The Saints Submission and Satans Overthrow, Sermon 3

The Saints Submission and Satans Overthrow · Sermon 3

p. 231THE THIRD SERMON.

IAMES. 4. vers. 7.

Submit your selves therefore unto God: resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

THus much hath hitherto been spoken of those words p. 232of the text, Resist the divell, now wee come to the second part, the promise, in these words, and hee will flee from you. This is a promise of incouragement to resist the divell, because they that doe so shall surely overcome. The like argument the Apostle useth, Rom. 6. 14 Thus Captaines use to encourage their souldiers in hope of victory; p. 233when we have fought with Satan a long time, and yet find not that we prevailed, presently wee are ready to saint, and to give over battell: now to prevent this, we have here a promise of victory. Yea, the words intimate something more the divell shall flee from you; wee shall not onelyonly prevaile against him, but also wee shall be p. 234lesse tempted by him hee shall depart from us, wee may see this in our owne head Christ, Math. 4. 11… hence then the doctrine ariseth;

That whosoever doth truly resist the divell,Doct. shall get the victory of him.

Which victory is double, both generall, according to the generall resolution a man hath to resist Satan p. 235in all his tentations, and also particular in every tentation. For proofe of this doctrine wee have those words, 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of tentation, and those 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to bee tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that yee may be able to beare it. p. 236This promise Go… performes, either by encreasing the strēgth and patience of him that suffers, or else by lessening the affliction and tentation according to his strength.

The reasons of this doctrine may bee these,Reas. the first is taken out of Rom. 6. 14. where the promise is this, Sinne (that is originall corruption) shall p. 237…ot have dominion over us, …en neither shall the …ivell himselfe have …ominion over us, …ut sinne, saith the A…ostle, shall have no do…inion, therefore not …e divell.

The second reason 2…ay be, because wee …e in Christs kee…ing, 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are …ept, saith the Apo…le, by the power of God, …rough faith unto salva…n. Christ is our p. 238shepheard, and wee his sheepe, so that hee will take care for every one of us, hence those most sweet and comfortable words▪ Ioh. 10. 27, 28. My sheep… heare my voyce, and … know them, and they follow mee. And I give unto them eternall life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand. Yea, Christ testifies of himselfe, Iohn. 17. 12. p. 239that hee had not lost one of those whom his Father had given him. Besides, if the death of Christ was able to reconcile us unto God, then much more his life being a more powerfull meanes, shall preserve us to eternall life, this is the Apostl… owne argument, Rom. 5. 9. O Much more, being iustified by his bloud, wee shall bee saved from wrath p. 240through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne: much more being reconciled, wee shall bee saved by his life. And although wee have not this preservation for our owne sakes, yet God will preserve us for his owne names sake, we being his portion, The Lords portion is his people, Iacob is the lot of his inheritance, saith Moses in p. 241his most divine songs Deut. 32. 9. Surely God will not loss his portion, therefore hee will preserve his children which are his portion.

The third reason is drawne from the weaknesse of our enemy,3 with whom we fight, namely Satan, who hath received his deaths-wound, and over whom Christ hath p. 242triumphed, as appears Col. 2 15. Hee hath spoiled, saith the Apostle, principalities and powers, and hath made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them on his crosse. Now the divels strength is not taken from him, but he is spoyled of that liberty which he had before, of exercising his power upon us; for hee had power as a tormentor once over us, and p. 243liberty to use that power, but now all his liberty is taken away, and therefore hee onelyonly tempts and afflicts the children of God by permission, and hee can goe no further then God permits. Hee could not tempt Iob at all, untill hee had permission from God, and then also hee could afflict him onelyonly after that measure, and p. 244by that means which God suffered him. For the further clearing of this truth some objections that may be made, and which use to arise would be answered.

If indeed in the time of tentation I were perswaded that I were truly in Christ,Object. then I should not doubt to get the victory, but in tentation I cannot finde p. 245this perswasion.

Some men are in the state of grace,Answ. others are not. Now this promise indeed, as all of the like kind, pertaine to them that are in the state of grace; and for such, in tentation they are neither to beleeve Satan, nor their owne reason; for a man in tentation, is like one in a swound, who hath no use of his senses, let p. 246a man therefore consider his former life, whether there hath beene any reformation in that; whether he hath felt a change in his heart, which if he can find, whatsoever he feeles for the present, he needs not doubt but hee is in Christ. Now amongst other signes this is a speciall one, if he can find that hee doth truly resist the tentation, p. 247not for the avoiding of vexation or perplexity that doth accompany it, but for the avoiding of sinne which hee is tempted unto. Otherwise, if the party bee not in the state of grace, then first he must apply to himselfe the promise of sanctification, and must beleeve his engrafting into Christ, before he can have the promise, p. 248or apply to himselfe the victory.

But it may bee objected,Obj. that a man may beleeve a falshood, which hee is not bound to doe.

For answer hereunto we must know that there is,Ans. a twofold act of faith, the first is to cast a mans selfe upon Christ for the remission of his sinnes, and this is sufficient for justification p. 249as appeares, Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not, but beleeveth on him that iustifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse. After this application truely made, will follow love, repentance, and obedience. The second act is a reflex act, whereby a man is perswaded that hee doth beleeve, from whence ariseth spirituall joy. Hence the p. 250Apostle in his prayer for the Saints at Rome, Rom. 15. 13. phraseth it thus, Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeving. He that will exercise this second act of faith before the former, beleeves a falshood, otherwise if a man have the former, hee ought to exercise the second, and then hee needs not doubt of the victorie p. 251in tentation.

Many have had experience of the contrary,Object. so that although they have often and long resisted Satan, yet they are still foyled by him.

Though indeed they be foiled for the present,Answ. yet they get more strength afterwards, according to that, Rom. 8. 28. All things worke for the best unto those which love God, p. 252to them who are called according to his purpose. Yea further, the divell failes in both his ends in tempting them, his first end is to have his house swept, the other to have it garnished, that is, to empty the heart of grace, and to strengthen sinne in him, now this endevour to strengthen sinne, is frustrated, both in regard of the p. 253guilt and power of it; First, for the guilt he is not able to make that plaine against us, because God accepts of our persons, and nothing in the old man can hinder God from accepting the new man in us. And although upon the committing of every sinne there doth necessarily follow a guilt, yet repentance & the righteousnesse p. 254of Christ comes betweene, and hindereth the same from redounding upon the person of the beleever.

Secondly, in regard of the power of sin, his tentation makes not sinne have more dominion over us, or more sway in us, but the contrary, like as the water of a well that hath mud at the bottome, although p. 255some may thinke it the fouler for the mudde, yet it is the clearer. So the corruptions of a mans heart being stirred by tentation, after become lesse, this being an occasion of their purging, for hereby a man sees his corruptions which lay dead before, and so labours to purge his heart from them, see this evidently in Hezekiah p. 256for his failing, which is set downe 2. Chron▪ 32. 3. he had a profitable end of it, as is expressed vers. 26. David had a secret trusting to the multitude of the people before he numbred them, although he saw it not in himselfe, but as soone as he had numbred them, his heart smote him, and then he was humbled for his sinne. Secondly, p. 257tentations are so farre from emtpying us of grace, that they increase it in us divers wayes. First, because they drive us neerer to Christ, to seeke him, they make us fitter to receive him, for wee must be emptyed of our selves, before we are fit to receive Christ. Secondly, because they increase humility in us, which is the p. 258ground of all Gods graces, so that there is no grace but hath his rooting herein, that tentations doe humble us, and empty us of all conceit of our selves, appeares plainly in the example of Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 8. Thirdly, because grace is purified by afflictions, as spotted clothes, are clensed by washing, and like as gold is purified by the fire; so p. 259then the meanes which Satan useth to winnow out the good corne, and to leave the chaffe, to purge out the pure gold, and leave the drosse, the same meanes God turnes to the contrary, to winnow out the chaffe from the good corne, and to purge out the drosse from the pure gold.

Another answer to p. 260the former objectio… may be this, thoug… God suffer Satan t… foile his children, ye… in the end they over…come and becom… conquerors, as in bat…tell a man may re…ceive many foyles… and many wound… of his enemies, and yet in the end overcome him.

But wee have had experience,Object. that many have lyen under a p. 261…entation to their …eath, and have not …eemed to have over…ommed it, how …ould these prevaile …ver Satan?

For answer,Answ. wee …ust know the spirit …eing in the child of God tempted, there …ust needs bee some …ct and fruit of the …pirit, although the …arty himselfe dis…erne it not, and this …orke of the spirit is p. 262such as God accepts▪ Rom. 8. 26, 27. So the… the victory is in truth though not in shew, and therefore as profitable to them But here this caution must bee added, that wee looke not to overcome whilest we stand still and remain idle, wee must performe our duty, before wee can expect that God will performe his promise, p. 263we must therefore resist the divell. God keepes and preserves us, but it is by means, as appeares 1 Pet. 1. 5. God keepeth us through faith unto salvation, and the Apostle S. Iohn saith, that hee who hath a true hope, will purifie himselfe as God is pure, 1 Ioh. 3. 3. Although God be said to keepe us, yet wee are said to keepe our selves, which is to be done by a carefull p. 264use of the meanes which God hath appointed. If a Patient should professe that hee had committed his life unto the skill of the Physitian, and wholly depended upon him, whereas notwithstanding hee would neither abstain from the things which his physitian told him to bee hurtfull, nor take any thing which hee prescribed, p. 265were this man to be beleeved? The like may be said of him who professeth, he desires to get the victory in ten…ations, and that he depends upon God wholly for it, and yet never useth the meanes God hath appointed for it. Now these are especially three, two whereof are things to be abstained from, namely p. 266reasoning and conferring with Satan and gazing upon the object, one thing is to be done to get the armour of salvation, to be girt with it, to have the shield of faith especially; there is none which hath beene overcome in tentation, but he hath failed in one or all of these. Eve failed in all, she conferred with the Serpent. Secondly, p. 267shee gazed upon the object, the fruit of the forbidden tree. Thirdly, she used not the shield of faith, to reject the lyes of the Serpent, who said you shall not dye at all, when God had said to the contrary. The like wee see in Davids tentation, hee gazed upon the object till he was taken, neither did he use the armour p. 268of salvation as he ought to have done. Iob failed in neither of them, when as hee said, Iob 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes, there is his resolution, for not reasoning or disputing with his corruptions; why then should I thinke upon a maid? there is his resolution for not staring upon the object, For what portion of God is p. 269there from above? and vers. 3. it is evident that it was faith in beleeving the threatnings of God towards the wicked, whereby he was terrified from walking in their wayes; Is not destruction to the wicked? saith hee, and a strange punishment to workers of iniquity? Doth not hee see my wayes, and count all my steps?

Now followes someVse 1▪ p. 270Consectaries or Vses from the former doctrine, the first may be for reproofe of those who stirre not up themselves to resist the divell, notwithstanding they have the promise here made them: Such are those who by custome, and the bad inclination of their natures, give themselves to some lusts which they never set p. 271themselves against, and herewithall they excuse themselves, it is their weaknesse and inclination of their nature, they must be borne with, their heart is good, and their mind is good, but to these bee it spoken, their excuses wil not defend them, for if they would resist as they ought, the promise is made to them, they should not p. 272faile to overcome. This is the excuse usually made of most men for some principall lust that raignes in them. But whereas they have the promise of God for victory, there should be no doubt of overcomming: and whosoever doth not last out these Anakims, these lusts, which are his deadly and sworn enemies betimes, hee p. 273shall find they will be pricks to his sides, and thornes to his conscience, even all his life-time, and at the houre of his death especially.

The second Vse is for tryall.Vse 2. Herē wee may have a rule to try whether we have resisted Satan or no, and surely most fearfull is their estate, who have not put Satan to flight by resisting, p. 274but are put to flight by him in yeelding, and of these there bee two sorts; First, those who never resist at all. Secondly, those who after resisting a while fall away, and give over. First for those who never felt any combat of Satan, and know not what his assaults meane, it is impossible that they should bee escaped p. 275out of Satans power, he will never leave his possession so easily. We see when he was cast out of one, whose body hee did but possesse, before his departure, he rent and tare him, and will he so easily leave the possession of a soule, which is his more proper seat? How then can any man think he hath gotten the victory in this spiritual p. 276combate when he hath not stricken a stroake, nor felt any blow, none are Christs souldiers, or those whom he came to redeeme, but such as are described, Isa. 61. 1, 2, 3. The Apostle saith, Rom. 8. 15. Yee have not received againe the spirit of bondage to feare, &c. intimating that they received that, before they received the spirit of adoption; whosoever p. 277therefore hath not felt any assault from Satan, sure it is that as yet Satan raignes in him as his king, and those men who themselves have had no skirmish with Satan, for the most part censure rashly of such whom they observe to bee more fearefull of offending in lesser matters. Yea, indeed they judge foolishly of the p. 278wayes of God, having had no experience of them. But the estate of the second sort who fall away is most fearfull, and those men become most dangerous of all, and greatest enemies to the most sincere professors, because they have had some knowledge in the wayes of God; that the estate of these men is fearfull p. 279appeares Heb. 10. 26. If wee sinne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne, but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement, and fiery indignation, which shall devoure the adversaries; and verse last, wee are not of them who drawe backe unto perdition. Here is implied, that such as draw back doe it unto perdition. Now p. 280that these men resisted not truely appeares, because they fell away, for if they had they could not but have gotten the victory. Men use to bee deceived in this kind three wayes, and when any of these happen they fall away. First, when men thinke they sorrow and repent for their sinnes, whereas indeed it is for the punishment p. 281and smart which they feele for them, thus did the people Hos. 7. 14. it was for the losse of their corne and wine for which they howled, they had onelyonly an outward humiliation, there was no crying to God in the heart; so much the Lord testifies by the Prophet, They have not cryed to mee with their heart, when they howled p. 282upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn… and wine, and they rebe… against me. The same people are compare… to a brittle bow, vers. 16. they stood bent with many faire promises, but when they came once to be proved, they failed of their pretences, as a brittle bow that knaps asunder being tryed, thus many are humbled for some p. 283present affliction that lyes upon them, or for the avoyding of some sensible trouble, when they have no resolution to repent, and turne to God, it is seldome done, but in passion, and so continues not. Evill men never doe good but in passion, as good men never doe evill but in passion; but when the blast of passion is over, p. 284then every man goes his owne way, the good man forward to heaven, the wicked man forward to hell. This was the fault of the second ground, which thogh it received the Word, yet brought forth no fruit, because the seed had no rooting. Secondly, it may be that the reasons which perswade a man at the first to breake off p. 285his sins, are not strong enough, and therefore when stronger reasons are brought on the other side, hee is not able to resist, but is constrained to yeeld, and so fall away; He doth like a King, which with ten thousand souldiers would goe meet his adversary with twentie thousand, and so is overcome. Thirdly, a man will p. 286breake off some sins though not all, and so thinke hee repents, whereas there remaines some speciall corruption which he will not part withall, and therefore when religion and this lust shall stand in opposition, religion must give way, and thus he falls from the truth, of this sort were Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 20.

p. 287The third Vse is for exhortation,Vse 3. nor man ought to faint, bee Satans temptations what they will, for there is a promise of victory which ought to sustaine every one. Now Satans temptations are of three sorts, either against a mans effectuall calling, and the certainty thereof, or else against a mans justification, or thirdly against p. 288a mans sanctification. First for our effectuall calling, wee have the spirit of God which doth witnesse the same to our spirits, and all the difficulties here arise from the want of our full resolution to resist Satan Consider what Christ saith, Math. 11. 30. My yoke is easie, and my burden light; The difficultie hereof, that Satan would p. 289make us beleeve to bee, in leading a Christian life is not so. Christs law is there called a burden, because it is so to our corrupt nature, and it is also called a yoke, because it containes a man within the bounds of his obedience, as the yoke containes the Oxe in his ranke, and order, but as soone as the burden of sin, which p. 290is truly a burthen, becomes heavy and irksome to us, then the burthen, of Gods law will bee light, and when the yoke of sin is heavy to us, then the yoke of the law will be easie and light. Satan therefore is a lyer, as he alwaies hath beene, when he tells us, of the heavinesse of Christs yoke, for if we bring with us a resolution to p. 291beare it, a will and an endevour, Christ will make it easie to us.

Secondly for our justification, a Christian in this tentation, must imitate Iob, who being tempted very strongly in this kinde, yet held his hold, and it will alwayes be to his praise that hee did so; as a Christian ought not to conceive his corruptions to bee lesse p. 292then they are, so also hee ought not to conceive the graces of God in him, to be lesse then they are: his faith ought never to faile to lay hold on its object, so that although God for a time seeme to hide his face; yet as wee doubt not, but the Sunne shines when it is under a cloud, so even then the Christian ought not to p. 293doubt of Gods favour, but to beleeve that the light of his countenance will againe shine out.

Thirdly, to overcome tentations against our sanctification, let us take up the duty commended by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch yee, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men. The Apostle himselfe as a good captaine, leades p. 294this way which hee points out to others, as we may see 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keepe under my body, and bring it into subjection, left that by any meanes when I have preached to others, I my selfe should bee a castaway. It was the sinne and ruine of the Israelites, in that they would not beleeve the victory, which GOD promised to them in subduing the p. 295Canaanites, and so it will bee our ruine also, if we beleeve not the promise of God for victory over Satan. We must know that we are as well to beleeve the promises of our sanctification, as of our justification, as may be gathered from that of the Apostle Iames 1. 5. If any man want wisdome, let him aske of God, and it shall be given him. The p. 296same may bee said of any other grace, and it followes ver. 6. Let him aske in saith and wa…er not, for …ee that wave…eth, is like a wave of the Sea; he is like a wave, in that hee is carried backward & forward without any constancy. Let us therefore stirre up our selves to resist Satan, and not to faint in the combate, for Satans chiefe end is to weary us p. 297out, that so we may give over, for so long as wee continue striving, hee getteth no victory; the victory is then gotten, when we give over; if wee give not backe, but beleeve, and continue striving. we shall bee sure to be saved, H…b. 10. 39. Here because some think they have overcome, when they have not, it is necessary to know p. 298the signes of yeelding unto Satan, which are these;

1The first signe is, when wee lay aside the weapons of our spirituall warfare, as, to pray lesse, to heare the word of God more seldome, to forsake religious company, to avoide occasions of sin lesse, and when wee doe not continue, to use these weapons wherwith p. 299Satan is resisted, then surely wee yeeld unto him.

Secondly, when a 2mans griefe and trouble, such as use to accompany the resisting of Satan, are lesse, and his security more. There is a twofold peace of conscience; the one ariseth from yeelding to Satans tentation, after a man hath beene long sollicited by him. The p. 300other ariseth from victory by a constant resisting: the former is proper to the wicked, the other to the godly.

3Thirdly, when sin begins to prevaile in a man more, which is then, when a man begins to have a fuller purpose of sinning afore-hand, lesse reluctancy in the committing of it, and when hee passeth over p. 301it more steightly, and with lesse griefe being committed. These are the signes of yeelding unto Satan. Now followes some helpes against him to procure the victory.

1First, wee must know that strong lusts will not be overcome but by a strong meanes. Dangerous diseases are not cured but by strong potions, p. 302and more then ordinary medicines. Many not considering this, have not gotten the victory over their lusts, which otherwise they might have done. Lusts are of two sorts, some are naked and simple, cōming onelyonly with their own force, stirre up thy selfe, that thou maist resist these, for so shalt thou bee sure to overcome. Others p. 303are whetted on by Satan, & his force doth accompany them, such a tentation was that of S. Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 7. he had a thorne in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan to buffet him; It is most likely that the corruption was in his nature before, but now it assailed him more powerfully in regard of the force of Satan, which did accompany p. 304it. These tentations comming with more force then their owne, must bee resisted by us, with more power then our owne; the chiefe meanes are two, first prayer, and fasting joyned with it to sharpen the duty, Eph. 6. 18. Secondly, the Word diligently read, and meditated upon, for as the enemies are not carnall, p. 305neither are the weapons carnall. This Word is the wisdome of God, and the power thereof may bee seene, Prov. 6. 23. The Commandement, Saith Salomon, is a lampe, and the Law is a light: and reproofes of instruction are the way of life. Psal. 19▪ 7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soule: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

p. 3062Secondly, we must get strong reasons against our strong lusts, the lusts of our flesh are called deceitfull lusts, Ephes. 4. 22. That yee put off according to your former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts; they deceive a man, and this is the reason they hold a man fast so long: therefore sinnes are called errors, and p. 307ignorances; Contrarily, the new man is renewed in knowledge, Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of God which created him. For the removing therefore of our lusts, the understanding which was before deceived, must bee rightly informed of the truth, and then bee confirmed in it p. 308by sound reasons: which being done, the understanding will change the will, and affection. So for the lust of anger, it is said to rest in the bosome of a foole, Eccles. 7. 9. Bee not hasty in thy spirit to bee angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles. Folly then being the cause of it, the readiest way to bee cured of it, is, by having the judgement p. 309rightly informed, which being strengthened with reason, will move the affections So S. Peter calleth the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of ignorance, 1 Pet. 1. 14. because these lusts proceed from their ignorance, they then who have their judgements truly informed, will with greater case, overcome a corruption by opposing p. 310strong reasons against it: but when a mans judgement is inclined to the contrary, then hee hath lost the victory for lusts get place.

3Thirdly, wee must labour to undergoe willingly the tediousnesse of a tentation, and patiently expect, till God send deliverance. First this makes many a man weary, when hee sees, notwithstanding p. 311his resisting, that his corruptions grow stronger and stronger: but wee must know that our corruptions are not alwayes the greatest, when they seeme so to us: if when we truly resist them they seeme stronger, it is a signe wee have more spirituall feeling in us then before; we must not thinke to overcome them without p. 312any trouble, for wee are commanded to crucifie our lusts, which crucifying necessarily imitates paine. Secondly, this makes many weary under tentation, when after diligent use of the meanes, they find no fruit nor ease. But this should not discourage them, for the meanes will have their effect in the end. Like as sinne p. 313though it lye quiet at the doore a great while, yet at length will call downe some heavy judgement; if wee sowe to the Spirit, wee shall be sure to reape of the Spirit. None of our grones, none of our teares, which wee shed in this case will bee lost or spent in vaine, for God will put them in his bottle, as holy David saith, and will p. 314surely reward them see this in the example of Cornelius, Act. 10. 4. Thy prayers and thy almes are come up for a memoriall before God.

Fourthly, we must avoide irksomnesse, wee must consider, that it is part of the obedience, God requires at our hands, patiently to undergoe a tentation, and therefore it behoveth us, of duty to doe it.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Preston, The Saints Submission and Satans Overthrow (1638)