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

his nature they bear his name the Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so is a wicked man Holy men are like to God they are called by his Name God is holy and they are holy God is righteous and they are righteous but wicked men have the very name and the very nature of Satan he is unholy and so are they and the more any person abounds in wickedness the more like he grows still to the Devil who is wicked and the father of wickedness It s said of Caein that he was of that wicked one and slew his brother 1 John 3 12. We may say so of every other sinner The swearer is of that wicked one the prophane person is of that wicked one c. He that committeth sin is of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. he is of him not onely as he is tempted by him but because he doth simbolize with him in nature he hath his character and image printed upon his soul 3 That Hell must needs be a wicked place All the Inhabitants of it are wicked There are none there but wicked Angels and wicked men and all the work which is done there is nothing but wickedness therefore it must of necessity be a wicked place Hell is a place of torment as well as of sin I am tormented in these flames but the wickedness of Hell is worse than the torments of Hell it s the wickedness of the Devils and of men acted by Devils that bring them to that place of torments A Hell of torments is rather to be chosen than a Hell of wickedness It was Anselms speech If hell saith he were on one hand without sin and sin on the other hand without hell and I must needs chuse one I would rather chuse hell than sin A hell of torments without sin is better than a hell of sin without torments 4. That those that are under the Devils power are in a very sad condition It s a sad thing to be under the command of wicked Governours Prov 28. 15. As a roaring Lion and a ranging Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people It were as good to live in the wilderness amongst ravening Lions as under the Dominion of wicked Rulers wickedness fits them for all acts of oppression injustice and cruelty When children that want knowledge and babes which are without understanding rule then the people shall be oppressed every one by another Esay 3. 5. how much more when wicked men rule when wickedness sits at the helm there will be no want of misery in the ship That the hypocrite reign not lest the people be insnared Job 34 30. people must expect nothing but snares till the reign of the hypocrite be expired Solomon tell us that when the wicked bear rule the people mourn Prov. 29 2. All in a Land are mourners in such a time unless it be those that live by wickedness If it be so sad to be under the power of wicked men how sad is it to be under the power of Satan there is more wickedness in one Devil than in many wicked men put together And then he hath more power and policy than men have to bring to pass the wickedness that is in him therefore is the condition of all to be lamented that are under his jurisdiction and thus are all wicked and unregenate men Eph. 1 2 3. 5. This shewes us why it is that Satan doth so hate God and all his Saints He is an irreconcileable Adversary to God and to all that are godly The reason is plain there is a contrariety of nature between God and Satan and between Satan and godly ones and where there is contrariety of nature there will be enmity and opposition Gal 5 17 The righteous is an abomination to the wicked Exhortation 1. Let it be a motive to all Vse 2. men especially to the holy ones of God to mortifie and put off all manner of wickedness Let the Devil and his instruments be wicked but be not you wicked It was Davids Argument whereby he was stayed from laying hands upon King Saul when he was earnestly perswaded to kill him 1 Sam. 24. 13. Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked but my hand shall not be upon thee Wicked acts are diabolical acts they proceed from him and they lead men to him And it is not fit that the Children of God should symbolize with the Devil T is the Apostles Argument to take off the people of God from Idol-worship 1 Cor. 10. 20. The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils Swearing lying forswearing cheating c. these are works fit for the evil one and his Angels and not for Saints Be not therefore partakers with them 2. Bless God for delivering you from under the power and dominion of Satan Vide Col. 1. 13. You were once at the command of that wicked one as well as others and you should have continued for ever in that condition if God had not freed you from his tyranny David praiseth God for cutting asunder the cords of wicked men in which he was sometimes holden Psalm 129. 4. The plowers plowed upon my back and made long their furrows but the righteous Lord c. How much more cause have you to praise God for deliverance from wicked Devils who had power not onely to mischief your bodies but your souls also 3. Do not trust the Devll when he pretends to sanctifie He is so politique that he can sometimes for his advantage transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Mystery Babylon hath in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication Rev. 17. 4. The Devil the grand Imposter of all doth oftentimes carry his worst poyson in a golden cup he can speak Scripture to draw you from Scripture he can tempt you to be irreligious by religious Arguments falsly and deceitfully applied he can tempt men to prophane Sabbaths upon a pretence of standing for Christian liberty c. he can argue men from waiting upon Ordinances because the Spirit is able to teach them c. This is his great master-piece that he is now acting in the world his wine is now carried in a golden cup. But let all the godly know that he is still the wicked one and though he speak divinely yet he alwayes acts diabolically though the voice be Jacobs voice yet the hands are the hands of Esau he never works more wickedly than when he seems to act most holily Thus much for the first proposition 2. That the temptations of Satan are fiery darts He shoots arrows of fire at the Servants of God It s sometimes true in the very letter the Devil useth fire to destroy the Servants of God The Apostle mentions the fiery tryal 1 Peter 4 12. Think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal as if some strange thing happened to you i.

the Devil a triumphant Saint And all that glorious Company in Heaven who are described with Palms in their hands and Robes upon their backs and Crowns upon their heads Rev. 7. 9. are at this present singing the song of Victory unto God and unto the Lamb. Reproof to two sorts of persons Vse 1. 1. Such as instead of withstanding Satan the evil Spirit withstand and oppose the Spirit of Christ quenching and grieving and resisting his blessed Motions Steven sayes this to the charge of those obstinate Jews Act. 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye There are many in this way of opposition resisting the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word and in the immediate motions and suggestions put into their hearts When the Spirit moves them to pray they oppose him When the Spirit bids them hear they stop their eares and when the Spirit bids them Seek ye my face they answer Thy face will we not seek I would have such men to consider a few things seriously These two things 1. There 's no man knows whether the Spirit will move once more in his heart or no That which Solomon saith in another case we may as truly say in this case Eccles 8. 8. There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit The Spirit of God is a free Agent He workes when and where and as long as he pleaseth he bloweth where he listeth c. Many a man would now be glad to feel those movings upon his soul which he hath stifled formerly by his own sinful opposings but cannot redeem them 2. How unable you will be to act in any good when the Holy Spirit of God is silenced 'T is the Spirit of God which workes in you both to will and to do Phil. 2. 23. And if this Wheel do not turn there will never be any good motion in the Soul The Soul without the Holy Spirit is but as a dead Corps with a living soul not able to act at all If there be neither Wind nor Tide the Ship cannot sayl The Spirit of God is both the Wind and Tide of all Motions in the soul and if this stir not there is no action It is with man in regard of spiritual operations as it was with the Wheeles in Ezekiels Vision and the living Creatures Ezek. 1. 19 20. 21. When the living Creatures went the Wheeles went by them and when the living Creatures stood the Wheeles stood and when the living Creatures were lifted up the Wheeles were lifted up c. The Soul of Man is a Wheel which is fit for motion but it cannot move when the Spirit of God doth not move If the Spirit stand still the Wheeles stand still and if the Spirit be lifted up the Wheeles are lifted up otherwise no motion 2. Such as instead of withstanding the Assaults of Satan do indeed carry on the assaults of Satan use all meanes they can that they may both fashion and animate and give breath to all Satans Conceptions in their own and others hearts They hatch the Cockatrice eggs and weave the Spiders web Isa 59. 5. They are ready to put Tooles and Instruments into the hand of the Devil and to do his work for him The Apostle speakes of some that make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. ult So many make provision for the Devil that they may accomplish his temptations They use all means to edge his temptations that they may pierce to the bottome they put feathers upon his arrows that they may fly swiftly Jonadab was guilty of this sinne towards Ammon He sets on the temptation of the Devil and promotes sinne and becomes a Pander to his lust 2 Sam. 13. 4 5. Jezabel she promotes Satans temptation against her husband I wil saith she give thee the vineyard of Naboth 1 Reg. 21. 7. She became a very Devil to her Husband so do many persons to themselves go up and down seeking occasions and opportunities to further Satans temptation If Satan tempt them to drunkenness they go presently abroad to seek Companions and if he perswade them to uncleanness they use all helpes and incentives to that sinne c. It is a very cursed thing and a sacrilegious sin to help the Devil against Christ either in your selves or others The Serpent was cursed for being an Instrument to the Adversary in his assaulting of our first Parents Gen. 3. 14. And Jezabel bears this infamous brand She made Ahab to sin Jezabel his wife stirred up c. Such as blow up Satans sparks of temptation in their own hearts are Felones de se Self-Murtherers which of all Murtherers are the most bloody and confiscate all they have Exhortation to perswade all Christians to Vse 2. this resolution Play the men and stand out against the Devil and all his Instruments Keep your footing and yield not in any case though he come upon you as Goliah did upon David with open mouth yet keep your ground and flinch not at any hand And for your encouragement consider 1. That Satan is but a Creature though he be strong and cruel yet his strength is but a created strength he is potent but not omnipotent Omnipotency is incompatible to a Creature He is the strong man armed but Jesus Christ is stronger then he and though you cannot yet he can disarm him and take away that wherein he trusteth Luke 11. 22. 2. That he is a Creature under a Curse This may take off much from that dreadfulness which many look upon him with vid. Gen. 3. 14. Cursed shalt thou be above all the Beasts of the field c. There is nothing which may more encourage a Child of God in his spiritual Encounters then this That all he dispures against are under a Divine Execration Gods Curse is a weakning thing 3 He is a wounded and conquered Creature Gen. 3. 15. He shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Our Saviour I remember encourageth his Disciples against troubles from the World by this very Argument I have overcome the World Joh. 16. 33. He hath overcome the Devil as well as the World for he triumphed over Principalities and Powers on the Cross Col. 2. 15. Christ put Satan to flight in his assaults Matth. 4. 11. and that as our Head Satan overcame all Mankind in the first Adam but in the second Adam he is overcome by all the Elect in Christs Victories Ephes 2. 6. So in this 4 He is a chained Creature also Rev. 20. 1 2. God keeps him fast in Irons he was put into Fetters ever since his 2 Pet. 2. 4. first Rebellion and he cannot shake them off Jude 6. And this chain doth so confine him that he cannot stir until God slack his Chain Let me touch his flesh and bone and he will curse thee to thy face Job 2. 5. And ye know

spoyls the soul though perhaps more insensibly yet not less violently Sauls Armour will do no good against Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 38. 39. And as the Weapons of men cannot profit much lesse can 2. the weapons of Satan do any good Exorcismes spels inchantments crossings such like Diabolicall Devices are very unlike to help the soul in these Battels This is to cast out Satan by Satan which our Saviour makes to be a very improbable thing How can Satan cast out Satan Mark 3. 23. The Devil is a politick Creature too wise to make Engines to annoy himself Division would soon destroy his Kingdom therefore he will not fight against himself Or if he do seem to be overcome at any time by any of these weapons which he puts into thy hand it is but that he may by this means make thee faster in his snare A wise Souldier will suspect any weapon sent from his enemy when Saul went to the Witch at Endor to be relieved in his evill day Satan answered him but he did by this means get faster hold then he had before so vain are all these weapons 2 From the effectualnesse of these weapons they have ever been succesfull when they have been used aright by any of Gods Servants What is said of the bow of Jonathan and the sword of Saul is truely said of this Armour they never returned empty from the blood of the slain and from the fat of the mighty 2. Sam. 1. 22. never any harnessed with this Armour lost the field finally 'T is Armour of proofe it may be battered it cannot be quite broken There are thousands and ten thousands in heaven triumphing at this day who have overcome that red Dragon and all his hosts by this Armour IV. Why we must take the whole Armour 1 Because Satan will be sure to encounter us on every side he useth all kind of temptations besiegeth us round and therefore we must have all kind of Armour He hath temptations for the head therefore we must have a Helmet to keep that safe he hath temptations for the heart therefore we must take the Breast-plate he hath temptations for the feet therefore we must not leave off the shooes of the preparation of the Gospel c. There is not any part of the soul or body but he assaults it with peculiar and proper temptations c. No man knowes where Satan will shoot 2. Because if any place lie unguarded it will be as dangerous as if the whole were unarmed Satan will creep in at any hole and wheresoever he smites he smites mortally 'T is as good to have all naked as any part unweaponed Satan is an exact Marks-man he can shoot at an hairs breadth and not misse the Mark as it s said of those Benjamites Judges 20. 16. 3. There is such a connexion between one part and another that the absence of but one weakeneth the strength of all the rest For the Graces of the spirit there is such a concatenation amongst them that if one be left behinde all the rest are much loosened and made lesse serviceable They are as links of a Chain one helps to keep another so that if you do but break one the rest drop asunder Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. Rom. 5. 3 4. All the graces are as the stones of a building or the beams of an house they corroborate and strengthen one another faith strengthens love and love helps faith and love and faith quickens hope and hope sets joy on work c. It were easie to shew you what mutuall dependance one of the graces hath upon another And so do the Ordinances which are another part of this Armour they help one another the word helps us in prayer and prayer help● us in managing the word and the word and prayer make the Sacraments usefull and the Sacraments again they fit the soul for the word and prayer c. So that he that shall neglect any piece doth necessarily much enerve all the rest 4. He that shall neglect any may expect that God should even curse the rest to him as a punishment of that neglect For to leave off any piece of the spirituall Armour willingly argues in a man 1. Spirituall pride and confidence of his own strength he thinks himself not to want so much as God hath provided it argues 2. Disesteem of that peece of Armour which is neglected that there is neither desireableness nor usefulness in it and it 3. argues sloathfulness and security of spirit and then it argues 4. contempt of God and his Authority in prescribing what he would have his Souldiers to observe c. For as the Apostle argues in another case he that said Do not commit Adultery said also Do not kill c. James 2. 11. so he that saith take the Helmet saith also take the Shield c. Now such a Christian may justly expect that God will punish his pride and disrespect and sloathfulness and contempt with the blasting of all other pieces of his Armour that he that would not take all should have no benefit of any Information We may draw from hence 1. Vse these 12. Conclusions viz. LECT 6. Novemb. 14. 1649. 1. THat its a very difficult and hard taske LECT 6 for a Christian to oppose Satan when he comes in a way of Assault This is naturally infer'd from hence All the Armour of God must be taken and all little enough to furnish us for this day Many an ignorant and self-confident Christian thinks it one of the easiest works in all the world to repell Satan and put him to flight 't is but bidding him defiance and he is presently gone This Text will teach us another lesson if we mark it well We may guesse at the difficulty of opposing a contrary power by the provision made for that opposition When we see many hundreds of Souldiers listed and store of Artillery and Ammunition provided and many dayes spent in fitting the Souldier for his work we presently imagine that all this presupposeth more then an ordinary adversary so when we hear the Apostle charging these Ephesians once and again to take to themselves and to put upon them the whole Armour of God we cannot but conclude that there is like to be more than ordinary contentions before such an Adversary be overcome Look but upon that description which is made of this Adversary in the 12. v. of this Chapter Not with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers c. I name this difficulty not to discourage any Christian but to stir up watchfulness and diligence in all Christians that knowing the difficulty before-hand they may be the better fitted to entertain him when he comes Three things well considered besides this in the Text will discover the difficulty of withstanding Satans temptations 1. He is a very potent enemy Ephes 4. 12. Principalities Powers Spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places 2. He is

a very subtle enemy Gen. 3. 1. 3. He is a very diligent and industrious enemy He compasseth the earth to and fro Job 2. 2. He turnes every stone and leaves no meanes unattempted that may promote his mischievous design Now I add this Note for these three Reasons 1. That we may see How much compassion we owe to such as are assaulted by him 2. How much we ought to pitty such as are surprised overtaken and for a time overcome by his strong assaults Be not over-harsh nor over-rigid in censuring condemning them who are captivated by the power of Satan vid. Gal. 6. 1. 3. That all who are inabled to keep the field in this war may confess how much they owe to God who inableth them to be Conquerors in so difficult a battel Secondly This sheweth us the insufficiency weakness and emptiness of our selves and of every thing in our selves to carry on the spirituall Warfare We must take not our own Armour that 's quickly broken into pieces but the Armour of God Had we any thing of our own there would be no need of sending us to another treasury There is so much Atheisme Pride self-Idolatry and vain confidence in the heart of man that he is very desirous to magnifie himself and unwilling to acknowledge his own poverty We are ready to say as that proud King of Assyria did Isa 10. 13 14. By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdome for I am prudent I have removed the hounds of the people and have robbed their Treasures and I have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant man And my hand hath found as a Nest the riches of the people c. never minding that all his success and strength was from God who had made him his Battle-axe to do all that work We are ready to assume all to our selves in our spirituall warring against Satan I have put the Adversary to flight I have resisted him by my own strength and industry whereas it is GOD that furnisheth us with Armour and that girds this Armour upon us and that makes our endeavours successfull by his own grace Our sword would soon be broken in pieces our heeles would soon be tript up from under us if God did not under-gird our soules with his strength My grace is sufficient saith God to Paul when Satan made war against him 2 Cor. 12. 9. God's grace was Paul's sufficiency else he had been the Devils Vassal By thee saith David have I run thorow a troop by my God have I leaped over a wall it is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation thy right hand hath holden me up and thy gentleness hath made me great Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battel thou hast subdued under me those that rose against me Psal 18. 29 34 35 39. Whensoever thou readest this Text that thou art sent to Gods Armory sit down and make acknowledgment of thy own poverty and say All my springs are in thee God will never have the glory either of thy opposing or overcoming till thou see it to be him that worketh all thy works in thee and for thee Esa 26. 12. Thirdly That God hath made sufficient provision for his people to safeguard and defend them against all the attempts of Satan Here is a Panoplia not only one sort of Armour but Armour of all kinds The treasury is richly furnished the christian souldier needeth not to want any thing if he be not defective to himselfe here is provision for the head for the breast for the heart for the hand c. t is a perfect Armour Cap a pe there 's nothing wanting for the full accoutring of soul and boby Let Satan use what way of Assaults he pleaseth here is defence made against him my grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 9. As the hills stand about Jerusalem So the Lord is round about his people Psal 125. 1 2. There 's no side lies undefended if the Christian do not voluntarily omit his Armour There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the heaven for thy helpe and the eternall God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armes c Deut. 33. 26 27. If Satan come over their heads to assault them God rideth upon the sky in his excellency If Satan get beneath them to undermine them there is provision also underneath are the everlasting Armes Depart ye depart ye go ye out from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the mid'st of her c. For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rereward Esa 52. 11 12. If Satan set upon them in the Front they shall be defended there God will go before them And if he fall upon the Rear to cut off the hind-most of them as Amaleck did on Israel when they came out of Egypt even there also shal be sufficient provision the God of Israel wil be their Rereward Earthly Generals are many times constrained to call the Souldiery to fight unarmed or half armed they have not all sorts of Weapons at all Encounters God never bids any of his Souldiers fight but he first layes out for them all kind of Weapons I add this Note for this consideration To let a Christian see that if he be at any time foiled in these disputes he is not to blame Gods Armour which is very compleat and perfect but either his own negligence in not putting on his Arms or his cowardize in not using them aright We may say of the Spiritual Armour as the Apostle doth of the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 17. All Scripture c. So is the Armour of God profitable for Offence for Defence to make the Christian Souldier compleat throughly furnished for every kind of temptation Fourthly That Christian endeavour is absolutely necessary for those who would be preserved and secured from Satan in the day of Temptation This is gathered cleerly from the Apostles charge of Taking unto us and of Putting on this Armour God hath provided us compleat armes but if we desire either to defend our selves or to offend our enemies there lyeth an absolute Necessity upon us that we take them and use them Work out your salvation saith the Apostle with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12. Our working is not the cause of our salvation but it is absolutely necessary that we work if we will be saved We cannot be saved without our endeavour though we are not saved for our endeavour Qui creavit te sine te non servabit te sine te Paul had a promise that both himself and all that were with

give you the Narrative of it That this was a figure of the Victory which the Elect shall obtain over Satan and his Instruments is clear from Rev. 15. 3. where we have the Song of Moses and of the Lambe Why the Song of Moses and of the Lambe But to point out this that the overthrowing of Pharoah was a figure of the overthrow of Satan and the triumphal song of Moses was a figure of that Song which the godly should sing in Heaven for the overthrowing of Satan and all his Instruments whereby they have been sadly assaulted in this world As certainly as Pharoah was overcome by the people of Israel so certainly shall every true Israelite overcome this Hellish Pharoah Some also make the cutting off of Goliah's head to be a figure of the same thing As Goliah was overcome by David and the Israelites so shall this great Goliah the Devil in all his assaults be overcome by Jesus Christ and all the Israel of God 2. This is clearly laid down in many Promises vid. Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will flee It is not onely a Prediction but a Promise He shall flee Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly 'T is Gods power that brings him down but yet we are the Conquerors He is bruised under our feet so 1 Joh. 5. 18. 3. We have glorious Examples as well as Promises Job was fearfully troubled with him and sometimes foiled by him When he cursed the day of his birth then did Satan prevail but he overcame at last and as a stout Champion kept the field till GOD himself came and proclaimed him Conqueror Paul was buffeted for a good space but he overcame at last You may hear him sounding Victoria before his death 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Satan is not able to shew one of the people of God over whom he did ever yet finally prevail nor ever shall be able II. By what means do they stand Which are as the Reasons of this Victory 1. They are upheld by a Divine Power God is with them in the day of Temptation and if God be with us who can be against us That which God promised Jeremiah the Prophet when he sent him in his name to fight against a stubborn and refractory people Jer. 1. 19. He makes good to all such as rightly use this Armour in the day of Satans encounter They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee Satan is subject to the power of God and must be subject Hell and destruction are before the Lord Prov. 15. 11. To be before the Lord doth not onely denote that all things are bare and naked to his eye but also that all things are under his power and subjection Is not the whole Land before thee saith Abraham to Lot Gen. 13. 9. i. e. is it not in thy power to pitch and set down where thou pleasest Satan and his Power is in subjection to God He can with one word speaking bring him upon his knees and make him lick the dust I command thee Come out of him and enter no more into him for ever All evill Spirits are in the hand of God as well as good Spirits The evill Spirit from God came upon Saul 1 Sam. 18. 10. He is said to come from God because he was set on and restrained and taken off by the Lord at his pleasure 2. They stand by the vertue of Christs death The Devil was vanquished by Christ through his sufferings He triumphed over Principalities and Powers upon the Cross Col. 2. 15. By Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death Heb. 2. 14. Jesus Christ cut off the head of this Goliah with his own Sword as David a Type of Christ did before Now all who fight aright with Gods Armour draw vertue from Christs death whereby they are sure to prevail The Martyrs crowned in Heaven are said to overcome through the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. They overcame him as an Accuser by the blood of Christ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is Christ that died Rom. 8. 33 34. By applying this Blood they put him to silence And they overcame him as a Tempter also by the Blood of the Lamb By casting this blood in his face they put him to flight Pharoah was drowned in the red Sea The Devil in the red Sea of Christs blood 3. They have an interest in Christs exaltation and victory Jesus Christ overcame Satan as the Head of the Church Militant not for himself alone but for the whole body As all Mankind were overcome in the overthrow the first Adam received in Paradise so all the Elect do overcome in and by the victory of the second Adam This is that which our Savior comforteth his Disciples with against the Opposition of the world Joh. 16. 33. Be of good cheer I have over come the world that is to say My Conquest is your Conquest I have overcome not onely for my self but for you also His Victory would have ministred no comfort to them if they had not apprehended from his words their joint-interest in it And as they partake with him in his overthrow of the world so do they share with him in his overthrow of the Devil And they are exalted with him in his Exaltation That of the Apostle is full of comfort to this purpose Ephes 2. 4 5 6. God who is rich in mercy c. hath quickned us together with Christ and raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ must either descend from the Throne or else we as Conquerours with him must ascend to the Throne Christ and his Seed are put as joynt-Conquerors into the first Promise Gen. 3. 15. It shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel As Christs Resurrection is by the Apostle made the pledge of the Resurrection of our bodies 1 Cor. 15. 20 so is the Victory and Exaltation of Christ the Pledge and Earnest both of our Victory and Coronation And therefore he saith to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne In Earthly Warres all the Souldiers have a share in the Victories of the Commander in chief Christ is the Commander in chief in the Lords Host and his Victories are not onely his but the Churches also 4. They overcome by the strength of Christs Intercession I have prayed for thee that thy Faith do not fail Luk. 22. 32. Faith and all other Graces would soon be brought to nothing did not Jesus Christ make continual mediation to strengthen them And the Ordinances would prove but Paper-Armes if the Prayer of Jesus Christ did not mightily empower them This was figured clearly in that

That it is an exceeding great mercy that the written Word of God is in our hands It might have been written and yet kept hid from us as it is yet from the greatest part of the world amongst whom this Light hath never shined This is a priviledge which is as the Crown of glory upon the people of the Jewes that to them are committed these Oracles of GOD Rom. 3. 2. By this they were advanced above other Nations Deut. 33. 2. Psal 147. 20. It 's our happiness that we enjoy this Sword The misery of the people of Israel is set out by this that in the dayes of war when they had many enemies against them there was neither Sword nor Spear in the hands of any of the people but in the hands of Saul and Jonathan only 1 Sam. 13. 22. This would have bin our sad condition if God had not transmitted the Bible to our hand We see how often Satan prevails over us now we have the Scriptures but if we had wanted this Sword it would have been altogether impossible to have made resistance 3. This is an Apology for the care and dil●gence of the servants of God in studying the Scriptures Profane men look upon the practice of the godly in this respect as preciseness and unnecessary care What needs all this c. They know the word of God is their sword they are never safe if this sword be not girt upon their thighs They know if either they want this sword or be unskilfull in the use of it they must needs perish in the day of battel VVho blames a souldier for wearing his sword about him especially when enemies are pursuing his life It is not onely his honour but his safety so to do The servants of God know that if they leave off this spiritual sword but for a day they shall be surely overcome by Satan and it 's better to be reproached by men for wearing it then to be destroyed by Satan by leaving it off The word of God they know is not onely their Sword to defend them in battel but their Sun to give them light This Sword hath this advantage of all other Swords that by it they see the lurking places where the enemy lies hid and they see also the refuges where themselves may be secured It is also that food by which they are revived and strengthned to hold out in battel It is their Cordial as well as their Sword It is their honey that opens their eyes when they grow faint with fighting it puts spirits into their spirits when they are decayed This Sword teacheth them how to fight Other Swords onely help the souldier how to use his skill they do not give him any skill but this Sword teacheth skill It should not be accounted a fault but a vertue in the souldiers of Christ that they are so much in the study of the word of God 4. No wonder to see the Devil so victorious where the word of God is wanting VVhat strange abominations do the Gentiles that want the VVord fall into by the temptations of Satan VVhat Idolatries are there in those places 'T is not to be wondred at They want the Sword of the Spirit by which they should defend themselves against temptations and because they want this they cannot stand they are unarmed men 5. That they are Satans friends and enemies both to themselves and others who lay aside the Scriptures of God There are many in our sinfull and wanton Age who deny the authority of the Scriptures affirming that they are not from God Others that ca●t them off as useless things that depend upon Revelations c. These that deny the Scriptures they are in this worse then Satan their Father He believes that the Scriptures are of God Matth. 4. 6. It is written saith Satan that he will give his Angels charge over thee c. There is thus much Divinity and Faith in Hell the History of the Bible is believed there though it be questioned and denied on earth These men are certainly in pay in the Devils service they disarm themselves and they endeavour to disarm others And it 's no wonder to see them so desperately overcome as they are running out to profaneness in life to heresies and blasphemies in Opinion Satan hath not greater Champions in the world then these are they fight against God they fight for Satan as visibly and directly as ever men did Such also as though they think the Scriptures be of God yet they cast them aside and create another Sword instead of this unwritten Revelations Dreams and Enthusiasms of their own head God hath made the written VVord to be the Touch-stone of all Revelations Isa 8. 20. To the Law and Testimony 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. we have a more sure word of prophecy c. Gal. 1. 8. If we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel c. 'T is the imputing of imperfection to the Divine Canon 'T is the symbolizing with Papists in their unwritten Traditions alwayes condemned by the Protestant Divines unwritten Revelations and unwritten Traditions are not much different There is indeed a Revelation which all the Saints are to desire VVe read of it Ephes 1. 17. VVhen God opens the Understanding savingly to embrace the written VVord but Revelations above or against or contrary to or beside or without the Word are but the fancies of men The Devill will not much be afraid of such a Sword as this is in the day of Temptations this is not a spiritual sword but a carnal sword this is not the sword of the Lord but the sword of Saul which will never hurt this great Goliah in the day of battel Our Saviour if ever any might have trusted to the Sword of Revelation but ye see he draws out the sword of the written word and with that puts Satan to flight Mat. 4. 4 6 c. 6. The benefit and necessity of the Translations of Scripture That the VVord of God should be translated into that language which is known and familiar to every Nation is not onely beneficial but necessary God wrote the Law in that Tongue which the Jewes to whom it was given understood so did the Prophets write and so did they preach The gift of Tongues is given for this purpose The Apostles quoting some places of the Old Testament and the New use the very words of the Septuagint which was a Translation God would have all things in the Church to Edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. This Sword of the Spirit would have been unuseful to most in our Church and to most in all the Churches of Christ had not the VVord been translated It would have been as a Sword fastened in the sheath or locked up in the Armory had it not been translated into our own Language we should never have known how to have handled it c. if it had not been transmitted to us in a known Tongue 'T is true in all