concludeth according to his promise that God careth for his faithfull seruantes that he respecteth them and wyll defende them as the Prophete sayth The Lorde wyll blesse the righteous and with fauour wyll compas him as with a sheelde And vpon this grounde hee comfortablie concludeth in another place The workes of his handes are trueth and iudgement and al his commaundementes are faithfull confirmed for euer In the dayes of Ezechias when Hierusalem was besieged the minde of the good King was vexed and assaulted with many fierie dartes of the deuyll and he was enforced to heare the blasphemies of Rabsaces against the lyuing god But hee fledde to Gods promises vttered vnto him by the holye Prophets and so opposed a vndoubting faith against all those mightie temptations assuring himselfe the God knoweth his owne shéepe and that no power shal be able to wring them out of his hande and that hee wyll be present with them euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wee must also haue an Helmette to defende our selues with all for the enimie doth especiallie seeke to hytte and hurte our heade and therefore we must put on a Helmette euen the helmette of Saluation This is also named the Hope of Saluation for that as in this present lyfe wee receyue Gods promises and applie them vnto vs by faith euen so is hope a stedfast wayting of delyueraunce out of these worldlie myseries In this hope Saint Paule fought a good fyght And hope of eternall lyfe is the ground of all consolations and therefore it is aptlie called an Helmette Those therefore that come into the fielde with this Armour gette the victorie and such as are without this eyther fight not at al or else are easily and soone ouerthrowne Hope doeth excéedinglie comfort vs amongst the myseries and troubles of this worlde and commaundeth vs to be of good corage in hope of the glorie in the lyfe to come And as the Apostle sayeth Suffereth vs not to be ashamed With this Helmette Saint Stephen armed his heade when hee was stoned And with the same were all holy Martyrs armed who susteyned with inuincible patience the sharpe and bitter torments of cruell Tyrauntes hoping for the euerlasting Crowne of glory which God hath promised to all such as perseuere faithfull vnto the ende The profite of this doctrine consisteth in a spiritual application As the Sheeld therefore doeth not onely defende the heade but also other partes of the body euen so true fayth doeth not onelye strengthen the minde but confirmeth all other Christian vertues For fayth is ground of our Religion and hath his place also throughout the whole buylding And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne It is the instrument whereby faythfull men repell all the fierie dartes of the deuyll as the holie Apostle and Euangelist wryteth This is your victorie vvhich ouercommeth the vvorlde euen your faith So that whyles fylthie lustes and vaine pleasures do inuade vs on the one syde and carkes and cares on the other syde or else when the spirite of error bloweth in our tyckle eares All these thinges I saye wee shall easilie auoyde withstande if we heare Gods worde often tymes if we arme vs with fayth And it is truelie sayde of an auncient Father That through faith in the daye of doome vvee auoyde many sinnes And these are those kindes of Armour wherewithall we couer and defend our selues now the Apostle specyfieth those wherewith we offende our enemyes And as those sortes of armour spoken of alredie are not of iron and brasse but spirituall as Trueth Iustice Faith and Hope is euen so to vanquishe the enemie our armour is not carnall but spirituall And of that kinde hée nameth fyrste the sworde of the spirite because the holy ghoste is working through the worde For the worde of God is effectuall and more pearcing then any two egged sworde And againe the Gospell is the powre of saluation to euery one that beleeueth This word our sauior Christ vsed againste the Deuill and ouercome him Let vs then be armed after the example of Christe not onely against spirituall temptations but also againste heretickes as Maniches Arrians and Anabaptists who are put to flight by the worde of god This spirituall sworde must be sharpened with daylie meditations hearing and learning of Gods worde and must all wayes be redie and in our hande which as an auncient Father saith Deuideth that parte of the soule vvhich serueth affections and mortyfieth the lustes of concupisence The other Armour wherewith wee encounter and vanquish the enimie is dayly and ardent Prayer whereby not onelie the power of sathan but also the cruell malice of tyrauntes is restrayned and brydled This must therefore be added as the perfection of the rest wherein we desyre of God that he woulde assyst vs in this conflyct and geue vs courage and victorie according to his owne precept and promise Call vpon me in the day of thy tribulation I wyll heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me And againe Hee shall call vpon me and I wyll heare him and delyuer him and wyll shewe vnto him my saluation So Christ in that his agonie a lyttle before hee suffered his Passion wherein hee had a terribie conflicte with sinne and Gods indignation prayeth most earnestlie and exhorteth his Apostles to watch praie Which kinde of worshippe and seruice is so acceptable to God that euen when we beginne our Prayer it is by and by hearde For so sayth the Angell From the beginning of thy prayers the vvorde vvent out and I am come to shew it vnto thee And It shall come to passe that before they call vpon mee I vvyll heare them Upon which sentence two learned men commencing haue vttred two comfortable sentences The one sayth thus God is allvvaies more desirous to giue then man to receyue the other God giueth allvvaies more liberally then man desireth as vve may see in the penitent theefe vvhose prayer vvas that Christe vvould remember him vvhen he came into his kingdome and receyueth a gratious aunsvvere that he shoulde be with him that daye in Parradise Let man therfore be ashamed of his sluggishnes seeing God wyll giue more then man would receyue and more pittieth his miserie then himselfe calleth for his helpe and mercie Hytherto haue you hearde howe the Apostle Saint Paule an experte souldiour or rather a Captaine vnder Christe woulde haue the Christian man to be appointed and armed in this spirituall warfare Nowe let vs consider also howe the other Captaine Dauid trayneth vp his youâ— souldiour and after what sort hee pâ—tcheth his Campe and ordreth his batrayle And we ought to be the more attentiue herein for that of his owne experience he founde and tryed his Armour to be of proofe and such as coulde not be pierced Besides that he was not onlie a Prophete but also a Prince and
extolling his name before the Scribes and Pharisées and saying Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Which voyte being disdayned by the obstinate Iewes Our sauiour aunswered for them Read ye neuer By the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast made perfite thy praise Finally we may right well accoumpt the SuÌ„ne Moone Starres the Earth Water and Fyre together with all the workes of Gods handes Souldiers in this Armie and warfare which doo not onely serue the needefull vse of man to his greate consolation But also are readie at euerie becke and commandement of almightie God to annoye and destroye the wycked and vngodlie Those thinges therefore that I haue spoken of the Lorde GOD of Hostes and of his Armie haue two vses Fyrst to confyrme and encorage the myndes of the godlye in this warfare Secondarilie to terrifie caste downe and confounde the rebellyous and vngodly Wherefore let vs ioyne and vnyte our selues in faith and obedience vnto this heauenlie Captaine Christe and vnto his chaste and pure Angels being assured that all those who serue in this holye warfare with fayth and a good conscience shall obtayne an euerlasting crowne which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus hath promised For as the victorie is moste sure and certaine through the blood of the Lambe and the worde of his Testament so all those who are sprynckled with this blood which thing is done when men beleeue in Christ according to his worde shall without all doubte recarie a glorious and tryumphaunt victorie ¶ The seuenth Chapter wherein is declared what Armour the Souldiours of Christ vse in this vvarfare The. 7. Chap. I Haue read that the fyrste lesson or rule which a young souldiour is commaunded to obserue is to prepare his shéelde or Targette and then his sworde And in skirmishes not that maÌ„ sustained a rebuke that let his sworde fall but his buckler and the reason is that menne ought to haue fyrste and chiefe care to defende themselues and then to strycke and ouerthrowe their aduersaries So that in temporall warres armour is of two sorts the one to defend our selues the other to defend the enemie EueÌ„ so in this spirituall warrefare the worde of God maketh often and large rehersal of two sorte of armour of Artilarye of a Christain man The Prophet Dauid and the Apostle Saint Paule séeme most dyligently and of purpose to haue handled this matter out of whom I wyl gather so much as shal be appertayning vnto this matter The Apostle therefore accouÌ„pteth fiue wherwith faythful meÌ„ defend themselues verely a Girdle a brest plate Shooes a sheelde and an Helmet The gyrdle was vsed in warfare not onely to tye and girde faste the garments together but also to defende the lower partes of mans body for it was full of ringes or studs of brasse This girdle he calleth the Trueth being the vnderstanding of true doctrine whiche is the knowledge of the liuing God and of our iustification in Iesus Christe That we may therefore stande faste againste the assaultes of the deuill wée must gird our selues with Truth which is as it were an Armory of all the rest whereof if men bee destitute therefoloweth ignoraunce of God and dublications of his prouidence whereby in a moment they fal into ruine and distruction For we reade of Saule that when he had loste this gyrdle of Trueth hée fell into fearefull pauors and murdred himselfe and therefore Dauid prayeth earnestly saying Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes And this gyrdle serueth also to another ende verely that no man should giue ouer much vnto his owne liberty neither yéelde himself to the sweete intisements of Sathan and so eyther laye snares for himselfe or cherishe a deadly enimie at home For hereof commeth the admonition of Christ If thy righte eye cause thee to offende plucke it out and caste it from thee for better it is for thee to haue one of thy members perish then that thy vvhole bodie shoulde bee east into hell And in another place hee sayeth Let your loynes begyrte The Loynes in the bodie are the couples of the inferior superior members and therin the beginning of ryotusnesse is thought to be To gyrde our Loynes therfore is to brydle lust al other vyces to decline from euyll and to do that which is good The breast plate is the defence of the breast which hee tearmeth the Breast plate of righteousnes that is to saâ—e reconciliation with God and thâ— of a good Conscience for both these are so coupled together the one cannot be without the other as the Apostle excellentlie vniteth them Eight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience vvhich some haue put awaye and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke And again our reioysing is this The testimony of a good CoÌ„science that is in simplicity and godly purenes The matter goeth verie hardlie with vs if our owne conscience fight against vs hope of reconciliation through Christ be waÌ„ting vnto vs For then aryseth byting vexation of mind trembling feare wherof ensueth diffidence distrust finally eternall death Wherof Christ our sauiour doth admonish vs That our loynes be gyrte about and our lyghts burning and that the same shold so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen The thyrde kinde of defending Armour are Shooes which signifie our profession or rather they dyrect and gouerne our professioÌ„ that we intermedâ—â— not with thinges that appertaine nothing vnto vs Neither is there any kinde of temptation more vsuall dangerous then when Sathan our capytall enimye draweth vs from our profession to things impertynent and vnnecessarie Which peruerse inclynation is almost naturally bredde with vs wherof the verie Panims séemed not to bee ignoraunt whyles one of them sayde That a great part of our tyme passeth away in doing nothing a greater parte in doing euyl the greatest part in doing those thinges that are besides our calling A Christian souldiour may not therfore breake his araye and order but doo the workes of his office calling and abide in that roome wherein God hath placed him By mans féete the scripture vnderstaÌ„deth oftentymes his carnall affectioÌ„s desires The meaning therefore of the Apostle is that we should well defend keepe them vnder that they leade vs not captiues to terrene earthly things but that we may be prepared for the gospell of peace which proclaimeth an vniuersall peace vnto both betweene God and man and also betwene man and man. The fowrth kinde of Armour is the shéelde which is fayth and hath therefore that name bicause it fyrmelie apprehendeth Gods promises in Christ beateth backe all the fierie dartes of the deuyll For as the worldlie souldiour holdeth his shéelde before his bodie so the spirituall warrier proposeth Gods goodnesse and mercie and
Herodotus The estate of the Magistrate more cumbetsome then that of the subiect Xenophon in Hierone Children murder their parents and Parents their chyldren for dominion Xenophon in Hicrone Examples Caesars Epitaph Examples of our own countrey The ecclesiasticall estate incoumbred with flouds of troubles Pastours paruerting Christs flocke John. 10. 2. Sam. 15. Ministers singuler in opinions Demostenes Herodotus Ambicious and proud myniuets Tymerous and fearful pastours Ignorount pastours ad hatets of learning Ignorance the mother of errour Ignorance the cause of much miâ—cheefe in the common welth The shamefull end of flattering preachers Doctor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pynke polidorus lib. 25. et â—raston 9. in vita Edvvard quinti. Corrupt and carnal hearers of the gospell Corrupt hearers of two sorts The faults of some men of might Peruerse hearers in the inferior sorte Contempnets of sacramentes and congâ—â—gatioÌ„s A more particuler consideraâ—ion of mannes miseries 2. Sam. 20. Luke 22. Gene. 4. 2. Sam. 3. 2. Sam. 13. Gen. 30. 1. Sam. 18. Epiphamus The diuyll resembled to a strong souldiour Luk. 11. Epiphanius 1. Reg. 18. The dyuell breaketh friendshipe betweene saythfull friendes The deuyll besiegeth the strongest fortes valiaunt Captayns 〈◊〉 sacking of Babilon 1. Thes 5. The deuyll counterfeateth a retyre â—lucarchus â—eruh in psal 9. Selectloue a Cockatrices eye Ambrosius The Diuill hath infinit polliced Luk. 11. The deuill ceâ—empled 〈◊〉 hunter Psal. 91. lere 6. Ezech. 32. plato in Liside Examples peucerus lib. 5. chro Simlerus de repub helue uptum High estate tyckle and slippery The deuyl resembled to a fowlet Psa 124. Iere. 5. Amos. 3. Plautus Examples 2 Samuell 11. 1. Reg. 11. Iud. 16. Englyshe examples The laudable facte of King Henry the fyfte The Diuel resembled to a gleade or kyte Leuit. 11. Deut. 14. Jesa 34. Aristot lib. 9. cap 1. de natura animalium Ephe. 6. Psa 91. The deuils dealing most daungerous when he pretendeth friend shippe 1. Cor. 11. Example 1. Reg. 22. Rom. 1. Math. 4. The diuils apperitans for Purgatory Antigonus prayet against false friendes The deuyl resembled to a roring Iyon The vse of this dâ—â—â—tyne Ephe. 6. The huge and mighty army of Sathan Luk. 8. Xerxes The druyll hath many capitains vnder him The principall enemies of Christes Churche Tyrantes Sophisters Hippocrites Imbassadours Hattoldes and Troumpetors in the Deuplls armye Card. Poole Gasparus Church Iesuites The Deuylls Especialls What remedies carnall and ignoraunt men soeke for in their miseries Philosophical consolations of no force The word of God is the cleere fountaine of perfytte consolatioÌ„ Pro. 30. et 21. Heb. 5. Examples 2. Reg. 6. 2. Sam. 24 Esa. 38. Christians neuer alone in their trouble 2. Para. 15 Esay 43. The defect and lamenes of philosophie in their matters Euripides in Trodibus The constant faith of Christians in their trouble The occasion of Christian boldnesse Psa 93. Examples Neoptolimus his worthy obseruation Iustine lib. 6. Our God is the Lord God of Hostes 2. Sam. 5. Psalm 59. Esa. 6. Psalm 4. Eesa 59. The Lord strong in battaile Psa 24. Psal. 72. Whereof the army of God consisteth Luk. 1. Psa 104. Hebr. 1. Hebr. 1. Of the seruice of Angells Dan. 7. Reuel 12. Dan. 10. The manner and order of the seruice of Angells Psa 9. Act. 12. Men are watched with Gods owne gard Examples The seruice of men in this war faire 2. Cor. 10. Ephe. 6. 1. Tim. 1. The seruice of women and children in this warface Virus VVinshemius in obiâ—u Philip Melancth Ioach. Camerarnis de vita et obitu P. Melancth Psalm 8. Exod. 15. Exod. 38. Iudg 4. Math. 18. Math. 21 Psal. 8. All the workes of God serue in this warfaire The vse of this doctrine The discipline of this warre and the armour Two sorts of armour Ephe. 6. 1. Tessa 5. The armour appoynted by the Apostle The girdle of truth Psa 119. Math. 5. Luk. 12. Psa 29 The brest plate of Righteousnesse 1. Tim. 1. 2. Cor. 1. Luk. 12. Math. 5. The shoes of Peace Seneca epist. 1. Rom. 5. et 12. The shielde of faith Psa 5. Psa 111. Esa. 36. Iohn 10. Math. 1 The Helmet of saluation 1. Tes 5. 2. Tim. 4. Hope Rom. 5. Act. 7. The vse application of this doctrine 1. Iohn 5. Clement alex. lib. 5. The armour of defence The sword of the spirit Heb. 4. Rom. 1. Math. 4. Basili Mag. Praier Psa 50. Psal. 90. Ioh. 18. Dan. 9. Esa. Taulerus Hieron Luke Howe Dauid would haue his souldiour furnished The cause of some dissimilitude betweene Paule and Dauids Armour Psal. 91. Who so dwelleth c. The armour appointed by the Prophet Dauid The Lord couereth his church Esa. 37. Examples The desires and clamors of the oppressed T. Vespatian Antiochus 2. Macâ— 9. 1. Sam. 6 The elemenâ—s fight in Gods cause Iosu 10. Sirac 40. Iud. 5. Claudiamus Sirac 40. Exodus Examples Iud. 7. The Lord somtime suffereth cowerdes to vanqishe the valliant These armour are generally termed the hand of the Lorde Esa. 37. Prayer and sworde are to be conioyned in battell Examples Psal. 144. Zenoph in paedia Cyri. Armour not to be refused August August Howe men temp God rather then trust in him Eternall meanes and instruments are by no meanes to be contemned Iud. 6 Examples Dan. 6. Tob. 1 Esa. 28. Mark. 7. Act. 27. Psa 144. Isa. 91. Who those be that obteyne victory The Lord defendeth the faithful man an all that he hath Exod. 9. Psa 36. A spirituall application We may not busie our selues in those matters which apperteyne not vnto vs Examples 2. Para. 16. Num. 16. 2. Sa. 18. Euery man ought to keepe his place in this battell The godly often times beholde the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Psa 91. An obiection howe doth God presecue his chosen seeing we see them dayly murdered Examples Aunswere to the obiection Howe Gods promises are to be vnderstoode Psal. 44. Gods promises of temporall â—â—nges include a condition 2. Mac 7. 2. Cor. 12. An euident proofe of the certent of Christian Religion Rom. 8. The Lord delyuereth his seruants somtyme myraculously Phil. Melanct in valerian Eusebius lib 6. cap. 34. Sirca annum dium 260. Now God and deuill beholde the deathes of the godly but diuerslye Augusti Psa 126. Dan. 3. 2. Mach. 7. Aug. in Psal. 33. Psal. 75. Dan. 3. Why God taketh away his seruants oftentimes with death Death not so terrible to the mortifyed man Iust lib. 2. Codrus 1. Curtius Leuius lib. 7. Sopirus Iust lib. 1. Iob. 23. Act. 5. Act. 21. Ignatius ad Tarsences The happy exchaunge which the godly make Luk. 16. Iob. 16. Esa. 65. 2. Cor. 4. 1. Pet. 1. The reward of the godly moste excellent and endles Reuel 7. Phil. 1. Gods army and mayne battayle alwayes contineweth Theodoâ—rete Testimonies of scriptures Esa. 46. Math. Iob. 14 Iob. 10. Examples The deliueraunce of the people of Israell a perpetuall image of the church A reuelacion exibited to Moyses touching the estate of Christs church Exod. 33. The carke and care of Moyses Howe Moyses comforted himselfe Exod 33. The requestes of Moyses and Gods aunswer The spirituall interpretacion of the historie The passage of God. A picture of the cleere sight and knowledge of God. The backe partes are Gods word The face of the Church in these dayes Psa 84. Gods speciall presence and apperaunce in the Church Numb 14. Iosu 3. 1. Reg. 17. Two vse of this doctrine Gods presence a witnes and Iudge against the vngodly Psa 6. Psa 52. A confirmation and incouragement of the godly Num. 14. Esa. 37. Esa. 59. ¶ Imprinted at London by I. C. for Thomas Sturrup dwellinge in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the George Anno 1577.