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Ephefiana,
Ghap,6.
E
R.IO,
vfe.
1<.
2.
following our fubduing
of
temptations
:
as
trees
th
tken ,
roote
snore
firmely; and cides befieged, when the
enemie prevaileth
not,
they
grow
ever after
more
invincible.
This
then muft teach us,
who
have endured many things,
we
muft
have
care
fill
to
perfevere.
What
would be more
pitifull
then to
fee
a
fhip,
having.
paffed all
the billowes
of
the
fea, rim
upon rockes
in
the
mouth
of
the havens
fo
when
we have
pared
many
furges
in
this
world,
and now
fhould
come into the haven;
then,
not to
goo
on,and
caft our anchor
in
a
fafe
roade, were
too
too
pitifull.
Again, marks
what mind we fhould havero perfevere,
that
have fuffered; teeing,
when we
give over to endure, all
our former
fuffering
is
in vaine.
Now ifa
man had laid much money
forth
on
a
thing, would
he lore
his
former charge for
a
trifles no; he would rather double
the colt
he
had beene
at: for,
we
muff
carry
mimics
rather to double
all
our
fuf-
ferings,then
to
give over before our end.
Again,the more
we have gon
through,the
more the
Lord giveth
us
thefeminds; the
more we fhould
be
fiefhed
againft
further
affaults.
Many
falle
in
this: the ffar;;ing after
many trials have binwell endured,as
David
fought ah the
Lords bat
-
tels,&
pafi'ed
away
his
days
happily,yet afterward
fel
molt
grievoufly.
New
follow
the
feverall
peeees
of
armour,ofwhich
in
gencralltwo things
rnuß
be
marked;
Firft,that
we muff
not
fo precifely difference thefe
things,
as
to thinke
that
one may
not
ferve
for the
ufe
of
another,
as
that the
fhield may
not doe
in
fame fort
what the
.breaft
-plate
loth
:
for,
Thef,
S.
8.
Paul calleth faith
a
breaft
plate.
Secondly, for the
diftinaion of
defenfive and
offenfive
armor, thetruth
is,
that
though
Come
part
maywith more property
and eminencie
be rearmed
offen-
five
:
yet they are
all fuch
weapons
as
doe
lrike
downe adverfary
po-
wer,
as
well
as
ward the blowes which the devill rcacheth
us. Faith
therefore iscalled our viélory,
1
iobn q.
4. This
is
the viélory that
overcommeth the world,
even our
faith.
Now
then to confider
of
the
feverall parts
as
they
be in
order,
firtf he
faith, Stand, being girded
a-
bout with the girdle
of
truth.
For
the manner
of
proceeding,
before
we
precede
to
the
dorlrines andword
cfexhortation,
we
will
feeke out
faire
things :
firft,
what
is
meant by every
one: fecondly,
what
is
the
ufe
of it:
thirdly, how the
devill
doth
labour
to
difarme
us
of
it:
fourth-
ly, how
we may hold our owne againft him.
The
girdle
of
truth then
commeth
firff
:
Now
truth fomcume
fignifieth the
doEtrine
of
truth,
lohe
17.17.
But
that
itcannot
here
fignifie;
the fword
of
the
Spirit,
being thus
to be
confidered.
Truth
therefore here,
is
foundneffe:
whichis
aiwaies accompanied
with
conffancie;
For which
caufe
the
Hebrewes doe
in
one word
fignifie
both.
For
the fecond,
this
girdle
bath
three
fifes.
Firft,
it
doth
adorne
us
:
for this
was the
ufe
of
the
Studded belt,
which the
fouldiers did
=arc,
to hide
thegaping joynts
of
their armour
,
which
would have beene
unfeemely
:
and nothing
doth
adorne
a
foule more, then uprightneffe:
as
ourSaviourcommending
Nathanael
,
gave out this fpecch
ofhim;
Behold
atrue
Ifraelite in
whomthere
is
no guile,
lohn
1.47.
Secondly,