1. As a political maxim —
[The history of all mankind attests the propriety of this advice. In every age there will be found unnumbered instances to prove that " the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor riches to men of un- derstanding, nor favour to men of skill ^" The event of Ben- hadad's boasting, as recorded in the chapter before us, is a remarkable illustration of this truth. So numerous were his forces, that he declared the very dust of Samaria would not suffice for each man to take an handful : yet were they all put to flight by a very small force (the whole of Ahab's army scarcely exceeding seven thousand men); and not by expe- rienced warriors, but " by the young men of the princes of the provinces," and those amounting to no more than two hundred and seventy-two''. Whether in public or in private life, undue confidence will be sure to entail on us the most bitter disap- pointments ]
2. As a religious theorem —
[For man to boast of any thing that he will do, argues an utter forgetfulness of what human nature is, (imbecility itself
*^) : of what God is, (the sole Governor of the universe,
who " worketh all things after the counsel of his own will*^"
) : and of what he himself is ; (for who has not, from
bitter experience, learned, that " he who trusteth in liis own heart is a fooP?") Indeed, an overweening conceit of our own powers is the most ready way to arm God himself against us,
and to ensure the defeat of our own purposes^ With
God on his side, a stripling, with his sHng and stone, may overcome a vaunting Goliath^: but, without God's assistance, the strongest man on earth can effect nothing^.]
That we may see the practical utility of this advice, I w^ill proceed to mark,
II. The importance of it —
It is of special importance,
1. To those who are just entering on their spiritual
course —
[Persons in this situation are often ready to imagine, that their warfare is almost accomplished, when it is, in fact, scarcel}"^ yet begun. But, if God, as in the case of Israel coming out of Egypt*, keep off those trials which you are not yet prepared
a Eccl. ix. 11. ^ ver. 13—21. <= 2 Cor. iii. 5.
•i Dan. iv. 35. Eph. i. 1 1 . « Prov. xxviii. 26. f Isai. x. 13 — 19.
g 1 Sam. xvii. 44 — 47. '' John xv. 5. Jer. x, 23. ' Exod. xiii. 17.
351. J aiiab's sin in sparing beniiadad. 425
to encounter, do not think that you have no warfare to niain- tam. The way to heaven will not prove so easy as you ima- gine. If you become " a soldier of Jesus Christ," you nmst prepare for war, and be ready to " fight the good fight of faith." Sooner or later, you shall have occasion for all the armour that he has provided for you*^.]
2. To those who are going on victorious —
[Satan's devices are more than can be numbered. He may, and no doubt often does, recede for a time, that he may renew his assaults to greater advantage. See the stratagem of
Joshua against the men of Ai , and you will have a just
picture of the wiles by which Satan, that subtle serpent, is la- bouring to destroy you'. Your only safety is in watchfulness and prayer™ ]
3. To those who are most advanced in the divine hfe—
[To you, no less than to others, is this counsel of great value. Did Lot, after withstanding the temptations of Sodom, fall in the cave? Did David, after all his high attainments, fall ; and Solomon, " after the Lord had appeared to him twice?" Did Peter violate all his resolutions; and Demas, after his long course of steadfastness, relinquish at last all his professions? Who, then, are you, that you shall be secure? " Let him that thinketh he standeth, whoever he be, take heed lest he fall":" let him "not be high-minded, but fear":" " blessed is the man that feareth always p." If Paul needed to keep his body under, " lest, after preaching to others, he him- self should become a castaway i," there is no creature under heaven to whom the counsel in my text is not altogether suit- able and necessary. To all, then, I say, " Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things that ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward ^"]