CHRISTIAN CONFLICTS. FOR the illustration of the proposed subject, no instance from Scripture occurs, preferable to that of the apostle Paul, which he has related, 2 Cor. xii, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9. I knew a man in Christ, above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. And, lest I should be exaited above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee. Upon this we may remark, 1. In this wonderful transport, the mind of the apostle was so absorbed with the objects, which presented themselves, that he could not determine his situation. Whether he was in the body, or out of the body, he could not tell. In this rapture, he heard things which it was not VOL. XI. lawful for a man to utter; which words were insufficient accurately to express, or which were not proper to be disclosed to human minds in their present state of darkness and infirmity. 2. This wonderful transport was succeeded by a severe and distressing conflict. There was given a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him. What this thorn in the flesh was, it is unnecessary to inquire. It is sufficient, that it produced the effect. It mortified and humbled him. It taught him his infirmity and dependence. 3. The method adopted by the apostle to obtain relief from his agitation and distress. He applied himself to importunate prayer, and not obtaining imme. diate relief, he renewed his request. For this I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 4. The answer which the It was not apostle received. immediate relief. The messenger of Satan would continue to buffet him. But he was promised support. My grace is sufficient for thee. This implied, 37 that he should be sustained in their elevations and the conflict, and conducted through it. depres sions; their light and darkness, hopes and fears, joys and sor From these remarks, which rows. contain the prominent subjects of the relation, it is proposed to make some observations on the trials and conflicts peculiar to saints. 1. Trials are necessary for their spiritual improvement. When the subjects of divine grace are first translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, new objects present themselves, new prospects open, new sensations are realized, and, in many instances, the subjects of the happy change rejoice with joy unspeakable. Like the Israelites, they now forsake the spiritual Egypt with a high hand. Able and equipped for the war, they propose to proceed directly and take possession of the promised land. Yet are they sanctified but in part. Their conceptions of the remaining corruptions of their own hearts, the deceitfulness of sin, and the depths of Satan, are very superficial and imperfect. But the knowledge of these is peculiarly necessary to qualify them to walk with God in faith, holiness, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and to participate in the purity and felicity of heavenly enjoyments. The knowledge of those subjects, is not derived from speculation, nor information. It can be possessed only by personal experience. and satisfac 3. Different situations give opportunity for different trials and temptations. Affluence exposes to atheism and infidelity. Hence Agur prayed, Give me neither poverty, nor riches; lest I be full and deny thee. Prosperity induces self-confidence, voluptuousness, tion with temporal enjoyments. Hence the psalmist confessed, In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. When the rich man had goods laid up for many years, he said to his soul, Take thine ease; and the apostle directed his son Timothy, Charge them that are rich not to trust in uncertain riches. Poverty exposes to jealousy, envy, and the sordid vices. Hence Agur said, Lest I be poor and steel, and take the name of my God in vain. Adversity leads to discontent, murmurs, and impatience. Spiritual prosperity and elevated frames are made the occasion of sinful vanity, and pride in distinguished privileges and enjoyments. When the apostle was caught up to the third heaven, he was in extreme danger of being exalted above measure. Spiritual desertions prepare the way to dejection and despondence. Hence the psalmist exclaimed, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 4. Every saint has some predominant corrupt passion, which 2. That saints may possess may be appropriately termed his this experience, they must be sin. This is the sin, which placed in divers situations. easily besets him. Some are They must be conducted constitutionally proud and aspir through scenes of prosperity ing; some contentious; some avand adversity. They must have aricious; some unchaste; others 1 intemperate; others envious and vindictive; and in some there may be a complication of these various vices of the heart. The different situations, in which saints are placed, give opportu nity for the action of corrupt propensities, according to their peculiar kind. To all these, holiness, or grace, opposes itself. Hence the agonizing conflict, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the Alesh. This conflict will be varied according to the occasion; and saints will fall victims to temptations and lust, or they must combat now with ambition, then with avarice; here with unchastity, there with intemperance; now with envy, and then with resentment; here with pride and self-sufficiency, there with distrust and despondence; now with unhallowed zeal, and then with criminal timidity and form ality in religion. 5. The manner in which saints are supported and conducted through their painful conflicts. The spiritual trials of saints demand the vigorous exercise of every Christian grace; but they are principally conducted through these trials by importunate, persevering prayer. For this I besought the Lord thrice. This gives vigor and efficacy to every Christian grace. "Prayer arms the Christian for the fight; With the psalmist they cry unto the Lord in their distresses, and he hears them. By encouragement and aid derived from him they are conducted through the conflicting scene; or if they are foiled, and fall seven times a day, they rise again, and are finally successful and victorious. 6. We are taught by the answer which the apostle received from Christ, that saints are not assured of immediate relief from temptations. In this state of instruction and discipline, the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, will continue to buffet them; but it assures them of support. My grace is sufficient for thee, and my strength is made perfect in thy weakness, By their trials are their corruption and impotence more amply disclosed, and the power and grace of Christ are displayed in sustaining them in their conflicts. 7. The end for which saints are exercised with trials and temptations. To produce conviction by sensible experience of their spiritual ignorance, and to correct their errors; to disclose the various vices of their hearts, and make them vile in their own esteem; to divest them of self-righteousness, mortify their pride, subdue their confidence in their own ability to work out their own salvation, convince them sensibly, that he who has begun a good work in them must perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, and compel them to live by faith in the Son of God; to promote in prayerfulness, and self-denial, them circumspection, vigilance, and, by refining and improving their graces, to prepare thom habitually to walk with God in faith, and in all manner of holy living; to enjoy the consolations of Christ, the comfort of his love, and the fellowship of the Spirit; and by these means to be pre. pared for the inheritance of the saints in light. From the preceding observations some reflections suggest themselves, by which the discussion may be advantageously extended. 1. How important is it, that saints comply with the direction of the apostle, Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. If they realize such severe trials, how very necessary is it, that they be prepared for the arduous conflict? If their subtle and potent adversary find them destitute of their spiritual armor, how will they oppose themselves to his fiery darts? Will they not fall a prey to his devices, and be led by him cap. tive at his will, to the interruption of their spiritual peace, the regret of their pious friends, the reproach of religion, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows? To prevent these baneful effects, how necessary that they take to themselves the whole armor of God, that they may be able to withstand in the evil day; and having done all, having repeatedly resisted with success, yet to stand; having their loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, tak ing the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all persever so mysterious and so trying to saints. The contemplative, reflecting Christian, on a deliberate review of the manner in which he has been conducted, in his Christian course, perceives himself to have been in a diversity of situations. He has had his elevated views and his animating prospects. Then he tasted that the Lord was gracious. These were seasons of refreshing from his gracious presence. Then his de light was in the law of the Lord; wisdom's ways were pleasant, and his soul, or ever he was aware, was like the chariots of Ammi-nadib, prompt and vigorous to run the Christian race, and he said, Surely the saint, like his Lord, has meat to eat which the world knows not of, and joys with which strangers do not intermeddie. But soon the delightful scene vanished; the animating objects receded from his view; his spiritual enjoyments were suspended, his Christian course obstructed, and his soul disquieted within him; and then he said, Truly the Lord's way is in the sea, his path in deep waters, and his footsteps cannot be known The delightful condition of the Christian was very perilous. He was in danger of being inflated with spiritual pride, and falling into the condemnation of the devil. To preserve him from this, he must experience a painful dereliction. He has had his elevations and he must have his depressions. If with Moses he has ascended mount Pisgah, he must descend with the psalmist into the valley of Baca. In the review he perceives, also, that he has frequently been surprised, and has transgressed through unexpected temptations, often inadvertently in the same sinful instances This gives occasion for painful regret and remorse; and he inquires, Why does the Lord deal with me thus? Surely he conducts me in a very thorny and crooked way. All this was to disclose more effectually the deep depravity and intractability of his heart; those corruptions, which are so inveterate, that a simple disclosure would not sufficiently expose them, nor a simple chas tisement mortify and subdue them. He must sin, and fall, and repent, and mourn, and be restored, and relapse, and transgress, and drink the wormwood and the gall, again and again, for his heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and his ears are dull of hearing; and he must have line upon line, and correction upon correction, or he will be ever learning and yet never so effectually convinced of his spiritual ignorance and impotence, as to renounce his own wisdom and ability to direct and sustain himself, and be ever looking to the hills from whence comes all his help, even to the Lord who made heaven and earth. In the review he perceives, also, that he has realized painful seasons of spiritual desertion. With the psalmist he has been in a dry and thirsty land; has been seized with spiritual apathy, had neither light nor life, sense nor feeling, peace nor comfort. Then his comeliness was turned to corruption, his soul was humbled within him, and his inward anguish compel led him to exclaim, "Thou seest what floods of sorrow rise, And beat upon my soul." These trials were to mortify him more effectually, and prepare him for more abundant communications, make grace more sweet, Christ more precious, divine consolations more refreshing, and introduce him to a more intimate and confirmed communion with his God and Savior. 3. We are taught by the instance of the apostle, that in this life, saints in vain hope for exemption from the buffetings of Satan, and the ebullitions of inward corruption. This complete deliverance was not promised, in answer to the fervent prayer of a holy apostle. The answer implied, that his request could not be granted. He must continue to realize the buffetings of Satan. It only promised him support. However anxious saints may be for deliverance from the fiery darts of their spiritual enemies and the bondage of corruption, in this tabernacle,—in this state of discipline, they will have fightings within and fears without, and must groan being burdened. They must be exercised with conflicts and trials, habituate themselves to vigilance and prayer, and wait for the triumph over sin and death, in a future state. 4. God displays his wisdom, fidelity, and grace, in conducting saints through spiritual trials and distresses to their eternal rest. When saints first commence their Christian course, they would run the race set before them, and proceed directly for the heavenly Canaan; but God |