Section III. — Quest. 3. Why is faith compared to a shield? — j4ns. For a double resemblance there is between this grace and that piece of armour.
First, The shield is not for the defence of any particular part of the bod)-, as almost all the other pieces are : helmet fitted for the head ; plate designed for the breast ; and so others, they have their several parts, which they are fastened to : but the shield is a piece that is intended for the defence of the whole body. It was used therefore to be made very large ; for its broadness, called a gate or door, because so long and large, as in a manner to cover the whole body; to which that place alludes, Psa. v. 12, ' Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour thou wilt compass him as with a shield.' And if the shield were not large enough at once to cover every part, yet being a movable piece of armour, the skilful soldier might tm-n it this way or that way, to catch the blow or arrow from lighting on any part they were directed to. And this, indeed, doth excellently well set forth the universal use that faith is of to the Christian. It defends the whole man; every part of the Christian by it is pre- served. Sometimes the temptation is levelled at his head ; Satan, he will be disputing against this truth and that, to make the Christian, if he can, call them into question, merely because his reason and understanding cannot comprehend them ; and he prevails with some that do not think themselves the unwisest in the world, upon this very account, to blot the Deity of Christ, with other myste- rious truths of the gospel, quite out of their creed. Now faith interposeth between tlie Christian and this arrow. It comes in to the relief of the Christian's weak understanding as seasonably as Zeruiah did to David, when the giant Ishbi- benob thought to have slain him. I will trust the word of God, saith the be- liever, rather than my own piublind reason. ' Abraham, not being weak in faith, considered not his own body now dead,' Rom. iv. 19. If sense should have had the hearing of that business ; yea, if that holy num had put it to a reference between sense and reason also, what resolution his thoughts should come to concerning this strange message that was brought him, he would have been in danger of calling the truth of it in question, though God himself was the messenger ; but faith brought him honourably off. Again, Is it the con- science that the tempter assaults? (and it is not seldom that he is shooting his fiery darts of horror and terror at this mark,) faith receives the shock, and saves the creature harmless. ' I had fciinted unless I had believed,' saith David, Psa. xxvii. 13. He means when false witnesses rose up against him, and such as breathed out cruelty, as appears ver. 12 ; faith was his best fence against man's charge, and so it is against Satan's and conscience's also. Never was man in a sadder condition than the poor jailer. Acts xvi. ; much ado he had to keep his own hands from ottering violence to himself; who that had seen him fall trembling at Paid and Silas's feet, with that sad question in his mouth, ' Sirs, what must I do to be saved ?' ver. 30, could have thought this deep wound that was now given his conscience would so soon have been closed and cured, as we find it ? ver. 34. The earthquake of horror that did so dreadfully shake his conscience is gone, and his trembling turned into rejoicing : now, mark what made this blessed calm : 'Believe,' saith Pard, 'on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved,' ver. 31. And, ver. 34, it is said, 'He rejoiced, believing in God with his whole house.' It is faith stills the storm which sin had raised; faith that changed his doleful note into joy and gladness. Happy man he was, that had such skilful chirurgeons so near him, who could direct him the nearest way to a cure. Again, Is it the will that tl.e temptation is laid to catch? Some commands of God cannot bo obeyed without much self-denial, because they cross us in that which our own v.-ills are carried forth very strongly to desire ; so that we must deny our will, before we can do the will of God. Now a temptation comes very forcibly when it runs with the tide of our own wills. What, saith Satan, wilt thou serve a God that thus thwarts thee in everything? If thou lovest anything more than other, presently he must have that from thee; no lamb in all the flock will serve for a sacrifice, but Isaac, Abraham's only child, he must be off'ered up. No place will content (Jod, that Abraham should serve him in, but where ho must live in banishment from his dear rela-
4,30 ABOA^E ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH.