to have a clear and exact knowledge in the Mysteries of Truth It is not in vain that the Scripture doth so earnestly call upon men to learn and to get and to keep the truth of Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle 2 Thes 2. 15. not unwritten traditions the Doctrines and Commandments of men but such as have been taught by the Apostles either by word or by their writings Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong 1 Cor. 16. 13. The word of God is full of such warnings and admonitions as these are And not without cause whether we consider the worth of truth in it selfe or the usefulness of it unto us It s necessary to the soul in many respects it s the light by which we see our way by which we know what to do what not to do it s a great part of our spirituall Armour by which we fight against temptations It s as great a strengthening to the Christian in fighting against Satan and his Instruments as the Souldiers belt or girdle is to him in the day of battel Take two Christians of equall grace and let them be assaulted with the same Temptation and let the one be sound in the Doctrine of Truth and the other corrupt and you will easily see the difference between the one and the other by the issue of the temptation the Doctrine of truth is as necessary for fighting against Satan as the grace of truth I note this to let all of us see what little reason any have to be displeased either with the Ministers of God or other of the Servants of God for their earnestnesse pertinacy if I may so speak in preserving the truth of Doctrine both among themselves and others They know the many advantages of it and therefore they are so zealous for the maintaining of it Paul though he was of as flexible and condescending a spirit as any other whether Apostle or ordinary Saint in all other things for he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 19. 20 21 22. yet he was so positive and peremptory for the Doctrine of truth that he would not give place by subjection to false Brethren for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue with the people of God Gal. 2. 4. 2 'T is no wonder to see Satan use such endeavour to deprive the Sons of men of the Doctrine of truth In all ages of the Church he hath raised up his Instruments to draw men aside from the truth of Doctrine There shall be false Teachers saith the Apostle amongst you as there were false Prophets amongst the people 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Church of God as it was never destitute of true Prophets so never was it without false Prophets In the Church of Israel there were a numerous Company of seducing Prophets As there was an Elijah a holy and zealous Prophet of God so there were 456. Prophets of Baal 1 King 18. 22. The state was corrupted and they made to themselves a corrupt Ministry of their own an apostatizing State must have an apostatizing Clergy that will humour them and subscribe to them in every thing they do when Satan had perswaded Jeroboam to set up golden Calves he helped him to a Ministry that would worship them and teach others to do the like State Ministers will cry up Calves for gods rather then want promotion or lose preferment And thus it was in the Gospel Church All Pauls Epistles shew it This ariseth 1. partly from the sinfulness of men They must have their lusts and a lust cannot thrive if it have not a false Prophet to nurse it and give it suck And 2 partly from God he in his wisdom and justice permits it to be so that they that would not obey the words of a true Prophet should follow the pernicious Doctrines of falâ— Prophets 1. Reg. 22. 23. And then 3 it comes to passe from the policy and malice of Satan that he may by this means rob men of the truth and so make them fit preys for his temptations And we need not much wonder at this policy Satan knowes he is in danger of being foiled if he suffer this girdle to be upon the soul and that he shall certainly overcome if he can but pluck this off the loyns therefore he is so diligent in attempting it laying snares to intrap the true Ministers of God and opening a wide door for false Prophets and seducers to enter in and corrupt the truth 3 We have no cause to wonder to see the Devill so prevalent amongst hereticall and erroneous persons Woful experience shews us what desolations are made by Satan in our corrupt Generation what mischievous wayes of iniquity many are led into Many are drawn aside into great profanenesse of life others are sunk deep into rebellion others are gone aside into the way of perjury and Covenant-breaking others into wayes of cruelty persecution and oppression others almost into grosse Atheisme we may take up the Complaint of the Prophet Isay 59. 3. 4 5 6 7 8. Your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lies your tongue hath muttered perverseness none calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders Webs he that eateth of the Eggs dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper their works are works of iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands Their feet run to evill and they make haste to shed Innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace A man would wonder to see and hear the horrible wickednesses that many are fallen into some openly profane the Sabbaths others defile their Neighbours wife and think they do not sin in so doing The cause of all these may be given in the words of the same Prophet Isay 59. 14. 15. Truth is fallen in the streets yea truth faileth The Devil hath taken away from them this Girdle of Truth and now they stop at no kind of abominations The Girdle of truth is quite loosed and this doth so enervate and weaken them that they are forced to do what ever the Devil requires of them And can ye wonder at it The losse of truth will certainly introduce all kinde of iniquity And that both ex Natura Rei and ex justo Dei judicio 1. Ex Natura Rei The understanding is the first wheel in man it turns about the whole man as the Helme doth the Ship if
Observation from all kind of employments of men that he may be compleatly fitted for this great Work But I come to the Particulars First The girdle of Truth Having your Loyns girt about with Truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium His malè affectis contrahitur corpus aut certè vacillans vel modicè impulsum corruit Bullinger Therefore the Apostle begins with these which he would have girded with Truth Truth in the Scripture is used to fet out two things there is a two-fold Acception of Truth 1. It is used for the Doctrine of Truth That Doctrine which is held out and revealed to the sons of men in the written Word and thus Truth is opposed unto Errour In this sense it is used in many places as Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth And 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth And 3. Ep. Joh. 4. I have no greater joy then to hear that my children walk in the truth 2. It is used for the grace of truth And so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie In this sense it 's used Psal 51. 6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts that is sincerity and integrity of heart so Josh 24. 14. Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and so Joh. 4. 24. God is a a spirit and they that worship him must worship him inspirit and in truth Spiritual Worship is there opposed to Ceremonial and Truth of Worship is opposed to Hypocritical Worship Now amongst Interpreters there are some who expound this Text of the grace of truth so doth Calvin and others Others understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of truth Baldwin vera Doctrina Religione Zanchy Constantia in Doctrina veritatis Dickson 1. Both Interpretations are agreeable to the Analogy of Faith 2. Usefull Instructions may be gathered from both 3. There is nothing in the Text which doth necessarily limit and confine it to one and therefore I shall refer it to both for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit non est distinguendum And so I shall lay before you a two-fold Observation from this two-fold Interpretation 1. Understanding it of the Doctrine of Truth as some do we note this Doctrine viz. That firmness and stability in the Doctrine of 1. Doct. Truth is an excellent meanes to be preserved and to overcome Satan and his Instruments in the day of Temptation I say Firmness and Stability because the phrase of being girded about notes constancy and firmness in the Truth When the Loyns are fast tyed and compassed about with this girdle they are in a good way of security from the assaults of Satan when those who forsake and fall from the Truth are snared and overcome then shall those who adhere and stick fast to the Doctrine of Truth be delivered and escape This is promised to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia upon this very consideration Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth If a Church or Person be stedfast in the Doctrine of Truth God will either keep them from temptation or else he will preserve them in temptation that when others fall they shall stand I shall give you three Reasons of this viz. 1. Truth unites us to God and God to us It is of God and hath a Divine Strength God is truth and so far as a person hath the truth he hath God and so farre as he loseth the Truth he loseth God 'T is true a person may have the Truth of God sticking in his Judgment He may be very stedfast and constant in it so that he may willingly part not onely with his substance but even with his life to maintain it and yet not be savingly united to God by Christ for salvation 'T is not the fides quae creditur but the fides quâ creditur which is the bond of this Union But yet the very holding of the Doctrine of Truth gives a person some kind of union with God by which union he is more able to stand when any storm comes then he that is destitute of the Truth 2. Truth helpes a Christian both to discover a Temptation and to answer Arguments used to set on the Temptation The Truth of God in the Judgment is one of the Eyes of the Soul he that wants this is blind and cannot see afar off Now as a clear Eye is a very great help to the Souldier for the discovering of the Dart or the Bullet before it be upon him so is the clear distinct knowledg of the Truth a very great help to a Christian to discern the temptation before it be upon him He is better able by the power of Truth to see the reach of Satan and what it is that he drives at when he spreads his snare to surprize him then another can be who hath lost the Truth Any fallacy is easily put upon a person that is destitute of the truth of an Art or Science whereas he that hath the knowledge of that Art is able presently to avoid it and to answer it And therefore the Devil when he comes to tempt the woman to sinne first labours to blind her Understanding Ye shall not die but ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill Gen. 3. 4 5. and when he hath stollen that principle of truth out of her judgment We may not eat lest we die He doth without any difficulty perswade her to eat of the fruit 3. Truth doth much help a Christian in the managing of all other parts of his Armour aright He that hath lost the Doctrine of Truth will be unable to use the Bread-Plate of Righteousness For to the using of this after a right manner it is requisite that the Doctrine of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to a sinner be tâ—roughly understood and firmly believed The Helmet of Hope will soon be knocked off the head of a Christian if he do not well understand the Nature of the Grace Hope The shield of faith will be presently pierced by Satan if he that weares it do not rightly understand the nature of faith and prayer will do but little good if he that makes the prayer be unsound in the truth Prayer is to be made in faith else it doth not prevail it is to be made not only with the grace of faith but also according to the Doct of faith A Doctrinal errour in prayers will nullifie them as well as want of the grace of Faith for this is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14. Information We may from this Doctrine 1. Vse gather these three conclusions viz. 1. This shews us how necessary it is for a Christian
speaks there of Christs coming in this life to avenge and deliver his elect the earth shall be so low and deliverance shall be so improfitable that the report of it will not be beleeved as the people of God in former time had not faith to beleeve their deliverance from Captivity Isa 63. 1. 2. So shall it be saith our Saviour when Christ comes to avenge his afflicted people under the Gospel that cry unto him And if there be so few that can beleeve a temporal deliverance how few are there that can beleeve for the saving of their souls No wonder then if Satan overcome so many 3. How needful it is for the Minister of the Gospell to be often preaching about the Doctrine of faith Those weapons and postures which are of greatest use to the Souldier the Captain ought to be most diligent in instructing the Souldier in them The Ministers of the Gospel are the Captains of the Lords Host they are to train and exercise all the spiritual Souldiers of Christ they are to teach them the use of their Arms and all their postures that they may be deetrous in the day of battel If any Souldier be wounded for want of arms or of skil to use them through their default God wil require it at their hands Now of all the pieces of spirituall Armour the shield of faith is the most necessary and therefore the Doctrine of faith should be most frequently preached 4. This shewes what necessarily lies upon the sons of men to prove and examine the truth of their faith If the shield of faith be rotten or counterfeit the soul is undone in the day of Temptation if the shield of faith be sound and armour of proof the strongest assaults of Satan will be repelled with comfort Prove your selves whether you be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. T is necessary to try 1. Because there is not a man in the world which hath heard of Jesus Christ but thinks he beleeves in him To be accounted an Infidell or unbeleever is a matter of such reproach and infamy as that no man is willing to lye under it 2. Because the heart is very deceitful and in nothing more subject to be mistaken than in this case There is a false presumption and foolish fancy which would gladly be called by the name of faith John 2. 23. 24. When Jesus was at Jerusalem many beleeved in his name when they sawthe miracles wch he did but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men They did presume that they beleeved in Christ but Jesus Christ knew their faith was nothing else but a meer fancy and groundless presumption 3. Because the Devil useth all the skill he can to deceive the sinner and to make him confident that he doth beleive as he endeavours to perswade the true Beleiver that his fruit is rotten so he endeavours to perswade the unbeleiver that his presumption is faith That I may help them in this inquiry I shall do two things 1. Discover some mistaken grounds which men go upon thinking that to be an evidence of saving faith which is not so 2. Lay down some positive evidences of true faith 1. There are two great mistakes about faith by which many are deceived Viz. 1. Some are deceived in regard of knowledge and assent They think they have true justifying faith because they have the doctrine of the Gospel and give as they think a right assent to the same for the removal of this mistake I shall first shew that both these may be without saving faith Secondly I shall shew how the knowledge of an unbeleiver and his assent differ from the knowledge and assent of true faith 1. That Knowledge and Assent is not faith T is granted that there is no faith truely wrought without Knowledge and Assent but that there may be Knowledge and some Assent where saving faith is not appears by these two reasons 1. The most wicked and prophane persons in the world may have and many times do attain unto a more exact knowledge of the Doctrine of the Scriptures than many a true Beleiver And they may also assent unto those truths The Apostle speaks of some by way of supposition that may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and yet want saving faith 1 Cor. 13. 2. All this is but an historical faith Judas had the knowledge of the Scriptures and gave assent to them he preached the Gospel to others and yet wanted faith John 6. 64. There are some of you that beleive not you know what will be the plea of many in the latter day Math. 7. 22. and yet had not one drachm of saving faith I shall desire you to peruse but that one Scripture well Rom. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. and then you will conclude that neither the knowledge of nor the assenting to the doctrine of the Scriptures is saving faith but are ordinarily without it 2. The very Devils themselves are beyond the most intelligent Christians in all matters of knowledge They know the history of the Bible more exactly than we Satan was not ignorant of Scripture when he set upon our Saviour Math. 4. 6. And the Devil also gives assent to the truth of the Scriptures Jam 2. 19. He acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God Math. 8. 29. What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God as full a confession for the matter and substance of it as that which Peter made Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Now that which is fained in the worst of men and in the very Devils can neither be true faith nor an evidence of it 2. If we come to examine that knowledge and assent which is in wicked men with that which is in a true beleiver we shall find a vast difference for 1. concerning their knowledge there are three differences 1. The knowledge of a true Beleiver is an experimentall knowledge but the knowledge of an unbeleiver is meerly notional and speculative A Beleiver hath in his heart a lively sense and feeling of all those truths which he hath the knowledge of in his understanding They are truths in his heart as well as in his head That promise of God Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts is made good to every true Beleiver and to him alone His heart is an Index or Commentary by which through the Spirit of God he can understand divine truths 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart This is the meaning of that of our Saviour John 7. 16 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self 2. The knowledge of faith is
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.
them to continue stedfast in the profession of that Faith of the Gospel which he had preached to them In which we have these three parts 1. The Preface in Cap. 1. v. 1 2. 2. The Matter of the Epistle Cap. 1. v. 2. ad Cap. 6. v. 10. In which are these two things 1. He strongly asserts and proves that Fundamental Doctrine of Justification by Grace Cap. 1 2 3. And then afterwards 2. He makes application of that Doctrine in a Use of Exhortation stirring them up to Holiness of life Cap. 4. cap. 5. cap. 6. ad v. 10. In which Exhortation he presseth two kinds of Duties First such as concerned all Christians in their general Vocation This from Cap. 4. 1. or Cap. 5. v. 21. And then secondly such kind of Duties as concerned Christians in their oeconomical Capacity as they were Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Cap. 5. 22. ad Cap. 6. v. 10. This is the second part of the Epistle 3. The Conclusion Cap. 6. v. 10. ad finem In which he doth 1 commend to them the use of that Spiritual Armour ver 10. ad 19. 2. He begs their prayers for himself v. 19 20. 3 Informes them of his sending of Tychicus v. 21 22. 4 He concludes with his usual Benediction and Prayer v. 23 24. The Verses which I have read are the first part of the Conclusion viz. a short and compendious Tractate about the Spiritual Armor concerning which the Apostle doth two things 1. Gives them a general Exhortation to use them v. 13. Wherefore c. 2. Gives them a particular Catalogue both of the Names and Uses of them ver 14 15 16 17 18. We are first to begin with the general Exhortation as it is laid down in the 13 verse Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour c. The Apostle had given this counsel ver 10. and yet because it was a very necessary Doctrine he doth here repeat it in Terminis From whence before we come to the particulars we shall lay down this Doctrine in generall viz. Doctrine general That necessary and useful Truths are not onely once but often to be preached by the Ministers of God Such Truths as are of special concernment are to be repeated again and again to the same people We shall find that the Holy Prophets of God have done so The Doctrine of Christ The calling of the Geâ—tiles c. We shall find the same Doctrine preached by the same Prophet over and over and we shall find after Prophets repeating and rehearsing what hath been urged by the former Prophets And the Apostles inculcating the same things Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. If we or an Angel from Spiritual joy a necessary Duty Not hearkning to Seducers a necessary Duty Heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed He saith it over again Gal. 1. 8 9. And he tels the Phiâ—ippians It was not grievous to him to write the same things to them Phil. 3. 1. How often doth the Evangelist John repeat the Doctrine of Brotherly Love And our Brotherly love a necessary Duty Saviour himself preacheth the same Doctrine over again And we shall find Solomon in the Proverbs often repeating the same things Christs tender of Gâ—ace a necessary Duty Vanity of the World a necessary Duty Saints Communion with Christ a necessary Duty vid. Prov. 1. 20 21. c and Cap. 8. 1 2 3 4. you have the very same thing again and you will find the same in very many places of that book And in Eccles Cap. 1. 2. the very same words again Cap. 12. 8. And so in the Canticles as cap. 1. 15. compared with cap. 4. 1. So cap. 2. 16. compared with cap. 6. 3. And this is necessary if we consider these three things 1. The Incapacity of mens minds to understand the things of God The Scripture tels us that the mind of man is full of darkness and blindness vid. Eph. 4. 18. The Apostle in that place describes the condition of man by Nature telling that there is a thick skin a vail of blindness covering their hearts and 2 Cor. 4. 4. That the God of this world hath blinded their eyes They are blind by Nature and they are blinded by Satan 'T is true God gave man a seeing-eye when he made him at first Adam knew the Nature of every Creature and gave them apt Names answerable to their Nature and he knew his God c. but by the Fall the eye of the Soul is become darkned as to spiritual things very dim as to other things Man by affecting a forbidden knowledge fell into gross ignorance he would needs know as much as a God he became as ignorant as a Beast Psal 49. 20. Dan. 4. 16. There is Ignorantia purae negationis Gen. 3. 5. which is no sinne Christ knew not the Day of Judgment the Trades-man knows not Astrology and there is Ignorantia pravae dispositionis when a man will be so and affects it c. This is in man by Nature And therefore the Apostle saith That the pure naturall man doth not understand the things of the Spirit nor can he because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 2. 14. They may and many of them do understand the matters of God Historically and Notionally but Spiritually Savingly and applicatorily and transformingly they cannot And as for the people of God who are inlightened by Grace yet even they labour under much ignorance still We find that even the Disciples of Christ though they had been tutor'd by him who was wiser then Solomon yet they were often at a loss to understand thoâ—e things which were not very obscure vid. Mat. 15. 16 17 18. And though Christ had often told them of his Passion c. yet we find they were very much to seek in that very particular after the death of their Master vid. Luke 24. 25 26. This makes these repetitions very necessary If Man were as at first a very hint or glympse would be enough but in regard of his dulness there is need of these Rehearsals And know this that it is an Act of compassion in God to the blindness of his Crearure to repeat the same things more then once It 's said of Christ that he can have compassion on the Ignorant Heb. 5. 2. These Rehearsals are one clear Testimony amongst many others of his compassion to ignorant sinners 2. The Imbecillity and weakness of the memory The Memory is the Treasury and Store-house of the Soul the peculiar Office of the memory is to retain and keep carefully all the Notions which are apprehended and taken in by the Understanding and all the Species which are drawn from several Objects by the externall and internal Senses 'T is the Registry of the Soul where these things should be faithfully recorded and kept for after-time Now there is a very great imperfection in this Register This weakness
the judgement be rotten neither the heart nor the life can be sound We finde therefore in Scripture these two joyned together faith and a good Conscience Ever when men have been corrupted in the head they have been corrupted in their lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. holding faith and a good Conscience c. he that puts away faith must put away a good Conscience whether he will or no he that makes ship-wrack of faith will soon make ship-wrack both of Conscience and Conversation 2. Ex justo Dei judâ—cio It s Gods way to punish the rejection of truth with giving men up to ungodlineâ—s of life Thus God punished the Heathen Rom. 1. 25. 26 27 28 29. where you have both the sin and the just punishment of it So 2 Thes 2. 10. 11 12. Exhortation Let all Christians be careful to keep fast about them this Girdle We have a kinde of Popish Proverb among us ungirt unblessed There is a truth in it in this sense If Satan finde you without your Girdle upon your loyns he will easily prevail with you in the day of temptation Labour therefore to get and to keep this Girdle and if you see it grow weak labour to strengthen it Let me add a few helps by way of direction and I have done 1. Avoid the company and breath of known Seducers They will either quite take away your girdle or else they will much slacken it in a very short time if you have to do with them If any man come to your house and bring not this Doctrine receive him not nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 9. 10. They have sleight of hand they can cut your purses while they look in your faces from such turn aside 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2. Do not think meanly of such Truths as are of an inferiour Nature and more remote from the Foundation He that cuts off every day a small shred from his girdle will very soon snap it quite asunder Though every Truth be not fundamental yet every Truth is a guard to the Foundation the outer skin of an Apple lies remote from the heart yet if you pluck that off the very heart will be sooner rotten The finger is not a vital part but a Gangrene in the finger will in a short time reach to the very Vitals and corrupt the blood and spirits 3. Be much in prayer to him that keepeth both the hearts and the feet of his Saints that he would keep the Truth in you and you in the Truth Holy Father saith our Saviour keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 11. Let us often pray this Prayer of Christ Holy Father keep us through thy Holy Name Tie on this girdle of Truth that it may neither slip off nor be taken off The Apostle Jude puts these two together ver 20. Building up your selves in your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost 4. Take heed as of all sins so especially of the sin of Pride As Heresie is the mother of pride and scornfulness so Pride is the High-way to be Heretical A proud person will soon be an erroneous person If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. Pride will make the Heart swell so bigge that the Girdle of Truth about your Loyns wil soon be knapt asunder Humility and Watchfulness are the best Buckles for this Girdle and the way to preserve Truth but Pride and Carelesnesse is the way to lose it 5. Keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and towards Man As the falling off from the Mystery of Faith will corrupt the Conscience so a corrupt Conscience and an ungodly Life will in time destroy the Mystery of Faith There is this Reason for it The Doctrine of godliness reproves the Deeds of ungodliness and therefore whoever goes on in ungodly Practices will at last cast off the Doctrine of godliness that he may not be a Reprover to himself Keep the Grace of Truth that you may preserve the Doctrine of Truth also Thus for the first Interpretation LECT IX Decemb. 5. 1649. Ephes 6. 14. Having your Loynes girt about with Truth c. IT old you the last Lecture that Expositors LECT 9 give a two-sold Interpretation of Truth in this place Some understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of Truth Others expounding it of the Grace of Truth We have gone over the former Interpretation already as it relates to the Truth of Doctrine From which we noted That firmness and stability in the Truth of Doctrine c. We have now to consider it as relating to the Grace of Truth for so it s used in Scripture as I shewed you the last day Psal 51. 6. Josh 24. 14. Joh. 4. 24. and so it is understood in this Text by many yea the most Interpreters that I have had opportunity to inquire into Calv. vocabulo veritatis sincerum animum intelligit Piscator veritatis vocabulo intelligit conscientiae integritatem c. Taking it in this sense the Doctrine is this viz. that Integrity and truth of heart is of special use to Doct. obtain vistory over Satan in the evil day of Temptation Whosoever would overcome the Devil must have his Loyns girded about with Truth in the inward parts He that wants this girdle may struggle for a while with a Temptation and may perhaps overcome a particular temptation but he can never hold against every temptation Sooner or later he wil be brought into bondage by the Temptations of the Devil By the help of this Girdle it was that Holy Job won and kept the field and got the day of Satan in that great Conflict and Dispute he had with him And by this Girdle it was that other of Gods assaulted servants did finally overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. I shall briefly open the Nature of this Grace 2. I shall give you the Reasons of the Doctrine 3. I shall lay down a Caution or two for the understanding of the Doctrine 1. That we may find out what is meant by this Grace of Truth I shall bring several Texts of Scripture which do explain it First Partly by way of Opposition And Secondly Partly by Exposition or Illustration 1. By way of Opposition 1. We find it opposed to Deceitfulness and Fraudulency and False-heartedness So 2 Cor. 6. 8. As Deceivers and yet true He is a man of truth that is a man without deceit Thus our Saviour speakes of Nathanael Jo. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An Israelite in truth or a true Israelite is one in whom guile and deceitfulness is not he is one that hath not two faces he will not juggle either with God or men or himself Not as if a man of truth might not sometimes fall into an act of deceitfulness Abraham had truth in the inward parts and yet
work and his desire is that he may make an even furrow that he may draw a strait line and keep himself in Gods way let come on him what will Not as if a Child of God might not warp from Gods way they have their deviations Peter and Barnabas two great Apostles they did not alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Gal. 2. 12. 13 14. but then they do not continue in their wandrings they do not justifie their turnings aside they do not compel others to turn aside after them or do say that they have done well in so doing They are not angry with such as reprove them for their deviations Neither Peter nor Barnabas so much as murmured much lesse reviled Paul because he told them of their present deviations but presently reformed 3. It s expounded by Sincerity and godly simplicity So ye have it 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast c. with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Truth and sincerity are all one and sincerity and simplicity are one and the same thing also 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. That which is sincere is simple and unmixed like white wooll never died Mel sincerum is honey unmingled without wax Farina sincera is flower never leavened A heart of truth is a heart uncompounded a heart not double a man of truth hath not a heart and a heart one for God and another for Mammon one for sin and another for righteousness he hath but one tongue and one heart he is single tongued and single minded his tongue and heart go together as Companions And then sincerity notes soundness a sincere heart is a sound heart a heart not putrified with rottenness and hypocrisie Though all men have hypocrisie in them yet all men are not Hypocrites Now take up all these together and they will declare fully what is meant by the grace of truth with which the Apostle would have us to be girded Not false hearted not in pretence and appearance not in word and tongue but a perfect an upright a sincere uncompounded Christian 2. For Caution I shall lay down two Rules 1. Though truth be of such use c. yet may a sincere and true hearted Christian be foiled for a time by some prevailing temptation We are not to judge either our selves or others to be presently hypocrites because we are surprized and overcome by a Temptation Hezekiah was a man of a perfect heart 2 Reg. 20. 3. and yet he was vanquished in battel in the day of temptation 2 Chron. 32. 31. In the buisness of the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon c. God left him to try him David was a man of an uncorrupt heart God gives him that testimony and yet in the matter of Vriah Satan overcame him As a hypocrite and wicked man may stand out in some temptation so may a single hearted Christian be overtaken and insnared It s true they will recover themselves again out of these snares as Hezekiah and David did but they may be for a time taken prisoners Noah was a perfect man and that in a perverse and crooked Generation Gen. 6. 9. yet Satan surprized him and drew him into the sin of drunkenness Gen. 9. 21. Lot was an upright man in the sink of Sodom and yet he was overcome by temptation and drawn into the foul sins of drunkenness and incest Gen. 19. 32 33 34 35. We may soon take away sincerity from the earth if we make such conclusions 2. Though truth be of such use c. yet no Christian stands in the day of temptation for the merit of his sincerity Though no man have a promise of standing without this grace of truth yet is not any mans truth of heart the meritorious cause of his standing We stand by our sincerity but not for our sincerity As the Apostle concludes concerning faith 1 Pet. 1. 5. so we may conclude concerning uprightness We are kept by the power of God through sincerity Sincerity is the instrumentall cause but the power of God is the efficient This Paul confesseth in his temptation 2 Cor. 12. 9. I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me III. The Reasons of the Doctrine how it is that truth of heart is so useful for this warfare 1. Because this is the strength of all other graces and of all Ordinances Some Divines look upon sincerity not as a distinct grace but as that which is the perfection of every grace Truth of love is the perfection of love Truth of faith is the perfection of faith Truth of obedience is the perfection of obedience c. All which is within a man without the grace of truth is but like rotten wood which will soon break and never do any service in the day of Battel All which a man doth without sincerity is to no purpose He can suck out no vertue from any of the Ordinances of God neither prayer word Sacraments c. 2. Sincerity is that which engageth God to take our part in all temptations Where-ever integrity is there God is by his speciall grace to assist and enable the soul He stands far off from the rotten hearted Christian but his countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. 7. That is an excellent place to this purpose which we have in Gen. 20. 5. 6. In the integrity of my heart c. Yea I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart c. therefore suffered I thee not to touch her We cannot say of Abimelech that he was a sincere believer for he was a profane King his integrity or truth of heart was but a meer morrall integrity he would not have taken Sarah had he known her to be the Wife of another man and therefore he professeth what he had done was done in the simplicity of his spirit God bears him witness that he spake the truth and therefore saith God I have kept thee that thou hast not touched her God did so approve of that simplicity of his that he preserved him from falling into that great sin and delivered him from the Devills snare if naturall and morall honesty doth engage God to take part with a man how much more will the grace of sincerity engage him James 4. 7 8. Resist the Devill and he shall fly Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you c. Purifie your hearts ye double minded The Apostle in that place would have Christians to engage God on their part in the day of temptation There will be no prevailing if God be not on our part But how shall we obtain this assistance from God he tells us Purifie your hearts ye double-minded A single-hearted Christian shall not want either the presence or power of God in the day of Battel This is clear also Gen. 15. 1. with 17. 1. Information 1. Do not wonder to
see Satan 1. Vse prevail so much against hypocriticall and false hearted men The Heretique wants the Doctrine of truth therefore he is insnared the Hypocrite wants the Grace of truth and therefore he cannot stand the one wants soundness of head the other soundness of heart he is ungirt and unblest Satan may easily winde him any way he may make him carry any yoke he may make him to serve him in any kinde of employment though never so vile never so abominable contrary to the light of the word and light of nature vid. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters c. who are they that are drawn aside into such paths as these They are hypocriticall men that want the grace of truth having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof A man that wants the grace of sincerity if the Devill will have him to be proud he will be puffed up presently If Satan say Blaspheme his lips are full of blasphemies presently and those of the worst kinde doctrinal blasphemies If Satan command him to be incontinent he cannot withstand If he will have him break Covenant he hath no powerto oppose he wilnot only break Covenant but forswear it If he be tempted to commit treason he rebels presently and if to disobey Parents naturall or civill his hand is lifted up against his Father c. Satan can lead him into any path that wants this Girdle LECT 10. Decemb. 12. 1649. 2. HOw requisite it is for Christians to examine and prove themselves Lect. 10. whether they have this Grace of Truth in their hearts or no. The Holy Ghost here puts great stress upon it setting it in the first place He is like to be quite undone in that day of temptation that wants it Every Christian is willing to suppose that he hath it therefore it 's good to be at certainty about it I shall for the helping of you lay down these ensuing Rules by way of Evidences viz. 1. He that hath the Grace of Truth in his heart chuseth the Word of Truth to be the Rule of all his Actions He dares not make men his Rule because he knowes men of high degree are vanity and men of low degree are a Lie Psal 62. 9. He knowes wicked men are out of the way and good men may miss the way and therefore he dares not walk according to men Micajah would not say Go up and prosper though all the Prophets of Ahab had said the same with one consent Whatsoever God puts into my mouth that will I speak 1 Reg. 22. 14. This is that which David layes down Psal 119. 1. and this is that which he practised in himself Psal 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgments have I laid before me And as he dares not make men his Rule so neither dare he make any outward Dispensations of Providence his Rule He is a man that adores Providence and admires Providence and rests satisfied with all Acts of Providences and searcheth into Providence but he dares not make it the Rule to walk by the Glass to dress himself by 1. He knows all things come alike to all and that the worst men and worst causes have sometimes good success at least for a long time And 2. He also knows that the wayes of Providence are very often like the way of a ship in the Sea or of an Eagle in the Ayr they are full of Riddles and Labyrinths so that man cannot expound or trace them 3. He knows that the actings and workings of Providence are various these wheeles do not alwayes keep the same track therefore he dares not make them his Rule The Word of Truth is visible certain uniform given for a Rule and therefore this he chuseth from this he doth not willingly depart vid. Psal 18. 21 22 23. 3. He that hath the Grace of Truth in his heart useth true and warrantable meanes for the accomplishment of all his Actions He doth not think it lawfull to pass through all kind of formes that he may attain his desires he dares not put upon him any shape but one Not but that a sincere Christian may be hurried by a Temptation to use some meanes unjustifiable Jacob and his Mother Rebeckah both of them holy persons yet did use dissimulation to obtain the blessing from old Jacob Gen. 27. 6 7 8 c. But they were severely punished for this sinne Jacob was banished from his Fathers house served 20 years a hard Master where he had wages changed ten times and we do not read that he and his mother ever saw one another upon earth But though a child of God whose heart is sincere may fall into such a practice yet he dares not justifie any such action David durst not take away the life of Saul to come to the Crown though he was anointed King by that God who disposeth of all kingdoms he would not permit another to do it vid. 1 Sam. 26. 7 8 9 10 11. yea when an Amalekite came and told him that he had slain Saul and that by his own desire when he was full of anguish and could not have lived many hours David commanded him to be put to death for that wicked act 2 Sam. 1. 13 14 15. He that hath truth of heart knowes well that God hath forbid him to do evil that good may come thereby and that he must not lie for God Job 13. 7 8. He will not chuse sinne to escape affliction Elihu chargeth Job with this and useth it as an Argument to prove him unsincere Job 36. 21. A true-hearted man knowes that God hath prescribed meanes and lookes at them as much as ends and yet wicked means discredit and condemn the best ends vid. 1 Sam. 13. 8 9 10 11 12 13. there was a very good end c. not fighting without seeking Gods face c. So 1 Sam. 15. 15 16 21 22. This was a good end to sacrifice to God of the spoyl of his enemies c. but the meanes were nought therefore GOD abhorres it as an act of Rebellion 2. He that hath truth of heart doth all his Actions to a good end His aymes are sincere and incorrupt at least he desires they may be so and is much troubled that they are not so He knowes that a good Action is discredited if he that doth it have not a good end 2 Chron. 25. 2. Jehu failed in this 2 Reg. 10. He did very many good things put all the Priests of Baal to death c destroyed Baal out of Israel ver 28. God testifies for him that he had done that which was in his heart ver 38. unto the house of Ahab But all these things were done for base ends to establish himself in the Kingdom therefore Hos 1. 4. God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu Our Saviour makes this a distinguishing Evidence between a painted Hypocrite and a real
the Doctrine gives us one which is sufficient to stay our wonderment Their breast lies naked to his arrows and therfore they cannot but fall and when they are fallen they cannot recover As the Heretick and Hypocrite are overcome for want of the girdle of Truth so the prophane person is surprized for want of the Breast-plate of Righteousness LECT XIII Jan. 2. 1649. EXhortation That all the people of God Vse 2. would be careful to get and keep this Breast-plate You can do nothing by way of resistance against the Devil in the day of Temptation without this Breast-plate therefore the Counsel is very necessary In the carrying on of this exhortation I shall 1. lay down some other motives 2. Prescribe you some helps The motives are these Motive 1. The want of a righteous and holâ— life will exceedingly open the mouthes of ungodâ—y men to blaspheme God and his wayes This is the Apostles Argument 2 Pet. 2. 12. 15. The honesty of the lives of Gods people will stop the mouthes of the wicked but the dishonesty and blameableness of their Conversation will be an occasion to make them speak evill both of God and of his Religion unholy and unrighteous Actings will lay a stumbling-block in the way of many upon which they may stumble into Hell Now Christians are forbidden to give any offence either to Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God vid. 2 Pet. 2. 2. Many shall follow c. by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of when Christians that have professed and practised the truth shall apostatize men that never cared for the truth shall say Behold the end of their contendings about truth Davids sin did much hurt in this respect 2 Sam. 12. 14. This is that which God chargeth upon his people Ezek. 36. 20. Now a holy life removes this scandall 2. Mot. The want of a righteous life will grieve the holy Spirit of God This is the Apostles Argument Eph. 4. 28. 29 30. Let him that stole steal no more c. The spirit of God cannot properly be grieved God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when he carrieth himself as a man that is grieved then the Scripture useth that expression I am broken with your whorish heart saith God which hath gone a whoring from me Ezek. 6. 9. To grieve the spirit of a man is a very sinful thing much more to grieve the spirit of a good man but most of all to grieve the spirit of God God is your Father God is your friend God is your Husband God is your Comforter God is your Saviour and will ye the satisfying of a lust grieve his spirit Motive 3. Vnrighteousness of life will render all your holy duties abominations unto God A dead fly causeth the precious oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour c. Eccles 10. 1. You may see what God saith to his people to this purpose Isa 1. 11. c. To what purpose c. God will frown upon your prayers when you come to his Table he will hide his face from you when you come to hear his word he will not be friendly to you c. Motive 4. Righteousness of life is a good way to gain others to the love of Religion It s a very convincing thing to the Conscience of a naturall man It will speak when words are forgotten it will be remembred when Sermons are out of minde The primitive Christians did much good upon the Heathen by the holiness of their lives And for this cause it is that believing wives are exhorted to holiness of life that their Husbands which did not obey the word might be gained by their conversation 2 Pet. 3. 1. 2. Your faith is profitable to yourselves your holiness to other men Motive 5. All Christians that believe are spirituall Priests unto God and therefore they should be holy The high Priest was to wear a curious Breast-plate vid. Exod. 28. 15. 16. c. ver 30. there must be in it the Vrim and the Thummim Light and Perfection If your lives be unholy you are no fit Priests to God you want your Breast-plate Thus for Motives Now for Helpes and Directions take these 1. Study well the righteousness purity and holiness of the Nature of God The Holiness of God is the Originall of all holiness It is both the Motive and the Example of all holiness in the Creature when the Prophet Isay contemplates the holiness of God he cries out of his own unholiness Esay 6. 3. 5. Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hoasts woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips He that is much employed in the contemplation of the purity of God will not take any contentment in his own impurity The holiness of God in Scripture is propounded for this very purpose that by looking upon it the Sons of men may stir up their mindes to pursue holiness 2 Pet. 1. 15. 16. As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy It is ignorance of God or forgetfulness which is the cause of the love of unholiness When the soul comes once in good earnest to consider the purity of God his own impurity will be his sorrow and burden These thoughts will let the soul see that its impossible for him to have any Communion with such a God to whom he is so unlike Similitude is the ground of Communion as dissimilitude is of disunion and separation This is that which the Apostle layes as one foundation of comfortable communion with God James 4. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double minded Righteousness and unrighteousness can have no fellowship light and darkness can have no Communion the Temple of God and Idolls cannot agree together 2 Cor. 6. 14. 16. 2. Study the Holiness and purity of the humane nature of Jesus Christ your head He had this Breast-plate continually upon him Isay 59. 17. He put on righteousness as a Breast-plate and an Helmet of salvation upon his head and all his Souldiers must be accoutred as their Generall is He lived 33. years in the world and all that time never stept once aside out of the way of righteousness He did no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth He is called in regard of his humane nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy thing Luke 1. 35. This consideration would mightily enflame a Christian to the love and practice of holiness for he would thus argue with himself Is it meet that so corrupt a member should have so holy a head Is it meet so holy a Master should have so unholy Disciples There are two principall ends of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ One is that he might in our nature make satisfaction for our guilt The other is that he might fulfill all
Now this assent is 1. General and universal to all the declarations of God 2. T is builded properly and principally upon the Authority of God who hath revealed it 3. Upon this Assent is raised in the soul a strong affection unto and a high esteem of all the Revelation and discovery made by God Appreciation unto you who beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. The soul surveyeth all those things declared in the word with a very judicious eye and judgeth meanly of all other things in comparison of them 4. Upon this prizing of these things followeth a very earnest longing and desire in the soul to be made pertaker of all those precious excellencies Desire of enjoying doth naturally follow affection this desire is unsatiable unquenchable Hence it is set out by hungring and thirsting Isa 55. 1. Hunger and thirst cannot be satisfied without the enjoyment of meat and drink 4. Vpon this Desire followeth Affiance and Confidence The soul is so wrought upon that it can come to Christ as a living Stone and upon him and the promise of grace and pardon made in him is enabled to set down its rest as upon the onely pillar of salvation This is that which the Psalmist calls the fixing of the heart Psal 112. 7 8. It imports a secure and settled resting upon God The Prophet calls it staying a mans self upon God Isa 50. 10. so Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee David calls it Rolling our way upon the Lord. Psal 37. 7. t is agreeable to that in Mat. 11. 28. 6. Vpon this followeth the souls Election and choice of that which is held on t in the Divine Revelation The soul doth freely and spontaneously chuse the promises of the Gospel and makes them his own This is one of the highest steps of faith when the soul is not onely willing to accept but to chuse the way of truth and to chuse all the contents of the promise This is that which David professeth of himself Psal 119. 30 31. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgements have I laid before me I have stuck unto thy Testimonies O Lord put me not to shame 2. Wherein lies the comparison between faith and a shield 1. Faith is like a shield for the strength of it Of all the parts of Armour which the Souldier wears the Shield was the strongest Polybius tels Historian li. 6. p. 467. us the manner of it It was made of a double board glewed strongly together it had a double cover one of strong linnen cloth another of raw Neats leather that it might quench the fiery Arrowes of the enemy when they hit upon it about the edges of it above and beneath there went a strong plate of Iron that it might not be cut above with the edge of the enemies sword and that it might not rot below with hanging upon the ground on the outside of it there was a strong bosse of Iron which they called the umbo to preserve it from being battered with stones spears and other violent weapons Faith is the strongest of all the graces it is impenetrable and impregnable You read of the power of faith 2 Thess 1. 11. The faith of miracles is of such strength that it doth pluck up mountaines by the â—oots Mat. 17. 20. Saving faith must needs be much more strong 2. Faith is a shhield for largeness The Roman shield did cover the whole body Polybius tels us that it was two foot and a half broad and above four foot in length so that he that could skilfully Polyb. ut supra handle the shield might be safegarded on every part T is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gate or door because of the largeness of it Faith is a very large grace of a great extent It covers the head and the heart and the feet and the body c. He that can but handle this shield of faith after a right manner may lye safe in the midst of the hottest temptations 3. Why we must take this above all Because this grace is that which Strengthens and Acts all the other The shield hath this excellency in it that it doth protect not onely the body of the souldier more than any other piece of Armour but also that it doth defend all the rest It is Armatura armaturae If any violence be offered to the head the shield is lifted upto defend that piece if the head piece be either cracked or knockt off the shield supplies the place of the head piece if the breast-plate be broken the shield supplies the man of a breast-plate if the girdle be slipt off the shield supplies the place of the girdle if the shooes be rent the shield is instead of shooes it s a lifeguard to every part of the Armour he that hath a shield hath double harness The grace of faith is that which gives strength to all other graces The Doctrine of truth will not hold out one combate if the grace of faith be not implied it is the grace of faith which strengthens the doctrine of faith The breastplate of righteousness wil soon bepierced if it be not secured by the shield of faith faith is the preserver and the strengthner of righteousness the shooes of resolution will soon wear away if they be not soaled with faith its faith that mainteines courage and whets resolution Hope will soon go out if it be not fed with faith if faith faile hope gives up the ghost hope expects what faith beleeves and if faith langish hope withereth hope is the flame of faith and if the fire of faith be put out the flame of hope is exringuished The sword of the spirit the word of God is as a sword without an edge if faith do not sharpen it The word preached did not profit saith the Apostle because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. Faith is that which puls the sword out of the scabberd The word of God without faith is like a sword lockt up in the scabbard it s like a sword in the hand of a Child but the word in the hand of faith is like a sword in the hand of a Gyant Prayer without faith is ineffectual Jam. 1. 6. It hath no promise of acceptance with God Whatsoever ye ask in prayer beleeve that you have it and you shall receive it Mark 11. 24. Prayer without faith is like dead Physick t is faith that is the soul and life of prayer As all the Stars have the light from the Sun though they have some kind of natural light in themselves so the grace of faith hath an influence upon all the other pieces of the spiritual Armour both for the preservation and their quickning And therefore faith is sometimes put for all the strentgh of a Christian I have prayed for thee that thy faith do not faile Luke 22. 32. If
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