Seven Treatises, Treatise 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Of the laſt point, which is the benefit of this armour.
ANd thus to come to the laſt point in hand, hee which will learne to put on this armour, and to goe cloathed with it through the day, ſhall finde eueryevery thing true which God hath ſpoken, and I hauehave here ſet downe vntounto him; that is, that by reſiſting the diuell, he ſhall flie from him: and hauing theſe parts of it faſt tied to his ſoule, the depth and ſubtiltie of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt him, which is the fruite and vſe of it; as no man ſhould neede to doubt, if he could take delight in being watchfull to be thus occupied.2. Cor. 10.4. For as S. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, The weapons of our warfare are not carnall or bodily, but mightie through God, to caſt downe holds; euen imaginations, and eueryevery high thing that is exalted againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie eueryevery thought to the obedience of Chriſt. So that, whether the diuell and his inſtruments doe aſſault by craft and deceit, or by force and might, the Chriſtian being armed, as hath been ſaid, and furniſhed with that ſtrength, ſhall mightily preuaile againſt them, and preſerue himſelfe.
Such is the power of this armour, that euen of one part of it, the Scripture giueth wonderfull commendation,1. Ioh. 5.4. 1. Pet. 5.7. aſcribing to faith alone victorie ouer the world, and all the deceits of it. S. Peter likewiſe ſaith, that hee who is ſtedfaſt in faith, Mark. 9.23.reſisteth the diuell himſelfe. So our Sauiour ſaith, All things are poſsible to him that beleeueth. For all things are not onelyonly poſſible, but alſo eaſie which we doe deſire, hauing a promiſe of God, for the performing thereof, vponupon which wee firmely reſt. As the benefit of this one part of our armour, faith, is ſingular great, and the power of it mightie: ſo it may be ſaid of the reſt, and namely of a pure heart.
For euen this one is able to carrie vsus thorough ſtrong temptations, that we ſhall not halt, and deale hollowly, as men of the world doe, but ſimply and in a good meaning; yea it keepeth vsus merrie and ioyfull, as the Apoſtle ſaith, when ſuch as want it muſt hold down the head: and that I ſay no more, it maketh our eſtate happie,Matth. 5.8. according to that which is written; Bleſſed are the pure and vpright in heart.
Now therefore, if ſome one part of this heauenly attire and armour be ſo helpfull, and of ſo great vſe, what thinke wee the whole to be? Yea, as I ſaid, to be cloathed with the whole complete armour of a Chriſtian, is ſuch a ſafe walking againſt the ſubtilties of the diuell, the allurements of the world, and the deceitfulnes of ſinne, that a Chriſtian may be vnwounded, whiles he goeth through many daungerous attempts; yea and inioy moſt ſweete communion with God throughout the day thereby, and yet without flattering of himſelfe and daungerous ſecuritie.
As, in particulars, he being reſolued to put on, and to cloath himſelfe with righteouſnes, and preparation for the croſſe, by the defence and ſhelter of the doctrine of the Goſpell, whiles hee is to warre here in this life, ſhall be brought hereby, to meekenes, patience, and long ſufferance with ioyfulnes, (when God afflicteth him) by the one; and to louelove thoſe which are his enemies, and to be innocent towards all (becauſe theſe are branches of righteouſnes) by the other, and not to be led after the contrarie euils: for all theſe duties, and many more (ſuch are the fruits of the tree of righteouſnes, which God hath planted and watered, in the fruitfull ground of his heart) al theſe, I ſay, ſhall he bring foorth, and many more aboundantly.
Likewiſe, he who hath ſet himſelfe to ſeeke wiſedome as gold, and to lay vp vnderstanding as treaſure within him, he ſhalbe taught the good and perfect way, when others ſhall euer reele and fall; yea when they ſhall walke in by-waies, Prou. 14.6.and be wandring (although ſeeking it) and that for euer, he ſhall ſee the way before him, as the Kings high way, broad and plaine; and know the will of God, which ſhall be his guide: and therefore his ſteps ſhall be pleaſant, as in the plaine and knowne way, in reſpect of the rough, and that which is vncertaine.
And the like fruite I would ſet downe of the reſt, but that I hauehave done it alreadie, and would not grow tedious, ſeeing much matter to ariſe. If therefore wee can like to be accompanied with this holie traine; and louelove to goe armed with theſe weapons; with that meaſure of knowledge which God hath taught vsus, and to enioy new increaſe daily; armed with righteouſnes and godlines which we can reach and attaine; vpholden in that hope,Pſa. 119.11.12 which he hath put into vsus; ſtrengthened with that faith in all his promiſes, which, at our firſt imbracing them, we receiued; and prepared and ſtaied in our afflictions, with peaceable and quiet hearts, by the Goſpell, as he hath incouraged vsus: then ſhall we be able to liue in all eſtates which God ſhall ſet vsus in, and in all places which hee ſhall bring vsus to; and chaunge by no occaſions, ſeeing he hath ſtrengthened vsus, vntill we ſee an end of all difficulties and vncertainties.
And all ſuch as conceiue the matter which is preſently handled, ſhould thinke this aduice and counſell ſo needfull for them, of going thus armed thorough the battaile of this life, that they ſhould not think themſelues readie any day, till they hauehave put on the Lord Ieſus with his wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption: that is done, when by faith they count him theirs; that ſo they may as farre as Chriſt can helpe them (and wherein can he not?) want nothing. And when by the helpe of this, we ſhall be defended againſt the euils of the day (for behold and this know, that to this end is this mightie armour bequeathed vsus by our God) then hauehave wee acquited our ſelues well, and brought the worke of that day to a good end, that ſo we may doe one day after another.
And thus to bring this whole matter of the armour to an end alſo: whoſoeuer thou art, who canſt be perſwaded reſolutely, to be thus armed thorough this warfare of thy life, thee will I not doubt to leade into the only ſafe way, yea pleaſant, profitable, beautifull, honourable, and the onelyonly happie way. And thou thy ſelfe ſhalt ſay it in a ſhort time, when through ſome experience thou ſhalt bee able to compare it with all the daies of thy life paſt, euen the beſt of them, and ſhalt finde it, euen at the firſt entrance into it (which is the weakeſt) farre to exceede them in their greateſt beautie. For the longer thou ſhalt abide in it; the better thou ſhalt finde it, and the more it will make thee to be in louelove with it, for that thou ſhalt ſee a continuall vſe of it, and no eſtate to be comparable to it.
Neither maketh it any matter, how ignorant thou art (for that perhaps may diſcourage ſome) if thou haſt knowledge enough to ſee this to be the beſt of all other wayes; nor how weake thou art, if thou beeſt ſtrong enough to be perſwaded to walke in it: and geſſe what thou ſhalt want of that which I hauehave ſaid, when God ſhall giuegive thee an heart thus inclined, as bidding farwell to all courſes which he approoueth not, to ſettle thee in this, which he commendeth to thee.
And when thou ſeeſt that thou art acquainted with this armour, and how it helpeth thee daily to liue innocently and chriſtianly, then conſider what thou haſt, how rich it maketh thee, and what great priuiledges the Lord hath giuen thee:1. Sam. 25.34. and then as Abigaile ſaid to Dauid, when thou ſhalt reape ſuch fruite of it, thou ſhalt not repent that thou tookeſt ſuch counſaile: be glad of them, be highly thankfull for them, more then if thou haddeſt found great treaſure: weigh what protection againſt the diuell, thou haſt thereby: what ſafe-conduct from falles: what feare and doubts thou art deliuered from: what miſts of ignorance, as ſcales from thine eyes, are pluckt from thine heart: what ſtrength againſt thy ſtrongeſt infirmities thou findeſt; how eaſily thou maiſt turne into the way againe, if at any time by weakenes thou haſt ſlipped: yea conſider moreouer what peace to thy conſcience thou haſt, and reſt to thy ſoule: when thou ſeeſt, not onelyonly more cleerely then before thou wert thus armed, that there is no condemnation to thee; but alſo that God now fighteth for thee and maketh thee fit to reſiſt the deceitfulnes of ſtrong temptations, who wert before ſo faint and impotent in reſiſting them.
In few words to ſpeake what I thinke meete, concerning this matter, thou canſt neuer ſufficiently eſteeme of this bleſſed eſtate, although thou art not vtterly free from all temporall afflictions thereby. Oft times ſhalt thou be thinking, it is too good to continue: till thou remembreſt that there is no ſhadowe of changing with God. Oft times thou ſhalt wonder to ſee, what a liberall portion God hath giuen thee, to hauehave ſuch ſweete communion with him, and to hauehave confidence and boldnes before him, in all difficulties: when the moſt part of the world is euer ſubiect to moſt dreadfull feare of his vengeance, as oft as he ſhall ſhew them the danger wherein they lie. And when thou ſhalt ſee and feele all this, how much it is worth, to be thus fenſed in from daily vexations, which moſt men are turmoyled withall; then thou ſhalt not neede to doubt, whether thou ſhalt be willing to keepe on this armour ſtill, for thou ſhalt ſee that thou canſt not feele thy ſelfe well without it.
Obiection.Now whereas it may be obiected, who, or where is the man, which findeth this libertie in his life? or what arming of a man is able to ſet him in ſafetie from the manifold euils, which moſt men complaine of daily? I affirme of my knowledge in all reuerence giuing the praiſe and glory of it to God,Anſwere. that there are many ſuch, who to the peace of their conſcience enioy it; and I as little doubt, that there are many more whom I know not: And yet I am perſwaded, that thouſands euen of Gods deare ſeruants are holden backe from this bleſſing through the malice of our common enemie, who are kept at a ſtay by his ſubtilty, either ignorant of this libertie, and thinking that God doth not honour any of his ſeruants with ſuch priuiledges while they liue here, and therefore count it preſumption to looke for any ſuch thing: or if they know it, yet doe fauour themſelues in their preſent wants and infirmities, and doe vſe ſmall violence againſt the ſame: and ſo they are holden backe from inioying this comfort and bleſſednes in their liues, which they might otherwiſe be partakers of.
For let all know this, that the ſuffering of their hearts to take their fill in the delights of this world, and little paines taken in muſing vponupon this heauenly eſtate, and their ſlight praying for it, is the principall cauſe (ſeeing God hath promiſed to worke by meanes) why Chriſtians hauehave not further acquaintance with this armed life, and the bleſſed fruites thereof: and many other attaine not hereto, ſeeing they neuer vnderſtand (although they are not vtterly without faith) that God hath appoynted them to liue after any certaine direction throughout their courſe, and to be armed thereunto, but in a generall manner onelyonly ſerue God, without any great watchfulnes ouer their particular actions.
Now if they count this burthenſome, they muſt bee content to bee brought to ſhame ſometimes for their doings, and ſometimes to terrour and torment of conſcience, for their ſlippery walking, and ſmall regard of honoring God, aſwell in one duties as in another, ſeeing theſe are properties of ſinne, which cannot be ſeparated from it, that howſoeuer they oft feare no ſuch thing, yet one time or other it will finde them out. This diet, I ſay, they muſt oftentimes looke to be kept at (who ſettle not themſelues ſoundly in the Chriſtian life) euen to finde here much ſhame and ſorrow, which other of Gods ſeruants ſhall be voyde of. And if it be ſo with them, iudge what is the eſtate of the hypocrite, and prophane ſort?
But that none may bee troubled at that which I hauehave ſet downe of the power and vſe of the armour: as thinking that which I hauehave ſaid,Obiection. but a meere fancie and vntruth, ſeeing the enemies which wee fight againſt, are ſtrong and raging; and many good ſeruants of God hauehave been ſubdued of them in temptation: whereas I hauehave not ſpoken much (ſay they) of the conflicts and combats, which they hauehave with the allurements of ſinne, as though they reſiſted and ouercame them with eaſe, and without any great ſtriuing: To ſatiſfie ſuch, I anſwere that the ſpeaking of conflicts belongeth to another treatiſe, namely the fift, where I handle the doctrine of the lets; here I onelyonly ſpeake of the armour, according to the parts of the diuiſion ſet downe;Anſwer. and yet none can vnderſtand me (if he marke) that I thinke ſinne and our luſts to bee eaſily ouercome, which I call furious and raging; or Sathans ſuggeſtions by obiects or without, to be ſoone reſiſted, which I ſay, are both ſlyly wrought to deceiue vsus, and to hauehave mightie force to draw and allure vsus: but rather eueryevery diſcreete reader may gather, that I count it the moſt hard and difficult of all other things to ſubdue, and conquer them, becauſe I ſhew ſuch neceſſitie of walking armed continually againſt them. For what can I ſay leſſe, then that we muſt ſtriue manfully, and ſtand vponupon our watch, and that we cannot be crowned except we ſtriue lawfully, that is, ſtedfaſtly: yea and that for all our armour, we being vnskilfull, or faint and timorous in vſing it, nor onelyonly we may be, but alſo are oft times foyled, as if hope of victorie and of preuailing againſt them, were paſt.
All this I ſay: and yet in the weakeſt eſtate, we are not forſaken of God, though in ſome diſtreſſe for a time: 1. Cor. 4.8.nor ſwallowed vp, though we be in ſorrow: nor in deſpaire, when we be in ſome diſcomfort, but when we are at the loweſt ebbe, that in ſome temptation we yeeld and be ouercome of it: yet euen in that we are not ſo miſerable as others who ſtriue not at all, but are for a while left to our ſelues to ſee our weakenes, that afterwards wee may gather more ſtrength, and (as it were) fetch our breath, that we may take better hold, and reſiſt more valiantly; eſpecially when through any of our owne defaults, we were ouercome: And yet whenſoeuer it is ſo with vsus, who can deny, but that it ſo came to paſſe, becauſe we were no better armed? and for that we were either vnskilfull and vnexpert, or ſlouthfull and ſlacke in vſing it? So that, I ſay ſtill, as I ſaid before, that whatſoeuer our temptations and aſſaults be, by the helpe of our armour, as Chriſt our captaine hath taught vsus to weare and keepe it on, we preuaile and thereby reioyce; euen as contrarily, we muſt needes ſorrow, whiles we bee naked and vnarmed in the battaile. But we may for iuſt cauſe be vpholden, and warre cheerefully againſt all kinds of enemies,Ioſh. 1.8. 2. Cor. 10.4. when (as Ioſua) we hauehave promiſe of the victorie, the weapons of our warfare being mightie.
And thus I hauehave ſhewed, how the third helpe, namely the Chriſtian armour is an eſpeciall furthering of vsus in a godly life.Two obiections. The firſt. But becauſe I know, that this which I ſay, will ſeeme to ſome very doubtfull, and ſcarce like to be true, that for want of putting on, and keeping on this Chriſtian armour, their eſtate is both vnglorious and vncomfortable (who yet are of this minde, that they may be Chriſtians good enough, though they know it not) I will therefore ſatisfie ſuch as I can,The ſecond obiection. in few words. Other ſome thinke, that although it is fit and meete for ſtrong Chriſtians, yet that weake ones ought not to be troubled with the ſeeking for it, but may content themſelues to ſerue God as they can, without it: their reaſon is this, leaſt whiles we lay ſuch ſtrong loade and burthens on them, being yet but weake, we diſcourage and driue them out of heart, altogether.
Theſe two obiections indeed, the wit of man after the hearing of this preſent doctrine of the armour, will be readie to put forth, and he that is paſt both theſe doubts, and troubled with neither of them, I thinke (nay, I know) that he hath ouercome much, and hath well profited. For the ſatisfying of thoſe who are weaker, I will anſwere a little to both. To the formoſt, why ſhould any thinke,The firſt obiection anſwered. that they may be good Chriſtians without this, ſeeing they muſt needes graunt, that if they walke nakedly, they cannot walke ſafely (eueryevery man being a blinde guide to himſelfe:) I deny not, but that a Chriſtian fearing God, and beleeuing in him, may be ignorant of this armour; but then let not ſuch ſay, that they may ſerue God well enough without, it, which is here obiected: for that is farre off from the moſt zealous, and he who thinketh himſelfe forwardeſt, yea and hath a large heart filled with holy deſires, is farre off from it. For what ſubſtance of godlines is there in ſuch a life, that it ſhould be a ſeruing of God aright, and as it is behoofull? ſeeing it ſhall be found both idle and vnprofitable, or a wandring courſe, and that which is in no wiſe to bee reſted in without the helpe of the armour: from which they hauehave their ſtrength to liue well, whoſoeuer hath any meaſure of grace to liue godly, as by conſidering the force and vſe of the armour may be eaſily ſeene. And therefore it is a ſpeech at the leaſt, full of ignorance, to ſay, we may ſerue God as it is meete, although wee hauehave no acquaintance with the armour.
For the ſecond obiection,The ſecond obiection anſwered. that it ſeemeth to bee too heauie a burdening of weake Chriſtians, to impoſe and lay it vponupon them, it is as vnſauourie as the former. For they who are new borne (which ſort is the weakeſt and feebleſt in Gods familie) are no ſooner brought out of the thraldome, and feare of damnation (wherein Sathan held them before) but if they were able to ſpeake, they would firſt aske for this, that they might euer abide in the eſtate of ſaluation, wherein they now ſee themſelues to be, and neuer forget Gods kindnes, but daily and hourely feele and enioy it: alſo to honour him for it, to teſtifie their thankfulnes, to pleaſe him in all things, and in all eſtates, and for this cauſe to know his will: for all which purpoſes the armour ſerueth: This (I ſay) is their nature, and this deſire is in them, euen when they are at the weakeſt, as the young infant crieth for nouriſhment. So that none ſhall need to feare, that they be preſſed ſore by offering them this, being euen that which they moſt deſire and long for. The ſeede doth no more naturally deſire to pricke vp out of the ground, and ſo giuegive hope of an harueſt, though it be held backe by ſtormes and cold, then the young Chriſtian doth deſire to be holpen forward in the forementioned graces, and cloathed with them, as he is able to reach to them. And what other thing is this, then to deſire to be well armed, to the end that God may be daily honoured and obeyed of him, and he himſelfe may proſper and keepe his ſoule in ſafetie? True it is, he is not ſetled herein to his contentation: and who marueileth at it? hath not the young child, and tender plant their ſeaſon to grow vp in? but when they ſhoote foorth and flouriſh (as they may doe, for their time) will not all ſay, that they proſper, though they hauehave their wintring, as well as their ſommering time? So it is with the beloued, though weake Chriſtians, and children of God: who although they hauehave many diſcouragements and hindrances, as the ſtormie cold is to the young plants, and many ſore doubts, feares, diſcomforts, as nippings of their growing, by the diuell, and their owne ſtrong reliques of their corruptions; yet do they, being rooted in good ground, and well watred, and weathered (as there is none to the armour, which Gods word teacheth) grow vp and proſper as the Lords plants.
But it may be, that ſome beholding diuers zealous and godly Chriſtians, (for in reſpect of the common ſort they may ſo be accounted) who hauehave bin both pricked in conſcience for their ſin, and ſeemed to hauehave receiued comfort, and to be earneſt louers of the word, and the greateſt bringers on of others to religion in many places, who yet ſeeme not to be thus armed againſt ſinne; therefore much leſſe new borne babes in Chriſtianitie are fit to bee vrged with it: to this I ſay, what effects of the Miniſterie ſuch hauehave had, it skilleth not, neither how they hauehave been affected by hearing the word, nor with what zeale they profeſſe it: and therefore no good reaſon, that if ſuch hauehave not had vſe of it, therefore that weake Chriſtians ſhould not be forced thereunto. For it hath been prooued, that the weakeſt, if they be the Lords, doe deſire it: and therefore the other (in what account ſoeuer they goe) if they doe not ſo, but can thinke themſelues in caſe good enough without it, are hereby brought into ſuſpition of baſtardie, and that they are not the Lords, though ſome things worthie commendation may be in them, more then in many others. Neither ought this which I ſay, ſeeme ſtraunge: for both in Scripture, and in experience, many hauehave ſhined as lights for a ſeaſon, and in ſhew of zeale and godly life, hauehave been (both of the Miniſters and people) in account aboue the moſt: who for all this, hauehave ſhamefully fallen from their firſt louelove, ſuch as it ſeemed ſometime to be. And therfore no marueile, though this vrging of the Chriſtian armour doe not ſauour greatly to them, which yet is ſauourie to the new borne in Gods houſehold.
But of thoſe men, which hauehave ſeemed forwarder then they are, I hauehave here no fit place to deale further with them: onelyonly let them conſider what daunger it carrieth with it, to hauehave been in likelihood of goodnes, and now not to be:Prou. 4.18. and whether this be with the righteous to ſhine daily more and more, as the light doth, vntounto the perfect day. I conclude that which I propounded to anſwere, that the putting on the armour of a Chriſtian, is not too ſtrong meate for the yongeſt that is nouriſhed vp in Gods houſe, nor too weightie a burden to lay vponupon them, but the very ſame, which of all other things they moſt deſire, as they can diſcerne it, that they may more fruitfully and cheerefully ſerue God thereby.