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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91898	Panoplia. Universa arma. Hieron. Or, The Christian compleatly armed: being a treatise of the Christians armour, clearly opening every part thereof, both pressing to the putting of it on, and instructing us so to use it, as we may not be soyled in time of temptation. / Delivered by that late reverend, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, pastor of Mary Woolnoth, London, to his congregation there, in several lectures: and now published for the further benefit of the Church of God.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1656 (1656)	Wing R1710; Thomason E1586_2; ESTC R208953	180,905	372

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

another Witness to those many which will appear against you LECT 2. Octob. 17. 1649. VVE now come to the LECT 2. handling of the words particularly as they are recorded in the 13. v. Wherefore take to you the whole armour c. In which words we have these two things 1. A serious exhortation and advice given to all Christians Take unto your selves the whole Armour of God 2. The Motives inforceing the practice of this counsell and they are two viz. 1. Enablement in opposing that ye may be able to withstand they cannot possibly make any resistance if they do not observe this Direction 2. A promise of victory having done all to stand There 's no good opposing without these armes And there 's certain hopes of overcoming if they be rightly used I shall first open the words in a short explication and secondly gather up the strength of them by doctrinall observation Wherefore take unto you c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause This denotes the ground of the exhortation The Apostle had mentioned v. 11. 12. great opposition by a powerfull and subtle adversary The Adversary is the devill set out by a large description 1 Of his Policy in that expression of Wiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Of his power in those expressions of principalities powers spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places The necessity of opposing this Adversary is hinted in the word Wrastling we must wrastle and that against a potent and politique enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause its necessary that we be not unfurnished but provided before hand Mat. 16. 19. Acts 1. 2. 11. Take unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifyeth to take unto our selves or to take up a thing and somtimes to regaine and recover what we have lost or let go out of our possession we must take up what God offers and if our Armesbe beaten out of our hands we must take them up againe The whole armour of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies armour of all sorts whereby the souldier is made fit for an encounter with his Adversary which is here called the Armour of God quia nobis divinitùs subministratur nec in externo ro●ore consistit Baldvin in locum That ye may be able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our ability is not in our selves To withstand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word signifies the manner of opposition namely face to face hand to hand foot to foot Dr. Gouge upon the place In the evill day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In that evill day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is put for time indefinitly whether long or short Mat. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word notes somtimes the evill of sin Math. 9. 4. Joh. 3. 19. somtimes the evill of punnishment or trouble So 't is here therefore Beza reads it Tempore adverso In the evill day It notes tempus Cribrationis What that day is and why it s called evill we shall shew hereafter And having done all to stand This hints a certaine victory to him that withstands aright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifyeth Rem inchoatam provehere eò usq donec absolvatur The word nots that a christian must expect more assaults then one and that the victory is not to be expected till all assaults be perfectly finished Thus for explication The words thus opened have these doctrines 1. That Every Christian is liable unto an evill day of Assaulting and temptation from Satan This is necessarily implyed in the exhortation it were superfluous and unnecessary counsell to advise christians to get this furniture if they were not certaine to have a day of battell All christians are not actually assaulted alike some are continually assaulted others very rarely yet is there no believing christian freed from these conflicts and assaults every believer must expect them 1 The Scripture speaks of an hour of temptation which shall come upon all the earth Rev. 3. 10. 2. Our Saviour tells Peter that Satan hath desired to have him and therest of his brethren that he may sift them as wheat Luc. 22. 31. He tells them indeed that he hath prayed for him and the rest that their faith do not faile but he doth not tell them that he hath prayed against their sifting And 3. We finde that many of the servants of God have been under these assaults Paul David Job And Quod cuiquam cuivis that which doth befall any one Saint is liable to all they have not onely been liable to temptations from God temptationes Probationis but they have also been liable to temptations from Satan temptationes Deceptionis 4. Christ would have all to pray against it Mat. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some refer it to the providing of the Armour so the Sytiack Interpreter ut praeparati id est postquam omnia comparaveritis ad hanc obeundam pugnam necessaria Beza Others refer it to the assaults of the adversary devictis omnibus hostibus In the handling of this Doctrine I shall endeavour to open these three things I. I shall shew you What evill day This is II. I shall shew you Why it s called an evill day III Why God suffers his people to be thus assaulted I. Any day in which God permits Satan and gives him liberty may become an evill day temptation will turn the brightest and most comfortable day into an evill and bitter day Though he be continually assaulting 1 Pet. 5 8. yet there are some speciall dayes and seasons in which Satan doth more fiercely assault and set upon the soul I shall name a few viz. these 8 ensuing particulars 1. The time of outward personall calamity and affliction when God shall by any providence bring a believer under outward calamity and trouble of any sort sicknesse or poverty or imprisonment or banishment this is a speciall day for Satan to assault in Thus we see it in the case of Job when God had taken away his goods and stricken him in his Children and laid his hand upon his body in a violent manner then Satan he brings his forces to assault his soul and minde with temptations vid. Job 2. As such a time Satan assaults the soul with these two temptations 1. To murmur and to blaspheme God vid. Job 2. 9. His endeavour is to perswade the afflicted soul into an ill opinion of his God that God doth not love them if he did he would not so distresse them He did prevaile with Job in this evill day to curse the day of his birth Job 3. init 2 To use some sinfull in direct meanes to be delivered out of such troubles This way he assaulted David in the evill day he perswaded him to fly out of the land of Judea amongst the Philistims 1 Sam. 27. 1. 2. And in this evill day he assaulted our Saviour with the like temptation If thou be the Son of God command these stones to be made bread Math. 4. 3. It was

to have a clear and exact knowledge in the Mysteries of Truth It is not in vain that the Scripture doth so earnestly call upon men to learn and to get and to keep the truth of Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle 2 Thes 2. 15. not unwritten traditions the Doctrines and Commandments of men but such as have been taught by the Apostles either by word or by their writings Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong 1 Cor. 16. 13. The word of God is full of such warnings and admonitions as these are And not without cause whether we consider the worth of truth in it selfe or the usefulness of it unto us It s necessary to the soul in many respects it s the light by which we see our way by which we know what to do what not to do it s a great part of our spirituall Armour by which we fight against temptations It s as great a strengthening to the Christian in fighting against Satan and his Instruments as the Souldiers belt or girdle is to him in the day of battel Take two Christians of equall grace and let them be assaulted with the same Temptation and let the one be sound in the Doctrine of Truth and the other corrupt and you will easily see the difference between the one and the other by the issue of the temptation the Doctrine of truth is as necessary for fighting against Satan as the grace of truth I note this to let all of us see what little reason any have to be displeased either with the Ministers of God or other of the Servants of God for their earnestnesse pertinacy if I may so speak in preserving the truth of Doctrine both among themselves and others They know the many advantages of it and therefore they are so zealous for the maintaining of it Paul though he was of as flexible and condescending a spirit as any other whether Apostle or ordinary Saint in all other things for he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 19. 20 21 22. yet he was so positive and peremptory for the Doctrine of truth that he would not give place by subjection to false Brethren for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue with the people of God Gal. 2. 4. 2 'T is no wonder to see Satan use such endeavour to deprive the Sons of men of the Doctrine of truth In all ages of the Church he hath raised up his Instruments to draw men aside from the truth of Doctrine There shall be false Teachers saith the Apostle amongst you as there were false Prophets amongst the people 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Church of God as it was never destitute of true Prophets so never was it without false Prophets In the Church of Israel there were a numerous Company of seducing Prophets As there was an Elijah a holy and zealous Prophet of God so there were 456. Prophets of Baal 1 King 18. 22. The state was corrupted and they made to themselves a corrupt Ministry of their own an apostatizing State must have an apostatizing Clergy that will humour them and subscribe to them in every thing they do when Satan had perswaded Jeroboam to set up golden Calves he helped him to a Ministry that would worship them and teach others to do the like State Ministers will cry up Calves for gods rather then want promotion or lose preferment And thus it was in the Gospel Church All Pauls Epistles shew it This ariseth 1. partly from the sinfulness of men They must have their lusts and a lust cannot thrive if it have not a false Prophet to nurse it and give it suck And 2 partly from God he in his wisdom and justice permits it to be so that they that would not obey the words of a true Prophet should follow the pernicious Doctrines of fal● Prophets 1. Reg. 22. 23. And then 3 it comes to passe from the policy and malice of Satan that he may by this means rob men of the truth and so make them fit preys for his temptations And we need not much wonder at this policy Satan knowes he is in danger of being foiled if he suffer this girdle to be upon the soul and that he shall certainly overcome if he can but pluck this off the loyns therefore he is so diligent in attempting it laying snares to intrap the true Ministers of God and opening a wide door for false Prophets and seducers to enter in and corrupt the truth 3 We have no cause to wonder to see the Devill so prevalent amongst hereticall and erroneous persons Woful experience shews us what desolations are made by Satan in our corrupt Generation what mischievous wayes of iniquity many are led into Many are drawn aside into great profanenesse of life others are sunk deep into rebellion others are gone aside into the way of perjury and Covenant-breaking others into wayes of cruelty persecution and oppression others almost into grosse Atheisme we may take up the Complaint of the Prophet Isay 59. 3. 4 5 6 7 8. Your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lies your tongue hath muttered perverseness none calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders Webs he that eateth of the Eggs dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper their works are works of iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands Their feet run to evill and they make haste to shed Innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace A man would wonder to see and hear the horrible wickednesses that many are fallen into some openly profane the Sabbaths others defile their Neighbours wife and think they do not sin in so doing The cause of all these may be given in the words of the same Prophet Isay 59. 14. 15. Truth is fallen in the streets yea truth faileth The Devil hath taken away from them this Girdle of Truth and now they stop at no kind of abominations The Girdle of truth is quite loosed and this doth so enervate and weaken them that they are forced to do what ever the Devil requires of them And can ye wonder at it The losse of truth will certainly introduce all kinde of iniquity And that both ex Natura Rei and ex justo Dei judicio 1. Ex Natura Rei The understanding is the first wheel in man it turns about the whole man as the Helme doth the Ship if

thy precepts and turned my feet to thy Commandments saith David Psal 119. 59. he that forgets Gods Testimonies will soon be drawn aside from the way of obedience but he that carefully remembers these will walk holily David gives this as the reason why the godly man doth not walk in the way of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of scorners because his delight is in the word of God and therein he meditates day and night Psal 1. 2 3. 2 Cor. 8. 18. 7 Study carefully the great and many priviledges which are instated upon you in and by the Covenant of Grace The end of all the Dignities confer'd by God upon men is in respect of them that they should walk in newness of life Election is for this end Eph. 1. 4. God hath chosen men in Christ before the foundation of the world not because they were holy but that they should be holy and without blame before him in love The end of Redemption is holiness of life Luk. 1. 75. Christ came as much to redeem the people from iniquity as from hell Tit. 2. 14. The end of Adoption is that we should be harmless and blameless the Sons of God without rebuke that we should live as Gods children and walk as Children of the Light The end of our Justification is Sanctification of Life many leud and ignorant Christians argue from priviledges to laziness they continue in sinne because grace abounds But the Scripture argues from great priviledges to purity of life vid. Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren c. The particular mercy he had spoken to is the great mercy of a sinners justification by faith Of this he had been disputing in the former Chapter In the 12. Chapter he comes to make the main Use of it which is an Exhortation to Holiness And from the same Doctrine Ephes 4. 1. he draws the very same inference I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you c. The end of all the Promises is holiness of life 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises c. The Apostle Peter from many other rare priviledges drawes the same conclusion 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 11 12. Dishonesty of Conversation doth not onely convince a Christian of unthankfulness for his priviledges but it is a shame to his priviledges 8. Meditate much on the unrighteousness of your former conversation when ye knew not God It is the mind of God that Christians after their effectual conversion should remember their unregenerate condition Ephes 2. 11 12. There are many good uses which a Christian may make of such meditations it makes him thankful c. Amongst others this is one it will be a good help to promote his holy walking after Conversion Such meditations will bring to his mind 1. The filthiness of sinne which will set his heart against it And 2. they will let him see how much time he wasted in sinne which will be a great help to make him more careful for the future over his wayes This is laid down in many places of Scripture as a help to holy walking vid 1 Pet. 4. 3. the Apostle in the second verse exhorts them to cease from sinne and his Argument is because that was their practice in the days of their vanity when they walked after the course of the world And we have the same Argument 1 Pet. 1. 14. Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance This is one Reason why such as have been most notoriously wicked before Conversion are sometimes more then ordinarily holy after Conversion When sinne hath abounded before Regeneration Grace hath much more abounded in them after Conversion Mary Magdalen one of the most noted sinners of her age our Saviour cast 7 Devils out of her and after her Calling one of the most exact Christians of her time You read very much of her forwardness and zeal and holiness she is usually put in the first place whereas she is spoken of vid. Matth. 27. 55 56. Matth. 28. 1. In the end of the Sabbath came Mary Magdalen c. Joh. 20. 18. Mary Magdalen came and told the Disciples c. One ground of this is because they reflect upon their former Conversation and because they find that exceeding vile therefore they are so very careful now to walk with all exactness As those that have been most prodigal when they are reclaimed are ordinarily very frugal c. 9 Meditate on the many engagements which lie upon you for holy walking You all lie under Sacramental Bonds when you were baptized then you entred into an Engagement Oath of Allegeance that you would give up your selves in obedience unto God The Apostle upon this ground argues with the Romanes Rom. 6. 2 3 4 5 6. Baptism is a holy Bond which though it be but once entred into yet the obligation of it remains for ever upon the soul And what that obligation is you have Mat. 28. 19 20. Teuching you to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded This Baptismal Vow you have renewed at the Lords Table many a time on your sick beds or in the day of other troubles Looking often upon these will be very helpful The thoughtfull remembrance of Engagements were very vsefull to David for this purpose I have sworn it and I will perform it to keep thy righteous judgments Psal 119. 106. violating of holy Vows breaking of religious Covenants though the matter of them be but civil is a sinne of a high nature Ezek. 17. per totum especially ver 18 19 20 21. So Ezek. 34. 17 18 19. 10 Get much of the holy reverential fear of God into your spirits Fearing of God and eschewing of sinne are frequently joyned together in Scripture so are fearing of God and keeping of his Commandements Job 1. 1. Eccles 12. 13. The Apostle makes the want of Gods fear to be the in-let of all unrighteousness and dissolute practices Rom. 3. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. And the Apostle makes this fear of God to be the means of purifying the life 2 Cor. 7. 1. If the heart grow Fearless the life will grow Profane Prov. 28. 14. 11 Study and think well upon the Doctrine of Death and of Judgment Look upon Death as neer at hand let the sound of the Passing-Bell and the sight of the Grave be continually in your Senses and let the sound of the last trumpet be in your ears Awake ye dead and come to judgment Forgetfulness of Death and Judgment is the cause of so much licentiousness and the remembrance of these are of great force to keep the life holy see 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and ver 10 11. Seeing all these things must be dissolved c. 12 Consider the unloveliness of unholy practices in other men Behold the Drunkard in his vomit and the Adulterer in his uncleanness c. This will work in your Soules hatred against sin and zeal for

The Apostle cals it a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 11. The ministry of the Law was glorious but the Gospel is much more glorious vid. 2 Cor. 3 7 8 9 10 11. Many things there are that proclaim the glorious excellency of the Gospel I shall not instance in any other than what is in the Text It s a Gospel of peace Peace is a glorious thing the lowest of all kinds of peace is one of the greatest of outward blessings peace with men It s that which often in Scripture comprehends all outward blessings It s the breeder and preserver of all outward happiness plenty is the daughter of peace Micah 4. 3. It s the sweetner of all outward mercies Peace is as salt to meat as the light to the World How much more glorious is this peace Peace with God The peace of conscience is a peace transcending humane understanding Phil. 4 7. and that is but the fruit of this peace 2. That the ministey of the Gospel is a glorious ministry They are the Ambassadors of the Gospel of peace Isai 62. 7. How beautiful upon the mounts are the feet of them that bring glad tidings that publish peace The word of reconciliation is committed to them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Ambassadors of warre are unwelcome messengers to all Nations but those that come to proclaim peace are kindly received And yet a wretched world is as weary of the ministry of the Gospel as if it were the ministration of death Most do as the Gadarenes did by Christ intreat them to depart out of their coasts Noah was glad when the Dove came with an olive branch if the peace of the Gospel had more place in the hearts of men the publishers of it would have more respect 3. That the professors of the Gospel should be of peaceable dispositions The Gospel when it comes with power makes men like it self it tames and sweetens the spirits of men makes rough places smooth men of rough boystrous and fierce spirits to become gentle Isai 11. 6 7 8 9. Implacableness and violence of Spirit as it doth much dishonour the Gospel of peace so is it a frame altogether anti-evangelical The Gospel hath no leaven or sourness in it and he who professeth the Gospel should be so likewise If ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus put away malice c. Ephes 4. 21 31. Wheresoever the Gospel comes with efficacy and power it doth imprint upon the soul it s own image Rom. 6. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you As the Gospel is holy so should the professors of it be holy As the Gospel is heavenly so should the professors of it be heavenly and as the Gospel is a Gospel of peace so they that profess it should be men of peace The Apostle desires the Philippiane that their conversation might be as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. A peaceable conversation is a Gospel like conversation 4. This lets us see what a great loss it is to be deprived of the Gospel It s threatned in the Scripture as one of the sorest judgements Math 21. 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you c. It s a great loss to loose the lowest kind of peace Rev. 6. 4. much more to loose the Gospel which conveyes the highest peace You that are unreconciled if the Gospel go you are like to die in your enmity and you that are reconciled will have no ordinary meanes left you either of preserving or renewing the assurance of your reconciliation 5. This lets us see why it is that Satan is such an enemy to the spreading of the Gospel In all ages we find that his great plot hath been either to remove or to corrupt the Gospel All the false Teachers which arose in the Gospel Churches were raised for this end he hath stirred up Hereticks and Tyrants in every age to blow out the Gospel I would have come to you once and again but Satan hindred 1 Thes 2. 18. vid. Acts 13. 50. Acts 14. 2 c. Still when the Gospel came persecution followed Acts 16. 16. c. the reason the Gospel is a Gospel of peace and Satan would keep men unreconciled 6. Great cause of thankfulness for the enjoyment of the Gospel USE II. Lect. 15. Janu. 16. 1649. Examination Let all try whether they have an interest in this peace which is published in and confirmed by the Gospel VVHether the Gospel have wrought this great work between God and them that they can say God and they are at peace It s necessary to make this inquiry 1. Because all men by nature are under wrath and enmity Eph. 2. 2. 2. Because it s very natural to the sons of men to suppose and conclude that God and they are at peace especially such as have lived under the Gospel of peace Before I come to positive evidences I shall discover some mistakes or false reasonings about this peace and they are of two sorts 1. Such as are made evidences of peace and are not these concern wicked men 2. Such as the godly are under arguing those things to be evidences of want of peace which are not so For the former 1. No man can argue that he is at peace with God because of the enjoyment of outward common Priviledges As Baptisme the admission of a person to the Lords Table This was the Argument of the Jews which was often rejected both by the Prophets by Jobn Baptist and Christ himself vide Jerem. 7. 4 c. Trust not in lying words Math. 3. 9. 10. Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father c. John 8. 33. We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage c. The Scripture cuts off this kind of reasoning in many places Rom. 2. all he is not a Jew c. Circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference in this matter Jerem. 9. 25 26. Thou maist enjoy all the outward priviledges of the friends of God and yet live and die in enmity So did Ishmael Saul Judas Simon Magus and yet had neither part nor lot in this matter 2. No man can argue that he is at peace with God because of outward Profession The worst of men may attain to this Judas was one that made a Profession he was an Apostle an extraordinary Minister and yet an enemy to God a child of perdition Those that shall be rejected at the last day are such as made profession Luke 13. 25 26 27. and yet there was no Covenant of peace between God and them I know them not A man must profess Religion before he can be an hypocrite 3. The bare performance of external duties and outward actions of Religion is no Argument that a soul is heir to this peace For though he that is at peace with God will be careful of doing

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