Chapter 5. Of the Use of Our Spiritual Armor, or the Exercise of Grace

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THe fourth and last branch in the Saints furniture is, the use they are to make thereof [illegible]: Put on the whole Armour of God. Briefly what is this duty, put on? These being Saints, (many of them at least) he writes to, 'tis not only putting on by Conversion, what some of them might not yet have; but also, he means they should exercise what they have. It is one thing to have armour in the house, and another thing to have it buckled on: to have grace in the principle, and grace in the act; so that the instruction will be,

It is not enough to have grace, but this grace must be kept in exercise. The Christians Armour is made to be worne; no laying down, or putting off our Armour, till we have done our warfare, and finished our course. Our Armour, and our garment of flesh go off together; then indeed will be no need of watch and ward, shield or helmet. Those military duties and field-graces, (as I may call faith, hope, and the rest) they shall be honourably discharged. In heaven we shall appear, not in armour, but in robes of glory; but here they are to be worne night and day: we must walk, work, and sleep in them, or else we are not true souldiers of Christ: this Paul professs to endeavour, Acts 24:16 Herein do I exercise my self, to have alwayes a conscience void of offense towards God and towards man. Here we have this holy man at his armes, training and exercising himself in his postures, like some souldier by himself handling his pike, and inuring himself before the battel. Now the Reason of this is,

SECT. 1.

First, Christ commands us to have our Armour on, our grace in exercise, Luke 12:35. Let your loines be girded about, and your lights burning. Christ speaks, either in a martial phrase as to souldiers, or in a domestick as to servants: If as to souldiers, then let your loynes he girded, and your lights burning, is, that we should be ready for a march, having our armour on, (for the belt goes over all,) and our match light, ready to give fire at the first alarm of a temptation. If as to servants, which seems more natural, then he bids us (as our Master that is gone abroad) not through sloth or sleep put off our clothes, and put out our lights, but stand ready to open when he shall come, though at midnight. 'Tis not fit the Master should stand at the door knocking, and the servant within sleeping; indeed there is no duty the Christian has in charge, but implies this daily exercise;Pray, but how? without ceasing: Rejoyce, but when? evermore: Give thanks, for what? in every thing. The shield of faith, and helmet of hope, we must hold them to the end. The summe of all which is, that we should walk in the constant exercise of these duties and graces. Where the souldier is plac't, there he stands, and must neither stir nor sleep, till he be brought off. When Christ comes, that soul shall only have his blessing, whom he findes so doing.

Secondly, Satans advantage is great when grace is not in exercise. When the devil found Christ so ready to receive his charge, and repel his temptation, he soon had enough, it is said, He departed for a season, as if in his shameful retreat he had comforted himself with hopes of surprising Christ unawares, at another season more advantagious to his designe; and we finde him coming again, in the most likely time indeed to have attained his end, had his enemy been man, and not God. Now if this bold fiend did thus watch and observe Christ from time to time, does it not behove you to look about you, lest he take your grace at one time or other napping? what he misss now by your watchfulnesse, he may gain anon by your negligence. Indeed he hopes you will be tired out with continual duty: Surely, says Satan, (when he sees the Christian up, and servent in duty) this will not hold long. When he findes him tender of conscience, and scrupulous of occasions to sin, This is but for a while, ere long I shall have him unbend his bowe, and unbuckle his armour, and then have at him. Satan knows what orders you keepest in your house and closet, and though he has not a key to your heart, yet he can stand in the next room to it, and lightly hear what is whispered there: He hunts the Christian by the sent of his own feet, and if once he does but smell which way your heart enclines, he knows how to take the him; if but one door be unbolted, one work unmann'd, one grace of its carriage here is advantage enough.

Thirdly, because it is so awky a businesse, and hard a work, to recover the activity of grace once lost, and to revive a duty in disuse: I have put off my coat, says the Spouse, Cant. 5.3. She had given way to a lazy distemper, was laid upon her bed of sloth, and how hard is it to raise her? her beloved is at the door, beseeching her by all the names of love, which might bring to her remembrance the near relation between them: My Sister, my Love, my Dove, open to me, and yet she riseth not; he tells her, his locks are filled with the drops of the night; yet she stirs not. What is the matter? her coat was off, and she is loath to put it on; she had given way to her sloth, and now she knows not how to shake it off, she could have been glad to have her Beloveds company, if himself would have opened the door; and he desired as much hers, if she would rise to let him in; and upon these termes they part. The longer a soul has neglected duty, the more ado there is to get it taken up: partly through shame, the soul having played the truant, now knows not how to look God on the face; and partly from the difficulty of the work, being double to what another findes, that walks in the exercise of his grace; here is all out of order. It requires more time and pains for him to tune his instrument, then for another to play the lesson. He goes to duty as to a new work, as a Scholar that has not look't on his book some while, his lesson is almost out of his head, whereas another that was but even now conning it over, has it ad unguem. Perhaps 'tis an affliction you are called to bear, and your patience unexercised, little or no thoughts you have had for such a time; (while you wert frisking in a full pasture) and now you kickest and flingest, eeven as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, Jeremiah 31:18. whereas another goes meekly and patiently under the like crosse, because he had been stirring up his patience, and fitting the yoke to his neck. You know what a confusion there is in a town, at some sudden alarm in the dead of the night, the enemie at the gates, and they asleep within, O what a cry is there heard! one wants his clothes, another his sword, a third knows not what to do for powder; thus in a fright they run up and down, which would not be, if the enemie did finde them upon their guard, orderly waiting for his approath; Such a hubbub there is in a soul that keeps not his armour on, this piece and that will be to seek when he should use it.

Fourthly, we must keep grace in exercise in respect of others our fellow-souldiers. Paul had this in his eye when he was exercising himself to keep a good conscience, that he might not be a scandal to others. The Cowardise of one may make others run; the ignorance of one souldier that has not skill to handle his armes, may do mischief to his fellow-souldiers about him; some have shot their friends for their enemies; the unwise walking of one Professor makes many other faire the worse. But say, you doest not fall so far as to become a scandal, yet you can not be so helpful to your fellow-brethren as you shouldest; God commanded the Reubenites and Gadites to go before their brethren ready armed, until the land was conquered: Thus, Christian, you are to be helpful to your fellow-brethren, who have not (it may be) that settlement of Peace in their spirit as your self, not that measure of grace or comfort; You are to help such weak ones, and go before them (as it were) arm'd for their defense; now if your grace be not exercised, you are so far unserviceable to your weak brother. Perhaps you are a Master or a Parent who have a family under your wing, they fare as you thrivest; if your heart be in a holy frame they fare the better in the duties you performest, if your heart be dead and down, they are losers by the hand. So that as the Nurse eats the more for the Babes sake she suckles, so shouldest you for their sake, who are under your tuition, be more careful to exercise your own grace, and cherish it.

SECT. 2.

Object. O but (may some say) this is hard work indeed, our armour never off, our grace alwayes in exercise. Did God ever mean Religion should be such a toilsome businesse as this would make it?

Answ. You speakest like one of the foolish world, and shewest your self a meer stranger to the Christians life that speakest thus: a burden to exercise grace? why? it is no burden to exercise the acts of nature, to eat, to drink, to walk, all delightful to us in our right temper, if any of these be otherwise, nature is opprest, as if stuff't, then dfficult to breath, if sick, then the meat offensive we eate; so take a Saint in his right temper, 'tis his joy to be employed in the exercise of his grace in this or that duty, Psalms 122:1. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. His heart leap't at the motion. When any occasion diverts him from communion with God, though he likes it never so well, yet it is unwelcome and unpleasing to him, as you who are used to be in your shops from morning to night, how tedious is it for you to be abroad some days, though among good friends, because you are not where your work and calling lies? A Christian in duty is one in his calling, as it were in his shop where he should be; yea, where he would be, and therefore far from being tedious. Religion is burdensom to none, as to those who are infrequent in the exercise of it. Use makes heavy things light, we hardly feel the weight of our clothes, because fitted to us, and worne daily by us, whereas the same weight on our shoulder would trouble us: thus the grievousnesse of religious duties to carnal ones, is taken away in the Saints, partly by the fitnesse of them to the Saints principles, as also by their daily exercise in them. The disciples, when newly entered into the ways of Christ, could not pray much or fast long; the bottles were new, and that wine too strong, but by that time they had walk't a few years, they grew mighty in both; doest you complain that heaven-way is rugged? be the oftner walking in it, and that will make it smooth.

But secondly, were this constant exercise of grace more troublesome to the flesh, (which is the only complainer) the sweet advantage that accrues by this to the Christian, will abundantly recompence all his labor and pains.

First, the exercise of your grace will encrease your grace; The diligent hand makes rich. A provident man counts that lost which might have been got, not only when his money is stole out of his chest, but when it lies there unimproved. Such a commodity (says the Tradesman) if I had bought with that money in my bags, would have brought me in so much gaine, which is now lost; so the Christian may say, My dawning knowledge, had I followed on to know the Lord, might have spread to broad day; I have more understanding, says David, then all my teachers. How came he by it? he'll tell you in the next words, for your testimonies are my meditation. He was more in the exercise of duty and grace. The best wits are not alwayes the greatest Scholars, because their study is not suitable to their parts; neither alwayes proves he the richest man, that sets up with the greatest stock. A little grace well-husbanded by daily exercise will encrease, when greater neglected shall decay.

Secondly, as exercise encreass, so it evidencs grace. Would a man know whether he be lame or no, let him rise, he'll be sooner satisfied by one turn in a room, then by a long dispute, and he sit still. Wouldest you know whether you lovest God? be frequent in exerting acts of love; the more the fire is blown up, the sooner 'tis seen, and so of all other graces. Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it has any patience, any faith; till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate, (where he must either exercise this grace or perish) and then it appeares like one that thinks he cannot swim, yet being thrown into the river, then uniting all his strength he makes a shift to swim to land, and sees what he can do. How oft have we heard Christians say, I thought I could never have endured such a pain, trusted God in such a strait, but now God has taught me what he can do for me, what he has wrought in me? and this you might have known before, if you wouldest have oftner stirred up and exercised your grace.

Thirdly, exercise of grace does invite God to communicate himself to such a soul. God sets the Christian at work, and then meets him in it. Up and be doing, and the Lord be with you. He sets a soul a reading as the Eunuch, and then joynes to his chariot a praying, and then comes the messenger from heaven, O Daniel greatly beloved. The Spouse, who lost her Beloved on her bed, findes him as she comes from the Sermon, Cant. 3.4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loved.

SECT. 3.

Use. 1 This falls heavy on their heads, who are so far from exercising grace, that they walk in the exercise of their lusts, their hearts are like a glasse-house, the fire is never out, the shop-windows never shut, they are alwayes at work, hammering some wicked project or other, upon the anvil of their hearts; there are some who give full scope to their lusts, what their wretched hearts will, they shall have; they cocker their lusts as some their children, deny them nothing, who (as it is recorded of David to Adonijah) do not so much as say to their souls, Why doest you so? why are you so proud, so covetous, so prophane? They spend their days in making provision for these guests: as at some Innes, the house never cooles, but as one guest goes out, another comes in, as one lust is served, another is calling for attendance; as some exercise grace more than others, so there are greater traders in sin, that set more a work then others, and return more wrath in a day then others in a moneth; Happy are such (in comparison of these) who are chain'd up by Gods restraint upon their outward man or inward, that they cannot drive on so furiously as these, who by health of body, power and greatness in place, riches and treasures in their coffers, numbnesse and dedolency in their consciences, are hurried on to fill up the measure of their sins. We reade of the Assyrian, that he enlarged his heart as hell, stretching out his desires as men do their bags that are thrack't full with money to hold more, Hab. 2.5. Thus the adulterer, as if his body were not quick enough to execute the commands of his lust, stirs it up by sending forth his amorous glances, which come home laden with adultery, blows up this fire with unchaste sonnets and belly-chear, proper fuel for the devils kitchin; and the malicious man, who that he may lose no time from his lust, is a tearing his neighbor in pieces as he lies on his bed, cannot sleep unlesse some such bloody sacrifice be offered to his ravening lust. O how may this shame the Saints: how oft is your zeal so hot, that you cannot sleep till your hearts have been in heaven, as you are on your beds, and there pacified with the sight of your dear Saviour, and some embraces of love from him?

Use 2 It reproves those who flout and mock at the Saints, while exercising their graces. None jeer'd as the Saint in his calling. Men may work in their shops, and every one follow his calling as diligently as they please, and no wonder made of this by those that passe by in the streets; but let the Christian be seen at work for God, in the exercise of any duty or grace, and he is hooted at, despised, yea, hated. Few so bad indeed, but seem to like Religion in the notion; they can commend a Sermon of holiness like a discourse of God or Christ in the Pulpit, but when these are really set before their eyes, as they sparkle in a Saints conversation, they are very contemptible and hateful to them; this living and walking holiness bites; and though they liked the Preachers Art, in painting forth the same in his discourse, yet now they run from them, and spit at them; this exercise of grace offends the prophane heart, and stirs up the enmity that lies within: As Michal she could not but flout David to see him dancing before the Ark. He that commended the Preacher for making a learned discourse of zeal, will raise on a Saint, expressing an act of zeal in his place and calling; now grace comes too near him. A naughty heart must stand at some distance from holiness, that the beams thereof may not beat too strongly on his conscience, and so he likes it. Thus the Pharisees, the Prophets of old, these were holy men in their account, and they can lavish out their money on their Tombes, in honor of them: but Christ, (who was more worth then all of them) he is scorn'd and hated: what's the mystery of this? the reason was, these Prophets are off the stage, and Christ on▪Pascitur in vivis livor, post fata quiescit.

Use 3 Try by this whether you have grace or no, do you walk in the exercise of your grace? He that has clothes, surely will wear them, and not be seen naked; men talk of their faith, repentance, love to God; these are precious graces, but why do they not let us see these walking abroad in their daily conversation? surely if such guests were in your soul, they would look out sometimes at the window, and be seen abroad in this duty, and that holy action; grace is of a stirring nature, and not such a dead thing, (like an image) which you may lock up in a chest, and none shall know what God you worship; no, grace will show it self, it will walk with you into all places and companies, it will buy with you, and sell for you, it will have a hand in all your enterprizes, it will comfort you when you are sincere and faithful for God, and it will complain and chide you when you are otherwise; go to, stop its mouth, and heaven shall hear its voice, it will groan, mourne and strive, even as a living man when you would smother him. I'le as soon believe the man to be alive, that lies peaceably as he is nail'd up in his Coffin, without strife or busle, as that you have grace, and never exercise it in any act of spiritual life. What man! have you grace, and carried so peaceably, as a fool to the stocks, by your lust? Why hang'st you there nail'd to your lust? if you have grace, come down and we will believe it, but if you beest such a tame slave, as to sit still under the command of lust, you deceivest your self: Have you grace, and show none of it in the condition you are plac't in? May be you are rich; doest you show your humility towards those that are beneath you? doest you show a heavenly minde breathing after heaven more than earth? It may be your heart is puff't with your estate, that you lookest on the poor as creatures of some lower species then your self, and disdainest them, and as for heaven you thinkest not of it. Like that wicked Prince, that said, He would lose his part in Paradise rather than in Paris. Art you poor, why doest not exercise grace in that condition? Art you contented, diligent? may be in stead of contentation you repinest, can not see a faire lace on your rich brothers cloth, but grudgest it in stead of concurring with Providence by diligence to supply your wants, you are ready to break through the [〈1 page duplicate〉][〈1 page duplicate〉] hedge into your neighbors fat pasture, thus serving your owne turne by a sin, rather than waiting for Gods blessing on your honest diligence; if so, be not angry we call you by your right name, or at least question whether we may stile you Christian, whose carriage is so crosse to that sacred name, which is too holy to be written on a rotten post.

Use. 4 Be exhorted, O ye Saints of God, to walk in the exercise of grace. It is the Ministers duty with the continual breath of exhortation, and if need be, reproof, to keep this heavenly fire clean on the Saints Altar. Peter saw it necessary to have the bellowes alwayes in his hands, 2 Peter 1:12. I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth; (that shall not take him off) as long as he is in this Tabernacle, he says he will stir them up, and be putting them in remembrance, v. 13. There is a sleepy disease we are subject to in this life; Christ though he had roused up his disciples twice, yet takes them napping the third time. Either exercise your grace, or Satan will act your corruption, as one bucket goes down, the other riseth; there is a body of sin within, which like a malignant party watches for such a time to step into the saddle, and 'tis easier to keep them down then to pull them down: Your time is short, and your way long, you had best put on, lest you meanest to be overtaken with night, before you gettest within sight of your Fathers house. How uncomfortable 'tis for a traveller in Heaven-road (above all other) to go potching in the dark, many can with aking hearts tell you. And what have you here to minde like this? Are they worldly cares and pleasures? Is it wisdom to lay out so much cost on your tenement, which you are leaving, and forget what you must carry with you? Before the fruit of these be ripe which you are now planting, your self may be rotting in the grave. Time is short, says the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 7:29, [illegible]. The world is near its Port, and therefore God has contracted the sailes of mans life but a while, and there will not be a point to chuse, whether we had wives or not, riches or not, but there will be a vast difference between those that had grace, and those that had not; yea, between those that did drive a quick trade in the exercise therof, and those that were more remisse; the one shall have an abundant entrance into glory, while the other shall suffer losse in much of his lading, which shall be cast over-board as merchandise that will bear no price in that heavenly countrey; yea, while you are here others shall fare the better by your lively graces. Your cheerfulnesse and activity in your heavenly course, will help others that travel with you; he is dull indeed that will not put on, when he sees so much metal for God in you who leadest the way. Yea, your grace will give a check to the sins of others, who never stand in such awe, as when grace comes forth and sits like a Ruler in the gate, to be seen of all that passe by. The Swearer knowes not such Majesty is present, when the Christian is mealy-mouth'd, and so goes on and feares no colours, whose grace had it but her dagger of zeal ready, and courage to draw it forth in a wise reproof, would make sin quit the place, and with shame run into its hole. Job 29:8. The young men saw me and bid themselves, the Princes refrain'd talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. And does not God deserve the best service you can do him in your generation? Did he give you grace to lay it up in a dead stock, and none to be the better? or can you say that he is wanting to you in his love and mercy? are they not ever in exercise for your good? Is the eye of providence ever shut? No, he slumbers not that keeps you, or is it one moment off you? No, The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous; He has fixed it for ever, and with infinite delight pleass himself in the object. When was his eare shut, or his hand, either from receiving your cries, or supplying your wants? nay, does not your condition take up the thoughts of God, and are they any other than thoughts of peace, which he entertains? A few drops of this oyle will keep the wheel in motion.

That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

THese words present us with the reason, why the Christian souldier is to be thus compleatly arm'd, That he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. The strength of which argument lies in these two particulars.

First, the danger, if unarm'd, the enemy is no mean contemptible one, no lesse then the devil, set out as a cuning Engineer by his wiles and stratagems.

Secondly, the certainty of standing against all his wits and wiles, if we be thus arm'd, That ye may be able to stand. As no standing without armour, so no feare of falling into the fiends hands if arm'd.

To begin with the first, the Saints enemy, the devil described by his wiles [illegible], properly the methods of Satan, [illegible] of [illegible], which signifies, that Art and order one observes in handling a point; we say such a one is methodical; Now because it shows ingenuity and acutenesse of wit so to compose a discourse, therefore it is transferr'd to express the subtilty of Satan in laying of his plots and stratagems, in his warlike preparations against the Christian. Indeed, the expert souldier has his order as well as the scholar, there is method in forming of an army, as well as framing an argument. The Note which lies before us is,

The devil is a very subtile enemy. The Christian is endangered most by his policy and craft; he is call'd the old Serpent. The serpent? subtil above other creatures, an old Serpent above other serpents; Satan was too crafty for man in his perfection, much more now in his maimed estate, having never recovered that first crack he got in his understanding by the fall of Adam. And as man has lost, so Satan has gained more and more experience; he lost his wisdom indeed assoon as he became a devil, but ever since he has increast his craft; though he has not wisdom enough to do himself good, yet subtilty enough to do others hurt. God shewes us where his strength lies, when he promiss he will bruise the head of the Serpent; his head crush't and he dies presently. Now in handling this Point of Satans subtilty, we shall consider him in his two main designes, and therein show you his wiles and policies. His first main design is to draw into sin. The second is to accuse, vex and trouble the Saint for sin. First, let us consider the devil as a tempter to sin, and there he shows his wily subtilty in three things.

First, in choosing the most advantagious season for tempting.

Secondly, in managing his temptations, laying them in such a method and forme, as shows his craft.

Thirdly, in pitching on fit instruments for his turne, to carry on his design.

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