6o Vfe 3. Put on the whole Armour ofGod. Arkneeds fhake, when they that carry it are thus ftruck at,both in their perfonand office ? what are thefe men doing ? alas,they know not, Father,forgive them: They are cutting off their right hand with their left; they are making themfelves and the Na- tion naked, by defpifing the Gape!, and thofe that bring it. Confider your deplored effate, who are wholly naked and un. arm'd. Can you pity the begger at your door,,(when you fee fuck in a Winter-day, shivering with naked backs, expofed to the fury of the cold) and not pity your own far more difmal foul- nakedneffe ' by which thou heft open to heavens wrath, and hells malice ? Shall their nakedneffe cover them with flume, fill them with feare of perifbing, which makes them with pitiful moanes knock and cry for relief,(as it is reportedof Ruffia,where their poor (through extreme neceffity) have this defperate manner of begging in their ftreets ; Give me and cut me, give me and kill me?) and canfl thou let Satan come and cut thy throat in thy bed of(loth, rather then accept of clothes tocover, yea, Armour todefend thee ? (I mean Chrift and his grace, which in the Go- fpel is tendered to you.) And do not lightly beleeve your own flattering hearts, if they shall tell you, you are provided of thefe already. I am afraid many a gaudy Profelrour will be found as naked in regard of Chrift, and truth ofgrace, as drunkards and f'wearers themfelves ; Such there are, who content themfelVes with a Chrift in Profeffion, in gifts, and in duties, but leek not a Chrift in folid grace, and fo perifb ; thofe indeed are an orna- ment' to the Chriffian, as the fcarfe and feather to the fouldicr, but thefe quench not the bullet in battel, 'cis Chrift and his grace loth that, therefore labour tobe found rather then brave Chriffians. Graceembellifht with gifts is the more beautiful, but thefe without grace only the richer fpoile for Satan. The fecond Branch of the firft general part of the words fol- 'owes and that is, thequality or kinde of that Armour, the Chriftian is heredireded to provide. It is not any trafh will ferve the turn,better none thennot Armour ofproof,and none fuch,but Armour of God. In a twofold refpeet it muff be of God. Firft, inftitution and appointment Secondly, in cogitation. CHAP,
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