Aoid he loill flee from you. — Here is the promise annexed as an encouragement to the duty. But you will say, How is it to be under- stood ? Doth Satan always fly when he is resisted ? The children of God by sad experience find that he reneweth the battle, and prevailetli sometimes by the second or third assault. I answer — (1.) Every denial is a great discouragement to Satan ; sin is a ' giving place,' Eph. iv. 27. He is like a dog that standeth looking and waving his tail to receive somewhat from those that sit at table ; but if nothing be thrown out, he goeth his way.^ So doth Satan watch for a grant, as Benhadad's servants did for the word hrother. He looketh for a passionate speech, an unclean glance, gestures of wrath and discon- tent ; but if he findeth none of these, he is discouraged. (2.) After a denial he may continue to trouble thee. Jesus Christ was assaulted again and again after a full answer ; nay, after all it is said, Luke iv. 13, ' He went away from him for a season.' Therefore Peter biddeth us always watch, 1 Peter v. 8. (3.) If we continue our resistance, Satan will surely be a loser. A Christian hath the best of it ; though he repeat his assaults a thousand times, he can never overcome you without your consent ; and though the conflict put you to some trouble, yet it bringeth you much spiritual gain, more sensible experiences of the virtue of Christ, a more earnest trust ; as dangers make children clasp about the parent more closely. Besides, it is honour enough to foil him in each particular assault, though usually
^ ' Quemadmoflum canis assistens mensce, si viderit homiuem vescentem, subinde aliquid eorum qutc iu mensa sunt ipsi projicieutem, manet assidue : quod si semel atque iterum sic astitit ut discesserit uihil adeptus, protinus abstinet, veluti qui jam frustra et iucas- Bum assistat; itidem et diabolus jugiter nobis inhiat; si quod blasphemum verbum ipsi ceu cani projiciauius, hoc accepto rursus aggreditur ; quod si perseveraveris gratias agere, jugulaveris ilium fame celeriterque abegeris.' — Chrys. Horn. 3, de Lazaro.
366 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. IV. 8.
a Cliristian doth not ouly come off with victory ; but triumph, and Satan doth not only not prevail, but flee from us.
Ver. 8. Draw nigh to God, and he loill draiu nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners ; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.
He Cometh again to the main thing in question, the success of humble addresses to God, showing we shall not want the divine help, if we do but make way for it. God is never wanting to us till we are first wanting to ourselves. We withdraw our hearts from God, and therefore no wonder if we do not feel the effects of his grace. All the world may judge between God and sinners, who shall bear the blame of our wants and miseries, i)rovidence or our own hearts. If ' the fooli.slmess of man pervert his ways,' there is no cause why we should ' fret against God,' Prov. xix. 3.
Draw nigh to God. — You may look upon the words as spoken to sinners or to converts.
First, To sinners, or men uncalled ; and then the sense is ' draw nigh to God,' that is, seek him by faith and repentance ; ' and he will draw nigh to you,' that is, with his grace and blessing. Thence observe : —
Ohs. 1. That every man by nature needeth to draw nigh to God. Drawing nigh implieth an absence and departure : we are ' estranged from the womb,' Ps. Iviii. 3. As soon as we were able to go we went astray. In Adam we lost tluee things — the image of God, the favour of God, and fellowship with God. As soon as man sinned, God speaketh to Adam as lost : ' Adam, where art thou ? ' Non es ubi 2:>rius eras, as Austin glosseth — thou art not where thou wert before. So when Christ would resemble our apostate nature, he doth it by a prodigal's going ' into a far country,' Luke xv. 14. And the apostle giveth the reason how we came to lose the fellowship as well as the favour of God, when he thus describeth the natural estate of the Gentiles, ' alienated from the life of God,' Eph. iv. 18. We are strangers to God's life, and therefore no wonder if we have lost his company. Trees do not converse with beasts, nor beasts with men, because they do not live the life of each other. Sense must fit the trees to converse with beasts, and reason the beasts to converse with men, and grace must fit men to converse with God. There is a distance, you see. Now men alienate themselves more and more, partly by their affections, and partly by their practices. By their affections ; they care not for God, desire not his company : Job xxi. 14, ' Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.' Fallen man i.s grown obstinate, little worse i than the devil. The devils said, ' Depart from us ; art thou come to torment us before our time ? ' Mat. viii. God's presence is their torment. Men care not to hold communion with liim, because of a hatred to his ways ; they wish the annihilation and destruction of his l)eing. It is a pleasing thought to carnal spirits to suppose that if there were no God they might let loose the reins to vile affections. So also by their practices. All sms divide between God and the soul : 2 Isa. lix. 2, ' Your iniquities have separated Ijetween you and God.' Sin raaketh us shy of liis presence ; guilt cannot endure a thought of the judge ; and it maketh