us and it is the spirit that leads us into all truth and teacheth us how to use and improove truth without the spirit of God the word of God would doe us no good The weapon would be too heavy to unweildy for us to use therefore saith the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God 2. Cor. 10.4 God must use and guide the hand aswell as give the sword it will be els like the weapons of a mighty man in the hand of a childe if hee take it up it will be but to let it fall But then thirdly it is the sword of the spirit the spirit doth not onely use it but hee formed it it is therefore fit for use because hee formed it that is the mighty worke-man and Engineer for spirituall weapons and hee must be able to use it well that made it for hee made it for use and there is no ingredient in it which hath not an influence into the end of it which is the use of it Now that hee formed it appeares 2. Pet. 1.20 21. Prophecy came not in old time or at any time by the will of man that is by the presumptuous will of bold men proudly and arrogantly goeing about to determine that by their will which by their reasons and unstandings could not reach but holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the Holy Ghost God used the underderstandings and the wills of holy men to derive and conveye his truth to the world so 2. Tim. 3.16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God so as the spirit formes it frames it suggests it brings it to the world Thus having knowne the matter of this sword that it is spirituall not of a carnall make or composition and secondly the mannager and weilder of this sword that it is the spirit and then the maker and former of this sword that it is the same spirit wee come now to the appellation it self which the spirit gives it which is the word of God By the word of God is meant what ever God hath made knowne to be his will as it is contained in the scripture This must needs bee the word of God and no other but as it is consonant to this for in a large sense all truths may be called the word of God as being subjected to some scripture rule but strictly that word which is our sword is some portion of that wee call the scripture which is particularly characterized and distinguished by this title the word of God This must needs be so because this is that which must not be added to or detracted from it must stand alone Deut. 4.2 Yee shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Therefore that is all and onely the word of God So Deut. 12.32 Gal. 1.8 If wee or Angell from heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which wee have preached to you let him be accursed Secondly if God will have the ballance of the Sanctuary for waights and measures for rules and determinations it must be visible and publique If hee will have us fight with such weapons wee must know where to fetch them Thirdly when wee see this rule in practise by Christ or his Apostles wee see this word taken up for this sword to doe mighty things Wee see Christ resisting the Divell and at last confounding and expelling him by this word by this weapon Math. 4.4 Hee followed him so long with It is written that at last hee drove him quite away hee resisted him by this sword till hee fled from him As hee dealt with the Divell in himself so he dealt with the Divell in the Scribes and Pharises Have yee not read saith he what David did and what the Priests did c. Math. 12.3 4 5. So hee answered them and confounded them The like did Stephen and the Apostles convinced men mightily by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ and used this sword to destroy unbeliefe with Now this word of God which is our sword is not so much the letter of the word as the sense of it how unreasonably and foolishly have the Papists abused themselves by sticking to the letter in those words This is my body and Origen in making himself an Eunuch from that place Math. 19.12 There be Eunuchs that have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of heavens sake Though it be also true that where the letter is not contrary to the Annalogy of faith that is to be our rule and guide and upon no other ground are wee to depart from the letter But if it be objected how shall men especially unlearned know the sence of Scripture which seemes sometimes to be subject to contrariety Answ. This is the great grace of God towards his that in things necessary to faith and manners to be knowne or done they need not be ignorant for they walke in the light of the Lord by virtue of which light they are led into all truth so as they need not pin their faith upon the authority of anothers judgment This is there due by promise They shall be all taught of God Isa. 54.13 and Christ sayes his sheepe follow him because they know his voice but another they will not follow because they know not the voice of strangers Joh. 10.4 5. To have the word made cleare to you and this sword fit for your use is your due aswell as the sword it self So the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psal. 25.14 The scriptures though deepe are foordable by those who are holy and diligent though they be not so wise and learned On the other side The naturall man knoweth not the things that are of the spirit of God because they are foolishnesse to him But the spirituall man knoweth all things 1. Cor. 2.14 15. So 1. John 5.6 It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth And ver 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe So Math. 13.11 To you it is given to know the misteries of the Kingdome of heaven to others it is not given There is a sence of Scripture that lyes alwayes not so evident and above but it is given to you as your peculiar and portion This honour have all the Saints they have a certaine taste sutable and proportionable to their spirits and their new natures by which they can distinguish of food and by which they can try all things for as to other lives and to our bodily there is a tast for that end so to this also which is spirituall And though men in a dreame can not distinguish betweene sleeping and waking yet men that are awake know they are awake and know also distinctly what they doe This notwithstanding God sells all thing to us by labour and wee shall not enjoy the benefit of this great priviledge without it Wee must therefore keepe our selves in a holy
and reverence them therefore wee converse with them and study to know them and finde them out even the least peeces circumstances of them because they convey some thing of God they are the pearles for which wee sell all wee have to buy the field where they are to be found they are our mines our Elixurs and our Philosophers stone turning all they touch into gold therefore let us value the knowledge of them as things necessary for us and which have a great influence upon our holy walking And secondly let us apply our selves to them as to the ordinances and Ministers of God using them reverently sucking good from them considering how wee may receive what ever they administer and because these are rationall and living instruments let us converse with them as such knowing how to speake with them knowing how to gaine them and winne upon them which is by living their lives that is according to reason and the spirit answering them in their motions conversing with them after a spirituall way assenting to what they say making up holy conclusions with them and replyes which they will finde wayes to understand aswell as the Divell as wee shall heare afterward And using things of sence as they did for ones rather then their particular and personall satisfaction Thirdly let us heere see how all the whole creation is serviceable to man and reduceable to his good The beasts and plants feede and cloth him The sun and starres contribute to his being food and preservation they gouverne the yeare for the fruit which hee gathers and they have influence upon the humours and constitution of his body the highest heavens is a house prepared for him to rest him in for ever after a short labour one would have thought that if any peece of the creation should have escaped this ministery it would have bene the mighty and blessed Angells fitted and destin'd for the ministery of the almighty God but behold them as farre engaged as any of the rest What is man that thou art mindefull of him or the Son of Man that thou visitest him That is with all thy mercyes and blessings now then this man that is thus waited on by the whole creation and by these mighty Angells must either put himself into the Throne of God and thinke that hee it is to whom all these things doe homage as to their naturall and soveraigne Lord as to their utmost and highest end and this by nature wee would faine doe Or els hee must looke upon himself as a well paid servant as a well fitted instrument for some excellent and well raised worke and that what ever comings in hee hath hee must consider them in order to his layings out and his receipts to his disbursments Hee must consider the tract of obedience and the way of working to which all this chaine and charge of benefite drive him and must know that hee is the great accountant of the world both for talents the meanes of working and for wages the reward of working and should be fitted from every administration about him to an answerable ministery in himself with which hee is charged both in a way of love and debt and for instance when hee knowes in this particular that the Angells continually administer good things to him instruâ—ting teaching admonishing him inspiring him with good comforting strengthening him against the Divell and his lusts hee is taught not onely to receive willingly that which is so freely and advantageously administred and to love that God be bove all and then those spirits that are at this paines but hee is taught also to be good to be holy to be strong to let them have their efficacy upon him to be obedient to make right pathes and steppes The sun and the starres produce their effects upon the earth why should not the blessed Angells and the blessed spirits have their effects upon thy heart Lastly since every ability and strength is for service why should not wee aspire after Angelicall worke wee have Angell Guardians why should not wee be Guardians of one another they teach us why should not wee instruct the ignorant that are below us either in knowledge or grace They comfort and strengthen us why should not wee doe the like The way to have Angells reward to see the face of God is to doe the worke of Angells those inspired by the spirit are capable of Angells worke aswell as of their wages So you will improove this piece of creation to your use aswell as all the rest Wee come now to the second part of this Treaty that of the Divell and the evill Angells where in wee shall handle some things very briefly and especially insist upon those things which are in relation to their dealings with us And wee will consider them not as they were for so their nature is common to them with the good Angells but as they are If you aske how they came into this woefull condition Certainely by sin for they were not so formed by God That they might sin there is reason enough in this that they were creatures for what is it to sin but to depart from that rectitude which every thing ought to have to passe your bounds to decline and erre from the scope appointed you for Gods prerogative alone is to be immutable That they did sin the Scripture is cleere for they left their first estate Iude 6. and they aboade not in the truth And 2. Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angells that sinned but cast them into hell If you aske what sin this was that brought those blessed creatures into the depth of misery the Scripture is not so cleare in that some thinke it was pride and rebellion against God others thinke envy at man the most probable guesse mee thinkes is that it was their opposition to the great mistery of Godlinesse in the Gospell of Christ who being to be made man and the head of all the creation that all standing all restauration was to be by God man in which the Angelicall nature was left out this being in a great measure revealed as it is called Rev. 14.6 The everlasting Gospell decreed from eternity though manifested but by degrees those high spirits could not beare such a subjection so Christ saith they abode not in the truth Ioh. 8.44 especially of the Gospell which is the greatest truth in respect of which Christ calls himselfe the Truth and is called the wisedome of God so saith hee I came into this world that I might beare witnesse of the truth that is this truth which Christ sealed with his blood now sayes hee hee abode not in this truth but was a lyar now what is that lye that Sathan sets up in the world which hee alwayes speakes which hee studies to persuade others to it is this to debase the Gospell and the saving of the world by God man and therefore its worth observing that the summe of al heresies are either against the
speakes of of rejoycing in their portion and enjoying it with thanksgiving they are full of cares and their injoying time comes never for they grow poore by their riches they extenuate that in their affection which to their sence they abound in when they have more then their chests or their barnes can hold their hearts tell them this is nothing Besides they expose themselves to the greatest labours to the greatest wearinesse that is imaginable they toyle by day and they cannot rest by night the feare of loosing pierceth as much as the paine of getting and there is no end of their travaile But there be other sorrowes also terrors of conscience and flashings of hell which ordinarily accompany those lustings and are the reward and salary of their actions besides the great evill which I have not named that they erre from the faith for having changed their God and set up covetousnes which is Idolatry it s no wonder if they fall from the faith and if not in profession in deede become apostates I have wondred why this should be said of covetousnes rather then of any other vice that is Idolatrous nor a covetous person which is an Idolater Eph. 5.5 It is certain ambition and pride and self love is idolatrous also it is true that covetous persons worship the same things that Idolaters doe silver and gold the Idole of the gentile are silver and gold the worke of mens hands materially they worship the same therefore saith Christ yee cannot serve God and Mammon Math 6.24 Ye cannot put your trust in the Lord and in riches the Lord and riches cannot be your strong tower together perhaps it may be this that though in respect of our devotion and addresses other things may be our God that is wee may serve them worke to them labour to please them so the Apostle sayes their belly is their God yet in respect of trust and confidence which is much of the worship God hath from us riches especially carry it away there for the world hath got an opinion though a very false one that riches can doe all things therefore they vale and bow to it and trust in it besides because this is generally received and men are called wise when they doe well to themselves therefore the Apostle brands this especially with that which is a truth also of other lustings that in a more intense and earnest pursuite of them Idolatry is committed Now in this the Divell as in other things juggles with us extreamely one of the baites and snares with which hee holds those personally and professedly subjected to him is some money they shall get some hidden treasure these poore captives hee abuseth infinitely and after severall yeares expectations of some great riches and many diggings and minings wherein by breaking some method or other they faile a thousand times they meet at last with winde in steed of gold with that which lookes like it but prooves leaves or dust when they use it Remigius reports that of all the moneys that the witches that fell under his examination acknowledge to have received from the Divell there were but three stivers prooved currant the rest were leaves or sand when it came to use hee doth the same in effect with all earthly men either hee deludes their hopes they get not what they expected hee makes them labour for that hee knowes they shall not obtaine or deceives them in their enjoyments they make nothing of what they possesse and it is all one not to have and not to enjoye in truth that is out of his power The comfort of things the good of things hee cannot give if hee would and hee would not if hee could the Divell incourageth us to cracke the nut but God takes away the kirnell gives it to them that are good before him comfort and enjoyment and delight are the portion of his people A mans life stands not in the abundance of the things that hee possesseth that is the good and happinesse of life and therefore A litle that a righteous man hath is better then the revenues of many wicked Eccles. 2.26 God giveth to a man good in his sight wisedome and knowledge and joye that is wisedome to pursue right things and to goe right wayes to attaine the end hee desires knowledge how to improove them and joy that is the good and comfort of things and life But to the sinner hee giveth travell hee giveth to gather and to heape up that hee may give it to him that is good before him they dig the mines they plough the ground but the Saints enjoy they reape and gather Therefore particularly to this let the rich man rejoyce in that hee is made low and the brother of low degree that hee is exalted that is shew them God and heaven convert them and they are eaven presently both are alike neere God and so comfort and happinesse that which the world pretends to but cannot give Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine that is which gives contentment there is the gaine you looke after there is the happinesse that wealth promiseth but it is God that gives it now a rich and a poore brother are neere God alike if the rich at least be made low if hee have learned not to trust in uncertaine riches if his pride that riches causeth be abated and the poore brother be exalted that is that hee sees not such a difference in respect of solid comfort and happinesse hee sees himself in as good a posture as rich men Indeed that men are that they are to God and their true vallue is according to the proportion of their neernesse to him not to what they are to riches to Princes or to the great things of this world So yee see these six heads wherein the Divells great temptation lyes from whence wee have deducted some Corollaries wee proceed to one or two more drawne in generall from that which hath bene said And first yee see hence the drudgery of the Divell Gods worke and the Divells carries wages in their mouth in those pathes wee have runne over there is nothing but deceit and falshood a man is cozened his nature is debased and to judge a right the reward of sinning is not onely in another life and in this life by afflictions but the very sinning is misery enough to be defiled and made filthy by lust to be puft up and swollen by pride to be made earthly and base by worldly mindednesse to follow the Divell in all how miserable how vilde is it how debasing to mans nature Let the children of the Divell the peoples the disciples of the Divell glory in their portion wee know it is their shame they boast in their liberty they have no tyes or bonds but wee know that to whom men obey of the same they are brought in bondage now they obey the Divell for they doe his workes they fulfill his lusts On the other side let not us faile to
Kings 22. An evill spirit offered his service to deceive Ahab so an evill spirit from the Lord came upon Saul but both by commission So the Sorcerers of Egypt they acknowledged the hand of God when themselves were stopped it was no more impossible for them to make Lice then other things but God let them goe on a while that his power might appeare the greater in giving the stoppe So Zach. 3. The Lord rebuke thee ô Sathan God can doe it though no other can so Christ sayes The Prince of this world is cast out Ioh. 12.31 The Prince of this world is judged Ioh. 16.11 hee is not onely under God but under Christ God-man hee is subjected to our friend and husband and that in little things They could doe nothing on swine without leave Luk. 8.32 much lesse can the Divell touch us in any thing without a commission Besides what wee have told you of their chaines which Peter and Iude mentions shewes the power God hath over them And generally wee have this assurance that a haire from our head shall not perish without the will of our Father So as our greatest enemy is subject to our best friend and mannaged to our advantage which should incourage us to fight and secure us of the issue for the God of peace will tread Sathan under our feet at last Rom. 16.20 The Divell and wee are in earnest but God as those two captaines lets the young men play before him and can stoppe them when hee will hee is in no paine in respect of the combate or issue but hee hath the pleasure to see weake saints overcome gyants by hanging on him by the string of faith God is on our side and the Divell is so subject to him as there is no greater subjection let hope then aswell as necessity incourage us to fight wee have both those arguments in their height God will mannage his graces in us to our advantage but let us doe our parts Wee come now to the particular peeces of armour whereof the first is The girdle of truth having your loynes girt about with truth In the loynes is strength as is sayd of Behemoth his strength is in his loynes Iob 40.16 In them also is the power of generation for so God sayes to Iacob Kings shall come out of thy loynes Gen. 35.11 This metaphor therefore applied to the minde devotes strength steddinesse and constancy on the contrary men that are delicate effeminate and unstable the Latine calls them clumbs without loynes now that which fits this part in some thing that begirts it that the part wherein strength lyes may feele strength from without and that is properly a girdle therefore Peter sayes Gird up the loynes of your minde 1. Pet. 1.13 and Christ bids us Let your loynes be girded Luk. 12.35 this whether men travell or whether they fight or both together which is our condition is necessary For when they travailed they used to gird themselves and the Belt or girdle hath bene alwayes a peece of soldiers armour when they fought You see now a reason why the loynes should be girt to this warre Wee need not goe farre for a girdle the Holy Ghost tells us it is truth if you aske mee what is truth I answere in a word Right sights and judgements of things and sincerity this is that which girds up the loynes of your minde and therefore Christ addes Let your loynes be girded and your lights burning as before Luk. 12. Certainely cleare and right sights of things with sincerity are the most begirting things in the world this you may know especially by considering what is the cause of loosenes and laxenesse and unsteddines in our course and yow will finde it because men are either insincere and unfaithfull or misapprehensive and darke A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes because there is a mixture in the principles of his motion hee hath two objects in his eye two ends in his heart and is carried up and downe diversly according to the predominant humour and quality so as yee never know where to finde him nor can ever hold him because hee is yours but in part for an end such a one was Saul and Iehu and so are all hypocrites the contrarye to which was Nathaniel who had this honour from Christs mouth that hee was a true Israelite in whom was no guile Ioh. 1.47 that is hee was a man round simple candid and plaine which came to Christ honestly not for ends for lounes or to intrappe him as others did Christ himself disdaines not this commendation of whom it was said 1. Pet. 2.22 that there was no guile found in his mouth and David sayes Hee is a blessed man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal. 32.2 that is who is sincere in every thing having his ends what they should be and his actions and expressions sutable that you may reade his heart in his professions and actions such a disposition carries you right on makes you steddy in your motion without turning to the right hand or to the left Girds you up and strengthens your minde to motions to fightings makes you intend what you doe strongly because you doe but one thing that which put Martha into such a distemper was because shee was troubled about many things you see then now how sincerity begirts how in sincerity double mindednesse loosens your loynes nerves but doth not misjudging and darknes doe the same loosen your loynes making you unsteddy and weake contrary to this begirting You will finde it doth Men are what they see and what they judge and no other and though some men doe not fill up their light yet none goe beyond it a man wants courage that wants light and Hee that walkes in darknesse knowes not whither hee goes and that is contrary to this begirting and hee must needs make many false paces for hee knowes not whither hee goes If a man walke in the night hee stumbleth because there is no light in him Ioh. 11.10 In him hee hath the instrument of seeing the eye but there is no light shining upon that eye though a man should be sincere if hee want right lights and sights of things hee will be rendered the weaker and more unsteddy hee will stumble often with a good intention about him nothing gives more courage then knowledge nothing intimidates more then ignorance Againe comfort and joy renders strong and steddy now light is the embleme of joy and therefore when the Angell came to poore Peter fettred in chaines as hee was a light shined in the prison Acts 12.7 so sayes David The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare Ps. 27.1 and when in a low condition hee expected comfort from God Thou wilt save the afflicted people sayes hee but wilt bring downe high lookes for thou wilt light my candle sayes hee the Lord will en lighten my darknesse Psal. 13.27.28 Now comfort begirts comfort
as for the attaining of them God must come out of heaven Christ must die and suffer God must set all his wisedome on worke that wee may have a ground to pitch our hopes upon and for our part hope is mannaged and conversant about difficult things as ye shall heare But then last of all our hope is wise the things are possible about which it is conversant so possible as they are assured and therefore it s called the full assurance of Hope Heb. 6.11 Let us knowe then where wee are and what use wee have of this affection The truth is Christian Religion is altogether founded upon hope the things of this life are not our portion wee breath after what is to come let us therefore live as men untyed from this world and fasten to another by hope let the pleasures and honours and profits of this world be dead things to us because wee have no hope to animate them Hope acts and animates above any thing but wee want this engine because we have not that object For instance to appeare something to be great wise and honourable is the great contention and pursuite of this world When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee appeare c. Heavenly hope puts you off thither and disputes not the thing but the time ye shall have enough of appearing but it shal be in a peculiar and advantageous time when Christ shall appeare to fill up his triumph to adorne that pompe respite your desire of appearing till then God doth but time it for us so for pleasures to enjoy your selves to be satisfied to be at ease to gratify and content every part of you these are mens hopes one time or other you shall get it There is a place of pleasures the presence of God and there is a fullnesse and compleatnesse of pleasure but it is in that place and in other and there are plasures for evermore pleasures that are as long as they are great but it is at the right hand of God The pleasures Sathan would give you are of a base alloey their durance is but of that minute in which they are enjoyed Their fullnesse is worse then their emptinesse for they are not onely vaine falling short of that good they promised but vexing also and deceiving the truth is this is not a life for pleasures but for paines especially to Christians and so saies the Apostle If in this life onely wee have hope wee are of all men most miserable If our hopes as other mens were heere wee were in a worse condition then they that cannot eate their meates and enjoy their comforts tast of their daintyes partly because there is a greater disproportion betweene us and them then betweene they and them and partly because our light and our conscience is to much raised of too great a tendernesse to digest their morsells what then have wee nothing to ballance their contentments not to speake of other things what ever returnes faith and hope can make wee have They are without hope wish them joy of what they have but hope they have none and this let mee tell you improve this well and it shall pay all the charges of their gaines you have the hope of eternall life the hope of glory of what ever your hearts can wish and desire Faith gives things a footing and a subsistance hope is grafted upon it and is ready by the expectation of better things to outbidd the world and by virtue of a pleasure taken in things to come to carry you above the false pretensions of pleasure which the world makes ofter therefore content your selves with your portion and use your Helmet to ward of the assaults of semeing goods or ills as Sathan shall present them But more particularly use hope for joy for patience for workeing live in the joy of hope let one spirituall affection in prove and provoke another that there is a joy of hope appeares in this which wee usually say of worldly hopes that things are usually better in the hopes then in the enjoyment and wee see men will sell any thing rather then their hopes Now those hopes in comparison with ours have two or three notable defects First they are built upon uncertainties and contingenties they have no firme bottome and ground work and so cannot be intire cannot be without the mixture of feare feare of issue feare of successe and this let mee adde that the more they hope the more they will feare out of a loathnesse to want the good things they desire and so it is a mixt affection that prickes and pinches aswell as relieves and comforts Worldly men enjoy litle their hopes or their possessions not their possessions for they are ballanced with uncertainties and emptinesse so as they are faine to relieve themselves by their hopes by their reachings after more nor their hopes doe they enjoye purely and sincerely for they are mixt with feare which oftentimes is the weightiest ingredient and beares the greatest part of the composition but our hopes have not this impediment to joy but on the contrary carry evidence and subsistance with them being built upon the evidence and subsistance of faith so that what faith firmely beleeves hope joyfully expects and waites for What is the great happines of heaven but the fixeing stayeing of joyes by eternity Now the joy of that hope is fixed by faith which gives it a steddy and untottering foundation so that what you have you have If joy come in by that doore it will or ought to do so alwaies there is no rationall or necessary mixture of feare because there is no rationall cause of doubting Secondly there is a vanity of rejoycing in boastings as James saith and so an evill for all such rejoycing is evill The mixture of feare is a troublesome but it is a rationall thing in their hopes the foundation of which is but contingency but a further evill and more sinfull and irrationall is that they rejoyce in their boastings they thinke by the determination of their wills to do that which godly men doe by faith and when their hopes have once concluded a thing they thinke it should be established and thereupon runne away without reckoning with their hoast as wee use to say whereas the scripture saith yee ought to say if I live and if the Lord will Now for their foolish conceits to fixe that which onely God can render certaine is a folly and a sinne and the hope that riseth from it is an irrationall presumptuous hope for that they ought to say if wee live and if the Lord will things that are wholy out of their power Now our hopes and the joy of it is not a rejoycing in boasting but it is a boasting in truth wee have already the Lords will his will declared his will commaunded that wee should have the joy of hope and should rejoyce in hope Rom. 12.12 And that wee should have the rejoycing
frame If any man will doe his will he shall know of his Doctrine whether it be of God Joh. 7.17 While wee are doeing wee are in a way to know If you be carnall and walke as men you will be also carnall and judge as men Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God which may be understood also of a fleshly frame in the Saints and when wee are in a way altogether unpleasing to God God will not accommodate himself will not reveale himself to us and please us But this is not enough wee must search the scriptures in which wee thinke to have eternall life and light also for the way thither wee must consider and weigh whether those things which our owne reason or the Ministry of others represent to us be so or no as those of Baerea did Truth lies deepe errors lyeth levell to all This search is extreamely pleasing to God since the subject of it is the knowledge of his will and the end of it is the doing of his will This is done by much meditation in the word by comparing by examining it by taking in all aydes and helpes of the guists and abilities of others for God hath ordered that one man should need another that none might be perfect alone nothing also will more advance it then prayer so Paul prayed often for the spirit of revelation and David that his eyes might be enlightened to see the wonderfull things of Gods law nothing cleares the eye-sight more then prayer for that sets your ends right and makes you fit for light and that leads you into the presence of God into his light in whose light wee see light It was necessary to speake some thing of this because this is the forming and shaping of your weapon the weapon may be shaped in it self but not to us this gives the mettall to the sword if a thing looke like the word of God and be not that will not cut of your lusts it will proove but a leaden sword or a deceitfull bow that will not reach the marke it will be a carnall weapon which is weake whereas the other is mighty through God To incourage you against spirituall enemies because ye have spirituall armes and spirituall weapons ye have what to keep of blowes and yee have wherewith to fight and combate with your adversaries God hath not left us fatherlesse nor hee hath not left us weaponlesse hee deales not as Pharoah commands us to make bricks and takes away materialls hee doth not disarme us and bid us fight but hee gives us armes proper for the field of combate and for the enemy wee dispute with and hee stands by and lookes on and with voyce and hand incourageth us so as wee need not feare our enemies hee gives us the best armes Good commanders and officers the holy Spirit and holds a crowne over our heads The truth is wee never are overcome but when wee are of the party when wee are in a proportion false to God and our enemy hath gained us then wee fight but for a shew and the weapon falls easily out of our hands but if wee would stand to it our sword would cut his cords and if hee did stand two or three thrusts hee would vanish at last as hee did from Christ our captaine That wee may the better use this sword wee shall do well First to vallew it things that wee prize and vallew wee willingly use wee thinke they will effect their end els wee lay them by Therefore wee shall pitch upon some expressions that may teach us to vallew this weapon when Abiathar had mentioned the sword of Goliah there is none like that saith David the dignities of the word are great as appeares by David especially who meditated in the law continually and as much as any vallewed the word Psal. 17.4 Concerning the workes of mens hands by the word of thy lips I have kept mee from the path of the destroyer the word that God spake was that which armed him against wicked men Psal. 18.30 The word of the Lord is tryed or refined hee is a Buckler to all that trust him As for God his way is perfect it is a sure word and which hath bene often experienced tryed againe and againe so as you may venture upon it as upon a thing that will not faile or deceive will not start aside like a deceitfull and broken bow Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee David knew the use of this that it would preserve him from sin and therefore stored it up hid it in a sure place against a time of need Ver. 89. For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven It is an unchangeable rule which will never alter and setled will attaine all it pretends to Ver. 105. Thy word is a lampe to my feete and a light unto my pathes this is against delusions and faynts and shaddowes the Divell will cast If you keep neere the word you carry a light in your hand you will not fight in the darke but know how to make your addresses and approaches and how to order your wards and defenses Ver. 140. Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it every thing operates as it is as things are to their beings so they are to their operations That which is pure will render us pure and the word is not an idle thing but for use and being pure it is given us to render us pure Ver. 172. My tongue shall speake of thy word for all thy commandements are righteous I can never praise them enough there is such a law of righteousnes in them Psal. 147.19 Hee sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel from the receivers of the dispensation of the word you see its excellency it is the portion onely of his people it is not flung in common to the world as an inconsiderable thing Isa. 40.8 The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord shall stand for ever the excellency of good things lies in the continuance of them this hath a good warrant for its abiding because it is the word of the abiding and unchangeable God Isa. 55.10 11. For as the raine cometh downe and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing where I sent it There is a mighty efficacy in this word this lies as a praise upon the whole word of God that it shall not returne empty but be like the bow of Ionathan and the sword of Saul Isay. 66.2 All those things hath my hand made but to this man will I looke even to
him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word That word is precious when the respect to it is so rewarded On the other side Jer. 8.9 They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Though otherwise they might be wise yet if they undervallew once the word they bid a dewe to their wisedome And God the righteous judge and which gives true vallewes to us rankes them in the number of fooles from the New Testament also wee shall give some places to this purpose Luk. 4.4 Men lives by every word of God in him wee live and in his word wee live which gives a being to things that which gives the being and determination makes things be what they are and men doe what they doe must needs be great and excellent in it self Ver. 32. His word was with power which astonied the auditours Ver. 36. What a word is this for with authority and power commandeth hee the uncleane spirits and they come forth his word will fetch uncleannes out of thy heart aswell as out of their bodies Luk. 7.7 The centurion had so much confidence in Christs word as hee could depend wholy upon it Say in a word sayes hee and my servant shall be healed the magnifing of the word wrought this great effect and that word must needs be great which was deservedly the object of such a confidence Luk. 22.61 Peter remembred the words of the Lord and hee went out and wept bitterly Peter forgot the word when hee sinned and indeed all sin proceeds from ignorance or furgetfulnesse but when hee remembred it you see the eminent effect of it hee repents immediately which hee witnesseth by his bitter and abundant weeping John 15.3 Now are ye cleane through the word which I have spoken to you Wee are cleane mistically by the washing of Baptisme 1. Cor. 6.11 also by the imputation of Christs purity and so wee stand ever cleare before God wee are pure also in the change of our owne hearts and all this by the word made ours by faith and abiding in us so that as evill communication corrupts good manners if taken in and drunke downe so the word taken downe cleanseth Acts 13.26 It is called the word of salvation that which brings it and workes it And Acts 20.32 When Paul departed from Ephesus hee commended the Church to the word of Gods grace which was able to build them up and to give them an inheritance c. The inheritance is that to which the word leads us and where it will leave us at the last but before you come thither there is building work forming and fashioning that the word doth also so as yee need not goe out of this circle for the beginning or finishing of your faith 2. Cor. 5.18 It is the word of reconciliation that which brings God and man together Wee are naturally at great distances now that which conduceth to the meeting and according of termes so differing must needs be of great vallew and esteeme 1. Tim. 4.5 For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer it is the word of God that sanctifieth and gives a lawfull use of all things Hence you have your liberties aswell to indifferent as your right to things necessary if you have whereof freely to use for your owne comforts and whereof to give a way for the weaknesse and scandall of your brother If you should examine by experience the effects of the word Gods word hath ever taken hold of men and in this lies the great difference of the Saints from others that they observe those events which others neglect and growe by them Joh. 4.50 And the man beleeved the word of God and it was even so as hee had beleeved The word hath ever found out men and will take hold of us either by our faith for good or without it for our destruction so the prophecies of old were not idle but effected the end for which they came To conclude this great dignity the word hath that it gives its owne credit for reason may be opposed by reason but this is higher then reason The Divell can reason and distinguish us into sin whilst wee fight at that weapon but bring him a word and that answeres his reason What hath bene said in this head tends to beg it in you a right vallew and esteeme of the word which if once ye have you will use it and have recourse to it at all times as an effectuall weapon mighty through God for all the great ends you have heard of Secondly know the word of God that yee may use it this is to have your weapon prepared you must search the sence know the Annalogie of faith and the proportion one truth holds to another as before Thirdly take up this sword take it to you be in a posture to give a blow or to evade one wound the enemy when you can and meete with his blowes and thrusts therefore you must be prepared and have things in readinesse therefore the word of God must dwell richly in you that you may not be to seeke when you should use it To helpe you in some guards for this fight First that sin is the greatest evill mannage your sword well for that guard have words at hand that is your sword ready to make that good for the filthinesse of it sin is compared to the blood and pollution of a new borne child before it be ordered and dressed Ezek. 16.6 When thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live such a thing is sin in it self and all sin holds of the nature of that pollution 1. Joh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in wickednesse it lies there as in a filthy grave rotting and stinking as in a puddle Againe sin is compared for its nature to swine and dogs and to their vomit 2. Pet. 2.22 the sinner is the dogg in the act of sin and the corruption is the vomit and mire it is likened also to the menstruousnesse of a woman to a vessell in which is no pleasure that is a draught or a privy Hos. 8.8 If besides these abasings and vilifying expressions you would know more of sin It was sinne that condemned the world in Adam drowned the world in the dayes of Noah and to give you a greater charracter for ill then all this it was sin brought all the sufferings upon Christ which hee endured It was the day of Gods fierce anger Lament 1.12 When Christ did beare the sins of many in his body on the tree therefore when Paul and Silas could sing in the prison and the Saints in their afflictions as they have done so often Christ was low and poore and faint Why because hee conflicted with sinne hee grappled with sinne upon him was laid the iniquities of us all Hee conflicted with the wrath of God for sinne and