Or what king, going to make war
Consider before you fight
I. First, then, THERE ARE SOME HERE WHO ARE NOT THE FRIENDS OF GOD, and in this case he that is not with Him is against Him. If you could have what you wish there would be no God. If it were in your power you would never trouble yourself again with thoughts of Him. You would like to live, you say, as you list, and I know how you would list to live. It would be anyhow, rather than as God commands. Now, as you are engaged in antagonism with Him, just think awhile--Can you expect to succeed? Let me put a few things before you which may, perhaps, make you think the conflict too unequal, and thus lead you to abandon the thought at once. Think of God’s stupendous power! What is there which He cannot do? Think, again, O rebellious man, you have to deal not only with almighty, but with an ever-encompassing power. Think, again, how much you are personally in His hand! It is well also to remember the mighty army of the Lord of hosts, and that you live amidst the creatures of God, who all are ready to do His bidding. Remember, moreover, what is the extent of God’s wisdom, and that His foolishness is greater than your highest knowledge. Yet there is another matter I want you to recollect, you that are the enemies of God--that you have a conscience. You have not got rid of it yet. It is not put out; and God has ways of making it to become a terrible plague to you, if you do not accept it as a friend. One other reflection, for I must not keep you thinking on this point long--it is this. Remember you must die, and therefore it is a pity to be at enmity with God. Here is this, too, to think of, there is a future state, so that when you die you have to live again. I should not choose to enter upon the realm of spirits without having God to be my friend. Besides, let me say, you cannot hope to succeed, all experience is against you; there never was one yet that, either in this state or the next, has fought with God and conquered.
II. And now we turn the subject, so as to look at THE SECOND CONTEST, IN WHICH I TRUST MANY ARE ANXIOUS TO BE ENGAGED, Some young spirit that has been touched with a sense of its own condition, and somewhat aroused, may be saying, “I will be God’s enemy no longer; I will be His friend.” Bowing the knee, that heart cries, “Oh God, reconcile me unto Thyself by the death of Thy dear Son. I throw down all my weapons; I confess my guilt; I plead for mercy. For Jesus’ sake vouchsafe it to me.” “But,” says that soul, “if I am the friend of God, I must be the foe of Satan, and from this day I pledge myself to fight for ever with Satan till I get the victory, and am free from sin.” My dear friend, I want you to stop. I do not wish you to make peace with the evil one, but I want you to consider what you are at. There are a few things I would whisper in your ear, and one is, that sin is sweet. Remember, again, you may be enticed by friends who will be very pressing. You can give up sin just now, but you do not know who may be the tempter at some future time. If she should allure thee, who has tempted so well before! Then again, remember, man, there is habit. You say you will all of a sudden give up your sins and fight Satan. Do not tell me that; can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Again, you think you will give up sin, but ridicule is very unpleasant, and when the tinges comes to be pointed at you, and they say, “Ah, so you have set up for a saint, I see”; when they put it as they only can put it, in such a sharp, cutting, grating manner, can you stand that! And yet further, let me say to you, you that are for going to heaven so zealously--gain, gain is a very pretty thing, a very pleasant affair. Who does not like to make money? You know, if you can be religious and grow rich at the same time, that will just suit some of you. Think of this then, for the trial will come to you in the shape of yellow gold, and it will be hard to keep yourself from the glittering bait which the god of this world will lay before you. I am putting these things to you, so that you may calculate whether you can carry on the war against the devil with all these fearful odds against you. If I were a recruiting-serjeant I should not do this. He puts the shilling into the country lad’s hand, and the lad may say fifty things. “Oh, never mind,” says the gallant soldier, “you know, it is all glory, nothing but glory. There, I will just tie these ribbons round your hat. There are some long strips of glory to begin with, and then all your days it will be just glory, glory for ever; and you will die a general, and be buried at Westminster Abbey, and they will play the ‘Dead March in Saul,’ and all that kind of thing.” Now I cannot thus deceive or try to cheat men to enlist under the banner of the Cross. I do not desire to raise objections to it; all I want of you is to count the cost, lest you should be like unto him who began to build without being able to finish. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Christian war
The doctrine here is, that a sinner who designs to close with Christ, and become His disciple, should first consult matters well, and then take courage and not fear any enemy, but resolutely pursue his great and good design.
I. SHOW PARTICULARLY WHAT A POOR SINNER, WHO DESIGNS TO ENTER UPON THIS WAR, SHOULD CONSULT.
1. He should consult the charge of this war. He who spares one beloved lust will be worsted and lose the field.
2. He should consult what great hardship he must undergo.
3. He should consult the cause and absolute necessity of the war.
4. He should consult the length or duration of the war.
5. He must consider at whose charge the war is to be carried on and maintained. Christ’s riches and treasures are infinite and inexhaustible.
6. He should carefully consider the manner and time when he must enlist, and what armour he must wear (Hebrews 3:13; Ephesians 6:14-17).
7. He must consider the strength, policy, wrath, and cruelty of Satan and other enemies.
8. He must be sensible of his own weakness, and never engage in his own name or strength.
9. He must consider the power and irresistible strength of his Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ.
10. He must consider the covenant of peace, the oath and promises of God the Father to Christ as Mediator, and in Him to all believers; also, how in that covenant all the elect are put into Christ’s hand, not only to redeem them, to renew them, but also to aid, help, and assist, and to fight for them; yea, and to strengthen and support them.
11. He must consider the relation in which they stand to their Captain. He has espoused and married them for ever.
12. They should also know that all their enemies are already conquered.
13. They should consider the honour of God, and the honour, exaltation, and glory of their Captain, and prefer that above their lives. While we seek His glory, He will seek our good.
14. They should consider the nature of the crown for which they fight.
II. SHOW WHY SINNERS SHOULD SIT DOWN AND CONSIDER THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY ENTER INTO THESE WARS.
1. Because man is naturally self-confident, and thinks he can do wonderful things by his own strength; but did he know how weak be is, and how deceitful his heart is, and all the powers of his soul, he would not pride it so in himself, nor ever venture to go forth in his own strength against one who is so much stronger than he.
2. Because all who ever engaged these enemies, not considering their own weakness, but went out in their own strength, were put to flight and utterly beaten.
3. Because our Lord would have none of His soldiers be surprised, either by the power, wrath, malice, or subtlety of the enemy.
4. That we may be better prepared for the worst. Forewarned, forearmed.
Application:
1. This informs us that the work of a Christian is no easy, but a very hard and difficult, work.
2. It may inform us what the reason is that so many professors, who seemed zealous in times of peace and liberty, have deserted in an hour of trial and persecution. They did not sit down and consider the strength of their enemies.
3. It may be of use to all poor convinced sinners that purpose to follow Jesus Christ, first of all to ponder and well weigh the nature, troubles, and difficulties of a Christian life.
4. It also may tend to convince us of the great strength and power of Satan and other enemies of our souls, and the need we have to be well armed and to stand always upon our watch and never give way to self-confidence.
5. It shows also the woeful condition of unbelievers, who have not the power of Christ to help and assist them. (B. Keach.)
Unequal to the war
Louis XII., King of France, sent an army into Italy to take the kingdom of Naples, which had been given to Louis XI. by King Rene of Provence. When Alfonso, King of Naples, heard that Louis and other enemies were coming against him, he looked round for help, and actually begged the Sultan of Turkey to aid him. Not getting assistance in this quarter, and having no army fit to oppose that of Louis, he made peace with him, gave up Naples, accepted the Duchy of Anjou, and went to live there.
First weigh, then venture
Count Von Moltke, the great German strategist and general, chose for his motto, “Erst wagen, dann wagon” (First weigh, then venture), and it is to this he owes his great victories and successes. Slow, cautious, careful in planning, but bold, daring, even seemingly reckless in execution, the moment his resolve is made. Vows must ripen into deeds, decision must go on to performance. (H. O.Mackay.)