Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_n	day_n	sabbath_n	1,144	5	9.3710	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

strong watchful adversary lying in siege to annoy him his security may betray him into his Enemies hand It is good counsel which the Apostle gives to this purpose 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because the Devil your Adversary goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour Satans work is to compass the Earth and to walk up and down in it Job 1. 7. And if he find Christians like the Inhabitants of Laish secure and quiet he is much encouraged to make desperate assaults upon them The Scripture speakes much in the commendation of Holy Fear it 's one of the best Preservatives in the World to keep the Soul out of snares Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28. 14. Noahs fear made him prepare an Ark at the Command of God by which he and his Family were preserved when the rest of the careless World were drowned Heb. 11. 7. He was fearful and provided against dangers which were not yet within the Ken of his Eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The things which he provided for were at a great distance 120 years off He might have reasoned thus with himself I may be dead long before the Flood He was now 500 years old and yet he was religiously afraid and set himself to prepare for it Satans Temptations are within the clear view of every Christian therefore it 's prudence to be provided against them and that speedily And the rather should we do this because the end of all these premonitions is to shake off carnal security and to put our selves into a fit posture to receive this Assailant What cause of thankfulnesse unto God have all those christians who are freed and delivered from this evill day Doth God keep Satan chained up that he doth not annoy thee art thou preserved from his vexations Certainly thou hast cause every day to returne praises for this unto thy Saviour who keeps thee so in safety that the evill one doth not touch thee And we have the more cause to do this 1 because we put our selves daily into his hands and yet are preserved from him we even allure Satan to set upon us and send messengers daily to him to invite him to make assaults and yet God is pleased to restraine him And then 2 because he is eager to set upon us never was any ravenous hungry Lyon more greedy of his prey then Satan is to prey upon the soul by temptation Our Saviour would have us to pray daily that God would keep us out of the devils hands Mat. 6. 13. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evill And whatsoever we are to pray against as an evill we should be thankfull to God for preservation from it as a great blessing Did we but feele those heart-akings which some of the godly do groan under by reason of the vexations of the Evill one we would not rise in the morning nor go to bed at night without praising God for our freedom from him This lets us see what difference there is between the state of the godly on earth and the 4. Use state of the godly in Heaven In this life they are liable to assaults but in the other life they are set free from all batteries here they are militant there they shall be all triumphant here they walk in Armes there they sit with Palms in their hands Crowns on their heads and white Robes upon their backs In heaven there 's no sin and therefore no temptation the earthly Paradise was not free from temptation but in the celestiall Paradise there 's no tempter The Devill for his sin was once cast out of Heaven and there 's no re-entry thither Rev. 12. 8. He hath his diocesse on earth as ye heard out of Job 1. 7. There he rags and there he fights but he hath no roome in Heaven he is the Prince of the power of the aire Eph. 2. 2. but he can ascend no higher If you can but make shift to yet well out of the world Satan and you shall have done for ever LECT 4th Octob. 31. 1649. Ephes 6. 13. WE have done with the first Doctrine that Christians are liable to an evill day of Temptation The second Doctrine followeth which is also implyed viz. That it is the duty of every Christian manfully to withstand and oppose Satan in the evill day of Temptation We must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As often as the Devill shall rise up against us so often must we rise up against him and make resistance whether he assault us immediately by throwing his suggestions and injections into the soul with his own hand or whether he make use of any other Instrument to tempt us in his stead whether the Instrument be a friend or an enemy whatsoever kind of Temptation it be or whatsoever way of assault be used it is the Duty and part of a Christian to make open and resolute resistance I shall 1. Frove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is so 2. Prove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why it is so 1. For the Quodsit Let these three things be considered which do sufficiently make it out 1 What ever is positively and peremptorily commanded unto Christians that ought to be performed The Command of God layes an obligation upon the soul which is indispensible But God chargeth this upon all by way of Precept I shall bring two Texts James 4. 7. Resist the Devill c. And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 8. 9. Your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devoure whom resist steadfast in the faith In which place these 2. things are to be observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First the Devills unwearied diligence in assaulting he goeth about casting his darts and spreading his snares that he may surprize and catch us And secondly the Christians Duty in reference to these assaults He must resist steadfast in the faith Eph. 4. 27. 2. The commendable examples which we have in Scripture are to be imitated Now we have very Rare examples of this Duty We have the example of Christ and of holy men led by the spirit of Christ He resisted both the immediate and the mediate Assaults of that Wicked-one In Matth. 4. we have Satan appearing to Christ in a visible shape tempting him and fighting with him He makes a threefold assault If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread v. 3. If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe down v. 6. All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me v. 9. And we finde a threefold opposition It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by the word of God v. 4. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God v. 7. And again it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely

them to continue stedfast in the profession of that Faith of the Gospel which he had preached to them In which we have these three parts 1. The Preface in Cap. 1. v. 1 2. 2. The Matter of the Epistle Cap. 1. v. 2. ad Cap. 6. v. 10. In which are these two things 1. He strongly asserts and proves that Fundamental Doctrine of Justification by Grace Cap. 1 2 3. And then afterwards 2. He makes application of that Doctrine in a Use of Exhortation stirring them up to Holiness of life Cap. 4. cap. 5. cap. 6. ad v. 10. In which Exhortation he presseth two kinds of Duties First such as concerned all Christians in their general Vocation This from Cap. 4. 1. or Cap. 5. v. 21. And then secondly such kind of Duties as concerned Christians in their oeconomical Capacity as they were Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Cap. 5. 22. ad Cap. 6. v. 10. This is the second part of the Epistle 3. The Conclusion Cap. 6. v. 10. ad finem In which he doth 1 commend to them the use of that Spiritual Armour ver 10. ad 19. 2. He begs their prayers for himself v. 19 20. 3 Informes them of his sending of Tychicus v. 21 22. 4 He concludes with his usual Benediction and Prayer v. 23 24. The Verses which I have read are the first part of the Conclusion viz. a short and compendious Tractate about the Spiritual Armor concerning which the Apostle doth two things 1. Gives them a general Exhortation to use them v. 13. Wherefore c. 2. Gives them a particular Catalogue both of the Names and Uses of them ver 14 15 16 17 18. We are first to begin with the general Exhortation as it is laid down in the 13 verse Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour c. The Apostle had given this counsel ver 10. and yet because it was a very necessary Doctrine he doth here repeat it in Terminis From whence before we come to the particulars we shall lay down this Doctrine in generall viz. Doctrine general That necessary and useful Truths are not onely once but often to be preached by the Ministers of God Such Truths as are of special concernment are to be repeated again and again to the same people We shall find that the Holy Prophets of God have done so The Doctrine of Christ The calling of the Ge●tiles c. We shall find the same Doctrine preached by the same Prophet over and over and we shall find after Prophets repeating and rehearsing what hath been urged by the former Prophets And the Apostles inculcating the same things Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. If we or an Angel from Spiritual joy a necessary Duty Not hearkning to Seducers a necessary Duty Heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed He saith it over again Gal. 1. 8 9. And he tels the Phi●ippians It was not grievous to him to write the same things to them Phil. 3. 1. How often doth the Evangelist John repeat the Doctrine of Brotherly Love And our Brotherly love a necessary Duty Saviour himself preacheth the same Doctrine over again And we shall find Solomon in the Proverbs often repeating the same things Christs tender of G●ace a necessary Duty Vanity of the World a necessary Duty Saints Communion with Christ a necessary Duty vid. Prov. 1. 20 21. c and Cap. 8. 1 2 3 4. you have the very same thing again and you will find the same in very many places of that book And in Eccles Cap. 1. 2. the very same words again Cap. 12. 8. And so in the Canticles as cap. 1. 15. compared with cap. 4. 1. So cap. 2. 16. compared with cap. 6. 3. And this is necessary if we consider these three things 1. The Incapacity of mens minds to understand the things of God The Scripture tels us that the mind of man is full of darkness and blindness vid. Eph. 4. 18. The Apostle in that place describes the condition of man by Nature telling that there is a thick skin a vail of blindness covering their hearts and 2 Cor. 4. 4. That the God of this world hath blinded their eyes They are blind by Nature and they are blinded by Satan 'T is true God gave man a seeing-eye when he made him at first Adam knew the Nature of every Creature and gave them apt Names answerable to their Nature and he knew his God c. but by the Fall the eye of the Soul is become darkned as to spiritual things very dim as to other things Man by affecting a forbidden knowledge fell into gross ignorance he would needs know as much as a God he became as ignorant as a Beast Psal 49. 20. Dan. 4. 16. There is Ignorantia purae negationis Gen. 3. 5. which is no sinne Christ knew not the Day of Judgment the Trades-man knows not Astrology and there is Ignorantia pravae dispositionis when a man will be so and affects it c. This is in man by Nature And therefore the Apostle saith That the pure naturall man doth not understand the things of the Spirit nor can he because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 2. 14. They may and many of them do understand the matters of God Historically and Notionally but Spiritually Savingly and applicatorily and transformingly they cannot And as for the people of God who are inlightened by Grace yet even they labour under much ignorance still We find that even the Disciples of Christ though they had been tutor'd by him who was wiser then Solomon yet they were often at a loss to understand tho●e things which were not very obscure vid. Mat. 15. 16 17 18. And though Christ had often told them of his Passion c. yet we find they were very much to seek in that very particular after the death of their Master vid. Luke 24. 25 26. This makes these repetitions very necessary If Man were as at first a very hint or glympse would be enough but in regard of his dulness there is need of these Rehearsals And know this that it is an Act of compassion in God to the blindness of his Crearure to repeat the same things more then once It 's said of Christ that he can have compassion on the Ignorant Heb. 5. 2. These Rehearsals are one clear Testimony amongst many others of his compassion to ignorant sinners 2. The Imbecillity and weakness of the memory The Memory is the Treasury and Store-house of the Soul the peculiar Office of the memory is to retain and keep carefully all the Notions which are apprehended and taken in by the Understanding and all the Species which are drawn from several Objects by the externall and internal Senses 'T is the Registry of the Soul where these things should be faithfully recorded and kept for after-time Now there is a very great imperfection in this Register This weakness

oft put in minde of them There are some sins which are predominant in every Age these the Ministers of Christ must be often beating down and reproving There are some duties to which men are very averse these must be often urged Hypocrisie was a raigning sin amongst the Jews therefore our Saviour at every turn was beating down that sin Apostacy from the truth of the Gospel by hearkening to seducers was the great sin of the Churches of the Gospel therefore all the Apostles who writ to those Churches did urge and press a care about that more then once or twice c. Onely the Ministers of God must be carefull of these three things in reference to this business 1. That they do it not because of sluggishnes or sloathfulness of spirit Idleness is a very great sin in any Calling much more in the Ministry their Calling being of greater importance then any other If the Lord of the Vineyard come and finde them sleeping and snorting by reason of negligence he will cut them asunder and give them their portion with the Hypocrites Matth. 24. 48 49 50 51. God hath given them a large taske they have a broad field to walk in they are to preach the whole Counsel of God and therefore they must not insist upon the same things out of a spirit of laziness but meerly out of respect to and compassion of the necessity of the people And then 2. That they be as careful in studying the same Doctrines as if they had never made any mention of them before That if it fall into their way to speak about the same Duty or about the same sin concerning which they have formerly spoken they may have fresh Arguments to recommend the same duty and fresh considerations to manifest and make evident the vileness of the same sin c. They must still dive further into the Scriptures and meditate more earnestly that they may speak more convincingly then before to the Consciences of such as hear them 3. That they seek earnestly to God by prayer in the behalf of the people that their hearts may so readily practise the Duty enjoyned avoid the sin reproved that they may have no further occasion to remember them any more of the same things Let the people of God be willing when necessity Vse 2. requires to hear of the same duty and of the same sinne over and over Many men cannot endure to hear of a Duty twice though they can be content to omit it when the Minister hath done all he is able nor are they patient to hear the same sin twice reproved though they can be content to commit it an hundred times over it may be in one week It is no advantage to the Minister but it 's a great benefit to you It 's safe for you Phil. 3. 1. It 's an Argument of love and care in the Ministers of God over your souls They are afraid you should miss the way to Heaven and therefore they give you your direction over again They are afraid the Sore should not be well healed and therefore they apply another Plaister to it that the Cure may be perfect They would present every man perfect to Christ Col. 1. 28. therefore they inculcate things If you would hear no more of the same Duty do you practise it carefully If you would not hear of the same sin again cease from it break it off by repentance and then you shall hear no more of it And indeed this is one great use which all Christians should make of these Repetitions 1. To be convinced of the badness of their own hearts And 2. to learn more diligently to practise what is frequently commended and to avoid what is so often forbidden Otherwise know this that such Rehearsals will be very sad Aggravations of sin another day When Conscience shall bring in testimony that such a Duty was preached over and over and yet you would never practise it such a sinne was forbidden you many a time yet you would not leave it You heard it pressed upon you more then perhaps a hundred times that you should believe repent pray in your Families and instruct your Children and read the Scriptures c. but you could never get up your hearts to the Duty You heard more then once perhaps a thousand times that you should not swear nor lie nor abuse the Creatures to excess nor break the Sabbath c. yet you would go on c. These often Repeatings of your duties will be high aggravations and so many Witnesses of your contempt And indeed this is one End why they are used in the Scriptures and commanded to be used in the Ministry That those that do not obey after all these inculcations may be left without excuse and condemned by so many Witnesses The Apostle useth such an Argument as this to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. This is the third time I am He alludes to the Law Deut. 17. 3. coming to you At the mouth of 2 or 3 Witnesses shall every word be established He had sent them three Warnings that he would come to use against the stubborn in spirit Authority Christ had given him for the punishing of their sin and if they did not repent before his coming this three-fold Warning would be as a three-fold Testimony to prove them incorrigible So will all the Repeatings of the same Duties both in the Scripture and in the mouth of Gods Ministers be in stead of so many clear Testimonies of your incorrigibleness when Christ comes to judge and punish the disobedience of the World And look how often your Admonitions and Rebukes have been repeated so often shall the stripes of Gods hand be repeated also He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. We find in the Gospel that our Saviour makes this a sharp and clear conviction of the Jews stubborness that they would not submit to his yoke and be brought into obedience though they were often required and urged thereunto O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. how often would I have gathered thy Children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Lukc 13. 34. behold your house is lest unto you desolate It 's damnable to refuse any Duty though but once commanded and to run into any act of sinne though but once forbidden but not to hearken after a thousand Admonitions will be a proof of stubbornness by a thousand Witnesses And the torment of the Conscience in Hell will rise in extremity answerable to the number of the Warnings you have had to have kept you out of Hell All Admonitions sleighted in this life will be remembred in Hell and not one of them forgotren and every Admonition will be a new flame to afflict and torment the never-dying soul Consider these things and be no longer rebellious Let not this Admonition be added as

is used by Souldiers in the Warres to defend that part of the body The Breast-plate is the defensive Armour which the Souldier wears to secure the forepart of his body from the violence of Sword Pistoll Lance or other Weapon used by the adversary in time of battell This the Latins call Loricam Now the Apostle would have his Christian Souldier to take and use this in the day of temptation That which is brought to set out this piece of Armour is the grace of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we may understand his meaning we are to consider the Acception of this word in the Scriptures Now there is a twofold Righteousness The one Legall the other Evangelicall Legall Righteousness is a perfect compleat strict conformity to the Law of God in every thing This righteousness is not that which is meant in this place for there is not one meer man in this world who ever did or ever shall wear this Breast-plate since the fall of Adam He indeed had this Armour put upon him in his Creation but he and we in him lost it by the fall and shall never be able to recover it again God looked down from Heaven upon the Children of men c. but they are all gone out of the way there is none righteous no not one Evangelicall Righteousness is that which is interpreted so in the Gospel a qualified righteousness Now this righteousness of the Gospel is twofold viz. 1. A righteousness of imputation or justification by vertue of which a person stands righteous and unspotted before God this is nothing else but the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed or reckoned unto a believing sinner whereby he is constituted righteous in foro Dei This is called in Scripture sometimes the Righteousness of God because approved of God contrived of God imputed by God sometimes The Righteousness of Faith because it s applied received and put on by Faith as a hand or Instrument appointed for that purpose Somet●mes the righteousness of Christ because it s wrought by Jesus Christ for us This Divines Call The Righteousness of our Person A Righteousness without us A Righteousness communicated to us A Righteousness upon us c. 2. A Righteousness of Sanctification by which we work righteousness This is twofold 1. Habituall which is nothing else but the new nature or new man created and implanted in the heart of a Christian at the time of his new birth or Regeneration called by Divines Inherent righteousness or a righteousness in us Of this the Apostle speaks Eph. 4. 24. that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness and of this also the Apostle speaks 1 John 3. 9. his seed abideth in him 2. Actuall which is nothing else but the manifestation and exercise of the work of righteousness in a holy and unblameable conversation towards God and Man in our thoughts speeches actions This is called the working of righteousness Acts 10. 35. the doing of righteousness 1 John 3. 7. he that doth righteousness is righteous as he is righteous This is called by Divines A Righteousness from us The Righteousness of our course or Conversation Sometimes this Righteousness is joyned with holiness And then Righteousness strictly refers to the Duties of the second Table and holiness to the Duties of the first Table Tit. 2. 12. Luke 1. 75. sometimes it is put alone and then it comprehends all Duties to God and man Luke 1. 6. its said of Zachary and Elizabeth that they were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Now there are some Expositors which by the Breast-plate of righteousness understand the righteousness of Imputation the righteousness of Christ imputed by faith for our justification But this I suppose is not the meaning of the Apostle here because he doth afterward speak particularly of the shield of Faith verse 16. under which this righteousness of Faith is comprehended Others by the Breast-plate of righteousness understand only this last viz. righteousness of conversation unblameableness and innocency of life so Calv. Zanch. Deodat Bulling Piscator and generally the whole Current of Interpreters And this is most likely to be his meaning if we consider what goes before viz. the Girdle of Truth he first commends unto them inward sincerity or truth of heart and then that which is alwayes an effect or consequence thereof holiness of conversation Taking this to be the meaning of it the Doctrine is this That holiness and righteousness of conversation Doct. is of excellent and necessary use for him that would stand and overcome Satan in the day of temptation The Breast-plate of a righteous life is necessary to be put on and used by every Christian Souldier that would be victorious in the day of spirituall Assaults In the opening of this Doctrine I shall clear these two things 1. Wherein righteousness of conversation consists what are the characters of a righteous man 2. Wherein the usefulness of it lieth as to the withstanding and overcoming in the day of Temptation 1. Righteousness of Conversation takes in these two things which may be as Evidences and Tryalls 1. He that desires universally to obey all the Commands of the first and second Table Respect unto all the Commandments of God is that which in the Language of Scripture doth denominate a person truly righteous Not that there is any man on earth that perfectly fulfills the Law of God Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from sin Prov. 20. 9. If any man should dare to affirm this the Holy Ghost tells him he is a lyar and a self-deceiver 1 John 1. 8. But yet there are many who do truly endeavour to be conformable to the whole will of God and these are in a qualified interpretation righteous persons This is that which the Apostle testifieth of himself before the Governour Felix Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards man There are some who are careful of the Commands of the second Table they would have a good Conscience towards men they would not cheat nor defraud they would pay every man his own they are morally righteous but they take no great care of the duties of the first Table they are willingly unrighteous towards God at least in some duties make no conscience of prayer publique private secret are not exact about the Sabbath c. these are unrighteous persons they defraud God of his right Others are seemingly righteous towards God but they are willingly wanting and defective in that which concerns man at least in something these are as far from righteousness as the other Zachary and Eliz. are said to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. They were without all question blame-worthy in many things but they did not willingly neglect any known duty they

not the King no not in thy thought Eccles 10. 20. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. God saw that every imagination of the heart of man was evil Gen. 6. 5. He that lookes upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her in his heart Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. We have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine c. Rom. 6. 17. 7. The heavenliness of the Doctrine It lifts up men above all earthly things it calls on men to mortifie their earthly members to set their affections on things above not on things below c. 8. The blessings and rewards punishments and threatnings propounded in the Scripture are not temporal onely but spiritual and eternal Giving men up to vile Affections Rom. 1. 24. Seeing ye shall see and not perceive c. Esa 6. latter end I will not punish their daughters when they commit Adultery Hos 4. 14. If any hear and open I will come in and sup with him c. Revel 3. 20. If any man keep my Commandements I will love him and my Father will love him and communicate himself to him c. Joh. 14. 23. 9. The scope and chief aim of it is to debase all Creatures and to advance and set up God alone Whether ye eat or drink c. do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 3. Fear God and keep his Commandements Eccles 12 Let God be true and every man a Lyar c. III. From the rare effects of the Scriptures They have a power to terrifie to comfort to quicken to pull down strong Holds 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. To open blind eyes to convert dead soules c. Quale causatum talis causa Such illustrious divine effects must needs have a divine cause 4. From the testimony and witness of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of men It is the work of the Holy Ghost to subdue the heart to believe and submit to the Word 1 Joh. 2. 20. Ye have an unction from that Holy One c. John 14. 26. When the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost is come he shall teach you all things and whatsoever I have said to you he shall bring to your remembrance This perswasion must either be from Sathan or from a mans own fancy or else from God It cannot be from Satan for the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures overthrows him and his Kingdom and Design It cannot be from our own fancy the Doctrine of the Scripture is supra captum nostrum ergo I could give other Arguments Ex absurdo Ex consensu Ecclesiae Ex Amanuensibus c. but these may suffice Secondly Why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit Consider four things for this 1. 'T is from the Spirit Originally He is the Composer and Framer of this blessed Book 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Herein it differs from that material Sword That is made and fashioned by man This by the Spirit 2. All the efficacy of it depends upon the Spirit He it is that makes it powerfull for the working of those effects which are done by it upon men It would be but a woodden sword without either edge or point if the Spirit of God did not give virtue to it This the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 10. 4. We see it by experience the same word is a dead letter upon some and a convincing and converting word to others the reason is because the word is set on by the Spirit in one and not in the other 3. It hath an effectual influence upon the Spirits of men It doth not onely reach to the body and outward man but even to the Spirit and Conscience also This the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Herein it differs from all material Swords They onely pierce the body they cannot either wound or defend the Conscience but this Sword hath a power through the Spirit both to afflict and quiet to settle and unsettle the very Spirit and Soul of man 4. The manner of the operation of this Sword is onely Spiritual It workes not as the materiall Sword by bloudy piercings and woundings but by Spiritual Arguments onely There is nothing visible to the eye of the body in the working of this Sword it doth all for which it is appointed in a spiritual way by spirituall Convictions and Spiritual Comforts and Spiritual Reproofs c. III. Wherein this is usefull to help us against Temptations 1. The Word of God helps a Christian to answer all Satans objections Whatsoever sinne he tempts you to commit whatsoever Duty he perswades you to cast off whatsoever medium he useth to press his temptation the Word of God will be able to put full and pertinent answers into your mouthes against the same When I opened the 13. verse I shewed you there were eight evill dayes in which Satan did violently set upon the soul The Day of Personal outward Affliction The Day of Church-calamity especially when Hereticks and Seducers are risen up in the Church The Day of sinful miscarriage and failing The Day of Spiritual Desertion and obscurity The Day of extraordinary Soul-enlargment by Divine Manifestations and Incoms from Heaven The Day of Temporal deliverance and advancement The Day of the success of wicked men The Day of Death I shewed you what temptations are most peculiar to such a day Now the Word of God will furnish you with sufficient Arguments to antidote your Soules against the infection of every one of those Temptations If Satan tempt to pride of heart the Scripture will arm you against that sinne by shewing you the mischief of Pride God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4. 6. If Satan tempt you to Covetousness the Scripture will shew you the danger of that sinne It will tell you that The love of money is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. And that a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of what he enjoyeth Luke 12. 15. If Satan tempt you to unrighteousness and oppression the Scripture will arm you against that sinne Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. If Satan tempt you to Perjury and Covenant-breaking the Scripture will shew you the sad effects which have followed upon that sinne Zedekiah for this sinne had his eyes put out and was a Captive all his dayes Ezek. 17. 18. If Satan tempt you to be heretical or erroneous the Scripture will shew the miserable fruits of Heresie Because they did not receive the truth in the love of it God gave them up to delusions to believe a Lie that they might all be

his heart taken up about this Duty he must prepare for it both matters for it and time for it he must so order his affairs that he may solemnly wait upon this work of prayer many Christians are so intangled about other things they do so watch for the matters of this life that they have no fit time for prayer 2. He must watch and observe those special seasons in which God doth move and stir up his heart to this Duty He must watch in Prayer that is he must watch against Drowsiness against Distractions and wandrings against whatsoever may divert him from prayer It is to be the care of a Christian that his heart may be composed in prayer that Satan may not take him off from the work he hath in hand Satan watcheth unto Temptation and watcheth In Temptation and if we do not watch both Into supplication and In supplication he will have a very great advantage against us your drowsie careless loose unsetled prayer is the way to encourage not to dishearten Satan 5. A conquering Prayer must be a persevering Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifieth such an invincible constancy and perseverance as will be beaten off by no kind of opposition or difficulty whatsoever This is required in many places Rom. 12. 12. Col. 4. 2. We must not onely pray for a day or a year and then cease our prayers must continue as long as the battel continues All victory is promised to him onely that perseveres Satan is never weary of tempting and we must never be weary of praying You must be still charging and discharging this Ordinance of Prayer as Satan is charging and discharging upon you by his Temptations Discontinuing of this may lose the battel The Apostle exhorts Christians to have a care that their prayers be not cut off 1 Pet. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cutting off prayer is as dangerous as the totall neglecting of prayer 6. A conquering Prayer must be a charitable prayer This is in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not as if we must pray for none but Saints God gives us leave to pray for all sinners except those who have sinned that unpardonable sinne Samuel prayed for Saul Abraham prayed for Ishmael c. 'T is not exclusive of others His meaning is we must pray for others especially for the Saints the Eye of Charity in this as in other pieces of it is to look first at the Saints The Saints are liable most of all to the violence of the same Temptation which we are lyable to The Saints being helped by our prayers will be the better able to pray for us and to help us in our Assaults by their prayers And besides Prayers for the Saints will engage God to hear the prayers that we make for our selves in our own Temptations I might add more Qualifications out of other Scriptures but I resolve not to go out of the Text. Thirdly Wherein the usefulness of Prayer as to the overcoming of Satan and his Temptations lyeth This I shall shew in these things viz LECT XXVI April 3. 1650. FIrst Prayer is the way to prevent Temptations from entring It doth make the soul in a manner impenetrable Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation Satans hands are tied up by the power of Prayer sometimes that he cannot shoot an Arrow of Temptation against the Soul Lead us not into temptation Mat. 6. 13. It 's a hard thing for Satan with all his wiles to make his fiery Darts fasten upon the Soul of a praying Christian Secondly Prayer is the way to pull out Satans Darts when they are fastened For 1. Prayer sets the blessed Trinity on work for the Souls assistance It engageth God to take our part in the day of battel When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed when he let his hands down Amaleck prevailed Exod. 17. 11. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50. 15. The Prayer of the Disciples did awake Jesus Christ and set him awork for them when the winds and waves did threaten shipwrack and present ruine Mat. 8. 24 25 26. When the waves and storms of Temptation threaten the ruine of the Soul Prayer awakes Christ and sets him on action for the Soules safety The prayer of Paul when he was actually engaged with Satan in a very hot Dispute brought him in assistance from Heaven I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me and he said My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness c. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Prayer brings in supply of assisting Grace 2. Prayer gives strength to all the other pieces of the Christian Armour It is reserved by the Apostle to the last place because both is an evidence we have the other because it is so helpfull to all the rest 1. It doth keep the Girdle of Truth upon the Loyns Holy Prayers are as the Clasps of this Girdle which tie it together and keep it from falling off 2. It is that which doth tie together the Breast-plate of Righteousness 3. It keeps on the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospel upon our feet Take away the strings of Prayer and these shooes will soon slip off the feet 4. It strengthens the Shield of Faith and keeps it from breaking I have prayed for thee that thy Faith do not fail If either Christs prayer for us or our prayer for our selves fail the Shield of Faith will fail also Jude 20. 5. It keeps Hope alive he that is most frequent in prayer will be most lively in hoping 6. It puts an edge to the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God stirres us up to prayer and then Prayer makes the Word sharp and prevalent 3. Prayer expels those Corruptions which weaken and prejudice the Soul and give advantage to Satan in the day of Temptation The strength of sinne in the soul is the strength of Satan all his advantage is from our own Corruptions Now Prayer doth help on the work of Mortification and Sanctification it purgeth the Conscience it purifieth the heart it fastens grace in the root and increaseth it in the branch c. Every holy Prayer pares off something from that body of Death which is Satans Armory and strong hold in us 4. Prayer adds boldness and courage Information 1. This lets us see the reason why Satan is such an enemy to Prayer That he useth all means to take off the servants of God from this Duty the Scripture tells and the experiences of all the people of God make it good What distractions and disturbances doth he ordinarily work in the hearts of men when they are employed in this service The Saints of God never find him more busie with them then at such a time When Paul was going to prayer a Spirit of Divination meets him and labours to divert his thoughts Act. 16. 16. A Child of God can never