ページの画像
PDF
ePub

other. Such an opposition there is between the world and the Christian. Such an infringement on the rights of the Christian, by the grand enemy of our souls, the devil; against whom, and his angels, we are encouraged to contend with fortitude and skill. "Finally, my brethren, be in the power of his might.

strong in the Lord, and Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places :"

"Your secret, sworn, eternal foes,
Countless, invisible."

Nor can we well overlook, in tracing this figure, the weapons of warfare, formed by the cruel ingenuity of man, to destroy his fellow creature, and to decide political disputes. So mighty is their force, that scarcely any redoubt can repel their assault. The Christian, too, has weapons, which, if they are not carnal, are nevertheless mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of Christ: Truth and righteousness, faith and prayer. What can withstand their force? With these the Christian fights; with these he conquers; with these he

"Meets the sons of night,
And mocks their vain design."

Time would fail me to run the metaphor into all its particulars, such as the watchfulness of a soldier, and the discipline to which he submits: sometimes he even lies all night on his arms; and to this there are allusions, in those frequent exhortations to vigilance throughout the Scriptures. As saith the poet,

"Leave no unguarded place,

No weakness of the soul;
Take ev'ry virtue, ev'ry grace,
And fortify the whole."

And as to the discipline of the army, to this the apostle alludes, when writing to Timothy, he saith, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier:" applying it at the same time to a soldier of the cross. Of himself he saith, "I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away." In the text, Christ, the Captain of our salvation, is represented as encouraging his army. "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone, a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Mark, He doth not say, to him that fighteth-No. Let the almost Christian, who maintains a running fight with the enemy of souls, recollect, that unless he go farther than Felix, or Agrippa, or the

young man in the Gospel, (who came to our Lord desiring to be taught by him) he is not entitled to the promise in the text. He doth not say, to him that conquereth in one or two, or more, particular acts of resistance. No. "Let not him that putteth on the harness boast as him that putteth it off." Let the disciple of Christ know, that if, like Judas, or Demas, he turn aside for gain; if, like the disciples who from that time went back and walked no more with Christ, he become offended with the narrowness of the way; the promised good in the text shall never be his portion. But he, and he alone, who perseveringly fights, and finally overcomes, shall receive and eat of the hidden manna. But some may be ready to say, the words are not applicable to Christians of modern times? the bloody sun of persecution having set, the ' cool and pleasant gales of prosperity now blow on the church. It is true, the Almighty hath put a hook in the jaws of the mighty, and we are no longer assailed by the bloody tyrant, persecution, in quality of an assassin. But while there are any on earth who possess the religion of that being who came to send fire on the earth, that Saviour who came not to send peace on earth, but a sword; (for this, though not the primary design of his coming, is the natural consequence of the reception of that religion which condemns the world) the enemy of souls, who can transform himself into an angel of light, will seek to effect their ruin. "For I am come," said the Saviour, “to set a man at variance against his father, and the

daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes shall be those of his own household." How frequently are we hindered by a relation from being religious. Here, brethren, here we see what we have to do; the father, mother, wife, husband, or some relative or acquaintance, has beheld our seriousness, and by constraint or persuasion would draw us back: but shall we yield to their entreaties? If so, we tumble with them right into hell, instead of receiving the promise in the text. Or, though we should not be exposed to threats or persuasions, we may, nevertheless, have to withdraw ourselves from those, who, if not openly profane, are enemies to the cross of Christ.

But we have to overcome self before we receive the white stone; and perhaps we have not a more formidable enemy on earth. This flesh would rebel against the reign of grace. O, says the sluggard, there is a lion in the way. The man has a family; with what difficulty does he bring himself to perform the duties of family religion, family prayer, reading the Scriptures in his family, and attending to the morals of his children and servants. Yet these duties, as well as piety to God, must be performed, before we can rationally expect the fulfilment of the promise in our behalf. In short, every man has his well-circumstanced, or easily besetting sin; and however hard to' detect, or difficult to cure, it must be overcome in the strength of grace. Is he a minister? he may seek to please more than to profit; he may labour for the

fleece more than for the flock. Is he in traffic? he may be tempted to take the advantage of his neighbour. Is he a mechanic? he may be given to extortion. Is he rich? he may be tempted to pride. Is he poor? he may be tempted to steal, or to murmur. Is he married? he may be solicited to incontinence; or single, to unlawful desires.-Against these sins, and such as these, it behooves the Christian to be guarded. We must overcome them, or they will over

come us.

That you may the more diligently set yourselves to overcome them, I shall proceed to speak,

II. Of the connected promise, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.

Balaam went in his error through greediness of gain; but he who, in the combat for Christ, and by the strength of grace, conquers all sin and temptation, is assured in this promise that he shall have the true riches. According to the notion of the ancients, especially the Hebrews, temporal riches consist in meats and drinks; in having many of the fruits of the earth; and much cattle, with all things necessary and convenient to human life. The hidden manna is the unknown meat; the riches well preserved in heaven, not subject to theft or decay; that is, immortal life. The necessary sustenance of life, is here put for life itself. It is called the hidden manna Now, of the

« 前へ次へ »