ath drawn out a battle and
warfare to all his followers, that, in the strength of their victory in
him already past, they may be made more than conquerors, and that there
may be a perpetual song of triumph and victory in heaven, he hath made the
saints strong, and hath made the strong weak. He hath set the poor with
princes, and the kings on the dunghill. The Christian's heart and grace
are like a besieged city, that is blocked up upon every hand, there are
enemies without, and false friends within. Its party is great
principalities and powers, &c. (Eph. vi. 12) and these go about
continually to spy a breach. In the city, what strength can do, what
policy can do, will not be wanting. All things of the world besiege the
heart, and every sense is a port to let the enemy in. All a man's
negotiation and trading in the world, is as dangerous as the proclaiming a
public market in a town, for the country, while the enemy is about it.
There is a desperate wicked heart within, that hath deceived many
thousands, and would surrender the city upon any occasion. Here are
fleshly lusts which war against the soul, (1 Pet. ii. 11) temptation to
sin, and to unbelief. There is a heart within that can conceive and bring
forth sin, and needs no temptation, a heart within that can seduce
temptation itself, but it follows the tempter and when to all that a
foreign power is added, Oh then, who can stand? Christ himself was
tempted, but Satan found nothing in him, and had nothing in him, but when
Satan comes he finds all in us, and we are like powder to conceive flame.
We can even tempt ourselves, as well as be tempted by another. The
Christian keeps a house that the enemy surrounds, and if he sleep he will
enter, he is here a pilgrim, and is not yet come home, yet he hath a foul
and dangerous way to go through. He is like a servant that his lord hath
left, and given provision to, and is to come home when he pleases, Mark
xiii. 33, Matt. xxiv. 32. If his master find him sleeping, woe to him.
This is his case. What then should his exercise and posture be? He should
be a watchman. (1) Watching is opposed to security and sleeping, Matt.
xxiv. 42, Mark xii. 33. He must keep his eyes open, or else he is gone, (1
Pet. v. 8) be vigilant, lest the devil attack him. The sluggard's
destruction comes as an armed man, because of his "little sleep" and
slumber, Prov. vi. 10, and Prov. xx. 13. Security is the Christian's
night, when he ceases from his labour,