Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day showing how Christians…Armatura Dei, or, A preparation for suffering in an evil day shewing how Christians…

1. Patience subjects the soul to the will of God; when the Cross comes the patient Christians will with Aaron hold their peace; or if they speak, they will do it in some such language as that of Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. Patience will instruct them to lye in the lowest posture of Humility, and to argue the matter with themselves in this manner: Is God the Rector of the World, and shall we not subject to him? His Presence is in all, his Power is over all, his Wisdom and Righteousness orders all; who can stay his hand, or say to him, what dost thou, or call him to give account of any of his matters? To strive with him is folly; to murmur at any piece of his Government is Rebellion; to think that things might have been better, is to blaspheme his wise and just Providence; And is he the Father of Spirits, and shall we not be under him? We give reverence to the Fathers of our flesh, and how much ⟨p. 128⟩theirs should we be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live? Our Saviour Christ, who suffered for us to sweeten sufferings to us, argued thus with himself, The Cup that my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? John 18.11. After his pattern we should submit our selves to suffering, remembering that, though it come through bloody hands to us, yet it is ordered by the Father of Spirits; nay, and by the Father of Mercies too, who assures us, That all things, even Afflictions among the rest, shall work together for good: In those very sufferings, in which man is cruel, God will be merciful: While the world hates and persecutes us, God will embrace us in the Arms of his Love, and carry us through the Cross to the Crown of Glory: Upon such accounts as these, Patience doth subject the Soul unto the Cross. Our Saviour, the Mirror of Patience, being to drink up the cup of Wrath, expresses himself thus; not my will, but thine be done, Luke 22.42. His will was swallowed up in his Fathers, St. Ambrose in his Commentary on those words gives us this excellent note; Disce Deo esse subjectus, ut non quod ipse vis eligas, sed quod Deo scias esse placiturum: Learn to be subject to God, that thou mayst not choose, what thou wouldest, but what thou knowest ⟨p. 129⟩to be pleasing to God. Patience teaches us to be pleased with Gods pleasure, and to will every thing, not as it is in our own will, but as it is in Gods.