XI.

could St. Paul have had fuch an one, who DISC. confeffes himself to have been "the greatest "of finners."

A good confcience, then, we fay, is a breaft-plate; it gives a holy confidence in God, which breaks the force of fuch temptations as arife from the fears and terrors of the world, the malice, pride, and envy of mankind. It preferves the heart whole and found, whatever of this kind may affail it. It is like a warm comfortable house, into which a man retreats; where he finds good provifion, and good company; and hears the ftorm without, beating upon it in vain. By doing what is right, and taking the proper method to obtain forgiveness when at any time you have been unawares feduced to do wrong, "exercise yourselves," as the Apostle did, "to have a confcience void of offence," and rejoice evermore in it's teftimony. Secure this friend at home, and regard not what your enemies are faying against you abroad. "Their words may be fpears and 66 arrows,

DISC. "arrows, and their tongue a sharp fword;" XI. but "the breast-plate of righteousnefs” is proof against all their strokes.

We are enjoined, thirdly, to "have our "feet fhod with the preparation of the

It is by the feet that men advance and make a progress in the way in which they are to go. That way is fometimes rough, fometimes miry, fometimes beset with briars and thorns. Soldiers of old were therefore furnished with a kind of armour for the leg and foot, that they might march, secure and unhurt, over all the different kinds of ground they were to meet with. Anfwerable hereunto is a certain" preparation" of mind in a Chriftian, to advance in holinefs, and tread the path of duty, however rough with hardships, deep with afflictions, or perplexed and intangled with difficulties. For this preparation we are indebted to "the Gofpel of peace." That alone can supply us with it.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, DISC. "wherewith ye shall be able to quench all XI. "the fiery darts of the wicked;" or "the "wicked one."

The shield, or buckler, ufed of old, was a piece of defenfive armour, made of leather, of tough bull-hides, and covered with plates of brass, thick and strong: it was fastened by thongs to the left arm, and readily moved to protect any part of the body, at which the warrior perceived, or had reason to expect, that a dart would be aimed: the dart then struck the shield, was stopped, blunted, and fell harmless to the ground. Such to the Christian warrior is faith, or belief in the divine promises and threatnings, the rewards and punishments of a future state. It repels and extinguishes the fiery darts thrown by the tempting objects around us. For who would yield to a base luft; who would fuffer a profpect of this world's wealth or honour to tempt him from his duty, if he saw heaven opened, and Jefus ftanding at the right hand of God, holding out a crown

for

DISC. for the righteous; or the Almighty on his

XI.

throne, prepared with a thunderbolt to ftrike the wicked into a place of torment?

st

We do not fee this with the bodily eye; but faith, which is "the evidence of things not feen" as yet, makes it all present to the mind's eye, and, thus, repels every temptation to tranfgrefs, caufing the fiery dart of the wicked one to fall, and go out, without hurting us. Were our faith always awake and active, it would preserve us in our integrity: we never fin, but when we have firft fuffered it to flumber: we are off our guard: "the shield of the mighty has "been fhamefully caft away."

The last piece of defensive armour tecommended by the Apostle is " the helmet "of falvation."

The helmet, as is well known, was a cap of iron or steel, for the head, to fence against any blows a part fo very important; à part, from whence proceed all thofe inftruments of fenfation, called the nerves ; :.. the

XJ.

the feat of thought and understanding; and, DISC. as many philofophers have imagined, the refidence of the foul herself. The meaning of St. Paul in this expreffion is explained in another paffage, where, writing on the same subject, he says, "And for an helmet, the

hope of falvation." When we have loft hope, a blow has been struck, that stupifies and unnerves us; understanding perishes, and strength fails; defpair is to the Chriftian, what a ftroke that cleaves the skull is to the man; there is no longer the breath of life in him. He who poffeffes the hope of falvation, through the power of fuch hope can do all things, and bear all things; because he still looks forward to the end of his hope, which will reward all his actions, and make ample amends for all his fufferings; but that once given up, there is nothing any longer worth contending for, or thinking about. The mind, turning itself on every fide to feek reft, and finding none, finks into all the wretchedness of utter defpondency, and the agonizing groan of fuicide is heard! Daily therefore cherish and invigorate your hope

VOL. III.

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