some idol, as Israel the calf in Moses's absence, which he may dance before. But let. heaven come in sight, and the Christian's heart will be well warmed with the thoughts of it, and you may as soon persuade a Iving to throw his royal diadem into a sink, and wallow with his ro])es in a kennel, as a saint to sin with expectation of heaven's glory. Sin is the devil's work, not a saint's, who is a peer in heaven, and waits every hour for the writ that shall call him to stand, with angels and glorilied saints, before the throne of God. This would cheer the Christian's heart, and confirm him when the fight is hottest, and the bullets fly thickest from men and devils, to think it is heaven all this is for, where it is worth having a place, though we go through fire and water to it. ' It is before the Lord,' saitli David to scoffing Michal, ' that chose me before thy father, and all his house ; therefore I will play before the Lord, and I will yet be more vile than thus,' 2 Sam. vi. 21. Thus, Christian, wouldst thou throw off the vipers of reproaches, which from the fire of the wicked's malice fly upon thee ? It is for God that I pray, hear, mortify my lust, deny myself of my carnal sports, profits, and pleasin-es, that God who hath passed by kings and princes, to choose me, a poor wretch, to stand before him in glory ; therefore I will be yet more vile than thus. O, sirs, were there not another world to enjoy God in, yet should we not, while we have our being, serve our Maker? The heavens and the earth obey his law, that are capable of no reward for doing his will. * Quench hell, burn heaven,' said a holy man, 'yet I will love and fear my God.' How much more, when the everlasting arms of mercy stand ready stretched to carry you, as soon as the fight is over, into the blissful presence of God ! You have servants of your own so ingenious and observant, that can follow your work hard abroad in all weathers ; and may they but, when they come home, weary and himgry at night, obtain a kind look from you, and some tender care over them, they are very thankful. ' Yea,' saith one, to shame the sluggish Christian, ' how many hundred miles will the poor spaniel run after his master in a journey, although he gets nothing but a few crumbs, or a bone from his master's trencher?' In a word, which is more, the devil's slaves, what will they not do and venture at his command, who hath not so much to give them as you to your dog ; not a crust, not a drop of water to cool their tongue I And shall not the joy of heaven, which is set before the Christian, into which he shall assuredly enter, make him run his race, endure a short scuflle of tempta- tion and affliction? Yea, sure, and make him reckon also, that ' these are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in him,'
Ephes. VI. 14.
Stand therefore.
The apostle had laid down in general, ver. 13, what armour tlie Christian soldier must use; 'armour of God.' Now, lest any should stamp divinity upon what is human, and make bold to set God's name on their counterfeit ware, calling that armour of God which comes out of their private forge, (as Papists, and many carnal Protestants also do, who invent weapons to fight the devil with that never came into God's heart to appoint,) he therefore comes more particularly to shew what this whole armour of God is, describing it piece by piece, which together make up the complete suit, and every way furnish the Christian to take tlie field against this his enemy. We shall handle them in that order we find them here laid by the apostle. Only something would briefly be first said to the posture given us in cliarge, as that which we are to observe in the use of every piece, and therefore prefixed to all, because it hath influence into all. The posture lies in these words, 'Stand, therefore:' this word 'stand' is the same witli the last in the preceding verse; but neither in the same mood nor tense ; there, put for victory and triumph when the war is done; here, for the Christian's posture in tlie fight, and in order to it. It is a military expression, a word of command that captains use upon diiferent occasions to their soldiers, and so imports several duties that are required at the Christian's hands.
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STAND THEREFORE.
CHAPTER I.
WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY SHEWED THE NECESSITY OF RESISTING SATAN S TEMP- TATIONS, WITH THE DANGER OF YIELDING TO THEM.
First, To stand is opposed to a cowardly flight from, or treacherous yield- ing to the enemy. When a captain sees his men begin to shrink, and per- ceives some disposition in them to fly or yield, then he bids stand, that is, stand m.infully to it, and make good your ground against the enemy, by a valiant receiving his charge, and repelling his force. The word, taken thus, points at a siiitable duty incumbent on the Christian, which take in this note.
Note. — Satan in his temptations is stoutly to be resisted, not in any wise yielded unto.