[1.] Its weakness. A condition of slumber and sleep is a weak condition. A sleeping man is able to do nothing. Jael can destroy a drowsy Sisera.
[2.] Its vanity. Men in their sleep are apt to have foolish, vain fancies. This, then, is that which the Lord holds out concerning the enemies of his church, his people, his ways, when their hearts are gone and their hands gone: — they shall be brought to a condition of weakness in respect of others ; they shall not be able to beat them : and of vanity in themselves; they shall feed themselves with vain thoughts, like the dream, of a hungry man, Isa. xxix. 8, "He dreameth, and, behold, he eateth ; he waketh, and, behold, he is empty." They please themselves for a little season with strong apprehensions of the accomplishment of their hearts' lusts and cobweb fancies; but the issue is shame and disappointment.
The words, being opened, will yield us these three observations : — I. Men of stout hearts and strong hands, of courage and power, are often engaged against the Lord. II. God suits the workings of providence for deliverance to the qualifications and actings of his opposers ; their
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stout hearts shall yield, their strong hands be lost. III. Though men have courage, might, and success, yet when they engage themselves against the Lord, weakness and vanity shall be the issue thereof. In the brief handling whereof I hope you shall find the word of God and the works of God exceedingly suited.
I. Men of courage, power, and success, of eminent qualifications, are oftentimes engaged against the Lord, and the ways of the Lord.
I shall multiply neither testimonies nor instances of this truth ; for that were but to set up a candle in the sun;— the experience of all ages has made it good. One or two places may suffice : — Ps. lxviii. 30, " Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people." There are not only " calves of the people/' easily deluded, sottish men; but also multitudes of "bulls," heady, high-minded, bearing down all before them, throwing up all bounds and fences, laying all common to their lusts, not easily to be resisted ; — these also are amongst the adversaries of the ways of the Lord. The first open opposers of the ways of God were "giants," "mighty men," and " men of renown," Gen. vi. 4. At once " two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, and men of renown," joined themselves in rebellion against the Lord, Numb. xvi. 2 ; and that, —
1. Because these very qualifications, of a stout heart, strong hands, and former success, are apt of themselves, if destitute of directing light and humbling grace, to puff up the spirits of men, and to engage them in ways of their own. contrary to the mind of the Lord. When men take advice of their stout hearts, strong hands, and former suc- cess, they are very evil counsellors. When Jeremiah advised the Jews from the Lord for their good, the proud men answered, they would not obey, Jer. xliii. 2. When Pharaoh is made stout for his ruin, he cries, " Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" Exod. v. 2. And for success, God makes the Assyrian the rod of his anger, sends him against the people of his wrath, with charge " to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets," Isa. x. 6. He goeth, accordingly, and prospereth. But when he hath so done, see what a conclusion he makes ! He goes against Jerusalem, and cries, " 'Let not your God deceive you. Have the gods of the nations delivered them?' and do you think so to be?" Isa. xxxvii. 10, 12. From the success he had from God, he concluded the suc- cess he should have against him; — like those of late amongst our- selves, who having been partners with others in former successes, whilst they went upon the command of God, doubtless received in their stout hearts establishment and strengthening to other under- takings; as if the God of the Parliament could not help. Amaziah, king of Judah, wages war with Edom, and they are destroyed before
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him, 2 Kings xiv. 7. The war was of the Lord. Upon this he is lifted up, and causelessly provoketh Jehoash, king of Israel, verse 8, against the mind and will of God. Jehoash sends him word, that if the thistle pride itself against the cedar, the wild beast will tread it down, verse 9. But he had former success, and on he will go to his ruin. The stout-hearted men (for a delivery from whose fury and folly we desire this day to lift up the name of the Lord) having re- ceived help and assistance against Edom, will needs lift up the thistle against the cedar, — act out of their own sphere, turn subjection into dominion, to their shame and sorrow. But it were better their hearts should be filled with sorrow, than the nation, and especially the people of God in the nation, with blood and confusion, ending in bondage and tyranny. And this is the first account of it, why men of such quali- fications are engaged against the Lord. The qualifications themselves do set up for it, if destitute of divine light and humbling grace. Such men will run upon God, and the thick bosses of his buckler.