Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	damn_v	delusion_n	1,893	5	11.0930	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

an unlawfull meanes to work a miracle at the direction and command of Satan Thus was Nehemiah assaulted Neh. 6. 10. which was doubtlesse from Satan though not immediatly but by the hand of a pretended friend Thus he tempted Abraham to equivocate and deny his wife in a day of outward trouble vid. Gen. 12 11. 12 13. 2. The day of Church-calamity especially when cruell Heretiques and cunning Seducers are risen up This is one speciall time of Satans assaulting such as are truely godly And indeed this is I suppose the evil day of which the Apostles speaks more particularly in this place We read Act. 20. 29 30. that the Apostle taking his last leave of this Church of Ephesus doth by the Spirit of prophecy give them to understand in his farewell Sermon That when he was gon away there should enter in grievous wolves which should not spare the flock and that there should arise seducers from amongst themselves which should preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserve things to draw away disciples after them And now writing to this very Church he doth put them in mind of this evill day Zanchy in his Commentaries upon this Text gives us this Interpretation making this day to be meant especially of that time when God permits Satan quasi solutum grassari et Ecclesiamturbari per tyrannos per haereticos tam occultos hppocritas quàm manifestos And indeed as this day is an evill day so it is a fit day for Satan to assault and make his Onset In such a Day 1 He doth endevour to prevaile with christians to doubt of the truth which they had receivved embraced and many times to cast it off and to run after fables You shall find that in such a day as this Satan hath carried many captive by this temptation vid. Gal. 1. 6. In this evill day there was a great Apostacy from the faith of the Gospel And 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. we have a prophecy of the defection which should be made in such times vid. 2 Cor. 11. 2. 3. 2 He tempts many in such a day to revile speak evill of the truth 2 Pet. 2. 2. Satan is no doubt very busie at such a time both by feare of persecution and by promise of rewards and by hopes of sinfull liberty to draw off men from the simplicity of the Gospel to embrace his delusions We find in our own Church by the lukewarmnesse of most and the defection of many that such a day is a great assaulting day 3 The day of sinfull miscarriage When a child of God slips through infirmity and frailty into some enormity this is a speciall day of temptation to the soul Satan makes many onsets in such a day viz. 1 He assaults the soul by temptations to Conceale and hide the sin commited thus he assaulted David Psal 32. 3. Satan that drew him into the sin assaulted and tempted him afterward not to confesse his sin And David lay a long time in that snare till God sent Nathan to set conscience a speaking 2 He tempts the soul to Excuse the sin at least in part Thus he assaulted our first parents first he drew them into sin then tempts them to make excuse The Serpent saith the woman beguiled me and I did eat Gen. 3. 13. And saith the man The woman which thou gav'st me she gave me of the tree I did eat Gen. 3. 12 And thus was Aaron assaulted by Satan when he had sinned vid. Exod. 32. 22. 23. 24. We may see how irrationall his answer is he would have excused his sin and he doth indeed by all he saith aggravate his sin Thus he tempted Abraham to make an excuse for his lying Gen. 20. 12. She is the daughter of my Father but not the daughter of my Mother c. 3 He tempts them in such a day to call in question their Conversion Regeneration because of their sin David seems to be under this temptation when he had fallen into the sins of murther and adultery Psa 51. 10. Create in me a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me He was tempted to believe that such sins were inconsistent with conversion therefore he calls for a new Creation 4. He tempts the soul to despaire of remission and pardon and reconciliation with God Under this tempation was the Church in Lam. 3. 42 They prayed and had not present sense of forgivenesse therefore they were ready to question whether God had or would forgive their sin 4. The day of spirituall desertion when God for sin hides the light of his countenance from the soul Such a day is a peculiar day of temptation Satan will rage with violence at such a time 1 He will perswade the soul that God hath utterly cast him off Thus it was with Jonah Cap. 2. 4. And under this temptation was Asaph in such a day Psal 77 7 8. 9. Wil the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Is his mercy gon for ever hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies And so it was with Heman Psal 88. 14. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me 2 He perswades the soul at such a time to cast off God and to cast off duty and to leave waiting upon God He perswades the soul that all religion is in vaine and to no purpose that he doth but dishonour God in making mention of his name c. 5. The day of extraordinary Enlargement and inward manifestations of God When the soul hath had more then ordinary communion with God then Satan usually tempts And in such a day he assaults the soul 1 Which spiritual security vid. Cant. 5. 1 2. In the former verse we see Christ and the Church feasting together Jesus Christ had shewed her more then ordinary favour now Satan takes occasion of tempting the soul and the next news you heare she is sung into a spirituall slumber I sleepe but my heart waketh 2 With spirituall pride Satan then sets the soul upon applauding it selfe as if for some worth in it self it had enjoyed such great enlargements vid. 2 Cor. 12. 7. The Apostle in that story discovers to us what snare the tempter useth after great Revelations Euge Barnarde 6. After some great temporall Advancement or Deliverance When God had given David many victories and had made his name dreadfull to the nations then doth Satan set upon him 1 Chron. 21. 1. In the former Chapter you may read of his great successes over the Philistims and Moabites and the King of Zobah and the Syrians and Edomites vid. Cap. 18. Cap. 19. over the Moabites and Cap. 20. you have a list of his worthies Then Cap. 21. 1. Satan tempts him c. And the Temptation of such an evill day is To swell up the heart with pride and vain glory so it was with David Satan tempted him to number the people And

there is a fourfold kind of faith Historical Temporary The faith of Miracles Justifying ●reden Deo faith 1. Historical faith is the knowledge and beleef of the truth of divine Revelations upon the testimony of God himself Of this the Apostle speaketh Jam. 2. 19. This faith was in Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. 2. The faith of Miracles is a special gift of bringing to pass some extraordinary work or foretelling some certain event by devine revelation 1 Cor. 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. 3. Temporary faith is an assent unto the Doctrine of the Scriptures accompanied with the external profession thereof and some kind of joy in the knowledge thereof for a time vide Mat. 13. 20 21. Of this faith the Apostle speaks when he saith that Hymeneus and Philetus have overthrown the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 18. 4. Justifying and saving faith of which the text speaks the great effect of it doth clearly evince it to be a faith of the best kind for no other faith besides justifying can quench the fiery darts of Satan Now in opening the nature of this grace I shall do two things 1. I shall give you a discription of it 2. I shall shew the several steps or degrees of it 1. For the Discription of it I shall give it thus Saving faith is a supernatural special gift of grace wrought in the heart of an elect person by the spirit of God through the preaching of the word of the Gospel whereby he is enabled to beleeve that Jesus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour and thereupon cast himself upon him for life and salvation according to the promise I shall open this Discription 1. T is a a gift of grace Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Acts 18. 27. He helped them much who had beleeved through grace 1. The first preparing of the heart to it 2. The first plantation of it the infusing of the habit 3. The means whereby it is wrought 4. The preservation and continuance of it all these are of grace Faith is a part of the new Creature the great and chief part of it and the new Creature is meerly of garce T is called indeed a mans own faith subjective but effective originaliter t is meerly of grace Col. 2. 12. The faith of the operation of God 2. T is a special supernatural gift This doth distinguish it from all other kinds of faith and all other common gifts which are bestowed promiscuously upon men by the Lord Heb. 6. 4. T is an evtraordinary gift afforded unto none but special favourites 3. T is wrought in the heart of an elect person T is bestowed onely upon the elect Here the Apostle calls it the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my Sheep John 10. 26. And then t is wrought in the heart the Scripture makes the herrt or will to be the seat of faith Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness The will rather than the understanding is the subject of faith because faith is an act of Election whereby the soul chuseth Christ Now election is more than an act of the understanding 4. T is wrought by the spirit of God through the preaching of the Gospel This sets out both the efficient cause and the instrumental cause The efficient cause is the Holy Ghost not excluding the Father and the Son for Opera Tunilatis ad extra sunt indivisa but the Holy Ghost is the immediate worker of it the Father and Son work this and all other graces by the Spirit and therefore he is called The spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. And the Spirit works it powerfully not only inciting and stirring up the soul to believe by a moral perswasion only but by an Almighty strength creating such an habit in the heart The Apostle therfore mentions the same power for the working of faith which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19. And then the ministry of the Gospel that 's the instrumental cause Rom 10. 17. called therefore the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Faith is therefore called the fruit of the lips Isa 57. 19. And we shall do well to take notice of this that the Apostle makes it to be the word preached by a lawful instituted Ministry Rom. 10. 15. It s not the preaching of men that run upon their own account but of such as are lawfully sent to preach the Gospel 5. Whereby he is perswaded that Jusus Christ is not onely the Saviour of the World but his Saviour also Faith must have not only have a general beleef but a particular application also The just shall live by his faith Who loved me and gave himself for me 6. And thereupon casts himself upon Christ for life and salvation according to the promise This shews the very nature of faith T is Recumbency upon Christ T is cleaving to God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. T is the casting of our burden upon Christ T is coming to Christ as to a living Stone Faith is nothing else but the souls venturing it self upon Christ according to the promise This I ad according to the promise to distinguish true faith from false presumption 2. The several steps or degrees of this grace I shall give you that in six particulars 1. Knowledge T is impossible that there should be faith in Christ or in any thing propounded by God till there be the Knowledge of it T is true knowledge is not faith they are two several distinct habits yet it necessarily preceeds faith Faith is the sight of the mind now sight presupposeth a visible object The Apostle makes it impossible to beleeve where knowledge is not Ro. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard there is a knowledge indeed which followes faith 1 John 4. 16. We have known and beleeved the love that God hath to us Faith is called knowledge Isa 53. 11. Faith is an Cognovenius credendo Calvin advised grace it will not rush headlong into unknown paths when Christ asks the man when he had restored to his sight whether he did beleeve on the Son of God he answered that question with another Who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him John 9. 35 36 37 38. and when he knew the person then he both beleeved and worshiped him 2. Assent After the knowledge of the thing propounded is wrought in the understanding then followeth the Act of the Will giving an assent unto that which is known John 3. 33. This setting to of the seal is nothing else but the firm assent of the soul unto the truth revealed that Gods Testimony is true in every thing to which it gives witness This is that which is recorded of Abraham Gen. 15. 6. He beleeved in the Lord i. e. he did freely yeild his assent to the truth firmness stability of all that which God had delivered to him

a practical transforming knowledge His knowledge is diffused into every step of his life into every action his life is reformed by his knowledge and conformed to the truths of God whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver neither changeth his heart nor life except it be from evill to worse his knowledge puffeth him up 1 Cor. 8. 1. it makes him more proud and more sensual It s said of the Heathen that they retained nor God in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. but became vain in their imaginations the one hath onely the form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. the other hath not onely the form but the power and the life also 3. The knowledge of faith is a knowledge which raises the heart nearer to God The knowledge of a Beleiver crucifieth the world unto him and him unto the world Gal. 6. 14. vide Phil. 3. 8. 10. whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver bows down his soul nearer the earth 2. Concerning the assent of an unbeleiver it differs from the assent of true faith thus 1. The assent of faith is a chearful assent It s free But the assent of an unbeleiver is without joy Jam. 2. 19. The devils beleive and tremble so do the unbeleiver at least concerning some truths 2. The assent of faith is universal So is not the assent of an unbeleiver at least his chearful assent There are some truths in the Scripture which threaten ruine and destruction to all in his condition these he cannot assent to at least joyfully There are some truths which call him to the practise of such things which he hath no affection to the crucifying of sin the mortifying of corruptions cutting off the right hand c. he had rather these were not truths than real truths he hath secret wishes that these truths were either raced out or else that they had been propounded with a greater latitude 2. Mistake is about Application He that can truly apply Christ to himself hath true faith in Christ for this is the Ratio formalis the special act of faith Now many an unbeleiver thinks he can apply Christ as well as any other Those in Luk. 13. 25 26 come to Christ with much seeming confidence as if they had been of intimate acquaintance with him Lord Lord open to us and yet never had saving faith in him I shall here shew a threefold difference between the Application of a Beleiver and an unbeleiver 1. The Application of saving faith is from something of Christ wrought savingly within him He finds the Image of Christ in him he hath well grounded hopes of it and therefore applies Christ to him As Thomas in another case sees the print of the nails and then saith My Lord and my God So a true Beleiver sees upon his soul the print of the nails the dyings of the Lord Jesus the Characters of his death burial resurrection and therefore applies him to himself Whereas the application of Christ made by an unbeleiver is meerly from that discovery which is made of Christ in the Scripture and not from any intrinsecal worth which he finds upon his own heart vide Galat. 2 20. there you have Pauls application I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. What ground can you shew within you why Christ is yours 2. The Application of saving faith is alwayes agreeable to the tenor of the Promise and Covenant wherein Christ is held forth Vide Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Faith applies the grace of Christ as well as the merit of Christ applies Christ for sanctification as well as for justification applies the water as well as the bloud the application which an unbeleiver makes is onely or chiefly of the comforts and of the purchase of Christ c. he applies the Merit of Christ not the Spirit of Christ the Promises not the Commands c. whereas true faith applies him universally his Kingly and Prophetical Office as well as his Priestly vide Phil. 3. 9 10. 3. The Application of faith is alwayes accompanied with self-Resignation The true Beleiver doth as chearfully surrender himself to Christ as applies Christ to himself So did the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. he would not onely apprehend but be apprehended And so the Church Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He doth not onely apply the sin offering but he offers also the burnt Offering The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. would have Christians to yeeld themselves to God c. The unbeleiver he onely applies Christ to himself he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to Christ he doth not dedicate himself to Christ by holiness and obedience 2. I shall now give some positive evidences of true faith I shall ground them upon several places of Scripture 1. That of the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Purifying your hearts by faith Heart purity is a necessary concomitant and consequence of saving faith Jesus Christ saith the Apostle is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. 30. If by faith thou hast Christ for thy righteousness he is also thy sanctification He whose heart is unpurified is destitute of the grace of faith Now the purification of the heart may be known by these five evidences 1. A purified heart is a heart that truly bewails all pollutions and impurities The most clean heart hath some pollution unmortified but he hath no defilement unlamented his stains and sores and spots are his greatest burthen his heaviest sorrow Pauls body of death put him to more grief than all the troubles which befel him in his whole life Rom. 7. 23 24. Is it so with thee Dost thou bewail the uncleanness of thy heart cordially sadly secretly Thou wouldest gladly be delivered from it Thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly with it The impurity of thy heart turns thy sweetnesses into bitternesse This is certainly an effect of true faith Vide Zech. 12. 10. Looking upon Christ is beleiving in him this beleiving is expressed by sorrowing And if thou wouldest in truth be rid of thy corruptions thou wilt then diligently make use of all meanes be they never so painfull never so costly that may cleanse them away 2. A purified heart will kindly accept of brotherly reproof for his impurity or any advice that may make him clean He will love a person better all his life for any faithful rebuke or counsel Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. David shews the purity of his heart by his accepting the rebukes of Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. A heart that is purified is best pleased with that Sermon that comes closest to his conscience he would have all his heart discovered to himself Hide nothing from me said Eli to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. Yea he begs that God would search his heart for him Psalm 139. 23 24. Whereas a heart that is unclean cares not to have any spot discovered he either openly flies in the face or else secretly hates

is our Rhetorick to perswade us in tribulation unto patience Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him Psal 37. 7. and Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord c. 5. The accomplishment of future good This shews the object of Hope generally that which is good particularly or specially future good Herein it differs from faith The object of faith is not onely good things but evill things also Faith beleeves the threatnings as well as the promises Faith doth beleeve there is an Hell as well as an Heaven but Hope onely looks at good things Evill things are the proper object of fear and hatred not of hope And then this differs in the spiritual object Hope onely looks at good things to come what a man sees why Rom. 8. 24. doth he yet hope for it hope that is seen is not hope That 's the difference between hope and vision But now faith looks not onely at things that are to come but also at things that are past and at things that are present It looks to things past We beleeve that the World was created that Adam fell that the old world was drowned that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered that he dyed c. We beleeve also things that are present We beleeve that Christ is at the right hand of God that he makes present intercession And we also beleeve things that are to come We beleeve that Antichrist shall fall that Christ shall come to judge the World that our dead bodies shall be raised c. 6. Which God hath promised Herein faith and hope agree they have both the same Basis or foundation viz. The word of promise The Scripture asserts the promise to be the foundation of hope Tit. 1. 2. There could be no reason of expectation unless the thing expected were bottomed upon a divine promise It s loose fancy not well grounded waiting which is not erected upon a promise 7. And Faith beleeveth This holds out another difference between Faith and Hope They differ in their order Faith goes before Hope followes the stedfastness of hope is from the certainty of faith faith beleeves the truth of the thing and hope waits for the accomplishment of it The Apostle tells us that faith is the substance or ground of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the Mother of hope and hope is the Daughter of faith faith discovers the treasure and hope gathers it and layes it up Faith is the fire of hope and hope is the flame of faith 2. Wherein the Resemblance between Hope and a Helmet Consider that in four things 1. The Helmet doth defend the head from violence offered either by sword pistoll c. The grace of Hope doth safeguard the soul from the violence of Satan 2. The Helmet is the highest of al the Souldieres Armour The grace of Hope is that which looks still upwards t is the highest of the graces it hath its eye fixed upon the things which are in Heaven 3. The Helmet doth make the Souldier of dreadful appearance to his adversary Polybius tels us that the Romane Souldiers had upon their Helmets garlands sticking upon spikes so high that they seemed of a double height and did appear very formidable to the enemy Men of low stature seemed exceeding high by reason of their Helmets and that dress which they wore upon them The Grace of Hope upon the head makes the Christian Souldier very formidable to Satan it doth lift him up even to Heaven Little David with his Helmet of Hope appeared of a greater height then Goliah though he had a Helmet of Brass Hope sets the Soul upon a Rock which is higher then all his Adversaries 4. The Helmet doth give warmth and heat to the head it hath a refreshing as well as a defending virtue in it The Grace of Hope warms and refreshes the Heart III. Wherein this Grace is usefull to a Christian in the time of Temptation 1. The Grace of Hope helps Christian Courage It sharpens the edge of Christian Valour faintness and fearfulness of Spirit gives a very great advantage to the enemy That was a good Martial Law which God gave his people Deut. 20. 8. If the heart once sink through cowardice and pusillanimity the hands grow weak Now the grace of Hope keeps the heart from sinking yea it adds courage to the heart We have a Proverb But for Hope the heart would break I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27. 13. Upon this he gives an Exhortation to others to hope in God with a promise of strength v. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage c. The exercise of this grace kept the Apostles from sinking 2 Cor. 14. 16 18. For this cause we faint not c. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen c. 2. The Grace of Hope doth strengthen Faith Though Faith breed Hope yet doth Hope strengthen Faith It is as a staff to her aged mother as one well observes Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Faith makes things that are not seen evident and then the grace of Hope helps the Evidence of Faith 3. The Grace of Hope helps the Soul to persevere Victory is promised onely to such as hold out unto the end Be thou faithful unto the death c. Rev. 2. 10. Now without Hope there can be no perseverance He that hath lost his hope will either yield or run or make some unworthy composition but now Hope will carry on the Soul in its opposition There are two things which Hope doth to help us to persevere First It fastens the Eye upon the sight of the Crown it layes that at the foot of the Soul and encourageth it to continue Secondly It fetches in help from heaven it fastens the Eye upon Jesus Christ and lets it see that He is fighting for them while they are fighting for themselves It shewes the Soul Recruits marching from Heaven for its Relief and assistance Information 1. This lets us see the benefit and excellency of the Grace of Hope The Scripture speakes very much in the commendation of it It 's the second of those three choice Graces Faith Hope Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. It 's that which brings heaven down to the Soul or raises the Soul to heaven even when the Soul is here on earth It 's the Soul's Comforter in all the troubles afflictions and evils which it sustains in this life It 's that by which we overcome Satan in the day of Temptations It 's the Soul's Anchor by which it rides safely in the tempestuous Sea of Temptations Of all the Graces it is that which promises least but there is no Grace that is of more use then this It 's well compared by one to an Egge that hath more in it then is seen An Egge hath nothing to be seen

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.