First, When we engage in a dnty, and look not up to God for his blessing. Didst thou eye God's appointment in the means, thou woiddst say, ' Soul, if there come any good of thy present service, it must drop from heaven, for it is God's appointment, not man's, and can I profit, whether God will or no? or think to find and bring away any soid-em-iching treasure from his ordinance without his leave ? Had I not best look up to him, by whose blessing I live more than by my bread ?
Again, Secondly, It appears we look not at God's appointment, when we have low thoughts of the means. What is Jordan, that I should wash in it ? What is the preaching, that I should attend on it, where I hear nothing but ■what I knew before ? What are these beggai-ly elements of water, and bread, and wine? Are not these the reasonings of a soul that forgets who appoints these ? Didst thou remember who commands, thou wouldst not question what the command is ; what though it be clay, let Christ use it, and it shall open the eyes, though in itself more like to put them out. Hadst thou thine eye on God, thou woiddst silence thy carnal reason with this : It is God sends me to such a duty ; whatever he saith unto me I will do it, though he should send me (as Christ them) to draw wine out of the pots filled with water.
Thirdly, When a soul leaves off a duty, because he finds not in it what he expected from it. O, saith the soul, I see it is in vain to follow the means as I have done ; still Satan foils me ; I will even give over. Dost thou remember, sold, it is God's ai)pointment? Surely then thou wouldst persevere in the midst of discouragement. He that bids thee pray, bids thee pray without ceasing. He that bids thee hear, bids thee wait at the posts of wisdom. Thou wouldst reason thus, God hath set me on duty, and here I will stand, till God takes me oW, and bids me leave praying.
CHAPTER III.
SHEWETH THAT THE ARMOUR WE USE FOR OUR DEFENCE AGAINST SATAN, MUST NOT ONLY BE DIVINE BY INSTITUTION, BUT CONSTITUTION ALSO.
Secondly, The Christian's armour miist be armour of God, in regard of its make and constitution. My meaning is, it is not only God that must a})point the weapons and arms the Christian useth for his defence, but he must also be the efficient of .hem; he must work all their work in them and for them. Prayer is an appointment of God, yet this is not armour of ])roof, except it be a prayer of God flowing from his Spirit. Hope ; that is the helmet the saint by command is to wear ; but this hope must be God's creature, ' who hath begotten us to a lively hope,' 1 Pet. i. 3. Faith; that is another principal piece in the Chri.stian's furniture, but it must be ' the faith of God's elect,' Tit. i. 1. He is to take righteousness and holiness for his breast-plate ; but it must be ' true holiness,' Eph. iv. 24. ' Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' Thus, you see, it is not annour as armour, but as armour of God, that makes the soul impregnable. 'That which is born of God overcometh the world.' A faith bom of God, a hope born of God ; but the spurious, adulterous brood of duties and graces, Ijeing begot of mortal seed, cannot be immortal.
Must the soul's armour be of God's make? Be exhorted then to look narrowly, whether the armour ye wear be the workmanship of God or no. There is abundance of false ware put oft" now-a-days ; little good armour worn by the multitude of professors ; it is Satan's after-game he plays, if he cannot please the sinner with his naked state of profaneness, then to put him off with something like grace, some slighty stuff that shall neither do him good nor Satan hurt ; thus many, like children that cry for a knife or dagger, and are pleased as well with a bone knife and wooden dagger, as wiOi the best of all ; so they have some armour it mutters not what. Pray they must, but little care how it be performed. Believe in God ! Yes, they hope they are not infidels ; but what it is, how they come by it, or whether it \yill hold in an evil day, this never was i)ut to the question in their hearts. Thus thousands perish
34< PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR, OF GOD.
with a vain conceit they are armed against Satan, death, and judgment, when they are 'miserable and naked,' yea, woi'se off than those who are more naked, those, I mean, who have not a rag of civility to hide their shame from the world's eye, and that in a double respect.