4. The flesh. Corruption is a bosom-enemy, that insinuates with us, and worketh upon us in our most pleasing desires : Rom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity to God ;' and Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit.' It is a great trouble to a gracious heart. Though it be flesh, as dear to us as our own skin, yet it is a thorn in the flesh, a great cumber to a gracious heart. Nehemiah was very much troubled with his adversaries, because divers about him that
4G4 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 12.
abode witli him hold secret correspondence with his enemies, Neh, viii. 18. So we carry somewhat about us that compHes with Satan. Rebellious lusts, and vicious affections, and proud thoughts swarm in our hearts, to the disdain of the yoke of Christ: 2 Cor. x. 5, ' Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' But it is said, Rom. viii. 3, ' God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.' 0 beloved ! sin in your flesh is rooted in 3'our corrupt desires ; but it is a condemned thing, and it will be executed. Mat. xii. 20, ' A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he bring forth judgment unto victory.' He w^ill make the cross triumphant.
5. The world, — take it either for the baits and allurements, or the concernments and interests of it, anything that may be dangerous to us in the work of our salvation. But Christ hath overcome the malig- nity of it. Christ would put all out of doubt and danger : John xvi. 33, ' Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' Height shall not separate no more than depth, neither favour nor frowns. Christ hath taken away the noxiousness and harm of everything that may be pro- pounded to us.
6. All the adverse powers in the world. Stubborn enemies are sometimes armed with power : Rev. xvii. 14, * These shall make war with the Lamb ;' that is, the kings of the earth. This is a great terror, when a man seeth all the combined force of a nation, all the force, authority, and strength combined against Christ : Ps. ex. 6, ' He shall wound the heads over many countries, and strike through kings in the day of his wrath;' and Ps. ii. 10-12, 'Be wise now, therefore, 0 ye kings ; be instructed, ye judges of the earth : serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.' A little wrath will destroy a great person. Sometimes our enemies are enraged with malice. Herod being vexed at the wise men's words, he vowed revenge ; but, alas ! he could not overcome Christ in his cradle. What will they do now he is in heaven, out of their reach ? Ps. cxxiv. 3, ' They had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us ; ' that is, when their courage is heightened by wrath. Ps. Ixxvi. 10, ' Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee ; ' i.e., shall keep an holyday. This wrath shall serve the design of Christ, for God will make every stiff knee to bow, Phil. ii. 10. Alas ! fear surpriseth us when a provoked enemy cometh with rage and fury, as if like a flood he would bear all before him. But this may occasion a day of praise to God. And then sometimes your enemies are advantaged with wit, wealth, and all outward sufficiencies and supplies : Luke xvi. 8, ' The ciiildren of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light ; ' that is, more dexterous in the course of their affairs. And Mat. xi. 26, the things of Christianity are ' hidden from the wise and ])rudent, and revealed unto babes.' So Ps. Ixiv. G, ' They search out iniquity, they accomplish a diligent search ; but the inward thought of every one of them and the heart is deep.' They may be men of great parls, pregnant invention, full of politic enterprises ; ay 1 but all
ISA. LIII. 12.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 465
this is nothing: Job v. 13, 'He taketh the wise in their own crafti- ness.' Christ hath died to recover the truth, and to free the souls of his servants from such kinds of assaults as these. These are the enemies that are most stubborn, but they are forced to stoop, though they are advantaged with power, armed with malice, and stored with all outward sufficiencies.
Thus you see the enemies whose opposition adds to the glory of the conquest : the devil, the law, death and hell, the flesh and the world, and all the adverse powers and dominations that are combined against Christ. Christ can have no spoil, no prey, no kingdom, no saints, till he had combated with these enemies ; their 0})position addeth to the renown of" the conquest.