A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 2 · Sermon 25
THE CHRISTIAN VICTORIE. THE XXV. SERMON.
APOC. 2.17.
To him that overcommeth will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and I will give him a white ſtone, and in the ſtone a new name written, which no man knoweth ſaving he that receiveth it.
Right Honourable, Right Worſhipfull, &c.
MEdals and ſmall pictures that are ſhewed us under the cover of a chryſtall glaſſe are moſt delightfull to the eye:Pref. ſuch are the images of divine truth, and heads of heavenly doctrine, whereof you have a glympſe in my text, through the mirrour of an elegant allegorie. The glaſſe of art giveth both light to the pictures, and delight to the beholders. Notwithſtanding for your more exact view, and my particular handling of them, I will open the Chryſtall cover, and take them out one by one in order as they are ſet in the letter; wherein
1 A condition is propounded, to him that overcommeth.
2 A promiſe upon condition is made, I will give.Diviſ.
3 Three gifts upon promiſe are ſpecified;
1 Hidden Manna (which ſome make) a type of election.
2 A white ſtone, an embleme of juſtification.
3 A new name, an impreſe of glorification.
In the review of the words marke, I beſeech you, the connexion of duplicate page duplicate page the doctrinall points which ſtand as it were out of the words.
1 No man knoweth the new name, ſave he that receiveth it.
Connex.2 No man receiveth it, but he that hath the white ſtone.
3 No man hath the white ſtone, but he that eateth the Manna.
4 No man eateth the hidden Manna, but he to whom it is given.
5 It is given to none to eate thereof, but to him that overcommeth the Divell by his faith, the World by his hope, the Fleſh by his charity, all baites and allurements by his abſtinence, all croſſes and afflictions by his patience, all conflicts and aſſaults of temptations by his conſtant perſeverance unto the end.
Obſer.1 It is ſaid to him that overcommeth, to include our labour and induſtry: yet it is added, I will give, to exclude merit.
2 It is ſaid foreign to him, that is, to every one, (for an indefinite propofition in materiâ neceſſariâ, is equivalent to an univerſall) to teach us, that the promiſes of the Goſpel are generall: yet to the foreign is added foreign, to him that overcommeth, to ſhew us that this generality is conditionall.
3 The Spirit ſaith not to him that fighteth, but to him that overcommeth. All vertues adorne a Chriſtian, but perſeverance alone crowneth him.
4 To him that overcommeth the Spirit ſaith not I will give to ſee, but to eat of the hidden Manna, and receive the white ſtone, with the new name. Our eternall happineſſe conſiſteth not in the bare contemplation, but fruition of the hidden Manna, the white ſtone, and the new name.
5 It is not Manna ſimply, but the hidden Manna: nor a ſtone, but a white ſtone: nor a name, but a new name: every ſubject hath here his adjunct, every face his ſhadow, every letter his flouriſh, every diamond his foile, every kind his quality. All Manna is not the hidden: what is this hidden Manna? All pretious ſtones are not the white: what is this white ſtone? All names are not new names: what is this new name? O thou who haſt the key of David, and openeſt and no man ſhutteth, open the treaſure of this Scripture, that we may ſee what heavenly myſteries lie in this hidden Manna, are engraven in this white ſtone, and character'd in this new name.
Obſer. 1 The prophecies in the Old and New Teſtament like the Cherubins in the Arke looke one upon the other: Alter in alterius jacientes lumina vultum.
You ſhall hardly light upon any viſion or revelation in this booke concerning the ſucceeding eſtate of the Church, which hath not ſome kind of reference to the predictions of the ancient Prophets of things already accompliſhed. God, to whom all things paſt and future are eternally preſent, in his infinite wiſedome hath ſo fitted latter events to former preſidents, that the ſame perſpectives of Propheticall viſions, for the moſt part, in which holy men under the law ſaw things now long paſt, ſerve St. John to repreſent unto him the image of the laſt times, even till our Lords ſecond comming. For brevity ſake at this time I will inſtance onelyonly in my text, where every word is a relative. The firſt, vincenti, referreth you to Job 7.1. Is not the life of man a warfare upon earth? The ſecond, Dabo, I will give, to Luke 12.32. It is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a kingdome. The third, Manna abſconditum, the hidden Manna, to Exod. 16.33. Take a pot, and put an Omer full of Manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. The fourth, Calculum candidum, the white ſtone, to Eſay 28.16. Behold, I lay in Zion a tried ſtone, a pretious ſtone. The fift, novum Nomen, a new name, to Eſay 62.2. And thou ſhalt be called by a new name. Chriſt who hath overcome the world, under theſe metaphors looking to foregoing propheſies and promiſes, incourageth all Chriſtians like valiant Souldiers to follow him, ſetting before them all ſpirituall delicacies, implyed in the hidden Manna, all treaſures in the white ſtone, all true honour in the new name. To him that overcommeth pleaſure, and abſtaines from ſinfull delights, I will give hidden Manna. To him that overcommeth covetouſneſſe, and eſteemeth not of worldly wealth and earthly treaſure, I will give a white ſtone. To him that overcommeth ambition, and ſeeketh not for a name upon earth, I will give a new name, written in heaven. In many other texts the letter is eaſie, but the ſpirituall meaning difficult: but on the contrary, in this the ſpirituall meaning is facile, and out of queſtion, but the letter is much controverted. For ſome contend, that the metaphor is here taken from the manner of feaſting great Perſonages, wherein the Prince, Ambaſſadour, or great States-man is entertained with rare and reſerved dainties, ſerved in under covered diſhes; and after the laſt courſe hath a medall, or a ſtone with his name engraven in it, and a poſie given unto him; which, becauſe he carrieth away with him, and keepeth it as a memoriall of his honourable entertainement, the Greekes call foreign: this is Alcaſar his conceit. Others place the Scene, if I may ſo ſpeake, in a Greene, where he that out-runneth the reſt, receiveth a white ſtone: this is Aretus his gheſſe. A third ſort of Expoſitors runne upon a pitched field, which he that wanne had his victory with his name entred into the Roman Faſti with a white ſtone: this is Sixtus Senenſis his interpretation. But the moſt of our later Commentatours imagine, that Chriſt had an eye to the Roman Judiciall proceedings in their Courts, in which he that overcame his accuſer, and had the better of the cauſe, was abſolved by the Judges caſting white ſtones into an urne or pitcher.
Mos erat antiquis, niveis, atriſ que lapillis
His damnare reos, illis abſolvere culpâ.
But ſith wee have the Jewell, let us not much trouble our ſelves about the casket: let us not contend about the ſhell, but rather taſte the kernell.
Obſer. 2 To him, that is, to every one. As Dido at the building of Carthage offered like priviledges to the Tyrians and Trojans, ſaying,aVirg. Aen. 4. Tros, Tyriuſ que mihi nullo diſcrimine agetur: ſo Chriſt in the building of the ſpirituall Jeruſalem, which is his Church, putteth no difference betweene Jew and Gentile, but propoundeth ſalvation upon like conditions of repentance and faith unto all. At his incarnation he tooke not upon him the ſingular perſon of any man, but the common nature of all men, and accordingly offered himſelfe a ſurety for all mankinde, laying downe a ſufficient ranſome for all, and inviting all by the hand of faith to take ſo much as may ſerve to free themſelves, and ſatisfie for their debt.bEſay 55.1. Ho, every one that thirſteth, ſaith the Prophet, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money: come ye, buy ye wine and milke without money, and without price. cJohn 7.37.If any man thirſt, ſaith our Saviour, let him come unto me and drinke. He that beleeveth on me, as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water. dMat. 11.28.Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden, and I will give you reſt. eApoc. 3.20.Behold, I ſtand at the doore, and knocke: if any man heare my voyce, and open the doore, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him. In the law of Moſes there is a great difference between the Jew and the Gentile; but in Chriſt there is none at all: we who were ſometimes farre off, are made nigh by his bloud.fEpheſ 2.14. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us. Through him we have an acceſſe by one Spirit unto the Father. ver. 18.Now therefore we are no more ſtrangers and forreiners, ver. 19.but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God: gEpheſ. 3.6.Fellow heires, and of the ſame body, and partakers of God his promiſe in Chriſt by the Goſpell. Now as there is one ſhepheard, ſo but one ſheepfold: and for this very cauſe Chriſt is called Lapis angularis, the corner ſtone; becauſe the Gentiles and Jewes, like two ſides of a wall, joyne in him, and are built up to make a holy Temple unto the Lord, which is his viſible Church. Neither are the Gentiles onelyonly admitted into the terreſtriall Jeruſalem and Church militant, but alſo into the celeſtiall and Church triumphant. For ſo we reade, that after therehApoc 7.4.9. were ſealed an hundreth and fourty and foure thouſand of all the tribes of the children of Iſrael, Loe, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues ſtood before the throne, and before the Lambe, cloathed with white robes, and palmes in their hands. Before Chriſt came into the fleſh, there was as it were a ſmall wicket open in heaven for the Gentiles, at which ſome few entered one by one; as Jethro, and Job, and Melchizedeck, and the King of Nineveh, and the Queene of the South, and ſome other: but ſince the death, reſurrection, and aſcenſion of our Lord, wee reade of aiApoc. 4.1. great doore opened in heaven, at which great multitudes may enter together. Even from the beginning of Chriſts comming into the fleſh the Gentiles went in equipage with the Jewes. For when the Angell preached the incarnation of Chriſt to the Jewes, a new Starre preached it to the heathen Sages, that all men might know, according to Simeon his propheſie, thatkLuke 2.32. he was no leſſe a light to lighten the Gentiles, than the glory of his people Iſrael. For this cauſe we may conceive it was, that he was borne in an Inne, not in a private houſe; and baptized in the river Jordan, not in a peculiar font; and ſuffered without the walls of the City, to make it manifeſt unto us, that the benefit of his incarnation, baptiſme, death and paſſion, is not impropriated to any ſort of people, nor incloſed within the pale of Paleſtine, but like the beames of the Sunne diffuſed through the whole world. Thus farre we all teach univerſall grace, that is, the grace and favour of God, offered unto all by the preaching of the Goſpell; not the grace (they call ſufficient) conferred upon all ſince Adam's fall. This ſecret belongeth unto God, to whom he will make this offer of grace effectuall; but that which he hath revealed belongeth to us and our children, thatlTit. 2.11, 12, 13. The grace of God that bringeth ſalvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlineſſe and wordly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world; looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Them2. Tim. 2.19 foundation of God remaineth firme, having this ſeal, God knoweth who are his, not we. We therefore who are diſpenſers of the myſteries of ſalvation, muſt be open handed unto all, and indifferently tender unto them the pretious pearle which the rich Merchant man ſold all that he had to buy.
Firſt, becauſe it is Chriſts expreſſe command that we ſhould doe ſo: Goe, ſaith Chriſt, preach to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt. Or as we finde his words related by Saint Marke; nMarke 16.15.Goe yee into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature. He that beleeveth, and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, but he that beleeveth not ſhall be damned.
2 Next, Becauſe the Elect could not be called by us who cannot diſcerne them from the reprobate, if we preached not the Goſpell to all without exception. Howſoever therefore our preaching to the reprobate doth them little good, proving no better unto them than a ſavour of death unto death; yet our labour is not in vaine in the Lord, becauſe in every aſſembly we may piouſly hope there may be ſome if not many of the Elect, to whom the Word will prove a ſavour of life unto life.
3. Laſtly, By thus propounding conditions of peace, and a deſire of reconciliation on Gods part through Chriſt unto all, the reprobate are debarred of that excuſe which otherwiſe they might uſe, (viz.) that they would have embraced Chriſt if he had beene offered unto them, and have walked in the light of the Goſpel if it had ſhined upon them.
Tullie ſpeaketh of a Panchreſtum medicamentum, a remedy for all diſeaſes; and Plinie of Panaches, a ſalve for every ſore. Such a catholike medicine, ſuch an univerſall ſalve is the death and paſſion of Chriſt, not only ſufficient for all, but alſo ſoveraigne and effectuall unto all: but then this potion muſt be taken, this ſalve muſt be applied.
Obſer. 2 And ſo I fall upon my ſecond note, that though the promiſes of the Goſpel are generall without exception; yet they are not abſolute without condition. The hidden Manna, and the white ſtone, and the new name are promiſed to every one that is ſo qualified. The promiſes of the Goſpel are generall, that none ſhould diſpaire; but yet conditionall, that none ſhould preſume. Eternall life by the miniſtery of the Goſpel is offered unto all, but upon condition of faith:oJohn 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne: that whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhould not periſh, but have life everlaſting. Pardon and remiſſion of ſinnes is promiſed unto all, but upon condition of repentance and new obedience:pEzek. 18.21.22 If the wicked will turne from all his ſinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my ſtatutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he ſhall ſurely live, hee ſhall not die. All his tranſgreſsions that he hath committed, they ſhal not be mentioned unto him; in his righteouſneſſe that he hath done, he ſhall live. Reſt is offered unto all, but upon condition of ſubmiſſion to Chriſts yoake:qMat. 11.29. Take my yoake upon you, and learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly in heart: and you ſhall finde reſt unto your ſoules. Salvation is offered unto all, but upon condition ofrMat. 13.13. perſeverance: he that ſhall endure to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved. An incorruptible crowne is promiſed unto all, but upon condition of faithfulneſſe: Be ſApoc. 2.10.thou faithfull unto death, and I will give thee the crowne of life. Fiſhermen in their draw-nets uſe both lead and corke; lead to pull downe ſome part of it under water, corke to keep the other above. As Fiſhermen, ſo likewiſe the Fiſhers of men in the draw-net of the Goſpel make uſe both of corke and lead; the generall promiſes like corke beare us up (in hope) the conditions like lead keep us downe (in feare.) Theſe conditions cannot bee performed without grace; therefore all muſt implore divine aide: yet grace performeth them not without the concurrence of our will. We muſt therefore exerciſe our naturall faculties, we muſt ſeeke the Kingdome of God, we muſt ſtrive to enter in at the narrow gate, wee muſt ſearch for wiſedome as for treaſure, we muſt labour for the meat that periſheth not, we muſt ſtirre up the graces of God in us, we muſt work out our ſalvation with feare and trembling. tCic. lib. 2. de orat.Lepidus lying all along upon the graſſe, cryed out, Utinam hoc eſſet laborare, O that this were to labour and get the maſtery; ſo many ſtretching themſelves upon their ivory beds, and living at eaſe in Sion, ſay within themſelves, Utinam hoc eſſet militare, O that this were to goe in warfare, and fight under the croſſe: but let them not deceive themſelves, heaven is not got with a wiſh, nor paradiſe with a ſong, nor pardon with a ſigh, nor victory with a breath, it will coſt us many a blow and wound too before we overcome.
Obſerv. 3 There can be no conqueſt without a fight, nor fight without an enemy: who are then our enemies? nay rather who are not? evill angels, men, the creatures, and our ſelves: angels by ſuggeſtions, men by ſeduction and perſecution, the creatures by preſenting baits and provocations, and our ſelves by carnall imaginations, luſts, and affections fight againſt the ſpirit of grace, and kingdome of Chriſt in us: Omnes neceſſarii, omnes adverſarii. Againſt all theſe enemies of our peace with God wee hang up a flag of defiance in our criſme, and lift up our enſigne when we are croſſed in the forehead, and proclaime a warre under Chriſts banner, (in our renouncing the Divell and all his workes) which beginneth at the Font, and endeth at our Grave. Philip graced his warre againſt the Phocenſes, and our Anceſtors their exploits againſt the Saracens for Palaeſtine with the title of Bellum ſacrum, the holy Warre: but neither of their expeditions and martiall attempts ſo properly deſerved that appellation, as this I am now to deſcribe unto you. Thoſe warres were for Religion in truth or pretence; but this warre is Religion and true Chriſtianity: and the weapons of this warfare are no other than holy duties and divine vertues, which by ſome are reduced to three:
1. Prayer,
2. Faſting,
3. Almeſ-deeds.
For, ſay they, as our enemies are three, the Divell, the Fleſh, & the World; ſo they tempt us to three vices eſpecially,
1. Pride,
2. Luxury,
3. Avarice.
Now our ſtrongeſt weapon
1 Againſt pride, is humble prayer.
2 Againſt luxurie, frequent faſting.
3 Againſt avarice, charitable almes.
Howbeit, though theſe are the moſt uſuall, and, if I may ſo ſpeake, portable armes of a Chriſtian; yet there are in his armorie many more, and ſome more forcible than theſe, which St.uEpheſ. 6.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Paul taketh out, and gilds over with theſe ſacred attributes; the ſword of the Spirit, the helmet of ſalvation, the ſhield of faith, the breaſt-plate of righteouſneſſe, the girdle of truth, the ſhooes of preparation of the Goſpel of peace. As this warre is thus holy in reſpect of the weapons uſed in it, ſo much more in reſpect of the Prince that decreeth it, the Heraulds that proclaime it, the field where it is fought, and the cauſe for which it is undertaken. The Prince who decreeth this warre is the Holy One of Iſrael, the Heraulds that proclaime it are the Miniſters of the Goſpel, the field where the battell is fought is the militant Church, the end for which it is undertaken is the advancement of Chriſts kingdome of grace in us, and us in the kingdome of glory. The Roman Hiſtorians divide their warres into three kinds;
1 Externa, forreine.
2 Civilia, civill.
3 Servilia, ſervile.
Forreine againſt other States.
Civill againſt ſeditious Citizens.
Servile againſt mutinous ſlaves.
This our warre partaketh of all theſe three kinds, and may be termed both a forrein, a civill, and a ſervile warre.
A forrein, in reſpect of Sathan and his band.
A civill, in reſpect of the world.
A ſervile, in reſpect of the fleſh and ſlaviſh luſts that warre againſt the Spirit.
In other warres ſome are exempted by their calling, as Prieſts; ſome by their ſexe, as women; ſome by their yeares, as old men and children; ſome by their indiſpoſition of body or minde, as ſicke and impotent perſons not able to beare armes: but in this warre it is otherwiſe; none can challenge any priviledge. Not Prieſts, for they blow the trumpet, and give the onſet; not children, for as ſoone as they are borne they are enrolled in the Captaines booke, and are croſſe-ſigned for this ſervice in baptiſme: and it may be ſaid of many of them asxPet. Dam. ſerm. de ſanct. Vict. Prius vicit quam vincere noſcet. Damianus ſpake of St. Victor the confeſſour, He conquered before he could know what it was to conquer: and St. Cyprian of martyred infants for Chriſt in his dayes,yCyp. ep. 4. Aetas necdum habilis ad pugnam idonea, extitit ad coronam. The age which was not yet fit for warre was found worthy to receive a crowne. Not women, for they fight daily the good fight of faith, and many of them are crowned in heaven with white and red garlands; white, conſiſting of lillies, in token of their chaſtity and innocent purity; red, conſiſting of roſes, in teſtimony of their zCyp. de …a…. vi…g. …ortior … vi…is to…quen… u… i…ve…tutor.blood ſhed for the name of Chriſt. Not aged and infirme perſons, for like Saint*2 Cor 12 10. Paul, when they are weake then they are ſtrong, nay when they are weakeſt then they are ſtrongeſt; when they are weakeſt in body, they are ſtrongeſt in ſpirit; when they lye on their death-bed, and are not able to ſtirre hand nor foot, they grapple with thea1 Pet. 5.8. roaring Lion (that runneth about ſeeking whom hee may devoure) and conquer him by their faith. In other warres though the fight laſt many houres, yet in the end either the night, or the weather, or the victory, or the flight on one ſide parteth the armies, and oftentimes neceſſity enforceth on both ſides a truce for a time: but this warre admitteth no intermiſſion, abideth no peace or truce; all yeelding is death, and treaties of peace mortall. In all other battels hee that killeth conquereth, and hee that is ſlaine is conquered; but in this the perſecuters who ſlay arebCyp. d… lapſ. Se…ciunt to… to…quentibus fo…tor…s, & pulſantes, & la…nt…s un… las, pulſ…ta & l…mat… membra, vicerunt. conquered; and the Martyrs who are ſlaine, and breath out their ſoules with a triumphant Io Paean in the flames of fire, are the conquerers.cPareus in Apoc. Corporaliter victi ſunt, ſpiritualitèr vicerunt, dum in verá Chriſti fide ad mortem uſ…; perſtiterunt. Paraeus expoundeth this riddle, The ſervants of Chriſt who ſeale the truth with their blood, are in their bodies maſtered, but in their ſoules undaunted, and much more unconquered; whileſt notwithſtanding all the tortures and torments which the malice of man or devill can put them to, they perſiſt in the profeſsion of the true faith unto death: For this is the d1 Joh. 5.4.victory of the world, even our faith. In that famous battell at Leuctrum, where the Thebans got a ſignall victory, but their Captaine Epaminondas his deaths wound; Plutarch writeth of him that he demanded whether his buckler had beene taken by the enemy, and when hee underſtood that it was ſafe, and that they had not laid hands on it, hee died moſt willingly and cheerefully. Such is the reſolution of a valiant ſouldier of Chriſt Jeſus, when hee is wounded even unto death, hee hath an eye to his ſhield of faith, and finding that out of the enemies danger, his ſoule marcheth out of this world, ſinging Saint Pauls triumphant ditty;e2 Tim. 4.7.8 I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: Henceforth is layd up for me a crowne of righteouſneſſe.
To cleare the ſumme which I have beene all this while in caſting; Chriſtian victory is a prerogative of the regenerate, purchaſed unto them by Chriſts death and reſurrection, whereby in all conflicts and temptations they hold out to the end, and in the end overcome on earth, and after triumph in heaven.
Firſt, it is a prerogative of the regenerate: for none but thoſe that aref1 Joh. 5.4. borne of God overcome the world.
Secondly, this prerogative is purchaſed unto them by Chriſt, and therefore the Apoſtle aſcribeth the glory of it to his grace:g1 Cor. 15.57 Thankes bee unto God who giveth us victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
Thirdly, this victory is not in one kinde of fight, but in all, whether Satan, the world, or the Devill aſſault us; whether they lay at our underſtanding by ſophiſticall arguments, or at our will by ſinfull perſwaſions, or at our ſenſes by unlawfull delights: whether our profeſſion bee oppugned by hereſie, or our unity by ſchiſme, or our zeale by worldly policy, or our temperance by abundance, or our confidence in God by wants, or our conſtancy by perſecution, or our watchfulneſſe by carnall ſecurity, or our perſeverance by continuall batteries of temptations; in all wee are more than conquerours through him that loved us.hRom. 8.35.36.37. What, or who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or ſword? (as it is written, For thy ſake wee are killed all the day long, we are accounted as ſheep for the ſlaughter;) Nay in all theſe things we are more than conquerours, &c.
Obſer. 6 None can overcome who fighteth not valiantly; none can fight valiantly unleſſe they be trained up in Martiall affaires, and provided of good and fit armour both for offence and defence: this ſpirituall armour is got by inſtant and conſtant prayer, and reading and meditating on Gods word; and wee put it on by due application of what wee read and heare; and wee uſe it by the exerciſe of thoſe divine vertues above mentioned, from whence the ſeverall pieces of our armour take their names. Moreover, that a man may conquer his enemie, three things are moſt requiſite,
1 Exaſperation.
2 Courage.
3 Conſtancy.
Exaſperation ſetteth him on, Courage giveth him ſtrength, and Conſtancy holdeth out to the end. Exaſperation is neceſſary, becauſe anger (as Ariſtotle teacheth) is the goad or ſpurre of fortitude: neither indeed can any man maintaine a hot fight in cold blood. And this is the cauſe why wee are ſo often put to the worſt in our ſpirituall conflicts, becauſe wee fight like her in the Poet, Tanquam quae vincere nollet; wee fight not in earneſt againſt our corruptions, but either in ſhew onelyonly, dallying, or faintly without any earneſt deſire of revenge. SaintiAug. confeſſ. l. 8. c. 7. In exordio adoleſcentiae petieram chaſtitatem ſed timebam ne me nimis citò audiret, & citò ſanaret à morbo concupiſcentiae, quem malebam expleri quam extingui. Auſtine before his thorough converſion prayed againſt fleſhly luſts, but (as he confeſſeth with great anguiſh & ſorrow of heart for his inſincerity) ſo aukwardly, & againſt his will, that ſecretly hee deſired that his luſt ſhould rather be accompliſhed than extinguiſhed. As it was then with him, ſo it is with too many that take upon them the profeſſion of Chriſtians, and would thinke it foule ſcorne to bee taken for other than true converts. When the voluptuous perſon offereth a formall prayer to God, to extinguiſh the impure flame of luſt riſing out of the cindars of originall ſinne, Satan ſetteth before his fancy the picture of his beautifull Miſtreſſe; and as the Calor ambiens, or outward heat in a body diſpoſed to putrefaction, draweth out the naturall heat; ſo this impure heat of luſt draweth out all the ſpirituall heat of devotion, and ſo his faint prayer againſt ſinne is turned into ſinne. In like manner while the covetous man prayeth againſt that baſe affection in his ſoule, which ever deſireth that wherewith it is neverkAriſtophan. in Plut. foreign. Sen. ep. 15. Si quid in his eſſet ſolidi, aliquando implerent, nunc haurientium ſitim concitant. Horat. carm. l. 2. od. 2. Creſcit indulgens ſibi dirus hydrops, nec ſitim pellit, niſi cauſa morbi fugerit venis, & aquoſus albocorpore languor. ſatisfied, Mammon repreſenteth unto him the riſing up of his heapes, and ſwelling of his bagges by his uſe-mony, whereby his heart is tickled, and ſo his prayer alſo turneth into ſinne. Thus all ſinners that are not brought to a perfect hatred and deteſtation of their boſome ſinne, even whileſt they pray againſt the forbidden fruit, hold it under their tongue, and their carnall delights ſuffocate their godly ſorrow.
Spirituall courage is moſt neceſſary, that is, confidence in God and in the power of his might. This confidence is the immediate effect of a lively faith, which S. John callethl1 Joh. 5 4. the victory of the world. When Chriſt bad Peter come to him walking on the ſea, upon the riſing of a ſtorme Peters faith began to faile, and no ſooner his heart ſanke in his body, but his feete alſo ſanke in the water; even ſo when any ſtorme of perſecution ariſeth for the word, when wee ſee our ſelves encompaſſed on every ſide with dangers and terrours, and our faith faileth, wee preſently ſinke in deſpaire, if Chriſt ſtretch not out his hand preſently to ſupport us, and eſtabliſh our heart in his promiſes.
3 Thirdly, conſtant perſeverance is moſt needfull; for though all vertues runne in the race of a Chriſtian life, yet perſeverance alone obtaineth the garland. Suppoſe a ſhip to be fraught with rich merchandiſe, to have held a proſperous courſe all the way, and eſcaped both rockes and Pyrats, yet if it bee caſt away in the haven, the owner is nothing the better for it, but loſeth his goods, fraight, and hope alſo. For this cauſe it is that in all the promiſes in theſe letters of the hidden Manna, the white Stone, the water of Life, the tree of Life, the crowne of Life, &c. the onelyonly condition that is expreſt is perſeverance. To him that overcommeth I will give, &c. for without it faith is not faith, but a wavering opinion; hope is not hope, but a golden dreame; zeale is not zeale, but a ſudden heat; joy but a flaſh, love but a paſſion, temperance but a phyſicke diet for a time, valour but a bravado, patience but weake armour notable to hold out. All therefore who expect to eat of the hidden Manna, and receive the white ſtone with the new name, muſt get unto themſelves, and put on the whole armour of God, and be daily trained in Chriſts ſchoole; and when they are called to joyne battell, out of an exaſperated hatred againſt the enemies of their ſoule, with great confidence and courage fight againſt Satan and his temptations; the world and all the ſinfull allurements in it; the fleſh and the noyſome luſts thereof, ſtrenuouſly, valiantly, and conſtantly, never putting off their armour till they put off their bodies, nor quitting the field till they enter into the celeſtiall Canaan, whereof the terreſtriall was a type; and what title the Jewes had to the one, wee have to the other, not by purchaſe, but by promiſe: yet as the recovery of that Land coſt the Jewes, ſo the recovery of this coſteth the Saints of God much ſweat, and blood too ſometimes; but neither that ſweat nor that blood is the price of the Land of Promiſe, but themJoh. 7.29. blood of the immaculate Lamb of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the world. In which regard the ProphetnHoſ. 10.12. Hoſea, having exhorted the people to ſow in righteouſneſſe, varieth the phraſe, and ſaith not yee ſhall reape in righteouſneſſe, but, yee ſhall reape in mercy. Why not reape in righteouſneſſe as well as ſow in righteouſneſſe? becauſe mans righteouſneſſe is not anſwerable to Gods, and therefore hee muſt plead for his reward at the throne of mercy, not at the barre of juſtice. For though the wages of ſinne is death, yet eternall life is the gift of God by Jeſus Chriſt: to whom bee aſcribed, &c.