serviency to the gospel, were more prominent in men's discourses and conduct; such objections would be confuted; and they would "be put to shame, who should "falsely accuse" either our holy doctrine, or "good "conversation in Christ Jesus."

ESSAY XVI.

On the believer's warfare and experience.

THE sacred scriptures always represent the true Christian, as a soldier, engaged in an arduous warfare with potent enemies, against whom he is supported, and over whom he is made victorious, by the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, through faith in the Lord Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, and by obeying his commands. Such expressions as fighting, striv ing, and wrestling, with frequent and varied allusions to military affairs, imply an experience essentially dif ferent from that of those persons, who never engaged in the conflict, or who have already obtained the conqueror's palm; nor can any hope, or even assurance, of victory and triumph, or any intervening seasons of peace and joy, entirely preclude this difference. The distinction therefore, between the church militant on earth and the church triumphant in heaven, hath on good grounds been established; and they, who do not well understand and consider it, will be very liable to fall into several injurious, discouraging, disgraceful, or even fatal mistakes. In discussing the subject, we may first briefly consider the distinguishing principles, purposes, and desires of the persons, who are engaged

in this warfare. We may next enumerate the enemies, with whom especially they are called to contend. We may briefly mention the encouragements, supports, and aids, vouchsafed them; the weapons, with which they fight, and the manner, in which they must put on and use their armour. We may then advert to the nature and effects of their victories; and conclude with a few hints on the appropriate experience, that must result from their situation.

I. Then, we speak not in this place of the whole multitude, who are called Christians, or who profess to believe the scriptures; neither do we include all, who subscribe or dispute for the several doctrines, that constitute the grand peculiarities of the Christian faith; nor the whole company, who compose any peculiar sect or denomination, to the exclusion of others. In re

spect of all such collective bodies, we are, alas, constrained to allow, that but few comparatively "strive "to enter in at the strait gate.' A vast majority of them all frequent" the broad road, that leadeth to de"struction,' "hold the truth in unrighteousness, and "walk according to the course of this world." Many of them indeed observe Gamaliel's cautious advice, and are not openly united with those," who fight against "God;" but then they aim to observe an impracticable and inadmissible neutrality, and know nothing of "fighting under the banner of Christ against the world, "the flesh, and the devil, and of being his faithful sol"diers to the end of their lives;" unless they have read or heard it, in the form of baptism, or have been taught any thing about it from some orthodox catechism. But the persons, of whom this essay treats, are those of every name, who, by "obeying the truth," have been "made free from sin, and become the servants of God." Most of them remember the time, when "they were "foolish, disobedient, deceived; serving divers lusts "and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, "and hating one another;" but "God, who is rich ❝in mercy, of his great love, wherewith he loved them,

* Matt. vii. 13, 14. Luke, xiii. 23-30. †Tit. iii. 3-7.

" even when they were dead. in sin, hath quickened "them." ""* Thus, "being born again, not of corrup "tible seed, but of incorruptible," they were enlightened to see something of the glory of God, the evil of sin, the value and danger of their souls, and their need of mercy, grace, and salvation. They were effectual ly warned to flee from the wrath to come, and led to repent and turn to God, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to renounce their former hopes, and to believe in Christ, that they might be justified by faith. Having been thus taught "to count all but loss, for the excel"lency of the knowledge of Christ," they are prepar ed to deny themselves, bear the cross, labour, venture, suffer, and part with all for his sake. In this manner they have been" delivered from the power of darkness, " and translated into the kingdom of the beloved Son "of God." They separate from his enemies, and join themselves to his friends. They throw down the arms of their rebellion, and "put on the whole armour of "God." They deliberately enlist under the banner of Christ; consider his people, cause, and honour, as their own, and his enemies within and around them, as equally hostile to them also. Under the conduct of

divine grace, these consecrated warriors" strive against "sin," seeking the destruction of the kingdom of satan, in their hearts and in the world, as far as their influence can reach; and do not, when most themselves, so much as entertain one thought of making any peace or truce with the enemies of Christ and of their immortal souls. Holiness, (or conformity to the law and moral perfections of God,) they deem their health and liberty, and sin their disease, bondage, and misery; they regard themselves as bound, by the strongest and most endear. ing obligations, to devote themselves wholly to the service of their God and Saviour; they esteem the interests of evangelical truth and vital godliness, as of the utmost importance to the happiness of mankind; and they expect their present comfort, as well as their future

Eph. ii, 1-10.

felicity, from communion with God and the enjoyment of his favour.

But various inward and outward impediments and obstructions combine to counteract these desires, and to prevent these principles from producing their full effect; and whilst they struggle to exert themselves notwithstanding this opposition, a conflict ensues, to which all rational creatures in the universe, who are not thus circumstanced, must of course remain strangers; even as none, but soldiers in actual service, experience the dangers, hardships, and sufferings of a military life. The regenerate person as really loves God, and desires to obey, honour, worship, and please him, and for his sake to act properly towards his brethren, as angels in heaven do; and at those times, when his heart is enlarged in holy contemplations, he longs to be perfectly holy, obedient, and spiritual; then the principles of the new man vigorously exert themselves; and the remains of corrupt nature, or of the old man, lie comparatively dormant; the world is greatly out of sight, or stripped of its attractions; and the enemies of his soul are restrained from assaulting him. But when the Christian hath left his closet, or the house of God, and is returned to the employments of his station in life; he finds himself unable to realize his previous views, or to accomplish the purposes, which he most uprightly formed; and he often wonders to find himself so different a person from what he was a few hours before. This however is only partial and temporary. The better principles implanted in his soul counteract and prevent the effect of corrupt passions and external objects, and shortly resume a more decided ascendency. So that, upon the whole, the believer successfully opposes sin, asserts his liberty, and serves God; and his state is determined by this habitual prevalence; for "he walks not after the "flesh, but after the Spirit."

A conflict of this kind may easily be perceived to be a very different thing from the feeble and occasioned interruptions, which an unregenerate man sometimes experiences in following the habitual inclinations of his heart. These arise only from convictions of conscience, fear of consequences, or selfish hopes; while his desires

and affections are wholly fixed on carnal things. He can not properly be said to have so much as one just idea of spiritual good; and religion is his task, of which he performs no more than what his fears or hopes impose upon him. Yet these very distinct cases are often confounded, and this produces much mischief.

It is however requisite more particularly to enumerate and consider the enemies, with whom the Christian soldier is called to encounter, if we would fully understand the important subject. The apostle, having said, "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit "against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the "other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would;" proceeds to shew what are the works of the flesh, and the fruits of the Spirit; from which enumeration it is evident, that the flesh signifies our whole nature, as born of Adam's fallen race, with all its propensities, animal and intellectual, as they are contrary to the spiritual commands of God; and that "the spirit, as striving against it," signifies the work of the Holy Spirit, renewing our souls to holiness, and so teaching, disposing, and enabling us to love and serve God. "For that, ❝ which is born of the flesh, is flesh, and that, which is born of the Spirit, is spirit."

If we then carefully examine the nature of man, we shall find, that a disposition to depart from God, and idolatrously to love and seek felicity from the creature, is common to our whole species; and from this general principle, according to different men's constitutions, educations, habits, connexions, or circumstances, some are more propense to avarice, some to ambition, some to sensual indulgence, and others to malignant passions, with every possible variation. These propensities, being excited by temptation, gathering force by gratification, triumphing over shame and conscience, and irritated by the interference of those, who pursue the same objects, hurry men into every kind of excess; burst forth into all the variety of crimes that have prevailed in every age and nation; and produce all sorts of immorality in men's conduct towards each other, and all impiety,

* Gal. v. 17-23.