daily vveaknes vvhich doth dint and bruise this breast plate there must bee sorrovv and humble confession of sinne vvith seeking pardon this doth beat it forth agâ—ine vnderline it that it is as seruiceable to vs as euer Forgiue vs vvee say daily our trespasses for our righteousnes is rather in purpose then performance rather in confession of imperfection then in any perfection vvee can attaine Secondly for the vse of this it is daily or more extraordinary the daily vse is this that vvhen the diuell doth tempt vs to sin if the breast be couered with this purpose not to offend then his suggestions will fall downe like paper-shot and shall not pearce vs. How can I doo this great wickednesse and so sinne against God The more extraordinary when men shal load vs with preiudicate opinions condemning vs this will beare it off I know nothing by my selfe I care not for mans iudgement 1. Cor. 4.3 As touching mee I passe very little to bee iudged by you When the divell telleth vs Thou art not elected thou hast no faith thou art not sanctified all doth come before the tribunall of righteousnes this confirmeth to vs our election 2. Pet. 1.10 Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure This assureth vs that vvee are iust our sinnes forgiuen and vvee sanctified Iohn 3.7 He that doth righteousnes is righteous The more beneficiall it is the more studious Satan is to disarme vs of it First therefore the Diuell will keep vs from getting this in this manner Ob. 1 What doe you betake you to such care of your life God is mercifull Christ hath dyed to redeem you hee vvill not lose what hee hath bought so deare Answ Ans God is mercifull to them that feare him Christ redeemeth those whom hee sanctifieth to be a peculiar people vnto him zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquity and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes If wee will haue some kinde of righteousnes hee will perswade vs to such a kinde of breast-plate as is not of a right metall Ob. 2 that is a generall profession and an honest carriage in this manner Though it were requisite you should haue all righteousnesse yet what nedeth all this adoe God spareth you as a father spareth his children All the people of God are holy it is not for righteousnesse you shall be saued Answ Ans Wee must haue sound righteousnesse and endeuour of perfection If your righteousnesse exceed not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.20 Though Israel bee as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant only shall be saued Not all that say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen Rom. 11. Mat. 7. Bee yee perfect as your Father in heauen is perfect Mat. 6.2 Desire and endeauour to follow after it 3. If wee vvill enter it hee will breake vs off by difficulties discomforts distractions and make vs yeeld our weapon as wearie But heere the power of Christ the authour and finisher of faith the beginner perfecter of his owne good work doth carry vs on and the seed of God is of such force that it will not let vs fall to sinning Secondly the conscience of Gods commandement on one hand and the comfort of his acceptance on the other side do encourage vs so that this assault is frustrate 4. He sheweth himselfe a Diuell indeed and by aggrauating our imperfections will offer to wrest from vs the testimonie of a good conscience in this wise Gods eye is too pure to beholde any euill thou shouldest loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. But thy best deeds haue beâ—n sprinkled with filthinesse thy owne conscience hath condemned thee in them God is greater then thy conscience The answer is by getting a sound knowledge how farre vvee are to stand vpon the righteousnesse of our courses of which mark these things First wee doe not account of it as able to abide the tryall of iustice or to stand for our full righteousnesse before God This wee account is drosse and dung these things may dismay a Papist they cannot â—ismay vs. 2. We place the strength of our righteousnesse in two things 1. That it doth testifie of our true faith for a worke good in aâ—y measure doth argue a heart good in som measure for you cannot haue a figge of a thistle now a heart in any measure good doth argue a true faith for that only can purifie the heart 2. In this that wee know they are pleasing vnto our God not that they can endure the tryall of his iustice in themselues but because faâ—th on Christ doth couer their imperfections and therefore are iustly accepted thorough grace when the defect is couered they being not so much ours as the worke of the spirit Colos 1.11 strengthened with all might through his power vnto all patience c. the wants set aside Now wee shall strongly holde this part of our armour if we exercise these things 1. Labor to giue obedience of faith in the least things for there must be precisenesse in keeping Gods coÌ„mandements we must count nothing little that he commandeth Salomon will haue vs keepe his precepts as the sight of our eye Pro. 7.2 And little sinnes liued in will make way to greater Men growe from stealing pinnes to points from points to pounds 2. Wee must renew dayly a sorrow for our ordinary and smaller offences for though it bee the weakenesse of the stomack that is able to beare with nothing that is a little offensiue to it yet it is a blessed frame of the soule when it cannot digest the least sinne but is ready to turne at it 3. Wee must think what secure and comfortable courses wee haue while we keep this purpose and practice of a good conscience and what a bitternesse it is when wee haue our consciences accusing for any more grieuous sweruing the best is when it commeth home by weeping crosse but how wofull is the state of the soule till repentance be giuen For as a stomack surcharged which hath neither vent vpward nor downward so is a soule clogged with guilt but wanting repentance Now then to speake to the doctrine we that are Christians must all labour to strengthen our selues with the testimony of a good conscience and a righteous coÌ„uersation Thus Hezechiah vvalked dooing that which was good in the sight of God neither turning on right hand nor left from all that God had commanded Thus Zacharie and Elizabeth walked Lu. 1.6 But we haue Paul by precept and practice teaching the point Phil. 4.8 Furthermore brethren what soeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure c. thinke on these things And we may see first how his conscience did not accuse him for time present 1. Cor. 4.3 As touching
out of Gods mouth He will with a shew of zeale fetch vs off to murther Luk. 9.54 Hee did the disciples and thus hee beguileth such who will reform without authority and the Brownists who beguiled with a false spirit of zeale make separation so by perswading prouidence hee doth fill the heart with couetousnesse so by perswading perfection hee foileth in will-worship so these doctrins of Diuels forbidding meates mariage religiously are broached vnder pretence of chastity abstinence invocation of Angels and doubting vnder pretence of humility Col. 2. and vnwritten truths with curious questions vnder pretence of profound learning such like doctrine Reuel 2.24 so stiled is called therefore the depth of Satan 4. By disswading that which is truely good as if it were a vice thus repenting and leading new liues and taking vp the orders of God this is new-fanglenes and leuity thus doing any dutie that is not so generally receiued it is disswaded as singularity and pride thus zeale is madnesse as in Christs practice censured Mar. 3.21 And Paul vvas thought to be mad through much learning thus the lawfull remedy is calumniated as vncleannesse depending on Gods providence is counted tempting him as in that example of Ahaz Esay 7.12 Particular faith is pride c. And thus he doth sette fine colours on foule cloathes and like an Angel of light doth beguile vs. 3. Hee taketh on him the person of Saints departed as apparitions for the confirmation of erronious doctrines do fully assure vs. The second lesse apparant action is his dâ—ssembling of his strength somtime eleuating lessening his power as wheÌ„ our Lord hath foyled him in vs hee will make vs if he vvere easily withstood that vvee might after a sort command him that then wee might wex secure and bee betrayed 2. By dissembled flight like the stratagem vsed Ios 7. Iud. 20. Hee will seeme as fled but then hee playeth the Parthian hee fighteth most dangerously Thus many that haue beene prodigall giuen to women are grown better husbands and become new men the Diuell seemeth to bee fled but if they be not new creatures indeede having new hearts hungring after righteousnesse and the knowledge of God in Christ the Diuell hath them farre surer then before So in Saul when the evil spirit came vpon him when Dauid played the Diuell seemed to be gone but alas nothing lesse So some haue bin troubled in conscience and they haue skinned all ouer in their manner all is quiet now but let them beware for if they haue not met with the right cure the Diuell by lying still and dissembling flight will make them secure to their destruction Now vvee cannot finde them out better then by considering of warlike stratagems to one whereof the holy Ghost here hath reference Novv these are diuided into three bands for they are either in prying out or in concealement or in matter of attempt For the first the diuell doth pry into vs and knovveth vs but too vvell hee is named from knovvledge yea he hath his intelligences froÌ„ every look gesture affection that vve may say as Aram did We can doo nothing in our bed-chamber but he vnderstandeth it 2. Kings 2.11.12 Secondly for concealement he is as subtill to finde vs out as to hide himselfe and therefore carrieth his matters so that the most are murderd by him before they vvist who hurt them being like the Fox vvho entereth fetching leaps into her hole that one may not bee able to trace her to her den she lieth in which will appear more in his more apparent practices His more apparent practices are these First his ambushment and this word doth note a stratagem vsed by the Israelites against Ai this is the noted course of the divell that hee shall bite at the heele and come vpon vs behinde our backe as it were Thus somtime he tempteth vs to grosse neglect of our duty or the contrary but he commeth vpon vs stealing with indevotion or eying man in the performaÌ„ce of duty seeking to corrupt the manner or intention but these things not taking place hee hath lying in ambush pride and security with which after performing any good duty we are ready to be overtaken A second stratagem to restraine course of victuall from the besieged or to take away weapons from the enemy the one practiced against Samaria the other by the Pstilistims against Israel 1. Sam. 13.19 Now this is the attempt of Satan against vs to famish vs if it were possible for now at a sermon the milk bread and meat of our soules is dealt forth by Gods Steward but hovv many doth the divell keep from tasting one mouth ful som vanish in waÌ„dring thoughts some sit like pillars some if they bee held too long or haue it not trimly dished forth fall out vvith their meat and vvill none so many vvorthy communicants hee maketh afraid to touch the sacrament vncomfortable performance indispositions so trouble them So he doth labour nothing more then to vvring our vveapons out of our hands as praier vvhat a deal of discomfort doe vvee knovve in it such svvarms of thoughts impertinent such mists such losse of all comfortable sense But the divell knovveth that a praier preferred in the obedience of faith though out of the deeps of death and spirituall thraldome is tvvice acceptable but his drift is to make vs lay aside praier So faith vvhat is the matter that renevving our faith vvee haue some trial presently that shaketh vs more then euer The matter the divell aimeth at is to make vs by such continuall foiles after renuing our faith bee vveary of this and so cast our shield from vs. A third stratagem in enemies is to get the contrary forces out of their hould or to disorder their march and battell array Ios 7. Iud. 20. Novv this is the diuels politicke practice for our wal mount is first our belief in the word of promise and threatning of God if vve sin 2. Our constant course in good exercises Novv the divel vvil dravv vs from these as those in Mal. 3.14 vvho vvere brought to say It is in vain to serue the Lord as Evah the divell brought her to make a peraduenture of death that vvas so peremtorily threatned then stabbed her deadly So Dauid vvas vvont to pray thrice a day and take times for such devotions but the diuel as it is probable in 2. Sam. 11.2 had caused him to com from his trench and then did presently vvound him The fourth stratagem is Spreading of false terrors Iud. 7. Gedcon vvith a frightfull shovve did so astonish the enemy that they turned one against the other thus the diuell doth often marshal many causelesse terrors as he makes others presume vvhen they should tremble Hence it commeth that hee maketh Gods dear christian children be sometime troubled with fear vvhether they are in the fauour of GOD vvhether they euer had true grace vvhether they haue not sinned against the holy Ghost So in particular actions if
Faith therefore is called our victory 1. Iohn 5.4 This is the victory that ouercometh the world euen our faith Now then to consider of the seuerall parts as they be in order First he saith Stand beeing girded about with the girdle of truth For the maner of proceeding before we proceed to the doctrines and word of exhortation we will seek out foure things first what is meant by euery one secondly what is the vse of it thirdly how the diuell doth labour to disarme vs of it fourthly how we may hold our owne against him The girdle of truth then cometh first Now truth somtime signifieth the doctrine of truth Iohn 17.17 But that it cannot heere signifie the sword of the spirit beeing thus to bee considered Truth therefore heere is soundnesse which is alwaies accompanied with constancie For which cause the Hebrewes doe in one word signifie both For the second this girdle hath three vses First it doth adorn vs for this was the vse of the Studded belt which the souldiers did weare to hide the gaping ioynts of their armour which would haue been vnseemely and nothing doth adorne a soule more then vprightnesse as our Sauiour commending Nathanael gaue out this speech of him Beholde a true Israelite in whom there is no guile Iohn 1.47 Secondly a girdle doth tie other cloathes about vs close to vs which otherwise the winde would blowe about and would hang but loose vpon vs so this girdle of truth doth containe and holde together all other graces wherewith the soule is arrayed and without truth to keepe them together in time all of them are borne away with winds of temptation Mat. 13.20.21 That grace that was not knit together with honesty of heart came to nothing in the end as appears in the Parable Thirdly a girdle trussing vp the loynes of a man moderately doth strengthen a man whence is the exhortation so often vsed of girding vp the loynes so this grace addeth great strength to the inner man as wee may see in Iob who when God seemed and men did fight against him when heauen earth seemed to conspire against him yet this did stick by him Chap. 27.5 Vntill I die I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe Now the works of it are exercised in our daily course or in the evill times of greater exercise then ordinary Dayly it doth make vs strike at the roots of hypocrisie we discerne in vs and resist the temptations of the Diuell which tend to make vs corrupt our actioÌ„s in their end or manner of peâ—formance but especially it doth strengthen vs in the euil time wheÌ„ the Diuell shall bee ready to bear vs down that we haue been but hypocrites Now for the third thing The Didoth by foure meanes especially seeks to wipe vs of this girdle He will from the example of others Ob. reason thus Such such as Iudas haue had greater things then you and gone further then you yet they were but hypocrites How canst thou tell is it otherwise with thee Many first are last c. Answ Wee must auoide this obiection Ans by learning to distinguish true constant grace from fained and and temporary which is fitly done by these two differences First the wicked haue streames of graces often but they haue no communion with Christ as the godly haue and therefore their graces wither when heate commeth Ephes 3.17 It is a true liuing faith that maketh Christ to dwell in the heart and this is the cause why our grace lasteth as wee finde by dayly experience ebbes And this water runneth exceedng lowe yet hauing the well-head in vs and renewing our faith on him the quickning Spirit riuers doe afresh runne out of our bellies and the current of grace as high as before The temporiser though he haue a streame of grace yet wanting the fouÌ„tain to feed it it must needs dry away as those streames or ponds which haue no spring nor head of water to maintaine them cannot continue Secondly these hypocrites receiue the grace they haue retayning some notorious sinne or course in lesser euils wherein they hate reformation as Herod Mat. 8. Now this maketh grace it cannot be held with them For as a stomack ill affected thorough choler though neuer so wholesom meats bee receiued into it yet it cannot holde them but is prouoked to cast so where there is this obstruction of the soule the wilfull loue of any sinfull course whatsoeuer grace is receiued into the heart it will not let it rest but maketh the soule cast it vp vpon all occasions Secondly the Diuell will from our vnsound performance of duties thus reason against vs Ob. 2 Thou knowest thou hast often looked more at man then God and hast propouÌ„ded indirect means when thou shouldest haue eyed his glory onely therefore thou hast not this truth Answ Ans We must distinguish of hypocrisie as of other sinnes for as sinne is raigning or not so is hypocrisie Now there may be this not raigning hypocrisie in the hearts and consciences of Gods people Dauid Psal 31. when hee said Blessed is hee in whose spirit there is no guile did take him selfe tardy in this evill and Bradford with other of those most holy Martyrs doe much seeke pardon of hypocrisie and carnall gospelling but no sinne that raigneth not must discourage vs. Quest How may we know it raigneth not Answ Answ If we haue purpose against it Secondly if we haue griefe for it Thirdly if we seeke for strength against it Ob. Thirdly the Diuell will through crosses wee beare and from the preiudicate opinion of other men beare vs downe that vvee are not sound hearted Answ Ans The book of Iob is but a canuase about this where it is determined that no calamities can proue a man an hypocrite nor no opinion of men though wise and holy The selfe same thing befalleth him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath Eccl s 9 1 2. Laâ—tly the Diuell will labour to foist in this leauen of hypocrisie in our dayly course that thus by little little hee may picke this good seâ—d of righteousnesse out of our hearts Here our resistance is to holde vs to our owne and pray to God to rebuke him And this way is made for the fourth question How we may keepe this truth First by considering the woefull curse that belongeth to the contrary For God detesteth nothing so as hypocrisie and abhorreth those duties that are not done to him in soundnesse 2. The blessednesse of it Blessed is hee whose heart is vpright Psal 119. it is the delight of God and hither belong all the vses aboue named 3. In our coÌ„mon daily duties to labour this 1. To performe them with our heart 2. As in the sight of God 3. To his glorie for this will make the grace of truth to be deepely rooted in vs. Now theÌ„ for the Doctrin Doct. and Vse this is it that wee are taught That we must get vprightnesse of
heart for the strengthning of vs. Luke 12.35 Let your loynes also be girded about 1. Pet. 1.13 Gird vp the loynes of your minde Now this is the chief girdle that adorneth vs keepes all our cloathes together strengthens the loins of vs thus Dauid girded him selfe I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house Psal 101. 2. King 20.3 Hezekiah 2. Cor. 1.12 For our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world and most of all to you wards and it must not bee a naturall truth which may cause men to hate halting with their own knowledge but hath a fruit of the spirit such as must make vs not only look to the outward dutie but to the invvard performance of it such as must make vs seeke to glorifie God Vse 1 Therefore such as walke onely giving their outward man in an outward coÌ„formity to God they bee counterfeits and slippes in religion such as whose righteousnesse commeth like a tertian Ague is as a morning deaw these are vvithout this girdle and a man may bee bolde to say here as to childreÌ„ Not girt not blessed but many that haue girdles yet keep them sluttishly who are here likewise to bee reprooued and fewe of vs can wash our hands we being all hollow peeces if due examination be taken Consider but these foure things and you shall bee better able to ferret out the guile of your spirits First how carelesse vve are of the spirituall action in those things we perform as in praier To the spiritual doing of this dutie is required first preparation or keeping the heart fit for it 2. A deuout inward desire groaning to God 3. An awayting after we haue done to see how God answereth vs. But who doth not lightly passe ouer these duties which is no better then a vviping the out side of the dish not looking to that vvithin 2. Mark that in resistance of sin we more are sorry deale against this or that branch of corruption which shooteth out to our disgrace theÌ„ against the root it selfe Now Rom. 7. in Paul we see the law of euil which did dwell within him was his principall matter of conflict 3. Marke the course of our affections and wee shall see how vnsound wee are towards God If a thing touch our selues our blood will quickly be in our nails if a man doe knowe this or that by vs amisse it is grieuous the shame of it much vpbraids vs but things that offend God and vvhich vve knovve hee seeth amisse in vs vve can let these passe nothing affected a signe our loue to him is not so sound our feare of him and desire of praise vvith him not so vnfained Lastly let vs obserue how frequently our actions are corrupted As sometime wee vndertake to deale for some that speaketh to vs but doo it without any hearty well-wishing to him sometime not sticking to say to our friend I must speake to you for fashion but doo as you please wee visit sicke ones but not stirring vp our bowels of mercy wee speake a great many phrases of course our conscience telling vs it is otherwise So is our behaviour wee make a semblance of reverence but how far it is from the heart this may testifie that we can absent from the parties vse their names proverbially we shal not haue such a one breake into sinister suspicions as if the fift sixt commandements were blankes with vs. So in fruits of loue wee can do this party good sometime but it is to keepe another vnder who would else sprout forth so far that his shade would dimme our lights as I will doo for such a one they knowe good behauiours they will do their homage such a one will thanke mee for it I am sure it will not bee giuen cleane away In leaving sin many leaue it not because they hate it as sin but it hath often broken out to their reproach which is more confesse their owne sinnes not desiring to giue glory to God and gaine a testimony of a sound heart but because worldly wisdome doth tell them It is the best for them to tell their owne tale or it were double folly to make dainty of that all the world knoweth Thus in taking vp good duties as orders in our family many often look not so much at the conscience of Gods commandement as at this The eyes of men are vpon vs all the world vvill cry shame if such things bee neglected altogether But you that wil keep truth take heed of this haulting for though there may bee some reliques of hypocrisie in a good man yet the nature of haulting is it will goe quite out of the way if it bee not heald Heb. 12.13 And make straight steps vnto your feet lest that which is haulting be turned out of the way And hee that limpeth thus still may haue a lame leg by it to his graue Vse 2 Secondly vvee must stirre vp our selues to keepe this girdle close to vs which is of such excellent vse this is wouen in heauen no shop can serue you vvith this but that onely Wee buy vs girdles for the body and if costly ones vvee keep them carefully O bee vvise for your soules Novv follovveth the second part of our furniture Hauing put on the breast-plate of righteousnes To follovv the self same order first for that vvhich is meant heere there is a threefould righteousnes One imputed by faith but this can not bee meaÌ„t for this is the shield of faith Another righteousnes inherent in vs vvhich is part of the divine quality begun in vs Eph. 4.24 The third a righteousnes of course or conversation or vvorke thus the thing don is called righteousnes 1. Iohn 3.7 He that doth righteousnes is righteous Psal 112.3 Riches and plentiousnes shall be in his house and his righteousnes endureth for euer Novv the second is not so fitly meant heere because the Apostle bringeth in the nevv creature armed therefore it is sâ—t to distinguish him from his armour Neither is truth properly the nevv creature but the quality of him neither is faith and loue properly taken in their differences the nevv creature for they shall cease Though therefore I vvill not striue against it yet I take the righteousnes of the course and conversation heere principally to bee intended Now into this part of our furniture three pares are enfoulded for this righteousnes hath these three branches First for the time past a testimony excusing vs vvhich is the testimony of a good conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 For our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience c. Secondly for the time to come a purpose to auoid all euil and to do that is good Thus Paul and Barnabas exhorted the Antiochians vvith purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord. Thirdly in respect of our
must strengthen our selues by getting the knowledge of Gods word The svvord is not more necessary for the souldier Examples then this for vs. Thus Christ Christ plaied his prises with it in the teÌ„ptation Mat. 4. Iob Iob. 23.12 Neither haue I departed from the commandements of his lips and I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed food Psal 119.11 Dauid I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not offend against thee Such as haue enemies doe not walk but hauing their swordes girt to them wee cannot repell wicked suggestions strike downe our own corruptions without the help of the svvord and knowledge of Gods pure word Vse 1 Which doth first let vs see the leudnes of the Papists for first as they giue vs a vvicker shield and paper helmet so they giue vs a leaden svvord an vnwritten vvord the vvord of men as well as of God the mixture doth marre the metall but aboue al heerin they sin that they let not Christians indifferently haue the word of God in their mother-toÌ„gue vsing against Christians the like hostility that the Philistims vsed against Israel they tooke away the smiths and weapons of Israel And mark it for this taking the word from Gods people is an antichristian practice If a man should transport our armour and so dis-furnish the Realme it would not serue the subiects in time of need vvee would count him no friend to the State Vse 2 Secondly it doth conuince Christians that are carelesse of the word of GOD or if they haue the knowledge of it they vse it as our gentility wear their weapons to shew the gilded pummels and veluet scabberds rather then otherwise so the word which is a spirituall sword many do discourse of it for ostentation rather then to ward off wickâ—d suggestions or hew downe their owne corruptions with it Vse 3 Lastly wee must bee exhorted to get the knowledge of the word and hould it fast Pro. 2.1 My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements vvithin thee verse 5 then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord find the knovvledge of God Let the vvord of God dvvell in you richly in all vvisdome teaching admonishing one another Col. 3.16 Wee should euer haue this word in our harts and mouthes it is no small disadvantage for a man to be vvithout a vveapon in the midst of his enemies Doct. Secondly this doth teach vs what word it is which the spirit of God doth accompany and make mighty in the conscience it is the word of God Esay 49. vlt. 2. Cor. 3.8 Hovv shall not the ministration of the spirit be much more glorious Ier. 23.22 29 But if they had stood in my couÌ„sell and declared my words to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill vvay And in regard that it is thus accompanied it is heer and in Esay 48.2 Heb. 4.12 called a two edged svvord of so great efficacy that vvee may see the Apostles vvho beeing but fishermen yet hauing this vvord in their mouthes did cast dovvne all the vvisdome of the vvorld that resisted them And vvee see in that Nicene Councel Euseb lib. 10. cap. 3. vvhen all the Doctours could not silence an acute Heretick a simple man vnlearned in comparison bringing out the simple testimony of this vvord did subdue him and convince him so that hee had not ought to ansvver Vse 1 Which should teach vs as vvee vvould haue the spirit effectuall vvith vs to keepe to the pure vvord these cleer fountaines of Israel not to affect the depths of humane curiosity for the spirit blovves not in these voices Euery sound is not musick nor euery such sermon preaching Vse 2 And it shevveth people vvhat they should desire to heare the vvord of God by vvhich the spirit doth work in them not to applaud strange fire vvhich men do through ignorance vvhich is the mother of admiration and through indiscretion vvhich maketh them they cannot discerne betvveene Aarons bells betvveene the siluer Trumpet of the Sanctuary and such tinkling Cymbals Ob. 1 Fourthly from translations obiections are made First your Bibles are not such as haue infallible truth but are the labour of men and erre heer and there that vvhich is the vvork of man and subiect to error is not Gods vvord Ans Ans 1. Our Bibles are not so infallible as the first copies vvere for in them not onely the matter but manner of vvriting the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both infallible and are such as for matter into vvhich may creep some errour and for phrase of speech some dissenting from the truth of the originall Ans 2. The vvord translated though subiect to error is Gods word and begetteth and encreaseth faith not so farre forth as man through frailty erreth but as he is assisted through speaking and translating to write the truth The Papists say there must bee infallibility in God reuealing and the Church propounding to begette faith but this is false for faith commeth by the hearing of the word of God from the mouth of a particular Minister who by all confession is subiect to error Ob 2 Obiect But if we erre in some things how can wee beleeue any thing they may as wel erre in all Ans It cannot be because as God doth immediately and infallibly assist them that they cannot erre at all so wee knowe hee is in some measure with them that they cannot altogether erre These grounds laide it is easie to answere Secondly If it be obiected the word you preach and heare translated and read is subiect to error Gods word is not subiect to error ergo the word yee heare and reade is not Gods word Answ The proposition if generall it is false but it is particular so concludes particularly else it is false and the conclusion false Obiect Ob. 3 A word that may erre cannot beget faith your word may Ans Ans The first is false vnlesse conceiued with limitation thus A word that erreth cannot beget faith so farre forth as it erreth I thought good not to propound this obiection because I would not teach men to finde a hole in their Bibles lest their corruption should take further holde by it then their grace would ouer come Yet the frequent audacious practice of Ministers in correcting the translations which walke in our Lands doth make it necessarie that the truth of this point should for the diligent reader bee vnfolded who will not take offence at the weakenesse of man but extoll the power of God which doth put forth it selfe in the midst of humane fraylties Now followeth the second thing in which the particular strengthning of our selues doth stand and that is a matter of fact The exercise of prayer The former things doo present before vs men clad in glistering furniture from top to toe And this doth shewe vnto vs the muster of such