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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.)

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KJV: Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

WEB: Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?