6+ Put on the whole- Armour ofGod. them, then they labour to pacifie it, with fomegood work or other, which they let againa their bad ; their almes and chari- ty in their old age, muff expiate the oppreffion and violence of their former dayes : as if this little frankincense were enough to sire and take away the plagueof Gods curie, which is in their ill gotten goods. Thus poor creatures catch at any lorry cover- ing, which will not fo much as hide their fhame, much leffe choak the bullet of Gods wrath, when God shall fire upon them; this mutt he Armour ofGodsappointing. Adam was naked for Gen 3.21, all his fig-leaves, while God taught him to make coat., ofskins, co- vertly (as fome think) shadowing out Chrill the true Lambe of god, whole righteoufneffe alone was appointed by him to cover our fhame, and arme our naked fouls from the fight and ftroke of his juftice. 2. Secondly, it reproves thofe who ufe the Armour ofGod, but not as God bath appointed, which appears in three forts, Firft, when a perfon ufeth a duty appointed by God, not as Armour of defence againff fin, but as a cover for fin, Who would think him an enemie that weares Chriffs colours in his hat, and marcheth afrer Chriff in the exercife of all the duties of his worship ? fuch a one may paffe all the Courts ofguard, with- out fo much as being bid ftand, all take him for a friend; and yet fome fuch there are, who are fighting againft Chrift all the while. The hypocrite is the man, he learnes his poflures, gets the Word, bath his tongue tip's with Scripture-language, and walks in the habit of a Chriftian, meerly on a defign to drive his trade the more clofely; Like fome high-way men in our dayes who rob in the habit of fouldiers, that they may be the leffe fut.: peded ; this is defperate wickedneffe indeed, to take up Gods armes, and ufe them in the devils fervice of all finners fuch Ihall findefeaft mercy ; falfe friends fhall (peed worfe then open enemies. 2. Secondly, they ufe not the Armour of God, as God bath ap- pointed, who put a carnal confidence therein. We mull not confide in the Armour of God, but in the God of this Armour, becaufeall our weapons are only mighty through God, 2 Con ro. TheArk was the meanes of the Jewes fufety, but carnally ap plauded and gloried in haflened their overthrow : fo duties and Ordinances, gifts and graces in their place, are means for the -fouls
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