Of the breast-plate of righteousness, and Gospel of peace.Of the breast-plate of righteousnes, and Gospell of peace.

CHAP. XI. Of the breast-plate of righteousness, and Gospel of peace.

CHAP. XI. Of the breast-plate of righteousnes, and Gospell of peace.

§. Sect. 1 The second part of our armour is the breast-plate of righteousness; whereby we are to understand a good conscience, true sanctification and a godly life, which also we are to put on according to the example of our grand Captain Christ. Esa. 59.17. He put on righteousness as an habergeon, ¹and an helmet of salvation upon ⟨p. 52⟩his head. ²And then shall not Satan's darts pierce us, so long as we are armed with a good conscience, and a godly and innocent life. Yea as long as our breasts and hearts are armed with righteousness, though our other members fall into sin, our wounds shall not be mortal: for as the breast-plate doth defend the breast and vital parts of a soldier, so the study and holy endeavour of a Christian to live in righteousness and true sanctification, doth so arm his mind, that Satan cannot deadly wound the heart with any of his temptations. True it is that the Saints do receive wounds and foils, when as Satan hath drawn them to commit sin, but they are not wounded at the heart, because they do not sin with full consent of will; for they allow not that which they do, neither do they what they would, but what they hate, and they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man,³ when the flesh leadeth them captive to the law of sin. And hence it is that Paul saith he did not transgress Gods law,⁴ but sin that dwelled in him,