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…

The fourth Direction is this, if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering, we must labour after a precious Faith: A Dogmatical Faith will not do it; the Devil himself, who is the Chief Agent in Persecution, hath such a Faith; neither will a temporary Faith do it, this is but a mere blossom, that falls off in a storm of Persecution; it must be a precious Faith, a Furnace Faith, that will endure the fiery Trial: This is the Apostles [Greek or Hebrew], Shield like a door, broad enough to cover the Soul and all its Graces, Eph. 6.16. this is to be taken above all other pieces of Spiritual Armour; it is eminent among the Graces as the Sun is among the Planets: It is the great conquering Grace; all other Graces ⟨p. 57⟩act in conjunction with it. In the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews, styled by some the little Book of Martyrs, the Saints are brought in doing and suffering great things, but all is ascribed to Faith, as the Captain-grace of all the rest, the first mover to other Graces: It works by Love, and not only so but by Meekness, Obedience, Patience, running like blood and Spirits in every part of the New-creature. Faith hath a triple respect, to God, to Christ, to the Promises, and in each of these it is of singular use in order to sufferings.

THe fourth Direction is this, if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering, we must labour after a pretious Faith: A Dogmatical Faith will not do it; the Devil himself, who is the Chief Agent in Persecution, hath such a Faith; neither will a temporary Faith do it, this is but a meer blossom, that fals off in a storm of Persecution; it must be a pretious Faith, a Furnace Faith, that will endure the fiery Trial: This is the Apostles 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Shield like a door, broad enough to cover the Soul and all its Graces, Eph. 6.16. this is to be taken above all other pieces of Spiritual Armor; it is eminent among the Graces as the Sun is among the Planets: It is the great conquering Grace; all other Graces ⟨p. 57⟩act in conjunction with it. In the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews, stiled by some the little Book of Martyrs, the Saints are brought in doing and suffering great things, but all is ascribed to Faith, as the Captain-grace of all the rest, the first mover to other Graces: It works by Love, and not only so but by Meekness, Obedience, Patience, running like blood and Spirits in every part of the New-creature. Faith hath a triple respect, to God, to Christ, to the Promises, and in each of these it is of singular use in order to sufferings.