The Thirty-Fifth Sermon, which is the Third upon the Fifth Chapter - Ephesians 5:8-11
conscience. It puffs us up with such pride that God seems to be nothing to us, and we yield the honor of the living God to our gold, silver, and riches. That is such rank treason that there is good cause for us to abhor it, as we see by what the Holy Ghost speaks of it through the mouth of the Apostle.
Now, let us fall down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying Him to make us feel them with true repentance. Being grieved and heartily sorry for them, may we so sorrow for our offense against Him and for straying from the way of salvation that we seek nothing but to dedicate ourselves wholly unto Him. May He daily cut off whatever corruption is in us and make us forsake the world, understanding this as the end for which we were redeemed and cleansed by the blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
In the meantime, may He vouchsafe to bear with our infirmities and continually rid us of them more and more until He has taken us out of this world to join us to Himself in all righteousness and holiness.
May it please Him to grant this grace, not only to us but also to all people and nations of the earth. Amen.
The Thirty-Fifth Sermon, which is the Third upon the Fifth Chapter 8. For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk ye as children of the light.
9. (For the fruit of the Spirit consisteth in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.) 10. Trying what is acceptable to the Lord.
11. And have not to do with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather even rebuke them.
We know how hard a matter it is to reclaim men from evil customs when they are once hardened unto them. For the mischief does easily take root in us, because we are inclined and almost wholly given to it by nature. Yet, we are not so soon changed when we have continued a long time in doing evil. It happens to us as unto sick folk, whose diseases, having once gathered strength, do so stick to their bones that they can by no means be purged away.
Now, a great number of folk are given to naughtiness and bear with themselves in many vices before they are called of God and touched to the quick with repentance. Therefore, we have need to practice the doctrine that Saint Paul teaches us here: that is to wit, to know that when we have held aloof from God and strayed from the way of salvation, we must not flatter ourselves in it, nor make a buckler and excuse of it, because it has become an ordinary thing with us. For we must not pardon ourselves a whit the more for all that, but rather consider that God has pitied us and that His drawing of us from the evil wherein we were was to the end to change us and to make His power and grace the better known by our life, in that it bears witness that we are no more the men that we were before.
That is the cause why Saint Paul says in this text, "Ye were once darkness, but now hath God enlightened you." As if he should say that we must not respect either what others do or what has befallen in ourselves to hope to be justified and acquitted of our faults by that
means. For when it has once pleased God to reach us His hand and to show us such mercy as to adopt us for His children and to make us heirs of the heavenly life, instead of being forlorn, cursed, and damned as before, that grace ought to prevail greatly in us, to make us become new creatures.
And as for those among whom we live, if God gives them the bridle and lets them alone as men forsaken, let us understand that it was
His will to single us out from so miserable a state. Therefore, let them be as looking glasses unto us, to behold what wretchedness it is for men to follow their own lusts. So little then ought the offending and sinning of a multitude to cover our faults, that we ought rather to take warning by them to withdraw ourselves and to hold ourselves as it were fettered up under the fear and obedience of our God, seeing
He shows such special favor unto us, whereof the rest who abide still ignorant and unbelieving are deprived.
However, for the better understanding of the whole, let us first note that Saint Paul has shown us here what the state of all men in general is until God has drawn them to Himself. He tells us there is no cause at all why we should soothe ourselves in our virtues, insomuch that this only speech of his, where he says that we are darkness (that is to say, that there is neither light, reason, nor any governance in us, but rather that we have become stark beasts), ought well to make us all cast down our eyes and submit ourselves with humility. Indeed, many may have some show of wisdom and be commended by the world as well-advised men, capable not only of guiding themselves in their whole lives but also of counseling and directing others. Yet, notwithstanding, God avows that, instead of having right wisdom and reason, we are but brute beasts in respect of Him.
Just as this saying warns us to sigh and groan before God, it also provokes us to seek the remedy necessary for the proper ruling of our lives: to suffer God to be our Master and Teacher by His Word (as shall be declared more at length anon) and to pray that His Holy
Spirit may work in us so that we may not be led with such overweening as to count ourselves wise in our own conceit and fancy.
Thus, in effect, you see what we are to remember upon this point, where Saint Paul reproachfully entitles men, saying they are darkness and that there is nothing but utter brutishness in them. I have already treated this in the last chapter, where Saint Paul showed that men discern nothing and go only toward their destruction until they are reformed.
Now, on the contrary, he says, "Light in the Lord," to show that all the wisdom we have comes from a supernatural grace, as it is termed
—that is to say, we do not have it by inheritance, nor can we attribute it to ourselves, but it is altogether of God's working, and we must be linked to our Lord Jesus Christ to partake in such a benefit. For it is not for naught that the Scripture says, "God's Spirit was given unto
Him to rest upon Him with full perfection" (Isaiah 11:2).
Therefore, let us learn to distrust ourselves and to know that all we can bring of our own will stand us in no stead but to turn us from the way of salvation, and that we have no wisdom except what is given to us by God's free goodness, to the intent to gather us unto Him and make us members of our Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, who is our true light, as we shall see shortly.
To be brief, it is as if Saint Paul should say that by nature we are only darkness in Adam and that we are enlightened again in our Lord
Jesus Christ. Now (as I said before), this is intended so that we should seek no excuse by alleging that we cannot put off our old skin
or utterly forsake the things so printed in us, for those excuses are but trifling and will not stand in account before God. Rather, it is to the intent that we should learn to examine well what we are and what our state is until God has redressed it, and to consider what we have of our own—namely, that we bring nothing but cursedness with us from our mother's womb. Furthermore, we must make the grace God has given us effective so that it is not, as it were, choked by our unthankfulness and malice. We must consider well to what end our
Lord has reached out His hand to us and shown Himself so pitiful toward us: namely, that whereas we were plunged in darkness, it was
His will to bring us again to light.
And we are called "light in the Lord," not only because we have the Word of His Gospel, which is like a burning torch to guide us, but also because He Himself is like the spiritual Day-Sun and enlightens us inwardly by God's Spirit. For we see by experience that people do not improve merely by having their ears filled with the doctrine of truth; one may take pains to teach them, and yet it shall be but labor lost. Therefore, our Lord must make His Son shine — meaning that just as He has commanded and ordained His Word to be preached to us, He must also give us eyes to enjoy that light.
For though the sun shines ever so brightly in the sky, we would find neither fruit nor profit by it unless we have eyes that are instruments to receive the light that comes from above. So, God must give us spiritual eyesight to understand the things taught to us by His Word.
You see, then, that the means by which we become "light in the Lord" is that, on one side, God shows us the way of salvation through the preaching of His Word to us, and, on the other, gives us a new spirit or mind so that we do not remain in the ignorance in which all of us are by nature.
Saint Paul expresses his meaning even better when he adds that we should "walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). Here, we see that he not only praises and commends God's grace to stir us up to glorify
Him for it, as we are bound to do, but also shows the use of it. As if he should say, beware in any way that you do not thrust God's grace underfoot or make it unavailing to you. For His calling of you to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ was with the intent that you should be wholly changed and brought into this light.
If we would have the sun only to stand idly gazing upon it like people out of their wits, what a thing would that be? It would be better for us to have continual night. But the sun must serve us to apply ourselves to the business we have to do, to labor in earning our living, each according to his charge, office, and calling. You see then that we would abuse the sun, which brings us such great benefit, if we did not each occupy ourselves in the things we know to be our duty. Now
Saint Paul applies this analogy to the spiritual Day-Sun, that is to say, to the doctrine of the Gospel, saying that it shines, but not for us to engage in idle speculations, but rather so that we should set our hand to the plow, and each of us see where he can and ought to do service, thereby making the light available that is offered to him.
Furthermore, Saint Paul in one place calls us "light," and immediately after, he adds, "children of light." Both of these expressions come to one end. Yet it is not for nothing that he terms us "light," for it serves to express better that God's grace is not only offered to us but also imprinted in us, so that we are, in a sense, newly shaped by it. And this is not only found here but also in the Epistle to the Philippians (Philippians 2:15).
We must first note that this title belongs properly to none but our Lord Jesus Christ, as He Himself says, "I am the light of the world;
he that walks in me shall never stray" (John 8:12). You see, then, that our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient of Himself alone to give us light, and if we keep ourselves aloof from Him, we shall find nothing but darkness, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor in any other creature.
For if we speak of God's majesty, it is above all the heavens; even the very angels have no light but what they borrow from our Lord Jesus
Christ.
This is why Saint John the Baptist is excluded from that honor when he says that he was not the light, but that the dignity belongs peculiarly to the Son of God, who enlightens all men that come into the world (John 1:8-9). Again, the apostles and all such as preach
God's truth are also termed light in their degree, when it is said, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Not that this belongs properly to them, but because God serves His own purposes through them when He delivers His Word to guide others and show them the way of salvation.
If the person bearing the candle to light others should reel, stumble, or stray here and there, what a thing would that be? Therefore, since
God has given us the charge to preach His Word, we are warned to walk in such a way that every person may be edified by our lives. Yet in the meantime, this does not detract at all from the honor of our
Lord Jesus Christ. For those who are enlightened by Him must not thrust themselves forward to be equal with Him; He alone must continue as the light, and we enlighten one another, according to Saint Paul's saying in the text I previously cited, where he says to all the faithful, "You are as lamps burning in this world, even by having the word of God" (Philippians 2:15).
The light, then, which Scripture allots both to the teachers and to those who are taught, is that all of us must have God's Word, which
must be as a burning lamp to us, not only to guide ourselves by but also to show the way to all those who otherwise would go astray.
Hereunto, he addeth that we are children of light, to make us understand that our light comes from elsewhere than ourselves and that we borrow it from Him who is the light of the world (John 8:12), as I have mentioned before. According to this, it is said that God is the Father of lights, and so the Scripture names Him. Again, our
Lord Jesus Christ is the true light (John 1:9) by which God appeared to us and by which it is His will to enlighten us. Therefore, we are the children of light, meaning we are so enlightened that God's light is in us, namely because we are members of our Lord Jesus Christ (as I said earlier), and we communicate with Him. He guides us by the light of His Gospel and enlightens us also by His Holy Spirit.
Since our Lord works in us by faith, He imparts it to us by measure, as He Himself thinks good, as we have seen in the fourth chapter.
However, whatever the case, let us esteem God's grace as it is worthy and deserves and turn it to our benefit so that it is not disappointed through our carelessness but that we may walk — that is to say, consider whereunto God has called us, and every one of us employ and enforce himself thereunto.
Now hereupon, Saint Paul gives a warning that the fruit of this light is goodness, righteousness, and truth. As if he should say that he speaks not here after the common fashion of men but intends to bring us unto God and to show us the purpose of being Christians and the true use of the learning we have by the Gospel. He also shows how the power of the Holy Ghost ought to show itself in us, that is, in the well-ordering of our life.
By these three words — goodness, righteousness, and holiness — he means that we should not do any wrong to anybody but endeavor to
live uprightly and faithfully with our neighbors and also be kindhearted in having compassion for one another, bearing patiently with one another, and succoring one another as need shall require.
Indeed, there are other things requisite in a Christian man's life, but here Saint Paul comprehends all under one kind.
As if he should say, "My friends, God is singularly gracious to us in gathering us unto Him, whereas we were strayed away into destruction; and whereas we were held in thralldom under the tyranny of the prince of the world, which is the devil (John 12:31), He has set us free and made us members of His only Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ." Lo, here is an inestimable benefit. And now we must show to what end our Lord has used such great mercy towards us. That, he says, must be known by our life, even by walking with one another in all goodness — that is to say, that we are not cruel as dogs and cats, nor given to guile, craft, and malice to deceive and outmaneuver one another, but go on sincerely and straightforwardly in all things and deal uprightly so that every one of us endeavors to yield to his neighbor what is his due so that no one is wedded to his own profit to the grievance of others.
When our life is once ordered in this manner, then people shall perceive that we bear fruit in the light, and that the light also bears fruit in us — that is to say, that the light which God has given us is not idle, but that just as God has enlightened us, we apply ourselves to do the things He commands and appoints. This is why Saint Paul speaks of the fruit of righteousness, according to my former saying, where I told you that the sun does not give light to the world with the intent that everyone should sit still with his arms folded one within another or that we should be like the fowls that fly in the air, but rather to serve our turn by guiding us in all our doings. That is the fruit and use of the sun.
Therefore, the Gospel is not a fruitless thing; its working must show itself in our life, that is to say, by being righteous, kind-hearted, and faithful. Under these words, Saint Paul has comprised all things belonging to the two tables of the Law. For, as I told you before, charity does not serve to make us forget what belongs to God's service, as though that were a thing of small weight. Instead, it is the manner of the Scripture to send us back to our neighbors when it speaks of serving God. For it is certain that if we love our neighbors as we ought to do and live with them according to God's law, God shall always have His chief right.
Until we are ruled under His awe, every one of us will love himself too much, desire to draw to himself, and glory in himself. To be brief, there will be nothing in us but pride, vainglory, covetousness, cruelty, and all manner of deceit until our Lord has brought us under His yoke, and we have bowed ourselves unto His obedience, to honor
Him, serve Him, and bless His holy name. This shall be done when we yield people their due, for that is a true trial and record that we fear God.
And now, to show us how we should live in the world, Saint Paul sets down these three things: namely, Goodness, which is kindness of heart in having pity and compassion upon those in distress, relieving their needs, and bearing patiently with their infirmities. This is what is meant by the word "Goodness." Next is Righteousness, which signifies upright dealing, so that we do not take away any man's goods or seek to advantage ourselves by the hindrance of our neighbors, nor engage in plundering and exploiting, but (to be brief) be content with whatever God gives us without seizing other men's goods or possessions.
Last of all is added Truth, which is contrary to all crafty dealings and to all lewd practices by which we labor to draw other men's goods to us. When we have these three things, it is certain that Charity reigns fully and perfectly in us. These are the things we must remember upon this point. Do we then want to show that our training in the Gospel has not been in vain, and that we have not forsaken the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us live uprightly and fairly among men.
Again, let us be kind-hearted, both in bearing one another's infirmities and in succoring them in their need. Finally, let us be faithful — that is to say, let us use no craft or deceit, but let us be truthful, and in whatever dealings we have with others, let them not find us double-minded.
The thing, therefore, in effect, which we have to bear in mind is that God's enlightening of us is so that we should no longer plunge ourselves into darkness, but that when we have once received light from Him, we should endeavor to give light to wretched unbelievers who wander, reel, and stumble and are like to break their necks, for they are like silly beasts. And it is no wonder at all, for they have no light to guide themselves by. True, that will not excuse them, but they will always be guilty before God, for their ignorance is matched with malice. But what shall we on our side have to say for ourselves when we stray so far away, seeing that God has enlightened us by His
Word and Holy Spirit, and knit us to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Sun of Righteousness, as I have already declared?
Now hereupon, Saint Paul tells us that we must try and examine what things please God. This reaches further than what he has already said, for it shows us the true rule which, if we follow, we cannot do amiss — namely, to frame ourselves according to God's will (Ephesians 5:10). Truly, we know that the fear of Him is not without cause called true wisdom. For what causes men to overshoot
themselves into all evil, but because they forget God and bury the remembrance of His name and majesty? For those who have God in their minds shall always be restrained as if with a bridle. Although their flesh tempts them to evil, they will resist and consider that as long as they live in this world, they must spend their life in the service of Him who gave it to them.
Then, if our minds are upon God, surely it will arm us and give us strength against all temptations. Saint Paul says here that we must examine well what things please Him, in which he awakens our carelessness. For in the aforesaid despising of God that I spoke of, there are two things. One is that men fall asleep in soothing themselves, not thinking they will ever come to account, and therefore they rest so soundly, as if it were up to us to make good or evil. Afterward, they fall outrageously to flinging themselves at random against God.
Therefore, it is not enough for us not to fight willfully against God, nor to play the wild beasts or the mad bulls that push every way with their horns. That is not enough. We must be watchful in thoroughly inquiring what is lawful for us so that we may discern between the things that God permits and the things He disallows. To be brief, the first thing that Saint Paul shows us here is that our life will never be well-ordered until it is wholly conformable to God's will. Mark that for one point.
Secondly (as I have told you), we must not think that God forgives our carelessness when we (as it were) willfully shut our eyes and are content to go astray without taking any great heed. Instead, it behooves us to stand on our guard and diligently seek what God allows. These are the two points we must note.
Concerning the first point, we see how men have always taken liberty in all ages to follow their own inventions, as they term them. Indeed, it has ever been a common proverb that "the intent judges men," and it is very true in part, but men have misinterpreted and misconstrued it. Under that pretense, every man has imagined that he should be cleared before God and taken for righteous, provided he had no intent to offend. In this manner, the hypocrites think they do well: when they have invented a variety of follies and superstitions, they convince themselves that God ought to take all in good worth because they thought them to be good. But God does not deal according to our imagination.
We see, then, that men have deceived themselves greatly in imagining that it was enough for them to have a "good intent" or "meaning," as they call it. This is why there is nothing but hellish confusion in popery, because they have forsaken God's Word, disregarding what He commands or forbids, and have taken liberty to do some of this and some of that as it suited every man's fancy, all under the pretext that men are to be judged by their intent.
It is true (as I said before) that "the intent judges men" (in some respect). For although we may do the most commendable work that can be devised, we will still be condemned at God's hand if it is not done with the right end in mind. If our honest dealing is only an outward appearance, meant to earn us the reputation of being the most honest men in the world, while all our virtue is but dung and filth within, it is only a show of honesty. Why? Because our intent is wicked and crooked.
But even so (as I said before), we must not heedlessly do whatever our own mind teaches us. Our chief wisdom is to seek God's will, according to which Saint Paul says it is our "reasonable service,"
which God commands us, and in which our obedience will be well accepted (Romans 12:1). But if we insist on doing everything according to our own understanding, God will reject it all; for it is not reasonable — it is but the trash and trickery of Satan.
Therefore, let us take careful note of what is told us here: that is, we must not seek any other distinction between good and evil than by weighing it in God's balance and not in our own, saying, "It seems good to me," or "I think it is good, and I will try it." Let us beware (I say) of bringing such rashness with us, and let us be as little children who are newly weaned from the breast. Let us learn from God and allow ourselves to be guided and governed wholly by Him.
You see then that humility is the beginning of serving God well when we are not puffed up and carried away with self-conceit or so rash as to say, "I think so, I believe so," but instead, think thus: "Is this from God? Has He spoken it in His Word? Even if it seemed to be the best and most excellent thing in the world, I would still refuse it if it is forbidden by God." And that is why it is expressly said, "You shall not do what seems good in your own eyes" (Deuteronomy 12:8). For the same reason, we are forbidden to be wise in our own conceits
(Proverbs 3:7).
Only let us assure ourselves that to be taught by God is infallible wisdom. But as soon as we step aside from what He shows us, we become wanderers, even if we were the wisest in outward show and the most esteemed in the world. To be brief, we see how all that men can bring of their own will stand them in no stead but only to condemn them. Why? Because nothing can guide us but God's will alone; it is the only rule whereby we may say, "This is worthless," or "This is good."
Now, seeing that the devil has gone about to deprive us of such a benefit, it behooves us all the more to stand on our guard — that is to say, to be heedful and to apply all our wits thoroughly to the seeking out of God's will. We are careful enough about our temporal profit, for people rarely take anything in hand without forecasting well what may ensue. "Oh," they say, "behold, I shall cast myself into such danger; again, this will serve my turn that way, or else this may hinder or hurt me."
Now then, we are careful enough in seeking the things that belong to this fleeting life, but meanwhile, we step forth at random in serving
God. Although we pretend great zeal in seeking the heavenly life, we show thereby that we make no account of it and that all we ever do is but for fashion's sake and as if it were mere task work.
Therefore, let us take note that men shall not be so sorely condemned when their rebellion against God is not willful and intentional, as when they harden themselves in their stubbornness.
It is true that men will do some things without looking closely at them, but they must still consider whether God approves of them or not. The thing in which we must be wisest and most discerning is not to make our own profit after the manner of the world, which counts the wiliest people as the wisest, but to gain spiritual discretion — to know what things God allows and to follow the same.
Now hereupon he adds also that we must not have to do with the fruitless works of darkness but rather rebuke them. This is not added without great reason. For although we are well disposed to frame our lives according to God's Word, yet we shall be shouldered from it if we do not learn to resist all temptations.
Truly, even if we saw no vices around us to draw our obedience away from God, we already have such a store of vices within us that we
must have profited greatly in God's school before we can be disposed to submit ourselves in true obedience and say, "Lord, reign over us, and let Your will alone be our rule." But yet, let us suppose that we have come so far as to feel no resistance or opposition in ourselves, that we could subdue all our affections so that they might, in a sense, be orderly. Nevertheless, the devil never ceases to assail us on all sides—sometimes by light skirmishes, other times by undermining us, and at other times by giving alarms and open assaults—so that he will soon overwhelm us unless we are well fortified and God has given us invincible power to withstand all his schemes.
This is why Saint Paul adds that we should not have to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. As if he should say, "My friends, I know well that the difficulty of approaching God in this world will be like a stumbling block, keeping you from doing your duty. And although you know that God ought to have the mastery and that we ought to be under His subjection, nevertheless, when you are in the company of the despisers of God and with unholy persons, it is very hard for you to walk uncorruptly. For as many vices reign, so many infections are there to stain you, and it is very hard for you to escape untainted, just as it is impossible to avoid being pricked when you walk among thorns."
Since there is such an abundance of corruption throughout the whole world that a person can scarcely take a step without stumbling upon some evil or other, it stands to reason that we must have great strength to maintain ourselves unblemished in the service of God, or else we will be utterly turned away from His obedience. But what of it? There is no excuse for us, says Saint Paul. It will not help us to say, "Alas, what shall I do, I who am a poor, frail creature? If God had set me alone by myself, I could serve Him better. But here I am among so many vices that I must do as other men do: some pillage,
some plunder, some are whoremongers, some are drunkards, and some are swearers. Finally, I see so much wickedness that it makes my heart quake. And seeing I am hemmed in with all these things, what can I do in such extremity?"
We may argue all this (say I), but it is in vain. Therefore, let us learn to prepare ourselves in such a way for serving God that we may stand obediently in battle array to resist all temptations. It is true that we shall have much difficulty bringing it to pass, but still, God will be the strongest if we pray for Him to govern us with His Holy Spirit. And that governance serves not only to subdue us to His dominion but also to give us victory against all that Satan practices to overthrow us.
You see then that if we call upon God and put ourselves under His guidance, it is certain that we shall have enough to keep us on our way, notwithstanding that this world is full of wicked stumbling blocks to push us out of the way. The thing we must remember from this passage is that besides the good mind we must have to submit ourselves to God, and besides the humility to accept and receive whatever God commands us and to frame our whole life thereafter, we must also be armed to fight against all the assaults that Satan makes against us. And though we see the whole world set upon wickedness, we must not think that this may serve to diminish our fault before God but consider that it is His will to exercise us in that way.
Yet, if we call upon Him and put our whole trust in the working of His Holy Spirit, surely we shall obtain victory against all that Satan can place in our paths. And so you see how we may overcome all things that hinder our serving of God.
Finally, Saint Paul, still following the similitude he introduced earlier, tells us that we must not have anything to do with the works of darkness. As if he should say, we must be separated from the unbelievers, and that when we live at random, as though God had not worked in us and as though His Word had done us no good at all, it is as much as if we trampled Jesus Christ under our feet, abolished the fruit of His death and passion, and defiled His blood, which is the fountain of all holiness.
Since it is so, let us look to withdraw from darkness and not have anything to do with it in any way. His calling them by the name of "fruitless works" is to show us that when we are so mingled with the unbelievers, worldlings, and despisers of God, we shall receive but a poor reward, which will yield us no fruit at all. What do we gain, then, by taking liberty to do evil under the excuse that most of the world is given to wickedness? Nothing. For all of them must reap the reward of everlasting death if they follow one another in that way.
Now, then, let us look more closely at ourselves. For when men excuse themselves so lightly that they seek nothing else but to keep themselves fast fettered under the subjection of their father Satan and to cast themselves, as it were, into the bottom of hell, alas, is it not a wretched liberty? Saint Paul therefore tells us expressly that we ought so little to involve ourselves with the corruptions of the world that we should instead endeavor to amend those who take such liberty to do evil that they utterly overthrow themselves. Both we and they ought to be so held in obedience to our God that His Word and Holy Spirit may serve us as an invincible power to fight against all assaults.
We must be so armed and furnished with them that they may be to us both a helmet, a breastplate, armor, and a sword, as we shall see