The Christian in Complete Armour

Use 3 Try by this whether you have grace or no, dost thou walk in the exercise of thy grace? He that hath 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 thy 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 enterprises, 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, mourn and strive, even as a living man when you would smother him. I'll as soon believe the man to be alive, that lies peaceably as he is nailed up in his Coffin, without strife or bustle, as that thou hast grace, and never exercise it in any act of spiritual life. What man! hast thou grace, and carried so peaceably, as a fool to the stocks, by thy lust? Why hangest thou there nailed to thy lust? if thou hast grace, come down and we will believe it, but if thou beest such a tame slave, as to sit still under the command of lust, thou deceivest thy self: Hast thou grace, and show none of it in the condition thou art placed in? May be thou art rich; doest thou show thy humility towards those that are beneath thee? doest thou show a heavenly mind breathing after heaven more then earth? It may be thy heart is puffed with thy estate, that thou lookest on the poor as creatures of some lower species then thy self, and disdainest them, and as for heaven thou thinkest not of it. Like that wicked Prince, that said, He would lose his part in Paradise rather then in Paris. Art thou poor, why doest not exercise grace in that condition? Art thou contented, diligent?

Ʋse 3 Try by this whether you have grace or no, dost thou walk in the exercise of thy grace? He that hath 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 thy soule, 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 shew 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 thou hast grace, and never exercise it in any act of spiritual life. What man! hast thou grace, and carried so peaceably, as a fool to the stocks, by thy lust? Why hang'st thou there nail'd to thy lust? if thou hast grace, come down and we will believe it, but if thou beest such a tame slave, as to sit still under the command of lust, thou deceivest thy self: Hast thou grace, and shew none of it in the condition thou art plac't in? May be thou art rich; doest thou shew thy humility towards those that are beneath thee? doest thou shew a heavenly minde breathing after heaven more then earth? It may be thy heart is puff't with thy estate, that thou lookest on the poor as creatures of some lower species then thy self, and disdainest them, and as for heaven thou thinkest not of it. Like that wicked Prince, that said, He would lose his part in Paradise rather then in Paris. Art thou poor, why doest not exercise grace in that condition? Art thou contented, diligent?