Ephef. 6. 11.

Put on therefore the whole
Armour of God.

TH

HAT which giveth us the Advantage of Brutes, and ranketh us in a form of Beings above them, is the Rational and Immortal Spirits we carry about with us as for our Bodies they are but Clods of Earth steeped in Phlegm, and kneaded into Humane Shapes, and do defive their Pedigree from the fame Principles with Flies and Scare-Bees, and the most contemptible Animals : but our Souls are of a pure Alloy, and by their Nature are allied to Angels and do border upon God himself and it is by the Title of these Rational Natures that we are now fuperior to Beafts, and hope hereafter to be equal with Angels; and yet befotted Creatures that we are, how do we prefer our Bodies before our Souls, B 2 imploy

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imploying all our Cares in providing for, and pampering of our Flesh, as if our Reason were given us for no other end but to be Cook and Taylor to our Bodies, to ftudy Sauces and Fashions for them; whilst our Immortal Spirits pine and famish, and like forlorn things are wholly abandoned by us to Wretchedness and Mifery That it is fo, is apparent by too many woful Inftances: The poor Labourer that fweateth, and toileth all Day for his Body, thinketh much at Night to bestow upon his Soul a Prayer of a Quarter of an Hour long; the Tradefman that thinks no Induftry too much to make a fair and ample Provifion for his Body, grudgeth to expend a few good Thoughts and Endeavours in the purchase of an eternal Inheritance for his Soul; the Souldier that fhuts up his Body in Ribs of Iron and Coats of Mail to fecure it from the Sword and Bullets of his Enemies, expofeth his Soul unarmed to all the fiery Darts of the Devil; and though his Understanding hath as much need of Knowledge as his Head hath of an Helmet, his Will as much need of Juftice as his

Breaft

Breast of a Buckler, his Affections as much need of Fortitude and Temperance as his Legs and Hands have of Greaves and Gantlets, yet he ventures them all naked amongst a thoufand Enemies, as if his little Toc or Finger were more dear and precious to him, than his Immortal Soul. But if we would be good Souldiers and good men too, we muft arm our felves within as well as without, and as we harness our Bodies in Iron, fo must we put on upon our Souls the whole Armour of God, and this is the Counsel of the Apoftle in the Text, which I have chofen for the fubject of my enfuing Difcourfe: Put on therefore the whole Armour of God. By the whole Armour of God, here we are to understand the Chriftian Religion; that is, the Doctrine and Duties of Chriftianity, as you may fee at large from the fourteenth to the eighteenth Verse of this Chapter, where the Apostle inftances in the particular parts of which this whole Armour confifteth; the first is the Girdle of Truth, that is, the Doctrine of the Gospel, in Opposition to all Heathen Errors, and heretical Infinu. B 3 ations

ations: The second is, the Breastplate of Righteousness, that is, fincere and faithful Obedience unto Christ: The third is, the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, that is, the Practice of Christian Charity and Peaceablenefs The fourth is, the Shield of Faith, that is, the belief of the Promifes, and Threats of the Gofpel; The fifth is, the Helmet, that is, the Hope of Salvation: The fixth is, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: And the last is, Prayer and Watchfulness. These are the several parts of this Divine Armour; in which you fee are reckoned both the Doctrines and Duties of Chriftianity; by the putting on of these therefore nothing else can be meant, but only our hearty Belief of the Do&trines and our fincere Practice of the Duties of Christian Religion; for to this Sense the Phrafe is frequently used in the New Teftament: Thus when the Apostle exhorteth us to put on the Lord Jefus Chrift, in Rom.13. 14. it is plain he meaneth nothing elfe but believing in Christ, and obeying him. And fo also when in Ephef. 422, 24. he exhorteth them to put off

the

the Old Man, and put on the New, he meaneth nothing else, but that they should forfake their Heathen Superftitions, and Idolatrous Uncleanneffes, and conform all their Actions to the new Rule of Christian Purity.

In the Words thus explained, you have First, something implied,which is, that the Chriftian Religion is Armour of Defence unto the Souls of Men.

Secondly,fomething expreffed, that if we mean it should arm and defend us, we must believe and practise it.

First, that the Christian Religion is Armour of Defence unto the Souls of Men, that is, it is of the fame use to Mens Souls as Armour is to their Bodies; for as the end of Armour is to defend Mens Bodies, and fecure them against the Weapons of their Enemies, fo the great End and Defign of the Christian Religion is to defend Mens Souls from whatsoever is hurtful and injurious to them.Now there are but two forts of Evils in the World, both which are injurious to the Souls of Men. The first is the Evil

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