Ea71in,3.1g. That we mull prof(re the trtrth,iit truth a,tdfish airy o fbea,t. IP so Oftb+egirdleefYéritie. it to anypurpofe thatwee Phew our felues earnefl and for- ward in religion, vnlefhe it be true and confonant to Cods word. For as the fafier that thofe trauaile which are out of theway, the further theyarcfrom theiriournies end ; fo the more earnefl and forward that wee are in trauelling theby- paths oferror,the further we are fromGods kingdome : and therefore Satan careth not greatlywhetherwe be of no re- ligionorofafalfe religion, whether wee worfhip noGod at all, or a falfe God, or at leafl the true Godafter a falfe man- ner,whether wee performe no duties untoGod, or fuch as being not agreeable to Gods truth are abominable vnto him. Firfl thenwemull containe all our a6lions within the .compaffe ofGoods word, and whatfoeuer wee profeffe and praó}ife,it mull hauehis ground and warrant from this truth, ifwee will bee accounted true members ofGods militant Church,vvhich is therefore called thepillaroftruth, I .Tim.3, 15.. becaufe contemning all errours anddo&rines ofmen, it faithfully keepeth the truthofGods word. And as fouldiers were girt about with that firong and broadBudded belt, wherewith their loynes were f}rengthened,and foenabled to fuflaine the fight without wearíneffe; iówe are tocompaffe our feluesabout with truth, wherebyweemay be flrengthc- ned when aswe know that we fight in a hill quarrell;neither (hall wee eafilie bee deceiued with Satans temptations and falfe fnggeflions,ifwe be girt about with the girdle ofveri- tie. And hereby appeareth the neceflitie of thispeece ofar- mour : for feeing Satanis a lier from thebeginning, it bebo- ueth vsto be eompaffed about with truth, that thebright beames thereofmaydifcouer and defperfc al the foggie tnifls ofSatanserrors and lies. But it is not fufficient that weprofeffe the truth,vnleffe it be in truth.,thatis,in integritieand fimplicitieofheart,with- out all hypocrifie and diflimulation.For how glorious foeuer our proféflìon euen ofthe true religionbe before men,yet it is abominable in the eies of God, ifit benot in truth and from an vprigh.t heart, but counterfeit and hypocritical]. Whatfoeuer duties and good works weperforme, though neuer foexcellent in thaelues,yet are theynot acceptable in Gods
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