The excellency ofhhis breafi. plate ofrigh- teoujnefe. Rom,7,ì5. z Z. Rorn.7.17. 1.I0h. 3.9 and vert.6.ä. Pfalm.rt9, s2 Ofthe breaf -plateofrighteoufigs. his head. And thenfhall not Satans darts pearce vs,fo long as we armed with a good confcience, and a godlieand in- nocent life. Yea aslong as our breads and hearts are armed with righteoufnes,though our other members fall into fin, ourWounds (hall not bemortali : foras thebreafl-plate doth defend the breafl and vitall parts ofa fouldier, fo the fiudie and holie endeuourofa Chriflian to liue in righteoufneffe and true fan&ification, doth fo arme his mind, that Satan cannot deadlywound the heart with anyofhis temptations. True it is that the Saints doe receiue wounds and fóiles, when as Satan hath drawne them to commit finne, but they are not woundedat the heart, becaufe they doe not flnne with full content ofwill ; for they allownot that which they doe, neither doe theyWhat they would, but what they hate, and they delight in the law ofGod concerning the inner man,when the flefh leadeth them captiue to the law offin. Andhence it is that maulfaith hee didnot tranfgreffe Gods law, butfinne that dwelleth inhim,Rom.y.x 7. And the A- poflle Johnof rtneth, that they' hoare borne ofGodfnnenot, i Joh.3.9. and that theywhoare inChrif finne not : and that tvhofoetterlinnet h is orthediuell, verf.6..8. Not that Gods chil- dren are exempted from all finne, but becaufe they finnenot . with the full confent and fwinge of theirwill; and when they doe fall, their heartsare defendedwith the breafl-plate ofrighteoufnes,that is,with anholle endeuourand delire of feruingGod. Dauid, aman according to Gods ovine heart; maybe a notable example hereof: for cum after he was in- dued with the knowledge ofthe truth, and had this godlie endeuour offeruingGod, he notwithflanding fell grieuou- fliemanie times, andwas woundedoften with Satans darts; but his woundswerenot mortal,neither did theypearce the heart,becaufe hewas armedwith the breafl-plate ofrighte- otrfines; fór hekept Gods law in his heart, and it was fweeter thanhonie vnto his mouth,he meditated therein,andfought after it continually, asappearethPfal.i 19. Wouldwe there- fore he preferued from the deadly wounds of Satans darts oftemptation ? then let vs 'ludicand labour after true holi-. üeslet vskeepe agood confcience; and howfoeuerwe fall often
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