Gurnall - BV4500 .G87 1655

.. .. ... .. 76 Put on the whole Armour ofGod. It thou beeft never fo exact in thy morals, and not a worfhipper of God, then thou art an Acheat. Ifthon doeft worfhip God, and that devoutly, but not by Scripture-rule, thou art an idola- ter. If according to the rule, but not in Spirit and truth, then thou art an hypocrite, and fo fa Heft into the devils mouth. Or if thou doeft give God one piece ofhis worfhip, and denyeft an- other, fill Satan comes to his market. Troy. 28. 9 He that turneth back his eare from hearing the Law, his prayer is an abo. mination to the Lord. Yet (Chriftian) all thy Armour is not on. Thy godlineffe indeed would fuffice, wert thou to live in a world by thy felf, or hadft nothing to do but immediate communion with God ; Bur( Chriftian) thou mull not always dwell on this mount of immediate worfhip, and when thou defcencleft, thou haft many brethren and fervants to thy Father, who live with thee in the fame family ; and thou muff comport thy Pelf becom- ingly, or elfe thy Father will be angry. Fiat, thou haft bre- thren, tithes of the fame promife with thee, therefore you muff adde to godlineffe brotherly kindnefe. IfSatan can let you at odds, he gives a deep wound to your godlineffe. You will hardly joyne hearts in a duty, that cannot joyne hands in love. Secondly, there are not only brethren,but fervants, a multitude of profane carnal ones, who though they never had the names of Ions and daughters, yet retain to Gods family, and thy hea- venly Father will have thee walk unblameably, yea, winningly to thole that are without, which that thou mayeft do, thou mu ft adde to brotherly-kindneffe charity ; by which grace thou (halt be willing to do good to the wortt of men; when they curie thee, thou muff pray for them, yea, pray no leffe then a Chrift, a heaven for them. Father, forgive them, laid Chrift, while theywere raking in his fide for his heartablood. And tru- ly, I am perfwaded the want of this laft piece of armour, bath given Satan great advantage in there our times. We are fo a- fraid our charity fhould be too broad, whereas in this fenfe, if it be not as wide as the world, it is too (trait for the corn- rnand which bids us dogood to all. May not we Minifters be charged with the want of this? when the ftraine of our preach- ing is folely directed to the Saints ; and no paines taken in re- (cuing poor captived foules, yet uncall'd, out of the devils klutches, who mayhale them to hell withont any difturbance,, ..... ...

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=