Sometimes Satan strives to hit the Conscience, all his Assaults and fiery Darts are at another season aimed at that, to wound that, to cause Horror and Terror within, by setting the Evil of Sin, and of his own Heart, and the Infirmities of his Life, before him. Satan sets our Sins before us, not to humble us, but to wound us; he shows our Sins to us, but hides a Saviour from us. Satan hath sometimes tempted gracious Persons to lay violent hands upon themselves, when the heinous Nature of their Sin hath appeared to them, and the Danger they are in thereby; as it was with the poor Jailer, Acts 16.1 But now Faith prevents and keeps off all the Danger, and quencheth this fiery Dart. Christ died for Sinners, for the chiefest of Sinners; and tho thou art a Sinner, a great Sinner, the worst of Sinners, yet saith Faith, Thou art but a Sinner, and there is Mercy for such. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved; if thou canst believe, and throw thy self on Christ, thy Sins shall not be thy Ruin.
Thirdly; He labours to ensnare the Affections of the Soul, or deaden its fervent Love to Jesus Christ, by presenting the Pleasures and Profits of this World to it. ⟨p. 14⟩Thus he served our Saviour himself. But now Faith shields off this Dart also, by showing the Excellency of the Lord Jesus to the Soul; and that all things without him, and in comparison of him, are nothing, nay, less than nothing; and also by setting the World to come, and the Glory thereof, before the Eyes of the Soul.2 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for, and the Evidence of things not seen.
⟨p. 14⟩IV. A Shield, tho heavy, and somewhat unwieldy, to such as have not skill and strength to use it; yet it is a moveable Piece of Armour, which an expert Soldier, with a watchful eye, can turn this way, and that way, to stop a Dart or Blow from lighting on any part that they were directed to by the Enemy. | IV. Faith is a piece of Christian Armour, which unskilful Professors are not ready to use, but an experienced Soul can turn it any way to keep off the Arrow and fiery Darts of Satan from hurting or wounding him. He observes what part the Enemy aims to hit, or how the Temptation is laid. It is a great point of Christian Wisdom rightly to exercise the Shield of Faith; A Man must be sure to have a watchful Eye upon his Adversary, or else for all his Shield he may soon be wounded.
V.
Sometimes Satan strives to hit the Conscience, all his Assaults and fiery Darts are at another season aimed at that, to wound that, to cause Horror and Terror within, by setting the Evil of Sin, and of his own Heart, and the Infirmities of his Life, before him. Satan sets our Sins before us, not to humble us, but to wound us; he shews our Sins to us, but hides a Saviour from us. Satan hath sometimes tempted gracious Persons to lay violent hands upon themselves, when the heinous Nature of their Sin hath appeared to them, and the Danger they are in thereby; as it was with the poor Jailor, Acts 16.1 But now Faith prevents and keeps off all the Danger, and quencheth this fiery Dart. Christ died for Sinners, for the chiefest of Sinners; and tho thou art a Sinner, a great Sinner, the worst of Sinners, yet saith Faith, Thou art but a Sinner, and there is Mercy for such. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved; if thou canst believe, and throw thy self on Christ, thy Sins shall not be thy Ruin.
Thirdly; He labours to ensnare the Affections of the Soul, or deaden its fervent Love to Jesus Christ, by presenting the Pleasures and Profits of this World to it. ⟨p. 14⟩Thus he served our Saviour himself. But now Faith shields off this Dart also, by shewing the Excellency of the Lord Jesus to the Soul; and that all things without him, and in comparison of him, are nothing, nay, less than nothing; and also by setting the World to come, and the Glory thereof, before the Eyes of the Soul.2 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for, and the Evidence of things not seen.
⟨p. 14⟩IV. A Shield, tho heavy, and somewhat unwieldy, to such as have not skill and strength to use it; yet it is a moveable Piece of Armor, which an expert Souldier, with a watchful eye, can turn this way, and that way, to stop a Dart or Blow from lighting on any part that they were directed to by the Enemy. | IV. Faith is a piece of Christian Armor, which unskilful Professors are not ready to use, but an experienced Soul can turn it any way to keep off the Arrow and fiery Darts of Satan from hurting or wounding him. He observes what part the Enemy aims to hit, or how the Temptation is laid. It is a great point of Christian Wisdom rightly to exercise the Shield of Faith; A Man must be sure to have a watchful Eye upon his Adversary, or else for all his Shield he may soon be wounded.
V.
- 1Acts 16.
- 2Heb. 11.1.
