Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Thirdly, They differ in the object, in the thing about which this contention is; he that hath only a natural ¹conscience, to fight against the Law of the members, his strife is not about things of that nature that the others are, moral vices, and moral virtues, they know, and are sensible of; they resist the one, and stand for the other: things that belong to outward credit and civill honesty, things that are morally good, these things they are sensible of, and the contention is about them and no other. You see Herod was careful about his oath, and why? because of those that sat at Table with him, and this was the great matter that swayed him. And so Darius had a contention when he put Daniel into the Lions den, but his promise to the Princes overruled him. But there is another kind of contention in the regenerate, about things of another nature, spiritual evils, spiritual wickedness, he fights against those evils that are contrary to the image of God, that are contrary to that purity and holiness that God requires. Other men see not the things of this nature, therefore they cannot resist them. When the Sun shines clear we know we may see the least moat; so where ⟨p. 367⟩there is a clear light of grace that shines in a mans heart, he sees spiritual evils which another man sees not, he resists them, and his chief business indeed is about them. Another man cannot perceive them, and therefore cannot resist them: this is another difference, they differ in the object.

Thirdly, They differ in the object, in the thing about which this contention is; he that hath onely a natural ¹conscience, to fight against the Law of the members, his strife is not about things of that nature that the others are, moral vices, and moral vertues, they know, and are sensible of; they resist the one, and stand for the other: things that belong to outward credit and civill honesty, things that are morally good, these things they are sensible of, and the contention is about them and no other. You see Herod was careful about his oath, and why? because of those that sat at Table with him, and this was the great matter that swayed him. And so Darius had a contention when he put Daniel into the Lions den, but his promise to the Princes overruled him. But there is another kind of contention in the regenerate, about things of another nature, spiritual evils, spiritual wickednesse, he fights against those evils that are contrary to the image of God, that are contrary to that purity and holiness that God requires. Other men see not the things of this nature, therefore they cannot resist them. When the Sunne shines clear we know we may see the least moat; so where