A distinction between the Wars and the Weapons, and the Arms and the Armour in the Old Testament and the New; for in the Old Testament they were carnal, and in the New Testament spiritual.

THE apostle bids the church of Christ, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' So this wrestling was with spiritual weapons, spiritual men; for carnal men wrestle with flesh and blood, and with carnal weapons, and men's armour, and not the armour of God. And again the apostle saith, 'Take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done, and having overcome all, to stand, having your loins girt with truth.'

So this is a heavenly girdle, not natural; and having on the breastplate of righteousness,' this is a spiritual breast-plate, not natural; 'having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace,' which is the power of God over the devil, and before he was; to be shod thus, is not with outward shoes, but with that which will never wax old nor wear out; and above all, take the shield of faith,' that faith which Christ is the author and finisher of, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;' this shield of faith is holy, divine, and precious, and is the victory; which spiritual faith, God and Christ is the author of, and not men. 'And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.' Phil. 6. This helmet of salvation is spiritual, and the sword is spiritual; so not a natural sword or a natural helmet; and the word of God is called a hammer, a fire, and a sword, to hammer down, and cut down, and burn up that which hath made a separation between man and God; and it is called the "word of reconciliation, that reconciles to God.' So the true church and ministers of Christ are to prove themselves by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the holy ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left.' 2 Cor. vi.

For though the church of Christ do walk in the flesh, yet the apostle saith, 'We do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the plucking down of strong holds, (to wit, of satan,) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, having in readiness

to revenge all disobedience.' This is with spiritual weapons, not carnal. 2 Cor. x.

And the apostle saith to the Romans, The night is far spent, and the day is at hand; let us cast off therefore the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light.' This armour of light is not natural, but divine and spiritual, to all the children of the light, and of the day. This armour of light is before darkness was, and the devil the power of it, and he, the power of darkness cannot pierce through this armour of light; and this armour of light is above all natural and carnal armour; and all the children of the light, that walk in this light, and this armour, they walk honestly, and decently, as in the day; for they that walk in rioting, drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lust thereof;' such are naked concerning armour of light, and though they may make profession of Christ, they do not put him on, as in Rom. xiii.

And Christ saith, When a strong man armed keeps his house, his goods are at peace, but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he takes from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and spoils his goods,' &c. Is not Christ stronger than the devil that hath kept the house of the hearts of people? And doth not he disarm him and spoil his goods? And are not Christ's weapons spiritual? And the Lord saith to Zachariah, Not by might, nor by power, (to wit, of men,) but my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.' Zach. iv. The Lord saith, 'Comfort ye my people, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned,' &c. Is not this Jerusalem God's people, whose iniquity Christ pardons, and warfare is accomplished. Isa. xl. And again Isaiah saith, (Isa. ii. and Micah iv.,) speaking of Christ. He shall judge amongst the nations, and shall rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into plough shares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more, but they shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.' Is not this vine Christ, and are not these the days of his gospel of peace?

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And David saith, Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolation he makes in the earth, he makes wars to cease unto the ends of the earth, he breaks the bow and cuts the spear in sunder, he burns the chariots in fire.' Psalm xlvi. The Lord rebukes the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, until every one submit himself, (to wit, to the Lord,) who scatters the people that delight in war.' And are not these the days of Christ in the new testament, who ascended on high, and led captivity captive,

and gave gifts unto men, that the Lord God might dwell amongst them.' Psalm lxviii. and Ephes. iv. 8. where the apostle shows the fulfilling of it; and the apostle James saith, in his General Epistle to the church of Christ, From whence come wars and fightings amongst you? Come they not even of your lusts, that war in your members.' (Mark, in your members.) James iv. So here is a war in your members, the ground of it is from your lusts, before the wars and fightings were outwardly amongst people, which wars and fightings without, come from the lusts of the members within. And the apostle saith to the Hebrews, in the 11th chapter, Who by faith subdued kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword.' This was the shield of faith, a stronger weapon than outward swords, and is a stronger weapon than fire, and can quench the violence of it, that stopped the mouths of lions: this is beyond carnal weapons, which fire and lions may overcome.

And the apostle exhorts Timothy, 2 Tim. ii. Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.' But Timothy did not war with flesh and blood, with carnal weapons, as he was a soldier of Christ, but with Christ's heavenly arms and armour; for as the apostle Peter saith, in his General Epistle to the church, Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, (to wit, of Christ,) for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life, may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles or nations.'

And the apostle saith to the Romans, chap. vi. Yield not your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield your members unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.' So it is clear, that they that yield their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, are not alive unto God; and the two witnesses that had power to smite the earth as often as they would, do you think that they did it with carnal weapons? 'And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and the dragon prevailed not, neither was there any more place found in heaven for him, but he and his angels were cast out into the earth.' Rev. xii.

Now the holy angels of God are spirits, so then they had spiritual weapons, and not carnal swords, muskets, pikes, and pistols, &c. to fight with the dragon. And John said, I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him, was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge, and make war, &c. and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name was called, the

word of God; and the armies which were in heaven followed him, upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean; and out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, &c. And the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together, to make war against him that sat on the horse, and his army, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords; but the beast was taken, and the false prophet, &c. and them that had received the mark of the beast, and had worshipped his image, these both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the white horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth.' Rev. xix.

And were these, think you, carnal weapons, that Christ and his followers made war with, against the beast and the false prophet, and they that worshipped the beast and his image, and received his mark, and took them, and overcame them, and cast the beast and the false prophet into the lake that burns with brimstone? And was that an outward carnal sword that went out of his mouth, by which he slew the beast's worshippers, that had his marks and image? Do you think that Christ, or his army, that sat on white horses, and followed him, which were in heaven, that they had outward swords, and pistols, and pikes, and muskets, and guns, and cannons, by which they overcame the beast and the false prophet? No; it is said, that Christ's army was clothed with fine linen and Christ's vesture was dipped in blood,' which army followed him in heaven.

Nebuchadnezzer lift up his eyes to heaven, and blessed the Most High, and said, all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and the Lord doth according to his will, in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, what dost thou? Here you may see Nebuchadnezzer was made to confess to the great God, who saw his armies in heaven, who abased his pride. And Jesus said unto Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence,' (that is, of this world.) John xviii. 36. Here you may see a distinction betwixt the new covenant and the old, and the kingdom of Christ, and the kingdoms of this world, and their arms and

armour.

THE apostle exhorts the Ephesians, My brethren,' said he, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; put on the whole armour

of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, or overcome all, to stand. Therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; and praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, [mark, in the spirit they are to pray,] watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all the saints.' Is not this generally to be practised now by all true christians, as it was in the apostles' days? And the apostle saith to the Romans, The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.' So light, you see, is your armour, which will defend you against darkness, and the prince of the power of it, and their weapons; and all such that hate the light of Christ, and are against it, are naked, and are without the light, which is the true armour; and you may see what the saints did do, and what victory they had with the shield of Faith, in Heb. xi.

And the apostle said, 'He was set for the defence of the gospel,' which is the power of God, and that was in the shield of faith.

And David said, Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head;' so he is now to all his people. And further, Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.' All must feel this shield of salvation from God, and if they be held up, it must be by his right hand. And again, David saith, The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusteth in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my tongue will I praise him.' This was not an outward shield, but the Lord was his strength and his shield: so God is to all his people in all their troubles.

And David said, 'The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.' Mark, a rock, fortress, deliverer, strength, horn of salvation, high tower; the Lord God was so to David, and is so to all his people; God's way is perfect, the word of the Lord is tried, and endures for ever, and God is a buckler to all those who trust in him. And again, saith David, 'The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, &c. to deliver their souls from death, and to VOL. VI.

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