this roaring Lyon the Devill is most cruell to them that stoope And then besides he that yeelds puts himselfe out of the compasse of Christs prayer I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luc. 22. 32. Christ doth not make intercession for yeelding sinners but for opposing sinners he prayes that the faith of contending sinners do not faile but he doth not intercede that such as will not fight should be defended 3 Compounding is unavayleable Satan will never make any composition but for his own advantage and the Devills advantage will be the sinners detriment if not his destruction And besides if he should seale to any good termes yet would he keepe none He is a perfidious creature as wel as a mercilesse creature when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own forhe is a lyar and the Father thereof Joh. 8. 44. I will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets saith Satan to God when he had power given him over Ahab 1. Reg. 22. 22. He is a dissembler therefore when he maketh his voyce gracious believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Pro. 27. 25. The Devill somtimes transforms himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor 11. 14 but he is never more an Angell of darknesse than when he is transformed into an Angell of light He is never a greater enemy then when he appeares in the shape of a friend When he set upon our first parents he came to them as a friend pretending his griefe that they were debarred from the tree of knowledge makes himself a greater friend than God was Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree in the Garden Gen. 3. 1. as if he should say My soul is troubled for you that the desire of your soul should be with-held from you take but my counsel your condition shall be betterd But what was at the bottome of that friendship we find by sad experience When he set upon the second Adam he pretends the like friendship to him If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread Mat. 4. 3. He seemes to be much affected that a person of such worth as Christ was should want bread after forty dayes fasting but his intention was to have choked Christ and all his Elect with his bread If ever Satan reach out his hand to kiss you be sure there is a dagger under his garment to stab you like Judas he hath the greatest prank of Treason to act When he comes with an Hail Master 4 From the benefit of resisting As there is hazard of ruine in submitting so there is certainty of Victory in opposing When Christ had made avaliant resistance the text saith the Devil gave way left him Mat. 4. 11. And so wil he at least be inforced to leave if you continue in your opposition We have not onely a Promise for this Jam. 4. 7. but we have many Experiences Job by his constancy in opposing over-came the Tempter at last God appeares in the end of the battel and gives him the garland Cap. 42. 7 8. Peter was sifted much but he overcame at last Paul was long and sorely buffeting yet triumphed before his death in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or song of Victory 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. and is now in despight of
the Devil a triumphant Saint And all that glorious Company in Heaven who are described with Palms in their hands and Robes upon their backs and Crowns upon their heads Rev. 7. 9. are at this present singing the song of Victory unto God and unto the Lamb. Reproof to two sorts of persons Vse 1. 1. Such as instead of withstanding Satan the evil Spirit withstand and oppose the Spirit of Christ quenching and grieving and resisting his blessed Motions Steven sayes this to the charge of those obstinate Jews Act. 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye There are many in this way of opposition resisting the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word and in the immediate motions and suggestions put into their hearts When the Spirit moves them to pray they oppose him When the Spirit bids them hear they stop their eares and when the Spirit bids them Seek ye my face they answer Thy face will we not seek I would have such men to consider a few things seriously These two things 1. There 's no man knows whether the Spirit will move once more in his heart or no That which Solomon saith in another case we may as truly say in this case Eccles 8. 8. There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit The Spirit of God is a free Agent He workes when and where and as long as he pleaseth he bloweth where he listeth c. Many a man would now be glad to feel those movings upon his soul which he hath stifled formerly by his own sinful opposings but cannot redeem them 2. How unable you will be to act in any good when the Holy Spirit of God is silenced 'T is the Spirit of God which workes in you both to will and to do Phil. 2. 23. And if this Wheel do not turn there will never be any good motion in the Soul The Soul without the Holy Spirit is but as a dead Corps with a living soul not able to act at all If there be neither Wind nor Tide the Ship cannot sayl The Spirit of God is both the Wind and Tide of all Motions in the soul and if this stir not there is no action It is with man in regard of spiritual operations as it was with the Wheeles in Ezekiels Vision and the living Creatures Ezek. 1. 19 20. 21. When the living Creatures went the Wheeles went by them and when the living Creatures stood the Wheeles stood and when the living Creatures were lifted up the Wheeles were lifted up c. The Soul of Man is a Wheel which is fit for motion but it cannot move when the Spirit of God doth not move If the Spirit stand still the Wheeles stand still and if the Spirit be lifted up the Wheeles are lifted up otherwise no motion 2. Such as instead of withstanding the Assaults of Satan do indeed carry on the assaults of Satan use all meanes they can that they may both fashion and animate and give breath to all Satans Conceptions in their own and others hearts They hatch the Cockatrice eggs and weave the Spiders web Isa 59. 5. They are ready to put Tooles and Instruments into the hand of the Devil and to do his work for him The Apostle speakes of some that make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. ult So many make provision for the Devil that they may accomplish his temptations They use all means to edge his temptations that they may pierce to the bottome they put feathers upon his arrows that they may fly swiftly Jonadab was guilty of this sinne towards Ammon He sets on the temptation of the Devil and promotes sinne and becomes a Pander to his lust 2 Sam. 13. 4 5. Jezabel she promotes Satans temptation against her husband I wil saith she give thee the vineyard of Naboth 1 Reg. 21. 7. She became a very Devil to her Husband so do many persons to themselves go up and down seeking occasions and opportunities to further Satans temptation If Satan tempt them to drunkenness they go presently abroad to seek Companions and if he perswade them to uncleanness they use all helpes and incentives to that sinne c. It is a very cursed thing and a sacrilegious sin to help the Devil against Christ either in your selves or others The Serpent was cursed for being an Instrument to the Adversary in his assaulting of our first Parents Gen. 3. 14. And Jezabel bears this infamous brand She made Ahab to sin Jezabel his wife stirred up c. Such as blow up Satans sparks of temptation in their own hearts are Felones de se Self-Murtherers which of all Murtherers are the most bloody and confiscate all they have Exhortation to perswade all Christians to Vse 2. this resolution Play the men and stand out against the Devil and all his Instruments Keep your footing and yield not in any case though he come upon you as Goliah did upon David with open mouth yet keep your ground and flinch not at any hand And for your encouragement consider 1. That Satan is but a Creature though he be strong and cruel yet his strength is but a created strength he is potent but not omnipotent Omnipotency is incompatible to a Creature He is the strong man armed but Jesus Christ is stronger then he and though you cannot yet he can disarm him and take away that wherein he trusteth Luke 11. 22. 2. That he is a Creature under a Curse This may take off much from that dreadfulness which many look upon him with vid. Gen. 3. 14. Cursed shalt thou be above all the Beasts of the field c. There is nothing which may more encourage a Child of God in his spiritual Encounters then this That all he dispures against are under a Divine Execration Gods Curse is a weakning thing 3 He is a wounded and conquered Creature Gen. 3. 15. He shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Our Saviour I remember encourageth his Disciples against troubles from the World by this very Argument I have overcome the World Joh. 16. 33. He hath overcome the Devil as well as the World for he triumphed over Principalities and Powers on the Cross Col. 2. 15. Christ put Satan to flight in his assaults Matth. 4. 11. and that as our Head Satan overcame all Mankind in the first Adam but in the second Adam he is overcome by all the Elect in Christs Victories Ephes 2. 6. So in this 4 He is a chained Creature also Rev. 20. 1 2. God keeps him fast in Irons he was put into Fetters ever since his 2 Pet. 2. 4. first Rebellion and he cannot shake them off Jude 6. And this chain doth so confine him that he cannot stir until God slack his Chain Let me touch his flesh and bone and he will curse thee to thy face Job 2. 5. And ye know
him in the ship should come safe to Land Act. 27. 23 24 25. but yet both he and the rest must work for their own preservation and therefore when some of the Mariners were about to desert the ship he tels them That except those men stayed in the ship they could not be saved v. 30 31. That of the Psalmist Psal 127. â— 2. Except the Lord keep the City c. is very considerable to this purpose All humane endeavours are to no purposeâ— unless God crown their endeavours with his blessing and yet it 's as true that God will not effectually give his blessing without the concurrence of humane endeavour When Satan would have perswaded our Saviour to have cast himself down upon the Pinacle of the Temple upon confidence of Divine Protection He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep c. Mat. 4. 5 6. Our Saviour repels his temptation with this answer ver 7. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God It is not religious trusting but presumptuous tempting of God for a man to think that God will preserve him from destruction though he neglect the means of his own safety The Souldier cannot think that the Armour in the Magazine will defend him it 's the Armour upon the body that will preserve him A man may perish at a full table if he do not eat of that which is provided and a Christian may be overcome notwithstanding all his Armour if he do not use it as God requires Let them take a lump of figs and lay it upon the boyl for a plaister and he shall recover Esa 38. 21. A lump of figs would not immediatly have cured a Plague-sore without a speciall blessing and yet if that playster had not been apply'd Hezekiah had not recovered God can work without meanes and against meanes oftentimes but he hath no where said that he will do so when Creatures neglect meanes afforded If David had gone against Goliah without his sling he might have returned without victory If the people of Israel had neglected to encompass Jericho they could not have expected the spoyl of that City their shouting was not the cause of the falling down of the Walls of Jericho and yet if they had not shouted the walls had never fallen vid. Luk. 8. 35. Though Christ raised her by a Miracle he would not preserve her by a Miracle A Christian must use all lawfull meanes to accomplish Gods Promises and when he hath done must wait for the accomplishment of the Promise as if nothing had been done 5. That the Ordinances of God and the graces of God are not weak but strong things This is gathered from the Notion of Armour under which these things are here represented Armour hath strength in it The Apostle tels us concerning the Ordinances that they are mighty through God for the pulling down of strong Holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. and the same Apostle tels us else-where that the Gospel in the publike preaching thereof is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1. 16. And for the graces of God they also have a mighty strength in them We read of the power of Faith 2 Thes 1. 11. Faith is a very powerful grace it enableth the soul to do and bear many things which it could neither do nor suffer without this grace it 's that by which a Christian obtaines victory over a mighty world 1 Joh. 5. 4. Hope another grace of the Spirit hath great strength in it it is therefore called the Anchor of the soul Heb. 6. 19. An Anchor is a strong thing by the strength of the Anchor the ship rides safe and stedfast in stormy and tempestuous raging weather By the Anchor of Hope the soul is kept stedfast in times of shaking and confusion There is indeed this difference between the strength of the spiritual Armour and material Armour The strength of other Armour is not from him that wears it nor from him that appoints it but from the natural frame and contexture of it but the strength of the spirituall Armour is not from any thing naturally in it but onely from the Institution of him that hath appointed it And therefore the Apostle saith that the Weapons of our Warfare are mighty through God of themselves they are feeble and very weak but through God they become potent and mighty If either Graces or Ordinances should be left to work by the force which is naturally in them and should not be strengthened and managed by a power from God without themselves they would be no better then broken Armour they would be but like bruised Reeds quickly shaken to shivers by the least wind of temptation hereby weak Christians have waxed valiant in battel and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Heb. 11. 34. 6 That 't is no wonder to see Satan so to prevail over graceless persons by the power of his Temptations The Apostle tels us that the Devil worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. A Child of disobedience is not one that sometimes doth an act of Disobedience for so do the very Children of God I find that when I would do good evill is present and that the evill I would not that I do Rom. 7. 19. But a Son or Daughter of Disobedience is the denomination of such as make disobedience their trade such a one as willingly fulfills the desires of the flesh and of the mind as he is described v. 3. one that is a servant unto sin That serveth divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3. 3. In such a one the Devil doth effectually and powerfully work he is acted and moved by the Devil as the body is by the soul and that not once or now and then onely but constantly and continually as the Particle now notes it signifies a continued act The soules and minds and consciences of such men are the shops in which Satan continually workes and that successfully And the same Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 26. speaking of the same persons tels us that they are taken captive by Satan at his will If we consider this text we shall find it a thing not much to be admired at for they have not the graces of the Spirit whereby they should make effectual opposition against his assaults and therefore 't is no wonder if they be vassalizd to do all the desires of the Devils heart A strong King with a multitude of men well appointed may easily do his pleasure upon a few naked and unarmed men especially if they have no desire to make resistance graceless persons they have no mind to oppose the Devil sinne is as pleasant to them as it is to him and if they had a mind to withstand yet they have no armes and therefore volentes nolentes they must obey If Satan tempt them to Blaspheme to Murther to be Rebellious to break holy Engagements to subscribe wicked Engagements they want armour to withstand
the judgement be rotten neither the heart nor the life can be sound We finde therefore in Scripture these two joyned together faith and a good Conscience Ever when men have been corrupted in the head they have been corrupted in their lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. holding faith and a good Conscience c. he that puts away faith must put away a good Conscience whether he will or no he that makes ship-wrack of faith will soon make ship-wrack both of Conscience and Conversation 2. Ex justo Dei judâ—cio It s Gods way to punish the rejection of truth with giving men up to ungodlineâ—s of life Thus God punished the Heathen Rom. 1. 25. 26 27 28 29. where you have both the sin and the just punishment of it So 2 Thes 2. 10. 11 12. Exhortation Let all Christians be careful to keep fast about them this Girdle We have a kinde of Popish Proverb among us ungirt unblessed There is a truth in it in this sense If Satan finde you without your Girdle upon your loyns he will easily prevail with you in the day of temptation Labour therefore to get and to keep this Girdle and if you see it grow weak labour to strengthen it Let me add a few helps by way of direction and I have done 1. Avoid the company and breath of known Seducers They will either quite take away your girdle or else they will much slacken it in a very short time if you have to do with them If any man come to your house and bring not this Doctrine receive him not nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 9. 10. They have sleight of hand they can cut your purses while they look in your faces from such turn aside 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2. Do not think meanly of such Truths as are of an inferiour Nature and more remote from the Foundation He that cuts off every day a small shred from his girdle will very soon snap it quite asunder Though every Truth be not fundamental yet every Truth is a guard to the Foundation the outer skin of an Apple lies remote from the heart yet if you pluck that off the very heart will be sooner rotten The finger is not a vital part but a Gangrene in the finger will in a short time reach to the very Vitals and corrupt the blood and spirits 3. Be much in prayer to him that keepeth both the hearts and the feet of his Saints that he would keep the Truth in you and you in the Truth Holy Father saith our Saviour keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 11. Let us often pray this Prayer of Christ Holy Father keep us through thy Holy Name Tie on this girdle of Truth that it may neither slip off nor be taken off The Apostle Jude puts these two together ver 20. Building up your selves in your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost 4. Take heed as of all sins so especially of the sin of Pride As Heresie is the mother of pride and scornfulness so Pride is the High-way to be Heretical A proud person will soon be an erroneous person If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. Pride will make the Heart swell so bigge that the Girdle of Truth about your Loyns wil soon be knapt asunder Humility and Watchfulness are the best Buckles for this Girdle and the way to preserve Truth but Pride and Carelesnesse is the way to lose it 5. Keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and towards Man As the falling off from the Mystery of Faith will corrupt the Conscience so a corrupt Conscience and an ungodly Life will in time destroy the Mystery of Faith There is this Reason for it The Doctrine of godliness reproves the Deeds of ungodliness and therefore whoever goes on in ungodly Practices will at last cast off the Doctrine of godliness that he may not be a Reprover to himself Keep the Grace of Truth that you may preserve the Doctrine of Truth also Thus for the first Interpretation LECT IX Decemb. 5. 1649. Ephes 6. 14. Having your Loynes girt about with Truth c. IT old you the last Lecture that Expositors LECT 9 give a two-sold Interpretation of Truth in this place Some understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of Truth Others expounding it of the Grace of Truth We have gone over the former Interpretation already as it relates to the Truth of Doctrine From which we noted That firmness and stability in the Truth of Doctrine c. We have now to consider it as relating to the Grace of Truth for so it s used in Scripture as I shewed you the last day Psal 51. 6. Josh 24. 14. Joh. 4. 24. and so it is understood in this Text by many yea the most Interpreters that I have had opportunity to inquire into Calv. vocabulo veritatis sincerum animum intelligit Piscator veritatis vocabulo intelligit conscientiae integritatem c. Taking it in this sense the Doctrine is this viz. that Integrity and truth of heart is of special use to Doct. obtain vistory over Satan in the evil day of Temptation Whosoever would overcome the Devil must have his Loyns girded about with Truth in the inward parts He that wants this girdle may struggle for a while with a Temptation and may perhaps overcome a particular temptation but he can never hold against every temptation Sooner or later he wil be brought into bondage by the Temptations of the Devil By the help of this Girdle it was that Holy Job won and kept the field and got the day of Satan in that great Conflict and Dispute he had with him And by this Girdle it was that other of Gods assaulted servants did finally overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. I shall briefly open the Nature of this Grace 2. I shall give you the Reasons of the Doctrine 3. I shall lay down a Caution or two for the understanding of the Doctrine 1. That we may find out what is meant by this Grace of Truth I shall bring several Texts of Scripture which do explain it First Partly by way of Opposition And Secondly Partly by Exposition or Illustration 1. By way of Opposition 1. We find it opposed to Deceitfulness and Fraudulency and False-heartedness So 2 Cor. 6. 8. As Deceivers and yet true He is a man of truth that is a man without deceit Thus our Saviour speakes of Nathanael Jo. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An Israelite in truth or a true Israelite is one in whom guile and deceitfulness is not he is one that hath not two faces he will not juggle either with God or men or himself Not as if a man of truth might not sometimes fall into an act of deceitfulness Abraham had truth in the inward parts and yet
Saint Mat. 6. 1 2 3 4 5. They may give as many and as great Almes They may give God as many and as long Prayers as a sincere Christian doth but they differ in their ends The end of the one is to get glory from men to satisfie the voyce of Conscience c. The end of the other is to approve his Heart to God to glorifie his Heavenly Father and to testifie his Obedience to the Command of God 4. He that hath the Grace of Truth in his heart is the same in private that he is in publike The Lining and the Out-side of his garment are both of one piece he is clean within as wel as without a spot upon his skin is as great a trouble to him as a stain upon his garment This is that which our Saviour makes a distinguishing Note between a Hypocrite and a sincere Christian Matth. 15. 7 8. the Hypocrite is onely for the out-side of Cup or Platter that that may be clean but the inward part is full of wickedness This is David's Character of himself Psal 18. 23. I was also uncorrupt before him and kept my self from mine iniquity i. e. from secret sinnes as well as publike And Psal 101. 2. I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart A sincere Christian is as good in his own house as in Gods house in the Closet as well as in the Streets in his secret Chamber as well as in the Church He desires to have a clean heart as well as clean hands Jam. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double-minded 5. He that hath truth will be the same in trouble and after trouble Psal 78. 34 35 36. Exhortation That all that profess themselves Christians would both carefully get and keep this girdle of Truth I shall here urge it by some Motives and then lay down some Helpes and Directions 1. For Motives 1. Sincerity is the best security Prov. 10. 9. He tbat walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverteth his wayes shall be known God knowes him already and men shall know him when the Mask of Hypocrisie is pull'd off his face his rough garment which he wore to deceive shall in due time be plucked off and then his deceit shall be made manifest He walkes under Divine Protection he walkes under the shadow of Divine Promises therefore he is in safety He may sometimes come into danger but he shall be delivered either in danger or from danger or by danger Yea sometimes God brings him into a lesser danger to preserve him from a greater vid. Jer. 38. 38. His imprisonment saved him from the danger he might have been in by the enemy when Jerusalem was taken The three Children Dan. 3. and Dan. 6. were preserved by their Integrity The Prophet David never was in such danger as when he warped a little and went into the Land of the Philistins He got a strong Hold of Zicklag from the King of Gath but that Fort was destroyed and he was never in such distress in all his troubles 1 Sam. 30. init His own guard had there been his Executioners had not God by a mighty hand staved them off 2. Integrity of Heart is the best Guide in straits and doubtful Cases This is promised Prov. 11. 3. The integrity of the Upright shall guide them but the perversness of Transgressors shall destroy them It 's a marvellous happiness to have a perfect and faithfull guide in dark and dangerous Travels It 's a priviledge belonging to the godly man to have Divine guidance Psal 32. 8. He that is sincere shall have this guidance It is evinced by what hath been said Integrity makes the Word his Rule And that Word is a Lantern yea 't is a Light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. and he that followeth this Light shall see his way when others are in obscurity vid. Isa 30. 21. The Spirit of God who is the Soules guide dwels in a sincere heart therefore he shall be led in the right path 3. Sincerity of heart will procure Gods acceptance of all your services Though they be very weak and very imperfect yet if they be seasoned with the Salt of sincerity they shall not be cast away Prov. 15. 8. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is abomination to the Lord but the Prayer of the Upright is his delight It 's a marvellous comfort to a Child of God that his Duties find acceptance When they do but suppose that their services are rejected how are they cast down how are they disquieted Nothing can satisfie them in such a Case Well! if your hearts be sincere your prayers shall be as Incense and sweet Odours in the sight of God 4. The Services and Ordinances of God shall convey strength to you When the false-hearted Christian shall winder and molder away and all which he seemed to have shall come to nothing then shall the true hearted-Christian be as one anointed with fresh Oyl he shall be active vigorous and strong This is promised in many places Job 17. 9. The Upright shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall add to strength The meat and nourishment which is taken by a man whose vitals are consumed gives no true strength to him He may perhaps for a little time appear to be fat and in good liking but all his growth is but wind and emptiness which in a fit of sickness will soon wash off But the meat of a man that is sound turnes into nourishment and makes him grow so it is with the Soul the rotten Hypocrite he gets no nourishment by the Ordinances but the sound Christian gets strength by them He may not presently perceive his growth nor does he grow always alike in all graces but in some grace or other he increaseth and shall increase his Spirituall strength Prov. 10. 19. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity 5. God will pardon and graciously pass by many failings and infirmities if the heart be sound 1 King 15. 12 13 14. King Asa was guilty in many things there were very visible Defects found in him contrary to that which the Law of God required He took away the Sodomites which were in the Land he removed all the Idols which his Fore-fathers had made He deposed his Mother from her Regency because she had made an Idol in a Grove but the high places remained still Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his dayes And because he was a man of a sound heart God accepted what he had done well and graciously pardoned his Omissions And therefore it is that David makes the soundness of his heart an Argument to move God to forgive his sin Psal 51. 6. Behold thou requirest truth in the inward parts that is to say Lord although according unto the letter of the Law thou hast cause to cast me off
will do righteously not only when he may be rewarded but also when he is sure he shall be persecuted for righteousnesse sake He can distinguish between fas and nefas when the generation wherein he lives is wholly devoted to wickedness This is the character of Noahs righteousness Gen. 7. 1. You have a description of that Generation Chap. 6. 5. In this Generation Noah kept his righteousness This the Apostle exhorts the Philippians Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be harmless and blameless c. in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation Yea a righteous man in such a generation by a spiritual kind of Antiperistasis endeavors to walk more righteously For 1. Times and Ages Men and Custome are not the guide of his Life but Conscience rightly informed by the Word of God 2. The more loose his generation is the more necessity he sees lying upon himself to practise Holiness both to keep it up in the world and to confute the want of it in other men If he live in a Covenant-breaking and Covenant-denying and Covenant-forswearing generation he sees that he hath the more reason to walk in Covenant maintaining and Covenant keeping c. 6 The righteous person is one who doth in his heart bewail the unrighteous practices of other men This is the Evidence of Lots righteousness vid. 2 Pet. 2. 8. That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds Thus also did the Holy men in Jerusalem in a time of wickedness Ezek. 9. The sins which were a sport to others were a sad grief to their soules When others were singing to their idols they were sorrowing for that mirth they did not onely murmure against their sins but they did mourn for them and that with sighing and tears 1. A righteous man knowes both the filthiness of sinne and the mischiefe of sinne 2. A righteous person hath fervent love to God and hearty Affection to the soules of men this makes him mourn for the sins he cannot mend 7 The righteous person is one who is gladly willing to be told of any act of unrighteousness He is sorry to do unrighteously but not sorry to be told of his unrighteous Doing He will thank God for making any an Instrument of reproving and he will honour and love the Instrument for his faithfull admonition He will not like Ahab imprison a Micajah nor yet with Herod cut off the head of a faithfull Reprover but will be pleased with the discovery of sinne though from an enemy Famous and renowned is the example of David for this 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. He had received an unworthy affront from a man to whom he had shewed much kindness ver 15 16. The men were very good to us neither missed we any thing as long as we were conversant with them in the field c. And now he was upon his march in the heat of blood to avenge that wrong It was but a woman who came to meet him and one who was so neerly related to Nabal that what she said might be rendred suspected and yet because she spake both Reason and Religion David was convinced of his sinne blessed God and blesseth her retreats from his march yea his soul was so knit to Abigail for her faithful advice that as soon as her husband was dead he took her to wife she was ever after precious in his sight Solomon maks this a distinctive note between the godly wise and the wicked the one loves sinne but hates rebuke the other loves rebuke but hates sinne Prov. 9. 8. A faithful Reprover is as a Looking-glass wherein our spots are seen and he that loves to be clean hates no Looking-glass unless it be a false one that makes him fairer then he is A faithful Rebuker is as a Physician to the soul he comes to lance but it is in order to a cure no man that loves to live hates the Physician unless he be in a distemper but honours him and bids him welcome Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness let him reprove me it shall be a precious oyl which shall not break my head so the righteous person thinketh and so he speaketh Psal 141. 5. A righteous person is as willing to have his sinne discovered as his graces and as willing to be smitten for his sinne as encouraged for well-doing He loves a plain-dealing Ministry that will tell him of his sinne without flattery he would not have bitter put for sweet or sweet for bitter Secondly wherein the usefulness of this Breast-plate stands as to the resisting of Temptation I shal shew you this in these three Particulars viz. 1 Righteousness gives boldness and courage to the soul in the day of Temptation Resolution of spirit is of very great advantage to a souldier If the heart be faint the hands tremble When the people of Israel went out to War against their enemies God gave this Law amongst others that the Officers should make a Proclamation in the head of the Army That whosoever was fearfull and faint-hearted should go and return to his house lest his Brethrens heart faint as well as his Deut. 20. 8. Cowardliness doth give a very great advantage to the enemy Now Righteousness and Innocency of life makes the soul valiant Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Innocency of life is the best Cordial to remove tremblings from the soul Pro 28. 1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the Righteous are bold as a Lyon The word is as a young Lyon in the Hebrew Of all Beasts the Lyon is most valiant he is the King of Beasts and of all Lyons the young Lyon is most valiant in regard of the abundance of naturall heat which is in him Righteousnesse gives a Lyon-like boldness to the soul in the day of Temptation guilt makes the heart melt Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth c. And it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. 4. 14. Carnificem fuum gerebat his Conscience was his Tormenter and the guilt of his sinne did so infeeble his spirits that though there was not then a man living besides his Father yet he thought he should be taken away by a violent death Now the ground of the courage arising from Righteousness is not from the merit of Righteousness for in respect of Merit all our Righteousnesses are as a filthy rag Isa 64. 6. But upon these considerations it makes the soul valiant in that 1. It pacifieth the Conscience by giving us an evidence of our Justification and of the acceptance of our persons through grace in the sight of God Holinesse and Righteousnesse is an Argument that we are the redeemed Ones of Jesus Christ Luke 1. 74 75. Righteousness of Conversation gives the soul an evidence of its election 2 Tim. 2. 19. Departing from
Iniquity is a testimony that a person is sealed up for salvation and eternal life vid. 1. Ioh. 3. 9 10. 2. It gives courage in that it lets a soul see that it hath a right to all the Promises All the Promises are made to righteous walking Promises of Support Promises of perseverance Promises of deliverance Righteousness gives the soul a propriety in all these and so makes it valiant See but that one Promise 1 Ioh. 5. 18. that is a Promise of security against Satan He shall not touch him that is not with a destructive Touch he shall not draw him into that sin which is unto death he shall not finally overcome him c. This Promise is made to every one that is born of God and whosoever is born of God doth righteously as he is righteous the righteous man and the regenerate are all one 2. Righteousness makes the soul strong as well as valiant Strength and Power is of very great use to a souldier in the day of battel it makes him able both to defend himself and to offend his enemy Now Righteousness and Holiness strengthens a Christian two ways First In that it doth demolish and destroy that which makes the soul weak Sin is the weakness and infirmity of the soul it is the Devils great strength and that which gives him all the advantage he hath against the soul Our sins are Satans Armour that wherein he trusteth and with which he fighteth against us if he did not find assistance within us he could not do us any mischief by that which is without us The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Joh. 14. 30. and because he had nothing in him he could do nothing against him Our sinnes are the Devils strong Holds in which he fights against us Now Righteousness doth expell sinne as the Light expelleth the darkness It doth cast down these strong Holds it doth dissolve the works of the Devil and taketh from him that Armor wherein he trusteth and so gives us strength Secondly It strengthens the soul in that it brings with it all strength Wheresoever Righteousness is there is God and there is Christ and there 's the Spirit the Spirit of Might and the Spirit of Power 'T is true Righteousness is not either in the heart or in the life till God have wrought it Righteousness doth not bring God but God brings Righteousness unto the soul but when God hath wrought this Work then doth Holiness engage God Righteousness puts the soul under the shadow of Gods wings so that whatsoever strength power and vertue is in God is engaged for the righteous mans defence This ye have clearly laid down Psal 92. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. It was the great happiness of the Israelites that the Eternal God was their refuge Dent. 33. 27. This was their strength in all the battels they fought and he that walkes holily is under this happiness Psal 84. 11. 3. Without righteousness of life no use can be made of any other pieces of this Armour 1. He cannot gird himself with Truth Righteousness of life and truth of heart are as the tree and fruit they alwayes go together he that hath an unholy life is certainly unholy in heart the Kings daughter is all glorious within and her Cloathing of wrought gold Psal 45. 13. 2. He cannot put on the shooes of the Gospel of peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esa 57 21. 3. He cannot put on the Helmet of Salvation A man who is unholy in life is destitute of all true hopes of Heaven for every one that hath this hope purifyeth himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. 4. Nor can he take the Shield of Faith Faith is alwayes an heart-purifying grace Act. 15. 9. A wicked life is the consequence of an unbelieving heart 5. Nor can he take the Sword of the Spirit This sword is not a defending sword but a wounding sword to an unholy life every part of Gods Word is for the present against him the word terrifyeth and condemneth him 6. Nor will Prayer and Supplication do him any good God hath no ear for the prayers of a wicked man Psal 66. 18. yea his prayers are turned into sin Prov. 28. 9. But now he whose conversation is righteous can make use of all the other He can use the girdle he can and may draw comforts from the Gospel of peace he may cover himself with the shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit is a defending Weapon to him and his prayers are full of virtue and efficacy Information 1 This may apologize for 1. Vse the care and exactness of the servants of God in their endeavours after purity and holinesse of life Wicked men are ready to blast and reproach the children of God for their diligence in labouring after purity because they will not run with others into the same excess of Riot therefore they speak evill of them 1 Pet. 4. 4. Let such men consider what followeth ver 5. They shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead In the day of judgment it shall appear that such exactness was not unnecessary when you shall see such as you have reproached numbred among the Saints then you will befool your selves and say We fooles counted their lives madness and their end full of reproach Wisd 5. init How are they reckoned amongst the sons of God and have their Inheritance amongst the Saints You that are now troubled at their holy lives will be then astonished at their unexpected salvation The servants of God know the usefulness of holiness here and the eternal happiness of it in the other world and you also will in the day of the Lord return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3. 18. Men do not use to blame a souldier that goes to meet a cruel and potent enemy because he is carefull to provide a strong Breast-plate they rather blame his rashness and indiscretion that shall go naked Righteousness is the onely Breast-plate to keep out Satans arrows and therefore they are very wise whatever men think who are careful both to provide it and wear it 2. We need not wonder to see men of dissolute and leud lives to be so wofully subdued unto the will of Satan and so unable to resist any temptation Well saith the Apostle Eph. 2. 2. That the Prince of the power of the Air worketh in the children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth work effectually as the word signifies he commands and they obey he tempts and they yield he suggests and they consent to his suggestions if he tempt them to swear to lye to murther to commit adultery they make no resistance but are carryed captive by sin at his Will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Amongst many other Reasons that might be rendred
the Doctrine gives us one which is sufficient to stay our wonderment Their breast lies naked to his arrows and therfore they cannot but fall and when they are fallen they cannot recover As the Heretick and Hypocrite are overcome for want of the girdle of Truth so the prophane person is surprized for want of the Breast-plate of Righteousness LECT XIII Jan. 2. 1649. EXhortation That all the people of God Vse 2. would be careful to get and keep this Breast-plate You can do nothing by way of resistance against the Devil in the day of Temptation without this Breast-plate therefore the Counsel is very necessary In the carrying on of this exhortation I shall 1. lay down some other motives 2. Prescribe you some helps The motives are these Motive 1. The want of a righteous and holâ— life will exceedingly open the mouthes of ungodâ—y men to blaspheme God and his wayes This is the Apostles Argument 2 Pet. 2. 12. 15. The honesty of the lives of Gods people will stop the mouthes of the wicked but the dishonesty and blameableness of their Conversation will be an occasion to make them speak evill both of God and of his Religion unholy and unrighteous Actings will lay a stumbling-block in the way of many upon which they may stumble into Hell Now Christians are forbidden to give any offence either to Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God vid. 2 Pet. 2. 2. Many shall follow c. by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of when Christians that have professed and practised the truth shall apostatize men that never cared for the truth shall say Behold the end of their contendings about truth Davids sin did much hurt in this respect 2 Sam. 12. 14. This is that which God chargeth upon his people Ezek. 36. 20. Now a holy life removes this scandall 2. Mot. The want of a righteous life will grieve the holy Spirit of God This is the Apostles Argument Eph. 4. 28. 29 30. Let him that stole steal no more c. The spirit of God cannot properly be grieved God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when he carrieth himself as a man that is grieved then the Scripture useth that expression I am broken with your whorish heart saith God which hath gone a whoring from me Ezek. 6. 9. To grieve the spirit of a man is a very sinful thing much more to grieve the spirit of a good man but most of all to grieve the spirit of God God is your Father God is your friend God is your Husband God is your Comforter God is your Saviour and will ye the satisfying of a lust grieve his spirit Motive 3. Vnrighteousness of life will render all your holy duties abominations unto God A dead fly causeth the precious oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour c. Eccles 10. 1. You may see what God saith to his people to this purpose Isa 1. 11. c. To what purpose c. God will frown upon your prayers when you come to his Table he will hide his face from you when you come to hear his word he will not be friendly to you c. Motive 4. Righteousness of life is a good way to gain others to the love of Religion It s a very convincing thing to the Conscience of a naturall man It will speak when words are forgotten it will be remembred when Sermons are out of minde The primitive Christians did much good upon the Heathen by the holiness of their lives And for this cause it is that believing wives are exhorted to holiness of life that their Husbands which did not obey the word might be gained by their conversation 2 Pet. 3. 1. 2. Your faith is profitable to yourselves your holiness to other men Motive 5. All Christians that believe are spirituall Priests unto God and therefore they should be holy The high Priest was to wear a curious Breast-plate vid. Exod. 28. 15. 16. c. ver 30. there must be in it the Vrim and the Thummim Light and Perfection If your lives be unholy you are no fit Priests to God you want your Breast-plate Thus for Motives Now for Helpes and Directions take these 1. Study well the righteousness purity and holiness of the Nature of God The Holiness of God is the Originall of all holiness It is both the Motive and the Example of all holiness in the Creature when the Prophet Isay contemplates the holiness of God he cries out of his own unholiness Esay 6. 3. 5. Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hoasts woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips He that is much employed in the contemplation of the purity of God will not take any contentment in his own impurity The holiness of God in Scripture is propounded for this very purpose that by looking upon it the Sons of men may stir up their mindes to pursue holiness 2 Pet. 1. 15. 16. As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy It is ignorance of God or forgetfulness which is the cause of the love of unholiness When the soul comes once in good earnest to consider the purity of God his own impurity will be his sorrow and burden These thoughts will let the soul see that its impossible for him to have any Communion with such a God to whom he is so unlike Similitude is the ground of Communion as dissimilitude is of disunion and separation This is that which the Apostle layes as one foundation of comfortable communion with God James 4. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double minded Righteousness and unrighteousness can have no fellowship light and darkness can have no Communion the Temple of God and Idolls cannot agree together 2 Cor. 6. 14. 16. 2. Study the Holiness and purity of the humane nature of Jesus Christ your head He had this Breast-plate continually upon him Isay 59. 17. He put on righteousness as a Breast-plate and an Helmet of salvation upon his head and all his Souldiers must be accoutred as their Generall is He lived 33. years in the world and all that time never stept once aside out of the way of righteousness He did no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth He is called in regard of his humane nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy thing Luke 1. 35. This consideration would mightily enflame a Christian to the love and practice of holiness for he would thus argue with himself Is it meet that so corrupt a member should have so holy a head Is it meet so holy a Master should have so unholy Disciples There are two principall ends of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ One is that he might in our nature make satisfaction for our guilt The other is that he might fulfill all
condition onely it is so in the apprehension of the elect and that reconciliation is begun when they apprehend it But certain it is that there is not onely an apprehension of Gods wrath but they are really under Gods wrath God hath really put them under the creatures and under the curse of the Law Jesus Christ was not onely in apprehension but really under the wrath of God he was really made a curse Gal. 3. 13. God put him under the Law to be dealt withal as those that are under the Law Now by reconciliation this wrath is done away Yet doth not this imply any change in God for God is to be considered two wayes 1. As he is in himself And so he hath not several things in him Those inward acts of God are his Being and there are not several Attributes in him c. 2. As he is pleased to manifest himself in his several wayes and workings towards his Creatures in this respect according as the Creature is in himself so is Gods reflection upon the Creature as the Sun through the glass shines according to the colour of the glass Now it implies no mutation in Gods Being to express himself diversly in his working towards the Creatures according to their different condition 2. God takes away the enmity that is naturally in the hearts of men and so makes them willing to accept of Reconciliation and to be at peace with him 3. There is a solemn league and covenant made wherein God and man joyn together which the Scripture cals a Covenant of Grace Hosea 2. 19 02. 4. There is mutual friendship and delight between God and the Creature whereby God communicates his good unto the Creature and the Creature communicates his good of love fear service and obedience unto God God saith to the Creature I will be thy God the Creature saith to God behold I am thy servant thy subject to honour obey serve thee for ever Now this Peace is wrought in and by Jesus Christ by way of transaction with the Father and that after this manner 1. He is willing to be charged with our debt 2. He is willing to satisfie the fullest demands of Divine wrath and justice for our debt Isa 53. 10. 3. He undertakes also to bring poor Creatures to submit to God to love him to fear him to give up themselves to be ruled and governed by him of which the Apostle speaks plainly Colos 1. 20 21 22. And having made peace through the bloud of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether things in heaven or things in earth And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Iesus Christ did as well undertake to make the elect unblameable as to free them from condemnation Now though the Gospell be called a Gospell of peace in respect of all these yet this last is principally to be understood in this place the two former are but effects and consequences of this The Gospel is a Gospel of Reconciliation so the Apostle cals it 2 Cor. 5. 19. 3. In what respects is the Gospel a Gospel of peace 1. In regard of Discovery and manifestation The Gospel is that which makes known this peace unto the sons of men As the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 27. Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith As life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Timothy 1. 10. so is peace and reconciliation The Gospel is that silver Trumpet by which this Jubile of peace is proclaimed to the world Acts 10. 36. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ It is the Gospel which preacheth this peace to men The world was never acquainted with this peace till the Gospel of God came to their eares The Nations that want the Gospel are meer strangers to this peace Luke 1. 79. It is the light of the Gospel that guides mens feet into the way of this peace 2. In regard of Conveyance and Communication The Gospel doth not onely barely publish but doth actually work this peace It is by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel that the hearts of men are inclined to accept of this peace Psal 110. 2. 3. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of Zion i. e. the Gospel and then it followeth Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power when the rod of Gods strength comes effectually to work upon the soul then is the unwilling soul made willing 3. Inregard of Conservation The Gospel is the Ark wherein are kept all the Articles and Agreements between God and man All the transactions between God and Christ for the making of this peace are preserved and kept safe in the Gospel This is the golden pot wherein this Manna is preserved for all the generations of the Church 4. In regard of Recovery When the soul that is reconciled to God hath lost the sense and apprehension of its peace with God it doth by the studying and hearing of the Gospel require and recover the assurance of its former Peace 5. In regard of Confirmation The Gospel seals and confirms this peace 4 I shall now answer one Objection viz. that of our Saviour Math. 10. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father c. and we see by experience that where the Gospel comes divisions contentions and quarrellings do presently arise c. Luke 12. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what would I if it be already kindled Hence some have prophanely wished the Bible burnt as the great Incendiary of the world Sol. These Contentions are not the naturall effects of the Gospel for it doth naturally work peace and amity The Wisdom which is from above is first pure and then peaceable c. Jam. 3. 17. but they arise accidentally from the Gospel The Gospel meets with the lusts and corruptions of mens hearts and these being awakened breed contentions The Devil he is inraged against the Gospel and therefore he stirs up mens corruptions to make head against it The Gospel cals upon men to be strict holy to deny themselves c. the natural heart abhors this and so becomes not onely disobedient but contentious Rom. 2. 8. The Gospel is the cause of Contentions as meat is the cause of ill humours The naturall property of it is to nourish c. but because it meets with a diseased stomack it accidentally weakens Or as a good physick is the cause of sicknesses c. 1. Vse Information We may from hence draw many conclusions Viz. 1. This shews the pretiousness and glory of the Gospel
e. fiery persecutions The Devil sometimes stirreth up Tyrants by material fire to devour the bodies of Gods Saints The three Children were cast in a fiery furnace Dan. 3. 21. And we read of some Christians Heb. 11 34. that quenched the violence of the fire In the primitive time fiery persecutions were raised against the Christians And in the Marian dayes many of Gods Witnesses went to Heaven in fiery Chariots they gave their bodies to be burned that they might not worship any God but their own God And we do not know whether the same kind of persecutions may not yet arise amongst us in our dayes we dwell amongst the children of men who are set on fire whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword Psalm 37 4. And if these fiery persecutions should return God would deal no otherwise with us than he hath done with his former Servants who through faith have triumphed in these flames But the Apostle I suppose doth not here speak of persecutions but of other temptations He alludes to the custom of Souldiers in former times who used to dip the heads of their Arrows in poyson and so shooting them at their enemies fired their flesh Satans temptations are here compared to these fiery darts In the handling of it I shall first shew you why his temptations are called fiery Arrows Secondly I shall make some inferences from it by way of use 1. They are called fiery darts in these two respects 1. For the dreadfulness and terrour of them Fire is a very terrifying thing it works much astonishment and fear upon the hearts of men that behold it To see Houses or Cities set on fire works great amazement upon the Spirits of men the temptations of Satan are dreadful temptations to such as have the right apprehension of them Sometimes he tempts men to deny Jesus Christ that bought them Sometimes he tempts them to blaspheme God Sometimes to self-murther Math. 26. 70. Job 2. 9. Math. 4. 6. Sometimes to cast off Religion as a vain thing Psalm 73 13. These temptations as they are dreadful in their own nature so they work much trouble and amazement in the Spirits of them that are thus assaulted t is a dreadful thing to have such a suggestion though it be never consented unto by the heart 2. For the destructiveness of them Fire is a very devouring creature Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjoyning Cities were in a few houres consumed to ashes by the violence of fire Gen. 19. 24 25. The temptations of Satan are wasting things All the comfort of a Christian is presently devoured by them The strength of the body is decayed the strength of the spirits is wasted and the whole man is brought very low and made like withered grass by the violent scorching of these flames The temptations of probation which God sends upon his people for their trial do much wast both soul and body Job 6 4. The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison wherof drinketh up my spirits And so do the temptations of Satan One hours temptation drinks up more spirits than many weeks sicknesses Psalm 88 15. 2. The Inferences by way of use are these 1. Such as are under these burning flames stand in much need of your pitty and prayers Persons that are in a house set on fire are objects of pitty in all mens thoughts every one is sensible of such a sad condition Such as lie under temptations are in a worse condition their souls are set on fire did you but feel their burnings you would pitty them The case of the Israelites was sad when God sent fiery Serpents to bite them Exod 21 6. Tempted Christians are haunted with fiery Serpents worse than those let them be releived with your counsel and Prayers 2. Be not too censorious against those that are overcome by Satans temptations Be not over severe against such Temptations are fiery darts and if these darts fasten upon any of your brethren and pierce somewhat deep do not use too much sharpness against them It s an easie thing for such combustible matter as flesh and blood to be overcome by fiery arrowes especially if God be pleased to withdraw present help Vide Gall. 6. 1. 2. 3. Let it be a Caution to us all that we do not dally and play with Temptations Do not by carelesness Dangerous for children to play with fire and looseness lay your breasts open to these fiery darts Can a man take fire in his bosom and his cloths not be burnt Can one walk upon coales and his feet not be burnt Prov. 6. 27. It s an easie matter to betray your selves into the hand of Satan but not so easie to deliver your selves A house is soon set on fire but not so soon quenched 4. Those who are enabled to stand under the Temptations of Satan have cause to be very thankful Though you be afrighted by this fire yet have you cause to magnifie God that you are not devoured that you can dwell with these burnings here 's great mercy 5. Let all who are under Temptations make what hast they can to quench them A spark may suddenly grow to a flame if great care be not taken to get it out Now this may be done 1. By fervent prayer The prayer of Moses quenched the fire at Tabirah Numb 11. 2. 2. By withdrawing all combustible matter Sin makes Temptations burn violently 3. By the sprinkling of Christs blood A drop of that quencheth this Wildfire 4. By the Shield of faith of which more in the next Doctrine Thus much for the first part of the verse EPHESIANS 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. WE have done with the former part of the Lect. 18. February 6. 1649. verse viz. that which is indirectly or collaterally and occasionally brought in the nature of Satan and the nature of his temptations Satan is the wicked one and his darts are fiery darts I am now to speak to that which is the principal or substantial thing intended viz. Taking the shield of Faith c. In which we have two things 1. The Armour it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The commendation or the excellency of this Shield This is set out in two expressions 1. Above all 2. Whereby you shall be able to quench c. All of them put together make this Doctrine viz. That he that would quench the fiery darts of the Devil must be careful above all things to take and use the shield of Faith Doctrine In the opening of which Doctrin I shall handle these four particulars 1. Open the nature of the grace of Faith 2. Shew you wherein Faith is compared to a Shield 3. Why we must take this above all 4. How this grace of Faith quencheth the temptations of Satan 1. For the nature of Faith Before I can shew this we must briefly shew the several kinds of faith that so we may see what faith is here meant Now
speaks there of Christs coming in this life to avenge and deliver his elect the earth shall be so low and deliverance shall be so improfitable that the report of it will not be beleeved as the people of God in former time had not faith to beleeve their deliverance from Captivity Isa 63. 1. 2. So shall it be saith our Saviour when Christ comes to avenge his afflicted people under the Gospel that cry unto him And if there be so few that can beleeve a temporal deliverance how few are there that can beleeve for the saving of their souls No wonder then if Satan overcome so many 3. How needful it is for the Minister of the Gospell to be often preaching about the Doctrine of faith Those weapons and postures which are of greatest use to the Souldier the Captain ought to be most diligent in instructing the Souldier in them The Ministers of the Gospel are the Captains of the Lords Host they are to train and exercise all the spiritual Souldiers of Christ they are to teach them the use of their Arms and all their postures that they may be deetrous in the day of battel If any Souldier be wounded for want of arms or of skil to use them through their default God wil require it at their hands Now of all the pieces of spirituall Armour the shield of faith is the most necessary and therefore the Doctrine of faith should be most frequently preached 4. This shewes what necessarily lies upon the sons of men to prove and examine the truth of their faith If the shield of faith be rotten or counterfeit the soul is undone in the day of Temptation if the shield of faith be sound and armour of proof the strongest assaults of Satan will be repelled with comfort Prove your selves whether you be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. T is necessary to try 1. Because there is not a man in the world which hath heard of Jesus Christ but thinks he beleeves in him To be accounted an Infidell or unbeleever is a matter of such reproach and infamy as that no man is willing to lye under it 2. Because the heart is very deceitful and in nothing more subject to be mistaken than in this case There is a false presumption and foolish fancy which would gladly be called by the name of faith John 2. 23. 24. When Jesus was at Jerusalem many beleeved in his name when they sawthe miracles wch he did but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men They did presume that they beleeved in Christ but Jesus Christ knew their faith was nothing else but a meer fancy and groundless presumption 3. Because the Devil useth all the skill he can to deceive the sinner and to make him confident that he doth beleive as he endeavours to perswade the true Beleiver that his fruit is rotten so he endeavours to perswade the unbeleiver that his presumption is faith That I may help them in this inquiry I shall do two things 1. Discover some mistaken grounds which men go upon thinking that to be an evidence of saving faith which is not so 2. Lay down some positive evidences of true faith 1. There are two great mistakes about faith by which many are deceived Viz. 1. Some are deceived in regard of knowledge and assent They think they have true justifying faith because they have the doctrine of the Gospel and give as they think a right assent to the same for the removal of this mistake I shall first shew that both these may be without saving faith Secondly I shall shew how the knowledge of an unbeleiver and his assent differ from the knowledge and assent of true faith 1. That Knowledge and Assent is not faith T is granted that there is no faith truely wrought without Knowledge and Assent but that there may be Knowledge and some Assent where saving faith is not appears by these two reasons 1. The most wicked and prophane persons in the world may have and many times do attain unto a more exact knowledge of the Doctrine of the Scriptures than many a true Beleiver And they may also assent unto those truths The Apostle speaks of some by way of supposition that may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and yet want saving faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. All this is but an historical faith Judas had the knowledge of the Scriptures and gave assent to them he preached the Gospel to others and yet wanted faith John 6. 64. There are some of you that beleive not you know what will be the plea of many in the latter day Math. 7. 22. and yet had not one drachm of saving faith I shall desire you to peruse but that one Scripture well Rom. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. and then you will conclude that neither the knowledge of nor the assenting to the doctrine of the Scriptures is saving faith but are ordinarily without it 2. The very Devils themselves are beyond the most intelligent Christians in all matters of knowledge They know the history of the Bible more exactly than we Satan was not ignorant of Scripture when he set upon our Saviour Math. 4. 6. And the Devil also gives assent to the truth of the Scriptures Jam 2. 19. He acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God Math. 8. 29. What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God as full a confession for the matter and substance of it as that which Peter made Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Now that which is fained in the worst of men and in the very Devils can neither be true faith nor an evidence of it 2. If we come to examine that knowledge and assent which is in wicked men with that which is in a true beleiver we shall find a vast difference for 1. concerning their knowledge there are three differences 1. The knowledge of a true Beleiver is an experimentall knowledge but the knowledge of an unbeleiver is meerly notional and speculative A Beleiver hath in his heart a lively sense and feeling of all those truths which he hath the knowledge of in his understanding They are truths in his heart as well as in his head That promise of God Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts is made good to every true Beleiver and to him alone His heart is an Index or Commentary by which through the Spirit of God he can understand divine truths 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart This is the meaning of that of our Saviour John 7. 16 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self 2. The knowledge of faith is
is our Rhetorick to perswade us in tribulation unto patience Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him Psal 37. 7. and Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord c. 5. The accomplishment of future good This shews the object of Hope generally that which is good particularly or specially future good Herein it differs from faith The object of faith is not onely good things but evill things also Faith beleeves the threatnings as well as the promises Faith doth beleeve there is an Hell as well as an Heaven but Hope onely looks at good things Evill things are the proper object of fear and hatred not of hope And then this differs in the spiritual object Hope onely looks at good things to come what a man sees why Rom. 8. 24. doth he yet hope for it hope that is seen is not hope That 's the difference between hope and vision But now faith looks not onely at things that are to come but also at things that are past and at things that are present It looks to things past We beleeve that the World was created that Adam fell that the old world was drowned that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered that he dyed c. We beleeve also things that are present We beleeve that Christ is at the right hand of God that he makes present intercession And we also beleeve things that are to come We beleeve that Antichrist shall fall that Christ shall come to judge the World that our dead bodies shall be raised c. 6. Which God hath promised Herein faith and hope agree they have both the same Basis or foundation viz. The word of promise The Scripture asserts the promise to be the foundation of hope Tit. 1. 2. There could be no reason of expectation unless the thing expected were bottomed upon a divine promise It s loose fancy not well grounded waiting which is not erected upon a promise 7. And Faith beleeveth This holds out another difference between Faith and Hope They differ in their order Faith goes before Hope followes the stedfastness of hope is from the certainty of faith faith beleeves the truth of the thing and hope waits for the accomplishment of it The Apostle tells us that faith is the substance or ground of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the Mother of hope and hope is the Daughter of faith faith discovers the treasure and hope gathers it and layes it up Faith is the fire of hope and hope is the flame of faith 2. Wherein the Resemblance between Hope and a Helmet Consider that in four things 1. The Helmet doth defend the head from violence offered either by sword pistoll c. The grace of Hope doth safeguard the soul from the violence of Satan 2. The Helmet is the highest of al the Souldieres Armour The grace of Hope is that which looks still upwards t is the highest of the graces it hath its eye fixed upon the things which are in Heaven 3. The Helmet doth make the Souldier of dreadful appearance to his adversary Polybius tels us that the Romane Souldiers had upon their Helmets garlands sticking upon spikes so high that they seemed of a double height and did appear very formidable to the enemy Men of low stature seemed exceeding high by reason of their Helmets and that dress which they wore upon them The Grace of Hope upon the head makes the Christian Souldier very formidable to Satan it doth lift him up even to Heaven Little David with his Helmet of Hope appeared of a greater height then Goliah though he had a Helmet of Brass Hope sets the Soul upon a Rock which is higher then all his Adversaries 4. The Helmet doth give warmth and heat to the head it hath a refreshing as well as a defending virtue in it The Grace of Hope warms and refreshes the Heart III. Wherein this Grace is usefull to a Christian in the time of Temptation 1. The Grace of Hope helps Christian Courage It sharpens the edge of Christian Valour faintness and fearfulness of Spirit gives a very great advantage to the enemy That was a good Martial Law which God gave his people Deut. 20. 8. If the heart once sink through cowardice and pusillanimity the hands grow weak Now the grace of Hope keeps the heart from sinking yea it adds courage to the heart We have a Proverb But for Hope the heart would break I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27. 13. Upon this he gives an Exhortation to others to hope in God with a promise of strength v. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage c. The exercise of this grace kept the Apostles from sinking 2 Cor. 14. 16 18. For this cause we faint not c. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen c. 2. The Grace of Hope doth strengthen Faith Though Faith breed Hope yet doth Hope strengthen Faith It is as a staff to her aged mother as one well observes Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Faith makes things that are not seen evident and then the grace of Hope helps the Evidence of Faith 3. The Grace of Hope helps the Soul to persevere Victory is promised onely to such as hold out unto the end Be thou faithful unto the death c. Rev. 2. 10. Now without Hope there can be no perseverance He that hath lost his hope will either yield or run or make some unworthy composition but now Hope will carry on the Soul in its opposition There are two things which Hope doth to help us to persevere First It fastens the Eye upon the sight of the Crown it layes that at the foot of the Soul and encourageth it to continue Secondly It fetches in help from heaven it fastens the Eye upon Jesus Christ and lets it see that He is fighting for them while they are fighting for themselves It shewes the Soul Recruits marching from Heaven for its Relief and assistance Information 1. This lets us see the benefit and excellency of the Grace of Hope The Scripture speakes very much in the commendation of it It 's the second of those three choice Graces Faith Hope Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. It 's that which brings heaven down to the Soul or raises the Soul to heaven even when the Soul is here on earth It 's the Soul's Comforter in all the troubles afflictions and evils which it sustains in this life It 's that by which we overcome Satan in the day of Temptations It 's the Soul's Anchor by which it rides safely in the tempestuous Sea of Temptations Of all the Graces it is that which promises least but there is no Grace that is of more use then this It 's well compared by one to an Egge that hath more in it then is seen An Egge hath nothing to be seen
but a dry barren shell unprofitable for nourishment but if you break the shell you shall find it full of most delicate nourishment The Grace of Hope to the outward appearance is like to a dry shall but if you open this shell you will find it full of most delicate nourishment We are upheld by Hope when we stand We rise by Hope when we are cast down We live by Hope We are saved by Hope It 's that which encourageth us to all Duties We pray in hope we hear in hope Take away Hope and the Soul will not be able to do any duty It 's that by which we bear all disappointments It 's a Sun in the darkest midnight Take away Hope and the Soul will be swallowed up with the least cross every wind will blow it down every wave will drown it every difficulty will overwhelm it It 's the Grace of Hope which holds the Chin above water in every trouble it s the grace of Hope by which we live in the want of present comforts Take away this Grace of Hope and all the Promises are but as withered grass and dry bones and empty vessels which cannot give satisfaction All disquietments and vexatious cares arise either from the want or the weakness of the Grace of Hope David chargeth all his disquietness upon this Psal 142. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou vexed within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Hope settles the heart in every condition it turns darkness into light and storms into calmes and makes the shadow of death as the morning Tbou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Esa 26. 3. I am the larger in this because there is such a generall neglecting of the exercise of this Grace The Grace of Hope is almost lost Christians make but little use and very little account of it Faith is in some repute but Hope is buried whereas indeed Faith is not more excellent then Hope Hope begins where Faith ends 2. This lets us see why Satan uses so much endeavour to drive the servants of God into a state of desperation There are two great Rockes on which Satan labours to split the souls of men the one is upon the Rock of Presumption many souls perish this way The other is the Rock of Despair and there are many more then a few destroyed this way Judas and Cain and Saul fell by this Temptation My punishment is greater then I can bear saith Cain And Judas out of horrour of Conscience puts an end to his own life Mat. 27. 5. Satan is very busie in our age this way suggesting unto the hearts of men that salvation doth not belong to them We see there is reason why Satan should use his skill this way This is a Christians Head-piece and if he can but perswade him to cast off this he will very easily make a prey of him Despair of mercy is a greater sin then all other sins Judas despair was greater then his Treason First It 's derogatory to the Mercy of GOD for it calls in question his truth and goodness Secondly It 's derogatory to the Merits of Jesus Christ it calls in question the All-sufficiency of his bloud c. 3. That the assurance of Salvation is a Doctrine very profitable for Christians and very prejudicial to Satan If the hope of Salvation help a Christian in temptarion surely the assurance of it will much more help him in these Assaults The Papists look upon it as a great and groundlesse presumption for any man to talk of assurance of his salvation But we know from Scripture First That many have attained to assurance we know that if our Earthly Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. 2 Cor. 5. init Secondly That all the people of God are commanded to labour after the attainment of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Thirdly That so many Evidences of a man that shall be saved are not laid down in vain The Scripture is full of the Characters of a person that shall be saved We know we are translated from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Fourthly That one great Office of the Spirit of God which dwelleth in the hearts of the regenerate is to seal them Ephes 1. 13. To testifie with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Holy Ghost is a witnessing and sealing Spirit as well as a sanctifying Spirit a Spirit of Revelation as well as a Spirit of Grace Now the Argument is firm If the hope of Salvation be a Helmet to protect us then is the full Assurance of Salvation a helmet much more strong LECT XXII March 6. 1649. Exhortation 1. To all in generall Let this put all the Sons of men upon the getting of well-grounded hopes of salvation FOr the urging of this Exhortation these Vse 2. two things are to be opened viz. 1. To remove some false grounds of hope 2. To hold out some positive grounds upon which Salvation may be infallibly and certainly hoped for and expected 1. There are three false grounds upon which many are deceived viz. 1. Outward prosperity is no certain ground of salvation Many men do certainly conclude their Estate is good and that they shall be saved and that God doth undoubtedly love them with a saving love because their portion is fat in this world they have the blessing of God upon whatever they put their hands to God prospers them greatly in the world c. therefore they hope they shall be saved For the removing of this 1. Something is to be granted 2. Something to be denyed 1. It is to be granted That true piety and holiness is the high and ready way to outward prosperity 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come Many promises are made in the Scripture of these outward things to the godly as Prov. 3. 16. 17. Psal 112. 1 2 3. onely this promise is to be understood with this caution of Reference and subordination to their spirituall good This Caution is alwayes in Scripture to be understood when prosperity is promised to the godly and it is sometimes expressed as in Psal 34. 10. 2. It is to be denied that outward prosperity is any evidence of salvation And that I shall prove by these three Arguments 1. The worst of men have and may enjoy much of these things who shall never see salvation Mat. 16. 26 our Savior supposes there more then ever any man shall enjoy he that hath the whole world must have these four things 1. All the Riches Honours Pleasures of the world 2. A heart capable to take delight in all these 3. A time of enjoying these from the first man to the last
Omissions of good as well as the perpetration of evill 2. If Christ be in them the Image of Christ is in them 2 Cor. 5. 17. All things are become new The minde and understanding are renewed he sees what he did not before discern The loathsomness of sin the beauty of holiness the preciousness of Christ the excellency of the soul the emptiness of all worldly things The will is renewed Acts 9. 6. Before Christ came it was hard stubborn contentions selfish but now it s made plyable ductile submissive to God in all things and that with chearfulness and constancy and speedinesse Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do before it was an Iron sinew a Brazen Wall now 't is fleshly and yielding The Conscience is renewed Before it was sleepy secure stupid now 't is watchful tender sensible both of the least sin and of the least duty The affections are renewed love joy hatred fear sorrow anger zeal were before misplaced now they are set on right objects and greatly intended towards their objects He loves God with a great love he hates sin with a perfect hatred He rejoyceth in the hope of the glory of God more then ever he did in the things of this life He fears his God more then ever he slighted him He is more grieved for sin then ever he was for any worldly losse He is more angry with the wicked then ever he was with the godly His zeal is more fervent for God then ever it was for the world before conversion 2. That in 1 John 3. 3. Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure It is laid down not only by way of duty but by way of evidence and character He is continually cleansing and purging himself from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God No pattern will serve him but God himselfe the exemplar of all holiness He findes it written Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. and no other Copy is in his account fair enough for him to write after If you read but verse 13 14. you shall finde the Apostle brings it in as the Character and evidence of one that hath a right hope of Heaven Gird up the loyns of your minde c. And the like you have Tit. 2. 11 12 13. You that think you have holiness enough you that can allow of any spots of sin do not talk of hoping for Heaven This is not the fruit of such hope No man is more frequent in washing himself then he that hath hopes of salvation There is this reason for it he sees Heaven to be an holy place and he desires to be made like it before he come to enjoy it 3. That in Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour He that hath a well-grounded hope of salvation after this life hath his thoughts and heart much in Heaven while he is in this life This hath been the guise of men that hoped for salvation 2 Cor. 4. 18. Cap. 5. init His heart is not taken up much with any earthly thing He is not too much lifted up with the enjoyment nor too much cast down with fear of losing these mean things His spirit is loosened from them his heart is above them his soul converseth daily with things of an higher nature He is with God when he goes to sleep and when he awakes he is with him He hath the Kingdom of God within him Put this home and see how it is with you Wheresoever your Treasure is there undoubtedly will your hearts be also Luke 12. 34. 2. I have a word of Exhortation to you in particular who have hopes of Heaven upon good grounds Nourish and preserve this Helmet Keep it upon your heads and labour to confirm it Shew all diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end The Doctrine hath motive enough in it I shall but give some helps or directions and so conclude The Directions are these 6. viz. 1 Labour to be armed against all the Arguments of Satan to drive you to despair He objects for this purpose three things especially 1. Your own unworthinesse You are great sinners c. Against this do you consider by way of answer 1. That as great sinners as you are or ever were are now in Heaven Manasseh Magdalen c. 2. That you do not expect Heaven for your own worthiness but for the worthiness of Christ Ezek. 36. 32. I do not this for your sakes c. 3. That a Christians worthiness doth not consist in legall perfection but in sincerity and remission of sin 4. That you will not add to your unworthinesse the great sin of rejecting Jesus Christ and despair 5. That its better to perish hoping then perish despairing II. The present overcastings of the light of Gods countenance and your many outward troubles Against this consider 1. 'T is no new thing to the dear servants of God to be under Spiritual Desertions and outward troubles David Psal 43. Generally all that are now in heaven have bin under these Clouds 2 These Providences are soonest removed by the grace of Hope God hath appointed them to strengthen this Grace not to destroy it Psal 43. ult Lam. 3. 18 19 20 21. 3. God can make the Valley of Achor a door of Hope Hos 2. 15. III. Many have been shipwracked upon false hopes Ergo. Against this answer 1. That many have perished for want of Hope many have been destroyed by despair Cain Judas Saul 2. Those who have perished did not perish because they hoped but because they hoped amiss 3. A commanded Duty is not to be neglected because many by doing it amiss have been rejected Nourish the Grace of Faith if Faith be strong which is the Mother Hope the Daughter will be strong Act your Hope upon Christs All-sufficiency Gods faithfulness Heb. 6. 17 18. The example of the Saints Be much in prayer Keep your hearts in the love of God Jude ver 21. This is the way to keep up Hope LECT XXIII March 13. 1649. EPHES. 6. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit c. IN these words we have the sixth piece of the Spiritual Armour which the Apostle would have all Christians to use for their safe standing and certain Victory in the day of Temptation In which we have two things First The Armour it self the Word of God Secondly The Notion under which this Word of God is recommended to Christians the Sword of the Spirit The Sword The Sword is a piece of Armor which the Souldier useth both to defend himself and to wound and offend his enemy 't is both offensive and defensive 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Eustathius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth rejoyce in bloud according to Stephanus from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tollo because it is the Instrument of fighting Of the Spirit Spirit is used sometimes Essentially for all the three persons Joh. 4. 24. Sometimes it s used Personally for the third person of the Trinity the Holy Ghost and so I suppose it 's used in this place The Reasons of it I shall shew afterwards Which is the Word of God There 's a two-fold Word of God 1. The Substantial or Essential Word of God viz. Jesus Christ the second Person of the Trinity Rev. 19. 13. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Joh. 1. 1. He is called the Word of GOD for two Reasons First because as the Word is Character mentis in men so Christ the Son is the Character or express Effigies of the Fathers Counsel The word or speech is Interpres mentis so Christ is Interpres Patris Joh. 1. 18. Secondly He is called the Word of God in regard of his personal properties of working whereas the Father workes by way of hidden counsel the Holy Ghost by way of internall virtue the Son workes by way of Word laying open the counsel of God and putting it into execution by his Almighty Word that is by the power of his Will outwardly set forth 2. The written Word This is nothing else but the Writings of Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which for the excellency of them are called The Bible or The Book because it 's the most excellent Book the Book of Books This is that Word of God which the Apostle here recommends unto the Christian Souldier It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Substantial word is called but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name given to the written Word I might make many Doctrines but I will put altogether into this one viz. DOCT. He that would be enabled to withstand and to overcome Satan in his Temptations must be careful to take and use the Sword of the Spirit which is the written Word of God By this Sword it was that our Saviour did both preserve himself and turned the Devil to flight in his day of Temptation He drew out this Sword Scriptum est and with the power of it overcame his adversary Matth. 4. In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open these three things 1. Give some Reasons to prove that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God 2. Shew you the Reason of this Title the Sword of the Spirit 3. Shew you how this Sword is useful to help a Christian in the day of Temptations First That the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. From the evidence of Scripture it self For this I shall refer you to these places 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophecie came not in old time by the Will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet So ver 72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver I might give you thousands of places to this purpose Secondly From the nature of the Writings themselves 1. The matter of them is of such height and sublimity as that Reason is too low to make such discoveries The mystery of the Trinity is a thing above the comprehension of Reason Reason may a little illustrate it now when 't is revealed but Reason could never have found it out The great mystery of Christs Incarnation the Personal Union of the two Natures this is a mystery not onely above Reason but above the Angelical Understanding 1 Pet. 1. 12. The Angels pry into this mystery they could never have found it out had it not been revealed in the Scriptures vid. Eph. 3. 10. This manifold wisdom of God is made known unto Principalities and Powers by the Church The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body is a Doctrine too high for Reason to have found out The Corruption of mans nature by the sinne of Adam c. 2. The harmonious consent and sweet agreement which is between one part of Scripture and another Though they were penned by severall persons in several Ages in several places farre distant from one another the Pen-men neither advising nor conferring with one another yet in nothing contradictory but sweetly corresponding one with another one Prophet writing nothing contrary to another All the Evangelists conspiring and agreeing mutually one with another as if they had been all in one and the same place which is impossible and was never seen amongst the Writings of men 3. The rare Predictions which are in the Scriptures accomplished at the very seasons No Creature can fore-tell or fore-know things before-hand and the Prophecies of the Scripture are not laid down Oracle-wise with ambiguity but with positive certainty expressing the very times of things the names of persons the period of States c. Gen. 3. 15. It was four thousand years before his birth and yet when the fulness of time came God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. So that Prediction Gen. 15. 13 14 Thy Seed shall be a stranger c. This deliverance was fore-told four hundred years before-hand So that in 1 King 13. 2 3. the Prophecy against the Altar of Bethel in Jeroboams time it was as Chronologers observe 330 and odd years before and yet 2 King 23. 16. it was fulfilled in its season That in Esa 45. 1. concerning Cyrus Cyrus was not born of a hundred years after that All the Propheticall Doctrines concerning Christ of his Sufferings Death Buriall his Crucifying with Thieves Resurrection All as punctually fore-told by the Prophets as related by the Evangelists afterward who were Eye-witnesses of them 4. The manner of enjoyning the Doctrines therein contained Meerly the Authority of the Speaker Thus saith the Lord Hear the Word of the Lord c. Other Writings go about to move men to entertain them by the strength of Naturall Reason so did the Philosophers It 's said of Plato that when he read the first Chapter of Genesis he used these words Hic vir multa dicit nihil probat 5. The Scriptures enjoyn many things which are contrary to reason That a man should deny himself Mat. 16. 2. That when we have done all we can we are unprofitable servants that a man must trust to the righteousness of another that he that will be wise must become a fool that he may be wise that he that will save his life shall lose it c. This makes the Apostle say 1 Cor. 2. 14. That a natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit c. 6. The Scriptures doe prescribe not onely Laws for the outward man but for the heart also Thought is free from the cognizance of human Laws but not from this Law Curse
not the King no not in thy thought Eccles 10. 20. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. God saw that every imagination of the heart of man was evil Gen. 6. 5. He that lookes upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her in his heart Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. We have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine c. Rom. 6. 17. 7. The heavenliness of the Doctrine It lifts up men above all earthly things it calls on men to mortifie their earthly members to set their affections on things above not on things below c. 8. The blessings and rewards punishments and threatnings propounded in the Scripture are not temporal onely but spiritual and eternal Giving men up to vile Affections Rom. 1. 24. Seeing ye shall see and not perceive c. Esa 6. latter end I will not punish their daughters when they commit Adultery Hos 4. 14. If any hear and open I will come in and sup with him c. Revel 3. 20. If any man keep my Commandements I will love him and my Father will love him and communicate himself to him c. Joh. 14. 23. 9. The scope and chief aim of it is to debase all Creatures and to advance and set up God alone Whether ye eat or drink c. do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 3. Fear God and keep his Commandements Eccles 12 Let God be true and every man a Lyar c. III. From the rare effects of the Scriptures They have a power to terrifie to comfort to quicken to pull down strong Holds 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. To open blind eyes to convert dead soules c. Quale causatum talis causa Such illustrious divine effects must needs have a divine cause 4. From the testimony and witness of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of men It is the work of the Holy Ghost to subdue the heart to believe and submit to the Word 1 Joh. 2. 20. Ye have an unction from that Holy One c. John 14. 26. When the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost is come he shall teach you all things and whatsoever I have said to you he shall bring to your remembrance This perswasion must either be from Sathan or from a mans own fancy or else from God It cannot be from Satan for the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures overthrows him and his Kingdom and Design It cannot be from our own fancy the Doctrine of the Scripture is supra captum nostrum ergo I could give other Arguments Ex absurdo Ex consensu Ecclesiae Ex Amanuensibus c. but these may suffice Secondly Why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit Consider four things for this 1. 'T is from the Spirit Originally He is the Composer and Framer of this blessed Book 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Herein it differs from that material Sword That is made and fashioned by man This by the Spirit 2. All the efficacy of it depends upon the Spirit He it is that makes it powerfull for the working of those effects which are done by it upon men It would be but a woodden sword without either edge or point if the Spirit of God did not give virtue to it This the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 10. 4. We see it by experience the same word is a dead letter upon some and a convincing and converting word to others the reason is because the word is set on by the Spirit in one and not in the other 3. It hath an effectual influence upon the Spirits of men It doth not onely reach to the body and outward man but even to the Spirit and Conscience also This the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Herein it differs from all material Swords They onely pierce the body they cannot either wound or defend the Conscience but this Sword hath a power through the Spirit both to afflict and quiet to settle and unsettle the very Spirit and Soul of man 4. The manner of the operation of this Sword is onely Spiritual It workes not as the materiall Sword by bloudy piercings and woundings but by Spiritual Arguments onely There is nothing visible to the eye of the body in the working of this Sword it doth all for which it is appointed in a spiritual way by spirituall Convictions and Spiritual Comforts and Spiritual Reproofs c. III. Wherein this is usefull to help us against Temptations 1. The Word of God helps a Christian to answer all Satans objections Whatsoever sinne he tempts you to commit whatsoever Duty he perswades you to cast off whatsoever medium he useth to press his temptation the Word of God will be able to put full and pertinent answers into your mouthes against the same When I opened the 13. verse I shewed you there were eight evill dayes in which Satan did violently set upon the soul The Day of Personal outward Affliction The Day of Church-calamity especially when Hereticks and Seducers are risen up in the Church The Day of sinful miscarriage and failing The Day of Spiritual Desertion and obscurity The Day of extraordinary Soul-enlargment by Divine Manifestations and Incoms from Heaven The Day of Temporal deliverance and advancement The Day of the success of wicked men The Day of Death I shewed you what temptations are most peculiar to such a day Now the Word of God will furnish you with sufficient Arguments to antidote your Soules against the infection of every one of those Temptations If Satan tempt to pride of heart the Scripture will arm you against that sinne by shewing you the mischief of Pride God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4. 6. If Satan tempt you to Covetousness the Scripture will shew you the danger of that sinne It will tell you that The love of money is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. And that a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of what he enjoyeth Luke 12. 15. If Satan tempt you to unrighteousness and oppression the Scripture will arm you against that sinne Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. If Satan tempt you to Perjury and Covenant-breaking the Scripture will shew you the sad effects which have followed upon that sinne Zedekiah for this sinne had his eyes put out and was a Captive all his dayes Ezek. 17. 18. If Satan tempt you to be heretical or erroneous the Scripture will shew the miserable fruits of Heresie Because they did not receive the truth in the love of it God gave them up to delusions to believe a Lie that they might all be
have an intention to wrastle with God in Prayer but some messenger of Satan or other is ready to wrastle with him to take him off This Text shews us the reason He knows well that the servants of God are never more successfull against his Temptations nor that he is never more defeated in his designs against them than when they set their faces to seek God He hath been so often overcome by this Holy Ordinance of God that he is afraid of it Hence it is that he is so diligent both to take them off from it and to interrupt them in it He is most afraid of a Child of God when he is on his knees This makes him so strangely attempt to break off the Exercise of it 2. This shewes us that Satan must needs prevail very much where Prayer is neglected Do not wonder to see the Devils Throne erected so high in those Families and in those Persons where Prayer and Invocation is cast aside There 's nothing in such a soul to hinder either his Residence or Domination Watch and pray saith Christ that ye enter not into Temptation Mat. 26. 41. Those that disuse Prayer must necessarily be under the power of black Temptations They have no defence to keep Satan out nor have they any way to cast him out when he is once entred 3. This lets us see the power of Holy Prayer It 's a very strong thing he that considers well what prayer hath wrought cannot imagine it to be a weak thing It hath for a time stopt the course of Nature Sun stand thou still in Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon Josh 10. 12 13. It hath divided the waters of the Sea Exod. 14. 21 22. It hath quenched the burning flames Numb 11. 1 2. It hath cast Devils out of their possession The Prayer of Luther and other servants of God recovered a man out of the hands of Satan who had made an Indenture of his soul to him and sealed it with his own bloud The Indenture sealed was cast in into the place where they were praying And our Saviour tells That no Devil hath such deep possession but by Prayer and Fasting he may be cast out Matth. 17. 21. In a word Prayer hath overcome God himself Gen. 32. 26. Luther was wont to say There is a kind of Omnipotency in Prayer It never yet did it never shall through God meet with any thing too hard for it No Journey was ever too long for it no Mountain too high no Waters too deep no Burthen too heavy no Temptation too strong It never was it never shall be finally and totally overcome by any Adversary 4. That a Christians Victory over the Temptations of Satan doth not depend upon himself but upon God alone This is gathered from hence When he hath dressed himself and got his weapons into his hands he must then look to his Commander in chief and conquer by prayer He doth not overcome by fighting but by praying All his preparation all his graces all his Armour all his endeavour will not carry him through the battel with success unless God stand by him When he hath done all he can Prayer must be his last refuge that God would vanquish his enemies for him 5. This is an Apologie for the people of God who desire to be frequent in Prayer They have found the benefit of it and they still know the excellency of it It 's a piece of that Armour which they must use nay 't is upon the matter their whole Armour all the rest doth no good without it therefore are they so careful to use it They know the danger of Satans Assaults and they know if they be not frequent and fervent in Prayer they shall be overcome therefore they willingly neglect no opportunity of performing this service they know praying Christians are the safest Christians 6. That the gift and grace of Prayer is a marvellous great blessing That God hath given his Spirit to be a Spirit of Prayer in us that God hath given to his people ability to pour out their hearts by prayer with cries and groanes that cannot be expressed that Jesus Christ hath given us a Rule how to pray a pattern for Prayer This is a singular mercy that you are enabled to make use of this Ordinance of Prayer There are many that know not how to pray after a right manner If God have taught any of you how to pray you are to acknowledge it as a marvellous mercy and to bless his name 7. How much you are indebted to them that pray for you They supply you with Armour Exhortation Be intreated and perswaded in 2. Vse the Lord Jesus Christ to make use of this piece of Armour Pray alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints In this Exhortation I shall do three things 1. Give you some Motives 2. Help you against the Wiles of Satan whereby he endeavours to take you off 3. Give you some helps I might give you many Motives I could tell you that it 's the way to have your wants supplyed It 's the Key of the Treasury of Gods blessings God hath appointed this as the great Channel of conveyance of all blessings Jam. 1. 5. It 's the way to have every thing sanctified to your use it makes bitter things sweet and sweet things more sweet it 's that Salt which savours every thing 1 Tim. 4. 5. It turns all afflictions into gold all poyson into physick 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. It 's the way to expell inordinate cares and fears Phil. 4. 6. He that is much in prayer will be little in Care It 's the Nurse of all graces it preserves the fear of God in their hearts Job 15. 4. It preserves the love of God It nourisheth Humility it keeps the Conscience clean and tender it preserves and maintains heavenly-mindedness c. But I shall onely urge that which is in the Text. It 's the way to have certain victory over all Temptations Satan may shatter a praying Christian but he shall never conquer him He may for a time bring him into his Net but God will rescue him and bring him out again Whensoever I call upon God saith David then shall mine enemies be put to flight Psal 56. 9. Prayer rightly managed wil carry you through an Host of Temptations These black Regiments will and must give way to the power of prayer if you continue instant in it You cannot get victory over the least Temptation without prayer and the greatest Temptation shall be subdued if you continue in this Duty Satan is as well able to overcome God as to overcome prayer which hath the strength of God in it 2. To help you against the wiles of Satan He hath many Devices to take off the Children of God from prayer viz these six things 1. God knows what I want though I do not pray I cannot by
prayer move God to bestow any thing which he hath not intended to bestow c. Ergo What need is there of prayer Against this wile of Satan consider these three things I. The receiving of the good things we want is not the onely end of Prayer It is one great end but there are many other things besides which should move us to this Duty We are to pray 1. In obedience to the Command of God It is a piece of Divine Worship and Adoration it is a part of that homage which all the sons of men owe unto God II. That thou mayst enjoy Communion and Fellowship with God by the use of this Ordinance of Prayer III. To acknowledge thy submission to God and thy dependance upon God Not to pray is to cast off that Dominion which God hath over thee it is to deny thy reliance upon God 'T is to say thy dependance is not upon God but upon thy self 2. Thou canst have no ground to believe that any good thing shall be bestowed upon thee without Prayer Prayer though it be not the cause yet it is the condition or the mean of obtaining all that good which God hath promised unto his people vid. Ezek. 36. 37. I will yet for all this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them No man can say I shall have this mercy though I do not pray 3. 'T is not the bare enjoying of the good we want which should satisfie us We should also labour to enjoy it in mercy to enjoy it as a blessing Now 't is an everlasting and most certain Truth that whatsoever is not obtained by prayer is not given in mercy vid. 1 Tim. 4. 5. A man hath not a sanctified right to any thing he possesseth without prayer 2. Satan sometimes labours to take off men from Prayer by objecting their infirmities and weaknesses Thy heart is thus and thus distempered c. Against this I would give you these two Answers 1. 'T is not the infirmities and weaknesses of a Christian which are seen and lamented that can hinder the efficacy and success of his Prayers Sin obstinately and avowedly continued in will indeed cut off the success of Prayers and make both them and him that makes them abominable to God Prov. 28. 9. But infirmities which are continually resisted and bewailed shall never make the prayer to be rejected I might give you many instances as that of Jonah A man full passions c. Yet Chap. 2. 10. God heard his Prayer King Asa a man full of infirmities imprisons the Seer oppresseth the people 2 Chron. 16. 10. yet God heard his prayer Chap. 14. 11 12. But I shall give onely that one remarkable instance which is recorded as a help against this Rock Jam. 5. 17. Elias was a man of like passions as we are c. Yet was heard very graciously Heaven was opened and shut at his prayers Gods hearing of our prayers doth not depend upon our Sanctification but upon our Justification He doth not hear our prayers because either we or our prayers are perfect but because our persons are accepted God doth not hear our prayers for our prayers sake but for his own names sake and for his sons sake c. 2. This should rather encourage us to the Duty Discontinuance of prayer will not remove but increase our imperfections if grace be weak the omission of prayer will make it weaker if Corruption be strong disuse of prayer will make it stronger The distempers of the heart whatsoever they are will not be abated but augmented by the omission of this Duty of prayer 3. Satan will perswade men perhaps that they are not in a state of Grace 'T is true if they had but onely infirmities they might be encouraged to pray c. but they are unregenerate persons c. Against this I would give these Answers Besides this in the general that it is a good sign there is something of grace when Satan perswades men to the contrary c. Consider 1. That Prayer is a work fit for such as are not converted as well as such as are converted 'T is the Duty of men to pray as they are reasonable Creatures who owe homage to God 2. Prayer is to be made for Conversion as well as after Conversion A man is not to pray onely because he is forgiven but also he is to pray that he may be forgiven see Act. 8. 22. Repent saith Peter to Simon Magus of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee c. 4. Those who never pray they prosper in the world as well as such who are most carefull of this Duty This is another of Satans Devices Against this consider these things 1. Outward prosperity is not the only reason why men should pray Yea this is one of all the meanest ends of prayer 2. All prosperity which is not the effect of Prayer is indeed a Curse and not a blessing Nothing is sanctified as I said before but that which comes in by prayer If his Children be multiplyed it is for the sword Job 27. 14. If his Table be richly furnished it is to ensuare him his Wealth is his Trap c. Whatsoever a man enjoyes without prayer is in Gods Account no better then Robbery 3. God hath an eternity of adversity and misery after this life They have received their Consolations in this life Luke 6. 24. 5. Satan takes off others by objecting their Disabilities Thou wants those gifts and endowments which others have Ergo. Against this I would say these things 1. God doth not so much look at the gift of Prayer as at the Spirit of Prayer Though it be the Duty of every person to labour for fit words of Prayer yet God doth not hear prayer for the elegancy of phrase but for the heavenliness and spiritualness and brokennesse of heart of him that prayes The publicans prayer had not much eloquence in it God be mercifull to me a sinner and yet God accepted it The Spirit of God helps our infirmities saith the Apostle with sighs and groans c. One sigh and groan from a broken heart is better pleasing to God then all humane eloquence if the heart be not affected 2. Pray that thou mayst have better gifts God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11. 13. 3. Thou dost not pray to God as a critical observer of incongruous expressions but to God as a Father Who is wel pleased with the prayers of his Children because they are his children 6. Satan perhaps will endeavour to take off Prayer from thy long-waiting for an Answer Thou hast prayed many a time but received no answer c. Ergo. I would against this Stratagem give these things by way of answer 1. God hath more wayes of answering prayers then one There are three remarkable instances in Scripture of this vid. Acts 1. 7. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Heb. 5. 7. The particular thing was not granted and yet his prayer was heard 2. Delayes are not denyals God defers to hear not because he doth not love us or delight in us but for other ends As To exercise of Faith Hab. 2. 3 4. To exercise our Patience To stir up our zeal and importunity in asking To give us what we ask in a fitter season Rev. 6 10 11. That is a very strange expression which we have in Joh. 11. 5 6. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus and see what followes v. 6. When he heard therefore that he was sick he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was A very strange effect of love A plain contradiction if Reason might be Judge Deferring to hear prayers is not alwayes an evidence of hatred but sometimes an evidence of love Calv. in locum 3. Let this rather be a Motive to confirme then a discouragement to take thee off from prayer God will hear at last that 's certain and do not lose ten or twenty years waiting for want of a little patience 4. Though God should never hear yet it were thy duty to pray 3. To lay down some helps for prayer these things will be of very great use to this purpose to teach us to pray viz. 1. Be well acquainted with the Doctrine of the Bible that you may thereby get the perfect knowledge of the good which God hath therein promised unto his people 2. Get a through and perfect sense of your own wants Sense of want will make the dumb Child to beg 3. Observe well the prayers you hear made by them that have the abilities of prayer 4. Labour for the Spirit of the Lord which is not onely a Spirit of Grace but of Supplication 5. Get others to desire God to teach you how to pray 6. Be often practising according to the abiiities you have Precando disces precari Thus much for the Spirituall Armour FINIS