A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 3 · Part 4 · Subpart 10
The Word of God the Sword of the Spirit.
Eph. 6.17.
And the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
TWO things may be inquired into, and in both these respects we shall run the Parallel.
1. Why the VVord of God is compared to a Sword?
2. VVhy the VVord is called the Sword of the Spirit?
1. Some take (as Mr. Gurnall observes) the Abstract here to be put for the Concrete, foreign for foreign, Sword of the Spirit, for the spiritual Sword;Garnall's Christians Armour. p. 297. as if it were no more but take the spiritual Sword which is the VVord of God, according to that of the Apostle. 2 Cor. 10.4. The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal, but mighty; that is, spiritual VVeapons: Indeed Satan being a Spirit, must be fought with spiritual VVeapons; and such is the VVord of God, viz. a spiritual Sword; but this tho true, reacheth not the full sence of the Place, where foreign is taken Personaliter, for the Person of the Holy Spirit.
METAPHOR.
A Sword is a Weapon generally made use of by all Souldiers of every Rank and Quality: the Captain, as well as the ordinary Souldier, hath and ought to have his Sword.
II. A Sword is a Weapon by which they do not only defend themselves, but also do great Execution upon their Enemies.
III. A Sword is a keen, sharp, piercing Weapon; it will enter into the Body and pierce the very Heart of a Man.
IV. A Sword is an honourable Weapon, and of great Antiquity; it hath been in use from the beginning, a Weapon that no Enemy hath any just cause to quarrel with.
V. Some Swords have two Edges, they will cut both ways, they will cut backwards and forwards, as they go in and as they come out.
VI. A Sword will cut off a Member; many a Leg and Arm have been cut off therewith.
VII. Some Wounds of a Sword are so mortal, that there is no cure for them.
VIII. A Sword is born oft-times before a Magistrate to signify Authority and Justice. He bears not the Sword in vain.Rom. 13.8
IX. A Sword is a very victorious Weapon, it hath done great Execution in the World. Joshua made great Slaughter upon the seven Nations of Canaan with the Sword; it is said, he put all the Souls in several Cities to the Edg of the Sword.
Parallel.
THE VVord of God, the spiritual Sword, every Christian (of what Rank or Quality soever) maketh use of, and cannot, ought not to be without it; the Captain General fought with this VVeapon himself, Ministers,Mat. 4.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. as well as every private Christian, ought always to be armed herewith.
II. So the VVord of God is a spiritual VVeapon, by which a Christian doth not only defend himself from the danger of Sin, and Satan, the VVorld, &c. but by it he offends, yea, cuts down and overcomes and vanquishes all these and other cruel Enemies of the Soul, (1.) The VVord is a defensive VVeapon. (Saith David.) By the Word of thy Lips, I have kept me from the Paths of the Destroyer. Ʋnless thy Law had been my Delight, Psal. 17.4. & 119 92.I should have perished in my Affliction. (2). Offensive; by it our blessed Captain made the Prince of Darkness fly. It is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.Mat. 4.
III. The Word of God is sharper than any Sword. If the Spirit uses it,Heb. 4.12. it will soon enter into and pierce the Heart of a Sinner; as appears by that notable Instance concerning those Jews that put the Lord Jesus to death; whilst Peter preached the VVord to them, it is said, they were pricked in their Hearts.Act. 2.37.
IV. The Word of God is an honourable VVeapon, our Saviour and all holy Prophets and good Men would never else have made use of it: it is also of great Antiquity, the Writings of Moses, as it is observed by divers, were before any humane Records. No Devil nor vile Heretick hath any cause to except against it, or to quarrel with the Holy Scripture.
V. The VVord of God is quicK and powerful, sharper than any two-edged Sword; it hath a twofold Operation at one time, as it is used by the Ministers of the Gospel, it wounds the Souls of the Elect in order to healing, and it wounds the Reprobate in order to damning, to such it may be called a killing Letter. To one we are the Savour of Life unto Life, to the other the Savour of Death unto Death.2 Cor. 2.
VI. The VVord of God hath cut off many a Member of the old Man, it will cut off a Right-hand lust, of Profit, or a Right-eye lust, of Pleasure.
VII. So some VVounds that many Sinners receive, are such, that there is no cure for them, (viz.) such who have sinned the unpardonable Sin. There is a Sin unto death.
VIII. He that bears the VVord of the Spirit,1 Joh. 5. shews he is a Man that hath great Authority for what he says, and that he is a Person for Right and Justice; it is that which decides all doubtful Cases, &c.
IX. So the VVord of God, the Sword of the Spirit, is a glorious and victorious VVeapon, which will appear, If we consider how many it hath struck down dead, and sentenced unto eternal Death; how many strong Enemies have been slain and subdued by it, strong Lusts, strong Devils, strong and vile Hereticks; it is a victorious Sword. It is called the Sword of the Spirit;
1. Because it is a spiritual Weapon, but that is not all.
2. Because the Spirit is the Author of it, a Weapon it is, (saith Gurnal) which his Hand alone formed and fashioned,Pag. 297. it came not out of any Creatures Forge. Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.2 Pet. 2.21.
3. The Holy Spirit is the only true Interpreter of the Word, whence we have that known Passage of Bernard; Quo Spiritu factae sunt Scripturae, eo Spiritu legi desiderant, ipso etiam intelligendae. The Scriptures must be read, and can be understood by no Spirit, but that a lone, by whom they were made.
4. Because the Spirit only can give the Word its Efficacy and Power in the Soul; it is the Office of the Spirit, Sigillare animum rerum creditarum. Except he lays his weight on the Truths we read, and hear, to apply them close, and as it were cut their very Image in our Minds and Hearts, they have no more Impression than a Seal sets upon a Stone or Rock. The Spirit will do nothing for Believers without the Word, and they can do nothing to purpose without him, the Word is the Sword, and the Holy Spirit of Christ the Arm that weilds it; So that,
5. The like use that a Sword is of to a Souldier in War; the same is the Word to the Spirit in order to the cutting down, and spoiling all his and others Enemies.
Inferences.
THis may teach Believers, what excellent use the Word is of in all their spiritual Wars with the Devil, Sin, and all other mortal Enemies of their Souls
2. It may inform us what the great Design of Satan is, in seeking so many manner of ways to take away the Word of God from us, or in making of it of little or no use to us.
3. This justly reprehends the cursed Papists and Church of Rome, in respect of their Cruelty to the Souls of Men, in disarming them of their Weapons; a People disarmed are soon overcome, and made a Prey to their Enemies; how can we defend our selves when our Sword is taken out of our hands? They have some Fig-leaves (saith one) to hide their shameful Practice; they endeavour to perswade Men they do them a Kindness thereby, lest they should cut their Fingers with it, &c. How doth the Apostle condemn speaking in the Church in an unknow Tongue? All Men are exhorted to read the Scriptures, search the Scriptures, but the Pope makes it no less than Death, if not Damnation, for the Laity to have them in their own Language to read or search, fearing lest it should spoil his Trade.
4. It reproves them for casting such Contempt upon the Scriptures, as if they were insufficient to direct us in the way of Salvation. What horrid Blasphemy and Reproach is this (saith the same Author) to the great God, to send his People into the Field, and put such a wooden Sword into their hands, as is not sufficient to defend themselves or vanquish their Enemies? And how much contrary is it to that of the Apostle Timothy, who saith, It is able to make us wise unto Salvation, through Faith in Christ Jesus, perfect, throughly furnished to all good Works.2 Tim. 3.15, 17.
5. Let us bless God and be truly thankful, we have this Weapon left us yet, this is in our hands, and that all the World may know it hath done great things in our Hearts. Let every true Christian and true English-man resolve to dy upon the Spot, rather than lose the Word, or suffer their Sword to be taken from them.
6. Let it also caution all Christians to take heed how they ingage their Enemy without their Sword.
7. Labour also to know the right use of it, and how, and when to offend your Enemy hereby. Satan is a cunning Warrier: sometimes when thou art tempted to sin, may be he will tell thee it is a little one, what's a merry Jest, to sport and game,Rom. 13.14. …ct 8.13. 1 Pet. Heb. 12.14 to drink and carrouze a little? when thou art thus beset draw thy Sword. Make no Provision for the Flesh; If ye live after the Flesh, ye shall dye. Put off the former Conversation: without Holiness no Man shall see God. How shall I do this thing, and sin against God?
8. Again on the other hand, may be he will aggravate thy Sin, to drive thee into despair, and tell thee by his evil suggestions, that there is no Mercy for thee;Prov. 28.13 Ezek. 18.32. Mat. 12.13 1 Cor. 6.11 then draw thy Sword again. But he that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin, shall find Mercy. I desire not the Death of him that dyeth. All manner of Sin and Blasphemy against the Father and the Son shall be forgiven unto Men, &c. Such were some of you, &c.
9. Yield up all your Sins tho never so pleasant and profitable, to the Edg of the Sword.
10. Prize and highly value the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God, and say (as David once did when he wanted a Sword, and it was told him there was none but the Sword of Goliah) none like that. Satan will, it is feared, e're long, make a diligent search for Arms; do as David did, hide thy Sword: Thy Word have I hid in my Heart, that I might not sin against thee. Get many Promises ready against thou art beset,Psal. 119.9. and shall have need of them.