Faith therefore is called our victory 1. Iohn 5.4 This is the victory that ouercometh the world euen our faith Now then to consider of the seuerall parts as they be in order First he saith Stand beeing girded about with the girdle of truth For the maner of proceeding before we proceed to the doctrines and word of exhortation we will seek out foure things first what is meant by euery one secondly what is the vse of it thirdly how the diuell doth labour to disarme vs of it fourthly how we may hold our owne against him The girdle of truth then cometh first Now truth somtime signifieth the doctrine of truth Iohn 17.17 But that it cannot heere signifie the sword of the spirit beeing thus to bee considered Truth therefore heere is soundnesse which is alwaies accompanied with constancie For which cause the Hebrewes doe in one word signifie both For the second this girdle hath three vses First it doth adorn vs for this was the vse of the Studded belt which the souldiers did weare to hide the gaping ioynts of their armour which would haue been vnseemely and nothing doth adorne a soule more then vprightnesse as our Sauiour commending Nathanael gaue out this speech of him Beholde a true Israelite in whom there is no guile Iohn 1.47 Secondly a girdle doth tie other cloathes about vs close to vs which otherwise the winde would blowe about and would hang but loose vpon vs so this girdle of truth doth containe and holde together all other graces wherewith the soule is arrayed and without truth to keepe them together in time all of them are borne away with winds of temptation Mat. 13.20.21 That grace that was not knit together with honesty of heart came to nothing in the end as appears in the Parable Thirdly a girdle trussing vp the loynes of a man moderately doth strengthen a man whence is the exhortation so often vsed of girding vp the loynes so this grace addeth great strength to the inner man as wee may see in Iob who when God seemed and men did fight against him when heauen earth seemed to conspire against him yet this did stick by him Chap. 27.5 Vntill I die I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe Now the works of it are exercised in our daily course or in the evill times of greater exercise then ordinary Dayly it doth make vs strike at the roots of hypocrisie we discerne in vs and resist the temptations of the Diuell which tend to make vs corrupt our actioÌ„s in their end or manner of peâ—formance but especially it doth strengthen vs in the euil time wheÌ„ the Diuell shall bee ready to bear vs down that we haue been but hypocrites Now for the third thing The Didoth by foure meanes especially seeks to wipe vs of this girdle He will from the example of others Ob. reason thus Such such as Iudas haue had greater things then you and gone further then you yet they were but hypocrites How canst thou tell is it otherwise with thee Many first are last c. Answ Wee must auoide this obiection Ans by learning to distinguish true constant grace from fained and and temporary which is fitly done by these two differences First the wicked haue streames of graces often but they haue no communion with Christ as the godly haue and therefore their graces wither when heate commeth Ephes 3.17 It is a true liuing faith that maketh Christ to dwell in the heart and this is the cause why our grace lasteth as wee finde by dayly experience ebbes And this water runneth exceedng lowe yet hauing the well-head in vs and renewing our faith on him the quickning Spirit riuers doe afresh runne out of our bellies and the current of grace as high as before The temporiser though he haue a streame of grace yet wanting the fouÌ„tain to feed it it must needs dry away as those streames or ponds which haue no spring nor head of water to maintaine them cannot continue Secondly these hypocrites receiue the grace they haue retayning some notorious sinne or course in lesser euils wherein they hate reformation as Herod Mat. 8. Now this maketh grace it cannot be held with them For as a stomack ill affected thorough choler though neuer so wholesom meats bee receiued into it yet it cannot holde them but is prouoked to cast so where there is this obstruction of the soule the wilfull loue of any sinfull course whatsoeuer grace is receiued into the heart it will not let it rest but maketh the soule cast it vp vpon all occasions Secondly the Diuell will from our vnsound performance of duties thus reason against vs Ob. 2 Thou knowest thou hast often looked more at man then God and hast propouÌ„ded indirect means when thou shouldest haue eyed his glory onely therefore thou hast not this truth Answ Ans We must distinguish of hypocrisie as of other sinnes for as sinne is raigning or not so is hypocrisie Now there may be this not raigning hypocrisie in the hearts and consciences of Gods people Dauid Psal 31. when hee said Blessed is hee in whose spirit there is no guile did take him selfe tardy in this evill and Bradford with other of those most holy Martyrs doe much seeke pardon of hypocrisie and carnall gospelling but no sinne that raigneth not must discourage vs. Quest How may we know it raigneth not Answ Answ If we haue purpose against it Secondly if we haue griefe for it Thirdly if we seeke for strength against it Ob. Thirdly the Diuell will through crosses wee beare and from the preiudicate opinion of other men beare vs downe that vvee are not sound hearted Answ Ans The book of Iob is but a canuase about this where it is determined that no calamities can proue a man an hypocrite nor no opinion of men though wise and holy The selfe same thing befalleth him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath Eccl s 9 1 2. Laâ—tly the Diuell will labour to foist in this leauen of hypocrisie in our dayly course that thus by little little hee may picke this good seâ—d of righteousnesse out of our hearts Here our resistance is to holde vs to our owne and pray to God to rebuke him And this way is made for the fourth question How we may keepe this truth First by considering the woefull curse that belongeth to the contrary For God detesteth nothing so as hypocrisie and abhorreth those duties that are not done to him in soundnesse 2. The blessednesse of it Blessed is hee whose heart is vpright Psal 119. it is the delight of God and hither belong all the vses aboue named 3. In our coÌ„mon daily duties to labour this 1. To performe them with our heart 2. As in the sight of God 3. To his glorie for this will make the grace of truth to be deepely rooted in vs. Now theÌ„ for the Doctrin Doct. and Vse this is it that wee are taught That we must get vprightnesse of
that wee are still subiect to be assaulted Nunquam bella bonis nunquam certamina desunt Secondly wee must see what is the course of a christian life it is a conflicting course or wrastling continually power of darknesse seeking to throwe him from faith holinesse blessednes to sinne and a cursed estate our life is a warfare The life of all men generally is full of commotion Iob. 14.1 much more of them who for opposition in this world are of all men the most miserable Paul saith his life course was a warfare I haue fought a good fight c. 2. Tim. 4 7. Iacob Gen. 32.28 beeing a patterne of all true-hearted Israelites whose lives are a wrastling by teares and praiers against all spirituall wickednes Sometimes it is not manifest to the eye of the world that the matter is so with them as it is they are thought to haue faire lives but many a man merry in company hath a shrewe at home so the Saints though they may seeme to bee pleasant haue that in secret which doth fill their hearts with sighes and their eyes with teares something outward or inward or both wherwith they alwaies wrastle It must bee thus for the fire of grace is like the heat of the body in this if the heat of the stomach had nothing to wrastle with it would bring all the body so it selfe into an vtter consumption if Gods grace had not something without or within exercising of it with which it might wrastle it could not in this estate vve are in be preserved Againe these wrastlings in temptation doo bring vs to knowe the povver vvisdome and faithfulnesse of God to knovve our selues and others Thirdly vvithout striving vvee must not be crovvned 2. Tim. 2.5 and if any man striue for a mastery c for though this is not the cause t is the vvay to our glory Vse 1 The vvhich doth first let such knovve vvho lead pleasant lives and are at ease in Sion vvho are not poured from vessell to vessell but vvalke on as if their league and covenant were stricken vvith hell that their course is not the life of Christians this is a vvrastling and conflicting estate and it is a signe that the strong man possesseth the house that all is so quiet Vse Secondly this must make vs though vvee finde much strife in the vvay that vvee must not faint nay vve must take heart for this that vve finde such a conflict is a token that vvee are the Lords and that he hath cast out the strong one of the vvorld But you vvill say Quest Ob. May every one that findeth a strife be sure of this Naturall men haue a fight often in themselues condemning that they doo approuing the contrary Video meliora proboque Ans Ans There is a fight betvveene the naturall light of conscience and the sensuall courses But by these three rules we may discerne the fight of the spirit and flesh from it First our strife is caused not from enormous swarving but from the corrupt quality which infecteth vs throughout our birth sin the lavv of evill vvhich dvvelleth in the members Novv this is a thing vvhich the light of nature doth not descry Secondly the light of nature causeth a strife vvhen vve doo some grosse things or in grosse neglect but the strife of the spirit is in good things against the not perfect performance of them thus Pauls fight vvas that he could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accomplish the things hee vvould in the manner hee desired Thirdâ—y this naturall accusing vvas in vs alvvaies but this strife of the spirit vvee finde by experience vve never knew vvhat it meant till giving our names to Christ vve did endevour in all things to serue him Hence it is that they vvho novv most complaine vvill say they once thought themselues vvell enough euery little thing too much forvvardnes before GOD touched them more neerly Novv follovveth the third thing vvho it is that doth in all things striue against vs The Diuell and his Angels This the Scripture hath of olde taught God putting enmity between the serpent and the seed of the woman and therefore the Diuell by eminency is cald the Tempter 1. Thes 3.5 And his hatred is so great that there is nothing from which he will not take occasion to be dealing with vs. For as God doth worke the perfecting of his by the buffeting of the Diuell so Satan doth turne the best graces of God to matter of teÌ„ptation But for the clearing of this wee must knowe that the Diuell doth sometimes tempt vs immediately as Ananias Acts 5.3 Iudas Luke 22.2 Secondly thus in temptation of blasphemy selfe murther in the iudgement which hee bringeth and in this maner Christ was tempted in two temptations Iobs body and goods were touched by him Now bee is plainely wrestling in this kinde but in those things wherein hee is not the next moouer yet is the first and more remote agent and therefore they may be saide in some things to wrestle against vs As when the things of this world arme themselues or the persons in the world doe make vs matter Satan is a principall worker in them all The last branch is to bee shewed in the next doctrine the things of the world as glory riches pleasure must not be considered as naked things but as instruments by his vse lifted vp the force they haue of bewitching and inueigling our hearts from God Thus hee vsed the glory of the world to Christ as a bait to take him with Thus 1. Timothie 6.9 riches are his snare thus the apple delighting the eie and taste was an argument hee preferred to our first parents and that life in these things which so worketh on the naturall man commeth partly from Satan which is also crucified by the same crosse of Christ by which he was subdued 2. Saint Iames Iam 1.14 saith that our concupiscence withdrawing vs wee are tempted of it but though it be so fruitfull a parent that it can without mid-wifery bring forth alone yet wee must conceiue it so that for the most part our lust is moued and excited by these euil spirits they blowe the coals vp and are the fires of the sinne whereof our concupiscence is the mother be not angry giue not place to the Diuell the Diuell therefore stirreth vp anger Ephe. 4.26.27 Dauids heart did swell but the Diuell perswaded mooued it 1. Chron. 21.1 The widowes following lust goe after the Diuell 1. Tim. 5.15 And as it is alwaies true that when wee doe any good thing wee doe it from the principles of grace in vs yet the spirit giueth vs the will and the deede so when wee doe euill withdrawn by our concupisceÌ„ce the Diuell for the most part doth kindle and excite the sin which dwels in vs that we may say it is true The Diuel is by himselfe and by the things of this world by concupiscence the principall tempter Doct.
which assureth that all things are for good to vs. When heer below there are pitchy clouds stormes and such like impressions of the air the starry firmament hath no chaÌ„ge the sun hath the same brightnes when it is hidden from vs that it hath when it shineth most gloriously so vvhen wee alter and there is nothing but thunder lightning and storme in our sky God is the same the faithful mercies of the couenant are not changed Thirdly vvee must if our soules bee out a little schoole them as Dauid doth Psal 42. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me There is an art of rocking the soule and stilling it if out of quiet the Lord teach it vs. Now for the doctrine Doct. vve see how wee are to strengthen our selues with learning the doctrin of our peace through Christ Paul was thus shod Rom. 8.38.39 I am perswaded nothing shall separate mee from the loue of God All things I knowe worke together for the good of them that are beloued of God Rom. 8.28 And this furniture made him goe such hard vvaye cheerfully in vvhich showrs of afflictions did fal as thick as hailstones The Church in the Canticles 7.1 is commended that her steps in these shooes are comely This doth make Gods children though not in the letter yet in som sort tread vpon the Adder Basilisk shake off Vipers and receiue no hurt vvhereas if the feet be bared a little with the absence of this in sense or faith any thing smarteth sore on vs. Iob 13.14 Wherfore doo I take my flesh in my teeth And 6.3 Therefore novv my vvords are svvallovved vp Ezechias seeing God like a Lion his peace somevvhat clouded chattred like a Crane Vse 1 Where fore vvee beeing to gette our selues thus fenced against the craggednes of the vvay how are they to bee blamed that neuer labour to haue part in this peace vvhich the gospel bringeth They vvould be loth not to provide their bodies against vveather difficulties of the vvay they go but their soules they care not for But look as it is pitifull vvith one that goeth vpon sharp flints barefoot c. or amongst the thorns and bushes so as the blood trickleth dovvne at euery step so pitifull shall thy naked soule bee vvhen adversitie shall â—eet thee if thou be not fenced with this knovvledge of peace through Iesus Christ Vse 2 Secondly wee must labour to see this our peace Oh that wee knewe these things concerning our peace What could hurt If the sting be pulled forth of an Adder vvee may play with it in our bosome If vve know euery thing is for our good as Iob saith wee may laugh when destruction comes Aboue all things haue a care that it be a souÌ„d peace for there is in nature and bodies a double sleepe one sicke another sound now it is seene in the wakening For sick sleep maketh vs when we awake so much the more sicke the other strengtheneth vs so peace is the soules sleepe Now if thy peace bee not sound when God shall waken thy conscience the more thou hast slept the more shall thy griefes be increased nay nothing shall sting thee more then thy peace woe to thee that art at peace but if thou art at quiet by knowing the doctrine of peace by the Gospell then it shall refresh and strengthen thee Now followes the fourth thing the shield of faith First wee handle it generally in order as before Secondly particularly from the circumstances First the manner of exhorting aboue all things Secondly the coÌ„mendation of it that it can quench all the fierie darts c. First the thing here meant is a true liuely faith laying holde on Christ for iustification and in the rest of Gods word and speciâ—ll promises for the passâ—â—g oâ— this present life for not onely faith on Christ but on the speciall promises of God is necessary for vs not that these are two seuerall kindes of faith but one imployed diuersly as the soule in man working in the seuerall faculties of nature is not three soules but one exercising three diuers functions Secondly for the vse of faith it serveth not onely to iustifie vs but to make vs endure in all afflictions without making haste The iust liueth in time of his afflictions by faith Hee that beleeueth maketh not haste 2. It doth worke in vs and guide the course of our obedience Rom. 1 5. To the obedience of faith not onely in beleeving the Gospell but the other word of command and promise 3. It doth preuail against all enemies This is the victory that ouercometh the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 The Vse shall be more particularly branched out heereafter Thirdly we must mark how the Diuell doth practice against vs in this point 1. Hee will labour to put vpon vs and serue vs with a counterfait faith Ob. 1 You beleeue that God is mercifull and sent his Sonne to be the Sauiour of mankinde you meane well and haue good hope to God-ward that is enough Hee that beleeueth shall be saued Marke 16.16 And all that can be said for the Popish faith may bee brought hither Ans Ans That faith that saueth vs must worke by loue Galat. 5.6 It must purge our hearts Acts 15.9 And hee put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts It must make vs to knowe Christ hath giuen himselfe for vs. Galat. 2.20 Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now liue I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loved me and giuen himselfe for mee And bring Christ into our harts Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that yee being rooted and grounded in loue c. Now to haue a faith without good workes a knowledge onely of a Saviour giuen to man-kinde this will profit nothing Iames 2.14 What availeth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no workes Ob. 2 can the faith saue him c. Secondly He will labour to wrest our faith from vs more violently or craftily the first in this wise Simon Magus beleeved Acts 8.11 Herod c. Faith in temporisers doth not availe them that faith is no better for they haue done many things had ioy kept the Apostles company and gone as farre as thou Answ Ans Wee must beare off this blowe by learning to distinguish true faith from false faith by foure things 1. For the nature of it True faith doth apply Christ in particular saith with Paul and Thomas My Lord and my God Who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me Secondly it doth increase in the ministry of the word and prayer which did as Gods instruments beget it Now false presumptions are carelesse of these helpes Thirdly It is perfected groweth vp through temptations wrastling with doubting feares For if our faith bee a true fruit of
more liuely vvorke on this or that vvhich fell out as men speake more luckily then on Gods blessing which is all in all Which sheweth our secret resting in the creature Fourthly our tottering vvhen vvâ— are tryed If we did vvalk trusting on God vve should be like mount Sion foure square men howsoeuer throwen downe standing firmely vvheras the least thing doth vnsettle vs. Shall God offer to passe his vvord yea giue his Indenture to me for all good things shal I not look after it the points of our hearts still turned to the povver goodnesse faithfulnesse of our God which was and is the matter of our coÌ„fidence If weather faile avvhile men are as if God vvould quite forget them if doings doe decay such a vvorld for taking they haue not known the like if crosses ouertake vs wee are at our wits ends He that hath crutches if hee learne not on them walking take away his crutches hee walketh still but take away a cripples crutches that goeth on them and hee commeth to the ground presently So if wee did not like to cripples leaâ—e on these things vve should not be so easily throwen dovvne in their remoueall so the impatient breaking off in holding the promise the double diligence and excessiue care Mat. 6.3 Shall hee not do much more for you O yee of little faith The shifts and sinfull courses vvhich men admit to thriue by all proue that there is not right faith in vs tovvards God Now the cure of this is by being displeased with our selues taking vp our soules in this manner If the King or a great man should threaten mee would I not bee afraid and carefull to decline their wrath Shall my God threaten me and I be secure and careless If I haue a mans word or bond that is of worth I write vpon the matter as if I had it Shall I not ioyfully rest in the word seale and oath of my God If a man of worth should be asked a pawne and not credited on his word he would take it in euill part What a shame is it that I will not beleeue GOD further then I haue his caution If I would not trust a man for a few pence would I trust him for pounds Cannot I trust God for the things of this life and do I say truely that I trust him for life euerlasting With such reasoning a man must make that sinne lothsome to his soule and then seeing himselfe a masse of vnbeleefe must look vnto Christ and call to him as the authour and finisher of faith must cry Lord helpe my vnbeleefe must set the promises before him and chaine himselfe fast to the meditation of them Vse 1 Seeing then we should giue such diligence this way how are they then to be blamed that seeke not after it lying in vnbeleefe How are others to bee taxed who though they haue faith never awake themselues to lay hould of God Which the Prophet bewaileth Esay 64 7 Vse 2 There is none that stirreth vp hâ—mselfe c. And it doth teach vs our duty euen to liue the life of faith in al things euen in regard of naturall actions and ciuil to see Christ moue vs in them In feeding 〈◊〉 abour to hold Chr. by faith that his spirit may â—â—ach vs to eat drink to his glory that is with fear thaÌ„kfulnes sobriety remembring of our duty which wee are after to performe If wee goe hither or thither vvee must doo it by faith seeing vvee mooue in God and he is the keeper of our out-goings and incommings If vvee sleep we must not onely consider fâ—mes asceÌ„ding which cause but the promise of God that giueth sleepe to his beloued yea vvee must apprehend God as our life and length of our daies not resting in temperanâ—â—s coÌ„stitutions The second thing to bee marked is the commendations of faith teaching vs what fiâ—rce is in faith to keep vs against all assaults of the diuell Wee are kept by the power of GOD through faith to salvation 1. Pet. 1.5 This one is as all the rest and therefore is called our victory which ouer commeth the world 1. Iohn 5.4 And it is so mighty that the powers of hell cannot preuaile against it Now for the fuller vnderstanding you must knowe what is meant by fiery darts secondly how faith doth extinguish them It is a borrovved speech from poisoned darts vvhich venime and cause fiery heat in the person they enter 〈◊〉 so all those courses vvhereby Satan sendeth scorching heat into the soule are noted by them these are either terrors appreheÌ„ding a wrath which is a fire that drinketh the spirit as Iob speaketh And Paul 2. Cor. 7.5 Fightings vvithout terrors vvithin vve had no rest or sinful lusts vvhich hee doth vvreath against vs vvhich are as fire Iames 3 fire of hell Iob 31 Adultery a fire burning to destruction or outvvard calamities and persecutions vvhich are called heats and fiery trials Novv faith doth quench these after a double manner sometime not letting them enter but doth latch them that they do fall off vvithout pearcing vs. This Paul Rom. 7 vvhen the lavv came savv his cursednes 2. Cor. 7.2 had invvard terrours the diuell likewise did buffet him with sinfull suggestions 2. Cor. 12. Hee had troubles as thick as hailstones following him yet this preuail'd not against him because hee kept the faith Peter Luke 22 had the dart stuck in him awhile but faith did renew repentance and healed him making the poison of sin a treacle Heb. 11.34 By faith the Saints endured all affliction yea quenched the fire yea chose them before release And wee see by experience that when the diuell doth lighten about vs with the wilde fire of lusts tempting vs to them that when vvee looke to Christ as who hath dissolued the power of Satan who hath crucified the power of them said they shall not raigne ouer vs this doth slake the fire Againe wheÌ„ fears assault vs coming to peace in Christ vvee are saued when troubles come faith maketh vs liue like the bush in the fire without burning Whrefore this must Vse 1 1. teach vs how wretched their estate is who beleeue not vvho haue not their mindes and hearts so vvrought towards Christ that his spirit hath made them nevv creatures they that haue not this faith ly open to all the assaults of the diuell He that beleeueth not Gods vvrath is on him the fiery darts sticke in him Vse 2 Secondly it must teach vs to seek after this for God thus highly praiseth it that knovving the vvorth of it vvee may labour after it If enemies did besiege vs were it not vvell vvith him that vvere locked vp in a tovver invincible so vvhen death and enmity cometh against vs this faith doth lock vs in Gods faithfulnesse mercie and povver that nothing can hurt vs. Vse 3 That faith hath this effect is a notable dissvvasiue from euer embracing this popish faith the vvhich is seuered from all affiance