sensible how often we get off our guard, and leave our resting place-let go our weapons, and fall a prey to the enemy. Like the poor man in the gospel, we often go from Jerusalem down to Jericho, the plain path of self and ease; but we no sooner get outside the walls of the city of peace, than we fall among thieves, sin, corruption, temptation, unbelief, and the devil, by which we are wounded, and left half dead; and sometimes the outward garment of a clean profession taken away. O how many of God's children have suffered in this way! and when this is the case, we are forced so to remain until the good Samaritan, Jesus, restores our souls, and leads us again into the paths of righteousness. By this we are taught our weakness, and that we are no longer safe than when under the eye of our Captain, nor capable to engage with the foe, without the weapons of our warfare. Yes, this will teach the poor sinner not to venture out again, without the whole armour of God; which brings me to notice, in the next place, that these soldiers receive armour, that they may be proof against the enemy. The soldiers of Christ are taken into God's armoury, to be equipped and fitted for the attacks of the adversary; and the apostle calls it armour of light. The christian cannot fight so well in the dark, and therefore, while the enemy hates the light, God puts those things on his people which give light, so that by his light we can walk through darkness. (Job xxix. 3.) This light makes manifest the hidden evils of the heart, the vanity of the world, the emptiness of the creature, and the devices of our spiritual enemy. This light discovers to us also the value and suitableness of Jesus to our cases and circumstances; shews us what errors abound, and gives us true light to discern them-opens to the regenerate mind the great mystery of godliness-the glorious plan, and work of eternal redemption, and the final perseverance of all who trust in the person, blood, and righteousness of the Son of God. therefore, (saith the apostle,) cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light;" (Rom. xiii. 12.) which is described by Paul. (Eph. vi.) We have many enemies to contend with, and must be prepared to meet them. The first thing we have, as a preparation, is a girdle for the loins. (Eph. vi. 14.) This is to strengthen and preserve from every false way; for it is truth your loins are girded with, which is to instruct the mind, and confirm the judgment in the truths of the everlasting gospel; which, when they are received in the heart, makes us strong against the errors of the false prophets and false Christs in our day; for when God's truth takes our hearts, they are not easily moved from the hope of the gospel; but if the enemy can throw his dust into the eyes of our understanding, and bring us to question this part of truth, and the other part of truth, then we slacken our pace—give way to false doctrine, and get led away from the simplicity there is in Christ: but when truth is girt "Let us, about our loins, we are made free, (John viii. 32.) and are able to pursue the foe to attack the aboundings of error, superstition, idolatry, and priestcraft-to expose the erroneous principles of men, and to be on the Lord's side, in striving for the gospel of Christ, and in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. (Jude 3.) O that we may be thus girded, and found with our lamps burning, when the Lord shall come; and as the righteous nation which keepeth the truth, enter in through the gates into the city of eternal peace. Isa. xxvi. 20. We read, secondly of a breast-plate, which is evidently an apprehension of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, (Eph. vi. 14.) and which is designed to cover the heart, or conscience, and preserve it from the dart of the wicked one, whose principal aim is to wound the conscience, and bring guilt upon the mind; for conscience is the main spring of action in the regenerate soul, and should this at any time be put out of its proper action, by a blow from the enemy, by sin, under a sense of fresh contracted guilt, no part, either of joy, peace, light, life or liberty can go well; all is prevented going, and the crafty foe gets an advantage over us; but when we are enabled to get hold of the righteousness of Jesus, and appropriate it to our own case, then conscience is again comforted, healed, and goes on moving the wheels I have before spoken of, and we are enabled to sing unto the Lord, for his righteousness is proof against the curses of a violated law, and the accusations of the devil. It removes the sentence of death from the mind, and Satan is foiled in his attack. This is the breast-plate, Christ, put on by faith, as the Lord our righteousness. I'm weak and guilty, I confess, Again, thirdly, there are shoes for the soldiers, and these provided by the king. Our Lord has made some shoes, that none were ever like them, and graciously puts them on the feet of his disciples; hence the promise, (Deut. xxxiii. 25.) "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass." This is spoken of as an encouragement to Israel, amidst the cruelty of their enemies, who used to put spikes into the ground, that when Israel pursued, they might step on these and fall, and thus fall a prey to them: therefore the Lord made them to know, that if the enemy could make spikes, he could make shoes, and thus no weapon formed against them should prosper. But have we not many such spikes in our path? therefore saith the apostle, (Eph. vi. 15.) "Stand therefore, having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. By the feet may be meant the mind, fraught with spiritual and divine knowledge, and so capacitating all the powers of the soul to advance onward, amidst all opposition. Or, by : the feet may be meant, the whole conversation and conduct of a believer, which should be according to the precious gospel of the grace of God; and by which conversation they are enabled to tread down the filthy conversation of the wicked, and to go on, undaunted, in the way of truth, finding the path a way of peace. If these shoes are not on, how soon are our souls distressed by the enemy, and how soon are we led away into a trifling conversation let your conversation therefore be as becometh the gospel of Christ. Again, by feet, the conscience may be meant, which needs continual washing in the blood of the Lamb, that it may enjoy peace of God; for sure I am, there is no progress in the knowledge and enjoyment of Christ, but as our feet are kept clean, by divine blood. He that is clean, needeth not, saith Jesus, save to wash his feet; that is, save the washing of conscience, (John xiii. 15.) and when conscience is clean by blood, and peace is enjoyed; when the mind is fortified by the truths of the gospel, and the affections sweetly drawn forth to the Saviour, we can go on the spikes of the enemy, and the thorny trials of the way do not wound our souls; but if these things are not enjoyed, we get wounded in our feet, and then we need the power of the Saviour, to make the lamé man leap as an hart. Infinite mercy, everlasting love, sovereign grace, and divinė faithfulness, are the shoes of iron and brass put on the poor sinner, with which he shall tread down his foes; and God will, according to his promise, bruise Satan under our feet shortly. (Rom. xvi. 20.) We may say, concerning the soldier, though A thousand snares enclose his feet, He shall get safe at last. Now it is a most Fourthly. These soldiers have a shield. blessed truth, that Jehovah himself is our shield, as he declared to Abraham, (Gen. xv. 1.) "Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield." By him we are preserved from every enemy, from death and destruction. But the shield (Eph. vi. 6.) is the shield of faith, not the shield, faith, as many term it, but the shield of faith; so that I think faith is the hand which holds, and lifts up the shield against the darts of the enemy; the devil cuts at every part, and therefore the shield is of great use in the hand of precious faith. Does Satan throw a dart at the conscience, and say, Ah, thou art too vile? Faith lifts up this shield, "The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John i. 7.) Does he lash at the hand, to prevent our laying hold on eternal life? Faith lifts up, the arm shall be strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob. (Gen. xlix. 24.) Does he try to wound the heart, saying it is of no use for you to try, I shall triumph at last? Faith lifts up the shield, God is faithful, (2 Tim. ii. 13.) Does he cut at the legs, to prevent our travelling the road to Zion? The shield of faith to this is, "The righteous shall hold on his way," Job xvii. 9. So that whenever he, the enemy of our peace, attacks us, we can, with the shield of faith, quench his fiery darts and O what a mercy always to have this shield: and I pray that the Spirit may enable us to lift up Christ, the shield, whenever the enemy comes against us; so that if the devil will shoot, he may have Christ, who is our hiding-place and shield, to shoot at. This will be attending to the apostle's advice, when speaking of the enemy, he saith, "Whom resist steadfast in the faith;" (1 Pet. v. 9.) and as we are able to do this, we shall have verified in our experience, the truth of this sweet declaration: "Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you." (James iv. 7.) Again, fifthly, There is an helmet for the head, that it may not be shattered in the day of battle. You know that when the head is fractured, all is over, and such an one is forced to leave the field. The head contains the senses, nerves, &c. Now spiritually, our head is Christ, and is complete; nor can we be separated from him-but when we are created anew in Christ, manifestly, we are as complete men, and stand in need of an helmet for our head; for in this sense, our head contains the eye, to see Christ; the ear, to distinguish between truth and error; the mouth, to taste the sweetness of the promises; the nose, to smell the fragrance of Jesus' offering; the judgment, to divide between law and gospel, truth and error; and the tongue, to speak good of his name. Now, in order that these may be preserved in the day of battle and war, the Lord has given us an helmet. Hence Paul saith, (Eph. vi. 17.) "taking the helmet of salvation." O what a preservation is the knowledge of salvation, in the day of combat. Satan cuts at the head; he tries to blind the eye, that it may not see the Saviour; to stop the ear, that it may not hear the Shepherd's voice; to deprive the mouth of palate, that it may not relish the promise; the nose of smelling, that the sacrifice and intercession of Christ may not be pleasant to them; and he tries to fracture the brain of a sound judgment, that we may not be capable of judging of the truth, but make us like a wild bull in a net: many have been in this case, who have cried, my head! my head! and have been carried to their mother, the church, to be restored to the truth, by our spiritual Elisha, and to a confession of the truth, as it is in Jesus. O that we may wear this helmet constantly, for the sweet knowledge of salvation will be a means of keeping our spiritual faculties in exercise, and we shall sing Though sometimes I'm to conflict led, I have salvation on my head; For he will cover the heads of his people in the day of battle. Sixthly. These spiritual warriors have the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. vi. 17.) And, saith the apostle, "take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." For this cause, he prayed that the word of Christ might dwell richly in the Colossians. (iii. 16.) It is this word that has wounded the enemy, and given him a deadly blow. This sword is to cut down, not the devil only, but sinful self, and every false hope. Our captain, when in his battle on earth, used this weapon, the word of God. (Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10,) He resisted and overcome Satan with, it is written; and allow me to say, it is better to be without the garment of profession, than the sword of the Spirit. Hence Jesus said, (Luke xxii. 36.) "he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one;" but the disciples said, Lord, there are two swords, the law and gospel; the one to cut off from hope of eternal life, for we are sinners, and the law never gives any hope of life to the sinner, but saith, the soul that sinneth, it shall die! The other, to cut off the hope of salvation by works; and Jesus told his disciples two were enough; yes, the Old and New Testaments to go forth with, they are sure to cut down the enemy. O christian, thou wilt meet Apollyon in thy pilgrimage, thou must therefore remember, it is by the word of God thou art to overcome him; never therefore venture out without this sword; let the word be nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: and in using it you should be steadfast: and while you take this sword, use it with all prayer and supplication; (Eph. vi. 18.) standing sentinel at the same time, watching thereunto with all perseverance, and to rejoice that thou art sure of victory; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. (2 Cor. x. 4.) No soldier, literally, was ever equipped like the believer, for his armour is proof, and shews a light in the darkest night, and shall shine more and more till perfect day: but above all, Jesus is with him, and is the captain of the Lord's host, and will therefore deliver them, and make them more than conquerors through him that loved them. Rom. viii. 37. Again, seventhly, these soldiers are distinguished by a glorious banner, lifted up among them, and placed over them. This may be the manifestative presence of the great Jehovah, as the Jehovahnissi, (Ex. xvii. 15.) the Lord is my banner. Or by this expression may be meant, the preaching of the gospel in Zion, to declare the Lord's peculiar regard for them, (Isa. xiii. 2.) where the Lord commands to lift up a banner upon the high mountains. But I think this banner is the banner of eternal, unchangeable, unmerited, matchless, boundless, everlasting love. Hence the church sings, (Song ii. 4.) " he brought me into his banqueting house, and his banner over me was love; and he hath given a banner to his chosen." (Psa. Ix. 4.) Now you in general see |