[2.] A saint conflicts against sin universally, the least as ivell as the greatest ; the most profitable and the most pleasing sin, as well as against those that are less pleasing and profitable. He will combat with all, though he cannot conquer one as he should, and as he would. He knows that all sin strikes at God's holiness, as well as his own hap- piness ; at God's glory, as well as at his soul's comfort and peace.2
He knows that all sin is hateful to God, and that all sinners are traitors to the crown and dignity of the Lord Jesus. He looks upon one sin, and sees that that threw down Noah, the most righteous man in the world, and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that cast down Abraham, the greatest believer in the world, and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that threw down David, the best king in the world, and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that cast down Paul, the greatest apostle in the world. He sees that one sin threw down Samson, the strongest man in the world ; another cast down Solomon, the wisest man in the world ; and another Moses, the meekest man in the world ; and another sin cast down Job, the patientest man in the world ; and this raiseth a holy indignation against all, so that nothing can satisfy and content his soul but a destruction of all those lusts and vermin that vex and rack his righteous soul. It will not suffice a gracious soul to see justice done upon one sin, but he cries out for justice upon all. He would not have some crucified and others spared, but cries out, Lord, crucify them all, crucify them all. Oh ! but now the conflict that is in wicked men is partial; they frown upon one sin and smile upon another; they strike at some sins yet stroke others; they thrust some out of doors but keep others close in their bosoms ; as you may see in Jehu, Herod, Judas, Simon Magus, and Demas. Wicked men strike at gross sins, such as are not only against the law of God, but against the laws of nature and nations, but make nothing of less sins ; as vain thoughts, idle words, sinful motions, petty oaths, &c.
1 It was a good saying of him [Augustine, Conf. — G-] that said, Domine libera me a malo homine, me ipso, Lord, deliver me from an ill man, myself. Austin complains, That men do not tame their beasts in their own bosoms.
2 Ps. cxix. 104, 1 hate every false way ; sindhi, from JO^', which signifies to hate with a deadly and irreconcileable hatred. He knows that all the parts of the old man hath, and doth play the part of a treacherous friend and a friendly traitor ; therefore he strikes at all. The greater the combat is, the greater shall be the following rewards, saith Ter- tullian. True hatred is *•£«« ™ ylvn, against the whole kind. Plutarch reports of one who would not be resolved of his doubts, because he would not lose the pleasure in seeking for resolution. So wicked men will not be rid of some sins, because they would not lose the seeming pleasure of sinning.
106 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 COR. II. 11.
They fight against those sins that fight against their honour, profits, pleasures, Ac, but make truce with those that are as right hand and as right eyes to them, &c.
[3.] The conflict l/i<(t is in a saint, against sin, is maintained by several arguments: by arguments drawn from the love of God, the honour of God, the sweetness and communion with God, and from the spiritual and heavenly blessings and privileges that are conferred upon them by God, and from arguments drawn from the blood of Christ, the glory of ( Jurist, the eye of Christ, the kisses of Christ, and the interces- sion ot Christ, and from arguments drawn from the earnest of the Spirit, the seal of the Spirit, the witness of the Spirit, the comforts of the Spirit. Oh ! but the conflict that is in wicked men is from low, carnal, and legal arguments, drawn from the eye, ear, or hand of the creature, or drawn from shame, hell, curses of the law, &c, 2 Cor. xii. 7-9.1
[4.] The conflict that is in saints is a constant conflict. Though sin and grace were not born in the heart of a saint together, and though they shall not die together, yet. whilst a believer lives, they must con- flict together. Paul had been fourteen years converted, when he cried out, ' 1 have a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin,' Rom. vii. 2, 3.
Pietro Candiano, one of the dukes of Venice, died fighting against the Nauratines with the weapons in his hands. So a saint lives fight- ing and dies fighting, he stands fighting' and falls fighting, with his spiritual weapons in his hands.2 But the conflict that is in wicked men is inconstant : now they fall out with sin, and anon they fall in with sin ; now it is bitter, anon it is sweet ; now the sinner turns from his sin, and anon he turns to the wallowing in sin, as the swine doth to the wallowing in the mire, 2 Pet. ii. 19, 20. One hour you shall have him praying against sin, as if he feared it more than hell, and the next hour you shall have him pursuing after sin, as if there were no God to punish him, no justice to damn him, no hell to torment him.
[5.j The conflict that is in the saints, is in the same faculties ; there is the judgment against the judgment, the mind against the mind, the will against the will, the affections against the affections, that is, the regenerate part against the unregenerate part, in all the parts of the soul ; but now, in wicked men, the conflict is not in the same faculties, but between the conscience and the will. The will of a sinner is bent strongly to such and such sins, but conscience puts in and tells the sinner, God hath made me his deputy, he hath given me a power to hang and draw, to examine, scourge, judge and condemn, and if thou dost such and such wickedness, I shall be thy jailor and tormenter. I do not bear the rod nor the sword in vain, saith conscience; if thou sinnest, I shall do my office, and then thy life will be a hell: and this raises a tumult in the soul.3
1 Though to he kept from sin brings comfort to us, yet for us to oppose sin from spi- ritual ami heavenly arguments, ami God t<> pardon sin, that brings most glory to God.
2 It was an excellent saying of Eusebius Emesenus, Our fathers overcame the torrents of the flames, let us uverenine tin; fiery darts of vices. Consider that the pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin, is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweet- ness that is in sin.
:) A heathen could say, their soul is in a mutiny; a wicked man is not friends with himself, he and his conscience are at difference. — Arisl[otlc].
2 Cor. II. 11.] against sat an 's devices. 107