of God in and of it self otherwise God would never have made it the matter of this exceeding great and pretious Promise which he was pleased to annex to the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20.12 Matth. 15.4 Ephes 6.2,3 This Duty of Children to obey their Parents in the Lord the Apostle calls it a Right Duty Ephes 6.1 and commends it moreover as a Duty not only good before Men but acceptable also unto God 1 Tim. 5.4 This Fifth Commandment is called the First Commandment with Promise Ephes 6.2 that is the First Affirmative Commandment or the First in the Second Table or the First of all the Ten with such a Special Promise of Long Life in the Land of the Living that thou maist live long Ephes 6.3 As good Children do help to lengthen their Parents days so Joseph did Jacob's c. So God for encouraging them in their Duty doth promise to lengthen their Days and if at any time God take this Long Lease from them here he grants them a Freehold-Estate of a greater Value hereafter If God do deny to give them the Silver of a Temporal Life in this lower World he will be sure to pay them most plentifully with the Gold of an Eternal Life in the upper and better World whereas on the contrary such as are stubborn and undutiful Children as they shorten their Parents Lives and bring down their Gray Hairs with sorrow to their Graves So God often doth shorten the Lives of such wicked Children and cuts them off in the midst of their Days as God did to wicked Abimelech of whom it is said that the Lord rendred upon him the Evil which he had done unto his Father Gideon Judg. 9.56 Yea and Solomon saith the Eve that mocketh at his Father as cursed Cham did at Noah and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Vally shall pick out that mocking Eye Prov. 30.17 God takes notice of the offending Member and appoints this Punishment for it and a sad one too if this be understood of the Infernal-Ravens those Black Devils of Hell those are cursed with a witness whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth with such emphatical expressions and in such exquisite Terms Those Ravens of the Vally are said to be most ravenous and the first thing they do to a Carcase is to pick out the Eyes as Horace saith Effossos Oculos Voret Atro Guttare Corvus And our Saviour adds to the saying of Solomon He that curseth Father or Mother let him die the Death Matth. 15.4 All this does make it manifest that as a short Life is a Curse so a long Life is a Blessing otherwise as on the one hand Godliness would never have left to it by the Lord so many precious Promises as these to name but a few of the many beside the afore-named 1. God promiseth to his people 1. That he will fulfil the number of their days Exod. 23.26 that is they shall dye full of days as Abraham Gen. 25.8 as Isaac Gen. 35.29 and as David did 1 Chron. 29.28 They all did fall like full-ripe Apples into the hands of God the right Owner and the great Gatherer of them 2. That He will take away Sickness from them Deut 7.15 that is he will bestow the great blessing of Health upon them which is the best of Temporal Blessings for a sickly Life is a lifeless Life and no better than a lingring Death Non est Vivere sed Valere Vita saith Martial Health is the Reward of Piety Prov. 3.8 3. That they shall be blessed in the City and blessed in the Country blessed every where Deut. 28.2,3 c. mercy and goodness follows them all the days of their Lives as David saith of himself Psal 23.6 as before he had said he asked Life of thee and thou gavest it him even length of Days c. Psal 21.4 and he describing the State of a godly Man in Psal 91. he reckons up the mighty Power of God in preserving his Person from manifold Calamities so far as it consists with God's Glory and the godly Man's good yea tho' he die of the Plague for the best are not exempted from common Calamities yet shall he be saved from the plague of the Plague and with long Life will I satisfie him Psal 91.16 4. Another Divine Promise is cleave unto the Lord for He is thy Life and the length of thy Days Deut. 30.20 Agreeable unto this is that Godly Wisdom shall add both length of Days and a long Life and Peace unto such as are blest with it Prov. 3.2 an thus God told wise Solomon seeing thou hast not asked long Life c. but Wisdom of me yet if thou wilt keep my Commands I will add length of Days to thee 1 King 3.11,14 Many more Promises of along Life might be added but to avoid prolixity this shall suffice adding only that length of Days is a transcendent priviledge and desirable in general by all Mankind This was David's Doctrine which he proclaimeth with a challenge to the whole World crying as it were with sound of Trumpet What Man is he that desireth Life and loveth many days that he may see Good Psal 34.12 Augustine brings all sorts of Mortal Men and Women who all unanimously answered to David's Question saying with much eagerness every one for themselves Ego Ego I would and I would c. All Persons do desire a long Life many happy Days and a comfortable Enjoyment of all But alas how few there be that take right Courses to obtain the true Happiness according to that wholesom Counsel which David doth prescribe for the compassing of it ver 13 14 15 c. Again 2 dly What a blessing is long Life may be farther demonstrated by the many direful Threatnings which the Lord hath denounced against wickedness as before his pretious Promises to Godliness c. that the Wicked shall not live out half his days Psal 55.24 and in many more Scriptures too long here to relate all shewing that a short Life is a curse c. yet know that in some cases it is a blessing as to those who are taken away from the evil to come 1 King 14.13 and Isai 57.1 Just as when a Fire breaks forth in an House then Men carry forth their Jewels but God conveys his Cabinet into a better World their Souls enter into Rest and pass to Heaven The Conclusion of this 1 st Point then is this That seeing a long Life is promised by the Lord to the Godly and short Life is threatned by Him to the Wicked therefore it must necessarily follow from these two aforenamed premises that a good Old Age and to go the Grave full of Years and full of Graces as well as Years as Abraham did is a great blessing of God as to its own Nature and Substance c. The 2 d Point I have
must be compleatly armed Cap-a-pee from Top to Toe intimating that without this whole Armour we can neither keep our Relative Ranks religiously nor do our respective Duties as those that are Superiour of Parents Masters and Husbands c. and Inseriour as Wives Children and Servants c. or equal c. in a way either pleasing to God or profitable to man c. from ver 22 of Chap. 5. to ver 10 of Chap. 6. Now this Christian Armour so highly honoured with those three Titles the Armour of Light of Righteousness and of God the same Apostle lets us know all the parts of the whole which he bids us to put on particularly both those parts 1. That are Defensive and then 2. Those that are Offensive And first he begins with the Mystical Belt or Girdle of Truth ver 14. wherein he alludeth to that Military Belt which the Roman Soldiers did commonly wear that was made up of Durable Stuff beset with many Iron and Brass Plates whereby their Loins and the upper part of the Belly which is most easily wounded were well armed and secured from Harm By this he resembleth that Golden Girdle of Truth and Sincerity wherewith every True Christian ought to gird up the Loins of his Mind Luk. 12.35 1 Pet. 1.13 The Loins of our Worldly Affections may not be loose and hanging down c. like loose Garments down to the Feet which will hinder the nimble motion of our Feet in running the Race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 Therefore we must gird them up with this Girdle of Truth which makes us firm and stable in all our Religious Undertakings That vulgar Proverb Ungir◠Unblest doth assuredly hold true here if ever for they prove but loose Professors who want this Golden Girdle and only wear the Garment of Holiness like a loose Gown or Garment to be put on or cast off at pleasure such an one is called omnium horarum Homo a man that can turn with the Times and can shift and suit his Sails to all Winds and Seasons c. whereas our Lord saith that all his sincere Servants must first gird themselves to wit with this Golden Girdle of Sincerity otherwise we can never serve our Master as we ought to do Luk. 17.8 The second piece of Defensive Armour is the Breast-plate of Righteousness ver 14. which is the principal Defence for the Heart the least wound whereof is mortal 'T is the primum vivens and the ultimum moriens the first that lives and the last that dies in the ordinary course of Nature and therefore extraordinary care is universally taken to secure that Fort-Royal of Life the Heart Now seeing the Heart doth signifie the Conscience if our hearts condemn us c. that is our Consciences 1 Joh. 3.20 therefore how careful was this same Apostle to secure it with this Breast-plate of Righteousness saying I have lived in all good Conscience Act. 23.1 because it was good with the goodness of Integrity therefore was it good also with the goodness of Tranquility And he farther tells us how he made it his daily Exercise and Recreation as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to keep his Conscience void of offence both toward God and toward man Act. 24.16 Moreover he saith our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World and more abundantly to you ward 2 Cor. 1.12 but more of this after to this same purpose None-such Job saith My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 27.6 And John addeth his Verdict to this point likewise saying He that hath Righteousness is Righteous c. 1 Joh. 3.7 that is such as have both the Righteousness imputed in the Grace of Justification and likewise that which is imparted in the Grace of Sanctification these two are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19.8 The original reading there is in the plural number We all ought to be unto God what we seem to be unto men and that at all times and in all places and our Consciences must bear witness hereof in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 If so this will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Impenetrable Coat of Mail and Armour of Proof a most blessed Breast-plate Thus far the Light and Law of Nature enabled the Pagan Poet to sing Hic Murus Aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ that is a clear Conscience is as a Brazen Wall which will beat back the Shots of a thousand Reproaches and Slanders c. and the Apostle better tells us that this is an Evidence of our Election 2 Pet. 1.5,6,7,8,9,10 If all be well within us it cannot well be ill without us Whereas on the contrary if Conscience be galled 't is with us as with those who have the Skin of their Backs rubbed off or their Shoulder-blade disjointed any lightsome load is very burdensome to them c. This Consideration caused Paul who was in perils often c. so careful of not making Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 for Faith is the Jewel and Conscience is the Cabinet wherein it is kept and if this be safe all loads on us will be lighter c. The Third piece of Defensive Armour is having our Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace ver 15. that is seeing there is much hard Ground as Etham signifies betwixt us and Canaan as it was Israel's third Stage from Raamses to Succoth and from Succoth to Etham Exod. 13.20 and Numb 33.6 yea and many snares of Satan in our way to Heaven and indeed every place in our passage thither is full of Briars and Bramble bushes so that we have great need to be well-shod with Gospel-shoes of magnanimity and patience or we shall prove unlike to the Right Brood of Travellers who travel lustily home to their Fathers House We read in Scripture how Goliah had Greeves or Boots of Brass 1 Sam. 17.6 And thus Homer charactarizeth his Graecians not only to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iron-sides as is the Phrase of our times but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well-booted Soldiers whose Legs and Feet were well secured from Hazards and Harms by Shots Thus Christians ought to be well fortified with Gospel-comforts whereby God creates peace in the Soul Isai 57.19 then may they trudge over hard ground with alacrity yea tread upon not only Briars and Brambles but also upon Lions and Adders with safety yea that old Dragon the Devil himself they shall trample under foot Psal 91.13 Mar. 16.18 and Rom. 16.20 Paul shaked the Viper from off his Hand into the Fire Act. 28.4,5 Whereas on the other hand oh how soon are the ignorant the timorous and such as become ashamed of their Profession
us that we are a seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa 61.9 and our Light should so shine before Men so c. as that they may see our good works and Glorify our Heavenly father Mat. 5 16. We ought to shine as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation Phil. 2 15. so as not only to stop the mouths of gainsayers from Reproaching us 1 Pet. 3.16 but also to force their Mouths open in commending our comly Conversation in Christ The second Denomination of this mystical Armour is the Armour of Righteousness which we are to put on us for our Defence both upon our right Hand and upon our left 2 Cor. 6.7 'T is so called there 1 st Because by the Blessed benefit hereof we are kept and confirmed in the way of Righteousness and true Holiness Prov. 16.31 Eph. 4.24 And 2 dly Because Satan doth batter us both upon our Right hand and upon our Left on purpose to drive us out of the good old and middle way into the Extremes upon either hand for this is the Tempter's wily Method at the first to assault us with his Flatteries and Allurements and when he finds himself baffled herein by this Impenetrable Armor then his second Assault is more furious with his Frowns and Affrightments this was the Tempter's way of Tempting famous Luther whom the Devil's Patriarch the Pope first enticed with great promises of preferring him to a Cardinals Cap c. if he would turn Papist c. but when this great promise c. could not fasten upon him then the Pope turned his Tone and Tune and sent forth his Thundring Bull and dreadfully threatned to fall upon him foully with fire and sword if he persisted in his obstinacy c. But brave Luther being fortified with this Armour of Righteousness on his Right hand and Left returns this Answer Contemptus ad me Romanus favor furor that is I do cordially scorn both the favour and fury of that Romish Beast c. Yea and the same Heroick Soul saith farther Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo satiari that is I have solemnly protested that my God shall not put me off with such low things as those are which the Mock-Vicar of Christ doth now tempt me with But the Third Denomination hereof it is called the Armour of God Ephes 6.10,11,12 that we may be made strong in the Lord and in the power of his might we are commanded to put on the Armour of God It hath this name upon it First Because God who is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.10 signifying a most curious Artificer is the framer of them as well as of the Worlds and of that City Celestial and without Foundations What was said of Moses's Tables of Stone wherein the Decalogue was written that All was the Workmanship of God Exod. 32.16 The same may be said of this Spiritual Armour All the Furniture and Armory of Evangelical Graces wherewith we are defended from all our Spiritual Enemies as they are called the Gifts of God Eph. 2.8 so they are truly the Workmanship of God whereby we are said to be created in Christ c. verse 10. and become partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 And Secondly We are bid to put this Armour of God upon us because we have a most Dangerous Devil to deal with who is compleatly Armed to Do Evil to us according to the Descant upon his name Devil quasi Do-Evil yea and he can do evil to us eminus that is at distance with his Fiery Darts afar off Eph. 6.16 as well as cominus that is hand to hand by his Buffetings that the Messenger of Satan is said to give the blessed Apostle as it were face to face 2 Cor. 12.6,7 c. which plainly demonstrates that the Devil â—s got near at hand to us and now doth grapple with us as a Wrestler who takes â—old of the Arms of him with whom he wrestles and thus 't is said We wrestle â—ot with flesh and blood but with principaâ—…ties and powers c. Eph. 6.12 so that he doth evil to us not only at a distance as he is Prince of the power of the Air and so hath the upper ground of us poor Worms crawling upon the Earth from whence he throws his fiery Darts at us as Saul did his Javelin several times at David c. but also near hand for Job by Divine permission was within Satan's Touch Job 1.11 2.5 where Satan begs leave of the Lord to let him touch Job's person as well as his goods and children with some of his pernicious Touches but tho' we be within the Tempter's Touchings in his walking to and fro seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 yet blessed be the Lord for his Divine Grace that this wicked one cannot Touch such as are born of God with any of his Deadly Touches 1 John 5.18,19 However is most highly concerns us that we be noâ— found of him naked and unarmed Alas how easily did Cain prevail against Abeâ— whom he found in the Field unprepare for Resistance c and how easily diâ— Simeon and Levi those two Brethren iâ— Iniquity prevail against Shechem and hiâ— Citizens whom they surprized at uâ— awares and altogether unable to defenâ— themselves being still very sore witâ— their Circumcision Gen. 34.25 Solomoâ— saith Poverty shall come upon Idle onâ— like an Armed Man Hebr. A Man of Shields Prov. 6.11 that is it comes with so much force and violence as it cannot be either avoided or averted c. Now if so much be said of such a thing as Poverty or Want how much more may be affirmed of such a person as this Prince of Devils and Darkness and the God of this World Matth. 12.24 and 2 Cor. 4.4 who is such a Mark 's man as can sling his Stones of Temptation even to an hair's-breadth and not miss as Judg. 20.16 yea and can shoot his Arrows with so much accuracy and exactness as to wound us between the Joynts of our Harness as as Ahab was 1 Kings 22.34 And if so then much more when he surprizeth us either Napping or Naked or both Therefore our Lord makes an open proclamation What I say unto you I say unto all watch that none be found sleeping Mark 13.36,37 And the Apostle Peter publisheth by sounding of his Trumpet and crying Arm Arm Arm your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4.1 in general to all This brings us to the third particular to wit we must not only Arm our selves and put on the Armour of Light and of Righteousness but we must put on the whole Armour of God as they are distinctly described in order one after another Eph. 6.11 to 19. where the Apostle having before appointed all sorts of Christians their Ranks in all their respective Relations and had declared to them their Relative Duties in their several Respects then he pursues his Divine Documents how they
Buffet our Base Hearts then must we have a smooth Stone of the Holy Scripture ready to hurl at the very Head of our Adversary as David did at the Head of Goliah Now as we are told how David gathered many more smooth Stones than he had occasion to make use of in his Sling for he gathered five of them and put them into his Bag 1 Sam. 17.40 yet we find he slung in his Sling only one of these Stones at Goliah's Forehead he put his Hand into his Bag and took thence only one Stone in the singular number and slung it with such a force that it sunk in the Forehead of the Philistine and he fell upon his Face to the Earth v. 49. No doubt but David did sling God himself along with the Stone as before whereby it became so speedily effectual for the killing of that Monster of Mankind c. even so we ought to be furnished with a large Stock of Sacred Scriptures in the Bag of our Minds and Memories tho' possibly one single smooth Stone of them may serve our present turn to drive away the Devil from us in an hour of temptation especially if we sling this one Scripture at Satan's Forehead out of the Sling of Faith and God himself go along with that Scripture in our behalf as he did with the Stone in the behalf of David May we but thus through Grace resist the Devil he must then unavoidably flee from us Jam. 4.7 for what created Power can resist the Power of the Great Creator of all Beings who hath resisted his Will Rom. 9.19,21 Notwithstanding tho' one of those smooth Stones of Sacred Scripture may thus serve us and save us out of Satan's Hands at one time yet considering that Satan is not slain outright in our Victories over him as Goliah was in David's Victory over that Gyant For as Satan did but depart from our Redeemer after he had conquered him in his Three successive Assaults only for a Season Luke 4.13 still designing to return upon him again with fresh and renewed Attempts when he could espy out an advantage or any opportunity So Satan doth depart from the Redeemed after their Victories at any time over him only for a season he resolves to return again and hence is occasioned the Apostle's caution lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his Wiles and Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 Upon this account therefore we ought always to keep our Bag full of those smooth Stones that we may have them in readiness both as Defensive to our selves and as Offensive to Satan in his fresh and frequent assaulting us c. 3 dly NB. We must set the Word of God against the Temptations of Satan as our Lord taught us by his own pattern and practice Matt. 4. and then say to the Tempter I may not I cannot I dare not do what thou tempts me to do and we must be sure to bring such suitable Scriptures as afford a full Answer to our Tempter's Temptation as Christ did in all his Three Conflicts saying this Sin oh Satan that thou tempts me to is forbidden in such a place and again in such a place and we must be sure to have such Scriptures all at hand in our Bag ready for our hand as David had his smooth Stones ready Thus we are commanded to be ready for every good Work Tit. 3.1 and to be in readiness to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 yea and the Man of God must be fully furnished for all good Works 2 Tim. 3.17 as our Adversary the Strong Man is fully furnished for all evil Works We should be as ready to Resist as he is to Assault and we should have this Sword of the Spirit ready and at hand as Saul had his Spear ready at his head being stuck in the ground at his Bolster 1 Sam. 26.7 but God forbid that such a dead sleep should fall upon us to let this Sword be taken from us as did upon him whereby his Spear was taken from him and he not sensible thereof some Son of Zerviah will be too hard for us as it was in his case ver 11 12. 'T is the practice of some persons who are Masters of great Families to stick up their Swords in the upper Floor and there to hang it at their Beds Head all the night that the Weapon might be ready for their hand in case of any Assault by Robbers in the dead time of the Night Oh that we could be so wise in hanging this Spiritual Sword so ready Night and Day at home and abroad c. more especially the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments which is an Abridgment of the Law and the Prophets wherein all sorts of sins are prohibited even in the lowest degree of them c. Yea and all sorts of Duties both to God and to Man are required c. There is none like this Sword that can cut asunder every Knot wherewith Satan would bind our Souls to any sort of Sin c. Beside this let me acquaint you what other particular Scriptures over and above the Two Tables the Lord hath helped me to use as a sharp Sword wherewith to withstand the violent Assaults of the Tempter c. As 1 st that of Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 No he was hedged in with contrary Principles and so said I cannot do it And 2 ly that of the Sons of Jacob we cannot do this thing to give our Sister unto one that is Uncircumcised for that would be a Reproach to us Gen. 34.14 And 3 ly that of Nehemiah shall such a Man as I sin who is there that being as I am would do it I will not do it Neh. 6.11 Here is only a small variation of words but none at all of sense for his fleeing from God's Work at that time would have been his sinning against his God Tho' I might add many more yet for brevity sake I shall mention another only which made indeed a mighty sound in the Ears of my Inner Man and as mighty an impression upon the Tables of my Heart to wit the loud Outcry of God himself saying Oh! do not this abominable thing which I hate Jer. 44.4 And indeed as to the main course of my Life excepting these Bonds as the Apostle's phrase is Acts 26.29 namely my manifold Infirmities I have evermore endeavoured to observe this as my standing Rule where God presseth there to perform and where God forbiddeth there to forbear And to know this double Duty what to perform and when to forbear 't is even absolutely necessary that the word of Christ must dwell in us Richly Col. 3.16 as before The knowledge of the Holy Scriptures doth make wise unto salvation and is profitable in all the concerns of a Christian yea and compleateth the Man of God for his Generation-work as before 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17 and therefore every good Soldier of
saying Slack not thy Hand from thy Servants who are now entred into Covenant with thee but come â—o us quickly and save us for all the Kings of â—he Amorites that dwell in the Mountains are gathered together against us Josh 10.6 c. Upon this earnest and affectionate Message and Outcry General Joshuah immediately comes from Gilgal the place of rolling away Reproach as the word signifies and falls upon the cursed Kings and Canaanites unexpectedly and surprizes â—hem all suddenly Yea and the Lord himself likewise threw down great Hail-stones out of Heaven upon them and â—hereby all those formidable Adversaries were quite destroyed accordingly this is very often our own case Alas how weak â—re our Hearts Ezek. 16.30 when this Strong Man armed maketh his furious Assaults upon us David did acknowledge himself as unable to resist his strong Adversaries when he cried have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak c. 〈◊〉 Psal 6.2,3,4 as the Gibeonites did tâ— withstand the Forces of the Kings of thâ— Mountains c. much more may we bâ— sensible of our own insufficiency to stand before the violent shoks of this Strong Maâ— Satan no meer mortal man is sufficient oâ— himself for that withstanding work 〈◊〉 not the Innocentest Man Adam nor the Strongest Man Samson no nor the Wisest Man Solomon as elsewhere but trulâ— all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 and therefore must we send our winged Messengers of fervent Prayers to him and make out our strong Cries unto Christ Jesus as the Gibeonites did unto that great General Joshuah saying oh our dear Lord Jesus slack not thy Hand from thy Servants who are through thy Grace brought into the bonds of the Covenant of Grace with thy blessed self oh make no delay let our extremity be thy opportunity not only the Philistines are faln upon us as upon Samson but even the Kings of the Mountains even Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places called Principalities and Powers do make their furious Assaults upon us We have put our selves oh Lord under thy blessed Protection Therefore hasten to succour us and make no long tarrying oh our good God Psal 40.17 then may we hope to hear the sound of God's goings upon the Tops of the Mulberry-Trees 2 Sam. 5.24 and we may have cause to sing with the Spouse saying 't is the Voice of our Beloved behold he cometh leaping over Mountains and skipping over Hills Cant. 2.8 He is coming he is coming to bring the supplies of the Spirit of Christ to relieve our Souls Phil. 1.19 and he will pour down great Hail Stones out of Heaven upon the Heads of our Spiritual Enemies and discomfit them tho' Satan and a whole Kingdom of Devils be engaged against us This 7 th piece of Armour is called Armatura Armaturae the Armour of Armour named last because it buckles all the rest on and helps to a right improvement of all both for Defence and Offence c. Thus David had such Outcries as these saying This poor Man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him c. Psal 34.6 And thus Paul had such Outcries also saying Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me and then thanketh he his Lord Christ for delivering him c. Rom. 7.24,25 And thus the Betrothed Damsel cried out when she was assaulted by one too strong for her and tho' she found no Deliverer yet is she assured that she shall not die because she crieâ— out Deut. 22.27 But the Virgin Daughter of Sion fared better for she had heâ— Saviour to come and succour her at heâ— Outcries after Him who put a Bridle upon that unruly Beast her Adversary and so comforted her heart as to make her able even to laugh him to scorn c. Isa 37.22,28,29 In short all these premises do abundantly demonstrate the excellency of this last part of the Christian Armour namely Darts of Prayer which drives the Devil out of the Field in our warring this good Warfare and constrains him to flee from us as one conquered by us NB. When our own Prayers prevail not Note well the Prayer of Christ saved Peter from Satan's Snare Luke 22.31,32 more especially if we join Fasting to Praying tho' Homer tellâ— us how Nestor in the Wars of Troy musâ— take his Breakfast in the Morning to animate himself the more for his fighting-work Yet our Lord doth better tell us thaâ— there be some Devils of such a malignanâ—… Nature that they cannot be cast out buâ— by Fasting and Prayer Matt. 17.21 How well therefore doth the Apostle command us to be praying always with alâ— Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Eph. 6.18 that is all sorts of Prayer yea the best sort of Prayer both that which is edged and animated with Fasting and more especially that of praying in the Holy Ghost Jude ver 20. for fervent Prayer is a clear Stream that flows solely from the pure Spring of the Spirit of Grace c. and that this Praying-work may be the more effectually performed the Apostle subjoins the Duty of watching thereunto with all perseverance c. ver 18. that we may not be surprized at unawares because the Devil watcheth us and walketh his Round Night and Day uncessantly to take us napping 1 Pet. 5.8 seeking whom he may devour as before therefore is watching so necessary that it is so often recorded in Scripture as an universal Duty as above and most needful in praying work Hereupon our Lord joins them both together Watch and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation Matth. 26.41 as the Apostle doth here for if we be not upon our Guard continually and even Watch while we do Pray both over Satan's Temptations without and over our own Corruptions within Satan will be interrupting us as the Pythoness his Instrument did interrupt Paul in his Praying-work Acts 16.16 and as the Fowls of the Air which is the Devil's Territories Ephes 1.2,3 did interrupt Father Abraham in his Sacrificing-work Gen. 15.11 Yea and as the Adversaries Sanballat c. did molest good Nehemiah in his Building-work Neh. 41.3 'T is a certain observation that amongst all Actions Satan will be busiest in the best of Actions and mostly most busie in the best part of that best Action as towards the closure of Prayer when the Heart should be closing it self up with the sweetest comforts c. therefore are we bid to Watch and Pray and to Pray and Watch that Satan may not draw us out of our Trenches as Joshuah did the Men of Ai Josh 8.6 therefore our Lord exhorteth us to abide in the Vine Joh. 15.4,7 and his beloved Disciple saith little Children abide in him 1 Joh. 2.28 that is keep Home keep close under the shadow of your Father's Wing Psal 91.1 Our Lord saith O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered my Children together even as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings c. Matth. 23.37 which intimateth that those are fond Chickens that
tread the Wine-press alone for any comfort from them And 1 st He sharply rebukes them for their former vain conceit of themselves promising to do great things c. Matth. 26.33,35 but they were so far from dying with him that they could not so much as watch with him c. And 2 dly He gravely exhorts them to this double Duty of Watching and Praying Then 3 dly He candidly and kindly comforts them against their outward weakness by his owning acknowledging and accepting of their inward willingness the Spirit is willing tho' Flesh be weak Oh who would not love this sweet Saviour that puts such a candid Construction upon his Saints Infirmities alas how oft may our Lord come and catch us napping and oft offering up no better than yawning Devotion Alas how oft a bare waft of the Footmen in lesser Temptations have thrown us down as was Jeremy's case Jer. 12.5 How then shall we be able to contend with the Horsemen of stronger Temptations While we live in this lower Region we are exposed to so many violent Temptations from the Tempter that Prince of the Power of the Air Ephes 2.2,3 therefore are we called to come up higher and to be Upper-region persons and to lead loftier lives than the men of the World can do in an unconverted condition the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from Hell beneath Prov. 15.24 Were but our conversation more in Heaven Phil. 3.20 while our commemoration is here on Earth we should then be raised up above the reach of Storms c. and if we be risen with Christ we must set our affections upon things above c. Col. 3.1,2,3 for ye are dead namely to Sin and to the World and your life is hid with Christ in God Now to attain unto this happy estate of living above the reach of the Poison of the Old Serpent whereof we are in perils often and in Jeopardy every hour as the Apostle phraseth it our Lord hath prescribed in the 2 d place a double Antidote or Remedy to this before-named Poison or Malady namely to lead a life made up of constant and continual Watching and Praying and this is the way having put on the whole Armour of God as is aforesaid to secure our Souls from both entring into coming in and falling by every Temptation and not only so but also to be Conquerors yea more than so Rom. 8.37 even to be Triumphers in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 NB. Note well The seventh and last part of our Spiritual Armour as described in Ephes 6.18 hath a concurring concordancy with Christ's Command Watch and Pray Matth. 26.41 and likewise imports the frequency constancy and continuance of those two necessary but too much neglected Duties in an additional phrase of Praying always and Watching thereunto with all perseverance c. that is as we must pray always so we must watch always even all our lives long The whole life of a Christian consists wholly of Watching and Prayer c. Beside this first difference betwixt those two Texts which respecteth Time those two Duties must be done always even all our Days There is a Second Difference that respecteth Order for our Lord placeth Watching before Praying Matt. 26.41 but his Apostle placeth Praying before Watching Ephes 6.18 Now all the Inference to be deduced from this difference is this only that we must Watch and Pray as our Lord biddeth us and we must Pray and Watch as his Apostle requireth us and that all the days of our lives The sum of the whole is this in short 1 st Man 's Malady and Danger all men even the best of men are obnoxious and lay evermore exposed to the evil of manifold Temptations even from a threefold original to wit from the Flesh from the World and from the Devil Thus even those Three Disciples who had beheld Christ's Glory in his Transfiguration as above and therefore they might the more have been able to cleave closer to him now yet even those of the highest Rank were not only in the Danger but in the very Disease it self yea and which is much more we are told that our Lord was tempted like unto us in all things sin only excepted Heb. 4.15 And if this was done to such a Green Tree what may such Dry Trees as we are expect Luke 23.31 no place nor time for security to the best 2 dly The Remedy and Deliverance is by a double Duty understood under Christ our Deliverer as above at large The first is Watch and the second is Pray as in Matth. 26.41 and in Luke 21.36 our Lord makes an addition namely Watch and Pray always to which the Apostle's phrase Ephes 6.18 Col. 4.2 and 1 Thes 5.17 do well agree First of the first of those Duties 'T is the duty of all Christ's Disciples to watch Reasons 1 st 'T is a necessary Duty upon a double Account 1. Necessitate Medii as necessary means for our safety And 2. Necessitate Praecepti as it is commanded by the Lord. 1 st 'T is necessary as a means whereby we are preserved from Danger for our life is a warfare Job 7.1 Margent and we can never accomplish this warfare Isai 40.1 without watching every Christian is a Soldier 2 Tim. 2.3 who is listed under Christ their Captain Josh 5.14 Heb. 2.10 Now no Man can be a good Soldier that watcheth not how soon is he cut off by a surprizing Adversary both Visible and Invisible non Regium est in Belli tempore indulgere Somno saith Plutarch Christ hath made us Kings Rev. 1.6 and it is not King-like to foster sleeping in a time of War Baanah and Rechah took off Ishbosheth's Head while he slept upon his Bed at Noon 2 Sam. 4.5,6 So Jael slew Siscera when fast asleep nailing him fast to the ground Judg. 4.21 2 dly 'T is necessary in our obedience to the Great Lawgiver who hath often commanded us to watch in Scripture as Mark 13. ver last 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Thes 5.6 1 Pet. 4.7 and 5.8 Rev. 3.2 and 16.15 c. Reason the Second they are pronounced to be blessed Souls that do this Duty of watching beside that in Rev. 16.15 see Luke 12.37,38,43 terque quaterque beati faelices ter amplius they are three times blest there by Christ who was sent into the world to bless both believing Jews and Gentiles that watch Acts 3.26 Yea such are not only blessed Saints but they are also blessed Angels for Angels are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watchers Dan. 4.13 Heaven is the Watch-tower of those Holy Ones that never sleep nor are ever wearied with labour as we Bodily Creatures are not do they Eat or Drink as we do whereby our sleep is procured c. So that this Watching-work is likewise an Angelical as well as an Evangelical Duty and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angels as Christ hath promised Luke 20.36 is to enjoy an Heavenly State here while upon
5.2,9 We are top-full of evil Imaginations of carnal Reasonings and wholly filled with all unrighteousness Rom. 1.29 so that quisque sibi Satan est every Man becomes a tempting Devil to himself and is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed Jam. 1.14,15 Satan hath only a persuading slight but not any enforcing might 't is our own carnal Concupiscence that carries the chiefest stroke in all our sins which indeed is a compound of many Fleshly Lusts that all war against our Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 as we read of Joshuah how he conquered one and thirty Kings of the cursed Canaanites houghing all their Horses and burning all their Chariots with fire as before yea and those Kings of Canaan are named one by one Josh 12.9 to 24. And as we also read of David how one Gyant after another did fall by his hands Goliah one Jeshbibenob one Sippii one Lahmi one and then that Monster of Mankind is mentioned who was a double Monster both in his Stature and in the number of his Fingers and Toes having upon each Hands and Feet a Finger and a Toe more than ordinary twenty four in all yet all those monstrous Gyants fell by the Hands of David and by the Hands of his Servants 1 Chron. 20.4,6,8 Thus the same may be said so of those Souls upon whom Christ this Stronger Man hath made a Conquest and resides there as a Conqueror that Soul may reckon up one by one all the conquered Tyrants who have ruled over it formerly with rigour As 1 st With Joshuah Pride and its King one Passion and its King one Concupiscence and its King one Covetousness and its King one Unbelief and its King one Hypocrisie and its King one and so on forward until the same number amount up to the number of one and thirty as in Josh 12.9 to 24. and so likewise the Soul may 2 dly Reckon with David many monstrous Temptations have been conquered by Christ in me the hope of Glory Col 1.27 I have had monstrous temptations to Atheism to Blasphemy to Self-murder to Filthy Uncleanness and to many more such Abominations c. as 1 Chron. 20.4 to 8 But now blessed be the Free Grace of God toward me my spiritual Joshua my spiritual David even my dear Redeemer the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battle Psal 24.8 that Elshaddai which Abenezra reads that Conqueror the King of Glory even he hath conquered and captivated all those monstrous Tyrants and Tempters he hath pulled down also their Strong Holds in me and for me And tho' as some Castles wherein the Enemy seated themselves in our late Civil Uncivil Wars proved so strong that a double Difficulty did attend them For 1 st It was a Work of great Difficulty to conquer those so strongly fortified Forts they stood it out many a long Siege and cost the Lives of many brave Soldiers yet at the last were taken by the besieging Commander And then when publick Authority commanded that those Receptacles of Rebellion must be demolished and raced down to the very Foundation Then 2 dly Appeared another Difficulty in pulling them down it was found the Stones were so strongly cemented together that they did abide many a lusty Blow and they did bear many a strong Stroke yea much Time Cost and Pains were spent yet all would not do no not any Undermining of the Walls until at the last the whole Fabrick was blown up with many Barrels of Gun-powder prudently lodged in the very Bowels of them and all this little enough to level them even with the ground for we have a plain prospect of the Scars of those Castles still remaining unto this day even so it is with the Strong Holds of Satan in us As 't is a Work of great Difficulty to overcome them so 't is no less to level them and quite to bring them down to an utter demolishment some Scars will still remain in us Wherefore how ought we to double our Diligence in that most Necessary yet much Neglected Duty of Self-examination the Apostle useth a double Spur to stir us up unto a serious Self-trial saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prove your selves and try your selves as the Gold-smith does his Coin or the Lapidary his Stones upon a lydius lapis or Touch-stone to discover them from such as be counterfeit The fineal Trial of our Eternal Estate doth indeed belong immediately 〈◊〉 solely to the Court of Heaven but the discerning of our sincerity and singleness of Soul God-ward appertain to the Court of our own Consciences for our own comfort for if our own Hearts condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and will condemn us much more c. 1 John 3.20,21 As the Decisive part belongs to God so the Disquisitive part belongs to us Therefore it is added know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 which follows that of the same Apostle about the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Satan c. 2 Cor. 10.4,5 through the indwellings of Christ This is so needful a Duty that the Precept is double Zeph. 2.1 Gather up your selves gather up your thoughts excutite vos iterum excutite as Tremellius renders it shake your selves and better shake your selves in Self-examination the omission whereof as it is much easie so it is most dangerous How happy are such Souls who can say in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost that this Stronger Man hath raised Batteries and sprung several Mines against the Strong Holds of Satan in them that the Lord hath battered the Walls thereof with his Battering Rams and with his Great Cannon of a Soul-searching Ministry and with his Spirit of Burning so called Isai 4.4 because it burns up the combustible matter of our Corruptions refining our Dross and kindling up Repentance unto Life c. and that Christ hath been lustily hammering the Sides and Corners of those Strong Holds with the great Hammer of his Word and with the strong Hand of his Spirit thus saith the Lord Is not my word like as a Fire and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Jer. 23.29 the Workman's Hammer which Jael took in her Right Hand to nail great Sisera fast to the ground Judg. 4.21 and 5.26 was a fair resemblance of this mighty Work of the Right Hand of the Almighty God upon this Strong Man Satan All such Souls I say who can truly experience those effectual operations of an indwelling Christ in them must not be discouraged although they find and feel this work of Mortification or putting to Death as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Rom. 8.13 to be an hard and tedious Work and although after the Walls be in part demolished yet some Relicks will remain and much Rubbish we meet with to be removed for we may say with Joshuah that we are not yet cleansed from the iniquity of Baal-peor that Idol of opening in Lustful Contemplations and Heart-adulteries Matth.
that those Young Ones are so c. Thus it appeareth that we now live in that last Iron Age even in the very Dregs of Time and we must expect ultima Senescentis Mundi deliria the last and the worst dotages of a decrepid and of a dying World c. The Second Part is the Duties which â—re to be done by all of us in our Old Age that we may not be deprived of â—hat Double Crown of Glory both of that â—n the Kingdom of Grace here and of that in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter seeing those two Crowns are the proper Dues of a Good Old Age by a Divine Promise wherein the great God hath made himself a Debtor unto all godly Aged Ones And if any of us be not such we shall not only lose the former of these Crowns to wit that of Respect and Reverence but be despised for our Dotage c. Let no Man take that Crown Rev. 3.11 â—n this Life but that which is worst of â—ll we shall lose likewise the latter and the better Crown in the Life to come Therefore to prevent this double loss many Duties are to be done The First Duty is We must examine â—ur States and Standings Godward c. whether we be still in the State of Nature and yet not broken off from the Wild Olive or we be in the State of Grace and now engraffed into that blessed and bleeding Vine the Lord Jesus Rom. 11.17 The great Apostle doth earnestly press us to the right doing of this first Duty 2 Cor. 13.5 where he useth a double Expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Try your selves and Prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Wherein he alludeth both unto Goldsmiths and unto Lapidaries who have their Lydius Lapis or Touch-stone whereby they discover true Gold from thaâ— which is Copper or Counterfeit and Natural Diamonds from Artificial Bristol-stones And those double Terms of Art are to stir us up that we may redouble our diligence in that most needful yet much neglected Duty of Self-examination foâ— tho' the decisive and final Trial of our Eternal Estate doth immediately and solely appertain to God in the Court of Heaven yet the Disquisitive and Soul-Comforting part doth belong to our selves in the Court of our own Consciences And therefore as an Omission or an Error here is most easie so it is of mosâ— dangerous consequence in filling our Spirits full of doubts and fears what shalâ— become of our Souls when our Bodies drop down into the Grave Hereupon the Divine Precept is doubled both in this Apostles Charge and in that of the Prophets also Excutite vos iterumque excutite as Tremellius renders the words Zeph. 2.1 The Second Duty is That we should make good proof of our Graces especially of that Foundation-grace of Repentance unto Life as it is called Acts 11.18 granted unto us Gentiles for where right Repentance towards God is given 't is always accompanied with faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 This Grace of Repentance is so exceeding necessary that both our Lord himself and his Forerunner John the Baptist began their Ministry with this indispensable Doctrine Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 and Mark 1.15 Join Repent and Believe both together Now seeing the Tree is known by its Fruit whether it be good or bad Matth. 12.33 Luke 6.44 If we be no better than Bramble-Bushes no Grapes of Grace can grow upon us but if we be Trees of Righteousness of the Lord 's planting and watering as Isai 61.3 then shall we bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Matth. 3.8 Now the true Notion and Nature of this Grace of Repentance is our turning from Darkness to Light Acts 26.18 and our returning from the faln Estate by the first Adam into a renewed Estate by the Second Adam As we are all Metaphorical Trees Aristotle calls Man Arbor inversa a Tree turned upward making the Head as Root and the Arms and Legs the Branches of this Tree c. Bernard calls Man Inversus Decalogus as quite contrary to God's Law therefore must he be turned up-side down as the Picture of the Horse and then right c. We have our Standing Time in our Life and we must have our Falling Time at our Death the Ax whereof is laid to the Root of us in those manifold Distempers which attend Old Age as if God were taking his Aim where to cut us up and how to hew us down Matth. 3.10 Now as all Trees be they strong Oakes or lofty Cedars must have their time of falling so all Mankind be they of never so robust a Constitution and be they of never so high either of State or of Stature must have a time of dying Heb. 9.27 and as Trees what way they mostly lean that way they usually fall whether it be Southward or Northward Eccles 11.3 So we ought to examine our selves which way our Wills and Affections do lean whether Southward towards the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 As 't is recorded of Abraham who walked with God that his Journyings were still towards the South towards the Sun Gen. 12.9 So all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham should hang Heavenward and should lean Southward then may there be good grounds of a lively Hope that when we die we shall fall upon the Right-hand of Christ among the fruitful Sheep and shall hear those comfortable words Come ye blessed of my Father c. Matth. 25.33,34 But if on the other hand we do not find that we have with David considered our former evil ways and turned our Feet our Affections towards God's Testimonies Psal 119.59 If yet we are not returned to God by Repentance but are still journying toward the North towards that cold Country where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth for cold tho' it be a fiery Furnace for heat Matth. 13.42,50 If we lean Northward and hang Hellward we shall surely fall upon the Left Hand of the Judge among the sâ—…nking Goats and receive that sad Sentence Depart ye Cursed c. Matth. 25.41 As the Tree where it falls Northward or Southward there it lies Eccles 11.3 even so where we fall at our Deaths whether Northward upon the Left Hand of our Judge or Southward upon the Right Hand of our Redeemer there we shall lie until the Resurrection-day for after Death comes the Day of Judgment Heb. 9.27 Then all both good and bad shall rise again c. The Third Duty of us Aged Ones is Not to dally or delay that weighty Work of making our Peace with God according to that Divine Counsel Acquaint now thy self with God and be at Peace with him and thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22.21 This great Duty must be now done we have been asleep or Strangers to God long enough Ephes 2.12 and 4.18 1 Pet. 4.3 Now is the accepted