Eph. vi. 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
NOTWITHSTANDING the armour of the an- cients was generally so constructed, that it could repel any weapon that might come against it, the warrior did not conceive himself to be completely armed without a shield. In reference to the Chris- tian soldier, this observation may be applied with still greater propriety ; because, however excellent the different pieces of his armour may be, not one of them will suffice for his protection, unless it be itself also
covered with the shield of faith. As " without faith it is impossible to please God," so without faith it is impossible to withstand Satan. That powerful ad- versary will soon pierce through our "truth" and "righteousness/' if they be exposed to his assault without any additional defence. On this account the Apostle directs, that "above all," and in addition to all, we should " take the shield of faith."
In illustrating this divine injunction we propose to shew,
I. The office of faith in the Christian's armour —
II. Its transcendent excellence —
I. The office of faith in the Christian's armour —
The particular use of a shield is to ward off a blow from any part of the body that may be menaced ; and for that end it is to be applied in every direction, as occasion may require.
Now Satan strikes sometimes at one part, and sometimes at another, according as the different parts may seem most open to his attack. And the temptations with which he makes his assault, are as " fiery darts," which fly with incredible velocity, and are calculated to inflame the soul with their deadly poison.
The office of faith, and its power to repel these darts, will distinctly appear, while we shew how it enables the Christian to foil Satan in all his attempts to wound either his head, or heart.
Satan has many fierce and fiery temptations, whereby he endeavours to wound the head. There is not any thing so horrid or blasphemous, which he will not suggest to the mind. Even atheism itself is not so shocking, but he is capable of impressing the idea of it upon the soul, and of leading men to an adoption of it in practice, at least, if not also in theory and judgment8. From the apparent inequality that there is in the dispensations of Providence, Satan
a Ps. xiv. 1.