arida lectio sine meditatione infructuosa 3. The help of good Commentaries God hath afforded his people plentiful helps of this nature Turn over Interpreters that ye may see and finde out the sence of Scripture which is indeed the Scripture Non in verbi◠est Evangelium sed in sensu non in superficie sed in medullâ non in verborum foliis sed in radice rationis 4. A good digestion of the publique Sermons you hear In all Sermons some places of Scripture are opened or explained These would be improved and laid up carefully 5. Care to live answerable to that measure of knowledge you have received Mat. 25. 28 To every one that hath it shall be given 6. Frequent Prayer Crying after knowledge is the way to attain unto knowledge Prov. 2. 3. 7. Frequent enquiry of others especially the Ministers of God Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they shall seek the Law at his mouth The Apostles when they met with any thing they did not understand they used to come to Christ for instruction Mark 7. 17. Lord teach us this Parable we would not have you pin your faith on the Ministers sleeve but we would have you to repair to them for the untying of your knots 2. Make use of the word of God in the day of battel as the souldier doth of his sword Draw out this sword and strike down temptations by the power of it Arm your selves with it and then use it Many Christians are like some men that wear a sword but they let it rust in the scabbard through cowardice they are afraid to draw it Many Christians know well how to use the sword of the spirit but when they are assaulted they are so astonished that they make no use of it I beseech you cast off this sloathfulness and stir up your selves and when you see a temptation arise thrust this sword presently into the bowels of it and defend your selves In the word of God you have these five things that you may make much use of in the day of Assaults Precepts Prohibitions Promises Threatnings Examples if the temptation be To take you off from any known duty urge the Precept if the suggestion be to draw you into some act of sin draw out the Prohibition and wave it off with it If Satan seek either by himself or by any of his Instruments to allure you into sin by fair promises this way he sometimes takes Heb. 11. 37. they were tempted c. All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me then do you draw forth the promises of God and see what he hath promised to obedience Gods promises will not onely ballance but over-weigh all the Promises which Satan and his Instruments can make If Satan and his Instruments threaten then have recourse to the threatnings of God And then for the Examples in Scripture great use may be made of them The example of Job he was assaulted and God rescued him Paul he was buffeted and God delivered him Peter he was surprized and God rescued him c. If Satan should boast of his spoyls and victories as the King of Assyria did by his General to King Hezekiah Isa 37. 11 12 13. If Satan should thus boast the Examples in Scripture will help you to repell these boastings Satan thou couldest not overcome Job though God gave thee a full blow at him Thou couldest not overcome Paul though God gave thee leave to buffet him not once nor twice but often Satan cannot devise any kind of Temptation but the Word of God will put a hundred answers into your mouthes to oppose it and beat it back Thus I have dispatched the sixth piece of the Spiritual Armour The Sword of the Spirit which is The Word of God LECT XXV March 27. 1650. Ephes 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the spirit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN these words we have the last piece of the spirituall Armour which the Apostle recommends unto Christians for their safe standing and certain Victory over Satan and his Temptations viz. Prayer and Supplication Some Interpreters think this is no peece of Armour because there is no expression of any piece of materiall Armour to which it is resembled but I conceive it is a speciall piece of Armour both offensive and defensive and that the Apostle forbears perticularly to resemble it to any one piece of materiall Armour because no one piece doth sufficiently set out the excellency of it It is Armatura Armaturae hath an influence upon all the other pieces And therefore reserved to the last place as that without with all the rest are unserviceable In the whole verse we shall consider two things 1. The Armour it selfe Prayer and Supplication 2. The particular qualifications of this Duty this is expressed in these things 1. It must be constant praying alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to opportunity 2. We must use all kindes of prayer with all prayer 3. It must be in the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. We must watch unto the duty 5. It must be with perseverance 6. It must be charitable Not for our selves onely but for all the Saints Though I might make many observations of these yet I shall onely give you one which is the main in which I shall have occasion to open all these particulars And it is this He that would stand in the day of Temptation and be victorious over Satan must be very careful to make use of the duty of Prayer and Supplication unto God Or thus Prayer and Supplication to God is an excellent and speciall thing to help a Christian to conquer and overcome all the Temptations of Satan and his Instruments This is the way to stand this is the way to overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. Open briefly the nature of Prayer 2. Shew you what are the Ingredients of a conquering Prayer where I shall open those six things which I named before 3. How this duty of Prayer helps a Christian in this spiritual Warre 1. What Prayer is There are two parts of Prayer largely taken Petition Thanksgiving I shall not at this time meddle with the latter but speak onely of petitionary Prayer which is chiefly meant in this place of which I lay down this Description Prayer is a religious Invocation or calling upon the true God in the name of Jesus Christ the Mediator for the obtaining of good things necessary for soul and body and averting of evill things that God may be better glorified I do purposely omit many things in this Description which are necessary and essentiall to Prayer because they are particularly expressed in those Qualifications and Ingredients which will come to be handled in the next particular I shall briefly open this Description 1. 'T is Invocation or calling upon God so the Scripture useth to express it Zech. 13. 9. They
hoofs for hardness Thirdly Satan tempts us frequently he is every moment spreading his Net and laying his Snare to intrap the Soul he takes every opportunity to assault us ergo we should take every opportunity to defend our selves against his Assaults 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your Adversary goeth about continually seeking whom to devour Himself saith Job 1. 7. That he is continually circuiting and going up and down to destroy T is not one Arrow that will secure us against such frequent and reiterated Temptations He made three Assaults upon our Saviour in a little space of time Mat. 4. init and when he left him it was but for a season Luke 4. 13. 2. He that would overcome must use all kind of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is diversly distinguished In regard of the manner of performing it it is either 1. Mental or Vocal Mental prayer is when the heart onely prayeth without the voyce such was that of Moses Exod. 14. 15. Such was that of Hanna 1 Sam. 1. 13. These are mutae preces tamen clamantes Vocal Prayer is when the desires of the heart are drawn out into verbal expressions such was that of David Psal 5. 3. Psal 64. 1. 2. Either with others or else solitary with our selves alone Prayer with others is either more publike as in the Congregation or more private as in the Family Solitary prayer is when the Christian enters into his Closet retires himself from all company and then powres out his desires to God such is that our Saviour enjoyns Matth. 6. 6. Such was that of our Saviour Luke 5. 16. In regard of the matter Prayer is either for the obtaining of good things this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text or else it is for the diverting of evill which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now all kind of prayer must be used by him that would overcome Temptations He must pray privately and publikely mentally and vocally c. Every kind of prayer hath in it something which is more peculiarly excellent which is not so excellent in any other kind of prayer Publike prayer excels in one kind private prayer is more excellent in other respects Nehem. 2. 4. Mental prayer in some respects excels vocall in others In publike prayer there is more strength vis unita fortior In private and secret prayer there is less distraction There is in the publike more Communion with Saints There is in the private often more Communion with God less interruption incumbrance c. Satan useth all kind of Temptations and therefore we should use all kind of prayer The whole vertue of prayer lies not in any one kind but in all kinds 3. A Conquering Prayer must be in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This hath four things in it 1. It must be in the Spirit and not onely in the outward man So the Scholiast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must not be a work of the head or hands or eyes onely but chiefly a work of the heart Prayer is called the powring out of the soul 1 Sam. 1. 15. The powring out of the heart Psal 62. 8. The lifting up or stretching out of the soul Psal 25. 1. We read indeed of the lifting up of the hands Psal 28. 2. Of the lifting up of the eyes Psal 123. 1. Of the bowing of the knee Ephes 3. 14. These are fit and convenient postures to manifest the inward affections of the heart but the main work of prayer is in the inward man Quod cor non facit non fit Satan is a Spiritual Enemy Satans Temptations are Spiritual Temptations and therefore prayer will do no good against him which is not Spiritual God will never honour a prayer with victory over Satan which is onely a bodily service yea prayer without the heart drives God away and brings temptations into the soul It will never be a Satan-conquering but a self-weakning prayer 2. Prayer in the Spirit i. e. Zealous and fervent not cold and faint So 't is used in the Scripture Rom. 12. 11. A cold faint prayer will never prove a Conquering-prayer 'T is fervent prayer that is the effectuall prayer Jam. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such have been the prayers of the victorious servants of God Such was Jacobs prayer Gen. 32. 31. compared with Hos 12. 4. Such was the prayer of Elias Jam. 5. 16. compared with 1 King 18. 42. We read of striving in prayer Rom. 15. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrastling in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Labouring fervently Col. 4. 12. Praying exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 3. 10. Powring out a prayer Psal 102. tit Lifting up a prayer Esa 64. 7. Stirring up our selves in prayer Esa 64. 7. All which expressions note ardency Satan is not cold but servent not faint but zealous in his Assaults he fights against us in his Spirit that is with all his might and if we do not pray in the Spirit we shall rather encourage him then get the Victory 3. In the Spirit that is in sincerity Spirit is used in Scripture in opposition to hypocrisie Joh. 4. 24. Ambrose expounds this of purity of heart and integrity Hoc est in Spiritu semper â—rare mundâ conscientiâ fide integrâ precem ad Deum dirigere In carne enim orat qui pollutâ mente orat A prayer proceeding from an impure heart is like rotten Arrows against an Enemy which will neither wound him nor kill him Hypocritical prayers shall not be heard of God Psal 66. 18. Nor shall they be fear'd of Satan Satan is not hypocritical and in appearance but real and in good earnest in his temptations and so must a Christian be in his prayer that means to overcome 4. In the Spirit i. e. By the help of the Holy Spirit The Saints have this happiness that the Holy Ghost makes intercession in them with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. Now he prayes in the Spirit that prayes by the help and assistance of the Spirit he that acteth the Graces of the Spirit in Prayer Faith Hope Heavenliness c. Some deride Prayer in and by the Spirit Satan is a Spirit and no prayer will put him to flight but that which is framed in the heart by the Holy Spirit of prayer It is not the gift of Prayer but the grace of Prayer which gets the day 4. A Conquering Prayer must be a watchfull Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is required as a necessary Qualification of Prayer Mat. 26. 41. There is a two-fold watchfulness in reference unto prayer 1. A watchfulness unto prayer Of this we read 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be ye sober and watch unto prayer A watchfulness in prayer Of which we read Col. 4. 2. Watch in prayer with thanksgiving He that would overcome Satan by prayer must do both these He must watch unto prayer that is 1. He must have the thoughts of
have an intention to wrastle with God in Prayer but some messenger of Satan or other is ready to wrastle with him to take him off This Text shews us the reason He knows well that the servants of God are never more successfull against his Temptations nor that he is never more defeated in his designs against them than when they set their faces to seek God He hath been so often overcome by this Holy Ordinance of God that he is afraid of it Hence it is that he is so diligent both to take them off from it and to interrupt them in it He is most afraid of a Child of God when he is on his knees This makes him so strangely attempt to break off the Exercise of it 2. This shewes us that Satan must needs prevail very much where Prayer is neglected Do not wonder to see the Devils Throne erected so high in those Families and in those Persons where Prayer and Invocation is cast aside There 's nothing in such a soul to hinder either his Residence or Domination Watch and pray saith Christ that ye enter not into Temptation Mat. 26. 41. Those that disuse Prayer must necessarily be under the power of black Temptations They have no defence to keep Satan out nor have they any way to cast him out when he is once entred 3. This lets us see the power of Holy Prayer It 's a very strong thing he that considers well what prayer hath wrought cannot imagine it to be a weak thing It hath for a time stopt the course of Nature Sun stand thou still in Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon Josh 10. 12 13. It hath divided the waters of the Sea Exod. 14. 21 22. It hath quenched the burning flames Numb 11. 1 2. It hath cast Devils out of their possession The Prayer of Luther and other servants of God recovered a man out of the hands of Satan who had made an Indenture of his soul to him and sealed it with his own bloud The Indenture sealed was cast in into the place where they were praying And our Saviour tells That no Devil hath such deep possession but by Prayer and Fasting he may be cast out Matth. 17. 21. In a word Prayer hath overcome God himself Gen. 32. 26. Luther was wont to say There is a kind of Omnipotency in Prayer It never yet did it never shall through God meet with any thing too hard for it No Journey was ever too long for it no Mountain too high no Waters too deep no Burthen too heavy no Temptation too strong It never was it never shall be finally and totally overcome by any Adversary 4. That a Christians Victory over the Temptations of Satan doth not depend upon himself but upon God alone This is gathered from hence When he hath dressed himself and got his weapons into his hands he must then look to his Commander in chief and conquer by prayer He doth not overcome by fighting but by praying All his preparation all his graces all his Armour all his endeavour will not carry him through the battel with success unless God stand by him When he hath done all he can Prayer must be his last refuge that God would vanquish his enemies for him 5. This is an Apologie for the people of God who desire to be frequent in Prayer They have found the benefit of it and they still know the excellency of it It 's a piece of that Armour which they must use nay 't is upon the matter their whole Armour all the rest doth no good without it therefore are they so careful to use it They know the danger of Satans Assaults and they know if they be not frequent and fervent in Prayer they shall be overcome therefore they willingly neglect no opportunity of performing this service they know praying Christians are the safest Christians 6. That the gift and grace of Prayer is a marvellous great blessing That God hath given his Spirit to be a Spirit of Prayer in us that God hath given to his people ability to pour out their hearts by prayer with cries and groanes that cannot be expressed that Jesus Christ hath given us a Rule how to pray a pattern for Prayer This is a singular mercy that you are enabled to make use of this Ordinance of Prayer There are many that know not how to pray after a right manner If God have taught any of you how to pray you are to acknowledge it as a marvellous mercy and to bless his name 7. How much you are indebted to them that pray for you They supply you with Armour Exhortation Be intreated and perswaded in 2. Vse the Lord Jesus Christ to make use of this piece of Armour Pray alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints In this Exhortation I shall do three things 1. Give you some Motives 2. Help you against the Wiles of Satan whereby he endeavours to take you off 3. Give you some helps I might give you many Motives I could tell you that it 's the way to have your wants supplyed It 's the Key of the Treasury of Gods blessings God hath appointed this as the great Channel of conveyance of all blessings Jam. 1. 5. It 's the way to have every thing sanctified to your use it makes bitter things sweet and sweet things more sweet it 's that Salt which savours every thing 1 Tim. 4. 5. It turns all afflictions into gold all poyson into physick 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. It 's the way to expell inordinate cares and fears Phil. 4. 6. He that is much in prayer will be little in Care It 's the Nurse of all graces it preserves the fear of God in their hearts Job 15. 4. It preserves the love of God It nourisheth Humility it keeps the Conscience clean and tender it preserves and maintains heavenly-mindedness c. But I shall onely urge that which is in the Text. It 's the way to have certain victory over all Temptations Satan may shatter a praying Christian but he shall never conquer him He may for a time bring him into his Net but God will rescue him and bring him out again Whensoever I call upon God saith David then shall mine enemies be put to flight Psal 56. 9. Prayer rightly managed wil carry you through an Host of Temptations These black Regiments will and must give way to the power of prayer if you continue instant in it You cannot get victory over the least Temptation without prayer and the greatest Temptation shall be subdued if you continue in this Duty Satan is as well able to overcome God as to overcome prayer which hath the strength of God in it 2. To help you against the wiles of Satan He hath many Devices to take off the Children of God from prayer viz these six things 1. God knows what I want though I do not pray I cannot by
damned c. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. If Satan tempt you to apostatize from the truth for fear of suffering the Scripture will tell you that if any withdraw Gods soul will have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. ult and he that putteth his hands to the Plough and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 9. ult If Satan tempt you to be hypocritical the Word of God will tell you that Hell is prepared for Hypocrites If Satan tempt you to cast off Duties as Prayer Hearing the Word of God will tell you the sad consequences of such neglect c. And our Saviour teacheth us this use of the Scripture in the day of Temptation by his own practice Satan tempts him to work a miracle at his command by turning stones into bread in the time of hunger Mat. 4. He answers that temptation by shewing him out of the Scripture That man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ver 4. Satan tempts him again to cast him self down from the pinacle upon a perswasion of the protection of God Our Saviour answers that from the Scripture ver 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Satan sets upon him with a third Argument to fall down and worship him Our Saviour answers that by a Testimony from Scripture shewing him that Divine Adoration was due to God onely ver 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely thou shalt serve 2. The Word of God strengthens and teacheth a Christian how to use aright all the other parts of the Spiritual Armour First For the Girdle of Truth if you understand it of the Doctrine of Truth the Word helpes you in that hereby we know what is Truth what is Falshood Take away the Word of God and there is no standard to measure Truth withall If you understand it of the Grace of Truth Sincerity and Uprightness of heart the Word of God is the Preserver of it I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity for all his judgments were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me Psal 18. 22 23. The Word of God as the Sun exhales all the vapours of hypocrisie out of our hearts Secondly For the Breast-plate of Righteousness The Word of God strengthens and preserves that if we understand it of the righteousness of our persons the Word of God teacheth where it lies and how to put it on and to use it Rom. 1. 17. This righteousness is revealed in the Word If you understand it of the righteousness of our course and conversation the Word of God directs us for this also Psal 119. 9. The Word is the measure of righteousness he hath shewed thee O man what is good Mic. 6. 8. 3. For the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospel It is the Word of God that helpes us to take up and enables us to persevere in these resolutions of going through with the profession of the Gospel against all difficulties and inconveniences and disadvantages the Word whets the edge of these resolutions when they grow dull and blunt 4. For the Shield of Faith The Word is both the Seed which breeds it and the Nurse which feeds it and gives it suck It 's called the Word of Faith not onely because it is the Object of Faith that which is to be believed but also because it is the Seed of Faith and the Food of Faith Faith must have a written word to lean upon else it dies 5. For the Helmet of Hope The Word of God to the grace of Hope is as the light to the eye of the body it is the Cable of the Anchor of Hope the Word layes the promise down upon which Hope is grounded the Word shewes Gods faithfulness whereby Hope is cherished the Word is the fewel that keeps it burning I have hoped in thy Word 6. For Prayer and Supplication We can neither tell what to pray for nor how to pray aright without the direction of the Word of God By the Word of God we come to know what we want By the Word of God we come to know what God hath promised The word of God heats the affections to pray with zeal strengthens the heart to pray in confidence enables the Spirit to pray with perseverance Take away the Fewel of the Word and the fire of Prayer will be abated if not quenched LECT XXIV March 20. 1649. VSE I. Information 1. That it 's a marvellous great mercy that God hath been pleased to commit his Mind to writing VVEE might else have been to seek for this Sword when we should have had occasion to use it The Church of God for about 2500. yeares wanted this blessing The Doctrine of God was preserved by the Tradition of a lively voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 1. Somtimes by the immediate voyce of God himself by the Ministry of Angels Heb. 2. 2. By Dreams by Visions by Vrim and Thummim but never in writing till the time of Moses Then God was pleased to commit it to writing for many causes First That by this means it might be kept more pure and incorrupt We read how much soyl the Truth of God contracted by passing through the hands of men while it was by Tradition transmitted from Parents to Children Gen. 35. 2. We read that even in Jacobs Family there were Idols found And so Josh 24. 14. And the Idols of Egypt were amongst the Israel of God Though they were Holy and religious yet was there much pollution cleaving to the Worship of God in those dayes Secondly for the help of mans weak memory many of Divine Truths might in continuance of time have slipt out of the leaking Vessel of mans memory and so the Church of God should have suffered much loss Thirdly for the greater stability and firmness of the Doctrine of Truth against all those who should either deny it or corrupt it or infirm it vid. Luk. 1. 3 4. By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth secretly innuere propter corruptelas quorundam qui vivâ voce aliena ab Evangelicâ veritate tradiderunt opus fuisse accurato scripto rem prout gesta fuit usque ad finem exponente The Church of God by this meanes hath a greater certainty against the fraud and deceit of Seducers of the truth of God 4. For the more facile propagation and spreading of the Doctrine of Truth while it was delivered by Tradition it was onely consined among the Jewes and there was no probability that ever it should spread any further than their Coasts but by the writing of it it is divulged throughout the world 'T is a mercy to be acknowledged Had not the Word been written this Sword would have been as a Sword in the Scabbard or Armory but by the writing of it it is drawn out of the sheath and made of much more use to us in the day of battel 2.
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
prayer move God to bestow any thing which he hath not intended to bestow c. Ergo What need is there of prayer Against this wile of Satan consider these three things I. The receiving of the good things we want is not the onely end of Prayer It is one great end but there are many other things besides which should move us to this Duty We are to pray 1. In obedience to the Command of God It is a piece of Divine Worship and Adoration it is a part of that homage which all the sons of men owe unto God II. That thou mayst enjoy Communion and Fellowship with God by the use of this Ordinance of Prayer III. To acknowledge thy submission to God and thy dependance upon God Not to pray is to cast off that Dominion which God hath over thee it is to deny thy reliance upon God 'T is to say thy dependance is not upon God but upon thy self 2. Thou canst have no ground to believe that any good thing shall be bestowed upon thee without Prayer Prayer though it be not the cause yet it is the condition or the mean of obtaining all that good which God hath promised unto his people vid. Ezek. 36. 37. I will yet for all this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them No man can say I shall have this mercy though I do not pray 3. 'T is not the bare enjoying of the good we want which should satisfie us We should also labour to enjoy it in mercy to enjoy it as a blessing Now 't is an everlasting and most certain Truth that whatsoever is not obtained by prayer is not given in mercy vid. 1 Tim. 4. 5. A man hath not a sanctified right to any thing he possesseth without prayer 2. Satan sometimes labours to take off men from Prayer by objecting their infirmities and weaknesses Thy heart is thus and thus distempered c. Against this I would give you these two Answers 1. 'T is not the infirmities and weaknesses of a Christian which are seen and lamented that can hinder the efficacy and success of his Prayers Sin obstinately and avowedly continued in will indeed cut off the success of Prayers and make both them and him that makes them abominable to God Prov. 28. 9. But infirmities which are continually resisted and bewailed shall never make the prayer to be rejected I might give you many instances as that of Jonah A man full passions c. Yet Chap. 2. 10. God heard his Prayer King Asa a man full of infirmities imprisons the Seer oppresseth the people 2 Chron. 16. 10. yet God heard his prayer Chap. 14. 11 12. But I shall give onely that one remarkable instance which is recorded as a help against this Rock Jam. 5. 17. Elias was a man of like passions as we are c. Yet was heard very graciously Heaven was opened and shut at his prayers Gods hearing of our prayers doth not depend upon our Sanctification but upon our Justification He doth not hear our prayers because either we or our prayers are perfect but because our persons are accepted God doth not hear our prayers for our prayers sake but for his own names sake and for his sons sake c. 2. This should rather encourage us to the Duty Discontinuance of prayer will not remove but increase our imperfections if grace be weak the omission of prayer will make it weaker if Corruption be strong disuse of prayer will make it stronger The distempers of the heart whatsoever they are will not be abated but augmented by the omission of this Duty of prayer 3. Satan will perswade men perhaps that they are not in a state of Grace 'T is true if they had but onely infirmities they might be encouraged to pray c. but they are unregenerate persons c. Against this I would give these Answers Besides this in the general that it is a good sign there is something of grace when Satan perswades men to the contrary c. Consider 1. That Prayer is a work fit for such as are not converted as well as such as are converted 'T is the Duty of men to pray as they are reasonable Creatures who owe homage to God 2. Prayer is to be made for Conversion as well as after Conversion A man is not to pray onely because he is forgiven but also he is to pray that he may be forgiven see Act. 8. 22. Repent saith Peter to Simon Magus of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee c. 4. Those who never pray they prosper in the world as well as such who are most carefull of this Duty This is another of Satans Devices Against this consider these things 1. Outward prosperity is not the only reason why men should pray Yea this is one of all the meanest ends of prayer 2. All prosperity which is not the effect of Prayer is indeed a Curse and not a blessing Nothing is sanctified as I said before but that which comes in by prayer If his Children be multiplyed it is for the sword Job 27. 14. If his Table be richly furnished it is to ensuare him his Wealth is his Trap c. Whatsoever a man enjoyes without prayer is in Gods Account no better then Robbery 3. God hath an eternity of adversity and misery after this life They have received their Consolations in this life Luke 6. 24. 5. Satan takes off others by objecting their Disabilities Thou wants those gifts and endowments which others have Ergo. Against this I would say these things 1. God doth not so much look at the gift of Prayer as at the Spirit of Prayer Though it be the Duty of every person to labour for fit words of Prayer yet God doth not hear prayer for the elegancy of phrase but for the heavenliness and spiritualness and brokennesse of heart of him that prayes The publicans prayer had not much eloquence in it God be mercifull to me a sinner and yet God accepted it The Spirit of God helps our infirmities saith the Apostle with sighs and groans c. One sigh and groan from a broken heart is better pleasing to God then all humane eloquence if the heart be not affected 2. Pray that thou mayst have better gifts God hath promised his Holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11. 13. 3. Thou dost not pray to God as a critical observer of incongruous expressions but to God as a Father Who is wel pleased with the prayers of his Children because they are his children 6. Satan perhaps will endeavour to take off Prayer from thy long-waiting for an Answer Thou hast prayed many a time but received no answer c. Ergo. I would against this Stratagem give these things by way of answer 1. God hath more wayes of answering prayers then one There are three remarkable instances in Scripture of this vid. Acts 1. 7. 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Heb. 5. 7. The particular thing was not granted and yet his prayer was heard 2. Delayes are not denyals God defers to hear not because he doth not love us or delight in us but for other ends As To exercise of Faith Hab. 2. 3 4. To exercise our Patience To stir up our zeal and importunity in asking To give us what we ask in a fitter season Rev. 6 10 11. That is a very strange expression which we have in Joh. 11. 5 6. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus and see what followes v. 6. When he heard therefore that he was sick he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was A very strange effect of love A plain contradiction if Reason might be Judge Deferring to hear prayers is not alwayes an evidence of hatred but sometimes an evidence of love Calv. in locum 3. Let this rather be a Motive to confirme then a discouragement to take thee off from prayer God will hear at last that 's certain and do not lose ten or twenty years waiting for want of a little patience 4. Though God should never hear yet it were thy duty to pray 3. To lay down some helps for prayer these things will be of very great use to this purpose to teach us to pray viz. 1. Be well acquainted with the Doctrine of the Bible that you may thereby get the perfect knowledge of the good which God hath therein promised unto his people 2. Get a through and perfect sense of your own wants Sense of want will make the dumb Child to beg 3. Observe well the prayers you hear made by them that have the abilities of prayer 4. Labour for the Spirit of the Lord which is not onely a Spirit of Grace but of Supplication 5. Get others to desire God to teach you how to pray 6. Be often practising according to the abiiities you have Precando disces precari Thus much for the Spirituall Armour FINIS
shalt thou serve v. 10. Though our Saviour was patiently contented to be buffetted by men yet he would not endure the buffettings of Satan When the Jews smote him with the palms of their hands and with reeds upon the head he made no resistance but when Satan smites him with temptations then he opposed And when he assaulted him by an Instrument we finde he made the same Opposition In Mat. 16. 22 23. Our Saviour had there discoursed with his Disciples about his passion verse 21. The Son of man must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and the third day be raised again The Devill knowing well that the Death of Christ would be the ruine of his kingdom for he remembred what was threatned in Paradise Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Therefore he instills this motion into Peter if it were possible to divert him from the work of Redemption Our Saviour seeing from whence this suggestion came makes a violent resistance Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me The very same words he uttered to Satan immediately tempting him Matth. 4. 10. he now useth to Peter the Deputy of Satan in this action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as our Saviour so those who were acted by his spirit Job when his Wise was made the Devills hand to convey poyson into his soul in the evill day of his affliction he doth resolutely oppose the Temptation Curse God saith she and die Job 2. 9. Rid thy self of this intolerable burthen which is heavier then death it selfe Thou speakest saith he as one of the foolish women speake What shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and shall we not receive evill also vers 10. He would not drink of Satans Cup though his own Wife was made the Cup-bearer but puts it away from him with indignation and just rebuke 3. We are commanded to pray that God would not suffer us to be led into temptation so as that we should consent and yield to it Matth. 6. 13. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evill In which Petition we pray that if God do suffer Satan to break loose upon us and to shoot his Arrows at us yet that he would not give us up into his power but enable us by his grace that we may never yield with willing consent to comply with any of his Temptations Now it s a sure Rule That what good we beg by prayer from the hand of God we use all lawfull means to accomplish And whatsoever evill we pray against that we diligently use our own endeavour by all good means to avoid and eschew the same otherwise our prayers will be but idle unbelieving Prayers meer taking of the name of God in vain we must Work out our salvation as well as Pray that we may be saved yea our very praying for salvation layes this obligation upon us to work out our salvation Our very praying for our daily bread bindes us to use holy labour and diligence that we may have bread to eat and our very praying for remission of sins engageth us to joyn Repentance and Faith in Christ that our sins may be forgiven so doth our praying that we may not be overcome by temptation engage us to make resistance against assayling temptation When the Children of Israel were endangered by the Egyptians behind and the red Sea before Moses cryed unto God by prayer And when he had done stood still saith God to him Exod. 14. 14. Wherefore cryest thou unto me Speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward but lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the Sea and divide it As if God should have said if you pray to be delivered you must work to be delivered you must watch as well as pray If you would have me to save you you must use all lawfull means for your own preservation And we have the like reasoning with Joshuah When there was such a defeat received before the City of Ai in the Land of Canaan Joshuah and the Elders of Israel fell down before the Lord and cast dust upon their heads and make a very patheticall and fervent prayer Cap. 7. 6. 7 8. Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amonites to destroy us c The Canaanites and all the Inhabitants of the Land shall hear of it and shall environ us round about and cut off our name from the earth c. Saith God v. 10 11 12 13. wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and transgressed my Covenant c. Up sanctifie the people c. As if God should have said If you do expect to have this breach repayred you must removere prohibens take away that which hath brought upon your selves and which will continue this ill success if it be not removed Thus for the Quod sit That it is so 2. For the Cur sit Why it is so There is very great reason for this Opposition 1. From the worth and preciousness of that which lieth at stake in this controversie Satans name is in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon and in English A Destroyer Rev. 9. 11. And the end of his design in all his Assaults is answerable to his Name he comes to rob kill and destroy and that not the body and outward man onely but that which is of more value then all the world besides the Immortall Soul Satan saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham Gen. 14. 21. Give me the Souls and take the goods to thy selfe He matters not who carry away all other spoyl so that he may have the soul for his Dividend He fights against them by his Temptations that he may deprive them of that eternall and exceeding weight of glory Hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy Crown Rev. 3. 11. Satan doth not contend for Counters but for Crowns and those not temporall and corruptible but eternall and incorruptible 1 Cor. 9. 25. Non controvertitur de limitibus sed de ipsâ haereditate You read of an Inheritance incorruptible immortall undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you 1 Pet. 1. 4. The end of all Satans Assaults is to wipe you of this Inheritance He assaults you that he may bring you into bondage to his Common-wealth and Tyranny the worst of all Tyrannies Contentions and oppositions for triviall and trifling matters are not worth taking up and if they be taken up every prudent man will soon lay them asleep but when great things are at stake Cowards will be valiant Such is the matter of a Christians opposition Ergo. 2. From the justness and lawfulness of the Warre There are two things which make a Warre lawfull and just 1. The Call of a just Authority 2. A just
he was not able to enter into the Herd of Swine till Christ had slackened his chain Luk. 8. 32. how much more is a Saint better then a Swine I shall to these Encouragements add one more Remember your Sacramental Oath in Baptisme made to God then it was you took Prest-money to serve in Gods wars And that you should oppose the Devil was a part of your engagements Perjury is a hainous sinne the very light of Nature abhors it and God hath and will severely avenge it vid. Zech. 5. 4. Now if you would Oppose to any benefit you should be carefull of these three things 1. Study his stratagems 2 Cor. 2. 11. This will help you much in Opposing The Apostle in Ephes 6. 11. mentions his wiles 2. Oppose him at a distance It 's best fighting an enemy in his own Territories prudent Warriours endeavour to do so 3. Use the right Armour Of which we shall speak in the next Doctrine LECT 5. Novemb. 7. 1649. Ephes 6. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand VVE have done with the LECT 5 2d. Doctrine That it 's the duty of a Christian to withstand Satan in the evill day of temptation The third Observation followeth viz. Whosoever would be able to withstand Satan Doct. 3. in the evill day of Assault must be carefull that he take to himself the whole Armour of God This is twice told us in this Chapter once in the 11. Verse and here again in this Verse to shew you the certainty and necessity of it There can be no hopes of doing any good against the Devil when he sets upon us no possibility of withstanding to any purpose without the taking and using of this Armour In the handling of this Proposition I shall briefly speak to these four Heads 1 I shall shew what this Armour is 2 Why it 's called the Armour of God 3 Why Christians must take to themselves this Armour 4 Why they must take the whole Armor of God Jerome thinkes by the whole Armour of God we are to understand Christ so as To put on the Armour of God is nothing else but To put on Christ Si enim eingulum veritas est lorica justitia est Salvator autem veritas justitia nominatur nulli dubium quin ipse cingulum sit lorica c. But I suppose in this place by the Armour of God we are to understand these two things First The Graces of Gods Spirit such as Faith Hope Patience c. This the Apostle clearly sheweth in the following verses where he reckoneth up the particulars of this Armour He mentions the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Hope the Breast-plate of Righteousness and the girdle of Truth ver 14 16 17. Hereby intimating to us that these and such like graces of God are those spiritual Armes which Christians should use in this Warfare vid. Rom. 13. 12. Graces are called The Armour of Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 2 Cor. 6. 7. We read of The Armour of Righteousness Secondly The Ordinances of God such as the Word Prayer Sacraments c. This also is hinted by the Apostle in the following verses where he commands us to use Prayer as one of these Weapons under which particular I conceive by a Synecdoché all the other Ordinances of God are comprehended so that the whole Spiritual Armour is comprehended under one of these two Heads of Divine Graces and Divine Ordinances 2 Cor. 10. 4. The Ordinances are called The Weapons of our Warfare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now these are called Armour because they are of the same use to the soul which material Armes are to the outward Man To defend the soul from Assaults and to offend and wound assaulting Enemies Secondly why it 's called the Armour of God For this let us consider these four Reasons viz. 1. Because it is of Divine Original God is the sole Author and Maker of this Armour 1. For the Graces of the Spirit we know that they are of a Divine descent he makes and workes them in the soul It is above created Art or Strength to plant any of these Flowers in the soul They are called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. They are of the Spirits planting he is therefore called the Spirit of Grace Zach. 12. 10. And God is called the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all Grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle c. 2. And for the Ordinances they are also Divine Institutions prayer preaching Sacraments are all of Gods appointment He gave some to be Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry c. Eph. 4. 11. 12. None of the Ordinances could have any spirituall Math. 28. 19 efficacy if they had not a divine Originall They could neither convince the Conscience nor convert the heart they could neither terrifie nor comfort cast down nor lift up the soul if they were not of a heavenly Descent 2. As this Armour is of Divine Originall so it hath a Divine Approbation God hath given his Approbation to this Armour and to no other He hath manifested his Allowance of it both 1. By the many Commands given to all his Souldiers that they should use it he hath charged them positively that whensoever they go out to battel they should gird themselves herewith And 2. By the many signall and remarkable Victories he hath bestowed upon his Servants when they have been carefull to make use of it he hath alwayes given them good success Herewith Job overcame and herewith Paul came off victorious and by this Armour Peter was promised the Conquest when Satan sifted him God is exceedingly pleased with these Weapons he delights in the graces of his spirit and in his people for those graces How pleasant art thou O love for delights Cant. 7. 6. And he takes much contentment in his own Ordinances also Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Cant. 2. 14. And therefore the Church prayes Let my prayer come forth in thy sight as the incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice Psal 141. 2. And therefore also it is that God is alwayes present with his Ordinances and with his Servants whensoever they are either publiquely or privately exercised in them 3. They may be called the Armour of God In regard of Conservation God doth uphold maintain and preserve this Armour They are in his custody and keeping he takes the care of them If we look upon our graces the Scripture makes it very clear that as they are planted so they are preserved by God He that keepeth the feet of his Saints keepeth much more the
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
the judgement be rotten neither the heart nor the life can be sound We finde therefore in Scripture these two joyned together faith and a good Conscience Ever when men have been corrupted in the head they have been corrupted in their lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. holding faith and a good Conscience c. he that puts away faith must put away a good Conscience whether he will or no he that makes ship-wrack of faith will soon make ship-wrack both of Conscience and Conversation 2. Ex justo Dei judâ—cio It s Gods way to punish the rejection of truth with giving men up to ungodlineâ—s of life Thus God punished the Heathen Rom. 1. 25. 26 27 28 29. where you have both the sin and the just punishment of it So 2 Thes 2. 10. 11 12. Exhortation Let all Christians be careful to keep fast about them this Girdle We have a kinde of Popish Proverb among us ungirt unblessed There is a truth in it in this sense If Satan finde you without your Girdle upon your loyns he will easily prevail with you in the day of temptation Labour therefore to get and to keep this Girdle and if you see it grow weak labour to strengthen it Let me add a few helps by way of direction and I have done 1. Avoid the company and breath of known Seducers They will either quite take away your girdle or else they will much slacken it in a very short time if you have to do with them If any man come to your house and bring not this Doctrine receive him not nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 9. 10. They have sleight of hand they can cut your purses while they look in your faces from such turn aside 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2. Do not think meanly of such Truths as are of an inferiour Nature and more remote from the Foundation He that cuts off every day a small shred from his girdle will very soon snap it quite asunder Though every Truth be not fundamental yet every Truth is a guard to the Foundation the outer skin of an Apple lies remote from the heart yet if you pluck that off the very heart will be sooner rotten The finger is not a vital part but a Gangrene in the finger will in a short time reach to the very Vitals and corrupt the blood and spirits 3. Be much in prayer to him that keepeth both the hearts and the feet of his Saints that he would keep the Truth in you and you in the Truth Holy Father saith our Saviour keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 11. Let us often pray this Prayer of Christ Holy Father keep us through thy Holy Name Tie on this girdle of Truth that it may neither slip off nor be taken off The Apostle Jude puts these two together ver 20. Building up your selves in your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost 4. Take heed as of all sins so especially of the sin of Pride As Heresie is the mother of pride and scornfulness so Pride is the High-way to be Heretical A proud person will soon be an erroneous person If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. Pride will make the Heart swell so bigge that the Girdle of Truth about your Loyns wil soon be knapt asunder Humility and Watchfulness are the best Buckles for this Girdle and the way to preserve Truth but Pride and Carelesnesse is the way to lose it 5. Keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and towards Man As the falling off from the Mystery of Faith will corrupt the Conscience so a corrupt Conscience and an ungodly Life will in time destroy the Mystery of Faith There is this Reason for it The Doctrine of godliness reproves the Deeds of ungodliness and therefore whoever goes on in ungodly Practices will at last cast off the Doctrine of godliness that he may not be a Reprover to himself Keep the Grace of Truth that you may preserve the Doctrine of Truth also Thus for the first Interpretation LECT IX Decemb. 5. 1649. Ephes 6. 14. Having your Loynes girt about with Truth c. IT old you the last Lecture that Expositors LECT 9 give a two-sold Interpretation of Truth in this place Some understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of Truth Others expounding it of the Grace of Truth We have gone over the former Interpretation already as it relates to the Truth of Doctrine From which we noted That firmness and stability in the Truth of Doctrine c. We have now to consider it as relating to the Grace of Truth for so it s used in Scripture as I shewed you the last day Psal 51. 6. Josh 24. 14. Joh. 4. 24. and so it is understood in this Text by many yea the most Interpreters that I have had opportunity to inquire into Calv. vocabulo veritatis sincerum animum intelligit Piscator veritatis vocabulo intelligit conscientiae integritatem c. Taking it in this sense the Doctrine is this viz. that Integrity and truth of heart is of special use to Doct. obtain vistory over Satan in the evil day of Temptation Whosoever would overcome the Devil must have his Loyns girded about with Truth in the inward parts He that wants this girdle may struggle for a while with a Temptation and may perhaps overcome a particular temptation but he can never hold against every temptation Sooner or later he wil be brought into bondage by the Temptations of the Devil By the help of this Girdle it was that Holy Job won and kept the field and got the day of Satan in that great Conflict and Dispute he had with him And by this Girdle it was that other of Gods assaulted servants did finally overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. I shall briefly open the Nature of this Grace 2. I shall give you the Reasons of the Doctrine 3. I shall lay down a Caution or two for the understanding of the Doctrine 1. That we may find out what is meant by this Grace of Truth I shall bring several Texts of Scripture which do explain it First Partly by way of Opposition And Secondly Partly by Exposition or Illustration 1. By way of Opposition 1. We find it opposed to Deceitfulness and Fraudulency and False-heartedness So 2 Cor. 6. 8. As Deceivers and yet true He is a man of truth that is a man without deceit Thus our Saviour speakes of Nathanael Jo. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An Israelite in truth or a true Israelite is one in whom guile and deceitfulness is not he is one that hath not two faces he will not juggle either with God or men or himself Not as if a man of truth might not sometimes fall into an act of deceitfulness Abraham had truth in the inward parts and yet
Mot. T is a priviledge to suffer for the Gospel Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ c. Phil. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the elect are called to be believers but not to be sufferers suffering for the Gospel is in some respects a priviledge above beleiving the Gospel 7. Mot. He that is not willing to cleave to the Gospel in a day of suffering shall have no benefit by the Gospel in the other world He that will not suffer for it shall not be saved by it Mark 8. 38. 8. Mot. He that is not willing to suffer for the Gospel shall suffer without the Gospel Mar. 8. 35. Thus much for motives The Meanes or Directions are these 1. Study the excellency of the Gospel A thorough perfect knowledge of the Gospel will make a Christian resolved to goe through with profession of it whatsoever follow Beza expounds the preparation of the Gospel to be the knowledge of the Gospel The knowledge of it will help us to the preparation of it He that knows the effects of it and the comforts of it and the priviledges of it will not onely live with it but be content to die with it It s a Gospel of peace It s a Gospel of grace It s a Gospel of holiness Act. 20. 24. It s a Gospel of salvation It s a Gospel of life It s a Gospel of glory 2. Learn perfectly that christian Lesson of self-denial This will make you cleave to the Gospel in the worst condition Math. 16. 24. He that knows not how to deny himself will be easily induced to deny the Gospel especially when the cross and the Gospel go together he may follow Christ when he can take up Christ and pleasure but he will never be able to take up the cross unless he be able to lay aside himself 3. Get your hearts above the world and all worldly entanglements No man that warreth intangleth himself with the things of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. It is not possible to embrace the Gospel and the world together especially when the world and the Gospel are at variance Sell all thou hast and give to the poor and follow me saith Christ to that young man Luke 18. 22 23. Abiice terram accipe Caelum you know what the issue was he went away sorrowful for he was very rich He that would go through with the profession of the Gospel must say to life and friends and all worldly things get ye hence when these things and the Gospel stand in competition Demas hath forsaken me having embraced this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. 4. Get a great measure of Christian patience He that hath not patience to enable him to suffer for the Gospel will forsake the Gospel when suffering comes In your patience possess ye your soules Luke 21. 19. and Hebr. 10 36. Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise 5. Have your eye often upon the cloud of witnesses Study the examples of the servants of God who have gone through with the profession of the Gospel notwithstanding all oppositions They have followed Jesus Christ and stuck to the Gospel in contempt in poverty in reproach in nakedness c. and by the Gospel of peace through Jesus Christ they are now laid up in everlasting peace They were stoned they were sawen asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Heb. 11. 37. 1. Consider the danger of Apostasie Many dreadful things are spoken against backsliding from the profession of the Gospel 2. The Apostate is in a worse condition than he The Gospel is worse for him and he for the Gospel that never made profession of the Gospel It had been better not to have known the way of truth than after they have known it to turn aside from the holy commandement c. 2. Pet. 2. 22. He loseth all the benefit of his former profession 2. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes Prov. 14. 14. God will give him up to himself to be his own guide to be his own rule he shall be given up to his own passion to his own lust to his own pride c. of all sinners the backsliders are usually greatest God takes his hand from them and lets them follow their own counsels and he who is his own guide will soon work his own ruine Rom. 1. ver 24 26 28 29 c. The soul of God shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. As he takes no delight in the Gospel so God will take no delight in him Yea it s a Mejosâ—s God will take displeasure in him here and he will take vengeance on him hereafter to the full No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God Luke 9. 62. 7. Make your resolutions in the strength of Christ and by daily fervent prayer give up your selves to the keeping of God that he would preserve you to the end Take heed with Peter of resolving in your own pride Math. 26. 33. And then pray that God would keep these resolutions in your hearts and your hearts in these resolutions these shooes will fall off if you doe not tie them on and keep them on Davids prayer 1 Chron. 29. 18. should be yours every day So much for the third piece of Armour EPHES. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lect. 17. Janu. 30. 1649. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN these words we have the fourth piece of the spiritual Armour which the Apostle recommends unto Christians for their safe standing in the day of temptation viz. The Shield of Faith In which we have two things 1. The injunction of the use of it Taking the shield of faith 2. The perswasive or motive to it drawn from the singular benefit of it which is set out two wayes 1. By way of comparison Above all it s the most excellent part of all the Armour 2. By the effect of it Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked In which we have two things 1. The nature of Satan the wicked 2. The nature of his temptations the fiery darts In the Text you see there is something more directly propounded vâ—z That a Christian must take the shield of faith Something which is collaterally or more indirectly brought in viz. the nature of Satan and the nature of his temptations I cannot well without injury to the Text and detriment to the Hearers speak of them together and therefore I must necessarily handle them distinctly and apart And I shall first begin with that which is last in the words viz. the collateral or more indirect part which is brought in occasionally viz. the fiery darts of the wicked One expression sets out what Satan is in himself The other discovers the Nature of his temptations
as well as the strongest God hath made such a Charter that one that hath true faith in him shall enjoy such and such priviledges and the weak beleiver is a beliver as well as the strongest 3. Weak faith hath defacto found very gracious acceptance with God That in Mark 9. 22 23 24. And the promise Mat. 12. 20. He will not break the bruised reed nor qvench the smoaking flax A reed when it is whole hath no great strength in it but when it is bruised it is then weak indeed and yet that hath been and will be averted 4. Though every beleever have not so much faith as Abraham and Paul and David c. yet every beleever hath as much merit as they had The very same Christ the same Righteousness the same Covenant of Grace the same Promises None of all these were justified by their faith as an act or work but by their faith as an instrument apprehending Christ the object of faith Now though every beleever have not the same faith yet he hath the same object of faith and therefore the same acceptance 3. Satan sometimes argues nullity of faith from the non-acceptance of our prayers If you had faith God would hear your prayers but you have prayed a long time for such a mercy and can get no answer from God therefore your faith is not true faith but a groundless presumption For the answering of this objection I shall lay down these three Considerations viz. 1. We are to distinguish between Gods act in answering prayers and mans act in receiving that answer A Beleever may think his prayers not to be answered sometimes because he doth not mind the answer of his prayers I will hearken saith the Psal 55. 8. Psalmist what the Lord God will say for he will speak peace to his servants c. Beleevers are sometimes stupid and cannot hearken sometimes sullen and will not hearken they do not look after their prayers they do not stand upon the watch tower as the Prophet resolves Hab. 2. 1. Gods answer to our prayers are sometimes given in silently and secretly that without very much attention we cannot tell what the answer imports Very often the soul thinks his prayers are cast out when he hath the answer of them in his bosom 2. God hath more wayes of answering Prayers than one God may give a very full answer to our prayers though he do not answer them in that particular way we desire God hath no where promised to answer the prayers of beleevers in Kind though he have promised that he will answer them according to their benefit We have three remarkable instances of this That in Acts 1. 7. Our Saviour refused to answer them according to the matter of their desire It is not for you to know the times and seasons c. But yet he answers them according to their necessity You shall receive power from on high c. That in 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. God refused to answer Pauls prayer in Specie the thorn in flesh whatsoever it was whether a bodily disease as some think or a spiritual distemper as others conceive was not removed and yet his prayer was answered My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And that of our Saviour Heb. 5. 7. He was heard in that he feared The particular thing he desired was not granted If it be possible let this cup pass from me The cup did not pass away but Christ had assistance and enablement to bear it without sinking and therein his prayer was heard We ask sometimes that which is not good for us at least not so good as some other thing Now if God give us a better thing for a thing which is less good doth he not hear If God deny Moses to go into Canaan and take him into Heaven what loss doth he sustein Deus non audit ad voluntatem ut audiat ad necessitatem There 's denial in mercy as well as hearing in mercy and there is hearing in judgement as well as denial in judgement Psal 78. 30. 3. God many times delayes when he doth not deny 1. We many times ask the present enjoyment of things not so good at that season Rev. 6. 10. 11. How long Lord c. They must yet tarry till the mercy was seasonable Their feet shall slide in due time Deut. 32. 35. 2. We are not so importunate in our suits as we should be our prayers though for things seasonably good may be too faint God in such cases delayes to quicken our zeal Anselme in his meditations speaks excellently to this purpose Gloria mea Deus meus abscondis the saurum tuum ut niciles cupidum recondis margaritam ut augeas quaerentis amorem differs P. 194. dare ut doleas petere dissimulas audire pellutem ut facias preserverantem 3. God is well pleased with our musick therefore he lets us lay begging This is the first branch of the Exhortarion 2. Labour earnestly to repair confirm and strengthen this shield of faith Though weak faith if it be true will carry you to heaven yet will not weak faith carry you through strong Assaults If this shield be crackt and broken you may be sorely foil'd in the day of temptation I shall propound a few Helps for the strengthening of faith 1. Be frequent in acting your faith Habits are weakned by being idle but they are strengthened by dayly exercise Scribendo disces scribere and Credendo disces credere The more frequent a Christian is in putting forth acts of faith the stronger will the Habit of faith be There is this difference between the shield of faith and other shields those by too much use are made weak but this shield is the stronger by every battel it cannot be used too often Vide Rom. 1. 17. 2. Be much in fervent prayer to God that he would strengthen your faith The Apostle made use of this help Luke 17. 5. Faith and Prayer are supporters one of another our faith teacheth us both what to ask and how to ask and our praying helps beleeving If prayer be restrained faith will be weakned but if prayer be continued faith will be confirmed 3. Be frequent in the right use of the Word and Sacrament The Word is the ordinary means for the breeding of faith and the Word and Sacrament are the food whereby faith is nourished and increased The Sacraments are the seals of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4. 11. He that is frequent in the application of these seals is like to be most confirmed in beleeving Christians do very much prejudice their faith by neglecting of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is appointed of God for the nourishment of faith 4 Study carefully the promises of the Covenant of grace Gods promises are made of purpose to confirm faith in us The promises are the fewel of faith 5. Study the Attributes of Gods Nature His Power Wisedome Faithfulness Truth
shall call on my name and I will hear them Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed so 1 Pet. 1. 17. and 1 Cor. 1. 2. 'T is called sometimes the making of our request to God Phil. 4. 6. sometimes the seeking of Gods face Speaking unto God intreating the Lord c. All which import invocation I put this in for these two Reasons viz. 1. Because it is in it self an Act of Religion of solemn worship and Adoration so much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth It is sometimes used for all Religion Gen. 4. 26. The restoring of the worship of God from corruption wherein it had now for a long time been is set out Synecdochically by that part of it 2. To distinguish it from those Invocations which are not religious but rash passionate inadvised and prophane wishes such as men in discontent and distemper put up to God as also to distinguish it from those Prayers which want those Religious and holy affections and Ingredients which should be in a holy Prayer Heb. 12. 28. Eccles 5. 1. 3. 'T is calling upon the true God This I add for these three Reasons 1. To exclude all prayer made to Saints Angels the Virgin Mary or any other Creature Prayer being an Act of Religious worship cannot without manifest Idolatry be directed to any Creature Rev. 22. 9. Mat. 4. 10. Judg. 13. 16. That in Gen. 48. 16. is not to be understood of a created Angel but of Jehovah the Son of God the increated Angel of the Covenant vid. Hos 12. 4 5. compared with Gen. 32. 28. It was not any created Angel but God himself who redeemed him out of evill 2. To exclude all prayer to false Gods such as Heathens do invoke vid. Psal 44. 21. 3. To teach us that we must direct our prayers to God in Trinity We must invocate the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God-head When in prayer we name one person of the Trinity we must in our heart and minde include the other two for however the persons be distinct in themselves yet in all the duties of worship which we perform the name of any person Father Son or Holy Ghost is to be taken essentially not personally We are to conceive the Father subsisting in the same God-head with the Son and Holy Ghost and in all workings ad extra the three persons of the Trinity work together and are only distinguished in manner of working Therefore we must not separate them in worship And when we pray to Christ we are not to sever his two Natures in our minde but we must call upon him as God and man for however the Manhood is not to be worshipped with religious worship for it self or by it self because it is by it selfe a Creature yet as it is personally united to the God-head it is part of that person which is true God and therefore to be worshipped with one and the same worship wherewith the Godhead is worshipped Heb. 1. 6. 4. 'T is in the name of Christ the Mediator In the state of innocency man might worship God without a Mediator but since sin made the breach God will accept no worship from man but what is tendred in the hands of a Mediator This Mediator is Jesus Christ alone 1 Tim. 2. 5. This was typified in the Law The High Priest alone did enter into the Sanctuary and carry the names of the Children of Israel before the Lord and the people stood without Exod. 28. 29. this did typifie Christs Mediation The Mercy seat had two things The Cloud of Incense that covered it The blood of the Bullock sprinkled before it Lev. 16. 13 14. That blood typified Christs satisfaction The Cloud of incense his intercession The Patriarchs of old made all their Prayers in Christs name Deut. 9. 17. Christ is the Jacobs Ladder No man comes to the Father but by him He is our Brother Benjamin without whom God will not bid us welcome vid. Eph. 3. 12. This I add for two Reasons First To exclude the mediation of Saints and Angels the Papists make Co-Mediators with Christ Secondly To take off that fond conceit of the meritoriousness of our prayers These come in the name of your prayers not in Christs name 5. For the obtaining of good things necessary for soul and body and the averting of evil things Here we have both Petition and Deprecation That which is to be prayed for comprehends 1. Good things 2. Things lawful 1 Joh. 5. 14. 3. Things necessary not trifles not vanities not res ludicrae we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Things for soul and body daily bread pardon of sinne That which is to be prayed against or deprecated Evill things Penal Evills Sinful Evils Only things spiritually good must be prayed for In the first place Matth. 6. 33. Absolutely All outward things must be prayed for and prayed against not absolutely but with subordination to the Will of God and our good Not as I will but as thou wilt 6. That God may be the better glorified This I add to let you see what the supream and principal end of a Christian should be in prayer Not so much the satisfaction of his own wants or the removal of his own annoyance as the glorifying of God vid. 1 Pet. 4. 11. Hallowed be thy name is put into the first place of that pattern for prayer and Thine is the Kingdome power and glory into the Conclusion to let us see that Gods honour must be both the Alphae and Omega of our Prayers Secondly what are the Ingredients of a Conquering Prayer In the opening of this I shall give you an Exposition of that which I made the latter part of the Text and it hath these six things in it 1. A conquering Prayer must be a frequent Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As often as God gives us an occasion and fit opportunity so often must we perform this Duty of Prayer First The Scripture doth not onely enjoyn the Duty of Prayer but requires frequency in it Luke 18. 1. 1 Thes 5. 17. Daily prayer is commanded by our Saviour Matth. 6. 11. Give us this day our daily bread Daily prayer yea Morning and Evening prayer was typified by the morning and evening Sacrifice under the Law vid. Exo. 29. 38 39. and Numb 28. 3. That was to be offered by the Israelites every morning and every evening without intermission yea upon their Sabbaths and other Festivals though there were other peculiar Sacrifices to be offered by the people yet the daily Sacrifice was not to be omitted Numb 28. 10. Secondly the servants of God have been frequent in prayer Daniel used to pray three times a day Dan. 6. 10. David seven times a day Psal 119. 164. Yea he was vir orationis for his frequency in it Psal 109. 4. The story relates it of John the Evangelist that by his frequent prayer his knees were grown like Camels