ought not to do. If he knows the truth, he is easily prevailed upon to forsake it, for something else. A soldier of this cast will make but a despicable figure in the Christian camp. Above all things, therefore, keep the truth close to you, adhere immovably to it, and the truth shall make you free;' free to speak, free to act; free-should there be occasion to suffer. Stand, having your loins girt about with truth.' 6 And having on the breast-plate of righteousness.' The breast-plate, as its name imports, was a plate of iron, or brass, to secure the breast, and, consequently, the heart, and other vital parts, contained within it. 6 As an attachment to truth was denominated a girdle, so by a breast-plate' is represented a love of righteousness, a consciousness of integrity; in short, what we call a good conscience, a conscience void of offence' (as the Apostle elsewhere speaks) towards God, and towards man.' But if any man sin -and every man has sinned-how then can he possess such a conscience? By such his sin being forgiven, upon his repentance, through the blood of Christ; when he becomes again righteous-for he is accounted to be so, against whom no charge any longer lies-and his conscience is rendered again. pure, or void of offence: for the offence being forgiven, is no more an offence, than if it had never existed. This is what we must ever mean by a good conscience,' a pure conscience,' a conscience void of offence;'-since, if by those expressions were meant, a consciousness of having never offended, no man living could have a conscience good, pure, and void of offence; much less could St. Paul have had such a one, who confesses himself to have been the greatest of sinners.' A good conscience, then, we say, is a breast-plate; it gives holy confidence in God, which breaks the force of such temptations as arise from the fears and terrors of the world, the malice, pride, and envy of mankind. It preserves the heart whole and sound, whatever of this kind may assail it. By doing what is right, and taking the proper method to obtain forgiveness, when, at any time, you have been unawares seduced to do wrong, exercise yourselves,' as the Apostle did, to have a conscience void of offence,' and rejoice evermore in its testimony. Secure this friend at home, and regard not what your enemies are saying against you abroad. Their words may be spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword;' but the breast-plate of righteousness' is proof against all their strokes. 3. We are enjoined, thirdly, to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.' It is by the feet that men advance and make a progress in the way, in which they are to go. That way is sometimes rough, sometimes miry, sometimes 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. Answerable hereunto is a certain preparation' of mind in a Christian, to advance in holiness, and tread the path of duty, however rough with hardships, deep with afflictions, or perplexed and entangled with difficulties. For this preparation we are indebted to the gospel of peace.' That alone can supply us with it. · 6 'Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;' or the wicked one.' The shield, or buckler, used of old, was a piece of defensive 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 threatenings, 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 lust; who would suffer a prospect of this world's wealth or honour to tempt him from his duty; if he saw heaven opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, holding out a crown for the righteous; or the Almighty on his throne, prepared with a thunderbolt to strike the wicked into a place of torment ?-We do not see this with the bodily eye; but faith, which is the evidence of things not seen' as yet, makes it all present to the mind's eye; and, thus, repels every temptation to transgress, causing 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 sin, but when we have first suffered it to slumber : we are off our guard: the shield of the mighty has been shamefully cast away.' 4. The last piece of defensive armour recommended by the Apostle is the helmet of salvation.' The helmet, as is well known, was a cap of iron or steel, for the head, to fence against any blows a part so very important; a part, from whence proceed all those instruments of sensation, called the nerves; the seat of thought and understanding; and as many philosophers have imagined, the residence of the soul herself. The meaning of St. Paul in this expression is explained in another passage, where, writing on the same subject, he says, And for a helmet, the hope of salvation.' When we have lost hope, a blow has been struck, that stupifies and unnerves us; understanding perishes, and strength fails; despair is to the Christian, what a stroke that cleaves the skull, is to the man; there is no longer the breath of life in him. He who possesses the hope of salvation, through the power of such 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 sufferings; but that once given up, there is nothing any longer worth contending for, or thinking about. The mind, turning itself on every side to seek rest, and finding none, sinks into all the wretchedness of utter despondency, and the agonizing groan of suicide is heard! Daily therefore cherish and invigorate your hope in Christ; pray daily to God, that it may never fail you; diligently read such parts of holy Scripture as may revive it when languishing, and re-establish it. Should you find your own meditations insufficient, consult, without delay, your minister, or some religious and sensible friend. A word of instruction, comfort, and encouragement, from another, spoken in season, has often prevented the dreadful crime of self-murder from being committed. Evermore, then, remember to take for a helmet, the hope of salvation;' and put it not off, till the contest be finally over, and hope ceases by our becoming possessed of its object. To the Christian, thus armed for defence in the day of battle, the Apostle recommends only one offensive weapon; but it is abundantly sufficient; the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;' sharper than any two-edged sword, fabricated by the art of man; piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; reaching the very thoughts and intentions; subduing and mortifying evil desires and blasphemous imaginations, as they arise within; confuting and silencing infidelity and error, as they assault us from without. A single text, well understood, and rightly applied, pierces the heart of a temptation, or an objection, and lays the most formidable adversary dead at our feet. With this weapon, the blessed Jesus conquered in the wilderness; by the same weapon, and no other, must every disciple of his expect to conquer in the world. And now, fellow soldiers in the Christian warfare, listen to the voice of inspiration, and be directed by one, who cannot direct you wrong. Enemies of all kinds surround you; enter not into the battle unarmed: the host of darkness is in array against you; put on the armour of light, to discover and survey it. Let truth be the girdle of your loins; let righteousness be the protection of your heart; and let the sandals of the gospel of peace adorn and defend your feet in the way, in which you go: let faith be your invincible shield, and hope your impenetrable helmet: and, on the thigh, be girded the sword of the Spirit, bright and shining, and ready for use, and to be drawn, at a moment's warning. Thus completely armed from head to foot, always remembering from whence come skill and strength for the battle, fall upon your knees, as the Apostle enjoins at the close of his exhortation; pray with all suppliThen go forth; and cation, and watch with all perseverance.' may the Almighty go forth with you, teaching your hands to war, and your fingers to fight; and at length giving you a complete and glorious victory over every enemy, through the Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. [BISHOP HORNE.] SERMON CXXII. TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE JUST LIVES BY FAITH. HABAKKUK ii. 4.- -The just shall live by his faith. [Text taken from the first Evening-Lesson.] 6 THE first instructions in Christian knowledge, inform us of the importance and necessity of faith to our eternal happiness. We are assured that the just shall live by faith;' and that without it, it is impossible to please God. The word faith,' in the sacred writings, has different acceptations; and no doctrine of the Scriptures has been more misapprehended, and more obscured by various misrepresentations, than the nature of faith. Without animadverting upon the various errors concerning it, I shall consider it as implying a persuasion of the truth of our religion, of its doctrines, its promises, and declarations; and shall, in this discourse, observe the reason why faith is, in this sense, indispensably required, and declared to be the necessary condition of salvation. First, it seems absolutely essential to the nature, and necessary to the design and success, of a divine revelation, that the messenger of it should, upon producing sufficient evidence and proper attestations from heaven, insist upon an acknowledgment of its truth, as proceeding from that Being who cannot deceive his creatures, whose admonitions would not be offered but for our advantage, and whose authority cannot be disobeyed without danger. On the other hand, there would be a manifest impropriety and inconsistence in offering such a revelation to the world, and at the same time declaring, that the reception of it was a matter of indifference; that it might with safety be either admitted or rejected; that the one would entitle to no favour, nor the other expose us to displeasure. A revelation introduced and proposed with these circumstances, would hardly invite an examination or enquiry into its credentials; since, by the confession of the person who offered it, it might with safety be rejected; and consequently could not be of importance to the happiness of mankind, and therefore unlikely to be the subject of a divine interposition. |