us with which through him wee fight against the divell so as by the righteousnes of Iesus Christ infused into us and derived by his spirit our vitall parts are armed and secure against the divell who by unholines and unrighteousnes would destroy that building of Gods owne rearing I have bene some thing large in this both in shewing you what righteousnes is as it respects God and man and in distinguishing it from the imputed righteousnes of Christ which is the temire wee hold by and by which wee stand accepted before God and in shewing you how it secures you against sin which is the divells weapon to wounde us withall If ye aske mee how you shall put it on in a word be renewed in the spirit of your minde things are maintained as they were gotten be converted often one conversion is not enough the worke of repentance that is of a change of heart is of a continuall dayly use you must be changed from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord righteousnes in you acted and enlarged by the spirit of God must worke out unrighteousnes in you acted and fomented by the divell and you must do your part to righteousnes as you have done to sin and as ye have yeilded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity So now yeild your members servants to righteousnes and to holinesse Rom. 6.19 Your Members that is your whole soule the faculties of it the endowments of it must be yeilded in service to God as they have bene to sin and the divell they must be now weapons in Gods hand under the command of his spirit for so saies hee ver 13. neither yeild your members as weapons or armes of unrighteousnes for so signifies the word which wee translate instruments Wicked men unrighteous men furnish the divell with weapons to kill and destroy themselves their owne weapons slayes them the divell doth but helpe to point them and sharpen but wee must yeild our selves to God and our members weapons of righteousnes to God and by doing this sin shall not have dominion over you for saies hee yee are under grace not under the law that is the grace of God in Christ and the assistance of his spirit will enable you to overcome sin and the divell which the law would never have done Nothing hinders more then discouragement but feare not imploy your members as weapons for God and you will prevaile the rigour of the law Christ hath satisfied and those parts which remaines you which are left for you grace will work in you and by you so as let the divell be what hee will be sin or unrighteousnesse shall not have dominion over you and consequently not the divell against whome ye fight for hee moves in the strength of unrighteousnesse Wee are come now to the third peece of armour which is for the feet and leggs for the Breast-plate reached downe to the knees and this covered the rest by the feete are commonly denoted the affections by which we martch or move to good or ill they are the movings and outgoings of the soule and the feet and legs are a part which needs asmuch armeing as any other thing for in their motion to fight they conflict with the difficulties of the place and in their fightings are exposed to wounds and danger other parts are freed from that more they are not so much offended with the ground on which they are but these are aswell exposed to the difficulties of the place as to the wounds of the combate The armour therefore for this part is the preparation of the Gospell of peace that is an ability and readines with chearfulnesse to preach and confesse the Gospell First that this is a great duty to confesse or manifest upon all occations your beleefe of the Gospell appeares by that place Rom. 10.10 with the mouth confession is made to salvation that is it is a part of the duty which you owe to God in order to your eternall salvation to confesse and promulge the glorious Gospell which in your hearts you beleeve for the faith of the Gospell should so fire your heart with the glory of God that the flame should breake out On the contrary it is an absurd and foolish thing to talke of fire where no flame or heate appeares to speake of beleeving to righteousnesse where there is not at all occations a readinesse to confesse with the mouth This being laid for a foundation you shall see how two other places will helpe to interprete this Those shooes the feet armour I take to be a fitnesse and readinesse to preach or declare the Gospell of peace this semes to be extremely parrallelled with Rom. 10.15 taken out of Isa. 52.7 How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospell of peace Heere you have the Gospell of peace the same thing named in this place and the bringing or communicating of it expressed by feet As heere by the armour of the feet but if any shall say this is onely applicable to Ministers because in the beginning of this 15. ver it is said How should they preach except they be sent that is utterly a mistake for by sending there is not meant the particular and lawfull call of Ministers which the Apostle heere treats not of but imports onely that it is a speciall signe of the love of God when the Gospell is brought any whither for hee sends it it drops not out of the clouds by chance or hazzard but it comes whither God sends it whither hee addresseth it and therefore should be received accordingly The other place is 1. Pet. 3.15 Be ready alwaies to give an answere to every one of the hope that is in you The word ready is the same word that is heere prepared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and heere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a readines or preparation having your feet shod with a readinesse of the Gospell of peace that is as heere with a readinesse to give an account of it or preach it or confesse it as in the former places as you have occation either by offering and declaring it or by answering and giving account of the hope that is in you of the Gospell the ground of that hope or of your actions according to that rule and word you see how this exposition suits with a generall duty in other places commanded and runnes paralell with the very phrases and expressions of them so as the exposition falls naturally and without constraint If you aske mee now how this readines and preparation of preaching and confessing the Gospell upon all occations armes the legs and feet which denotes our Martches and Motions in this warre against the divell Answere first because it imployes a great boldnes in the faith of Christ which fits for motion and going forwards hee that is ready and prepared to be a Preacher or Confesser to give an account of his faith hath as it is said of the
holines and righteousnes sutable to which bond and excellent alliance there is a series of spirituall lustings proportionable to the soule the subject of them and to God the object of them which should leade both body and soule captive to an holy and intimate converse with so great and excellent a husband whose comelynesse should alwayes be in our eye and whose beauties should ever inflame our hearts to whom wee should be holy that is separate both in body and spirit 1. Cor. 7.34 whose loves draw out our affections strongly but orderly whose converse fills our minde and enlargeth it altogether which is health to our navell and marrow to our bones quite contrary to the effects of other lustings which give men occasion to mourne at last when their flesh and their body are consumed Prov. 5.11 Now for this excellent spirit to be out-bid by so base and harlotry love that can make no satisfying returnes to have a spirit stollen from him and layde under chaines for these lustings are deepe pits out of which onely an almighty spirit can rescue to be cast of as not faire or not worthy cannot but be deepe in Gods heart Manet altâ repostum judicium Paridis spraetaeque injuria forma In a word to espouse the Divell his enemy by the mediation of filthy and base lustings it is no wonder that men are abhorred of the Lord when they thus fall Prov. 22.14 Another thing that shewes how hatefull these lustings are to God is that these fleshly lusts in that branch properly called uncleannes are made the greatest punishment of the greatest sinnes Rom. 1. from ver 21. to 28. If you aske mee how I intitle the Divell to this besides what was said in the beginning of this head that the Divell who shoots at the soule knowes those lusts ruine it and therefore useth this great engine against it first how can you make a more proper match then betweene the uncleane spirit and those lusts which are properly stiled by God himself uncleaunesse in the abstract as being of all others most eminently uncleane and impure besides looke upon men the Divell acts and possesseth most fully and immediately their God is their belly they fulfill the desires of the flesh and of the minde which is ingaged as deepe as the body is in these lustings and evill affections 2. Eph. 2.3 and not to prosecute this further it is extreamely observable that where the Divell keeps open court reignes personally and absolutely as hee doth amongst infinite numbers in this world though wee are not acquainted with such assemblings therein all beastly shapes and manners hee doth subject them to the actuall commission of what ever wee call uncleannes although oftentimes greatly contrary to their wills and desires that suffer such things from him but the bond of their obedience is strickt and they can refuse nothing who have subjected their necks to that yoake this innumerable and joint confessions of witches and sorcerers accord upon of which I could give you account enough upon as good record as story can give us of any thing although which also wee may consider the Divells are altogether uncapable of any pleasure from such fleshly acts who as being spirits have neither flesh nor bones nor blood they do it onely to debase mankinde and by the most sensuall lusts which fight against the soule to keepe them at the greatest distance from spirituall and heavenly employments by which onely the humaine nature is perfected and improoved To conclude this besides what hath bene said already the Scripture saith expresly that not onely in generall amongst mankinde but even in the Church and therefore considerable to us all It is Sathan which tempts men for their incontinency 1. Cor. 7.5 And it is from him that the younger women waxe wanton against Christ and turne after Sathan 1. Tim. 5.11.15 so as there is cause enough to entitle Sathan to this high way of perdition to these lusts of the flesh that fight against the soule and therefore cause enough for us to watch him and our selves in this high way of perdition in which every step wee take is a departing from Christ our spouse to follow Sathan for the Scripture calls it a turning after Sathan Men are apt to thinke that it is but a turning after their loves a turning after pleasures but besides which you leave which is Christ your husband you follow indeed Sathan in that disguise which should keepe us at the greatest distance in every degree or steppe that way A fifth beaten path of the Divell is Pride the pride of life you may know that to be the Divells way from which God calls you of so earnestly and so effectually first by his denouncements against the proud and pride Pride goeth before destruction Prov. 16.18 as the herbenger or usher that makes way a man acted and filled with pride is upon the very brincke of the precipice of ruine hee is dropping into destruction God delights to debase every one that is proud hee doth but stay till they are proud enough that they may be more capable of ruine and destruction that they may fall deeper Therefore when pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11.2 and they come both together pride onely hath the upperhaud Will you see how God sets himself against this evill Iob 26.12 By his understanding hee smiteth through the proud Hee divideth the sea with his power as it is said before but imployes his wisedome and understanding to smite through proud men that is to do it most assuredly to doe it most seasonably for their ruine so Prov. 16 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Nothing proud men looke after more then to be had in esteeme and in honour to be admired and to be to others the objects of their envies and the measure of their wishes the rule and modell of their actions but saith hee Hee is an abomination to the Lord that men are which they are to God and that they shal be within a while to all the world that is they shal be a loathing and an abhorring and therefore the things which they would establist shal be scattered the houses they would build shal be pulled downe for so sayes Mary Hee hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1.51 that is there is a concentration of thoughts castles that men build for themselves the imaginations the thoughts of mens hearts drive to some height to some high marke or But sutable to the fountaine from whence they flow a proud heart and when they have wrought them up to a due height and proportion and looke for the product or result of all then God comes as with a whirlewinde and scatters them and shewes how ill compacted every building is how loosely it is layde which is formed without him so for the other place which I hinted the Lord will destroy the house of the proud as it
may accord But there is no truce in this warre a perpetuall combate that time you are not upon your watch you will be taken for your enemy knowes it if an enemy in warre knew certainely when the watch were neglected hee would take that time now hee knowes when you neglect your watch when your faith and affections sleepe which of other enemies cannot be said But then thirdly if the contentions were for things of litle moment the matter were lesse but if there be any thing great in heaven or earth that is the prize of this warre whether it be the happinesse of your life the peace of your conscience the eternall condition of your soule and body or which is more the glory of God for all these are strucke at continually Captaines when they make orations to their souldiers they tell them they fight for their country for their possessions for their wives and children for their liberties but what is all this to our warre To our prize Wee fight for peace of conscience which passeth all understanding we fight for eternall life wee fight for God and Christ whose glory in us lyes at the stake every day and suffers or is relieved by our fighting I beseech you are not these things worth contending for Will not so goodly a prize put spirits into you Some have done wonders while their lovers have lookt upon them others while they have fought for their loves What doe you fight for nothing Yes it is a love you fight for too one that fought for you even to death you doe but requite him hee is before hand with you and doth not your love looke upon you also Yes If you can see him I assure you hee sees you and there is not a watch you make there is not a stroake you strike but it pleaseth him and it refresheth him as on the other side there is not a negligence or a faile but it wounds him and afflicts him what say you will all this that hath bene said put courage into you and make you fight it is brought for that purpose I beseech you let it put on strong resolutions to please the Lord to resist this cursed enemy this damned enemy for so hee is he carries his condemnation about him and yet this enemy which is left so mighty and powerfull for our tryall for our reward if wee fight manfully if wee fight the battailes of the Lord if wee be wise if wee will all tend to the glory of our victory to the honour of our God onely let us resist the Divell being strong in the faith to which purpose I will endeavour to search a little into and to speake something of this heavenly armour which God hath given us for that purpose Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand Eph. 6.13 In this 13. ver wee are bid to take unto us the whole armour of God as in the 11. verse wee are bid to put it on with the reason added that wee may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand From the first words observe this that no weapons will serve to fight with the Divell but Gods nothing will make you shot-free but the armour of God for so sayes the Apostle the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God 2. Cor. 10.4 So as heere you see the reason because carnall weapons are weake ones to be carnall and to be weake are convertible termes as to be spirituall and to be mighty are also now you have to doe with a mighty enemy as you have seene already therefore you must have mighty weapons you must have a wedge fit for the knot David had never overcome Goliah if hee had not come with spirituall weapons 1. Sam. 17.45 Thou comest to mee with a sword with a speare and with a shield but I am come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of the armies of Israell whom thou hast defyed It was not the sling nor the stone that did the feate but it was this mighty Lord of Hostes in whose name hee came To goe armed therefore against the Divell in the strength of your owne resolutions or your temper or constitution or your habits and education is to fight against Goliah with a stone and a sling without the name of God Nay your experiences your contrary reasonings they may have influence into your sin but they will never into the victory unlesse this stone and sling these underweapons be mannaged by the name of God For your resolutions this cunning tempter knowes that there is nothing so naturall so proper to a man as man as changeablenesse as on the contrary it is the high and incommunicable Charracter of God to be without variation or shaddow of changing all the matter is but to finde a plausible reason for the saving of his credit For our temper and constitution hee hath lusts peculiar for every temper Besides hee can easily perswade lusts to give place to one another for a time as pride to uncleannesse c. And his power is much upon the body and the humours and constitutions of it to stirre and worke upon those humours that by the helpe and mediation of the fancy shall worke to his end and gaine the will and understanding As for your education and habits experience showes that many things that looke like morall virtues are nothing but the ignorance of ill or the law of a constraint Besides hee hath his methods and by a few degrees will leade you to that and by steppes that would have utterly deferred you had it bene represented to you all at once and for your reasonings and experiences you will finde that to be the proper weapon hee is elder then Adam hee is wiser then Salomon set holinesse aside hee hath beene trayned up to sophistry and deceit and therefore verse the 11. the Armour of God is applyed to the wiles of the Divell so as you have no reliefe but what was Davids Psal. 118.10 All nations compassed mee about but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them they compassed mee about yea they compassed mee about there was a perfect Paristhesis of ill and enemies a perfect beleaguering so ver 12. They compassed mee about like bees you shall see how Bees in swarming time will compasse a bush so will Divells and their effects multitudes of Divelish thoughts and temptations A man shall not see his way out they are behinde him and before him and as in the words following They are kindled as the fire of thornes so the Greeke and Chaldea reade it they fall quickly into a great blaze or the word is also quencht as Hebrew words signify often contraries they kindle quickly and like thornes but they quench also as soone for in the name of the Lord will I destroy them this is all your
us and it is the spirit that leads us into all truth and teacheth us how to use and improove truth without the spirit of God the word of God would doe us no good The weapon would be too heavy to unweildy for us to use therefore saith the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God 2. Cor. 10.4 God must use and guide the hand aswell as give the sword it will be els like the weapons of a mighty man in the hand of a childe if hee take it up it will be but to let it fall But then thirdly it is the sword of the spirit the spirit doth not onely use it but hee formed it it is therefore fit for use because hee formed it that is the mighty worke-man and Engineer for spirituall weapons and hee must be able to use it well that made it for hee made it for use and there is no ingredient in it which hath not an influence into the end of it which is the use of it Now that hee formed it appeares 2. Pet. 1.20 21. Prophecy came not in old time or at any time by the will of man that is by the presumptuous will of bold men proudly and arrogantly goeing about to determine that by their will which by their reasons and unstandings could not reach but holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the Holy Ghost God used the underderstandings and the wills of holy men to derive and conveye his truth to the world so 2. Tim. 3.16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God so as the spirit formes it frames it suggests it brings it to the world Thus having knowne the matter of this sword that it is spirituall not of a carnall make or composition and secondly the mannager and weilder of this sword that it is the spirit and then the maker and former of this sword that it is the same spirit wee come now to the appellation it self which the spirit gives it which is the word of God By the word of God is meant what ever God hath made knowne to be his will as it is contained in the scripture This must needs bee the word of God and no other but as it is consonant to this for in a large sense all truths may be called the word of God as being subjected to some scripture rule but strictly that word which is our sword is some portion of that wee call the scripture which is particularly characterized and distinguished by this title the word of God This must needs be so because this is that which must not be added to or detracted from it must stand alone Deut. 4.2 Yee shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Therefore that is all and onely the word of God So Deut. 12.32 Gal. 1.8 If wee or Angell from heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which wee have preached to you let him be accursed Secondly if God will have the ballance of the Sanctuary for waights and measures for rules and determinations it must be visible and publique If hee will have us fight with such weapons wee must know where to fetch them Thirdly when wee see this rule in practise by Christ or his Apostles wee see this word taken up for this sword to doe mighty things Wee see Christ resisting the Divell and at last confounding and expelling him by this word by this weapon Math. 4.4 Hee followed him so long with It is written that at last hee drove him quite away hee resisted him by this sword till hee fled from him As hee dealt with the Divell in himself so he dealt with the Divell in the Scribes and Pharises Have yee not read saith he what David did and what the Priests did c. Math. 12.3 4 5. So hee answered them and confounded them The like did Stephen and the Apostles convinced men mightily by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ and used this sword to destroy unbeliefe with Now this word of God which is our sword is not so much the letter of the word as the sense of it how unreasonably and foolishly have the Papists abused themselves by sticking to the letter in those words This is my body and Origen in making himself an Eunuch from that place Math. 19.12 There be Eunuchs that have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of heavens sake Though it be also true that where the letter is not contrary to the Annalogy of faith that is to be our rule and guide and upon no other ground are wee to depart from the letter But if it be objected how shall men especially unlearned know the sence of Scripture which seemes sometimes to be subject to contrariety Answ. This is the great grace of God towards his that in things necessary to faith and manners to be knowne or done they need not be ignorant for they walke in the light of the Lord by virtue of which light they are led into all truth so as they need not pin their faith upon the authority of anothers judgment This is there due by promise They shall be all taught of God Isa. 54.13 and Christ sayes his sheepe follow him because they know his voice but another they will not follow because they know not the voice of strangers Joh. 10.4 5. To have the word made cleare to you and this sword fit for your use is your due aswell as the sword it self So the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psal. 25.14 The scriptures though deepe are foordable by those who are holy and diligent though they be not so wise and learned On the other side The naturall man knoweth not the things that are of the spirit of God because they are foolishnesse to him But the spirituall man knoweth all things 1. Cor. 2.14 15. So 1. John 5.6 It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth And ver 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe So Math. 13.11 To you it is given to know the misteries of the Kingdome of heaven to others it is not given There is a sence of Scripture that lyes alwayes not so evident and above but it is given to you as your peculiar and portion This honour have all the Saints they have a certaine taste sutable and proportionable to their spirits and their new natures by which they can distinguish of food and by which they can try all things for as to other lives and to our bodily there is a tast for that end so to this also which is spirituall And though men in a dreame can not distinguish betweene sleeping and waking yet men that are awake know they are awake and know also distinctly what they doe This notwithstanding God sells all thing to us by labour and wee shall not enjoy the benefit of this great priviledge without it Wee must therefore keepe our selves in a holy
frame If any man will doe his will he shall know of his Doctrine whether it be of God Joh. 7.17 While wee are doeing wee are in a way to know If you be carnall and walke as men you will be also carnall and judge as men Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God which may be understood also of a fleshly frame in the Saints and when wee are in a way altogether unpleasing to God God will not accommodate himself will not reveale himself to us and please us But this is not enough wee must search the scriptures in which wee thinke to have eternall life and light also for the way thither wee must consider and weigh whether those things which our owne reason or the Ministry of others represent to us be so or no as those of Baerea did Truth lies deepe errors lyeth levell to all This search is extreamely pleasing to God since the subject of it is the knowledge of his will and the end of it is the doing of his will This is done by much meditation in the word by comparing by examining it by taking in all aydes and helpes of the guists and abilities of others for God hath ordered that one man should need another that none might be perfect alone nothing also will more advance it then prayer so Paul prayed often for the spirit of revelation and David that his eyes might be enlightened to see the wonderfull things of Gods law nothing cleares the eye-sight more then prayer for that sets your ends right and makes you fit for light and that leads you into the presence of God into his light in whose light wee see light It was necessary to speake some thing of this because this is the forming and shaping of your weapon the weapon may be shaped in it self but not to us this gives the mettall to the sword if a thing looke like the word of God and be not that will not cut of your lusts it will proove but a leaden sword or a deceitfull bow that will not reach the marke it will be a carnall weapon which is weake whereas the other is mighty through God To incourage you against spirituall enemies because ye have spirituall armes and spirituall weapons ye have what to keep of blowes and yee have wherewith to fight and combate with your adversaries God hath not left us fatherlesse nor hee hath not left us weaponlesse hee deales not as Pharoah commands us to make bricks and takes away materialls hee doth not disarme us and bid us fight but hee gives us armes proper for the field of combate and for the enemy wee dispute with and hee stands by and lookes on and with voyce and hand incourageth us so as wee need not feare our enemies hee gives us the best armes Good commanders and officers the holy Spirit and holds a crowne over our heads The truth is wee never are overcome but when wee are of the party when wee are in a proportion false to God and our enemy hath gained us then wee fight but for a shew and the weapon falls easily out of our hands but if wee would stand to it our sword would cut his cords and if hee did stand two or three thrusts hee would vanish at last as hee did from Christ our captaine That wee may the better use this sword wee shall do well First to vallew it things that wee prize and vallew wee willingly use wee thinke they will effect their end els wee lay them by Therefore wee shall pitch upon some expressions that may teach us to vallew this weapon when Abiathar had mentioned the sword of Goliah there is none like that saith David the dignities of the word are great as appeares by David especially who meditated in the law continually and as much as any vallewed the word Psal. 17.4 Concerning the workes of mens hands by the word of thy lips I have kept mee from the path of the destroyer the word that God spake was that which armed him against wicked men Psal. 18.30 The word of the Lord is tryed or refined hee is a Buckler to all that trust him As for God his way is perfect it is a sure word and which hath bene often experienced tryed againe and againe so as you may venture upon it as upon a thing that will not faile or deceive will not start aside like a deceitfull and broken bow Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee David knew the use of this that it would preserve him from sin and therefore stored it up hid it in a sure place against a time of need Ver. 89. For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven It is an unchangeable rule which will never alter and setled will attaine all it pretends to Ver. 105. Thy word is a lampe to my feete and a light unto my pathes this is against delusions and faynts and shaddowes the Divell will cast If you keep neere the word you carry a light in your hand you will not fight in the darke but know how to make your addresses and approaches and how to order your wards and defenses Ver. 140. Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it every thing operates as it is as things are to their beings so they are to their operations That which is pure will render us pure and the word is not an idle thing but for use and being pure it is given us to render us pure Ver. 172. My tongue shall speake of thy word for all thy commandements are righteous I can never praise them enough there is such a law of righteousnes in them Psal. 147.19 Hee sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel from the receivers of the dispensation of the word you see its excellency it is the portion onely of his people it is not flung in common to the world as an inconsiderable thing Isa. 40.8 The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord shall stand for ever the excellency of good things lies in the continuance of them this hath a good warrant for its abiding because it is the word of the abiding and unchangeable God Isa. 55.10 11. For as the raine cometh downe and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing where I sent it There is a mighty efficacy in this word this lies as a praise upon the whole word of God that it shall not returne empty but be like the bow of Ionathan and the sword of Saul Isay. 66.2 All those things hath my hand made but to this man will I looke even to
him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word That word is precious when the respect to it is so rewarded On the other side Jer. 8.9 They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Though otherwise they might be wise yet if they undervallew once the word they bid a dewe to their wisedome And God the righteous judge and which gives true vallewes to us rankes them in the number of fooles from the New Testament also wee shall give some places to this purpose Luk. 4.4 Men lives by every word of God in him wee live and in his word wee live which gives a being to things that which gives the being and determination makes things be what they are and men doe what they doe must needs be great and excellent in it self Ver. 32. His word was with power which astonied the auditours Ver. 36. What a word is this for with authority and power commandeth hee the uncleane spirits and they come forth his word will fetch uncleannes out of thy heart aswell as out of their bodies Luk. 7.7 The centurion had so much confidence in Christs word as hee could depend wholy upon it Say in a word sayes hee and my servant shall be healed the magnifing of the word wrought this great effect and that word must needs be great which was deservedly the object of such a confidence Luk. 22.61 Peter remembred the words of the Lord and hee went out and wept bitterly Peter forgot the word when hee sinned and indeed all sin proceeds from ignorance or furgetfulnesse but when hee remembred it you see the eminent effect of it hee repents immediately which hee witnesseth by his bitter and abundant weeping John 15.3 Now are ye cleane through the word which I have spoken to you Wee are cleane mistically by the washing of Baptisme 1. Cor. 6.11 also by the imputation of Christs purity and so wee stand ever cleare before God wee are pure also in the change of our owne hearts and all this by the word made ours by faith and abiding in us so that as evill communication corrupts good manners if taken in and drunke downe so the word taken downe cleanseth Acts 13.26 It is called the word of salvation that which brings it and workes it And Acts 20.32 When Paul departed from Ephesus hee commended the Church to the word of Gods grace which was able to build them up and to give them an inheritance c. The inheritance is that to which the word leads us and where it will leave us at the last but before you come thither there is building work forming and fashioning that the word doth also so as yee need not goe out of this circle for the beginning or finishing of your faith 2. Cor. 5.18 It is the word of reconciliation that which brings God and man together Wee are naturally at great distances now that which conduceth to the meeting and according of termes so differing must needs be of great vallew and esteeme 1. Tim. 4.5 For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer it is the word of God that sanctifieth and gives a lawfull use of all things Hence you have your liberties aswell to indifferent as your right to things necessary if you have whereof freely to use for your owne comforts and whereof to give a way for the weaknesse and scandall of your brother If you should examine by experience the effects of the word Gods word hath ever taken hold of men and in this lies the great difference of the Saints from others that they observe those events which others neglect and growe by them Joh. 4.50 And the man beleeved the word of God and it was even so as hee had beleeved The word hath ever found out men and will take hold of us either by our faith for good or without it for our destruction so the prophecies of old were not idle but effected the end for which they came To conclude this great dignity the word hath that it gives its owne credit for reason may be opposed by reason but this is higher then reason The Divell can reason and distinguish us into sin whilst wee fight at that weapon but bring him a word and that answeres his reason What hath bene said in this head tends to beg it in you a right vallew and esteeme of the word which if once ye have you will use it and have recourse to it at all times as an effectuall weapon mighty through God for all the great ends you have heard of Secondly know the word of God that yee may use it this is to have your weapon prepared you must search the sence know the Annalogie of faith and the proportion one truth holds to another as before Thirdly take up this sword take it to you be in a posture to give a blow or to evade one wound the enemy when you can and meete with his blowes and thrusts therefore you must be prepared and have things in readinesse therefore the word of God must dwell richly in you that you may not be to seeke when you should use it To helpe you in some guards for this fight First that sin is the greatest evill mannage your sword well for that guard have words at hand that is your sword ready to make that good for the filthinesse of it sin is compared to the blood and pollution of a new borne child before it be ordered and dressed Ezek. 16.6 When thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live such a thing is sin in it self and all sin holds of the nature of that pollution 1. Joh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in wickednesse it lies there as in a filthy grave rotting and stinking as in a puddle Againe sin is compared for its nature to swine and dogs and to their vomit 2. Pet. 2.22 the sinner is the dogg in the act of sin and the corruption is the vomit and mire it is likened also to the menstruousnesse of a woman to a vessell in which is no pleasure that is a draught or a privy Hos. 8.8 If besides these abasings and vilifying expressions you would know more of sin It was sinne that condemned the world in Adam drowned the world in the dayes of Noah and to give you a greater charracter for ill then all this it was sin brought all the sufferings upon Christ which hee endured It was the day of Gods fierce anger Lament 1.12 When Christ did beare the sins of many in his body on the tree therefore when Paul and Silas could sing in the prison and the Saints in their afflictions as they have done so often Christ was low and poore and faint Why because hee conflicted with sinne hee grappled with sinne upon him was laid the iniquities of us all Hee conflicted with the wrath of God for sinne and