Now cometh he forth and comforteth them, and teacheth them to be bold,
and to play the men, and fight manfully. For they must fight with
valiant warriors, as appeareth afterward in the text. And against they
come to fight he comforteth them, saying, "My brethren." He calleth them
brethren; for though he taught them before to be subject to kings and
rulers, and to be obedient to their superiors, yet he teacheth them that
in Christ we be all brethren, according to the saying in this same
chapter, "God is no accepter of persons." "My brethren," saith he, "be
ye comforted, be ye strong;" not trusting to yourselves; no, but be bold,
and comforted "by our Lord, and by the power of his virtue:" not by your
own virtue, for it is not of power to resist such assaults as he speaketh
of hereafter. "Put on, or apparel you with, the armour of God." Armour
is an apparel to clothe a man, and maketh him seemly and comely; setteth
forth his body, and maketh him strong and bold in battle. And therefore
Saint Paul exhorteth generally his brethren to be armed; and as the
assaults be strong, and not small, so he giveth strong armour, and not
small: "Put on," saith he, "the armour of God." He speaketh generally of
armour, but afterwards he speaketh particularly of the parts of armour,
where he saith, be armed complete, whole; be armed on every part with the
armour of God; not borrowed, nor patched, but all godly.
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