Sermon 46: Upon Ephesians Chapter 6

11. Put upon you the whole armor of God, that you may withstand all the assaults of the devil. 12. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the Principalities, against the Powers, against the Lords of this world, the governors of the darkness of this world, and against the spiritual wickednesses that are in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore take to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and stand fast when you have performed all things. 14. Stand fast therefore, having your loins girt with truth, and being clothed with the breastplate of Righteousness: 15. Having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace: 16. Taking above all things the shield of faith, whereby you may quench all the fiery darts of wickedness. 17. Also take to you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I showed you this morning, why Saint Paul speaks here of the force and crafts of Satan, that is to wit, to wake us, that we be not taken unawares, as it happens oftentimes. Therefore it stands us on hand to know, with what manner of enemy we have to do, that the same may stir us up to resist him. True it is that at the first we might be abashed, by comparing our own weakness with the practices and preparations of Satan, whereof mention is made here. But the remedy thereof is set down therewith, as I have touched already, and as Saint Paul proceeds to show yet more at length. Therefore he says first, that the encounter which we have to deal in, is much more hard and dangerous, than if all the men in the world did set themselves against us. For the force of Satan is above them all. And that is the cause why he says, that our fighting is not against flesh and blood. By these words he does us to understand, that we have not to stand against mortal men only. It is true that men shall oftentimes bid us battle, yes, and they shall be Satan's underlings to torment us. But that is not the thing that we must stick at. For the devil serves his turn by them to drive us to despair, or to provoke us to revenge, and to make us grudge against God. However the case stand, the wicked do never trouble us, but they be egged to it by another, that is to say, by Satan, who rules them, and is their head, and sets them a work, to the ends aforesaid. Therefore if we stick upon men, we forget the principal, after the manner of dogs, who if a man do cast a stone at them, fall to biting of the stone to wreak themselves, and regard not the hand that threw it. Even so are we unprovided of wit, when we think our striving is but only with men, and in the meanwhile think not upon our invisible enemy. Therefore let us bethink ourselves well of the thing that Saint Paul tells us here, namely that Satan is the chief enemy that we have, yes, and that it is he whom we must withstand: and although he uses diverse means to vex us, and to turn us away from the fear of God: yet must we always have our eye upon him, that we may beware of him.

Again, a man might think it strange, that Saint Paul should say, that the devils are the principalities of the air, the lordships and powers of heaven, and the princes of the world: for a man would deem that he matches them against God. Now although some heretics in old time have abused this place, intending to have made as it were two beginnings, so as God should be hindered to maintain himself against Satan, and to defend those whom he has taken into his protection: yet notwithstanding if we have an eye to Saint Paul's intent, this question will be easily resolved. And why? For here is no talk of any power that the devil should have as it were in spite of God to advance himself against him: for we must rather stand fully resolved of this point, that the devil is the executor of God's judgments, and cannot attempt anything more than is granted and permitted him. If there were no more but this text of the first chapter of Job, where the devil appeared with the angels (who are named there the children of God) to get leave to do mischief: it ought to satisfy us thoroughly. True it is that he seeks nothing else but to pervert and confound all things. But yet for all that, God holds him bridled, and executes what he thinks good by his means, insomuch that when the devils have devised what they can, yet can they not attempt anything without God's leave, indeed and except he has ordained it, and given them express charge to do this or that. Yet notwithstanding, it is not for nothing that Saint Paul names them the powers and principalities of the air: for all this depends upon the things that he will speak presently concerning the darkness of the world. But, that the devils should have superiority over mankind, which is shaped after the image of God, were against all reason: indeed if we had continued in our soundness. Had we held out in the state wherein God created our father Adam, it is certain that the devil should not have had any advantage over us. But forasmuch as we are now overwhelmed with darkness, and become thralls of our own nature: therefore the devil is named the Prince of the world. Therefore let us mark well that Saint Paul having so advanced the power of the devil, shows us from where all of it proceeds, and what is the wellspring of it, to the intent we should not think that the devil has the reins of the bridle loose on his neck, so as he should be able to do what he pleases, and God unable to hinder him. To the intent then that we should not imagine that God's sovereign dominion is abated by any power of the devils: Saint Paul says, that their power proceeds of this, that this world is in darkness. True it is that the sun shines upon us, and the moon also: but yet for all that, we cease not to be plunged in the dungeon of death, and to be blind wretches, because we are banished from the light of life which is in God. Inasmuch then as we are destitute of the knowledge of him that made and fashioned all things, and have our wits entangled in all naughtiness, and our reason is utterly perverted: therefore does Satan reign over us. And so the question is resolved which might have been demanded, namely how the devils are named the princes of the air, and have such scope in this world which God has created. That comes not of the original order of nature, (as I have declared already) but of the corruption that is happened through the fall of man: However the case stands, the devils have such power over us, as we could not tell how to withstand them, unless God were both our shield and our wall, and served our turn on all occasions, indeed and fought for us at such time as we can do nothing at all. I say, we must mark well that, and also beat down the foolish presumption which is so rooted in our hearts, as it is right hard for us to weed it out. For we see how men do always vaunt themselves, and would make themselves as idols. But how does the scripture speak of them? It calls them the devil's slaves. So long then as we have not Jesus Christ for our king, and his seat is unset up among us by reason of Adam's fall: the devil must needs be our Prince, and have all authority over us, and we be subject to him. Now let men make as great bravery as they please, and challenge this and that to themselves: and yet notwithstanding, the thing that the Holy Spirit has spoken, must continue steadfast. For irrepealable is the definitive sentence that is given here, that is to say, that the devil is our prince, and we his subjects, held down under his thralldom, until we be set free by our Lord Jesus Christ, according to this saying in the eighth of Saint John (John 8:36), that it is he which makes us free, to the end we should depart out of the cursed tyranny and bondage of Satan. Now seeing we are as wretched folk overthrown, and the devil is over our heads, and has gotten the upper hand of us already, if we are not rescued in a wonderful manner: there is good cause why we should stoop, (as I declared already this morning) and distrust the strength that we surmise ourselves to have of our own, for it is nothing else than deceitfulness. Also there is reason to quicken up our carefulness, to make us resort to God, and to pray him that he forsake us not, nor suffer us to be given up as a prey to our enemies. And finally, to make every man to strain himself, knowing that although we ourselves do nothing: yet does God work in such wise by us, as he will not have us to be as blocks, but he will have us exercise our faith, and to be as men of war, to serve him in battle, so as the obstacles that we encounter, restrain us not from keeping on our course still, but that we withstand all the ambushes and assaults that are put to us. Thus you see in effect how we must put this text into practice.

And he concludes again, that we must hold our own to resist the wicked days, until we are fast settled after the performance of all. Here he puts us in mind again, that it is not enough for us to have fought stoutly for a month or for a year, but that we must hold out to the end, indeed even all our life long. For God has set us in this world to maintain the battle until we have come to the rest of heaven. The earth then is not only as a pilgrimage to the faithful, but also as a camp where we must always have enemies to trouble us night and day without ceasing. That is the cause why Saint Paul says expressly, that we must resist until we have finished and performed all things. And by the evil days, he means all our life, but especially the times when our Lord suffers us to be pinched more than ordinary. For although God tries us to the end, yet he does forbear us now and then. For if he had not pity of our weakness, what would become of us? It is true that we must not take truce with Satan: but yet God sometimes gives us respites, so as we are not grieved with extremity. The evil days therefore are, when there are great and in manner extreme temptations and trials, however that all our whole life is comprehended under the same words. It is true that that does not impede our continual happiness, but that God takes us still for his people and heritage: but yet shall there always be that evil of which Saint Paul speaks here. Then let us not make our account of an earthly paradise here below, or to reap here the fruit of our victory, or to live in rest: but rather let us assure ourselves, that miseries are prepared for us without ceasing or number. Therefore let us be armed to abide them, and to overcome them. And it is no objecting against God's will in this behalf. It is very true that he could handle us much more gently, and that he could so set us alone by ourselves, as our enemies should not come at us, nor we suffer any vexation: but it pleases him not to do so. Therefore we must bow down our necks, and every one of us buckle himself to the battle that God calls us to. For (as Saint Peter says) it is good reason that our faith, which is much more precious than gold and silver, should be tried. Seeing that a corruptible metal is refined by fire: should our faith, which is much more excellent, be kept from coming to its purity and perfection? Therefore let us think well upon that which is said here, namely that we must finish things (or go through with them). And that is to the end that no man should pamper himself, when he has held his own for a while, and taken great pains in employing himself to God's service, but that he should walk on still to the end, and put the thing in use which Saint Paul shows us in another place, even by his own example. For although he had done so notable things, as a man might say, that God should have held him quite, and given him some rest for his often fighting both by sea and by land various ways: yet notwithstanding he says, he forgets all that is past, and strains, and forces himself still forward, until he may attain to the fellowship of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. For what causes a number to take so great liberty, but that they think themselves to have done enough, and may give others leave to take their turn? Why not, say they? It is now twenty or thirty years that I have taken extreme pains without ceasing, and the world has seen my faithfulness, zeal, and care which I have had to serve God, and my diligence in doing the things that my charge required. And thereupon they conclude, that now therefore they may well take rest. We must not so bargain with God. But whatever we have done, we must forget that which is behind (says Saint Paul) and look forward to the thing that is yet to come, that is to say, that we are not yet come to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, but that there are many infirmities in us still, and our faith is not yet so thoroughly well refined, but that it had need to be brought again to the furnace and the fire. And therefore let us hold out until we have finished all things. And what is meant by this All? That having lived in the obedience of our God, we die likewise when it pleases him, and according to his will. For it is not enough for us to live in awe of him: but we must also even in our death, yield record that we are wholly his, and we must not covet to live here until we are weary of our life, but we must always have one foot lifted up to depart when it pleases God. So then, all is then finished, when we have lingered in this world as long as pleases God, and every man endeavored to live according to his calling, and been patient to the end. Finally, be it that we live, or be it that we die, and let us always be true sacrifices to offer ourselves to God, and let us seek nothing but to yield up our souls and our bodies into God's hand. Therefore let us stand fast says Saint Paul: that is to say, that we may be able to show ourselves before our God.

Hereupon he shows with what manner of armor we must be fenced and furnished: that is to say, with faith, with righteousness, with truth, with God's word, and with the Gospel. Now we must not be curious in seeking here why Saint Paul gives the title of helmet to one, the title of breastplate to another, and the title of shield to another. For in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians he touches the same doctrine briefly, however, without following the similitude throughout, saying, that we must be armed with the helmet of faith and charity. But he speaks otherwise in this place. If any man would say, there is some contradiction, the doubt would soon be dissolved, namely that Saint Paul's intent here, was not to decipher particularly all the pieces of a Christian man's armor, but to show briefly that if we receive the means that God offers us, and are diligent to serve him, we shall be furnished of all pieces, and we need not fear but we shall have with which to withstand all our enemies, indeed and to vanquish them. That then was Saint Paul's meaning.

Now he sets down here first of all, that we must be girded with the sword-girdle of truth, and put on the headpiece of righteousness. By those two words he means soundness and holiness of life. Therefore whenever we hear this word truth, let us understand that Saint Paul condemns all hypocrisy, and will have us learn to give ourselves to the serving of God with a free heart, not with eye service, nor as to the sight of the world, but with a pure and right meaning mind. And to know why this truthfulness, or uprightness, and this soundness is put for a breastplate: it is not now needful to trouble ourselves much, as I said before. For the point that we must bear in mind is how Saint Paul shows us that if we take the armor which God gives us, we shall be sure without fail to have victory against all our enemies. Righteousness is matched with it: which is a true rule by which to walk in the fear of God, and to live with our neighbors without doing any harm, without fraud, without malice, and without extortion, and rather to endeavor to do one another good, according to the end to which our Lord has knit us together, which is that we should so share with our neighbors that no man be wedded to his own profit, but all of us seek the common welfare. And no marvel now though the Devil overcomes us easily, and steals upon us all kinds of ways unawares, both evening and morning and every minute. For where is this soundness that Saint Paul requires here first of all? No, rather every one of us flatters himself, and we think we have done much when we have used a few fair countenances, and not been utter rebels against God, so that the world cannot upbraid us that we have been despisers of his majesty. Then if we play not the stark madmen, but pretend some fair show, and make some gay countenance of religion: to our own seeming we have discharged our duty very well, when notwithstanding the devil in the meantime has turned us quite away from the soundness and substantialness of which Saint Paul speaks here. In like case is it with righteousness. For we would fain content God with a little. Indeed we will confess well enough with the mouth, that it is reason that God should be served and honored, and that we should live quietly together, and endeavor to do one another good. We will condemn robbery, extortion, whoredom, deceit, and wrong dealing: but yet when all is done, we would have God to accept in good worth the little that he finds in us, and to hold him contented with it. But by that means, behold, the devil finds us still unprovided. Forasmuch then as we open him such a gap, we must not marvel that he gets the better hand of us. And therefore it were much better for us to go through with our race, and to stick to our tackling that we stand fast. For a man shall see diverse that have a good zeal, as far as can be judged: and yet it shall be but a blast, it will not continue. And why? Because we are not fenced against Satan. And for proof hereof, if we follow the thing that is shown us here: it is certain that the promise will never deceive us. For although Saint Paul exhorts the faithful to stand fast, and to hold out to the end: yet is there a certain warranty included therein, that God will always succor them at their need, and that they shall not find themselves disappointed, so they fight still under his banner, calling continually upon his power, and using the means that are offered them by his word. Therefore if there be such cowardliness in us as to be so afraid of the devil, that he makes us to tumble down, and to start aside, and to stray quite out of the good way: we must impute all to our own recklessness, because we have not put on the armor that God gives us, but have hung them up upon a pin.

Afterward here follows, that we should be shod with preparation to the Gospel of peace. No doubt but Saint Paul had an eye to the ancient fashion of men of war. For they wore no shoes at home, but only when they went to warfare: and that was both to defend them from the cold, and to save their feet when they entered into battle with the enemy. It is said that the Gospel serves us for it. However, there are two other words to be marked also, in that he adds, Preparation, and Peace. Notwithstanding, that we may lay forth things in their order, let us note that Saint Paul allots to the Gospel this power and property of shoeing us, because that when we are trained in the doctrine of the Gospel as we ought to be, then we may walk safely through the world. For we see how the unbelievers are plunged ever head and ears in it. Those whom God has not prepared to walk and to attain to the kingdom of heaven, are so snarled in this world, that they are altogether unprofitable, as though they had their legs broken, and they sink themselves daily deeper and deeper in it. Therefore there is but one only way to make us wade through this world, and to attain to the kingdom of heaven: which is, to have such instruction as is in the Gospel, namely that God having adopted us to be his children, will not have us to dwell here beneath forever, but that we should come to him, yes even with all haste and speed, and again, that we not entangle ourselves with the uncleanness of the unbelievers, but separate ourselves from them. Thus much concerning the first point.

There is also the word Preparation, by which Saint Paul does cause us to understand, that if we have the skill to advantage ourselves by the Gospel, we shall be rid of all things that hinder us from coming to God. What is it then that we find there? It is, that whereas before we were as if we had fallen asleep, or rather doted in our pleasures and vanities: our Lord disposes us to come to him. We have seen already that all this world is in darkness, and that as long as we abide in it, we are as it were asleep, so that we see no way before us, and do but reel and stumble, or rather lie along in it as dead men (as it is said in Isaiah 59:10): and if we are not rescued by our Lord Jesus Christ, we must lie snorting in it still, and welter ever in that darkness. Therefore let us learn to put ourselves in such readiness, as our loins may be girded up (as says our Lord Jesus Christ), and our lamps be burning in our hands, that we may see the way by the light that is given us in our Lord Jesus Christ, who not without cause is named the light of the world (John 8:12). Again, let us withdraw ourselves from this spiritual drunkenness, which turns the unbelievers away from the kingdom of heaven, and holds them down here beneath, until they have come to final destruction. Therefore let us mark well that we cannot profit well by the Gospel, until we are put in readiness, that is to say, until (as need is) we are weeded out from all these things here below, and our Lord has so disposed us to himself, as our only travel may be to come always further forward and nearer to him, until we are gone out of this world, and are also quite rid and set loose from all the bonds of Satan, and from all the means that he has to hinder us. If we know this once, we shall have profited well for one day.

But Saint Paul adds one other title to the Gospel, which serves to make us the more in love with it, saying, that it is the Gospel of peace. And by that he gives us courage to fight, as if he should say, my friends, it is true that your enemies are mighty, and will give you hard skirmishes, insomuch that you should not be able to withstand them, but you should be overthrown a hundred thousand times in an hour, if God aided you not. Nevertheless, if you refuse not the help that God gives you, but rather make it effectual by enforcing yourselves to withstand all evil: you shall have peace in the midst of war. And why? For the Gospel brings always that benefit with it. Now it is much when we can fight without being afraid. For we see in what state they are from time to time, which are out of quiet: there is neither counsel nor advice in them, they are quite out of heart, and to be short, the trouble does always dismay them. But yet it is true, that we must have a care with us, as has been said before. For if we are reckless, we shall be overreached by and by. However, this care is no hindrance, but that we may enter into the battle freely with a steady and well-settled mind, forasmuch as God is on our side, and will utter his mighty power in our defense. This is the thing that ought to make us quiet, so that no such fear seizes us as may make us turn tail, or deprive us of advice, but that the more we are pinched, the more we may flee to God, praying him to help us, and to provide for all our needs, which he knows much better than we ourselves do. Now then we see what Saint Paul's meaning is, when he will have us to be shod with the Gospel. It is not to hold us in this world, but rather that we should be in a readiness to travel freely towards the kingdom of heaven: and moreover have a quiet mind to serve God, trusting assuredly that notwithstanding all the troubles which we have to endure, yet we shall not perish. For he assures us not only to help us in some one assault, but to continue with us to the end, even till he has delivered us from all the griefs and troubles which we sustain at this day.

There is further, that we must above all things take the shield or buckler of faith, and the spiritual sword which is God's word. As touching this shield, he sets down, that by means thereof we may beat back the burning or fiery darts which the enemy hurls at us. It should seem that Saint Paul uses here a needless speech, in putting God's word and faith asunder, and that he should not set down two things which are but one. For faith is nothing of itself beyond what it is grounded upon God's word: and God's word also advantages us not, except we receive it by faith. But his distinguishing of these two things, which notwithstanding go jointly together, was for the easier declaring of them. And he sets faith for the buckler, to the end (says he) that we should therewith ward all the darts of our enemy. Yet again he shows us, that of our own power we are not able to ward the blows that Satan can give us, but that they would be deadly. For he thinks it not enough to say (simply,) to ward the blows or assaults: but he says, the darts. Now men see that one shall sooner [reconstructed: be] hit unawares with darts, than with spears or swords: like as nowadays a man shall sooner be hit with a harquebus, or with a double cannon, than with a sword that is swung before one's face, and which he may more easily shun. Saint Paul therefore sets down the devil's darts, like as he had before set down his wiles. Now then let us mark, that Satan not only uses force, but also might wound us to death by subtle means, if we were not fenced by faith. For (as is said elsewhere) it behooves us to know his wiles: and without we do so, we can never withstand him. He is the father of lying, and besides that, has such store of wiles, as none can have more, to beguile us and to entrap us. Therefore let us receive these warnings, that we may be the more watchful to apply the promises to our benefit which are given us in God's word. And he sets down fiery darts, to show that his wounds should be deadly (as I said before) if God did not set his power before us, and defend us and preserve us thereby. Now we see what the force of faith is.

Now look how much is attributed to faith, so much is taken away from men. For faith borrows all things of God's mere grace and liberality. Therefore let us mark that in this text Saint Paul meant to humble us, and to show us that God must be obliged to provide us of all things belonging and requisite to our victory. And therefore whoever makes themselves shields of any of all the other bulwarks that can be devised, to repulse Satan withal: they shall have but a spider's web (as they say) and Satan will but sport himself at their presumption, insomuch that when they think they have all the mountains of the world to fortify them, it shall profit them nothing at all at their need. Therefore let us learn to make faith our buckler: that is to say, when we mind to enter into the battle, and to hold out in it: let us consider, that God is our father, because he has elected and chosen us for his children, of his own infinite goodness. Seeing he has assured us that he will always be on our side, and that he is greater than all the world, and that he has put us in good and safe keeping by ordaining our Lord Jesus Christ to be our Shepherd: let us gather all those promises together, and make a shield of them to set before us whenever we are assailed, and let us defy the devil, because we are in the protection of our God, who is of invincible power, and because our Lord Jesus Christ has taken upon him the charge of our salvation, and promised to be a faithful keeper of our souls to the end. When we are once at that point, then shall we beat back the darts of the devil. For on the one side he will labor to make us distrust God's grace: and on the other side he will make us believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is far off from us: indeed he will tempt us to murmur and grudge against him, or to make us cast forth trifling and unprofitable questions, or else blasphemies, and such other things: and all these are darts. Again, when we are tickled with any wicked lust or longing in our hearts, it is the next way for us to be caught tardy. True it is that at the first blush these allurements will seem neither bitter, nor irksome, nor hard, nor anything else: but yet for all that, they are deadly darts: and yet notwithstanding, faith beats them all back. As how? If we are tempted to [reconstructed: covetousness], because we are afraid lest the earth should fail us: God has taken upon him the charge to nourish and sustain us. And so, let us rest upon him, and ask our daily bread at his hand. If the devil labors to win us to whoredom: we know that Jesus Christ has incorporated us into himself, and made us his own members to be all one with him: and shall we go spoil ourselves in dung and filthiness? What a dealing were that? He has set us free and cleansed us by his blood: and shall we go wallow again in our uncleanness? Are we provoked to gluttony? And, why not? Has not God created food to our use? (Yes:) but shall we defile and overthrow the order that God has set, which is, that we should be sustained by them, thereby to be directed to the heavenly life? And shall we turn the things to our hindrance, which [reconstructed: ought] to be our help? Again, are we tempted with ambition, to glorify ourselves? Indeed: but what example has our Lord Jesus Christ set before us? Moreover if we covet to be great in this world: we shall be enemies to God, for he resists the proud, so as their pride and presumption must needs be pulled down. Thus you see how we may every way beat back the darts of Satan.

And again, if any man opposes you, saying, how can you tell whether you shall ever be the better or not for all your travail? Where is the thing that the Gospel promises? Faith must work in this case, for we see not the reward that is promised: but rather we see store of troubles, encounters, and sorrows. To be short, we seem to be the most miserable creatures in the world. And what shall we do then? We would need to quail every minute of an hour, if God reached us not his hand. And how do we take hold of his hand? That is to say, how do we advantage ourselves by his power? Faith must be constrained to work in this behalf: that is to say, we must look up to the things that are not seen, as the Apostle says in the Epistle to the Hebrews. After that manner shall we beat back Satan's darts.

Now finally he adds the word, which (as I said before) ought not to be separated from faith. But I have told you already, that Saint Paul meant to add that saying, for a further declaration of the matter. As if he had said, My friends, whereas I told you that you might withstand your enemies, and beat back all their darts by the means of faith: it is because God's word cannot fail you. Forasmuch then as you have the promises of salvation, and God speaks to you, so as you know that he has you in his keeping, and that you cannot be confounded, if you trust in him: therefore did I set faith before you as a shield. However, if you have faith, you have more shields than one. For God's word is the true spiritual sword, whereby we may not only beat back our enemy, but also discomfit him, and beat him down under our feet. What remains now, but to learn to profit ourselves better by God's word, than we have done until now? Seeing then that our Lord Jesus Christ grants us this inestimable grace and benefit of teaching us in his school: let us consider therewith to what end he does it: that is to say, to arm us against Satan, because we cannot live in his obedience, and keep the way that he shows us, but by fighting: and he also does give us armor. So then, let us assure ourselves that we have a good sword, when we know how to apply God's word to our use: and moreover, that faith (which proceeds thereof) will be a good shield for us.

Also we shall have the helmet of the hope of salvation: and to be short, we shall be thoroughly fenced and furnished on all sides. For thereof comes the soundness of conscience and holiness of life, which he has spoken of. Finally we shall want nothing, if we know how to use well the means that God sets forth for our welfare. So then, although the state of the faithful seems to be as irksome as may be, because God exercises them against all the devils in hell, and that not for one day only, but for all the time of their life: yet must we think it right sweet and amiable, seeing God provides for all our needs, at least so we awake, and consider the dangers wherein we be, except that we resist them. Let us consider (I say,) on the one side Satan's violence and force: and on the other side his crafts and subtleties. And therewith let us call upon our God, (as Saint Paul will show us again hereafter,) and also consider the benefit that God's word brings us. And hereby we see how the wretched Papists have stripped themselves stark naked out of all the armor that should serve them for their salvation. For what is the word of God among them? A nose of wax. They have not been ashamed to belch out that blasphemy, both in all their books and also in all their Sermons: namely, that there is no certainty in God's word. Indeed, but we did wrong to call it the spiritual sword, if it armed us not against all the assaults of Satan. Therefore we could not repulse the temptations wherewith we be provoked to evil, unless God's word served us to that end. And if we found it not so by experience, surely Saint Paul would never have given it that name. Now then, let us endeavor to profit more and more by it, and let us be good scholars, and give good ear to it while God has his mouth open to teach us: and we shall find that Saint Paul has not in vain promised us here, that we shall ever get the upper hand, even until we be come to the heavenly Kingdom, where we shall fully enjoy the fruit of our victory.

Now let us fall down before the Majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying him to make us feel them better, and that in the meantime we may always resort to him, and not be out of heart, although we be too unworthy to offer ourselves before his majesty, nor quail because of our vices and imperfections: but that seeing it has pleased him to be on our side, he make the remedies to serve at our need which he has given us, as we desire them at his hand: and that we may endeavor to profit so in his word, as it may guide us forth to the end, so as we may not quail in any encounter, but that the devil may be confounded, and our Lord Jesus Christ exalted, because it is under him and by his power that we fight, and it is he also of whom our victory proceeds. That it may please him to grant this grace, not only to us, but also to all people, etc.