the preheminence thereof above them But to come to the particular parts of this armour As First Truth if we take it with reference to the mind or judgment and thereby understand soundness of Doctrine which indeed is necessary for keeping together the rest of our spiritual armour this is evidently a fruit of Faith as appears by what hath before been spoken of Faiths assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Apostle Acts 24.14 shews why he kept close to the Truth though it was branded with the name of Heresie and particularly to the Doctrine of the Resurrection which was accounted such a Paradox by the Philosophers of Athens Act. 17.18 He believed God with an implicite faith in whatsoever was written in the Scriptures Or if we take Truth as it respects the heart or for sincerity which indeed adds worth to all other Graces they being as Diamonds exceeding precious if true good for little if false and this is the fruit of Faith as Faith purifies the heart and as by faith we set God before us Heb. 11.27 there being no greater motive to sincerity than a sence of the presence of God Gen. 17.1 So for Righteousness if we understand it of the imputed righteousness of Christ for Justification this is a Brest-plate â—ensing the heart and conscience against the darts of Satan Rom. 8.33 though we have many wounds in other parts of the body if the heart be found we may recover but a stab there kills So if the conscience be untouched we may be able to sustain other infirmities Prov. 18.14 And this I have before proved to be the fruit of Faith and shewed how Faith improves it in urging the Promises if we hereby understand inherent righteousness this is also a Brest-plate Ps 25.20 Pro. 13.6 2 Cor. 1.12 Nil conscire sibi c. is as a brazen wall to a man Hor. Epist So Job cap. 31. having made a large profession of his own integrity ver 35. faith if his Adversary should write a book against him he would bind it to him as a Crown and he would go boldly to him and not be afraid to declare to him the number of his steps that is to give him a particular account of his whole life And this I have also proved to be a fruit of Faith And whatever is meant by the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel if it be such furniture as the Gospel prepares this is of no use to us without Faith as I have before shewed Chap. 5. where I have also said enough to prove that it is by Faith that we weild the Sword of the Spirit which our Saviour made so much use of in his encounter with Satan Mat. 4. That by the Helmet of Salvation is meant hope is plain from 1 Thes 5.8 and whether it be called an Helmet because it chiefly preserves the head securing us against errour as one thinks Templer on Jude 3. p. 11. Or take it in a larger sence I have before shewed that Hope necessarily supposes Faith the work of Hope being to expect the accomplishment of the Promise which Faith believes And Prayer which the Apostle commends as a general means for the use of our spiritual armour cannot be rightly performed without Faith so that our spirituall combate may well be called The fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 seeing it is by Faith that it is wholly managed CHAP. X. The evil effects of sore afflictions where Faith doth not help to bear them Faith looks to the Author cause ends of affliction Good thoughts of God a great help to bear affliction Three ends thereof Deut. 8.16 Why outward troubles are oft accompanied with inward Faith sees all in God in affliction Assurance not necessary to comfort Believers more then Conquerours in affliction Col. 1.11 opened Recumbency the most noble Act of Faith The advantage of Believers above others in affliction The Conclusion ALthough afflictions are in a proper sence called temptations yet it will be requisite to consider them by themselves and to shew the use of Faith therein both for bearing them and improving them Afflictions if they be sore and heavy are as I have beforesaid a shadow of death by reason whereof a Christian is many times ready to faint Heb. 12.5 yea to charge God foolishly as if he would at last cast us off 1 Sam. 27.1 yea as if he had already cast us off Psal 31.32 Isa 49.14 yea as if he took pleasure or it did him good to grieve and afflict his own children Job 10.3 and which is more sad when they press hard our feet are ready somtimes to slip we almost repent of our repentance and think we have cleansed our hearts in vain Psal 73.2 13. So that God is fain to take off his rod lest we should be tempted to put forth our hand to iniquity Psal 125.3 But though we be as dying yet by Faith behold we live 2 Cor. 6.9 First Faith looks to the Author of our affliction seeth the invisible hand which inflicts and moderates them Heb. 11.27 while Sence looks only at the Instrument thereof Now this doth much quiet the soul under affliction as Eli said 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And Job though the Chaldeans and Sabeans had spoyled him and taken away his goods ascribes it to God as the righteous permitter and wise orderer of it Job 1.21 When Attila King of the Hunns came into France Lupus Bishop of Troyes met him and asked him who he was that so spoyled and made such devastations in the earth He answered Dei se esse flagellum He was the Scourge of God Whereupon Lupus commanded the City Gates to be opened to him and welcomed him with these words Fauste ingrediatur flagellum Dei Magdeburg Cent. 5. cap. 10. While the rod is in Gods hand there is no danger he is a wise God and cannot be overseen a strong mighty God who can rule the rod in his own hand Isa 10.15 A righteous God and can do us no wrong Jer. 12.1 and will not give man advantage against him so as to enter in o judgement with him Job 34.22 He is a good God who doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 and so will be sure to lay on no more than need requires 1 Pet. 1.6 Secondly Faith looks to the cause of our affliction Sence is ready to quarrel with God as if he took pleasure to afflict Job 10.3 as if he took us for his enemies and set us up for his mark to spend all the Arrows of his displeasure upon us Job 13.24 Chap. 16.12 but by Faith we may see through these clouds Isa 8.17 and stay our selves on God though we walk in darkness and see no light Isa 50.10 Job when he had recovered himself and had found his faith would not let his hold go of God though he should kill him Job 13.15 Yea Faith can see love and
out of it So while Paul preached the heart of Lydia was opened Acts 16.14 And for this cause the ministration of the Gospel is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Not that the spirit doth accompany the Word allwayes so as to make it effectual it did not so when Christ himself preached John 12.37 nor when Paul preached whom Austine desired so much to hear then some believ'd and some believed not Act. 28.24 but it works in subordination to Gods Election bringing home all such as are ordained to eternal life Act. 13.48 Now by Hearing the Word I mean with Dr. Ames Quaelibet praeceptio sermonum Dei sive praedicatione sive electione sive alia quaecunque ratione communicentur receiving the Word by preaching or reading or any other way Such words of sense signifying any way of perceiving a thing wherefore seeing is applyed to sounds Exod. 20.18 Revel 1.12 The Word of God was wont to be read formerly both publiquely and privately Of the publike reading of it we may see Nehem. 8.3 Acts 13.27 chap. 15.21 they read part of it in the Synagogue every Sabbath day and that they read it privately is plain from our Saviour's appealing so oft to their own reading Have you never read c. Mat. 12.3 5. chap. 19.4 21.16.22.31 and from their searching the Scriptures John 5.39 whether we understand that indicatively affirming what they did or imparatively commanding what they should do they were thereby inabled to judge the better of what they heard Act. 17.11 but this was not enough but they must have an Interpreter that they might understand what they read Act. 8.30 They not only read distinctly in the Law but gave the sense and caused the people to understand it Nehem. 8.7 8. yea they applyed it by exhortation c. Acts 13.15 Luke 4.18 And if it be said However this is necessary that the Scripture should be explained and applyed yet Preaching is not now necessary because we have expositions and Sermons now to read in greater plenty than formerly when there were no books but such as men wrote out I answer Would to God men would read them more and that they would but spend their spare hours therein which they spend idly or sinfully but let not this make us less esteem the hearing of the word preached for though reading may conduce more to the information of the judgment yet Preaching with a lively voice doth more excite the affections and further the successe of the Gospel is according as the Lord gives to every man 1 Cor. 3.5 and experience hath told us with what successe God hath blessed the preaching of the Gospel See the Letter of Archb. Grindall to Queen Elizabeth in Fullers History B. 9 p. 124 125. Though I had rather men should be instructed by the Homilies which were formerly read in the Church than by many mens Sermons And I believe God hath blessed them to the good of soules where there hath been want of able and godly Preachers yet God forbid that these should ever thrust out Preaching where such Preachers are not wanting He that desires to be more fully satisfied concerning these things may peruse Master Hooker's Eccl. Polit. l. 5. S. 21 22. and Mr. Hieron's Preachers Plea where these things are solidly and soberly debated I come now to shew how it is by Faith that the Word becomes effectual to our spiritual life The Apostle Heb. 4.2 tells us that the Word preached did not profit the Israelites because it was not mixed with Faith in them that heard it As to make the seed fruitfull in the earth there is required some moisture whereby it may be as it were incorporated with the earth and receive of the vertue and fatness of it for it will not grow if it lie under a dry and hard clod so Faith is necessary for ingrafting the Word into the soul wherefore it is the power of God to the Salvation of every one which believeth Rom. 1.16 And for the clear proof hereof I shall shew you how variously Faith acteth upon the severall parts of the Word of God There are in the Word 1. some things affirmed and that either Doctrinally or Historically these Faith assents to 2. Some things are commanded these Faith submits to 3. These Commands are enforced by Promises these Faith embraces and relies upon 4. These Commands are also enforced by threatnings these Faith stands in awe of First Faith assents to the truth of whatsoever the Word of God affirmes John 3.33 He that believes sets to his seal that God is true And 1. in the Historicall part of the Word particularly concerning the Creation it is said Heb. 11. by Faith we believe that the worlds were created by the Word of God c. If it be objected That this is a thing may be known and demonstrated by reason and therefore is not an object of Faith I answer First it is not to be taken for granted that the same thing cannot be the object both of Faith and Knowledge vide Baronium de fide Art 4.2 Though the Creation should be demonstrated by reason yet that it was made by the Word of God and that it was not made of things that do appear is the object of Faith as appears by the strange conceits which many of the wisest Philosophers had of it So for the Doctrines of the Scripture as of the Trinity and personal Union of the two Natures of Christ imputed righteousness the Resurrection c. Faith believe with reason against reason as it is said to believe the Promise in hope against hope that is though reason be not able to comprehend how these things should be at least some of them yet that they are we have reason enough to believe because God that cannot lie hath said it and though we know not how they should be God doth and this would be greater arrogancy in us to deny than if some rude ignorant fellow should face down a Mathematician that a starr is no bigger than the palme of his hand or the Sun than his cart-wheel or if there be any Antipodes they must needs go with their heads downward Now the Word is of great use to us in respect of these things which Faith believes The Apostle being to shew the great use and vertue of faith begins with this act of it whereby we believe the Creation of the world supposing that nothing will be too hard for a believers faith seeing as Amyrald in his Paraphrase on the place observes although the things that we believe do not yet appear this hinders not but we may have full assurance of their future existence seeing the same power of God which created the world of nothing may give beeing to whatsoever we believe when it seems good to him and we shall observe that frequently in Scripture God doth support the Faith of his people with this consideration of his creating heaven and earth Isa 40.28 and 51.13 and herewith David
Bellarmine's Controversies or Gregory de Valentia in any shop in Italy because these men do fairly lay down the Arguments of their Adversaries When Vergerius he that we read so much of in the Story of Spâ—â—â— came to read the Writings of the Lutherans with an intent to confute them that he might vindicate himself from the suspicion of favouring their cause which had hindered his preferment he was so borne down with the force of truth in them that he became a Lutheran indeed which he was only suspected to be before The like is reported concerning Pighius Some have observed that the same word in the Hebrew signifieth the ears and a pair of ballances Implying that we should weigh things with both ears before we judge Yet I would not here perswade any to the Sceptick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to suspend their judgement till they hear every thing which can be said on both sides or rather because they think when matters seem to be cast one way something may possibly be said on the other side to praeponderate Neither do I think it necessary or possible for every one to examine whatever is said or written pro and con in every point We may believe many truths which we cannot answer all objections against and there are many opinions which are not fit to be candidates or probationers to stand for a place in mens minds only that which I would perswade men to is a due pondering of such things as have a probability of truth according to their capacities or opportunities and advantages that what they believe they may believe upon good grounds and with due moderation towards others that so they may not change their opinion as they change their company and be of the same mind with every one which they hear or read maintain any thing with a few fair plausible words And that they may not â—ail or at least wonder at every one that is not of their judgement thinking they must needs be either stupidly ignorant or self-condemned It is obvious to every considering man that those that are most ignorant and unstudied are most confident and censorious qui pauca considerat facilè pronunciat When those that hear what both sides have to say though their judgments are not born down with the force of their adversaries arguments yet they may see so much in them as may induce them to think that they differ conscientiously and are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wilfully blind Secondly Let us take heed upon what grounds we judge any thing to be either true or false because many things stand upon the same foundation and upon the same ground that we admit or refuse one thing we may admit or refuse many others 2 Thes 2.2 The Apostle beseeches the Thessalonians that they be not soon shaken in their mind or troubled either by Word or Spirit or Letter as from them the particular thing whereof he warns them had no great evill in it but he was afraid of the means whereby they went about to seduce them ver 3. Let no man deceive you by any means If they did by these means perswade them to this they might by the same means perswade them to things of more dangerous consequence if any should endeavour to impose upon us some harmeless opinion and to perswade hereto tell us it was revealed to him or given in to him of God if we believe him upon this ground he may as easily press upon us the foulest errours if we admit any thing upon Apostolical tradition how do we know what may be obtruded upon us under that pretence Many urge their opinions upon us because they are in so many words in Scripture if this be sufficient to draw us to their beliefs we may as well believe that God hath hands and eyes and ears and so turn Anthropomorphites or almost any thing So others cry out when we would commend some truths to them as the Macedonians of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where do you find any such thing in the Scripture Shew me it in so many words tell not me of inferences and consequences when if they will reject any thing upon this ground they may reject the Scripture it self Doubtless There are many among the Papists wiser men than to believe many of the dotages of the Church of Rome but that admitting things upon the Authority of the Church whatever is recommended to them thereby that is by the Pope or a Council must be believed how repugnant soever it be either to sense or reason Thirdly Let us take heed of depending upon the authority of men however eminent for Learning and Godliness these indeed have a great advantage for finding out Truth and they may be of much use to us for informing us thereof but it is one thing to teach and another thing to dictate Debetur consulenti reverentia cum non debetur fides affirmanti If a man tell me what he believes and upon what ground he believes it if his ground be an in artificial Argument or if it be a clear divine testimony he makes his own knowledge mine and I know it as well as he but if a man dictate a thing only to me and tell me it is truth I must not believe it presently because he saith it And though we are to have a reverent esteem of the judgment of those that are learned and godly yet it is no sin for us to suspend our assent thereto till we see more reason for it than meerly because it is their judgement for God doth many times leave such men for our trial Deut. 13.1 c. and the devill makes choice of such Instruments for his own credit quarit diabolus ab iis ornari as one saith and he could get even into Peter Mat. 16.23 The Man of God 1 King 13.7 withstood the offer of Jeroboam but was seduced by the old Prophet ver 18. Those that have not been prevailed with by all the Arguments of learned men have been easily misled by such as have been of great esteem for godliness How much hurt was done by Tertullian and Origen men famous for Learning and Piety we may see in Vincentius Lerinensis c. 23 24. So Priscillian being a man of quick parts great reading much fluency of speech of a noble family free from covetousness yet as free from lavish profuseness drew multitudes of all sorts after him Sulpitius Severus Lib. 2. And as for learned men it is true which one observes of them that they ordinarily judge of the truth and waies of God according to that kind of Learning which they most excell in reducing every thing to the trial of that which they addict themselves to the study of like the Musician that being asked what the soul was defined it Harmony So amongst those that addict themselves to the search of Antiquity many times that complaint of Tertullian is true De
wrong judgement of what is to be desired and avoided the cause of all vices and evils when men have not judgement to approve the things that are more excellent Phil. 1.10 that so they may value every thing according to its reall worth Mr. Perkins makes those words Mat. 6.22 to be an answer to an objection which might arise from what went before the reason why so few lay up a treasure in heaven is they want understanding to discern things that differ As our esteem is of any thing so will our affections be towards it Our heart will be where our treasure is Mat. 6.21 that is where the things which we account our treasure or set greatest store by are A very ingenuous Author Monlin of a peace and contentment of mind makes the right Government of Passions to depend on right opinion The great errour saith he pag. 207 of the understanding which makes the passion to apply it self to an evill object or to a good object otherwise than it should is a mistake in the true price and true inconvenience of things which being once well known we shall abate much of our desire and fear of most things which we seek or avoid with great earnestness and shall become earnest to get other things vvhich vve neglect and to avoid other things vvhich vve desire And as our affections so our endeavours are guided by the opinion vvhich vve have of things The Merchant vvhen he hath found a treasure or Pearl vvhich he sets a great price upon sells all he hath to purchase it and runs per mare per terras by sea and land to get it Mat. 13.44 46. So that it is a true observation of one that there is no errour more dangerous though it be common than to think that true happiness consists in honour pleasure and riches Ceriziers la consolation de la Theologie l. 5. Now that we may judge aright of things First Let us not judge according to the appearance the shew of things for the most part deceives us those things that are of least value being most taking and those things most affrighting which have little or no evill in them How doth the pomp and splendour of the World Riches and Honours and Pleasures dazle the eyes and attract the desires of most men in the World When they prove but vanity and vexation of spirit for the most part failing mens expectations of worldly comfort and contentment and often proving the ruine of their souls And how do men abhor from that which is displeasing to Nature Flying from it as from a Serpent as Moses did from his Rod while it lay on the ground which when he had taken it up proved that Rod whereby he wrought his miracles in Egypt at the Red Sea in the Wilderness Exod. 4.3 So we flee from the Cross when it lies before us but if we take it up Mat. 16.24 it is of much use in overcoming our spiritual enemies and it is spiritually true of every Believer which is spoken Mark 16.18 They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them but do them Good Heb. 12.11 Non hominibus tantum sed rebus persona demenda est reddenda sua facies Seneca Ep. 24. Let us take off the vizards not only from persons but from things and they will not be so dreadful as they appear vid. Lipsi de constantia lib. 2. c. 19. Secondly Let us be guided in our judgment of things by the judgment of God Those things that are highly esteemed amongst men are many times an abomination to God Luke 16.15 We in our folly many times rejoyce in a thing of nought desire that which would undo us are afraid of our mercies Methinks God stands by his children when he is giving them the cup of affliction to drink of as a father by his childe when he is giving him a bitter potion oh saith the childe I cannot endure to drink it it is so bitter oh it will make me sick oh I shall saint fear not saith he I will not leave thee I will stand by thee be not afraid I will hold thee How do we shrink at the thoughts of any affliction and think we shall never be able to bear it or to hold out under it Fear not saith God I will hold thy right hand I will help thee thou art mine I am with thee I am thy God Isa 41.13 14.43.1 2 3 4 5. And observe how on the other hand the Scripture vilifies the greatest and most desirable things of this world making them next unto nothing yea nothing and appropriates reality substance truth worth and excellency of being unto the things of the world to come See J. Goodwins Catabaptisme Admonit S. 20. Thirdly Let us follow the judgment of the wisest men and those that are most fit to judge as he to whom God gave wisdome so as there was none like him before him or after him 1 Kings 3.12 Ecclesiast 12.8 having made his Demonstration at large he resumes his Conclusion quod erat demonstrandum vanity of vanities all is vanity consult Paul a man who had the spirit of God and so was fit to judge 1 Cor. 7.40 he accounts all things but dung in comparison with the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Phil. 3.8 consult the wisest heathens and the wiser they were the nearer they came to Christianity and the more they contemned the things of the world Consult men on their sick beds or when they are bound in fetters and held in the cords of affliction Job 36.8 and so are brought to themselves Luke 15.17 and become sanae mentis as mad men that by hard usage and slender diet and being kept bound are brought to their wits these will judg otherwise of the world than they did before yea take dying men whose soules begin to peep out of this dark prison and see some light how are their judgments alterr'd how do they mourn at last and bewail their own former foolish choice Prov. 5.11 12. Lastly Let us judge according to reason quitting our selves like men 1 Corinth 16.13 and not like beasts that minde only what sense gives them notice of That is the use which we ordinarily make of reason to correct the errors of sense else we should never sowe to bury our seed under a clod We should never take Physick nor do many other things which are common amongst men Let us examine what conduces most to our chief end this made the Philosophers run into so many Opinions about the Summum bonum or Mans chief happinesse this fell first under their consideration because Finis dat bonitatem amabilitatem mediis they could judge nothing concerning other things till they had determined something concerning the chief end of man every thing else being to be judged according to the tendency that it hath thereto Reason tels us quod diuturnius praestantius that is best which is most durable 2 Cor. 4.18 things that are not seen are eternal these things that are seen but temporal Reason tels us that the more comprehensive any good is the better it is and God is an all sufficient good Gen. 17.1 Cur ergo per multa vagamur quarendo bona corporis animae c. Aug. Med. cap. 18. We weary our selves in seeking several pieces of happinesse as they are scattered among the creatures when we might in God finde them altogether And it is a matter of greatest astonishment that men should be so farre forsaken of reason as to preferre broken cisterns which will hold no water before the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.12 13. and that when in other things we are impatient of being deceived by others we willingly permit Satan for the pleasures of sin which are but for a moment to cheat us of those pleasures which are at Gods right hand for evermore FINIS Errata Page 71. line 7. read perceptio l. 8. r lectione l. 9. r. quacunque p. 107. r. on some p. 160 l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 167. l. 24. r. pabulo p. 43. l. 24. r. allay p. 67. l. 7. blot out in l. 10. r. solutionem There are several other literal faults and mispointings bu◠such as will not much hinder the Reader