Book IV. THE s H I E L D OF F A I T H. 593 Sincerity, 110t by jltjhly Wifdom, but by the Grace of God, we have our Converfation in the World, &c. 2 Cor. i. 12. • 2 • Thefe are the Men it will go well with, whatever comes: Say unto the Righteous, it jhall go well with them, &c. lfa. iii. IO. . . 3· Thefe !hall have Peac'e m Chn£1:, though they have Trouble m the World; Peace whillt they live, and Peace when they die: Mark the perfetl Man, and behold tbe Upright; the End of that Man is Peace, Pfal. xxxvii. 37· 4· The!e need not fear the Alfaults of Satan, they have Armor of Proof on, a Brea£1:-plate, that will preferve their Souls from Death: There is therefore now no Con– demnatioJt to them that are in Chrif! Jefus, who walk not after the Fltjh, but after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 1. Seventhly, Chnftians fbould labor to have on this Brea!l-plate of Righteoufnefs, in regard of the Excellency of it.. It is that which God himfelf is cloarhed with; it is that which makes Angels to fbme glonoully m Heaven. A Man IS hereby capacJtat" ed to have Communion with God: Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fel/owjhip with thee.? &c. P(al. xciv. 20. Eighthly, and la!l:ly, in regard of the Nece!lity of it: Far without Holinejs no ]lda~: jhall fee the L a1·d. ~eft. How jhould we put on the Breajf-piate of Righte'oufnefs.? Anfw. I. In Heart; we mull: be inwardly holy, Holmefs mull: begin there. Firft make the '1ree good, &c. 2. In L ife. Negative Holinefs doth not only confi£1: in the leaving all grofs Sins, but in ab!l:aining from •11 Appearance of Evil, and to leave and abftain from it from right Principles; and not only to leave it, bur to loath it. -' Again, it confifieth in keepmg up all holy and religious Duties, viz. Reading, Hearing, Praying, Difiriburing to the Poor, Conforming to all moral and pofitivc Precepts; to be holy at home, in the Family, in the Chmch, in the \'Vorld, to exer– cife a good Confcience towards God, and towards Men, Atls xxiv. r6. This is to put on the Breafi-plate of Rtghteoufnefs. I might give many DireCtions ahout putting i~ on, and alfo fbew fome of Satan's cunning Stratagems, in endeavoring to make u!elefs this blelfed Piece of the Chrifli– an's Armor, in laying Difcouragements in the Way of rrue Piety; or by perfuading Perfons they have this Breall:-plate on, when it is a counterfeit one. H e perfuades Men, that moral Righteoufnefs will ferve their turn, and fufficiently preferve them from eternal Death. But this lhall fuffice in this Place. THE 8 H I E L D OF FAI'"fH. Above all take tht Shield of Faith, &c. Eph. vi. t6. FAITi-I is a Grace, a moll: precious and excellent Grace of the Spirit of tiod; whereby the Soul is enabled to believe, or go out of itfelf, and wholly to rely and refi upon Chri£1: crucified, or on his aCtive and pa!live Obedience, upon the Warrant of the Promife, for J u!lification and eternal Life. MET A PH 0 R. I. A Shield is a Piece of Armor that Soldiers were wont to carry with them inro the Field, when they were to engage their Enemies. !I. A Shield is a Piece ofArmor made for Defence. Ill. A Shield is not for the De– fence of any particular parr cf the Body, as almo£1: all other F:eces are. The Helmet is fitted for the Head, the Brea!l-plate is defigned PARALLEL. l. FAITH is a Part of a Chri!l:ian's fpiritual Armor. All Chrift's Soldiers ought to carry this Weapon into the Field with them, wher\ they engage rhe Enemy of their Souls: Abo'Ve all, take the Shield of Faith. I!. Faith is uf excellent ufe to defend the Soul from all fpirirual Dangers of Sin and Satan, and other Enemies. III. So the Grace of Faith defends the whole Man, every part of a Chri!l:ian. Fir£1:, Sometimes Satan's Temptations are levelled again£1: his Head, and if he can hit him there, he wounds forely. He will be difputing again£1: this Truth, 7 M and
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