A Golden Chain, Chapter 43
CHAP. 43. Of the third Assault.
THe third Assault is concerning Sanctificatio….
The tentation, is a prouoking to sinne, according as the disposition of e…ry man, and as occasion shall offer it selfe. 1. Chron. 21.1. And Satan st…d vp against Israel, and prouoked Dauid to number Israel. Ioh. 13.2. And when supper was done, the deuill had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot, Simons sonne, to betray him.
In this tentation, the deuil doth wonderfully diminish and extenuate those sinnes, which men are about to commit, partly by obiecting closely the mercy of god, and partly by couering or hiding the punishment, which is due for the sinne.
Then, there are helpes to further the deuill in this his tentation.
First, the flesh which lusteth against the spirit, sometimes by begetting euill motions and affections, and sometimes by ouerwhelming and oppressing the good intentents and motions. Gal. 5.17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, & the spirit against the flesh: and thes… are contrarie one to another, so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would. 19. Moreouer, the works of the flesh are manifest, which are adulterie, fornication, vncleannesse, wantonnesse. 20. Idolatrie, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditiōs, heresies. 21. Enuy, murthers, drunkennesse, gluttonie, and such like, whereof I tell you before, as I also hauehave told you before, that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of god. Iam. 1.14. But eueryevery man is tempted, when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence, and is entised.
Secondly, the world, which bringeth men to disobedience, through pleasure, profit, honour, and euill examples. Eph. 2.3. Among whom we also had our conuersation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, in fulfilling the will of the flesh, and of the minde, and were by nature the children of wrath, as well as others. 1. Ioh. 2. 16. For all that is in the world, as the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eies, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world.
Resistance, is made by the desire of the spirit, which worketh good motiōs and affections in the faithfull, and driueth forth the euill. Gal. 5.22. But the fruite of the spirit is louelove, ioy, peace, long suffering, gentlenes, goodnes, faith, 23. Meeknes, temperancie: against such there is no law. 24. For they that are Christs, hauehave crucified the flesh, with the affections and the lusts thereof. 26. Let vsus not be desirous of vaine glory, prouoking one another, enuying one another.
The preseruatiues are these, whereby Men are strengthened in resisting.
I. To account no sinne, light or small. Gal. 5.9. A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe. Rom. 6.23. For the wages of sinne is death, but the gift of God is eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
II. To auoide all occasions of sinne. To these rather agreeth the prouerbe vsed of the plague: longè, tardè, citò: that is, aloofe, slowly, quickly. 1. Thess. 5.22. Abstaine from all appearance of euill. Iud. v.23. And other saue with feare, pulling them out of the fire, and hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh.
III. To accustome thy selfe to subdue the lesser sinnes, that at the last, thou maist also ouercome the greater. Rom. 13.4.
IV. To apply thy selfe to thy appointed calling, and alway to be busily occupied about something in the same.
V. To oppose the lawe, the iudgements of god, the last iudgement, the glorious presence of God, and such like, against the rebellion and loosenesse of the flesh. Prou. 28.14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euil. Gen. 39.9. There is no man greater in this house then I: neither hath he kept any thing from me, but onelyonly thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I doe this great wickednesse, and so sinne against God.
Here certaine remedies take place.
Against vniust anger, or priuate desire of reuenge. Here meditate, I. Iniuries; they happen vntounto vsus by the Lords appointment, for our good. 2. Sam. 16. to II. God of his great goodnes forgiueth vsus far more sinnes, then it is possible for vsus to forgiue men. III. It is the dutie of Christian louelove to forgiue others. IV. We must not desire to destroy them, whom Christ hath redeemed by his pretious blood. V. We our selues are in danger of the wrath of God, if we suffer our wrath to burne against our brother. Forgiue (saith he) and it shall be forgiuen. VI. We know not the circumstances of the facts, what the minde was, and purpose of them against whome we swell.
Bridles, or externall remedies, are these: I. In this we shall imitate the clemencie of the Lord, who for a very great season doth often tollerate the wicked. Learne of me, for I am humble and meeke. II. There must be a pausing and time of delay, betwixt our anger and the execution of the same. Athenodorus counselled Augustus that he, beeing angrie, should repeat all the letters of the Alphabet, or A B C, before he, against another, did either speake or doe any thing. III. To depart out of those places where those are, with whom we are angrie. IV. To auoide contention, both in worde and in deede. Doe nothing through contention.
Remedies against those bad desires of riches, and honour, I. God doth euē in famine quicken and reuiue them, which feare him. Psal. 33.18, 19. The eye of the Lord is vponupon them that feare him, to deliuer their soules from death, and to preserue them from famine. II. Godlines is great gaine, if the minde of man can be therewith content. 1. Tim. 6.6. III. We do wait & looke for the resurrection of the bodie, and eternall life: therefore we should not take such carking care for this present mortal life. IV. We are seruāts in our fathers house, therefore looke what is conuenient for vsus, that will he louingly bestowe vponupon vsus. V. The palpable blindnes of an ambitious minde, desireth to be set aloft, that he may hauehave the greater downe-fall: and he feareth to be humbled, least he should not be exalted. VI. Adam when he would needes be checke-mate with God, did bring both himselfe and his posteritie headlong to destruction. VII. He is a very ambitious rob-God, which desireth to take that commendation to himselfe, which is appropriate onelyonly to the Lord.
Preseruatiues against the desires of the flesh. I. He that will be Christs disciple, must eueryevery daie take vp his crosse. Luk. 9.23. II. They which are according to the spirit, sauour of such things as are according to the spirit. Rom. 8.5. III. We ought to behaue ourselues as citizens of the kingdome of heauen. Phil. 3.20. IV. We are the temple of god. 1. Cor. 3.6. Our members, they are the members of Christ. 1. Cor. 6.15. And we hauehave dwelling within vsus the spirit of Christ, which we should not grieue. Eph. 4.30. Concerning this, look more in the explication of the seuenth commandement.
In this tentation the fall is, when a man beeing preuented, falleth into some offence. Gal. 6.1.
Here Satan doth wonderfully aggrauate the offence committed, and doth accuse and terrifie the offender with the iudgements of God. Mat. 27.3. Then when Iudas which betraied him, sawe that he was condemned, he repented himselfe, and brought again the thirtie pieces of siluer, to the chiefe priests & elders, 4. saying, I hauehave sinned, betraying the innocent blood: but they said, What is that to vsus? see thou to it. 5. And when he had cast downe the siluer pieces in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged himselfe.
The remedie is, a renued repentance, the beginning whereof is sorrowe in regard of God, for the same sinne: the fruits herof are especially seuen. 2. Cor. 7.9. Nowe I reioice not that ye were sorrie, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye sorrowed godly, so that in nothing ye were hurt by vsus. 10. For godly sorrowe causeth repentance vntounto saluation, not to be repented of: but worldly sorrow causeth death. 11. For behold, this thing that ye hauehave beene godly sorrie, what great care hath it wrought in you: yea, what clearing of your selues: yea, what indignation: yea, what feare: yea, how great desire: yea, what zeale: yea, what punishment: in all things ye hauehave shewed your selues, that ye are pure in this matter.
I. A desire of doing well.
II. An Apologie, that is, a confession of the sinne before God, with a requiring of pardon for the offence. Psal. 32.5. Then I acknowledged my sinne vntounto thee, neither hid I mine iniquitie: for I thought, I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vntounto the Lord, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne. 2. Sam. 12. 13. Then Dauid said vntounto Nathan, I hauehave sinned against the Lord: and Nathan said vntounto Dauid, The Lord also hath put away thy sinne, thou shalt not die.
III. Indignation against a mans selfe, for his offence.
IV. A feare, not so much for the punishment, as for offending the Lord. Psal. 130.3. If thou straightly markest iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
V. A desire to be fully renued, and to be deliuered from sinne.
VI. A feruent zeale to louelove God, and to embrace and keepe all his commandements.
VII. Reuenge, whereby the flesh may be tamed and subdued, least at any time afterward, such offences be committed.