Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	world_n	write_n	write_v	151	4	4.9813	4	false

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

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.

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

ariseth 1. from that Naturall Distemper which is in it by reason of sin The Fall of Man did so bruise and crack this golden Vessel that it doth leak ever since and cannot hold that which is put into it The Apostle in Hebr. 2. 1. speakes of this Distemper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The memory is like a Vessel which is rent and full of holes Those golden Hoopes which God in the first Creation did set about this Vessel are either quite broken off or much loosened And then there are secondly also other things which make it so lubrick and crazy as to the retaining of things Spiritual and Divine viz. First it 's over-charged with too many Three Causes of a weak Memory worldly and sinful things the world is so much laid up in this Treasury that there is very little room for Heavenly things to be stowed there Secondly want of Meditation and recollection by this means it comes to pass that many Truths which are recorded in the Memory are as if they had never been set down in regard of use and improvement because by meditation and discourse they are not revived There is an Act of the Memory proper unto man which the Philosopher calls Eustach Phys p. 261. Reminiscentia when a thing which hath been recorded and is forgotten is by the help of Discourse and Reasoning recovered again and made present and without this it is impossible to keep alive the remembrance of many things Now it 's a very general fault not onely amongst wicked men but even amongst the people of God that they neglect this Duty of Discourse and Meditation they do not chew the Cud as they are required and so quite lose many things which they have heard understood and sometimes remembred Isaac went into the fields to meditate Gen. 24. 63. David used to meditate on Gods Statutes as well as to read and hear them Psal 119. 15. Thirdly the Devil he pilfers out many Truths he comes with his false Key and picks the Lock of the Memory and so the soul is bereaved of many a precious Truth vid. Mat. 13. 19. He comes and searcheth the books and whatever he finds there that may be prejudicial to his Kingdom he either quite takes it off the File or else so blurs it with his black Lines that in a very short time the Record becomes altogether useless Therefore for the strengthning of the weak Memory it 's not without need that things of moment and concernment should be inculcated and repeated 3. in regard of the Will and that 1. from the deadness and slowness and untowardness of the Will and Affections to embrace and give entertainment to saving truths at first when offered The heart of man is like hard Marble harder then any Adamant Zech. 7. 12. Impressions are not made upon it with one blow the Iron is not heated through with once putting into the fire there is a reluctancy and contradiction in the Will against the receiving of things of this Nature Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. The Apostle speakes of many Remora's and Obstructions in the heart which hinder the effectual working of the Word 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Strong holds carnall reasonings things exalting themselves against the knowledge of God and high thoughts c. The soul is full of surmisings prejudices objections and strong opposings the strong man armed keeps the house and by force of Arms contends against divine Truths especially such as are of weightiest concernment And therfore there is need of urging and pressing the same things over and over and that with earnestness that these high Towers may be levelled And then 2. After that the heart hath submitted and yielded it doth in a very short time through the prevalency of indwelling corruption revolt and grow stiffe again and is very backward to practise Truths subjected unto It was the sad complaint of one of the Ancients that of all Trades and Imployments Chrysost that of the Ministry is most difficult as in other respects so in this that he can never finde his work as he leaves it Let a Carpenter or Mason or any other Crafts-man shape and square and polish his work and when he returns he findes it so but the Devil he mars a Ministers work as soone as ever he hath done When he hath digged a well of godly sorrow this Philistine comes and stops it up presently When he hath stubd up the thorns the Devill comes and plants them again or more in their room When he hath cast down the Wall in one week yea in one night he findes it set up again c. Every observing and selfe-searching Christian knowes the truth of this by sad experience When any holy Resolution hath been with much labouring begot in the heart Satan and his own corruption working together do soon cool check the form he brought with him from hearing the word is soon unfashioned again Oh Israel thy goodness is as the Morning dew and as the early Cloud it presently vanisheth away Hos 6. 4. Commands are not easily obeyed therefore there must be precept upon precept The consolations of the Gospel are not easily preserved therefore there must be promise upon promise It s a hard thing to go on in duty constantly the heart will backslide It s a hard thing to keep it light and constant and close c. The Church of Ephesus had left her first love Rev. 2. 4. 5. Ephraim was a back-sliding heyfer Hos 4. 16. they were revolted and gone Thy people saith God to Moses have soon corrupted themselves c. Exod. 32. 7. 8. Paul had faithfully preached the Doctrine of justification by faith to the Galathians when he was personally with them but in a very short time they were apostatized by the fraudulency and craftiness of false Teachers therefore he is forced to write to them the same things again vid. Gal. 1. 6. We see the Disciples of Christ though they were commanded and intreated by their Master to watch with him when he was in his Agony ready to die for them yet as soon as he was departed they fell asleep again and though he came and reproved them yet they fell asleep again vid. Matth. 26. 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45. A man would wonder that when Christ had told them that the pangs of death were upon him yet they should fall asleep c. We have a discovery in them of the hearts Apostacy Vse 2. This should be a Directory for the Ministers of the Gospel That they would not be contented onely once to name necessary truths but to be ever and anon as they observe the slackness and negligence of people in practising pressing and urging the same again and again There are some Doctrines which are as standing Dishes as the Doctrine of faith Repentance c. these are of necessary and daily use and people must be

oft put in minde of them There are some sins which are predominant in every Age these the Ministers of Christ must be often beating down and reproving There are some duties to which men are very averse these must be often urged Hypocrisie was a raigning sin amongst the Jews therefore our Saviour at every turn was beating down that sin Apostacy from the truth of the Gospel by hearkening to seducers was the great sin of the Churches of the Gospel therefore all the Apostles who writ to those Churches did urge and press a care about that more then once or twice c. Onely the Ministers of God must be carefull of these three things in reference to this business 1. That they do it not because of sluggishnes or sloathfulness of spirit Idleness is a very great sin in any Calling much more in the Ministry their Calling being of greater importance then any other If the Lord of the Vineyard come and finde them sleeping and snorting by reason of negligence he will cut them asunder and give them their portion with the Hypocrites Matth. 24. 48 49 50 51. God hath given them a large taske they have a broad field to walk in they are to preach the whole Counsel of God and therefore they must not insist upon the same things out of a spirit of laziness but meerly out of respect to and compassion of the necessity of the people And then 2. That they be as careful in studying the same Doctrines as if they had never made any mention of them before That if it fall into their way to speak about the same Duty or about the same sin concerning which they have formerly spoken they may have fresh Arguments to recommend the same duty and fresh considerations to manifest and make evident the vileness of the same sin c. They must still dive further into the Scriptures and meditate more earnestly that they may speak more convincingly then before to the Consciences of such as hear them 3. That they seek earnestly to God by prayer in the behalf of the people that their hearts may so readily practise the Duty enjoyned avoid the sin reproved that they may have no further occasion to remember them any more of the same things Let the people of God be willing when necessity Vse 2. requires to hear of the same duty and of the same sinne over and over Many men cannot endure to hear of a Duty twice though they can be content to omit it when the Minister hath done all he is able nor are they patient to hear the same sin twice reproved though they can be content to commit it an hundred times over it may be in one week It is no advantage to the Minister but it 's a great benefit to you It 's safe for you Phil. 3. 1. It 's an Argument of love and care in the Ministers of God over your souls They are afraid you should miss the way to Heaven and therefore they give you your direction over again They are afraid the Sore should not be well healed and therefore they apply another Plaister to it that the Cure may be perfect They would present every man perfect to Christ Col. 1. 28. therefore they inculcate things If you would hear no more of the same Duty do you practise it carefully If you would not hear of the same sin again cease from it break it off by repentance and then you shall hear no more of it And indeed this is one great use which all Christians should make of these Repetitions 1. To be convinced of the badness of their own hearts And 2. to learn more diligently to practise what is frequently commended and to avoid what is so often forbidden Otherwise know this that such Rehearsals will be very sad Aggravations of sin another day When Conscience shall bring in testimony that such a Duty was preached over and over and yet you would never practise it such a sinne was forbidden you many a time yet you would not leave it You heard it pressed upon you more then perhaps a hundred times that you should believe repent pray in your Families and instruct your Children and read the Scriptures c. but you could never get up your hearts to the Duty You heard more then once perhaps a thousand times that you should not swear nor lie nor abuse the Creatures to excess nor break the Sabbath c. yet you would go on c. These often Repeatings of your duties will be high aggravations and so many Witnesses of your contempt And indeed this is one End why they are used in the Scriptures and commanded to be used in the Ministry That those that do not obey after all these inculcations may be left without excuse and condemned by so many Witnesses The Apostle useth such an Argument as this to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. This is the third time I am He alludes to the Law Deut. 17. 3. coming to you At the mouth of 2 or 3 Witnesses shall every word be established He had sent them three Warnings that he would come to use against the stubborn in spirit Authority Christ had given him for the punishing of their sin and if they did not repent before his coming this three-fold Warning would be as a three-fold Testimony to prove them incorrigible So will all the Repeatings of the same Duties both in the Scripture and in the mouth of Gods Ministers be in stead of so many clear Testimonies of your incorrigibleness when Christ comes to judge and punish the disobedience of the World And look how often your Admonitions and Rebukes have been repeated so often shall the stripes of Gods hand be repeated also He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. We find in the Gospel that our Saviour makes this a sharp and clear conviction of the Jews stubborness that they would not submit to his yoke and be brought into obedience though they were often required and urged thereunto O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. how often would I have gathered thy Children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Lukc 13. 34. behold your house is lest unto you desolate It 's damnable to refuse any Duty though but once commanded and to run into any act of sinne though but once forbidden but not to hearken after a thousand Admonitions will be a proof of stubbornness by a thousand Witnesses And the torment of the Conscience in Hell will rise in extremity answerable to the number of the Warnings you have had to have kept you out of Hell All Admonitions sleighted in this life will be remembred in Hell and not one of them forgotren and every Admonition will be a new flame to afflict and torment the never-dying soul Consider these things and be no longer rebellious Let not this Admonition be added as

and therefore they must of necessity yield obedience 7 'T is no wonder to hear of Satans prevailing upon those persons and in those places where the Ordinances are not planted Some of the Heathens they are contented to worship the Devil as their God and many in our own Land in the dark corners of it they are tempted to Sorcery Witchcrafts and to Divinations and such Diabolicall Arts. This is a condition to be much lamented but 't is certainly not much to be admired unless it be that it is no worse for they are destitute of that which is and should be for the defence against such assaults they are unwalled Villages which lie open to the Devil at his pleasure The Ordinances of God are a guard to prevent the incursions and invasions of Satan this guard they want and therefore no wonder if Hell be amongst them Where there is no Vision saith Solomon the People perish Prov. 29. 18. Piscator reades it Nudatur populus the people is naked and the word in Hebrew signifieth as well to uncover and make bare as it doth cessare or rebellis esse or dissipare as others render it The Ordinances of God are a very great part of a peoples defence and if this defence be removed or not erected Satan must needs rage very furiously amongst such a People 8 This let 's us see why Satan is such an enemy both to the grace of God and to the Ordinances of God That he is an enemy to grace will appear from all the endeavour he useth both to hinder the planting of it where it is not and to root it up where it is planted and established Never did the Lord go about to work saving grace and conversion in the heart of any Creature but Satan used all his power and policy to hinder this Conception either by himself immediatly or by some of his Instruments When Paul by the preaching of the Gospel at Paphos began to work some saving effect upon the Deputy Sergius Paulus Elymas the Sorcerer the Devils Instrument labours by all meanes to turn him from the Faith that he might not be converted Act. 13. 8. And when he cannot hinder the effecting of the work he useth all meanes to destroy it as soon as it is wrought The Devil is like unto Pharaoh if he cannot hinder the conception of grace in the heart at first yet he will endeavour that the Manchild may be utterly destroyed as soon as ever it is born He stands vigilantly before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her Child as soo● 〈◊〉 it was born Rev. 12. 4. And if he cannot hinder it from living yet he doth what he can to keep it from thriving by reproach by persecution by quenching the motion of Gods Spirit and all other wayes And he is no less an enemy to the Ordinances of God then he is to the graces of God When Paul and Silas were going to prayer a Spirit of Divination met them to take them off from that Duty Act. 16. 16. When Paul endeavoured to set up the Gospel and the Ordinances at Thessalonica Satan stirs up the unbelieving Jews to raise persecution that the work might be hindred Act. 17. 5 6 7. And when he endeavoured to have come to the Thessalonians afterwards Satan took him off and hindred him once and a second time 1 Thes 2. 18. Nothing doth he desire to overthrow more earnestly then the Ordinances he knowes he can never set up his golden Calves till he hath taken down the golden Candlesticks The reason of his endeavors is this These Graces and Ordinances are the soules Armour by which he is hindred in his Temptations and if he can but destroy this Armour he knowes he shall invade the soul at his pleasure without disturbance When an enemy would be Master of a City we know they take away that which may hinder them they first seize upon the place of Ammunition remove the Guards and Gates and Ch●●ns out of their places and so bring the Inhabitants into perfect slavery Graces and Ordinances are the Ammunition of the Soul when the Devil hath removed these he hath nothing to oppose him he may then come when he will to rifle and plunder the soul In order to the accomplishment of this it is that he hath such an aching tooth against the Ministry and Ministers that desire to be firm and faithful he knows the Ordinances and they must fall together therefore he endeavours either to corrupt them or if that cannot be utterly to destroy them that so he may rule and bear sway without controll 9. What great Adversaries are those to themselves that have quite cast off the Ordinances of God Amongst many other soul-destroying Opinions which prevail in our licentious times this is one That the fulness of time is not yet come for Ordinances That Ordinances are but fleshly and carnall things and that Christ is crucified in all these things to a Christian c. and hereupon some have quite laid them aside They will neither pray nor hear nor communicate in the Sacraments but are above all these things These men have done the Devills work for him they have disarmed themselves and its just with God to leave them to the Devills cruelty to deal with them as he pleaseth that he should hurry them into Atheisme profanesse and all kinde of ungodly practices here and into Hell hereafter Certainly Satan hath not truer friends to his cause and Crown in all the world then these men are 10. How necessary it is for Christians to use all care for the proving of their graces and for the strengthening of their graces The Scripture calles much upon us to make tryall of the truth of our graces Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith or no c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Graces are our Arms and if our graces be counterfeit Satan will soon pierce them in the day of temptation To fight with false graces is as dangerous as to fight with painted Armour instead of true Armour never be contented therefore till you come to the certain knowledge of the truth of every grace And as its necessary to prove them so its good to be strengthening them against the day of assault This God calls for as well as the other Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Growe in grace c. Thinne Armour is almost as unserviceable as false Armour a Sword without an edge will not be much better in a day of temptation then a woodden Sword Weak graces will make but weak defence and not strong offence neither especially against such an enemy as we have to do withall 1. Jesus Christ hath received for Christians not onely variety of grace but fulnesse of every grace also Of his fulness we have all received grace for grace John 1. 16. one degree of grace after another Now the strengthening of

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 t●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

yet according to the tenour of the Gospel I hope thou wilt pardon me for thou knowest my heart is right in thy sight and Psal 7 8. he prayes that God would judge him according to his integrity and according to the righteousness that was in him 6. This Grace of Truth is the way to have fellowship and communion with God Hypocrisie and false-heartedness is a bar in the way of our Communion God will not shew his face with joy unto such whose hearts are rotten Hypocrites may tell you of much Communion they have with God and of great joyes they find in their spirits but this their joy is but like a Land-flood it is quickly dryed up again a few Sun-shine dayes sokes-in all this joy It is indeed but a false joy which comes from Satan transformed into an Angel of Light and it shall be but for a moment Job tels us Job 13. 6. that a hypocrite shall not come before him He shall not see the face of God with any joy No no Communion with God is onely promised to sincerity Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God c. Cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double minded And therefore David upon the profession of this integrity calls upon God for his presence Psal 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart 7. Integrity is the way to dant all your enemies To warp from the wayes of God will much encourage your adversaries it will make them more bold and more violent but perseverance and holding on in your integrity will in due time make your hearts fail Herod was afraid of John Baptist because he was a sincere man Mark 6. 20. And it 's said of Saul that because David behaved himself wisely he was afraid of him 1 Sam. 18. 15. 8. Sincerity of Heart will be a strengthning Cordial to your soules in the day of affliction and trouble Integrity is the best way to keep you from trouble and to deliver you out of trouble but if at any time ye do fall and lie under trouble Integrity will be a soft Pillow to rest your heads upon in the evil day vid. 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. This was that which made the Martyrs so joyful in Prison This was that which kept up the heart of Job in his great sufferings and this made Paul and Silas sing with so much joy when their feet were fast in the stocks Act. 16. 9. Integrity will make the end of your life peaceable You may have Contentions and Warrings and unquietness in the way but you shall be sure to find calmness and serenity and peace in the end This is promised Psal 37. 37. Mark the upright man c. for the end of that man is peace The beginning and the middle of the Hypocrite may be in some kind of tranquillity but the end will be a storm Job had many a sore storm but his latter end was peaceable and serene That 's well that ends well the Hypocrites portion is to lye down in sorrow Esa 50. 10 11. Thus for Motives 2. For Directions to get and keep sincerity take these viz. 1. Study well and improve aright the Doctrine of Gods Omnipresence and Omniscience He that doth truly believe that Gods Eye is upon him will not give way to Deceitfulness and Hypocrisie in heart remember that God is a Heart-searching God This is that Direction which God himself gave to Abraham to keep his heart sound Gen. 15. 1. Walk before me and be upright This was that which kept David intire Psal 18. 23. I was upright before him or in his sight and kept my self from mine iniquity The want of this is made the reason of all the fals-hood of Ephraim Hos 7. 1 2. They consider not in all their hearts c. 2. Take heed of worldly policy Fleshly wisdome is like rust it will eat up sincerity if ye hearken to it The Apostle opposeth these two one unto another 2 Cor. 1. 12. In sincerity and godly simplicity not with fleshly wisdome The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enmity with God God would have his people to be prudent and to hear the voyce of right reason Reason is not given in vain Be wise as Serpents c. but he would not have them make carnal Wisdom their Oracle He consults first the justum and then the commodum He that consults with flesh and blood will hardly keep upright in declining-Times Fleshly Wisdome would have dictated a hundred things to Daniel would he have hearkened to it 3. Be much in the Duty of self-searching Take heed of putting too much credit and confidence in your own hearts He that trusts in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28. 26. You have the seed of rottenness in your soules and if you do not keep them in a constant course of Physick they will grow corrupt before you be aware David's prayer should be your prayer Psal 139. 23. 24. Search me O Lord c. 4. Consider the end of Hypocrisie It will be your shame in this world Psal 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes c. Hypocrisie is an in-let and door to all other sins 2 Tim. 3. init a man that hath the form of godliness without the power will be any thing in time It will be your sorrow in another world Hell is said to be made for Hypocrites Mat. 24. 51. Thus much for the first piece of this Armour The Girdle of Truth LECT 11. Decemb. 19. 1649. EPHES. 6. 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on this Breast-plate of righteousness V. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THese words contain the second piece of the spirituall Armour And this is fitly added to the former having your loins girt about with truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium If the loyns be infirm the whole man is full of trembling and with the least violence presently falls to the ground Integrity and sincerity strengthen the loyns and make the body stable Deme Christiano veritatem corruet protinus Bullinger in locum Now the breast is as necessary for our sure standing as the loyns though the loyns be girded yet if the breast be open to violence the party comes suddenly to the ground All the vitall parts the heart liver lungs c. are in the breast and if those be not carefully secured and preserved death and falling doth suddenly ensue A little wound in the breast is mortall and incurable Therefore the Apostle would have his Souldier to make careful provision for that part he must be as careful to put on his Breast-plate as his Girdle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both the breast viz. the whole upper part of the body before from the neck to the thighs and it also signifies that Armour which