Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse and explication 17
Verse 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
IN this verse are contained the fifth and sixth pieces of the spiritual armour which he will have them to take and make use of. The fifth is salvation, or the hope of salvation, the thing hoped for, being put for hope, as the Apostle explaineth himself, 1 Thes. 5.—8. which hope, is a grace, whereby we patiently expect salvation, both temporal (Psal. 62. 1.) and eternal, Titus 1. 2. but chiefly the latter, according to the promise apprehended by faith, and it answereth the part of the bodily armour called the helmet, or head-piece, which being the highest piece of all the rest, did defend the head and face, and was so composed as to make the souldier of dreadfull appearance unto his enemies. In like manner this grace of wel-grounded hope doth lift the heart upwards, Psal. 16. 9. keepeth the head safe and above water, so that the Christian sinketh not, 2 Cor. 4. 16. Rom. 5. 3. 4. and bringeth him to so high a pitch of Christian courage as maketh him formidable to his adversary, 1 Sam. 17. 45, 46. The sixth piece of armour is the written Word of God, which answereth that part of the bodily armour called the sword, whereby the souldier useth both to defend himself and wound the enemy. In like manner the Word of God, laid up in the heart, and made use of pertinently by the Christian souldier, hath somewhat in it to ward off the blow of every tentation, Matth. 4. 4, 7, 10. and maketh Satan retire as one ashamed and wounded, Matth. 4. 10, 11. and it is here called the sword of the Spirit, because the Spirit of God hath revealed this Word, 2 Pet. 1. 21, it worketh powerfully upon the spirits of men, Heb. 4. 12. and its efficacy in working dependeth on the Spirit, 2 Cor. 10. 4. Doct. 1. Though believers have heaven and salvation already in right and by promise, Joh. 3. 36—: yet, the Lord, for good and wise reasons, seeth it necessary to delay the performance, and not to give them present possession upon their right: for, if there were present possession given, there would be no need of this grace of hope, wherby the believer doth patiently expect salvation promised; and take the helmet of salvation, or of the hope of salvation. 2 The sincere believer, during the time of the not performance of promised salvation, may cast his accompt to meet with many sore assaults, and sad stroaks from manifold tentations upon all hands: for, what need of an helmet, if there be not appearance of blows? and take the helmet of salvation. 3. A wel-grounded hope of salvation, according to the promise, is another necessary piece of the Christians armour, without the which he is deprived of one strong motive and encouragement to the work of sanctification in generall, 1 Joh. 3. 3. exposed and laid open to several deadly blows and dangerous tentations from Satan, and more especially, to immoderate grief for the death of near relations, 1 Thes. 4. 13. to the evil of covetousness and of placeing our portion and happiness in this life, as knowing nothing of a better, Psal. 17. 14. with 15. to the evils of fainting, discouragement and dispaire, arising from delayed performance of what is promised, Prov. 13. 12. from hard sufferings and persecutions for the Gospel, 2 Cor. 4. 16. with 18. and from the fear of approaching death, the king of terrours, Prov. 14. 32. for, the Apostle commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with this grace of hope; and take the helmet of salvation. 4. Though this saving grace of hope be stronger and weaker in several Christians, according as it hath more or less of a mixture of contrary diffidence, Rom. 4. 18. and though the meanest degree of hope doth serve for good purpose to defend the Christian in some measure against the forementioned tentations, Rom. 5. 5—. yet it is the Christian souldier's duty, in order to his better guarding against those deadly blows, to aim at no less than a full assurance of hope, even such as maketh him no less diffident to obtain salvation promised, than if he had it in hand: for, it seemeth the Apostle expresseth the grace of hope by salvation, the object of it, to shew their hope should be as much fixed as if they had salvation it self already in possession; and take the helmet of salvation. 5. The Christian souldier is not alwayes and only to be upon the defending hand, nor to think it enough to keep his sinfull evils from prevailing further and growing stronger: but he must also endeavour to pursue them, weaken them, and not to think himself exonered untill he fully subdue them: for, the Spirit of God injoyneth the Christian souldier to make use, not only of defensive armour to guard himself; but of offensive also, to pursue and kill the enemy; of which sort is the sword in bodily wars; and the sword of the Spirit. 6. Acquaintance with the Lords written Word, together with a dexterous usemaking of it, is another necessary piece of the Christian his armour, without the which he cannot choose but he exposed to several dangerous blows and deadly tentations, seing he can neither know sin to be sin, Rom. 7. 7. nor the right way of resisting sin, or of discharging duty, Psal. 119. 9. and bearing afflictions with Christian courage and patience, Matth. 5. 39. but by the word; besides, that the timous calling to mind of a word in Scripture, forbidding and threatening such an evil, pressing the practice of such a duty, and speaking incouragement and comfort to the soul exercised with such a cross, is often blessed of God, to break the strength of the tentation which inciteth to it, Matth. 4. 10, 11. to furnish the heart with resolution and strength for duty, Psal. 119. - 50. and with Christian courage under the cross, Psal. 119. 92. for, he commandeth the Christian souldier to arm himself with the knowledge of, and acquaintance with, the Word of God; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 7. As it is the only vertue and power of Gods Spirit, which enliveneth the Word, and maketh it effectual; So it is only the Word of God, and no humane inventions, or magical charmes, with which the Spirit of God doth joyn His power and efficacy to resist and drive away the devil; for, therefore he calleth the Word the sword of the Spirit, and expoundeth it to be no other word, but the Word of God.