And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand
him
If an enemy, or a thief, or a robber, attack anyone of them, in
friendship and fellowship together, and is more than a match for
him; both joined together will be able to resist him; so that he
shall not succeed in his enterprise, and do the mischief he
designed; see ( 2 Samuel
10:11 ) ; Thus, when Satan attacks a single believer, which
he chooses to do when alone; so he tempted Eve in the garden, and
Christ in the wilderness; and one or more fellow Christians know
of it, they are capable of helping their tempted friend, by their
advice and counsel, they not being ignorant of Satan's devices;
and by striving together in their prayers to God for him: so when
false teachers make their efforts, as they usually do, Satan
like, upon the weaker sex, and, when alone, they too often
succeed; but when saints stand fast in one spirit, and strive
together for the faith of the Gospel, they stand their ground,
withstand the enemy, and maintain truth; and a threefold
cord is not quickly broken;
or "in haste" F3; as two are better than one, so
three or more united together, it is the better still; they are
able to make head against an enemy; and to conquer him, "vis
unita fortior est": if a family, community, city, or kingdom, are
divided against themselves, they cannot stand; but, if united, in
all probability nothing can hurt them. This doctrine is taught in
the fable of the bundle of sticks the old man gave to his sons to
break; which, while fastened together, could not be done; but,
when art bound, and took out singly, were easily snapped asunder;
teaching them thereby unity among themselves, as their greatest
security against their common enemy. The same instruction is
given by this threefold cord; while it remains twisted together,
it is not easily broke, but if the threads are untwisted and
unloosed, they are soon snapped asunder: so persons in religious
fellowship, be they more or fewer, while they keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace, they are terrible, as an army
with banners, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against them.
And if this is true of the united love and affections of saints,
it must be much more so of the love of Father, Son, and Spirit;
that threefold cord, with which the saints are drawn and held;
and of which it may be said, that it not only is not quickly
broken, but that it cannot be broken at all; and therefore those
who are held by it are in the utmost safety. Some apply this to
the three principal graces, faith, hope, and love, which are
abiding ones; and, though they may sometimes be weak and low in
their acts and exercise, can never be lost.