7166 i, Ephefans, Chap.6. V E R.IO, I Yfe z . 2. evidences,till Tome flaw be found, arc not perufed : fo our weapons, till God mutter us with fome calamities, arc not ufed. When I fee thefe rutty halberts, calievers , muskets hanging up in the time of peace,! may fee how it is with our foules. Thegraces ofGod are not kept fhining, we doe not gird them daily tous as we ought : therefore when we fhould ufe themwe !hall finde them out of kilture at the leaf!. Agaioe,many flothfull fouldiers forcafe put on fome,and leave off-other fome: though they looke to the maine, yet they care not for the lighter wounds; their eyes,tongues, Bares are fhot through, as Da- vid in Yriahsmatter had not his eyes fenced. Again, itlets us fee howwell a multitude of the faithful!, a virgin betrothed to Chrift, may be compared to an army (for terrour) with banners. Is it nota fearefull thing for anenemy to fee an armyall clad with glittering armour from the crowneof the head to the feet r fo is it for thefe fpiritsto fee their foules fo armed. The !aft thing to be marked in the duty, is the kinde ofarmour [of God,]which word noteth both the maker andmetall ofit; teachingus, that the weapons where- with we refift the devil! mutt be fpirituall. Our weapons ( faith the Apoftle) arcnotcarnall, but fpirituall, a Cor, so. S. There it no armour ofproofe able to refill him, whichGodhimfelfe doth notforge, and is not, fpirituall : for the ftrength ofbraffe and ftone is nothing to him ; that of the Leviathan may be applied tohim, lob 41. Secondly, fuch mutt the armour be to refit , as the affaultis which is made againfta thing : now the devill dothnot come againft us with fwords, but with fpirituall fuggeftions to withdraw us; labouring to withdrawus from righteoufnefTe& fellowfhipwith God,to unrighte- oufneffe and the creature,leaving the creator. Wherefore wemutt not fenceour felves againftthe affaults of Satan by any humane meanes, byany thing which thewifdome ofman can fuggeft:but asDavid,en- countring withGoliah,laid afideSaufs weaponsand furniture,and went againft him in the name ofthe Lord : fo we mutt fay, Not armed with our own wifdome,ftrength, or helps ofthe creature,do we feek to put to flight thepowerofdarknefs,but in Gods armor we make refiftance. Secondly, it doth convince many of notable folly, whowill march againft the devil! with armour flefhly and devilifh; as the Papifts,who in proceffionhave banners upon poles, whoon Palme- Sunday carry palme-boughs, whoput truft on erodes, crucifixes, holywater, &c. for, not knodving the power ofgodlineffe, they think with flefhly ce- remoniesto chafeaway the fpirituall powers ofdarknefTe. Againe, many troubled with tentations ofblafphemy, or felfmur- der, theywill tophyfick;as ifbylettingofblood or vomit, theycould purge out the devil!; others, when theevill fpirit doth annoy them, they make refiftance, but asSaul, call for mufick, this or that compa- ny, and employthemfelvesmore bufily, that one naile may drive out another; in aword, fo refitting that evil! one , troubling themfelves, that the make themfelves twofold more the childrenof the Devill. Fourthly there are force whowhen they are fo troubled, will not flick
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