[It is " a good fight" which we have to fight: no contest
was ever so reasonable as this or so profitable to the
soul or so pleasing to Almighty God But
remember, no truce is to be made with any one of our ene- mies: we must contend with them as for our very life. We are " not to fight as one that," in a fictitious combat and in sport, " beateth the air;" but with all our might; " keeping under our body, and bringing into subjection" every appetite d; and never resting, till " Satan himself be bruised under our feete."
In maintaining this combat, we must use " faith" as our most effectual means both of assault and defence. No other " shield" have we in comparison of thatf; nor can we find any better weapon, whereby to withstand Satan g, or subdue the flesh h, or overcome the world1.]
To this exhortation the Apostle adds, II. Secure the Christian's prize —
Eternal life is that prize which is set before him. The conquerors in the Grecian games had only a corruptible crown for their reward ; but the vic- torious Christian has " a crown of glory, that fadeth not awayV Yes, " this is the promise that God has promised us, even eternal life1." To this " he is called ;" and with nothing short of this should he be content.
Let us, then, ever keep this in view —
[The sight of the prize held out to them, animated, no doubt, the people that were engaged in the various contests. And shall not the hope of eternal life encourage us ? What could withstand us, if we kept that steadily in view ? What could for a moment fascinate our minds, or what prevail to damp our ardour in the pursuit of it? In vain would the world offer its delights, or menace us with its displeasure : in vain would our corrupt appetites plead for a momentary in- dulgence, or Satan endeavour to beguile us with any promises whatever. If our eyes were only fixed habitually on the glory of heaven, we should prove as victorious as Moses himself, when " he refused to become the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; and chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin, because he had respect unto the recompence of the reward™1."
d 1 Cor. ix. 26, 27. e Rom. xvi. 20. f Eph. vi. 16.
fi 1 Pet. v. 8, 9. h Acts xv. 9. ' 1 John v. 4.
k 1 Cor. ix. 25. » 1 John ii. 25. m Heb.xi.24— 26. VOL. XVIII. N- N