Rom.i3. z4.., What is meant by quenching Satansfirst sirxts.. OftheJbieldoffith,. make foeuer itbe in it felfe, yetit dothdefend and prote61 vsagainfi all the temptations of Satan ; for he thatputteth. on faith,doth put onlefus Chrifl alfo,it being a propertie in- feparable offaith, to applie vntovs Chrifi Iefus and all his benefits,thatis,his merits and righteoufneffe,and euerlafiing life it felfe. And thiswill be not onelya glorious garment to couer our deformitie out of Godsfight, topreferue vs from theheate ofGods wrath,and to obtaine the euerlafiingbici- fingofour heauenly father, but alfo it is armour ofproofe to defendvs from theviolent affaults of our fpirituall enemies.. Let vs therefore take vntovs the fhield offaith,that wemay . alto put on the Lord Iefii-s Chris% as the Apofileexhortethvs, Rom.i 3..14. for hauing himwe fhall want nothing, which may either defend ourfelues or offendour enemies;theLord himfelfe will be our fhield andbuckler, and therefore it will beimpoflible forour foes topreuaile againfi vs. But let vsconfider further of theexcellencieand necefiïtie ofthis shieldoffaith,which appearethby the vertuethereof,,. iñ repelling all the:firie dartsofSatan. The Apoftle faith,that therebywemay quench hisfirie darts, alluding to the cuflome of fouldiers in ancient time,whomalitiouflypoyfoned their_ darts,whereby the bodies ofthofe whowere.woundedwere: fo inflamed, that they could hardly be cured, or eafed of their ragingand burning paine. And fuch darts are all Sa- tans temptations, wherebywe arewounded with finne ; for' if they be not repelled and quenched with the fhield of faith,theywill inflame our lulls to finne; and one finnewill inflame our hearts to another, till there be kindled in vs a world ofWickedneffe. And this wemay fee in the example ofDauid, who after thathe gaue himfelfe to idleneffe and floth,and fowas pearcedwith oneofSatans fine darts,i t pre- - fently inflamed hisheart to commit adulterie, and hauing giuenplace to that, hewas prouoked to murther; fo that if we admit one of thefe finedarts, theywill inflamevs to re- ceiue another, and fo our burningwounds will torment our confciences,andmoll hardlyadmit ofany cure. _ And therefore it behooúeth vs to take vntovs the fhield offaitb,whetebywe may,quench,thefe,firie darts. But why, doth
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