Chapter 3. Showing That the Armor We Use for Our Defense Against Satan Must Not Only Be Divine by Institution, but Constitution Also

SEcondly, the Christians Armour must be Armour of God, in regard of its make and constitution. My meaning is, 'tis not only God, that must appoint the weapons and armes the Christian useth for his defense: but he must also be the efficient of them, he must work all their work in them and for them. Prayer is an appointment of God, yet this is not armour of proof, 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 Gods creature; who has begotten us to a lively hope. Faith that's another principal piece in the Christians furniture, but it must be the faith of Gods Elect. He is to take righteousnesse and holiness for his breast-plate: but it must be true holiness, Ephesians 4:24. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holiness. Thus you see, it is not armour as armour, but as armour of God, that makes the soul impregnable. That which is borne of God overcomes the world. A faith borne of God, a hope borne of God, but the spurious adulterous brood of duties and graces, being begot of mortal seed, cannot be immortal.

Must the souls armour be of Gods make? be exhorted then to look narrowly, whether the armour ye weare, be the workmanship of God or no. There is abundance of false ware put off now adayes: little good armour worne by the multitude of Professours: 'tis Satans after-game he playes, if he cannot please the sinner with his naked state of prophanenesse; then to put him off with something like grace, some slighty stuffe, that shall neither do him good, nor Satan hurt; thus many like children, that cry for a knife or dagger, and are pleas'd as well with a bone knife, and wooden dagger, as with the best of all? so they have some armour, it matters 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 will hold in an evil-day, this never was put to the question in their hearts. Thus thousands perish with a vain conceit, they are arm'd against Satan, death and judgment, when they are miserable and naked, yea, worse on it then those who are more naked, (those I mean) who have not a rag of civility, to hide their shame from the worlds eye; and that in a double respect.

First, it is harder to work on such a soul savingly, because he has a forme, though not the power, and this affords him a plea. A soul purely naked, nothing like the wedding garment on, he is speechlesse; the drunkard has nothing to say for himself, when you ask him why he lives so swinishly; you may come up to him, and get within him, and turn the very mouth of his conscience upon him, which will shoot conviction into him: But come to deal with one that prayes and heares, one that is a pretender to faith and hope in God, here is a man in glistering armour, he has his weapon in his hand, with which he will keep the Preacher, and the Word he chargs him with at armes length. Who can say, I am not a Saint? what duty do I neglect? here's a breast-work he lies under, which makes him not so faire a mark either to the observation or reproof of another, his chief defect being within, where mans eye comes not. Again, 'tis harder to work on him, because he has been tamper'd with already, and miscarried in the essay. How comes such a one to he acquainted with such duties, to make such a Profession? was it ever thus? No, the Word has been at work upon him his conscience has scared him from his trade of wickedness into a forme of Profession, but taking in short of Christ, for want of a through change, it is harder to remove him then the other: he is like a lock whose wards have been troubled; which makes it harder to turn the Key, then if never potter'd with. 'Tis better dealing with a wilde ragged cole, never back't, then one that in breaking has took a wrong stroak. A bone quite out of joynt then false set. In a word, such a one has more to deny then a profane person; the one has but his lusts, his whores, his swill and draffe; but the other has his duties, his seeming graces. O how hard is it to perswade such a one to light, and hold Christs stirrup, while he and his duties are made Christs foot-stool.

Secondly, such a one is deepest in condemnation. None sink so far into hell as those that come nearest heaven, because they fall from the greatest height. As it aggravates the torments of damned souls in this respect above devils, they had a cord of mercy thrown out to them, which devils had not: so by how much God by his Spirit waits on, pleads with, and by both gains on a soul more than others by so much such a one (if he perish) will finde hell the hotter: these adde to his sin, and the rememberance of his sin in hell thus accented will adde to his torment. None will have such a sad parting from Christ, as those who went half-way with him, and then left him.

Therefore (I beseech you) look to your armour, David would not fight in armour, he had not tried though it was a Kings; perhaps some thought him too nice: What? is not the Kings armour good enough for David? Thus many will say, Art you so curious and precise? such a great man does thus and thus, and hopes to come to heaven at last, and darest not you venture your soul in his armour? No, Christian, follow not the example of the greatest on earth; 'tis your own soul you venturest in battel, therefore you can not be too choice of your armour. Bring your heart to the Word, as the only touch-stone of your grace and furniture; the Word (I told you) is the Tower of David, from whence your armour must be fetch't, if you can finde this Tower-stamp on it, then 'tis of God, else not. Try it therefore by this one Scripture-stamp. Those weapons are mighty, which God gives his Saints to fight his battels withal, 2 Corinthians 10:4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God. The sword of the Spirit has its point and edge, whereby it makes its way into the heart and conscience, through the impenitency of the one, and stupidity of the other, (wherewith Satan, as with buffe and coat of male, armes the sinner against God) and there cuts and slashes, kills and mortifies lust in its own Castle, where Satan thinks himself impregnable. The Breast-plate which is of God, does not bend and break at every pat of temptation, but is of such a divine temperament, that it repels Satans motions with scorne on Satans teeth. Should such a one as I sin, as Nehemiah in another case? and such are all the rest. Now try whether your weapons be mighty or weak: what can you do or suffer more for God, then an hypocrite that is clad in fleshly armour? I'le tell you what the world faith, and if you be Christians, clear your selves, and wipe off that dirt which they throw upon your glistering armour: they say, These Professors indeed have God more in their talk then we, they are oftner in the mount of duty then we, but when they come down into their shops, relations and worldly employments, then the best of them all is but like one of us; they can throw the Tables of Gods Commandments out of their hands as well as we, come from a Sermon, and be as covetous and griping, as peevish and passionate as the worst; they show as little love to Christ as others, when it is matter of cost, as to relieve a poor Saint, or maintain the Gospel, you may get more from a stranger, an enemie, then from a professing brother. O Christians, either vindicate the Name of Christ, whose Ensign you seem to march after, or throw away your seeming armour, by which you have drawn the eyes of the world upon you. If you will not, Christ himself will cashiere you, and that with shame enough ere long. Never call that Armour of God, which defends you not against the power of Satan. Take therefore the several pieces of your armour, and try them, as the souldier before he fights, will set his helmet or head-piece, as a mark at which he lets flie a brace of bullets, and as he findes them so will weare them or leave them; but be sure you shootest Scripture-bullets. You boastest of a breast-plate of righteousnesse, ask your soul, Didst you ever in your life perform a duty to please God, and not to accommodate your self? You have prayed often against your sin, a great noise of these pieces have been heard coming from you by others, as if there were some hot fight between you and your corruption, but can you indeed show one sin you have slain by all your praying? Joseph was alive, though his coat was brought bloody to Jacob and so may your sin be for all your mortified look in duty, and out cry you makest against them. If you wouldest thus try every piece, your credulous heart would not so easily be cheated with Satans false ware.

Obj. But is all armour that is of God thus mighty? we reade of weak grace, little faith, how can this then be a trial of our armour, whether of God or not?

Answ. I answer, the weakness of grace is in respect of stronger grace, but that weak grace is strong and mighty in comparison of counterfeit grace: Now I do not bid you try the truth of your grace by such a power as is peculiar to stronger grace, but by that power which will distinguish it from false; true grace, when weakest, is stronger than false when strongest. There is a principle of divine life in it, which the other has not; Now life, as it gives excellency (a flea or fly by reason of its life is more excellent then the Sun in all its glory) so it gives strength. The slow motion of a living man (though so feeble that he cannot go a furlong in a day) yet coming from life, imports more strength then is in a ship, which (though it sailes swiftly) has its motion from without: Thus possibly an hypocrite may exceed the true Christian in the bulk and out-side of a duty, yet because his strength is not from life, but from some winde and tide abroad that carries him, and the Christians is from an inward principle, therefore the Christians weakness is stronger than the hypocrite in his greatest enlargements. I shall name but two acts of grace when weakest, whereby the Christian exceeds the hypocrite in all his best array. You will say, then grace is at a weak stay indeed, when the Christian is perswaded to commit a sin, a great sin, such a one as possibly a carnal person would not have it said of him for a great matter, so low may the tide of grace fall, yet true grace at such an ebbe will appear of greater strength and force then the other.

First, this principle of grace will never leave till the soul weeps bitterly with Peter, that it has offended so good a God. Speak, O ye hypocrites, can ye show one tear that ever you shed in earnest for a wrong done to God? Possibly ye may weep to see the bed of sorrow which your sins are making for you in hell, but ye never loved God so well, as to mourne for the injury ye have done the Name of God. It is a good glosse Augustine has upon Esau's teares, Heb. 12. Flevit quòd perdidit, non quòd vendidit. He wept that he lost the blessing, not that he sold it. Thus we see an excellency of the Saints sorrow above the hypocrites. The Christian by his sorrow shows himself a Conquerour of that sin, which even now overcame him, while the hypocrite by his pride shows himself a slave to a worse lust, then that he resists. While the Christian commits a sin he hates it; whereas the other loves it while he forbears it.

Secondly, when true grace is under the foot of a temptation, yet then it will stir up in the heart a vehement desire of revenge; like a prisoner in his enemies hand, who is thinking and plotting how to get out, and what he will do when out, waiting and longing every moment for his delivery, that he may again take up armes; O God, remember me, says Samson, this once I pray you, and strengthen me, that I may be at once avenged on the Philistines, for my two eyes, Judges 16:27. Thus prays the gracious soul, that God would but spare him a little, and strengthen him but once before he dies, that he may be avenged on his pride, unbelief, and those sins whereby he has most dishonoured his God; but a false heart is so far from studying revenge, that he rather swells, like the sea, against the Law which banks his lust in, and is angry with God who has made sin such a leap, that he must hazard his soul if he will have it.

Second: the Christian's armor must be the armor of God in regard to its make and composition. What I mean is this: it is not only God who must appoint the weapons and arms the Christian uses for his defense — He must also be the one who produces them. He must work all their work in them and for them. Prayer is an appointment of God, yet it is not armor of proven quality unless it is prayer flowing from the Spirit of God. Hope is the helmet the saint is commanded to wear, but this hope must be God's own creation — for it is God who "has caused us to be born again to a living hope" (1 Peter 1:3). Faith is another principal piece of the Christian's equipment, but it must be the faith of God's elect. He is to wear righteousness and holiness as his breastplate — but it must be "true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24): "Put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." So you see: it is not armor as armor, but armor as the armor of God, that makes the soul impregnable. "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world" (1 John 5:4). A faith born of God, a hope born of God — but the counterfeit, illegitimate offspring of duties and graces, being conceived from mortal seed, cannot be immortal.

Since the soul's armor must be of God's making, be urged then to examine carefully whether the armor you wear is God's workmanship or not. There is a great deal of counterfeit goods on the market today, and little genuine armor being worn by the mass of professors. This is Satan's backup plan: if he cannot keep the sinner happy in his naked state of open wickedness, he will put him off with something that looks like grace — flimsy material that will neither do the sinner any good nor do Satan any harm. Like children who cry for a knife or dagger and are just as satisfied with a bone knife and wooden dagger as with the real thing — so long as they have something called armor, they are content regardless of what it is. Pray they must — but little thought goes into how it is performed. Believe in God? Yes, they hope they are not unbelievers. But what faith really is, how they came by it, or whether it will hold in an evil day — these questions have never been put to their hearts. So thousands perish with the empty delusion that they are armed against Satan, death, and judgment — when they are miserable and naked. Indeed they are worse off than those who are more openly naked (I mean those who do not have even a rag of respectability to hide their shame from the world's eye) — and this in two respects.

First: it is harder to reach such a soul savingly, because he has a form though not the power, and this gives him a defense. A soul that is purely naked — nothing resembling a wedding garment on him — is speechless. The drunkard has nothing to say for himself when you ask why he lives so piggishly. You can get right up to him, get within his defenses, and turn the mouth of his own conscience on him, which will shoot conviction into him. But come to deal with someone who prays and hears, who makes a claim to faith and hope in God — here is a man in gleaming armor, weapon in hand, keeping the preacher and the Word he charges him with at arm's length. "Who can say I am not a saint? What duty do I neglect?" Here is a breastwork he hides behind, which makes him a much harder target for the observation or reproof of others, since his chief defect is inward, where human eyes do not reach. Furthermore, it is harder to work on him because he has already been handled and has made a false start. How did he come to be acquainted with such duties and make such a profession? Was it always like this? No — the Word has been at work on him; his conscience has scared him out of his open course of wickedness into the form of a profession. But having stopped short of true conversion, for lack of a thorough change, he is harder to move than the openly wicked person. He is like a lock whose tumblers have been tampered with — harder to turn the key than if it had never been touched. Better to work with a rough, wild colt never yet backed than one that was broken badly and took a wrong training. A bone completely out of joint is easier than one badly set. In short, such a person has more to surrender than a profane sinner: the profane person has only his lusts, his immorality, his indulgences. But the formal professor has his duties and his apparent graces. Oh, how hard it is to persuade such a man to dismount and hold Christ's stirrup while he and his duties are made Christ's footstool.

Second: such a person is deepest in condemnation. None sink so far into hell as those who came nearest to heaven, because they fall from the greatest height. It deepens the torment of damned souls above that of devils in this respect — that God's Spirit sought them out, pleaded with them, and in doing so gained on them more than on others. The more God by His Spirit has pursued and worked on a soul, the hotter will hell be for that person if he perishes. Their additional privileges add to their sin, and the memory of those privileges, accented in hell, will add to their torment. None will have such a bitter parting from Christ as those who traveled halfway with Him and then turned back.

Therefore I urge you: examine your armor. David refused to fight in armor he had not proven — even though it was a king's armor. Perhaps some thought him too fussy. "What? Is the king's armor not good enough for David?" Many will say similarly: "Are you so particular and precise? Such a great man does this and that and expects to reach heaven at last — do you not dare risk your soul in his armor?" No, Christian. Do not follow the example of the greatest person on earth. It is your own soul you are risking in battle, so you cannot be too careful about your armor. Bring your heart to the Word as the only test of your grace and equipment. The Word — as I told you — is the tower of David from which your armor must be drawn. If you can find this tower's stamp on it, then it is of God; otherwise not. Test it therefore by this one scriptural mark. The weapons God gives His saints to fight His battles with are mighty: "The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful" (2 Corinthians 10:4). The sword of the Spirit has its point and edge, by which it makes its way into the heart and conscience — cutting through the hardness of one and the insensitivity of the other (with which Satan, like a buff coat and chain mail, arms the sinner against God) — and there cuts and slashes, kills and puts to death lust in its own stronghold, where Satan thinks himself impregnable. The breastplate that is of God does not bend or crack at every push of temptation, but is of such divine quality that it repels Satan's suggestions with scorn flung back in his teeth. "Should such a person as I sin?" — as Nehemiah said in another context — and the same spirit runs through all the other pieces. Now test whether your weapons are mighty or weak. What can you do or endure for God that an outright hypocrite clothed in fleshly armor could not also do? I will tell you what the world says — and if you are Christians, clear yourselves and wipe off the mud they throw on your gleaming armor. They say: "These professors have more of God in their talk than we do; they are more often in the practice of duty than we are. But when they come down from the mount into their shops, relationships, and ordinary employments, even the best of them is no different from us. They can throw down the tablets of God's commandments just as easily as we can, come away from a sermon and be just as greedy and tight-fisted, just as irritable and quick-tempered as the worst of us. When it actually costs them something to show love to Christ — to relieve a poor saint or support the Gospel — you may get more from a stranger, even an enemy, than from a professing brother." O Christians: either vindicate the name of Christ under whose banner you appear to march, or throw away the seeming armor by which you have drawn the eyes of the world upon you. If you will not, Christ Himself will discharge you — with shame enough before long. Never call it the armor of God if it does not defend you against the power of Satan. Therefore take up each piece of your armor and test it — as a soldier before battle will set his helmet as a target and fire a couple of bullets at it to see how it holds. But be sure you fire Scripture-bullets. You boast of a breastplate of righteousness — ask your soul: Did you ever in your life perform a duty purely to please God, with no thought of benefiting yourself? You have prayed loudly and often against your sin, and the noise of those shots has been heard by others as if there were intense combat between you and your corruption. But can you honestly show a single sin you have actually killed by all that praying? Joseph was alive even though his coat came back bloody to Jacob — and your sin may be just as alive for all your mortified look in duty and outcry against it. If you would test each piece this way, your trusting heart would not be so easily deceived by Satan's counterfeit goods.

Objection: But is all armor that is from God equally mighty? We read of weak grace and little faith — how then can this be a reliable test of whether armor is from God or not?

Answer: The weakness of grace is measured against stronger grace — but even that weak grace is strong and mighty in comparison with counterfeit grace. I am not asking you to test your grace by a standard that only stronger grace can meet, but by the standard that distinguishes true grace from false. True grace, when at its weakest, is stronger than false grace at its strongest. True grace has in it a principle of divine life that the other lacks. And life, as it gives excellence — a flea or a fly, by reason of its life, is more excellent than the sun in all its glory — so it also gives strength. The slow movement of a living man, though so feeble he cannot walk a quarter of a mile in a day, yet because it comes from life, has more real strength in it than a ship sailing swiftly, whose motion comes from an external source. So it is possible that a hypocrite may exceed a true Christian in the outward bulk and display of a duty — yet because the hypocrite's strength does not come from inward life but from some external wind and tide that carries him along, and the Christian's strength comes from an inward principle of life — the Christian's weakness is stronger than the hypocrite at his very best. I will name just two acts of grace when at their weakest, by which the Christian surpasses the hypocrite in all his finest display. You may say: grace is at a truly low ebb when the Christian is led to commit a sin — and perhaps a serious sin, the kind that even a worldly person might not want to be known for. Grace may sink that low. Yet even at that ebb, true grace will prove to be of greater force than anything the hypocrite can show.

First: this principle of grace will never rest until the soul weeps bitterly with Peter over having offended so good a God. Speak, O you hypocrites: can you show a single tear you ever shed in genuine sorrow for a wrong done to God? Perhaps you may weep at the sight of the bed of torment your sins are making for you in hell. But you have never loved God well enough to grieve for the injury you have done to His name. Augustine has a perceptive comment on Esau's tears in Hebrews 12: "He wept that he lost the blessing, not that he had sold it." This shows an excellence in the saint's sorrow above the hypocrite's. The Christian, by his sorrow, shows himself to be a conqueror of the very sin that just overcame him. The hypocrite, by his pride, shows himself a slave to a worse lust than the one he is resisting. The Christian hates the sin even while committing it; the hypocrite loves it even while refraining from it.

Second: when true grace is under the foot of a temptation, it will stir up in the heart a fierce desire for revenge. It is like a prisoner in an enemy's hands, thinking and planning how to escape and what he will do when free — watching and longing every moment for his deliverance so that he may take up arms again. "O God, remember me this one time, please, and strengthen me just this once, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes" (Judges 16:28). So prays the gracious soul — that God would spare him a little and strengthen him once before he dies, so that he may be avenged on his pride, his unbelief, and those sins by which he has most dishonored his God. But a false heart, far from plotting revenge on its sin, swells against the law that holds its lust in check, like the sea against its banks. It is angry with God for making sin such a barrier that the soul must risk its eternal welfare to get past it.