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by cheerfully obeying his call, and fighting his battles it is designed to enquire,

I. Why the christian's life in this world is pronounced a “ warfare,” or “ fight ?” and,

II. Why it is pronounced so emphatically “ a good fight?” I have fought a good fight. While we attempt to discuss this subject in the most plain, familiar manner may Lord of hosts be with us,” enlivening and encouraging us in his service, may “the God of Jacob be our refuge,” protecting us from the fiery darts of our adversaries!

1. A “ fight or warfare” necessarily implies an enemy to be encountered, and in This respect the christian life is properly compared to a warfare. To enumerate all the adversaries, which will assail us either secretly or openly, on the right hand and on the left, is beyond the ability of man. Opposition the most artful, unwearied, and obstinate must be expected, from our first. avowal of the Lord Jesus as our captain, until our warfare is accomplished in our translation from this world. “It is through much tribulation that we must enter the kingdom, and expect the crown of eternal life. Remaining corruptions constitute a principal part of our spiritual foes.

These are mentioned first, because, being an enemy within the camp, they are the most dangerous to our peace; they can make their attack with the greatest ease, and, by throwing open the fortress of the heart, expose us to invasion

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and defeat from the adversary without. “I find a law in my members, was the complaint of a faithful veteran in the camp.of Jesus, of one who had maintained a long and painful conflict in the spiritual warfare, “I find a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?”' The children of God will readily acknowledge that they suffer incomparably more evil from unmortified corruption; that they are more frequently foiled, and defeated by a “heart

« deceitful above all things and desperately wicked,” than from all the other adversaries to which they are exposed. « The flesh lusteth against the spirit, so that we cannot do the things which we would.” How of ten, by “the lust of the flesh," a fondness for carnal ease, are we kept from engaging with a becoming fervor in the duties of religion, or, by a desire of gratifying its dictates, are we seduced from the paths of righteousness, and tempted to shameful violations of the divine law! How often, by “the lust of the eye,” by the false glare of this world, of its wealth or glory, are we charmed, and tempted to rejoice in it as our portion ! we are kept from making those sacrifices for God, which his word enjoins, and the advancement of his cause requires. How of

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ten do we indulge “the pride of life,” asa cribing to ourselves, to our own prudence or excellence, any thing by which we are raised above others, rather than ascribing it to the sovereignty and distinguishing goodness of Jehovah ! With what importunity, therefore, are we exhorted“ to abstain from these fleshly lusts which war against the soul;” which are hostile to its progress in sanctification now, and its triumph and joy in the latter end! With what explicitness does our Master proclaim,“ if any man will come after me, let him deny himself;" let him first crucify“ the flesh with its affections and lusts :” This is the most painful, and important conflict in the christian warfare. But “ we wrestle not merely with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world.” Fallen angels, being the irreconcileable enemies of God, will exert all their malice against those who profess to be his followers. But their persecution of the christian is peculiarly vehement and unrelenting. Man, by first yielding to the temptations of Satan, by believing his suggestjons rather than the divine declaration, went as it were into his camp, and threw himself on his protection: Therefore, when we abandon his standard, and return to our allegiance to the Eternal King,all his fury will be exhausted against us: Just as he who apostatizes from the cause of another, is held in greater abhorrence, and more unrelenting.

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ly persecuted, than he who had never professed to be his friend. As the “ Philistines were upon Sampson,” so all the hosts of hell will be upon the christian soldier, as far as they are permitted : Sometimes as “angels of light” they will attempt to seduce and draw him aside from the holy commandment, and sometimes as “roaring lions they will go about him," endeavoring to terrify, and thus discourage him from persevering in his

Permit me here to remark, for the consolation of any weak, despondent follower of Jesus, that these hosts of darkness, however malignant, are in chains; they were conquered and openly triumphed over by the Captain of our salvation upon his cross, and they can move against us only when he pleases, and how far he pleases; into every wound, which they inflict by their fiery darts, he pours the healing balm and tenderly binds it up; and all their malice will only tend to brighten the believer's crown, and swell his song of triumph to the great Deliverer.

2. In a warfare suitable weapons are requisite ; and praise to our illustrious Lord, for the spiritual conflict implements of war are provided. He has furnished a piece of armour for every part of the body; an armour which, when managed in his strength and by his direction, will defend invulnerably against all the assaults of our enemies; nay, not sufficient merely to defend against their assaults, but to foil and put them to

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flight. We have the girdle of truth, the shield of faith, the breast-plate of righteousness, the sword of the spirit, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. We are thus directed to "put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand, and to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one :" And clothed with this armour we are exhorted to " quit ourselves like men, and be strong; to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, to fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life." The meaning of these passages is plainly this, that as our adversaries are numerous and powerful we should be always watchful and diligent; we ought to aim at keeping all our graces in constant and vigorous exercise; at cherishing a strong unshaken faith on our Lord Jesus Christ, on his righteousness as our robe for reconciliation and acceptance, on his strength for our support, on his promises for our consolation, and to entertain a full hope of future glory in his presence: We should be adding to our "faith virtue, and knowledge, and temperance, and godliness, and charity." Clad with this armour of righteousness, and strengthened with the constant supplies of grace from his omnipotent Lord the christian has nothing to fear; he shall go on from victory to victory; he shall subdue adversary after adversary,until his last foe is vanquished,and his crown infallibly secured. Through faith and the other graces of the Spirit, believers in former ages" subdued kingdoms, wrought