Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Book IV. FAITH MORE PRECIOUS THAN G 0 L D. SCJS METAPHOR. of Battle from Death, and many mortal Wounds. Hence God is pleafed to call himfelf a Shield, fignifying thereby his fure and fafe ProteCtion tO his People in Time of Trouble and Temptation. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy Sbield. PARALLEL. believed, Pfal. xxvii. 13. If he at that Time had not had Faith to ihield him, he had been loft. All the mighty Men of God, faith .dinfworth, " by the Shield of Faith in God and Chrift, have done many mighty Works, as the Apoftle bring– eth a Cloud of Witndfes in to prove, Heb. xi. And hence Shields, faith he, were hanged up in David's Tower, for Monuments and Signs of ViCtory, 2 Chron. xi. 10, 47· 2 Sam. vii1. 7· Ezek. xxvii. 11. METAPHOR. I . A Shield that Soldiers ufe in Battle is an lnftrument made by Man. II. A Shield is not ufed by Sol– diers in all Countries. Ill. A Shidd may be broken, and utterly loft. IV. A Shirld can only fave and defend from temporal Enemies. D IS PART T Y. I. FAITH is a precious Grace or Fruit of the Spirit of God: '!'he Fruit of the Spirit is Faith, &c. Gal. v. 22. 11. Faith is of ufe by all fpiritual Soldiers in every Nation; and it is as much in ufe now by them who truly bdieve, as ever it was. I tl. A Saints Faith may receive fome Detri– menr, bm it cannot be utterly broken and loft. I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not, Luke xxii. 28. IV. Faith fhields and defends the Soul from all the fiery Darts and AJf•ults of Satan. I N F E R E N C E S. I. FROM hence we may infer, thar Fai th is an excellem Grace; and not only fo, but we may perceive the Necellity of it in all our fpiritual Conflicts. !I. Labor tO find out the right Ufe of it in Time of Temptation, and under all the A!faults of Satan. Ill. it fhews how fafe and happy all they are, who truly believe, or have obtained .the Faith of God's l:lect; and how miferable fuch be as are without it. IV. Labor therefore above all to take the Shitld of Faith; for though all other Graces are nece!fary, as the Girdle of Truth, the Breaft-Plate of Righteoufnefs, &c. Yet thcfe and al l other Graces have their Efficacy, as they work, and are in conjunction with Faith. We receive Benefit from them, as they receive Power, and are influenced from hence; fo that Faith hath the Precedency. F A I T H MORE PRECIOUS THAN G 0 L D. '!'hat the 'l'rial of you,- Faith being much more precious than Gold that perifheth, though it be tried with Fire, &c. 1 Pet. i. 7· THERE are divers Acceptations of the Word "'"'• Faith. 1. Faith or Fidelity, or Faithfulnefs in keeping Promife, whether refpecting God or Man : ·'hall the Faith of God be made of none 't.Jfefl.? • 2. It IS taken for the OoCI:nne of the Gofpel: Mazry were obedient to the Faith, Afls VI. 7• .3· It is taken for the Dictates of Confcience, allowina- of Thina-s indifferent in themftlves: Haft thou Faith? have it to tb)felf, Rom. xiv." 22. 0 . 4· .Credence, or the Belief of the Hiltory of the Scr ptures. King Agrippa, be– lze-veji thou .the Prophets.? I know thou beliew.ft, Afls ·XX vi. 27. This is 'called by fame, hrfloncal or dogmatical Faith; by others, the Faith of Credence. 5· A cerr.tin and ftedfafl: llclief of fome ftrange and wonderful EffeCts. 'l'hefe Signs Jhallfollow th;m that b~luvc: In my Name they jhall caft out Devils, &c. Mark xvi. '7. And though I .Jave all_l'azth, Jo that I could remove Mountains, and have not Charity, 1 am nothmg, 1 Cor. XIII. 2. Tlus is called the Faith of Miracles, • Ainfivc-rthon Cant. iv. 4· F· Jz. 6. A naked

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