760 / 808
Ephefia:i.r,
Chap.6.
V
E
x.IO.
ty good fomctime, but
it
is
to
keepe
another
under ,
who
would
elfe
Iprout forth
fo
far,
that
his fhade
would
dim=
our
lights
:
as, I
will
do for
fuch
a
one,
they know
good behaviours, they
will do their ho-
mage, fuch
a
one
will
thank
me
for
it
,
I
am fore it will
not
be given
clean
away.In
leaving fin,many leave it
not
becaufe they hate it
as
fin,
but
it
bath often broken out to their reproach; which
is
more,confeffe
their
owne
firmes,
not defiring
to
give
glory
to God
,
and gaine
a
te-
ftimony
of
a
found heart ;
but
becaufe
worldly
wifdorne
doch
tell
them, It
is
belt
for
them to
tell
theirowne tale, or
it
were double folly
to
make
dainty
of
that
all
the world
knoweth. Thus
in taking up
good
duties
as
orders
in
our family
,
many often looke not fo much
at
the
confcience
of
Gods Commandement,
as
at
this;
The
eyes
of
men are
upon
us,
all
the
world
will cry
fhame,
if
fuch
things be negleéted
al-
together.
But
you
that
will keep
truth,
take heed
of
this
haulting
:
for
though
there may
befome
reliquesofhypocrifreinagood man,
yet
the
nature
of
haulting
is,
it
will goe
quite out
of
the
way
if
it
be not
healed,
Heb.
I
2.13. And
make ftraight
Reps
unto your feet,
left
that
which
is
haulting be turned out
of
the way. And
he
that
limpeth thus
ftill, may have
a
lame leg by it
to
his
grave.
V/o
2.
Secondly,
we muff flirre
up
our
!elves
to
keepe
this girdle
clofe
to
us, which
is
of
fuch
excellent
ufe
:
this
is
woven
in
heaven , no lhop
can fervc
you with
this, but
that
oncly.
Wce
buy
us
girdles
for the
body
; and
if
cofily ones, we
keepe
them carefully.
O be
wife
for
your
foules.
Now
followeth the
fecond part
of
our furniture
s
Having put on
the breaftplate
of
righteoufneffe.
To
follow the
felfe
fame order.
r.
Fìrft, for
that which
is
meant here
,
there
is
a
threefold righteouf-
neffe.
One imputed
by
faith, but
this cannot be meant, for this
is
the
fhield
of
faith.
Another
righteoufneffe inherent
in us,
which
is
part
of
the
divine
quality begun
in
us,
Eph.4.24.
3.
The third,
a
righteoufneffe
ofcourfe, or converfation,
orworke:
thus
the
thing donc
is
called righteoufneffe.
1
Iohn
3.7.
He
that doth
righteoufneffe,
is
righteous.
Pfal.112.
3.
Riches and plenteoufneffe
!hall
be in
his
houfe,
and
his
righteoufneffe endureth for ever.
Now
the
fecond
is
not
fo
fitly
meant here,
becaufe
theApoftle bringeth
in
thenew creaturearmed
:
therefore it
is fit
to
diftinguifh him
from
his
armour.
Neither
is
truth properly the new creature, but the quality
of
him
:
neither
is
faith and
love, properly
taken in
their
differences,
the
new
creature
:
for they
(hall ccafe.
Though
therefore I will not
ftrive againft ir,
yet
I
take
the
righteoufneffe
of
the
courf
and
converf-
lion, hereprincipally
to be
intended.
Nov
into this
parr
of
our
furniture,
three
parts
are enfolded
:
for
thisrighteoa
fne
fe
hashthefe threebranches.
i.
Firft, for thetime
pact,
a
teftimony
excufing
us
,
which
is
the tefti.
mony
of
a
good
confcience,
z Cor,1.12.
For,our
reloycing
is
this, the
teftimony
of
ourconfcience,&c.
.
Secondly, for the
time
to come,
a
purpofe to avoid all evill,
and
to
doe