holds in every sin; because the corrective is not casual, or with respect only to this or that particular, but is firmly fixed in the parts themselves, on which the impressions of sin are made.

Thirdly, They differ in the manner or qualities of the conflict; for, first, a natural conflict hath ever treachery mixed with it; but a spiritual conflict is faithful and sound throughout; and that appears thus: A spiritual heart doth ever ground its fight out of the Word; labours much to acquaint itself with that, because there it shall have a more distinct view of the enemy, of his armies, holds, supplies, trains, weapons, stratagems. For a spiritual heart sets itself seriously to fight against every method, deceit, armour of lust, as well against the pleasure as the guilt of sin. But a natural heart hath a secret treachery and intelligence with the enemy; and therefore hates the light, and is willingly ignorant of the forces of sin, that it may have that to alledge for not making opposition. There is in every natural man in sinning, a disposition very suitable to that of Vitellius', who used no other defences against the ruin which approached him, but only to keep out the memory and report of it with fortifications of mirth and sottishness, that so he might be delivered from the pains of preserving himself. Thus the natural conscience, finding the war against sin to be irksome, that it may be delivered from so troublesome a business, labours rather to stifle the notions, to suppress and hold under the truth in unrighteousness,—to strive, resist, dispute with the Spirit, to be gladly gulled and darkened with the deceits of sin, than to live all its time in unpreventable and unfinishable contentions. Secondly, a natural conflict is ever particular, and a spiritual, universal against all sin, because it proceedeth from hatred, which is ever πρὸς τὰ γένη, as the philosopher speaks, against the whole kind of a thing. A natural man may be angry with sin, as a man with his wife or friend, for some present vexation and disquietness which it brings, and yet not hate it; for that reacheth to the very not being of a thing. And for a natural man to have

r Præterita, instantia, futura pari oblivione dimiserat:-Mirum apud ipsum de bello silentium: prohibiti per civitatem sermones, nec quidquam nisi jucundum et læsurum accepit. Vid. Tacit. Hist. lib. 3. s Arist. Rhetoric. lib. 2. cap. iv.

his lusts so overcome, as not at all to be,-would doubtless be unto him as painful as mutilation or dismembering to the natural body and therefore if it were put to his choice in such terms, as might distinctly set forth the painfulness and contrariety of it to his present nature, he would undoubtedly refuse it, because he would be destitute of a principle to live and move by: and every thing naturally desires rather to move by a principle of its own, than by violent and foreign impressions, such as are those, by which natural men are moved to the ways of God. And therefore the natural conscience doth ever bear with some sins, if they be small, unknown, secret, or the like, and hearkens not after them. But the Spirit holds peace with no sins, fights against the least, the remotest, those which are out of sight:-Paul' against the sproutings and rebellions of natural concupiscence; David "against his secret sins, as Israel against Jericho, and Ai, and those other cities of Canaan; it suffers no accursed thing to be reserved; it slays as well women and children, as men of war; lest that which remains, should be a snare to deceive, and an engine to induce more. The natural conscience shoots only by aim and level against some sins, and spares the rest, as Saul in the slaughter of the Amalekites. But the spiritual shoots not only by level against particular notorious sins,-but at random too, against the whole army of sin; and by that means doth peradventure wound and weaken lusts, which it did not distinctly observe in itself, by complaining unto God against the body of sin, by watching over the course and frame of the heart, by acquainting itself out of the Word with the armour and devices of Satan, &c. The opposition then between the natural conscience and sin, is like the opposition between fire and hardness in some subjects; the conflict between the spiritual conscience and sin, is like the opposition between fire and coldness. Put metal into the fire, and the heat will dissolve and melt it but put a brick into the fire, and that will not melt nor soften (because the consistency of it doth not arise 'ex causa frigida,' but 'sicca'): but put either one or other into the fire, and the coldness of it will be removed :

Rom. vii. 23. 2 Cor. xii. 8. y 1 Sam. xv.

u Psal. xix. 12.

x Josh. vi. 19, 21. z Vid. Arist. de Meteor. 1. 4. c. vii.

and the reason is, because between fire and hardness, there is but a particular opposition in some cases; namely, where a thing is hard out of a dominion of cold, as in metals; not out of a dominion of dry qualities, as in brick and stones; but between fire and coldness there is an universal opposition: So a natural conscience may, peradventure, serve to dissolve or weaken, in regard of outward practice, some sins, but never all; whereas a spiritual reacheth to the remitting and abating every lust, because the one is only a particular, the other an universal opposition. Thirdly, the natural conscience fights against sin with fleshly weapons, and therefore is more easily overcome by the subtilty of Satan; such as are servile fear, secular ends, carnal disadvantages, general reason, and the like: but the spiritual conscience ever fights with spiritual weapons out of the Word, faith, prayer, hope, experience, watchfulness, love, godly sorrow, truth of heart, &c.

Fourthly, They differ in their effects; First, a natural conflict consists with the practice of many sins unquestioned, unresisted; but a spiritual changeth the course and tenour of a man's life, that as by the remainders of the flesh, the best may say, We cannot do the things which we would a; so by the first-fruits of the Spirit, and the seed of God, it may be truly said, They cannot sin. For though they do not attain a perfection in the manner, yet, for their general current and course of their living, it is without eminent, visible, and scandalous blame. Secondly, the natural is only a combat, there is no victory follows it. Sin is committed with delight, and persisted in still; but the spiritual diminisheth the power and strength of sin. Thirdly, the natural, if it do overcome, yet it doth only repress or repel sin for the time; like the victory of Saul over Agag, it is yet alive, and hath no hurt done it; but the spiritual doth mortify, crucify, subdue sin. Some plaisters skin, but they do not cure; give present ease, but no abiding remedy against the root of the disease: so some attempts against sin may only for the present pacify, but not truly cleanse the conscience from dead works. Fourthly, the natural makes a man never a whit the stronger against the next assault of temptation;

whereas the spiritual begets usually more circumspection, prayer, humiliation, growth, acquaintance with the depth and mysteries of sin, skill to manage the spiritual armour, experience of the truth, power, and promises of God, &c.

Lastly, They differ in their end. The natural is only to pacify the clamours of an unquiet conscience, which ever takes God's part, and pleads for his service against the sins of men. The spiritual is with an intent to please and obey God, and to magnify his grace, which is made perfect in our weakness.

Now for a word of the third case,-Why every sin doth not reign in every wicked man?-for answer whereunto, we must first know that properly it is original sin which reigns. And this king is very wise; and therefore sends forth into a man, members and life, as into several provinces, such viceroys, such actual sins, as may best keep the person in peace and encouragement, as may least disquiet his estate, and provoke rebellion. Secondly, we are to distinguish between the reign of sin, actual and virtual, or in præparatione animi;' for if the state of the king requires it, a man will be apt to obey those commands of lust, which now haply his heart riseth against, as savage and belluine practices, as we see in Hazael. Thirdly, though original sin be equal in all, and to all purposes; yet actual sin, for the most part, follows the temper of a man's mind, body, place, calling, abilities, estate, conversings, relations, and a world of the like variable particulars. Now as a river would of itself, 'cæteris paribus,' go the nearest way unto the sea, but yet,-according to the qualities and exigencies of the earth, through which it passeth, or by the arts of men,-it is crooked and wried into many turnings; so original sin would, of itself, carry a man the nearest way to Hell, through the midst of the most devilish and hideous abominations; but yet, meeting with several tempers and conditions in men, it rather chooseth, in many men, the safest than the speediest way, carries them in a compass, by a gentler and a blinder path, than through such notorious and horrid courses, as wherein having Hell still in their view, they might haply be brought some time or other to start back and bethink themselves. But lastly, and principally, the different administration of God's general restraining grace (which, upon unsearchable

and most wise and just reasons, he is pleased, in several measures, to distribute unto several men) may be conceived a full reason, why some men are not given over to the rage and frenzy of many lusts, who yet live in a more voluntary and plenary obedience unto many others.

To conclude: By all this which hath been spoken, we should be exhorted to go over unto Christ, that we may be translated from the power of Satan; for he only is able to strike through these our kings in the day of his wrath. Consider the issue of the reign of sin, wherein it differs from a true king, and sympathizeth with tyrants; for it intendeth mischief and misery to those that obey it. First, Sin reigns unto death; that which is here called the reign of sin, is before called 'the reign of death,' and the reign of sin 'unto death. Secondly, Sin reigneth unto fear and bondage, by reason of the death which it brings. Thirdly, Sin reigneth unto shame, even in those who escape both the death and bondage of it. Fourthly, It reigneth without any fruit, hope, or benefit; "What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed "?" Lastly, The reign of sin is but momentary: at the length, both itself and all its subjects shall be subdued. "The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever." Of Christ's kingdom, there is no end. We shall reap, if we faint not. Our combat is short, our victory is sure, our crown is safe, our triumph is eternal: his grace is all-sufficient here to help us, and his glory is all-sufficient hereafter to reward us.

< Rom. v. 17, 21. Rom. vi. 16.

d Heb. ii, 15. f 1 Joh. ii. 17.

e Rom. vi. 21.