eleventh; orelse to the last words of the eleventh verse, where the apostle, having descried the saints' grand enemy to he Satan, anddescrihedhini in one of his attri- butes, his wily suhtilty, he in this further displays him in his proper colours, not to weaken the saints' hands, but waken their care, that seeing their enemy marching up in a full body, they might stand in better order to receive his charge. Where, by the way, we may observe the apostle's simplicity and plain dealing ; he doth not undervalue the strength of the enemy, and repiesent him inconsiderable, as captains use to keep (heir soldiers together by slighting the power of their adversary ; no, he tells them the worst at first. If Satan had been to set out his own power, he coidd have challenged no more than is here granted him. See here the difference between Christ dealing with his fol- lowers, and Satan with his. Satan dares not let sinners know who that God is they fight against; this were enough to breed a mutiny in the devil's camp. Silly souls, they are drawn into the field by a false report of God and his ways, and ai-e kept there together with lies and fair tales ; but Christ is not afraid to show his saints their enemy in all his power and principality, the weakness of God being stronger than the powers of hell.
CHAPTER I.
SHEWETH THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE HERE TO BE A CONTINUAL WIIESTLING WITH SIN AND SATAN, AND THE PAUCITY OF THOSE WHO ARE TRUE WRESTLERS, AS ALSO HOW THE TRUE WRESTLERS SHOULD MANAGE THEIR COMBAT.
The words contain a lively description of a bloody and lasting war between the Christian and his implacable enemy ; in which we may observe.
First, The Christian's state in this life, set out by this word ' wrestling.'
Secondly, The assailants that appear in arms against the Christian, who are described ; First, Negatively, ' Not flesh and blood :' or rather comparatively, not chiefly flesh and blood. Secondly, Positively, ' But against principalities, powers,' &c.
Section I. — For the first, the wrestling or conflicting state of a Christian in this life, is rendered observable here by a threefold circumstance.
First, The kind of combat which the Christian's state is here set out by, which though it be used sometimes for a wrestling of sport and recreation, yet here to set out the sharpness of the Christian's encounter ; there are two things in wrestling that render it a sharper combat than others. First, Wrestling is not properly fighting against a nmltitude, but when one enemy singles out another, and enters the list with him, each exerting their whole force and strength against one another; as David and Goliath, when the whole armies stood as it were in a i-ing to behold the bloody issue of that duel. Now, this is more fierce than to fight in an army, where, though the battle be sharp and long, the soldier is not always engaged, but falls oft" when he hath discharged, and takes breath awhile ; yea, possibly may escape without hurt or stroke, because there the enemy's aim is not at this or that man, but at the whole heap ; but in wrestling one cannot escape so ; he being the particular object of the enemy's fury, must needs be shaked and tried to purpose. Indeed the word signifies such a strife as makes the body shake again. Satan hath not only a general malice against the army of saints, but a spite against thee, John, thee, Joan ; lie will single thee out for his enemy. We find Jacob, when alone, a man wrestled with. As God delights to have pi'ivate communion with his single saints, so the devil to try it hand to hand with the Christian, when he ge,s him alone. As we lose much comfort when we do not apply the promise and providence of God to our particular persons and conditions ; God loves me, pardons me; takes care of me ; the water at the town-conduit doth me no good, if I want a pipe to empty it into my cistern ; so it obstructs our care and watchfulness, when we concei\e of Satan's wrath and fury as bent in general against the saints, and not against me in particular. O how careful would a soul be in duty, if as going to church or closet, he had such a serious medita- tion as this, Now Satan is at my heels to hinder me in my work, if my God help me not!
Secondly, It is a close combat, .\rinies fight at some distance, wrestlers
ircg FOR WE WRESTLE.
grapple hand to hand. An arrow shot from afar may he seen and shunned, but when the enemy hath hold of one, there is no declining, but either he must resist manfully, or fall shamefully at his enemy's feet. Satan comes close up, and gets within the Christian, takes his hold of his very flesh and corrupt nature, and by this shakes him.