[4.] Consider the comforts of the tempted. Abundantly hath God provided for his servants in their conflicts.
(1.) Jesus Christ, our general, the captain of our salvation, in whose quarrel we are engaged, hath overcome all our enemies, we are interested in his victory : John xvi. 33, ' In the world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' We may have many pressing and searching troubles, but the sting of
218 AN EXPOSITION OF [Mat. VI. 13.
them is gone. Xon 'pugnci suhlata est, sed victoria : Christ hath not taken away the combat, we must fight ; but the victory is sure, he hath overcome the world. This is our comfort when we are full of faintings and fears, that all things are vanquished and overcome by Christ ; that though they terrify us, yet they shall not hurt us. Though Christ will not exempt us from battle, yet we have to do with the devil, the world, and death, which are all vanquished enemies.
(2.) He hath a tender sense and knowledge of our estate. Christ saith to Peter, ' Satan hath a desire to have you, that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not,' Luke xxii. 32. Christ's love and mercy is never more at work for his people than when they are most assaulted by Satan ; then is he interceding for them : John xiii. 1 , ' Jesus having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.' When Christ was about to go to heaven, he thought. My own are to be left in the world, they are exposed to great temptation ; and that set his heart a- work, as if he had said. Poor creatures ! they are undone if I help them not. So, Zech. iii.l, 2, 'And he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan ; even the Lord that hath chosen Jesusalem rebuke thee : is not this a brand plucked out of the fire ? ' ' And he showed me ! ' Our whole case and danger it is clearly known to Christ. He knows how Satan molests and troubles you in your approaches to God ; how he seeks to divert your thoughts, to weaken your confidence. We have a friend and advocate that puts forth the strength of his mediation and intercession, and is zealous and affectionate for the welfare of his people. ' The Lord, that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee."
(3.) He is engaged in the battle, and fights with us, by renewing the strength of his own grace: Phil. iv. 13, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.' He gives relief and help, according to the uature of the conflict. If there be duty to be done, burden to be borne, or battle to be fought, Christ is giving in supply. As the olive-trees (Zech. iv. 11, 12) were always dropping into the lamps, so is he dropping in strength and grace into the heart: Ps. xvi. 8, ' I have set the Lord always before me ; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.' When a man hath an able second, he doth with the more courage go to the conflict. God is on our right hand, he is our second ; his grace comes into the combat, and then the field cannot be lost. If we would exercise faith in God we might be the more confident.
(4.) He will reward us when we have done. Hold fast to the end, and I will give thee a crown of life, a garland of immortality, that shall never wither. If you will but hold out, continue to fight the good fight of faith, there will a time of triumph come. He that is now a soldier shall be a conqueror, when the crown of righteousness shall be put upon his head, 2 Tim. iv. 8. And mark that: Rom. xvi. 20, ' And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.'
It is troublesome to be in the world, but shortly God shall bruise Satan. Mark, he doth not only say, God shall tread Satan, but tread him under your feet, triumph over him. As Joshua called upon his
Mat. VI. 13.] the lord's peayer. 219
companions, Come set your feet upon the necks of these kings, when they were hid in the cave ; so the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly. Then your comfort will be greater, the more dangers you have gone through. As travellers, when they are come to their inn, and to their home, they sweetly remember the trouble and danger of the road ; so, when we are come to heaven, these temptations will increase our rejoicing, and our triumph in God.
(5.) Even before the battle a believer may be sure of victory. In other fights the event is uncertain. Non ccque filorictur accinctus, ac discinctiis, ' Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast him- self as he that putteth it off,' 1 Kings xx. 11. When a field ii^ won then they will rejoice. But a believer, when he goes to fight, is sure to have the best of it beforehand, in hello, the war, though not in prcelio, the particular conflict. Why ? Because the Father and Jesus Christ are stronger than all Ins enemies ; they cannot pluck the believer out of his hands : John x. 28, 29, ' I give to them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all ; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.' This is the privilege which Christ conferreth upon his sheep, upon those which have an interest in him ; though they have many shakings and toss- ings in their condition, yet their final perseverance is certain. Christ is so unchangeable in the purposes of his love, ' I will give to them eternal life ;' and so invincible in the power of his grace, ' None shall pluck them out of my Father's hand ;' nothing shall be able to hinder their perseverance. Now, though the fight be long and troublesome, yet this is one of God's encouragements, you are sure of victory at last. Therefore how much doth it concern us to get an interest in Christ, that we may keep on in this way and in this hope.