years' experience in life and doctrine, they have found able and faithful ? In the fear of God, consider this ! It is not your ministers in their public ministry, but these liucksters and quacks in corners, practising upon you, that have privily brought in damnable doctrines, and leavened so great a lump of people in the nation with sour and unsound doctrine. If thou wouldst, therefore, be preserved from error, make use, as of the sword of the word in thy own hand, so of tlie holy skill that God hath given thy faithful minister for thy defence. Wait on his public ministry, praying for Divine assistance to be poured down on him, and a Divine blessing from his labours to fall on thyself. If at any time thou art in the dark concerning his message, resort to him, and I dare pi'omise thee (if he answers to his name — a faithful minister of the gospel) an easy access and hearty welcome to him ; only come to learn, not to cavil ; to have thy conscience satisfied, and not from any vain curiosity. Oiu" Saviour, who Mas so willing to satisfy his disciples concerning the doctrine he publicly preached, that in private he opened it to them more fully ; yet, when they came with nice and cvu'ious questions, he rather chose to repel that humour by reproof, tlian cherish it by a satisfying answer : ' It is not for you to know tlie times and the seasons.' And at another time, — ' If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.' He takes Peter off from an unprohtable question, to mind a necessary duty.
CHAPTER XXV.
DIRECTIONS HOW TO USE THIS SWORD FOR THE CUTTING DOWN AND CONQUERING THE LUSTS IN OUR OWN BOSOMS, AND TEMPTATIONS TO SIN FROM WITHOUT.
The third enemy we are to fight, is- made up of an army of lusts, lodged within our own bosoms, which have Satan to head and lead them forth against us. And who that believes he hath a soul to lose, can be unwilling to engage against this cursed combination of lusts and devils ! The Romans were said, when in war with other nations, to fight for honour and glory, but against the Carthaginians, for their life and being. In this war against sin and Satan, both lie at stake. This is the most noble war of all. Noble, first, because just. It is too true, I fear, what one saith of the wars which the monarchs of this world wage one against another, that the cause is very seldom so clear for which they take arms, but there is some ground of scruple left in the conscience of the undertaker. But here we are put out of all doubt. This, without abusing ihe name, may be called 'The Holy War;' for it is against the only enemy that tlie holy God hath in the world, who bath himself taken the field, and set up his royal standard in defiance of it ; to which he calls all mankind, some by the voice of a natural conscience, and others by the loud sound of liis word, to repair, and upon our allegiance to him, our sovereign Lord and Creator, to help him against the mighty, not because he needs our help, but expects our duty, and had rather reward our loyalty, than punish our rebellion. Some have been found, who for shame have killed themselves, because their prince, through their cowardice, had lost the victory. Oh, what confusion, then, will one day fill our faces, if we, by our faintness or treachery, do what in us lies to help Satan and sin to triumph over God himself! But, again, it is a noble war, because hard and difficult. This is an enemy stout and stubborn, such as will try both our skill and strength to the uttermost. Never did a coward overcome in this war. Wliat sin loses is but by inches, and what it gains it hardly lets go. They who follow this war closest, will find a life's work, at least, of it. O, you that love brave exploits, and hunt for enterprises that only a few generous spirits dare undertake, here is that which you look for ; fighting with men, and storming of castles, is but children's play to this encounter, where devils and lusts are to be repelled. 'He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty ; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he tliat taketh a city,' Prov. xvi. 32 ; better, because he overcomes a worse enemy, infinitely more potent. Few, alas ! of the world's swordsmen, so famed for their conquests, but have lived and died slaves to sin, cowardly submitting the neck of their souls to draw the iron chariot of a base lust, while they have proudly sat to be drawn in triumph by those whom they have taken prisoners in war. Thus, as Hannibal was
6Q4 AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.