October 29 — On the Christian's Arm&ur

Consider, first, that, the life of a Christian here upon earth being R perpetual warfare, he is under a necessity of providing himself with proper armour, if he hopes to come off with victory. What this armour should be. We may learn from the apostle, Eph, vi. 13, &LC, Take unto you saith he, the armour of God, that you may he able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect, and, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, arid having on the breastplate of justice; and your feet shod 'urith the preparation of the gospel of peace, in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may he able to extinguish all ’the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the ■helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, {which is tlw word of God,) by all prayer and supplication, praying at all times in the spirit, and in the same watching with all instance, &/C. O, 'how completely shall that Christian be armed against all his enr emies, that makes such a provision for himself as is here recommended by the apostle, of arms, both defensive and offensive 1 Let us descend to each particular.

Consider, secondly, therefore, secondly, that the soldier of Christ, in order to be fit to put on his armour, and to stand in the battle, without being hindered by his earthly garments, hanging loose about him, must first gird up his loins; that is, he must set out, with a firm resolution of restraining his passions and lusts, and all irregular affections to these earthly things, which very much encumber and hinder the Christian in his spiritual conflicts, and give the enemy a great hold of him. Now, the girdle or belt he must make use of for this end is truth; for he must be girt about with truths says the apostle; that is, with sincerity, uprightness, Christian simplicity, and purity of intention, in his undertaking, having purely in view God and his soul, and being resolved, at ail events, to fight till death, and to sacrifice, on all occasions, his dearest inclinations to the love of God and the salvation of his soul. Thus must he begin; and then proceed to put on the breastplate, or coat of mail, of Christian by which is here understood not one particular virtue, but the collection of them all; which the soldier of Christ must labour to furnish himself with, against the temptations of all their opposite vices. He must also have hisie shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. But what is meant by this? 'The feet of the soul are her affections, by which she moves towards the things she loves. These, in the Christian soldier, must be properly u>d with the preparation, that is, with the readiness and promptitude of the soul, to direct all her steps, not towards the lying vanities and fooleries of the world, in which there is no peace, but to walk in the ways of the gospel, which alone can assure to us any true peace, either for time or eternity.

Consider, thirdly, that, after these previous dispositions, and general preparations for the spiritual warfare, the apostle recommends, as the chief pieces of the Christian armour, the shield of faith, which has a particular efficacy to extinguish aU the fiery darts, levelled at us by the wicked one; and the helmet of salvation, that is, divine hope, which protects tlie head of the soul from being wounded by any of his weapons; yes, Christians, if you would keep your souls fi’om being pierced with the hellish darts of Satan, you must take care to carry about with you the shield of faith,that is, a strong and lively belief of the great truths of the gospel, with a sense of the presence of God, and a remembrance of death, judgment, heaven and hell, and you shall be out of their reach. But then you must also provide yourselves with the helmet of hope, by joining an absolute distrust in yourselves with an entire confidence in God; lest otherwise your head be left naked and exposed on all sides by the wounds of the enemy, and there be no soundness in it, which is the case of all those who, in this kind of warfare, build upon themselves, and not in the Lord.

Conclude to spare no pains to procure every part of this heavenly armour, that you may be able to fight the battles of your Lord, in such manner as to overcome his and your enemies, and to triumph eternally with him. especially take care to secure I9i to yourselves the shield of a lively faith, by the means of daily meditations on the truths of eternity.