skill to use this weapon ! The usual name in Scripture for war is the ' sword,' Jer. XXV. 29 : ' I will call for the sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth;' that is, I will send war. And this, because the sword is the weapon of most universal use in war, and also that whereby the greatest execution is done in battle. Now, such a weapon is the word of God in the Christian's hand. By the edge of this his enemies fall, and his great exploits are done ; Rev. xii. 11, ' They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony.'
CHAPTER I.
TWO NOTES OBSERVED IN GENERAL FROM THE WORDS, AND BRIEFLY TOUCHED
UPON.
There are two things we may take notice of, before we come to a closer discussion of the words. First, From the sort of arms here appointed for the Christian's use. A weapon that is both defensive and offensive, — such is the word. All the rest in the apostle's armoury are set out by defensive arms, — ■ 'girdle, breastplate, shield, and helmet.' Such as are of use to defend and save the soldier from his enemy's stroke. But the sword both defends him, and wounds his enemy. Of like use is the v/ord of God to the Christian. First, It is for defence. Easily might the soldier be disarmed of all his other furni- ture, how glittering and glorious soever, had he not a sword in his hand to lift up against his enemy's assaults. And with aslittle ado would the Christian be stripped of all his graces, had he not this sword to defend them and himself too from Satan's fury. ' Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction,' Psa. cxix. 92. This is like the flaming sword with which God kept Adam out of Paradise. The saint is often compared to Christ's garden. There would not long hang any of their sweet fruit upon their souls were not Satan kept off with the point of this sword. O, th.is word of God is a terror to him ; he cannot for his life overcome the dread of it. Let Christ say but, ' It is written,' and the foul fiend runs away with more confu- sion and terror, than Caligula at a crack of thunder. And that which was of such force coming from Christ's blessed lips to drive him away, the saints have always found the most successful instiniment to defend tliem against his fiercest temptations. Ask David what was the weapon with which he warded off the blows this enemy made at him, and he will tell you, it was the word of God ; Psa. xvii. 4, ' Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer:' that is, by the help of thy word, I have been enabled to preserve myself from those wicked works, and outrageous practices, to which others, for want of this weapon to defend them, have been hurried. Again, the sword, as it defends the soldier, so it offends his enemy. Thus the word of God is, as a keeping, so a killing sword. It doth not only keep and resti'ain him from yielding to the force of temptations without, but also by it he kills and mortifies his lusts within, and this makes the victory complete. A man may escape his enemy one day, and be overcome by him at another. We read of some that for a while escaped the pollutions of the world, yet because their lusts were never put to the sword, and mortified in them by the power of the word applied to their hearts, were at last themselves overcome and slain by this secret enemy, that lay skulking within their bosoms ; 2 Peter ii. 20, compared with ver. 22. Absalom, notwithstand- ing his being hanged by the hair of his head, might have lived to have taken revenge afterward on them by whom he was then beaten, had not Joab come in timely, and killed him, by sending his darts with a message of death to his heart. We have daily sad experiences of many that wriggle themselves out of their troubles of conscience (by which for a time they are restrained, and their sins, as it were, held by the hair,) to rush afterward into more abominable courses than they did before ; and all for want of skill to use, or courage and faithfulness to thrust, this sword by faith to the heart of their lusts. Secondly, Observe the order and place wherein this piece of armour stands. The apostle first gives the Christian all the former pieces, and when these are put on, he then girds this sword about him. The Sjjirit of God in holy writ, I confess, ia not always curious to observe method, yet methinks it should not be unpardon- able if I venture to give a hint of a double significancy in the very place and
5Q0 AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.