STedfastnesse of faith, The scope of the text. with a direction how to stand therein, and to withstand all the opposers thereof, is the argument of the Apostle in these words. And this argument (Right honourable, Right wor­shipfull, and beloved) I thought the fittest for me to treat of, at this time, in this place; in as much, as ye are all by professi­on, the servants and souldiers of Christ. And by practise also his faithfull servants, for all I know. So that I have no cause to incite you to begin, but ra­ther to continue in well doing: to continue Christs [Page 2] faithfull servants and souldiers, unto your lives end. This continuance is the Apostles, and my scope.

And the occasion this: The occa­sion. The Apostle, having in the former part of this Epistle, delivered many holy, and heavenly exhortations, as that wee should walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, c. 4. 1. That we should endeavour to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, v. 2. That we should put off the old man, even the corruption of our nature, which is as old as man­kind; and to put on the new man, even Christ Ie­sus, with his merits, and manners, v. 22. 23. That we should have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkenesse, but rather reprove them, c. 5. v. 11. That we should traine up those that belong to our charge, in the instruction, and feare of the Lord, c. 6. 4. In a word, that we should all live in obedience, performing our severall duties, to each other, c. 5. 21. c. 6. 1. having delivered these, and many other pious exhortations:

And withall, perceiving that no man can set himselfe to follow these precepts, and to doe these duties, but that he shall find many discouragemēts, many lets and hinderances, some from flesh and blood within, others from Sathan and the world without. Yea, and such discouragements, as that man of himselfe is not able to withstand, & to stand perfect in all things. Perceiving this, the Apostle, like a faithfull Minister, and a good Leader of the Lord of hosts, animates and incites his fellowes, and followers to stand fast in the faith, 2. Cor. 16. 13. to quit [Page 3] themselues like men, to be strong, saying, My Bre­thren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. v. 10. Heb. 12. v. 1. Runne on with patience the race (or the conflict) that is set before you. Runne on, notwithstanding all the wrestling, and striving of the flesh, the world, and the Devill to the contrary. And this that they might the better doe, he tells them how to strengthen, and arme themselues to that purpose, saying, Take unto you the whole ar­mour of God, that ye may be able to stand, in the evill day, and to stand perfect in all things. And thus you see the scope, and the occasion of the words.

Now that I may goe on in a method, The generall parts of the text. in the fur­ther opening and handling hereof, may it please you, to observe with me these 2 parts. First a con­flict. 2 Secondly a conquest. 1

The conflict in these words, A Conflict wherein 3. things. [...], we wrestle.

The conquest in these, [...] put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand. In the conflict, note with me these three things: 1. the combatants. 2. the cause of the combate, and 3. the time.

The combatants of the one side as defendants, 1 are we, we wrestle. The combatants of the other side, The comba­tants of both sides. as assaylants, are the flesh, the world, and the Devill. We wrestle against flesh and blood, against principalities, and powers, against spirituall wic­kednesses. Indeed, the text faith here, we wrestle not against flesh & blood, as if that were not an as­sayling enemy. But the meaning is not so; the A­postle, [Page 4] in saying, we wrestle not against flēsh and blood, doth not meane, not at all; but not so much, as Bullinger; not alone, as Calvin and Zanchius up­on the place; not only, as appeares by collation of scripture. For in another place, the Apostle saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit, Gal. 5. 17. So then, the flesh, that is, our owne corrupt flesh and blood. And againe, the flesh, that is, other wicked men, which are flesh and blood, as we are, these together with Sathan, here called principalities, and powers are the enemies that we are to com­bate with.

2 The cause of the combate is, [...], in coelestibus, The cause of the combat. in heavenly things, that is, pro coelestibus, as Chrysostome, Oecumenius, aud Musculus upon the place. Illud enim in coelestibus, est pro eo quod est pro coelestibus. The English renders in coelestibus, in high places, not in heavēly things, but [...] (1.) pla­ces: the substantive, is not in the originall, but on­ly the adjective, [...] (1.) heavenly, so that we may referre the adjective Coelestibus, either to locis, places, or rebus things, according as our Church doth elsewhere, Dominicall Epist. 21. and both true, for it is true, that Sathan, the enemy of mankind, fights against us in coelestibus locis, in high places, for he is the Prince of the aire. Ephes. 2. 2. And it is true likewise, that hee fights against us in coelestibus rebus, about heavenly things, as Gods glory, our owne salvation, the gra­ces of Gods spirit, and eternall happinesse. And this, non ut ipse victoriam adeptus, aliquid consequa­tur, not to doe himselfe good, sed ut nos privet, to [Page 5] doe us hurt. And so here, he fights against us, in coelestibus, about heavenly things, ut nos illis spoli­at, that he might deprive us of them. And this is the cause of the combate.

The time thereof, is the time present, [...], saith the text, that is, The time of the Combate. there is a wrestling, speak­ing 3 in the present tense. And as there is, so there will be, quamdiù nos, & principes tenebrarum, as long as the servants of God, and sonnes of Belial, the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent doe last together, that is, as long as the world lasts, that is the limited time of this combate. And these be the particulars of the Conflict.

In the Conquest likewise we have three things 2 to consider. 1. A Conquest, wherin 3 things. the meanes how it is to be obtained. 2. The manner how the said meanes is to bee used. And 3. the motive. The meanes. The meanes is, the armour of 1 God. The manner how to use it, The manner. is to put it on. The 2 motive is, that ye may stand. These bee the parts and particulars, both of Conflict, and Conquest, The motive. 3 of which in order.

And first of the Conflict, Conflict. 1. Part. Combatants of the one side, we. and therein of the combatants, we, [...], we wrestle. We, that is, we that be faithfull in Christ Iesus, Ephes. 1. v. 1. v. 1. we that come to serve the Lord, Ecclus. 2. v. 1. spe­cially we that serve at the Altar, and are the Mini­sters of Iesus Christ; as S. Paul, we must wrestle, and fight the Lords battailes against his, and our enemies.

The condition of the children, A Christians life militarie. and servants of God in this life, is military: [...] a warfare upon earth, as Iob saith, c. 7. v. 1. God that is a [Page 6] man of warre, Exod. 15. 3. made man also to be-a man of warre, Gen. 3. 15. putting enmity be­tweene the woman, and the Serpent, and between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Ser­pent, and saying, it shall breake thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. And this breaking and brui­sing, this warring and wrestling, which the Lord did then proclaime betweene the woman and the Serpent, and betweene her seed and his seed, hath gone along, and continued to this very day, even to us, so that nobis Lucta, we wrestle.

We, all we that have given up our names unto Christ, and taken the oath of allegeance unto him, in our Baptisme, and renewed it by receiving the Lords supper, and so professed open hostility a­gainst Satan, the world, and the flesh, wee must wrestle. Hic in castris, ille in rostris, in scholis, in ne­more, in agro, in pelago, in palatio; hic ferro cor­pus, ille animum dolis, hit argutiis linguam; hic pe­dibus, ille equo, hic currit, ille navigat, omnes mili­tant, as Petrarch hath it. Whosoever will live god­ly in Christ, must warre with the Dragon, and his Angels, Revel. 12. 7. 17.

Specially if wee bee any thing zealous for the Lord of hoasts, Act. 20. As Elijah, 1. Kings 17. or earnest in in Gods cause, as S. Paul, or forward for the word of God, and for the testimony of Iesus Christ, as S. Iohn, Revel 1. 9, then we must looke for sharpe affronts, and hard oppositions, harder then if wee be remisse and carelesse in Gods cause. Sathan is no opposer of such as live securely in their sinnes. His kingdome is not divided against it selfe, Ma [...]k. 4. 25. he is more [Page 7] crafty then so. His bent is against the good, and the best most. The greatest temptation that ever hee made was against Christ, and so is still against good Christians. He will sift them, Luk. 22. 31. they shall be sure to feele his fiery darts, they must wre­stle.

Yea, and this wrestling or Conflict is not a mat­ter of sport, as the word [...] is sometime taken; but such as maketh the body of him that striveth to shake againe: [...] enim dicitur quia corpus [...] (1) quatitur. 7 Properties whereby to approve ourselves good souldiours of Iesus Christ. The Christians war is a fierce warre.

Now this being so, that our life is a souldiours life, a warfare upon earth, a continuall wrestling and fighting with Sathan and his complices; Let us consider our calling, and endeavour to walke wor­thy of it, in shewing our selves good souldiours of Iesus Christ. Let us not thinke it enough to take presse money, and to beare the name, and to receive the pay of good souldiours, but let us approve our selves such, by our good service, and performance of the parts of good souldiours, and amongst o­ther, in these.

First in forethinking of the Crosse, and provi­ding 1 for it: Thus a good souldiour, hee doth not thinke to live stil in garison at ease: hee thinks of sharpe Conflicts, and hard trialls, and prepares for them; in the day of peace he prepares for battell, in a calme he expects a storme, and so must wee, for faire weather will not last alwayes.

Aestas non semper fuerit, Virgil. componite nidos.

A good souldier careth but litle for the world, 2 no man that warreth, intangleth himselfe with the [Page 8] things of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to bee a souldiour, saith the Apo­stle, 2. Tim. 2. 4. And so, if we be for Christs ser­vice, we must not be for the world, for wee cannot serve two Masters, two such contrary comman­ding Masters, as God & Mammon, Mat. 6. 24. yea to warre a good warfare, we must abstaine not on­ly from the care of this life, but from every wick­ed thing, Deut. 23. 9. so saith the Lord, when thou goest out a­gainst thine enemy to fight, abstaine from every e­vill thing. For this weakens us, and turnes God a­gainst us.

A good souldiour will endure hardnesse, hard 3 fare, hard lodging, Non est in ter­ris mollis ad astra via. And so must we; if we will approve our selves good souldiours of Christ, we must abate of our dainty feeding, of our soft clothing, and lazy living. We must mo­derate our selves of our too many pleasures, and endure hardnesse. So saith the Apostle, endure hardnesse as a good souldiour of Iesus Christ, 2. Tim. 2. 3. and so he did himselfe, he was in labours abundant &c. 2. Cor. 11. 23. and so Christ our cap­taine he endured the crosse, Heb. 12. 1. leaving us an example.

A good souldiour will keepe his ranke, knowing 4 that when the ranks are broken, Ordo est ma­ter & conser­vatrix rerum omnium. A­rist. polit. l. 2. the victory is in hazard: And so must we, saith the Apostle; let all things be done in order, 1. Cor. 14. 40. Let every one abide in the vocation wherein he is called, 1. Cor. 7. 20. Study to be quiet, medling with your owne busines, 1. Thes. 4. 11. not with the busines of Princes, and prelats, teaching them what lawes [Page 9] and orders to make, this is to breake our ranke. If a more be in the eye, the feete is no fit member to pull it out, the hand is to doe that: And so if things be amisse in church, or common-wealth, private men may not presume to bee reformers therein, they must leave that to Moses and Aaron the Prince and the Priest, the two hands of the body politick, Psal. 77. 20.

A good souldiour wil obey his captaine, and 5 doe as he commands him, Mat. 8. 9. Intenti fue­runt ad Ducis verbum imò & ad nutum. Curt. l. 4. if he say come, he com­eth, or goe, & he goeth, or doe this, and he doth it, so the Centurions servant, and the souldiers of A­lexander, as Curtius writes. And so we, if we will approve ourselves good souldiours of Christ, we must obey his commands, in comming, going, and doing as he bids us. If we be his servants wee must obey him, for his servants we are, to whom we obey. Rom. 6. 16.

A good souldiour the more trust is committed 6 to him, and the more he is advanced by his sove­raigne Lord above others, the more carefull he is to approve himselfe well in his place. Thus Nehe­miah, shall such a man as I flye? a man so honored, so advanced above others, shall I so much forget my Lord, and the trust which he hath committed to me, as to sinne against him? I will never doe it. And so we, the more honour, the better place, and the greater pay wee have, the more faithfull wee should be, for to whom much is given, of them much is required. Luk. 12. 48.

A good souldiour will bee helpfull to his fel­low souldiours. It is reported of Trajan, that hee [Page 10] 7 would cut in peeces his own garments, Xiphlin. in vita Trajan. rather then his souldiours should want a ragge to bind up their wounds: And so if wee will approve our selves good souldiours of Christ, we must helpe and suc­cour one another. Rom. 12. 13. Gal. 6. 2. 10. We must distribute to the ne­cessity of the Saints; and helpe to beare one ano­thers burden, as the Apostle saith, wee must doe good to all, specially to them of the houshould of faith; and among them to your faithfull Mini­sters and preachers. (Indeed having food and rai­ment, we ought therewith to be contented, as the Apostle saith. 1. Tim. 6. v. 8. And food we have, that are called to this place, and wee thanke you for it. But rai­ment, (1.) a gowne we want, we are faine to seeke for, and sometime to goe without, at least to bee content with that which is not fit. If this defect be for want of information, I pray take this. Having gone through with the weightier matters, doe not sticke at the least: without any more adoe, afford I pray you, your fellow souldiour, a coate fit for his place.)

A good souldiour is watchfull to foresee dan­gers, 8 to give warning thereof unto others, and withall to prevent them as much as he may: And so we must have the eye of our minds alwayes a­wake to see and observe what particular temptati­ons doe arise against us, either from within or from without. Mark. 13. 33. 37. Thus saith our Saviour often, watch. And so the Apostle, be sober and watch, because your adversary the Devill, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devoure, 1. Pet. 5. 8.

9 A good souldiour, will fortifie himselfe there [Page 11] most, where hee thinks the enemy will make his greatest assault. And now Sathan our deadly enemy labours most to overthrow our faith, Rom. 10. 8. and to op­pose the Scripture which is the word of faith. Luk. 22. 31. 32. Hee labours specially to shake our faith, 2. Cor. 5. Psal. 1 [...]6. so saith Christ, Sathan hath desired to winnow your faith. And this, because it is the speciall gift of Gods elect, Tit. 1. 1. The mother grace, the ground of obedi­ence, of feare, of joy, our choicest weapon, even our shield and buckler, the victory whereby wee overcome, 1. Ioh. 5. Hee endeavours likewise with great earnestnesse to oppose the word of God, and to call in question the truth thereof, and to bring it out of credit. Thus he dealt in tempting of Eve, saying, hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden, least ye dye? he knew God had said it, and that in the day they should eat thereof, they should dye. Gen. 3. 1. 3. 4. And yet hee labours to make them doubt of that truth, which hee and they knew too well. And so againe in tempting of Christ, where­as God the Father said, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased. Mat. 3. 17. C. 4. Sathan hee comes with his, If thou be the Son of God, and so would make a doubt of it.

Knowing then what Sathan and his agents la­bour most, even to call into question the truth of Gods word, and to overthrow our faith therein, there let us fortifie our selves most; seeing there he oppugnes most, thither let us bring our greatest strength.

A good souldiour will rightly discerne betwixt the head of the body, and other inferiour parts, so [Page 12] that if he put any to the hazard, hee will put those that are lesse principall. But as for the head, which like the tower of David, hath a superintendency a­bove the rest, this he will be sure to ward.

And so above all, wee must bee sure to looke to our head Christ Iesus, that he be not wounded: specially that he be not put downe, and deprived of his kingly, 2. Thes. 2. 3. 4. priestly, and propheticall office, by that man of sinne, the Sonne of perdition, who oppo­seth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God, or is worshipped. The head, as Plato sayes, is the seat of life, and being. But certaine it is, in Christ the head of the Church, and of our faith, is life, and eternall life, as the Apostle saith. In him is life, 1. Ioh. 11. 12. and no where else to bee had, according to that of the same Apostle, hee that hath the Sonne hath life, and he that hath not the Sonne, hath not life.

I say then with our Saviour, Mat. 10. 16. bee wise as Ser­pents, in saving the head, for therein their chifest wisdome consists, as Pliny writes. This is the sure hold, in capite, to hold the head Christ. But alas there bee too many now adayes that doe not hold this head. Of this sort are they who worship Saints and Angels, as the Apostle saith, Colos. 2. 18. Spe­cially those Qui Mariam Virginem Christo ip­si anteponunt, dum eam sic inclamant, roga patrem, jube natum, jure matris impera. Item dum ei epi­theta Christo propria attribuunt, dicentes, felix Coeli porta, Item regina misericordiae, vita & spes nostra, &c.

These doe not hold the head, and so doe not [Page 13] shew themselves wise souldiours, not so wise as Serpents in their kind.

A good souldiour will set upon his enemies be­times, while he is in his best strength, in the spring of his youth, and cannot deferre it till the winter of old age. And so must we, to approve our selues good souldiours, we must resist the Devill and his temptations, while our power is at the best, and not put it off till we be old, Ovid. and decrepit. Turpe se­nex miles; Old decrepit men are not fit for the field, A man upon his death-bed is not fit to master a Giant. And no more is a man so fit to fight with a Dragon and his Angels, the Devill and his Com­plices, when his power is at the weakest. Eccles. 12. 1. I say then with the wise man, remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, before the old and evill dayes, come, or the yeares draw nigh, when thou wilt say, I haue no pleasure in them. Set thy selfe to wrestle against thy adversaries, 2. Sam. 11. [...]. when Kings goe forth to warre, that is, at the begining of the yeare, in the Prime of thy time, before Sathans temptati­ons by continuance get strength, and thy power is lessened.

A good souldiour will have speciall care to strengthen himselfe where he is weakest, and there to lay most matter of defence. And so it is wis­dome for us to observe our owne weaknesse, and personall corruptions, and there to fortifie our selves; Though there be in every one of us the seed, and spawne of all sinnes, yet there is none but is more prone to some one sinne then to another. As some to walke after the flesh, Susanna. as the two Iudges of [Page 14] Israel. 2. Tim. c. 4. 10. Others to love the present world, Iudith c. 12. 20. as Demas. Dan. 5. 2. Others to overcharge themselves with surfeting & drunkennesse, Isa. 36. 4. as Holofernes & Balthazar. Others to sweare and blaspheame Gods name, as Rabsha­keth &c. Whatsoever our weaknesse & personall in­firmity is, let us observe it and there lay most mat­ter of defence, so that we may be able to say with David, I have eschued mine owne wickednesse, Psal. 18. 23.

13 A good souldiour will endeavour to repell, & to withstād the first assault of the enemy, & not suffer him to come to scale the wall, or into the Market place, with purpose to drive him out againe. He will keepe him out without bullets reach if he can: And so must we, if wee be wise; wee must resist the first motions of sinne and Sathan, and beate backe the first assault, wee must breake the head of the Serpent, hit Goliah in the forehead, treade downe sinne in the shell, and dash Sathans brood against the stones while their are infants. Sathan is more easily driven back at the first, then afterwards, therefore principijs obsta, put back the first assault.

14 A good souldiour will command more with a veni, then an ito. As Circero reports of Caesar, to his eternall praise, that is, more by patterne, then by precept: And so to prove our selves good souldi­ours of Iesus Christ, wee must not only call upon others, doing nothing our selves; but we must call by our own forwardnes and example, which is the strongest authority and the most persuasive argu­ment.

15 A good souldiour is not ashamed to weare his [Page 15] captaines colours; or to confesse his name; or of wounds which he hath received in his service: And so to prove our selves fathfull servants and soul­diers of Christ, wee must not be ashamed to con­fesse the faith of Christ crucified, or of his livery and cognizance, which is the hearing of his word, and receiving of his Sacraments, or of suffering for his names sake. The Prophet David did professe to speake of Gods testimonies before Kings, and not to be ashamed. Psal. 119. S. Paul said to the Ro­mans, that he was not ashamed of the Gospell, Rom. 1. 16. or of suffering afflictions for preaching the Gospell 2. Tim. 1. 12. neither may we; if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not bee ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalfe, 1. Pet. 4. 16.

A good souldiour is primus in pralio, and postre­mus 16 in fuga, as it is said of Xerxes, that is, the first in the fight, and the last in the flight. Nay hee will not flye at all, except his captaine sound a retraite, or otherwise command him, knowing that there is Martiall law, present death, if hee should doe so: And so if we will approve our selves good souldi­ours of Christ, wee must bee ready, & forward to fight under his banner against sinne, the world, and the Devill. We must be forward & continue faith­full in the fight, & that unto the death. Thus S. Paul, he fought the good fight and finished his course. 2. Tim. 4. 7. And so must we, Finis coronat opus. Qui fugit huic meritò nulla corona datur. If any man draw back, my soule shall have no pleasure in him, saith the Lord, Heb. 10. 38. There is no safety in flying; here is no peece of armour appointed for the back in all this Pano­ply, [Page 16] but only for the fore-parts; Psal. 78. v. 10. but only for the fore-parts; to signify that we, should not like those of Ephraim, turne our backs in the day of battell, but looke our enemies in the face, and, as the Numantine, rather dye then flye.

17 A good souldiour will take speciall notice of his chiefest enemies, and bend himselfe most a­gainst them. For though in battells they fight a­gainst the whole army, yet specially against the head and Generall. Thus the King of Siria, being to fight with an army of the Israelites, at Ramoth Gilead, hee commanded his thirty and two cap­taines which had rule over his charets, saying, fight neither with small nor great, but only with the King of Israel, 1. Kings 22. 31. And thus must we in our spirituall warfare; we must fight against the whole army of sinne, but specially against the King, and ruling sinne, against chiefe leaders of sin, those being taken, the rest will never stand. If Holo­fernes be slaine, his souldiours will flye. Iudith c. 15. 1. 12. If the sheapheard bee once strucke, the sheep will soone be scattered, Mat. 26. 31.

Neither need we to goe farre, Combatants of the adverse part. 3. to take a view of our chiefer enemies. Here they are neare at hand, personated, and deciphered unto us, in number three, in quality most notorious.

1 The first, that enters the list, is [...], flesh & blood, The flesh. or blood and flesh, as the originall runnes. That is, that corruption of nature, which hath de­filed both body and soule, being spread and mixt, with every part of both, even as the light mingled with darknesse, in the twy-light, or dawning of [Page 17] the day. This corruption and depravednesse of na­ture, here called flesh & blood, is one of the chiefe enemies, that we have to combate, and wrestle with in this world. Indeed, the Apostle here, doth prefixe a non to this, saying, [...] that is, we wrestle not against flesh and blood. But this non, is not to be understood, simply, as not at all, but not only, (as is said before) our owne cor­rupt nature is one, but not our only enemy. It is one of our enemies, so saith the Apostle, the carnall mind is enmity against God, Rom. 8. 7. it lusteth against the spirit, Galat. 5. 17. it rebelleth against the law of the mind, Rom. 7. 23. 24. Let a man but will that which is good, and evill is present with him; as the Apostle saith, Rom. 7. 21. If a man have a mind to pray, or to praise God, to give, or to for­give, to doe, or to suffer any thing according to Gods will, the corrupt flesh is ready to contrary it, and to say with the sluggard, Prov. 6. v. 10. yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, or to say as Peter did to Christ speaking of his death, this be farre from thee, this shall not be unto thee, Mat. 16. 22.

A mans owne heart is as arch a traytor, as any he shall meet withall, and as dangerous; and the more, because he is not a forraine but an home-bred ene­my, fighting not as a tall souldiour, but as a crafty traytor rebelling against the spirit; like Dalilah in Sampsons bosome, or Iudas in Christs company; like the moth in the garment, it is bred in us, and dayly cherished by us, and yet frets and destroyes us. The heart is deceitfull above all things, as the [Page 18] Prophet saith, Ier. 17. 9. Yea more deceitfull then Sathan himselfe in some respect, for our owne hearts can deceive us of themselves, without Sa­than: but not Sathan without our hearts. Nemo laeditur nisi à seipso, is a true saying. There is no mischiefe that we fall into, but we ourselves are at least coadjutive causes, and doe helpe to further the matter. Indeed Sathan is as the father begetting, but our corrupt heart is as the mother conceiving, and bringing forth sinne. Sathan the father of sin, could doe nothing without this Mother. The De­vill cannot prevaile against us but by the helpe of our owne corruption; he might strike fire long e­nough, ere there would bee any burning, did not we find him tinder. Grande malum voluntas propira, as Bernard saith, Ser. 71. in Cant. a mans worst foes are they of his own houshold, of his own bosome, even his owne naughty heart and corrupt affecti­ons. Every man is tempted by his owne con­cupiscence as the Apostle saith, Iam. 1. 14. This carrieth the chiefest stroke in our sinnes. The De­vell hath astutiam suadendi, a persuading slight, but he hath not potentiam cogendi, an inforcing might, as S. August. in Psal. 91. He cannot make us sinne against our wills, if hee plow not with our heifer, Iudges 14. 18. he can get no advantage over us.

Behold then and consider who is your enemy, it is not so much a forrain, as a domestick foe, a mans foes are they of his owne houshold, the head-strong passions, and the unruly affections of our owne corrupt hearts, are the greatest enemies that wee are to wrestle with. Wee wrestle against flesh and blood.

[Page 19] Now knowing this to bee so, let us put this knowledge in practise, knowledge without practise is nothing worth, ignis fatuus, it is like the blazing lampe of the foolish virgins, that could not light them to the Bridegroomes chamber, it will doe no good unlesse wee doe thereafter. Psal. 111. v. 10. Let us doe then. Which is thus.

First in regard that flesh and blood, 7 Things to be done by us, because the flesh is an adversary of ours. that is, our corrupt nature, is an enemy of ours, hereby let us learne to take heed of our selves. Ita cave tibi ut ca­veas teipsum, is the counsell of the wise, that is, so take heed to thy selfe of other enemies, as that thou take heed of thy selfe as an enemy. A me, me salve, Domine, was the prayer of S. Austine, that is, from mine owne selfe, good Lord deliver me. And so we had need to pray; for our owne hearts, though they would bee taken for our familiar friends, yet they will deceive us, if wee take not heed, Quocun (que) in­gredimur se­quitur, unà adest in tuis aedibus, unà bi­bit unà come­dit, unà dor­mit. Terent. as they did the Gentiles. Rom. 1. 21. Yea and though wee resist never so much, yet these decei­vers will stick close to us, and follow us at all times, in all places, upon all occasions, still ready furnished with deceit to beguile us. And therefore let no man repose too much confidence in his owne heart. He that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole, saith Solomon, Prov. 28. v. 26.

Secondly, hereby let us learne not to bee over­forward 2 in consulting with flesh and blood, when any thing is to be done. Will a King counsell with a traytor, whom he knowes to bee so? This were to ruinate himselfe, and his kingdome. Will any man goe to such a Lawyer, whose counsell hee [Page 20] knowes to be meere deceit and consenage? That were to overthrow himselfe and his cause. Now the flesh is a traytor, and seekes thy destruction. A deceiver that gives ill counsell, 1 Kings 12. v. 10. as the young men to Rehoboam. Consult not then with it, in nothing follow the counsell of the flesh. But as S. Paul when hee was to goe to Hierusalem, to take upon him the calling of an Apostle, did not consult with flesh and blood, as himselfe saith, Gal. 1. 16. So when any thing is to be done, be not over-for­ward to consult with flesh and blood, but with Gods spirit, in Gods word, for the wisdome of the spirit is life and peace, Rom. 8. 6.

3 And so likewise, when any matter of faith and religion is proposed, and comes to be weighed and embraced; Weigh it not in the ballance of humane reason, but in the ballance of the sanctuary, that is the word of God, leane not too much to your owne understanding and judgement in these matters. For what good judgement is to bee expected of one that is an enemy to goodnesse? and such is the carnall mind, an enemy, yea enmi­ty against God; it is not subject to the will of God, neither indeed can bee, Rom. 8. 7. it perceiveth not the things of the spirit, 1. Cor. 1. 14. Men that are dimme-sighted, and cannot discerne without spectacles, if they bee put to descry a thing a farre off, the most of them would bee of di­verse opinions of it; And men enlightned and re­generated in this life, 1. Cor. 13. v. 32. doe but see in a glasse darkly. But the naturall man seeth not, neither can hee dis­cerne at all the things of the spirit. I say then with [Page 21] Solomon, Prov. 3. v. 5. 7. leane not to your owne understanding; specially in matters of religion. Bee not wise in your owne conceits, least in seeking to bee wise, ye become foolish, as the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 22.

Fourthly, because flesh & blood is an adversary 4 of ours, boast not neither bragge of your owne good nature. Is there any good in fighting against the spirit of God? in hindring and striving to sup­presse all good motions. And this is all that the flesh doth. This is the condition of our owne na­ture; for if we believe & confesse Christ, no thanks to our good nature, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto us, as Christ told Peter, Mat. 16. 17. If we haue any good in us, we are not deb­tors to the flesh for it, as S. Paul saith, Rom. 8. 12. Let not any then glory of their owne good nature, Ier. 9. v. 23. but hee that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, from whom commeth every good and perfect gift, Iam. 1. 17.

Further, because flesh blood is an enemy, let 5 no man bragge and prate too much of his gen­try, and parentage, be it never so great. For what doe we derive from our naturall parents, bee they never so great and famous in their generations? Nothing but flesh & blood: for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, Ioh. 3. 6. And the flesh without a regeneration is but a rebel, Mat. 3. v. 9. Rom. 7. 23. say not then, yee have Abraham to your father unlesse yee doe the works of Abraham, boast not of great blood, unlesse it be great and good: corrupt flesh and blood, such as every mans is by nature, being conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquity, Psal. 51. v. 5. [Page 22] cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1. Cor. 15. 50. We must be borne againe, having our old corruption done away, and new grace restored, before wee can see the kingdome of heaven. Nobilitas so­la est at (que) unica virtus. Ioh. 3. 3. therefore gaudeant bene nati, quando renati. Let no man boast of his birth, except it be his new birth, for therein is the true nobility.

6 Againe, in regard that flesh and blood is an ene­my of ours, hereby let us learne not to feed & pam­per our selves by too much eating and drinking, or soft clothing: but to beat down the body, & to keep it in subjection, 1. Cor. 9. 27. as the Apostle did: plaine fare, and course aray is good enough for an enemy. Bread and water is sufficient, if not too much for him now and then. We mistake our selves too much, when wee are so carefull for our bodies, saying, what shall wee eat? and what shall wee drink? and wherwith shall wee be clothed? For in so doing, we doe as the Israelites did with the Canaanites, even nourish a snake in our own bosome. We strengthen our enemy to cut our owne throates. For our flesh is of slavish disposition. If a slave be well used; he will grow saucy, and malepert: hee that bringeth up his servant delicatly, hee will bee as his sonne, as Solomon saith, Prov. 2. 21. Nay hee will overtop him, as Ieroboam did Rehoboam. This slave then, the flesh, must have a straight hand over it, wee must keepe him short, if wee deale wisely, specially wee must make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof, that is the counsell of the Apostle, Rom. 13. 14.

[Page 23] Lastly, because the flesh is an enemy that wee 7 must wrestle with, I beseech you, with the Apostle, to abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule, 1. Pet. 2. 11. what those fleshly lusts are, the Apostle sets downe, Galat. 5. 19. saying, the works of the flesh are these, adultery, fornicatiō &c.

But there are some fleshly lusts which fight a­gainst the soule in a speciall manner, which I be­seech you to abstaine from. And namely these, fu­ry, fornication, drunkennesse, gluttony, avarice, idlenesse, pride: fury fights against the soule like a mad Turke; the furious mans execrable oaths are so many scabbs to the soule: fornication like treacherous Ioab, 2. Sam. 20. 9. and false hearted Iudas doth kisse to kill: drunkennes is the master-gunner, that sets all on fire: Gluttony will stand for a corporall: Avarice will stand for a pioner: Idlenes for a gentleman of company: And pride must be the captaine. All these are sore enemies to the soule, most deadly enemies; to bee carnally minded is death, Rom. 8. 6. Let us then carefully looke to them, and wrestle against them, and endeavour to withstand them. Doe this, and shew your selves courageous indeed; for, ‘Fortior est qui se, quam qui fortissima vincit’

Moenia, he that is slow to anger, is better then the mighty, he that ruleth his spirit, then he that cōque­reth a city, Prov. 16. 32. Againe doe this, and doe all other commandements, even the hardest. The hear­dest thing in the judgment of Caesar, is seipsum vin­cere, for a man to overcome himselfe; so that Tunc omnia jura tenebis, cum poteris Rex esse tui. Finally doe this, and ye are made, made kings to God, Re­vel. [Page 24] vel. 1. 6. kings of great rule.

Of greater rule, then if thou hadst the heathen to thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth, to thy possession.

But are these all the enemies that we have, to wre­stle with? not so. This is but our captaine, with his company, even the flesh, with the unruly affe­ctions thereof.

2 There is another enemy, which wee have to wrestle, The second adversary of christians, the world. and to encounter with, that is, the world. Mundus immūdus, the uncleane, unbelieving world, with the temptations, and allurements thereof. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood only, that is, our owne flesh and blood. But against flesh and blood, that is, other wicked men, which are flesh and blood, as we are.

The wicked world is another enemy, that we, and all other christians are to wrestle with. Iohn 16. 33. Of this our Saviour speaketh, saying, the world hateth you, Ioh. 15. 19. In the world ye shall have tribu­lations. And so doth the Apostle, saying, in the world there are many adversaries, 1. Cor. 16. 9. There are some violent, as persecuting Emperours: Others fraudulent, as subtill Hereticks. A third both violent & fraudulent, as pestilent Antichrists, in the kingdome of Popery, The army of the world a­gainst christi­ans. where the temporall power, and the spirituall are joyned together, a­gainst all that is called God, as Luther hath it, Loc. [Page 25] Com. Tit. de persecutione verae Ecclesiae.

The army wherewith the world fights against the faithfull servants, Aquinas in prima. and souldiours of Christ, Iohn c. 5. 4. con­sists of two wings, as Aquinas notes. One is the wing of adversity, on the left hand. And the other is the wing of prosperity on the right. By the wing of ad­versity, the wicked of the world doe set upon the Christian souldiours, diverse wayes. As sometime in their body, sometime in their goods, and sometime in their good name. And in all, many times, they give them the foile, provoking them, and sometime prevailing with them to forget their vow, and pro­mise with God; and to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience. By the wing of adversity Pseudo­apostles were overcome; 1. Tim. 1. v. 19. even for feare of persecu­tion for the crosse of Christ, Galat. 6. 12. and so was Peter also, when he denyed his Master, Mat. 26.

But for one that falls by the onset of adversity, on the left hand, a thousand more are overthrowne by the incursion of prosperity on the right. By this Ba­laam was overcome, who loved the wages of unrigh­teousnesse, 2. Pet. 2. 15. By this Demas was over­throwne, who forsooke the Apostle Paul, for love of the present world, 2. Tim. 4. 10. yea and by this David was foyled, whom greivous adversity in the dayes of Saul, could not overcome. 1. Sam. 11. 2. And hereby also many are foyled in these dayes. Worldly hopes have drawne many from the sincerity of re­ligion, whom outward violence could not move. The sunshine of prosperity, hath made many to un­button, and to unlase themselves, whom the storme of adversity made to gird up their loynes. As those women of Israel sand of David, and Saul, by way of [Page 26] joy and gratulation, Sam. 18. 7. saying, Saul hath slaine his thou­sands, and David his tenne thousands: so wee may truly sing, of these two, by way of mourning, and la­mentation, saying, adversity hath slaine thousands, Mundus obsi­det me utrin (que) & per quin­ (que) portas, quin (que) sc: cor­poris sensus, sagitiis suis me vulnerat. Bern. me­dit. 14. prosperity tenne thousands. So that looke wee on what side we will; either the left side of adversity or the right side of prosperity, Retia vides, quaecun (que) vi­des. Wee shall find that wee walke in the middest of snares, as the wiseman saith, Ecclus. 9. 13. we shall be sure to finde the world an enemy, at all hands.

What shall we doe then in this case? My advise and counsell herein, 5 Things to be done, be­cause of the enmity of the world. is that of the Apostle, love not the world, neither the things of the world. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. And that of Christ, take heed least at any time your hearts bee overcharged with the cares of this life, Luk. 21. 34. should a man desire much to eat of choaking fruits? And such are the cares of the world, they choake the word, Mat. 13. 22. should a man ex­cessively love that, which will doe him much harme, pricke as thornes, and pierce with many sorrowes? And loe, 1. Tim. 6. 9. 10. so it is with those that love the world, they pierce themselves with many sorrowes, as the Apo­stle saith, they fall into many temptations, and snares, and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts, which drowne them in perdition and destruction. That which I said before then, I say againe with the Apo­stle, love not the world, neither the things of this world. Raise your affections from things that are on earth, Colos. 3. v. 2. and set them on things above. Some will say with the Pharisees, that they will love their friend, and hate their enemy. Make that good in this, and ye doe well, for the world is an enemy, that wee should hate, and not love.

[Page 27] Secondly, because the world is an enemy, won­der 2 not if good men bee not much respected, and re­garded in the world, as other men are; marvaile not if the world hate you, 1. Iohn 3. v. 13. S. Iohn saith: or if ye see good men, and good things opposed, and keept downe: Is it any wonder to see one enemy oppose and keepe down another? Oderunt hila­rem tristes triste (que) jocosi, Sedatum cele­res, agilem gnavum (que) re­missi. Horat. lib. 1. epist. 19. to see righteousnes & unrighteousnes, Christ and Belial, light and darknesse at discord and disagreements? surely no. Oderunt hilarem tristes &c. Contrary dispositions, have alwayes occasioned con­tentious oppositions. And therefore I say with the A­postle, thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tri­all, marvaile not if the world hate you, 1. Pet. 4. 12.

Thirdly because the world is an enemy, remem­ber 3 not to be too conversant with the wicked there­of, as with idolaters, fornicators, drunkards, swea­rers, or any wicked persons. Should a man desire the company of his enemies? Amb. Ser. 87. And such are these, & all o­ther workers of iniquity, yea majores sunt inimici mo­res pravi, quā hostes infesti; there are none more dead­ly enemies then ill company. Ephes. 5. v. 11. Avoid then, have no fel­lowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse: Re­mēber that there must be alwayes enmity between the seed of the woman, & the seed of the serpent, Gen. 3.

Moreover, because the world is an adversary of 4 ours, let us not build our faith upon the judgment or example of the world: should we build our faith and salvation upon the word and example of an enemy? And loe, such is the world, an enemy; yea, and a foole too, so saith the Apostle. The wisdome of this world is foolishnesse before God, 1. Cor. 1. 10. let no man then build his faith and salvation upon it: but upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Eph [...]s. 2. 20. [Page 28] that is, upon Iesus Christ, for other foundation can no man lay, to make sure work, 1. Cor. 3. 11. hee is the foundation of foundations, he is the sure rock, the the chiefe corner stone, elect, precious, on whom he that believeth, shall not be confounded, 1. Pet. 2. 6.

5 Lastly, seeing the world is an enemy, wrestling a­gainst us; let us likewise wrestle against it. If an inva­ding enemy be let alone, and no opposition made a­gainst him, he will quickly overrunne all, and bring all under him. We must looke to it then, how we let the world runne on in errours, in prophanenesse, in all kind of impiety, and irreligiousnesse. Specially you that bee the champions of the Lord of hoasts, the charrets of Israel, 2. Kings 2. 21. and the horse-men thereof, Rom. 13. 4. the Ministers of God to take vengeance on them that doe evill, you must looke to it, that ye beare not the sword in vaine, but that ye truly, and indiffe­rently minister justice, to the punishment of wicked­nesse and vice, and to the maintenance of Gods true religion and virtue. In the entrance of your professi­on, you have proclaimed, and vowed warre against the world, witnesse your Baptisme, doe not prove runnagate souldiours, and Apostates, in leaving Christs colours, to follow the world, away with such perfidiousnesse, bee faithfull, bee men of your words, and fight manfully under Christs banner, a­gainst this present evill world.

This is a hard service indeed, to wrestle and fight, contra gentes, against a world of wickednesse. But yet we must set to it, and verifie these words with our practise, that we wrestle, if wee will approve our selves, the true servants, and souldiours of Christ.

3 Yea and we have harder service then all this yet. [Page 29] Even a service against principalities, The third adversarie Christians the divell. and powers, a­gainst the Rulers of the darknesse of this world, a­gainst spirituall wickednesse in high places. That is, in a word, against the Devill. Quem Apostolus hic pluribus epithetis insignit, whom the Apostle here doth set forth by many names, and titles, ut intelli­gant lectores, quam non sit hostis ille contemnendus, saith Calvin; Calvin in so that the readers might know, that he is not an enemy to be sleighted at, but a chiefe, and an arch enemy, for so it is, he is [...], the enemy as he is called, by way of eminence, Mat. 13. 25. he is Cory­phaeus, the chiefe captaine and ringleader of all for­ces against us. As for the flesh and the world, qui no­bis molesti sunt, who vexe and trouble us, nihil aliud quam jacula ex Satanae manu emissa; They are no o­ther then the Devils instruments, even darts shot at us, by his hand, as Calvin upon the place. Nihil aliud sunt omnes impii, Gregor. Mo­ral. l. 13. c. 15 Ioh. 12. 31. Ephes. 2. v. 2 quam membra Diaboli, as Gregory in his Morals: [...], the Devill is [...], the prince, yea [...] principalitie, as he is here termed, having rule and dominion over the children of disobedience, by Gods permission, his owne usurpation, and their sub­jection, so that he is a principall enemy.

Againe the other titles here given unto him de­clared as much, [...] powers, this shewes that hee is a potent enemy, [...], spirituall wicked­nesse, or wicked spirits, this sheweth that he is a wily and crafty enemy. And all these together, shew that he is a mighty, cruell and cunning enemy. And this the Scripture doth further witnesse unto us, calling him a Lion for his might, a roaring Lion for his ma­lice, 1. Pet. 5. 8. A Dragon for his fury and felnesse. A great Dragon for his power and might. A great [Page 30] red Dragon for his bloody malice, [...]el. 12. 3. 4. and madnesse a­gainst Christ, and his members. A Dragon with 7 heads, for his manifold sleights and subtilties, wher­in he is his crafts master. A Dragon with 10 hornes for his dreadfull power. With 7 crownes upon his head, for his manifold victories over the world. A Dragon whose very taile drew the third part of the starres of heauen, and cast them to the earth, for his victory over many Ministers, which shined in life and doctrine as the starres of heauen, by the meanes of ambition, and covetousnesse, and other fleshly lusts. Further hee is called a Serpent for his sub­tiltie, and an old serpent for his great subtiltie, Gen. 3. 1. Revel.

He hath a thousand names, and a thousand wayes to hurt us, as Hierome to Heliodorus de vita eremitica.

Afford your attention a while, 9 Stratagems of the Devill to entrap men in. and I will discover some of his wiles, and stratagems unto you, that you may the better avoyd them. Mala eius cognita faci­lius evitantur. For it is easier to shunne knowne, then unexpected dangers.

1 One wile of Sathan to circumvent us, is to assault us at the first by small and light temptations. As a wise Captaine sends out his spies to see the state of the contrary army, their number & strength, and to view what advantages may be taken; and perhaps sends a skirmish only, to trie their purpose and strength: So Sathan he begins with light onsets, with small things, before he comes with his many forces. As thus, first he will tempt us to use small and mincing oathes, as faith, and troth, to use a little lying, a little stealing, to giue our eyes libertie to wander a little with [Page 31] wanton glaunces, to loose the reines of our tongues to friske it out a little in some idle and lascivious spee­ches. To unshackle our feet to carry us a little to such and such places of leud resort. Thus he begins with little things. As if a little leaven leavened not the whole lumpe, 1. Cor. 5. 6. as the Apostle saith. And a little leake in a shippe did not drowne all, unlesse it be stopt: And so a little sinne did not sinke us in the pit of perditi­on, unlesse it be repented of.

A second sleight of Sathan is to tempt us to yeeld 2 to him in one request and that for a little time, at least for once. As if he that keepes the whole law, and yet offends in one point (habitually) is not guil­ty of all, as the Apostle saith, Iam. 2. 10. or that one act of licentiousnesse did not engender the desire of two, and two the desire of fowre, and tenne the desire of twenty. And so, ‘Quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae,’ The more this stolne water is drunke, and this vice committed, the more the desire is increased.

A third wile of Sathan, is to promise great matters 3 of profit, Mat. 4. v. 9. pleasure, preferment, saying, Omnia haec tibi dabo, all these things will I give thee. That is, I will make thee Pope, as the Centuriators interpret it: Or I will give thee this Bishopricke, that Cardinallship, such a living, so much money, or maintenance, &c. All these will I give thee, if thou wilt worship me, by idolatry, superstition, blasphemie, prophanesse, or otherwise by breaking Gods commandements. As if Godlinesse were not the greatest gaine, 1. Tim. 6. v. 6 and the sweetest pleasure to please God; even sweeter then the hony and the hony combe, yea more delightfull then all manner of riches, as the Prophet David [Page 32] saith, Psal. 119. 14.

4 A fourth wile of Sathan is to plead that he hath many, and great ones of his side, euen the greatest in the state, and the chiefest in the country that be swea­rers, adulterers, drunkards, oppessors, Papists, and the like. Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in Christ, saith he by his advocates, Ioh. 7. v. 48. This sect is every where spoken against, Act. 28. v. 22. is their plea in another place, As if many did not run the broad way, as Christ saith, Mat. 7. 13. or that many and mighty were called, 1. Cor. 1. 26. or if called were chosen, Mat. 20. 16.

5 A fift wile of Sathan is to obiect the miseries, and the reproches, and the many overthrowes that the the servants of God sustaine in the world, and the prosperitie of the wicked on the other side. Thus he doth Malac. 3. 14. 15. As if Christs kingdome were of this world, Iohn 18. 36. or that being killed for Christs sake, they were not therein more then Con­querors, Rom. 8. 37.

A sixt sleight of Sathan is to set out foule sinnes and errors, with a faire face, colour and countenance, even with the colour of grace and vertue, even as the the crafty pyrate doth somtime hang out the same colours that the honest Mariner doth, thereby to en­trappe him. 2. Cor. 11. 4. So Sathan will sometimes transforme himselfe into an Angel of light. As thus, he will set out licentiousnesse under the name of libertie, drun­kennesse under the colour of good fellowship, cove­tousnesse under the name of good husbandry, fury under the name of mettle, or manhood, whoredome under the name of loving a mistresse, Simony under the name of gratuity, unlawfull sports under the name of honest mirth and recreation, Poperie under [Page 33] the name of old Religion, or the Catholicke faith. Depopulation, and enclosing of commons under the name of using ones owne; or doing with ones owne as he list &c.

Thus he dies all his bad clothes in good colours, guilds over his false coyne, sugars over his temptati­ons, and paints the foule faces of sinne with the fine colours of vertues and graces.

Yea hee will not sticke to adventure to deceive Saul, 1. Sam. 18. v. 14. under Samuels mantle. Prov. 8. O then, what need have we to flye to Iesus Christ, who dwelleth with pru­dence. What need have we not to be carried with e­very thing that hath a shew of goodnesse, or indiffe­rency. But to bring these painted strumpets of the Devill, to the light, yea and to the heat of the word of God. And then their painting shall melt away, and we shall see their beauty came out of the Devills boxe. Beloved, nimium ne crede colori, be not carried away with colours, and showes. The Devill hath a faire colour for the foulest sinne.

A 7 ^th trick of the Devill is to put a vizard of evill 7 upon that which is good. As to call the Catholicke and Apostolicke doctrine of our Church heresie, and the Professors thereof Hereticks, so the Papists: to call the wholesome discipline of our Church Po­pish superstition, so the Schismaticks. To call consci­ence of sinne, and a desire in all things to live honest­ly, precise nicenesse, so the carnall Gospellers. Thus by calling evill good, and good evill, hee would bring it to passe that there should be nothing but e­vill and so in the end nothing but woe? For woe shall be to him that calls evill good, and good evill, Isa. 5. 20.

[Page 34] 8 Another Stratageme of the Devill is to wound us with our owne weapons, even with our very graces; As thus, if he sees some zealous, and fervent in religion, so that he can in no wise quench this fire, then he will throw his Gun-powder into it, and un­der the colour of zeale, bring them to preposterous indiscretion, yea to a blind and bold madnesse. As to undertake, being private men, to reforme publick abuses, without the Magistrates authority, and to make as great fire for the rosting of an egge, as for the rosting of an Oxe; I meane to bee as zealous for the small, as for the weightier matters of the law, for the swadling clothes, as for the body of religion, for the circumstance, as for the substance. A thing very dangerous to the Church, as we may see in the example of Auda Bishop in Persia, who in an excesse of zeale throwing downe a Temple of the Pagans, was the cause that the king thereby incensed, threw downe all temples of the Christians, as Theodoret writes, Lib. 5. Remember then to keep the meane ac­cording to Gods word, Isa 30. 21. Be not righteous overmuch, make not thy selfe over wise, Eccles. 7. 16. If ye cannot doe that good ye & desire, doe that ye can, and so bee zealous according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 2. If with Paul ye cannot put downe Castor, and Pollux, the badges of heathenisme or Papisme, yet doe not run out of the shippe, S. Paul did not so, Act. 28. 11. or if ye dwell in Ephesus an idolatrous place where the great Goddesse Diana is worshiped, so that with S. Paul ye canot hinder it, yet for all that, doe not in an undiscreet zeale leaue your Minister, runne out of Ephesus, S. Paul did not so, Act. 19. 10. I take it, that wisdome is not from above, when men [Page 35] will doe nothing, unlesse they may doe what they will. Surely such fiery zeale hath some of the De­vills powder in it.

Another pollicy of Sathan to overthrow Gods 9 servants and souldiours, is to perswade those that bee great wits, to prie into the counsells, and decrees of their Generall Christ Iesus, when they should follow him. And to meddle with his Mysteries, when they should meddle with their owne busi­nesse: knowing that to be the way to bring them out of favour, and to be rebuked with Peter, for curiosi­ty, with Quid ad te? what is that to thee? follow thou me, Ioh. 21. 21.

Many other wiles, and Stratagems Sathan hath, to ensnare, and entrap us; which I have now no time to relate, these be they which be now most in use. And by these you see what a dangerous enemy you have.

What remaineth then, but that we shake off all security, and provide, and prepare to withstand him? What remaineth but that wee should bee sober and watch, seeing our adversary the Devill goeth about and seeketh so many waies to devoure us? That is the counsell of the Apostle in this case, let us follow it, and watch.

Specially let us be carefull that wee give him no advantage against us, 8 Wayes whereby we give the De­vill advantage against us. and so betray our selves into his hands. There be many waies whereby advantage is given unto Sathan. And whereby as it were we tempt the Temptor.

One is being too wordly minded, so much the 1 text here doth teach us, for therefore the Devill is called [...], a ruler of the world. Quia praeva­let [Page 36] adversus eos qui mundana cogitant. Saith Aretius upon the place, that is, because he prevailes much a­gainst those that are wordly minded. And this the Apostle witnesseth more plainely, in another place, saying, that they which be rich fall into temptation, and a snare of the Devill. 1. Tim. 6. 9.

2 A second way, whereby we give advantage unto Sathan against us, is by living in the darknesse of ig­norance. This we are taught also here in the text, in that Sathan is here called Rector tenebrarum, (.i.) Ru­ler of the darknesse of this world, for this is, because he rules, and domineires most over them that live in darknesse, and blindnesse of mind, in darke and blind ignorance of the Scripture. And this our Saviour speakes in more plaine termes, saying, ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures, Mark. 12. 24. so that if we will not fall into errours and the snares of the Devill, we must beware how we live in darke ignorance.

3 A third way, whereby we give the Devill advan­tage over us, is by yeelding a little to his temptati­ons, as to sweare, lie, or steale a little, and the like. For if he can get us to yeeld to his motions in a lit­tle; he will quickly bring us to more. If this Serpent can wind in his head, hee will quickly draw his whole body after. Patente portâ impossibile est ma­lum ulteriùs non procedere. Set open but one gate of a besieged city, and the enemies will come in as certainly, as if all the walls were demolished. Let errour get but once into the belfrey, and it will never leave till it be in the chancell, as learned Fulk hath noted. Suffer it to be but in the porch, and it will not be long, but you shall see it possessed of the Church it selfe, yea and jetting in the pulpit also. As then [Page 37] Moses would not yeeld to Pharaoh in a hoofe, Exod. 10. 20. or orthodoxall christians to Arrius in a let­ter, so as to say [...] for [...], no more let us yeeld to any errour in life or doctrine, in profession or practise, specially not to idolatry. No, not for all the kingdomes in the world, and the glory thereof. So would not Christ, Mat. 4. 8, 9. no not for an houre, so did not Paul, Galat. 2. 5. est leo si fugias. If ye give place but a little to his temptations, on hee goes. Acriùs urge [...] hostis. And the more we give place to him, the more he encroaches. Therefore beware how you yeeld to him in the least motion, in an apple, as Eve, or in a looke, as Lots wife. Give a hot horse his head at first, and he will surely runne away with you. And so will this beast if we give him the bridle, if wee but a little yeeld to him. Sathan can use small finnes, as the fisher useth small haires, to hold the fish as fast, or faster then greater tackling, and secret sinnes to doe more harme in the soule then open.

A 4 ^th way, whereby wee give advantage to the 4 Devill against us, is by rushing into those places or companies, where Sathan hath power over our bo­dies of soules, in regard of the dangerous provocati­ons to sinne they yeeld. As solitary and secret places; places of idolatry, of whoredome, of excessive drin­king, gaming, swearing, &c. the company of moc­kers, railers, dissemblers, or any other wicked per­sons. These are the Devills factors, and their dwel­ling his staple, his schoole-house as S. Cyprian, his throne as S. Iohn calls it, Revel. 2. 13. Now can a man be safe where Sathans throne is? Amongst the chil­dren of disobedience where he beares rule? Ephes. 2. 2. Can a man take fire in his bosome, or walke upon coales [Page 38] and not be burnt? Surely the sweetest waters by run­ning into the sea, become salt and brackish: And so men of sweet natures, and excellent graces have beene perverted by the company of the wicked. Witnesse Ioseph, who was snared to sweare by the life of Pharaoh, in the court of Aegypt, And the Apo­stle Peter who was tempted to deny his Lord and Master, in the Hall of Caiaphas. To give the Devill therefore no advantage over us, we must have no company with the wicked.

5 A fift way whereby we giue the Divell advantage against us, is by living idly, [...]tium pulvinar Diaboli: idlenesse is the Divells pillow, to rest on, Quem non invenit occupatum ipse occupat, he will imploy those that will not imploy themselues. The crabfish when as the oyster doth open, flings into her a little stone, so that shee cannot shut her selfe againe, and so the crab devoures the oyster: Even so saith Hierome, our adversarie the Divell, like the crab, when he finds us idle, and gaping, like the oyster, takes his opportuni­ty to confound us. When we sleepe and are secure, then he will be sowing of tares, in the field of the church, and in the ground of our hearts. Mat. 13. 25. Therefore let us follow the counsell of Christ which saith, occupamini donec veniam, that is occupie or be doing, till I come. Luke 19. Res age tutus eris.

6 A sixt way is by playing with the obiects of sinne, it is not safe for the fish to play with the baite. And no more is it for any man to play with the obiects of sinne.

7 A seuenth way is by not looking well to the out­ward senses of our bodies, specially the two sen­ses of learning, Seeing, and Hearing. Can the heart or [Page 39] market-place of a Towne, or City, be safe from the siege of an enemy, if the gates be cast open, or the walls demollished, or the ramparts bared of their fence, and munition? or can a kingdome be safe from an invading enemy, unlesse the cinqueports be care­fully looked to, and watched? Now the senses, spe­cially our seing, and hearing, are the gates of our hearts, and the cinque-ports of our soules, If we doe not then looke well to them, and keepe a diligent watch over them, we make our selues a prey to the enemy, we open the gates for him to come in, and therefore if we will not give the enemy too much advantage, let us with David turne away our eyes from beholding vanitie, Psal. 119. 37. Vrit videndo foemina, acti­vè, & passi­vè and our eares also from hea­ring vanitie. Let us looke to all the senses of our bo­dyes, as so many gates and doores of our soules, that Sathan enter not in that way, locke them, barre them, bolt them fast.

Finally, if you desire not to giue the divell advan­tage 8 in this conflict, then take heede of the intem­perate use of Gods creatures, by too much eating and drinking. We read in the Gospell, that the dispo­sessed Divells, Mat. 8. 31. entreated Christ that he would suffer them to goe into the herd of swine, because the chiefe place of the Divells residence, is the soule of the swilling drunkard, as Bonaventure giues the rea­son. In dry places he finds no rest, saith Christ, Mat. 12. 43. that is, in sober minds he gets no footing, as the same Author interprets it, he dwells in lowe countries and wet grounds, that is, with such as are filled with wine, wherein is excesse: ‘Invadunt urbem somno vino (que) sepultum; V [...]gil.’ When the Troians were dead drunke, then the Gre­cians [Page 40] did set upon, and overcame them, saith the Po­et. When Benhadad king of Syria, with two and thir­tie kings more in his company, were comming a­gainst Achab king of Israell and perceiving Achabs power to be small in respect of his, did fall a banket­ing and drinking with the Kings, 1. Kings 20, [...]2. his aiders, and made themselues drunke, Achab with his small pow­er overcame them all: And so when we haue dist­emperd our selues, by eating, or drinking, then in­steed of over coming the Divell, our enemy, he over­comes us making us to kill our deare friend Clitus, with Alexander, or to commit incest, with Lot, or to commit all ungodlinesse, Gen. 19. 32. euen with greedinesse, as the Sodomites. Therfore if you will not giue place to the Divell, follow the counsell of Christ, that is, take heed least at any time your hearts be over char­ed with surfetting, and drunkenesse, Luk. 21. 34.

There be many other wayes whereby we giue place, & advantage unto the Divell against us, As by immoderate anger and wrath, Ephes. 4. 26, 27. By be­ing wavering minded, and unsetled in the faith. Iam. 1. 6. By impatience and discontent, by pride and am­bition, by yeelding to any corruption, we giue the Devill so much ground, and insteed of beating him out of our borders, we let him in, and betray our selues into his hands, and lead our selues into his temptations, contrarie to our forme of prayer.

And now (Beloued) we haue no need to doe so; we haue no reason at all to giue any oddes, or ad­vantage to Sathan in this combate, by these, or any other wayes, for we are not so strong, as that we may afford it. But especially we may not presume to en­counter with this adversarie, naked, or without our [Page 41] sword, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; as the seduced Papists are put to, by their most iniurious leaders. No, no, the truth is, let us looke to our selues as well as we can, and arme our selues as strongly as we can, and take all the advan­tage and helpes that may be had, we shall have en­nough to doe, with these principalities and powers, with the Rulers of the darknesse of this world, with the spirituall wickednesses, or wicked spirits, those secret and invisible enemies. Yea, and more then wee can well acquit our selves of, as of our selves, for of our selves wee are not sufficient to thinke, much lesse to doe it, 2. Cor. 3. 5. so that we have no reason to give any advantage herein.

And beside, the cause or matter of the Conflict, 2 between Sathan and us, The cause of the Conflict. non de parvis quibusdam re­bus, is no small matter, that we should be secure and carelesse. Sed de rebus quae sunt in coelestibus, hoc est pro regno coelorum, & adoptione, nobis lucta, saith Are­tius upon the place; But a matter of heaven, and hea­venly things, a matter of a kingdome, and our right and interest to it, that is the thing in question, the matter of the quarrell, and combate betweene us. And is not this a weighty matter, that we should be­stirre our selves about it? Surely how light soever we make of it, it is a matter of life and death. It is such a matter, that we must either kill or be killed. For if we doe not crucify the flesh with the affecti­ons and lusts, the flesh will bee our death, for to bee carnally minded is death, Rom. 8. 6. If the world be not crucified unto us, and wee unto the world, the world will be our ruine; for the world shall bee dam­ned, 1. Cor. 11. 32. If we doe not dash Babilons chil­dren [Page 42] against the stones, Psal. 137. v. [...]9. suppressing the first motions of sinne, and temptations of Sathan, they will be sure to dash us to death; for the wages of sinne is death, Rom. 6. 23.

So then it concernes us neere to looke to it; being a matter of so great consequence, and importance, a matter of life & death, the winning or loosing of our heauenly inheritance in high places. And that in strife with so potent and politick enemies, let us con­sider then, and thinke of the matter, that we haue in hand. A high place in heauen is worth the striving for, specially when it may be had for striving, accor­ding to that, the kingdome of heauen suffereth vio­lence, and the violent take it by force, Mat. 12. 12. It is worth somewhat that Sathan doth so much strive, and struggle to get from us. A theife will not meddle with a poore begger, that hath nothing to loose, a pirat will not set upon emptie shippes, a mighty enemy will not invade a kingdome, or lay siege to a City, with great violence to winne it, where there is no great matter to be had: and so sure­ly it is not for nothing that Sathan with all his for­ces, doth make such fierce and violent assaults upon the servants of God: no, Coelestia, these high places, or heauenly things, for which he wrestles with us, are great things, and so let us with great care contend for them.

3 Yea and this let us doe without delay, even this time, The time of the Conflict. for the time of the warfare & wrestling with Sa­than, & his forces is now, euen this present time. The Apostle here sets it downe so, saying, [...], we wrestle, or there is a wrestling, and as he sayes it, so we find it indeed, for as heretofore he that was [Page 43] borne after the flesh, Galat. 4. 29 persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, euen so it is now. Now the world is full of such as scoffe at Isaac, Act. 7. 51. c. 13. 8. like Ismael, of such as resist the holy Ghost, as the stiffenecked Iewes, of such as withstand Barnabas and Saul and seeke to turne the Deputie from the faith, like Simon the Sor­cerer; of such as be accusers of the brethren, like the Devill, Revel. 12. 10. of such as greatly withstand the word, like Alexander the Copper-smith, of such as warre with them that keepe the commandements of God, and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ, as the Dragon, 2. Tim. 4. v. 15. Revel. 12. 17. Now the world is full of such warriers and wrestlers against the true worshippers of God, yea and neuer more, for now the Devill warres with great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time, v. 12.

And seeing it is so that there is such warring and wrestling of the enemies side against us at this time, Let us of the other side be as ready, and forward, to warre and wrestle against them, so that we may truly say, nobis lucta, we wrestle.

Yea, and this let us resolue to doe, Iob. 7. not for a day or two, but for as long as we liue, for militia vita homi­nis super terram, as Iob saith, the whole life of a Chri­stian is a continuall warfare here on earth.

Good men must not looke for peace upon earth, Christ came not to send it, Mat. 10. 34. The Dragon and his Angels will fight with the Michael and his Angells, as long as the world lasts, so that we must warre as long as we liue. They will be sure to warre, and wrestle with us, either by inward or outward [Page 44] temptations, by violent persecutions, or fraudulent Heresies, by sharpe tongues or sharpe swords, or, both, and we had not need to lie still, and to let them alone, without any resistance, surely no, we haue cause to warre and wrestle with them, as well as they with us, and more too, for if we fight the good fight, and finish our course, and keepe the faith, we shall obtaine the crowne of righteousnesse, but so shall not they. Therefore let us resolue upon it, and wre­stle against flesh, and blood, against principalities and powers, against Rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places, against the Devill, and all his forces, of persecuting Tyrants, of subtill hereticks, of pestilent Antichrists, of wicked worldlings and carnall Gospellers, And this unto the end.

But (here some will say) how shall we, Ob. that are weake and fraile, be able to wrestle and encounter, with so potent and politicke enemies, with so many and malicious adversaries? or if we doe presume to wrestle and fight with them, how shall we prevaile against them? Sol: The truth is we cannot prevaile against them, by our owne strength, we must haue some o­ther meanes, even the strength of the Lord. And therefore the Apostle saith, be strong in the Lord, v. 10. We must haue other armour then our owne to fight in, even the armour of God. And therefore the Apostle saith, [...] Generall part (1) Con­quest wherein 3 things▪ put on the armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evill day, which is the true meanes of the Conquest, and the last point.

1 To overcome in this warre, we must put on Gods armour, The meanes of the Con­quest▪ not the armour of the flesh, for cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme, Ier. 17. 5. Not the armour [Page 45] of the world, Haec sunt sar­casmi Diaboli Chemnitius. for our enemies are worldly Gover­nours, and the chiefe of them the Prince of this world. Ioh. 2. 31. Not the armour of the Devill, as Popish exorcisme, Superstitious crossing, Holy wa­ter, Masses, Diriges, Crucifixes, Consecrated hosts, Graines, Oyle, Reliques of Saints, Agni Dei, and such like trumperie which the Papists use. Not the woodden dagger of fabulous histories, or the rusty scabberd of old traditions, as the same Romanists use. These are weapons of the Devills owne making, and forging, not of Gods appointing, here are none of these among the armor of God, & yet here is [...], the whole armor of God. Againe, we may not use charmes, and such like, which coniurers use, here are none of these mentioned. These are the De­vills watchword, not Gods word, this is to cast out the Devill by Belzebub, not by the finger of God, further we may not use wanton sonets, thun­dring oathes, or mad mirth, as carnall protestants doe, nor yet lyes and libels, as undiscreet schisma­ticks doe, and the Papists also, who call their lyes and cheating tricks, Pias fraudes, godly deceits. These are the Devills weapons and engines, framed in his shop, who is a lyer from the beginning, Ioh. 8. 44. and giuen at his ap­pointment, and therefore little feared by him.

These are not the weapons that we must fight with, or if fight that we can over come with; no, no, 1. Sam. 17. 9. 10. he that trusts in his owne strength shall proue weake like Goliah, or in his owne wit, shall proue a foole, 2 Sam. 17. 23. like a Achitophell, Luk. 18. 13. or in his righteousnesse, shall prove most unrighteous, as the Pharisees, before whom the Publi­cans and sinners (repenting of their owne unrighteous­nesse, and relying by faith on the righteousnesse of [Page 46] Christ) shall enter into the kingdome of heaven. He that trust in Princes, or any childe of man, shall find true, Isa. 36. v. 6. which Rabshaka spoke of the king of Egypt, that they are but broken reeds to leane to. He that trusts in his strong hold, great wealth, in his chariots, horses, forces, in any thing besides God, for his defence and safety, shall find as little helpe and comfort in time of need, as the Priests of Baal had of Baal, at their need, even none at all, 1. Kings 18. 29.

Outward meanes are good and necessary to be used, but in no wise to be trusted in. If we set them up in Gods roome, they become very pernicious, or most unprofitable, specially if they be unwarranta­ble meanes. While others then strengthen them­selves in their owne might, lane to their owne wis­dome, repose themselves on their owne righteous­nesse, betake themselves to their owne freedome, fol­low their owne wayes, trust to their owne forces, let us (with David) remember the name of the Lord our God, Psal. 20. 7. And as the Apostle saith, so say I unto you; My Brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the armour of God, 2 Cor. 10. v. 4. that is, the grace of God. For the weapons of our warfare are not car­nall, as the Apostle saith; But spirituall, even the grace of Gods spirit. By this we are saved, Ephes. 2. 8. By this we stand, 1. Pet. 1. 12. This is the armour of proofe, that is mighty through God, to the pul­ling downe of strong holds, to the casting downe of imaginations, and every high thing, that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and to bring in­to captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, 2. Cor. 10. 4, 5.

[Page 47] Give diligence then to arme and furnish your selves with grace, that you may be able to encoun­ter with your spirituall enemies, and to withstand their assaults.

Take unto you the whole armour of God, that is, the manifold graces of Gods spirit, all christian vertues, and thereby adorne the understanding, the will, Particular meanes of the conquest. the affections aud the whole inner man. And namely, & specially take unto you the graces & ver­tues here mentioned, & commended unto us, that is.

First, take the girdle of truth, that is, the know­ledge 1 of the truth, Ioh. 17. 17. the true knowledge of the word of God, which is the word of truth, and thereby in­forme and adorne your understanding. Danda in­primis operimis opera est, ut Deum noscamus, quotquot felices es­se volumus: The first thing that we must labour for, is to know the truth, that is it which is here first commended by the Apostle. And it is the first charge which king David gave unto his sonne Solo­mon, saying, and thou Solomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy fathers, 2. Chron. 28. 9. and serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind &c. hee bids his sonne serve God with a perfect heart, but first hee bids him know him, because without knowledge, wee cannot serve him: or at least not rightly and accep­tably, as we may see by the example of the Iewes, Rom. 10. 2. who had the feare of God, but not accor­ding to knowledge. Without knowledge of the word of truth, we know not where we are, nor which way to goe to save our selves, and to escape the enemy. He that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth, saith Christ himselfe, Ioh. 12. 35. And it is impossible, till wee come to the knowledge of the [Page 48] truth, that ever wee should come out of the snare of the Devill, saith S. Paul. 2. Tim. 2. 25. 26.

Let us labour then first of all to know the truth, out of the word of truth, that thereby wee may dis­cerne right from wrong. And when we have knowne it, let us gird our selves therewith, that is, sticke close to it, and then feare not, Vincet veritas, Truth will prevaile, for truth is great, and mightie aboue all things. 1. Esdras 4. 41.

2 But this is not all that we must labour for, that is, to know, 1. Pet. 1. 22. and to speake the truth. We must goe further, and obey the truth, and with Gajus, walke in the truth 3. Ioh. 3. And namely in this truth, of serving the Lord in righteousnesse, so saith the Apostle, in the next place, put on the brest-plate of righteousnesse, that is, endeavour to keepe a cleare conscience, voyd of offence, towards God, and towards man, as S. Paul did, Act. 24. 16. endeavour to walke inoffensive­ly towards all men. Scire, vel de virtute loqui mini­mum est. To know, or to speake the truth, and to give good precepts, is no great matter, it is the least of a thousand, who cannot doe it? But, virtutibus uti, to joyne truth and righteousnesse, sound knowledge and sincere obedience together, hic labor, hoc opus est. This is the maine matter, this is a worke of moment, and to the purpose: hic murus ahaeneus esto, ‘Nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallescere culpâ.’ This is to make a brazen wall, a strong towre of defence against the face of our enemies: even to put on the brest-plate of righteousnesse, as well as the girdle of truth, to joyne science and conscience toge­ther. With this S. Paul did support, and beare him­selfe out, against the obloquie, and troubles he endu­red; [Page 49] in that he had lived in all good conscience before God, Act. 23. v. 1. and had his conversation in simplicity, and godly sincerity, 2. Cor. 1. 12. This made him as bold as a lion, the brest-plate of righteousnesse, the testi­mony of a good conscience. With this let us also arme our selves, joyne to the girdle of truth, the brest-plate of righteousnesse, knowledge and obedi­ence, science and a good conscience, Non eget Mauri jaculi [...] &c. and then wee need not feare. Qui vadit planè, vadit sanè, he that walketh uprightly, walketh surely, Prov. 10. 9. walke on then, walke and march in this armour of truth, and righteousnesse, of science and a good conscience.

Moreover, let me advise you to take the shooes of 3 the preparation of the Gospell of peace along with you, that is, resolve throughly and firmely with your selves, to believe and hold, that God is now recon­ciled and at peace with you, through the meanes of Christ, according as he hath revealed and testified in his Gospell. And withall, for this peace with God made by Christ which you believe, resolve further, in way of thankfullnesse, to love, honour and obey him, according to his word. This resolution and pre­paration of mind to believe, and confesse our peace and reconciliation with God through Christ. And to honour and obey him for it, these are the shooes here commended unto us. With these king David did furnish himselfe, according to that, I have sworne, and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous judgements. Psal. 119. 106. And thus did S. Paul also arme him­selfe, when he said, I am ready, not to be bound only; but also to dye at Hierusalem, for the name of the Lord Iesus, Act. 21. 13. Without this preparation, and firme resolution of the heart, to believe and obey [Page 50] the Gospell of peace, we shall never be able to hold on in the race of Christianity, and to passe through the many tribulations, that we shall meet with, for a wavering minded man is unstable in all his wayes, [...] 1. v. 8. and ready to be carried away with every wind of temptation, and therefore let us ballance our hearts with preparation, and put on a firme resolution to believe, and obey the Gospell of peace.

4 But yet, this is not all, that we have to doe: The speciall furniture, and that which we are to take a­bove all, as being able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, is yet unmentioned, and that is, faith, the shield of faith. That we are to take above all, so saith the Apostle, above all take the shield of faith, v. 16. That is, after all your knowledge of the truth, and your righteousnesse, according to the knowne truth, and your resolution, to walke in this knowne true righteousnesse: Yet rest not upon all this, but when ye have done all, deny your selves, renounce all trust, and confidence in your owne righteousnesse, and lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ, by the hand of faith, on the mercy of God in Christ for your salvation, according as it is offered in the word, and presented in the Sacraments. This righteous­nesse, this mercy of God in Christ is that shield that can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Indeed faith is here called the shield, in the text, but that is not because it is so in it selfe, but because it takes hold of Christ, and his righteousnesse which is the true shield indeed, and puts it on, and makes it ours. So that, Ioh. 25. 5. though we can doe nothing of our selves, in this Conflict, yet through him, and his righteousnesse wee are able to doe all things, Philip. 4. 13. to [Page 51] quench all the fiery darts, and fierce temptations of the wicked, to overcome the world, the flesh and the Devill, 1. Ioh. 5. And therefore put on the shield of Christs righteousnesse, by the hand of faith, shroud your selves under this defence of the most high, Psal. 1. v. 1. cleave to Gods promise of grace in Christ.

And because the promises of God in Christ, 5 which are the objects of our faith, and the ground of our obedience, are not alwayes presently performed unto the faithfull, upon their request, so that Sathan, and his adherents take occasion thereby, to assault their faith, and to say where is now their God, Psal. 115. 2. Here againe, we are to remember to furnish our selves with another peece of armour, against this assault. And namely, with the helmet of salvati­on, that is, with the hope of salvation, as the Apostle expounds it, 1. Thes. 5. 8. A sure and certaine hope of all promised good things, which be yet for to come. This hope and patient expectation of the perfor­mance of Gods promises, is very needfull. So saith the Apostle, ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the pro­mises, Heb. 10. 36. And so let your patient mind be knowne unto all men, as the Apostle adviseth, hold fast the confidence of your hope firme unto the end, for hope maketh not ashamed, Rom. 5. 5.

And in the meane space, while we hope and ex­pect 6 the performance of Gods promises, in the present preservation, and finall salvation of his Church, & in particular, of us the members thereof, let us take to our selues, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, acquainting our selues, therewith, that when the world, the flesh, or the De­vill [Page 52] doe assault us with their temptations, we may be able to answere & to repell them, as Christ did, with a scriptum est, a place of scripture, and thereby cut off their temptations, as with a sword. The word of God is mighty and powerfull to that purpose, being rightly applyed, as we may see by the example of Christ in the fourth of Mat. yea sharper then any two edged sword, as S. Paul saith Heb. 4. 12. Take it then, put it on, farre be it from us, to disarme you of the scriptures, to wring this speciall weapon out of your hands, and so to turne you naked unto all Sa­thans temptations, as the Romanish teachers deale with their people, or insteed of the sharpe two edged sword of the spirit, to put other weapons, of the Di­vills forging into your hands to fight with us, as the holy water, Crosses, Graines, and dirty reliques &c. as the same teachers deale with their people, no, no, we teach you with S. Paul to take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, and to put it on, not by spells, and charmes, as ignorant people use to doe, but by reading, hearing, meditating and hiding it in your hearts, and applying it as occasion is offe­red, to answere, and to put off any evill temp­tations. Thus Christ himselfe did doe, Mat. 4. Thus he taught Iohn, Ioh. 5. at the 39 verse, and so doe we saying with Christ, scrutamini scripturas, search the scriptures, let the word of God dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome, Colos. 3. 16.

7 Lastly to make all sure, and to furnish your selues with the compleate armour of God, let us ioyne in­cessant prayer to all these, praying alwayes with all prayer, and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, as the Apostle ex­horteth [Page 53] v. 18. verè coelestis armatura est deprecatio quae Deo funditur, saith Chrysostome De orando De­um, Lib. 1. that is, prayer unto God, is the very ar­mour of God indeed, a heauenly armour, for by this we call, and get God & all the hoste of heaven to be of our side, to helpe us against temptations, and to deliver us from evill. By this Paul obtained helpe and grace against inward temptations, the thorne in the flesh, 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. 9. By this Moses obtained helpe of God against outward tribulations, the ar­my of the Amalekites, Exod. 17. 11. and this also is the way for us, to obtaine helpe against the enemie, yea and without this no victory. When we haue provided all that we can, and all is done, except Mo­ses hold up his hands, Exod. 17. v. 11. Amaleck will prevaile. Lift up holy hands unto God, as the Apostle teacheth, 1. Tim. 2. 8. Pray alwayes with all prayer, and suppli­cation in the spirit, pray with private prayer unto God; and pray with publike prayer. The prayer of one righteous man availeth much, Iam. 5. 16. but the prayer of many righteous men availeth more, vis unita fortior, Eccles. 4. 9. Mat. 18. 20. two are better then one, a ioynt armie will doe more then two or three men. Where two or three are gathered together there is Christ, but where more, there he is more gratiously, Act. 2. 1. forsake not then the assembling of your selves toge­ther to common prayer as the manner of some is, Heb. 10. 25. but come to the habitation of Gods house, and the place where his honour dwelleth, the Temple, and their come, not to heare a sermon only, but to pray publike prayers, for we must pray with all prayer, and supplication, with private, and pub­like, in the secret closet, Mat. 6. 6. and in the publike [Page 54] Sanctuary, Psal. 150. 1. and we must doe this in the spirit too, as the Apostle saith, that is, not out of fa­shion, but of pure devotion, not out of fained lips, but with a true and syncere heart, Psal. 17. 1. 1. Thes. 5. 17. Mat. 17. 21. Heb. 10. 22. yea, and we must watch hereunto, with all perseverance; with­out this, the Devill will not away, he is not cast out but by fasting and prayer, yea, and watching too, Mat. 26. 41. watch therefore and pray that ye enter not into temptation, or if ye doe enter, that ye be not overcome, but delivered from the evil thereof. Mat. 6. 13.

These be the severall pieces of the armour of God, with these we must arme our selues, & fight, if ever we will prevaile, in this spirituall warfare. It is not here, as in the bodily warfare, illic enim humanis viribus resistitur gladius opponitur gladio, homo cum homine confligit, vis vim, ars artem excipit. In the bodily warfare men doe commonly resist their adversaries, with such weapons as their enemies doe impugne them withall, but here alia est ratio, 'tis otherwise, as Calvin notes upon the place.

In the spirituall warfare, if we fight against Sa­than, and his complices, with such weapons as they use in fighting against us, then we are gone. That is if we render evill for evill, and rebuke for rebuke, and give as good as they bring, as the saying is, then we are foyled by Sathan and his power. For, Quid interest inter provocantem & provocatum? Saith Ter­tullian, that is, what difference is there betweene him that doth provoke to evill, and him that is provo­ked to evill, by ill words or deeds? Nisi quod ille prior in maleficio deprehenditur, & ille posterior. But that one sinnes first, and the other next. And so both are [Page 55] foyled by Sathan, causing them both to sinne.

We must not then fight with Sathan, and his complices, with such weapons as they bring, ren­dring evill for evill, or rebuke for rebuke. But if we will fight to overcome, we must not be overcome of evill, but overcome evill with good, Rom. 12. 21. That is, if our enemies curse, as they doe sometimes with bell, booke, and candle, we must not curse againe, but blesse. If they persecute, we must not persecute a­gaine, but pray for them, and doe good to them, that hurt us, Mat. 5. 44. Against spirituall harmes, we must use spirituall armes. Against the works of dark­nes, we must put on the armor of light, that is, vertues against vices. As David being to fight with Goliah, did cast from him the armour of Saul, and tooke to him weapons farre unlike those that Goliah brought against him: So must we, when we goe out, in the name of God, against that uncircumcised Philistine, we must cast from us carnall weapons, and put on the armour of God, even the grace of God, his manifold graces, as a compleate armour. And namely, and spe­cially these graces here mentioned, as the grace of truth and syncerity of religion, the grace of righte­ousnesse and upright conversation, the grace of pre­paration and purpose of heart to professe and pra­ctise according to the Gospell of peace, the grace of faith in the promises of God in Christ, the grace of hope and expectation of the promises beleeved, the word of grace, the grace of prayer and suppli­cation to God, both publike, and private.

These graces are the armour of God, and they are so called by way of comparison with corpo­rall armour, as that, because they are given us of [Page 56] God, Why the gra­ces of God are called ar­mour. for our defence against our spirituall enemies, as that is, against our corporall, and are defensive, and offensive both, as other armours are, and doe de­clare the bearers, and wearers thereof, to be the ser­vants and souldiours of Christ, as mens armour, and coates shew to what Captaine they belong to, and they are the meanes which we must use, and where­by we must fight against our spirituall enemies, as corporall armour is the meanes, that we must use and fight in, against our corporall enemies.

But herein, as there is a paritie, or liknesse; so there is a great disparity, or unlikenesse, betwixt these, and other corporall armour, for that many times is not sufficient, and therefore broken in pieces, but this is alwayes sufficient, so saith the Lord to this Apostle in another place, my grace is sufficient for thee, 2. Cor. 12. v. 9.

Take then unto your selves this whole and suffi­cient armour of God, these speciall graces, here mentioned.

But here it may be enquired, Q: may not we also take the armour of men, Corporall armour, as well as spirituall?

I answere, R: we may: it is lawfull for Christian men, at the commandement of the Magistrate, to weare weapons, and to serue in warres; according to the do­ctrine of our Church, Eccles. 2. 8. Art. 37. and also according to the scriptures, which say, that there is a time of warre, as a time of peace, that the Magistrate is not to beare the sword in vaine, Rom. 13. 4. that he that hath none should buy a sword. Luk. 22. 36. That many good men did weare, and use humane weapons, as Gedeon, Sampson, David, who subdued [Page 57] kingdomes Heb. 11. 33. and Cornelius the Centurion Act. 10. All these did arme the body, and use corpo­rall weapons, and so may wee.

But here I say againe, that the body is not the first part that we must arme, nor humane weapons the first weapons that we must take to our selves. The first part that we must arme, is the inner man, the soule, which is the life of the body. And the first ar­mour that we must arme it withall, is the armour, or grace of God, which is the life of the soule. Thus saith the Apostle, in the former chapter, at the 14 ^th verse &c. I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, of whom all the family of heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, ac­cording to the riches of his glory, to bee streng­thened with might by his spirit, in the inner man. And thus S. Peter, your adorning, let it not bee outward adorning, 1. Pet. 3. 3. 4. but let it bee the hid­den man of the heart, in that which is not corrup­tible, even the ornament of a meeke, and quiet spi­rit, the ornament of faith, and a good conscience, here called the brest-plate of righteousnesse. With­out this, and the rest of the ornaments, and muni­ments here mentioned, even the strongest, and best armed man, will prove a coward, and flye when none pursueth, as Solomon saith Prov. 28. 1. And as the Syrians did, 2. Kings 7. 7.

I say then unto you (Brethren) arme your selves as well as you can, both for the inner, and outward man, both with the corporall and spirituall armor: but first of all, & above all, arme the inner man, with the armour of God. Take unto your selves the armour of God, his grace which is sufficient for you; 2. Cor. 12. 9.

[Page 58] 2 Take it to your selves, and not only that, but put it on, The manner how to use the meanes of Conquest. which is the manner how this meanes is to bee used; and the next point. This armour is not only to be taken, and hung up at home or sometime to bee shewed abroad, to be seene of men: but to bee used and imployed daily, in the Lords service, which is meant by putting on. God gives us his gifts and graces, to the end that we should use & employ them. And therefore he saith in another place, stirre up the grace of God that is given you, 2. Tim. 1. 6. occupa­mini donec veniam, occupie and employ your talents till I come, Luk. 19. 13.

If ye have then the armour, App [...]re quod sis, vel esto quod appares. Parum sepul­tae distat i [...] ­ [...]rtiae caelata virtus. these grace of God in you, shew what ye are, shew them by your pro­fession, and practise, and appeare in your colours. If a man hath his armour on, and doth use it, it will ap­peare and be seene on him. So let it be with you, play not the unprofitable servants, to hide your talents, your armour in the ground, use it, put it on.

Put on the whole armour of God. Not only the girdle of truth, and the brest-plate of righteousnesse, but all the whole armour, head and foote, for if you should arme the head only, the Devill happily would strike at the foot. If the foot only, then he might hurt the head. If both, and leaue our brest unarmed, hee might wound us at the heart. Therefore to make sure worke, put on the whole armour, that yee may repel all the assaults of the Devill; lay not open any part to his blow.

Or if you will haue more of some one part, 3 Parts speci­ally to be ar­med. then of another; why then looke well to the head, the heart, and the outward senses, that ye arme them strongly.

1 First the head, for as a Generall that besiegeth a [Page 59] city, laboureth most of all to gaine the towre, or the castle; knowing that if he can take hold and possesse that, he shall instantly command the rest of the whole towne: So likewise the Devill, who daily doth as­sault our little city, plots specially how he may be possessed of our Capitoll, and sconce. Knowing assu­redly that if our head bee tipling, our eyes will bee wanton, our tongue blaspheamous, our throate an open sepulcher, our hands ready to stabbe, our feet swift to shed blood. Rom. 6. v. 13 In briefe, all our members at his service, to become servants of unrighteousnesse, to commit all manner of ungodlinesse, even with gree­dinesse; Therefore it is good for us, to have speciall care to arme the head, with sobriety, & watchfullnes.

And so likewise for the heart, for that is the hold 2 and fort of the soule. If that be not true to us, we are sure to be foyled in every temptaton. Prov. 4. 23. And therefore, as Solomon saith, so say I unto you, Omni custodiâ custodi cor tuum. Keepe thine heart with all diligence, have it in an holy suspition, so as to examine and search it daily, and to observe the treacherous and deceiveable lusts, that lurke therein. And when by the light of the word, you have found any, doe not stay till they assault you, but doe you assault them, and beat them down with the armour of God, using Martiall law, presently condemne and crucify them.

And in like manner, for the outward senses, we 3 must have a speciall care to keepe the parts of chri­stian armour upon them also, that we lye not too o­pen there. A valiant captaine knowing that the enemy is easier kept out, then beaten out of a city, hath great care to plant his Garison about the gates and walls, there he sets his most faithfull watch and ward, there [Page 60] he plants his chiefe munition and ordnance. And so must we keepe a speciall watch and ward, at the gates of the little city, of our soule, even our senses, & there plant our munition, that the enemy may not enter in thereat. Iob. 31. 1. Thus did Iob, when he made a covenant with his eyes, that hee would not looke upon a maide. And Daniel when he would not tast of the Kings dainties, Dan. 1. 8. nor defile himselfe therewith. And David when hee vowed that hee would not heare, Psal. 26. 6. nor see, nor touch any wicked thing, Psal. 101. 3.

But though I commend unto you a speciall care of these parts, and passages of the soule, by these rea­sous, and examples, yet I would not have you neg­lect the rest, but to have a care of all, and to put on all the armour of God, as the Apostle here teacheth.

Yea, Gods armour to be put on in Gods ser­vice [...] and remember further to put on the armour of God, in Gods service, in his warres, against his e­nemies only, not against one another in private grud­ges and bickerings, not against the faithfull servants, and souldiours of Christ, Gods owne friends, not a­gainst God, but against the wiles of the Devill, and the fiery darts of the wicked. Not in suppressing, but in maintaining of true religion, and virtue: Not in secret contentions one with another, but in the pub­like quarrell of the Gospel, against the common enemy.

Many there be, The abuse of Gods armour. who put on Gods armour, and im­ploy his gifts, not in Gods, but in sinnes, and Sathans service.

Of this sort are they who-cite scripture in defence of errors in doctrine, as of the supremacy, or head­shippe of the Church in the Pope, of iustification by workes, of transubstantiation in the Sacrament, of [Page 61] invocation of Saints, of worshipping of images, of equivocation or mentall reservation, &c.

Of this sort are they likewise, who cite scripture in defence of errors in manners, as of swearing, of prophaning the Lords day, of adultery, of drunken­nesse, of covetousnesse, of uniustice, of presumption, or any other sinne.

These imitate that grand tempter, Mat. 4. the Devill, who abusively cites scripture, in tempting of Christ, and thought to beate him with his owne weapon.

Of this sort also are they, who imploy their lear­ning and wit, in curious prying, and searching into hidden Mysteries, in inventing and setting forth vaine and wanton bookes, and other allurements of sinne, or in cheating and deceaving of others.

Of this sort are they also who make their eyes windowes of vanities, who haue their eares open to all filthy talke, songs and ribauld speeches, who use their tongues to cursing, and swearing, and blasphe­ming of the sacred name of God which they should feare and reverence, who imploy their hands in figh­ting, filching, and the like, who imploy their feete in walking in the wayes of sinners, as to bawdy-houses and other such like places of uncleanesse, who spend their time in eating and drinking and playing, who apply their power to oppresse, and their authority to pervert iustice.

Of this sort also are they, who imploy their silver and gold in the service of Baal, Hos. 2. 8. 9. and to the glory of God, that abuse their outward blessing to glutto & drunkennesse, Amos. 6. 4. that spend their riches on gorgeous attire, unbeseeming their places; upon stately buil­dings for the shreeke-owle and bat to dwell in, upon [Page 62] excessive cheere, and vaine pleasure, spending more at one banquet, then would keepe twenty poore members of Christ Iesus, in good sort all their daies.

These, all these put on Gods armour, but not in Gods, but in the enemies service, they shoote in Gods pieces, but it is in Gods owne face, they draw out Gods sword, but they sheath it in his bowells, they take Gods gifts, but they give them to the Devill, by their blasphemy, drunkennesse, pride & uncleanes. O horrible perfidiousnes, and treachery, thus to receive large gifts with the one hand from the Lord, and to give them with the other unto the Devill his enemy.

Beloved I hope better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak. And I beseech you, in the bowells of Christ Iesus, our Sa­viour, after whose name you be called, under whose banner you professe to fight, whose armour you pro­fesse to weare, that you will weare it in his service, and use it to his glory. Imploy Gods gifts in his owne service, in serving God in your owne persons, in setting forth his service in others, in maintaining his service and servants, in building, repairing, and beutifying the place of his service. And here you haue begunne well, be not weary of well doing, per­fect this worke began, A passage of the preacher touching the repairing of Pauls. finish it, imploy Gods gifts and talents, not in sinnes, but in Gods service, & then you shall never want money, to go through with this worthy worke, doe but abate dayly one dish of your superfluous courses, and I believe that will doe it.

And here let every one be an actor in his owne person, Every one is to use Gods armour perso­nally. let every one put on Gods armour, and im­ploy his gifts in his service, for the Apostle speakes, saying, put on the armour of God, not only to some, [Page 63] but to all the faithfull in Christ Iesus. c. 1. v. 1. Wee have all need to arme our selves, 1. Pet. 5. v. 8. for our adversary the Devill, Mat. 25. Rhem. Annot on Luk. 10. 35. 2. Cor. 8. 14. 1. Cor. 9. 16. as a roaring Lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devoure, without exceptiō of any. Let not any then trust to the oyle of others, as the foolish virgins, and the seduced papists, who would make us believe, that if our owne lampes be without oyle, we may goe and borrow of our neighbours, to sup­ply our wants: no, no, the best haue little enough for themselves, and therefore let every one looke to him­selfe, and arme himselfe, so willeth the Apostle, say­ing, have reioycing in thy selfe alone, and not in ano­ther. Gal. 6. 4. Another mans meate cannot nourrish me, another mans garment cannot warme me, ano­ther mans eye cannot guide me, neither can another mans worke save me. I must worke out mine owne salvation with feare and trembling, and so must eve­ry one put on Gods armour, Philip. 2. 12. and doe Gods service not by a Deputy or Attourny but in his own person.

Yea, We are to use Gods armour vvithout delay. and we must doe this presently, without de­lay, here is no time expressed in the text, and there­fore the time present is to be understood, according to that legall maxime, ubi nullum tempus praescribitur, praesens intelligitur. It is to day then, and while it is to day, that we are to heare his voice, and to put on the armour of God. Isa. 5 5. v. 3. Now God opens his armorie unto you, which is the holy scripture, whereby you may furnish your selves, without money, and with­out price.

Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, 2. Cor. 6. 2. wherein you may provide for your selves. And now likewise is the day of temptation, wherein Sathan goeth about like a roaring Lion, and [Page 64] sometimes like an Angel of light, seeking whom he may devoure. So that we have cause presently, and in­stantly to arme our selves, even while it is to day, and this not for a day only, We are to put on Gods ar­mour con­stantly. but every day, as long as we live. For Sathan is restlesse in his temptations a­gainst them that keepe the commandements of God, and have the testimony of Iesus Christ, he will never leave tempting them as long as they live in the faith, and the feare, and the love of God, not quite leave them, Luk. 4. 13. he will sometime leave tempting of them, for a season, as he left tempting of Christ, but he will come againe, with a fresh assault upon them. He is called Beèlzebub, the master fly; and flyes though they be never so much beaten away, yet they will come againe and againe to the same place, and so will Sathan being repelled, renue his temptations. This uncleane spirit, when he is cast out, will seeke to reenter, and where he finds a fit house, a secure heart, Mat. 12. 44. he will bring in seven Devills worse then him­selfe. His going away, is but to renue his assaults, his flight is but to draw us out of our holds, to make use of his ambushment against us. Let us not then at any time put off the armour of God, let us not be secure, as the Amalekites, having taken a great spoile of Da­vid, and burned Ziglag, 1. Sam. 30. 16. lest we be suddenly surpri­sed, and destroyed, as they were: As in the fight we have an eye unto the victory, so in the victory let us have an eye to the fight againe. Let us stand still upon our guard, put on the armour of God, as long as you live. Psal. 1. Delight in the law of the Lord, and therein exer­cise your selves day and night. Pray alwayes, pray, and watch thereunto, with all perseverance, make a continuall use of all the armour, and graces of God [Page 65] stowed upon you. This is the counsell of our great Generall, Christ Iesus, here given, by one of his chiefe commanders, S. Paul, that we should put on this armour, alwaies, with all perseverance. And so let us doe, as obedient souldiours, of Iesus Christ.

And this the rather, that we may be able to stand 3 in the evill day, The motive to use the said meanes of Conquest. in the day of temptation, which is the motive, to put on this armour, and to fight this battell, and the last point. And a good motive it is, for who would not be forward to put on armour, and to fight in a good cause, if he were sure to ouer­come. And so it is here, Dicendo enim, ut possitis re­sistere, innuit certò nos staturos, si modo armis Dei in­duti, alacriter pugnemus id (que) us (que), ad finē, saith Calvin upon the place. That is, in saying, that ye may be able to stand, he doth imply, that we shall surely, and cer­tainly and overcome in this battell, if being fur­nished with Gods armour, wee fight manfully under his banner, and that unto the end. Nil desperan­dum est Christo duce, we need [...] doubt, or despaire of victory, if we fight in Go [...] [...]rmour, under Christs banner, and conduct, for the [...]rd of truth, against the father and favourers of lies. He that overcomes the servants of God thus fighting, must overcome God himselfe, Nemo nos lae­dit nisi qui Deum vincit. who is the Lord of hoasts; & falsify his word, who hath promised that they should as soone overcome and discomfit his sonne, and our Saviour Christ Iesus [...] is the Generall of the field; yea and beate in peeces Gods owne armour, Mat. 16. 18. as weake and unsufficient, which I believe, the gates of hell shall never be able to doe. For let Satan, and all the pow­ers of hell, doe what they can against the Church [Page 66] and people of God, Gen. 3. 15. they can but calcaneum conte­rere; bruise their heele, and lame them a little, their head they can never breake, and quite overthrow. Though they fall, yet they shall not be cast downe, for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand, Psal. 37. 24. Though the Dragon, and his Angels, that is, the Devill, and his forces, fight with Michael and his Angels, that is with Christ, and his members, yet they shall not prevaile, Revel. 12. 7. Though Sathan be strong, yet Christ is stronger, and will binde that strong man, and spoile his house, Mat. 12. 29. he will save his servants, and souldiours, fighting with his armour, in his battell.

I, Q: but doth not the Apostle say, of the servants, and souldiours of Christ, that they are killed all day long, & counted as sheep to the slaughter, Rom. 8. 36.

True, R: and yet in all these things they are more then Conquerours, through him that loveth them, as it followeth in the next verse of the same chapter.

This may seeme a Paradoxe to flesh and blood, to conceive how they that beare away the blowes, and are killed by their enemies, should bee said to over­come. And yet, so it is, in all these things they are Conquerours, saith the Apostle, more then Conque­rours, that is, then ordinary Conquerours, even fa­mous, and noble victors.

But how doth this appeare, Q: you will say?

I answer, R: thus, the sword whereby we are said to overcome, is of two sorts, spirituall, and materiall. The true and faithfull servants of God have beene, and many times are at this time killed, and over­come by the materiall sword, so Christ hath fore­told, [Page 67] saying, they shall kill you Ioh. 16. 2. And Revel. 11. at the 7 ^th verse, it is said of the two witnesses, that is, of the faithfull preachers and professors of the truth, that when they have finished their testimony, the beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit, that is, Antichrist with his adherents, shall make warre against them, and kill them, that is, with the materiall sword: But not with the spirituall. With that they overcome him, even with the breath that commeth out of their mouthes, so it is said there, at the fift verse, if any will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouthes, and devoureth their enemies, even the fiery, and powerfull word of God, which is able, and shall consume the adversary, 2. Thes. 2. 8. so that there is a victory on both sides. The enemy many times kills, and overcomes the faithfull wit­nesses, and true servants of God, with the materiall sword. And they overcome the enemy with the spi­rituall sword, slaying them in their soules, though not in their bodies, for the word is the savour of death unto death, in them that perish, 2. Cor. 2. 16.

Againe, the servants and souldiors of Christ, even in all their tribulations, obtaine a noble victorie: for what is victory? Tertul. Apol. victoria est obtinere pro quo certas, saith Tertullian, victory is to obtaine that which we strive for. And now, what is the strife, betweene the Christian and the tormentor, but this? the tormentor seekes to drive the Christian to deny Christ, and his Gospell, the Christian for all his torments con­fesseth him the more, the tormentor fumes, and chafes, and sighes that he hath not his will, and there­fore is overcome. The Christian rejoyceth that he [Page 68] is counted worthy to suffer for Christ, Act. 5. 41. & cap. 16. and is con­stant, and therefore goes away with the victory. The tormentors in the execution of a woman, Blan­dina by name, [...]usebius. confessed themselves overcome, as Eu­sebius writes in the fift booke, and first Chapter of his Ecclesiasticall history. And Christians in their torments, have gloried of their Conquest, over their torments, and tormentors. Thus the Apostle Paul, Rom. 8. 35. 37. who shall separte us, from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or fa­mine, or nakednesse, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more then Conquerors, through him that loved us. Of this Conquest likewise of Christians, in their afflictions and persecutions, di­vers others have given notable proofe, yea, and those of our owne Nation, as Glover, Farrar, Hawkes. This last, was desired by some godly friends, for their confirmation, to give some token, when he was in the flames, whether the paine were tollerable, or noe: (A strange time, one would thinke, to attend upon signes, or friends) but so he did, after his eyes were started out of his head, his fingers con­sumed with fire, and when ever one thought him dead, and did expect the fall of his body. Loe sud­dainly hee lifts up his stumps, and thrice (as famous Conquerour) he clapps them over his head, Fox. Acts and Mon. p. 1447. in token of victory and triumph. Thus the faithfull famous­ly conquer, when they seeme to bee conquered by their enemies. Though they be cast downe one way, either in body, goods, or good name; yet they stand another way, the best way; they stand in the faith, they stand in the grace, and favour of God. They [Page 69] stand in their soules, before the Son of God, though they fall in their bodies, before the Sonnes of men. They stand in great boldnesse, before the face of such as have afflicted them, Leo ser. 7. de jejun, 10. mensis. and made no account of their labours, Wisdom [...] [...]1. formido sublata est, non pugna, as Leo saith, their feare is taken away, though not their fight; their feare of being overcome, and utterly cast downe. So that the state of the faithfull servants and souldiours of Christ, Mat. 16. is full of comfort, and as­surance, though Sathan and all his forces set against them, yet they shall not prevaile. Let the Dragon, and his Angels doe what they can, yet Michael, and his Angels shall overcome them, by the blood of the lambe, and by the world of the testimony, Revel. 12. 11. 'tis not here, as in the temporall warre, there, incertus belli exitus, 'tis uncertaine which way the victory will goe, till the event declare it. But here in the spirituall warfare, pugna, & certa victoria est, saith Tertullian, fight, and be sure of victory. Having then such encouragement, let us put on, put on the whole armour, all the graces of God, here mentioned. And then, fight the good fight, and finish your course, in wrestling against flesh and blood, against principali­ties and powers, against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places, against all the fiery darts, and fiery temptati­ons of the wicked. Doing so, ye shall not neede to feare a small fall, ye shall stand, as the Apostle saith here. Ye shall stand, as in the grace of God here, so in the glory of God hereafter, and receive that crowne of righteousnesse, 2. Tim. 4. 7, 8. which the Lord hath prepared for [Page 70] them that love him. All which the Lord grant us, for the alone merits of Christ Iesus, to whom with the father▪ and the holy spi­rit, be all glory, praise, [...] power, both now, and [...]. AMEN.