Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse and explication 14
Vers. 14. Stand therefore, having your loyns girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousnesse.
THe Apostle, in the second branch of this second part of the Chapter, (having again exhorted them to stand to it as valourous souldiers by carrying themselves watchfully and orderly in all the duties of their generall and particular station) giveth an inventour of the severall pieces of this armour, both offensive and defensive, exhorting the Christian souldier to put on, and make use of, each of them; and reckoneth forth all the pieces of compleat bodily armour wherewith souldiers used of old to arm their bodies from head to foot, and assigneth some one or other of the graces of Gods Spirit, answerable to every one of those, for arming the spirit.
Concerning which, know, 1. in generall, that there is no piece of armour here fitted for the back parts, because there is no escaping by flight in this spirituall warfare, Iam. 4. 7. Heb. 10. 38. Secondly, that we must not so precisly distinguish the severall pieces, as to think that one may not serve for the use of another: for, faith which answereth to the shield here, (See ver. 16) is called the breast-plate, 1 Thess. 5. 8. And yet, thirdly, as shall be made clear in the particulars, there is some resemblance between every grace, and that piece of the bodily armour, to which it is here compared.
In this verse, are two pieces of this armour, the first is truth: not the truth of doctrine, which is included under the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God; but the grace of truth, or sincerity, whereby a man endeavoureth to be that really, both unto God and man, for which he giveth himself out, 1 Joh. 3. 18. and giveth himself out for that to both, for which the word of truth doth call upon him, Psal. 119. 1. which grace of sincerity goeth frequently under the name of truth, Psal. 51. 6. Joh. 4. 24. Now, he biddeth them have their loyns girt about with this grace; and so sheweth, it doth answer that piece of the bodily armour which was called the girdle, and was a broad belt, wherewith souldiers were girt about the middle, and did serve both for ornament, as being set with drops of brasse or silver, and hiding the gap and want between the other pieces of the armour in that place; and also for safety and defence, as keeping all the rest of the armour fast, guarding the belly and strengthening the loyns. In like manner, this grace of sincerity, is the Christians ornament, Job. 1. 47. covereth many other wants, Gen. 20. 6. is a necessary ingredient in all other graces, without which they are but counterfeit shadows, Prov. 15. 8. and addeth strength and courage to the heart in the day of sore trial, Job 27. 5, 6. The second piece of armour is righteousnesse: not the imputed righteousnesse of Christ, which seemeth to be included under the buckler of faith; but the inherent righteousnesse of an holy conversation, whereby we are enclined, and do accordingly endeavour, to give both to God and man their due and right, Acts 24. 16. according to both the Tables of the Commands, Luke 1. 6. and it answereth that piece of the bodily armour, which was called the breast-plate, whereby the breast and vitall parts therein contained were secured: In like manner, this grace of righteousnesse doth guard the vitall parts of the soul, and that wherein the life of a Christian doth consist, to wit, the root and seed of inherent grace in the heart, 2 Pet. 1. 10. and the faith of his interest in God: for, righteous walking is an evidence of interest, 1 Joh. 2, 3. Hence Learn, 1. None shall after death stand as victorious over all their spirituall enemies, but such as here do stand as souldiers in a military posture. They must stand as watchmen, Hab. 2. 1. to observe and take up their enemies motions and approaches, 1 Pet. 5. 8. and they must stand as fighters, to resist and withstand all his furious assaults, 1 Pet. 5. 9. otherwise, they shall never stand as conquerours: for, having spoken (ver. 13.) of their standing as conquerours at death, he exhorteth them in order to their standing, that they would here stand as souldiers; Stand therefore. 2. Assurance, and certainty of through bearing and victory over all our spirituall adversaries, is so far from being in its own nature a pillow to foster security and carnall ease, that it addeth courage and spirit to those who have it, and rendereth them so much the more watchfull, active and diligent: yea, and nothing weakeneth more the hands of a christian souldier, than diffidence and distrust of successe: for, from what he promised, ver. 13. that they should stand as conquerours, he encourageth them here to stand in the conflict; Stand therefore. 3. Whenever a man doth engage to fight under Christs banner, and betaketh himself to his military posture, he may expect a present charge, and to be set upon without delay by his spirituall adversaries: for, no sooner doth he bid them stand, but with the same breath he commandeth them to put on their armour, and be in readinesse to receive a present assault; Stand therefore, having your loynes girt about. 4. The Spirit of God, speaking in Scripture, doth usually set out most heavenly and spirituall purposes, by similitudes taken from things earthly, and such as do occur in our ordinary imployments, hereby teaching us so to converse among, and look upon things earthly, as to gather some spirituall lessons from them: for, the Apostle doth here resemble every piece of the souldiers armour, to some answerable Christian grace; Having your loyns girt about with truth. 5. The grace of truth and sincerity, is a necessary piece of the Christians armour, without the which we cannot choose but be exposed and laid open to severall deadly blows, and dangerous tentations from our spirituall adversary; without sincerity we are easily driven to dissemble both with God, (Psal. 78. 36, 37.) and man, Psal. 55. 21. to go about choicest duties for base and by-ends, Math. 6. 2. Phil. 1. 16. to curtell our obedience, astricting it to some commanded duties only, neglecting others, Mark 6. 17. with 20. yea, and to despare of mercy, or of doing better in time coming, when Satan shall accuse and challenge us for our base hypocrisie in time by past, to which he himself did tempt us, Matth. 27. 4, 5. for, the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with truth and sincerity: Having your loyns girt about with truth. 6. Though Satans chief arms, whereby he fighteth in this spirituall conflict, are deceitfull wiles and subtile snares, (See ver. 11.) yet, the Christian souldier must not endeavour to overcome him with his own weapons, but ought to be sincere and streight; he must not lie, no not for God, Job 13. 7, 8. neither think to out-wit his adversary by yeelding a little, and falling back one step, of purpose to advance two for it, or to capitulate with him by yeelding to one sin at one time, upon condition to give way unto none other, or not to the same afterwards, which, at the best, is to do evil, that good may come, which is condemned, Rom. 3. -8. and is inconsistent with true sincerity and plain dealing, which is here enjoyned to the Christian souldier; Having your loyns girt about with truth. 7. The grace of righteousnesse, or an honest fixed purpose and earnest endeavour to obey God in all His commands, is another necessary piece of a Christians armour, without which we are exposed and laid open to severall deadly blows and dangerous tentations from our spirituall adversary, even such as question our interest in God, and brangle our peace with Him, Isa. 32. 17. without this purpose and endeavour, we are easily driven to break all, or any of Gods commands, Prov. 11. 5. and 13. 6. and more particularly, to take a sinfull course for our own vindication under unjust reproaches, Isa. 51. 7. to distrust the providence of God, under straits, Gen. 30. 33. and to make a foul retreat in the day of trial, Prov. 28. 1. for, the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with righteousnesse; And having the breast-plate of righteousnesse. 8. It is not enough for a Christian souldier to propose unto himself a good and approved end, and to be sincere and streight in aiming at the end proposed; but he must make use of good and approved means, consisting in conscientious practice of all commanded duties, both to God and man: for, with sincerity and truth, which relateth chiefly to the scope and end proposed in our actions, he enjoyneth the practice of righteousnesse, which giveth to both God and man their right and due.