Seven Treatises, Treatise 5 · Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Of the ſecond kind of generall lets: namely, The vnmortified affections wherewith he oppreſſeth the beleeuer. And firſt, Of feare that they ſhall not perſeuere: and of pride in their gifts.
NOw I hauing ſhewed how the former kinds of lets ſhould be remoued: the ſecond kind followeth, which containeth the ſinnes and corruptions that are in vsus, whereby the Diuell hath exceeding great aduantage againſt vsus, to hinder vsus from this heauenly courſe which we ſhould walke in. And they are, beſides the ignorance and blindneſſe that is in vsus, (of which I hauehave ſpoken before) our vnruly and vnmortified affections, and the worldly luſts: which if they preuaile and be ſuffered to rule in vsus, they thruſt out with violence all grace and goodneſſe. Of theſe I will mention ſome particulars, euen the moſt dangerous (if compariſon may be made) of all the reſt: and the Reader may the better iudge of the other. I adde [if compariſon may be made] becauſe they are all ſo raging, that when they are ſtirred vp in vsus and ſet on fire, a man cannot tell which is moſt odious in it ſelfe, and worketh moſt furiouſly, and that moſt diſguiſeth vsus who make our ſelues bondmen thereto. For proofe of that which I ſay: when filthie luſts are kindled, and hauehave gotten ſome ſtrength in a good Chriſtian (though that be neuer without his owne great fault) how doth it trouble and diſquiet him, yea wound and accuſe him, he thinking it the loathſomeſt and moſt ſhamefull of all others (as indeed there need no worſe thing to annoy and diſturbe him;) and it cauſeth him oft to ſay: Oh, what can be more irkeſome, vnſauorie and ſhameful then this?1. Sam. 12.19.20. Euen as the people ſaid in Samuel of their wilfulneſſe: We hauehave ſinned many other waies, but eſpecially in asking a King: ſo I ſay, that ſin ſeemeth to a penitent chriſtian (when he commeth to himſelfe) moſt odious, wherewith he hath felt his heart moſt intangled. But to proue that true which I ſayd; ſo doth he cry out of the reſt, when he remembreth how he hath beene deceiued by them: a worldly and greedy mind ſeemeth moſt weariſome and vnbeſeeming of all other to him, and biteth moſt deeply, when that hath poſſeſſed him: and when he hath offended by anger, malice, feare, impatience, peeuiſh conceitedneſſe and the reſt, he ſaith the ſame of them; euerie one for the time wherein it hath bene the chiefeſt prouoker of him to offend, is moſt cried out of, euen as if there were no other to be compared with it: thus he ſpeaketh of them, I ſay, when he repenteth. And by this it may appeare, (when there are many of theſe eueryevery while aſſaulting and, as it were, arreſting a poore Chriſtian; which ſuffer no other good thing to be in place where they be) that if he be not ſtrengthened & armed againſt theſe and ſuch other of that kind, he can neuer keepe a ſetled courſe and daily continue the ſame in a godly life. Of theſe therefore, as I ſayd, I will mention ſome, that the beleeuing Chriſtian may the more carefully auoide them. And herein this aduice is not vnprofitable, that eueryevery one marke, with which he is moſt incombred and moſt eaſily ouercome of: as feare, anger, vncharitableneſſe, &c. and by what occaſions he is readilieſt drawne to them: that he may the more preuaile ouer them by ſuch helpe as he ſhall hauehave miniſtred to him. The remedies ſo farre as I ſhall adde here, ſhall either be ſet downe ſeuerally with the ſeuerall lets, or one remedie for ſundry lets: or where neither is, know that the daily direction which we hauehave beene moued to practiſe, ſhall be the remedie in ſuch a caſe. And among the vnmortified affections I will begin with that which troubleth the moſt of them,The first kind of them, is feare and doubt of perſeuering, by meanes of afflictions, &c. till God giuegive them releaſe or deliuerance: and that is, A fearfull doubting of their perſeuerance. I meane, that poore Chriſtians ſhall not ſo ſoone begin to be drawne out of the world, to any liuely hope of ſaluation and care of pleaſing God, and ſo hauehave eſcaped one bondage, but he plungeth them into another; holding them vnderunder dreadfull feare and diſtruſtfulneſſe, that they ſhall not perſeuer to the end of a godly life, eſpecially in ſore trials, and when perſecution and ſtrong temptations ſhall come.
It eaſily taketh hold of vveake ones.And this feare he doth faſten vponupon them the more eaſily, ſeeing that affection of feare is moſt nearly glewed to them: and beſides, when they ſee examples of faintings in many profeſſors; and how cruel the vngodly, prophane ſcorners, Atheiſts, Papiſts and perſecuters are, among whom they liue, this feare is ſoone ſtrengthened and confirmed in them. For which cauſe our ſauiour forewarned his Diſciples of it,Mat. 10.28. ſaying: Feare not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the ſoule: but rather feare him, which is able to deſtroy both ſoule and body in hell:Phil. 1.28. and Saint Paule: In nothing feare your aduerſaries, &c. For this cannot be predominant but it feebleth vtterly the powers of the mind, (as the raiſing of the mudde in a ſpring,Hovv it letteth them. troubleth the pure water) and conſequently holdeth backe the inſtruments of the body from practiſing well any kind of dutie. In theſe fetters therefore of feare, and moſt painefull and irkeſome ſtreights, he holdeth them: or if any eſcape, and ſo begin to reioyce in their hope againe; yet ſhall they not attaine thereto, nor grow therein, (diſtruſting themſelues, and reſting in the promiſe of God) nor be deliuered out of their feare but with much difficultie and ſtriuing: and yet if they be, it ſhall not be at once, but by litle and litle; while the word of God ſoketh into their hearts, as the ſoft raigne into the hard ground. For I muſt confeſſe, that as all paſſions are troubleſome, and do much vnſetle vsus for the time: ſo feare and ſorow do this moſt of all, eſpecially when the things about which we feare and which cauſe ſorow, are moſt deare and pretious to vsus. For how were the Apoſtles oppreſſed with both,Example of it in the diſciples. not onelyonly at their ſcattering from their maiſter at his apprehenſion before his death, though he had with many perſwaſions and ſtrong reaſons prepared them for it: but euen while he was yet conuerſant with them? and namely that one time, when he went into Iudea to raiſe Lazarus from death? Who anſwering ſayd to him, when they heard him prouoke them to go thither: Maiſter, Iohn. 11.8.the Iewes ſought lately to ſtone thee, and doeſt thou go thither againe? As if they ſhould hauehave ſayd: Except they had bene weary of their liues, there was cauſe inough to make them vnwilling, yea fearfull to come there. And ſo it is with vsus,The example applied. that how great comforts ſoeuer we hauehave inioyed by the heauenly doctrine of the word of God which we hauehave heard; yet as if we had neuer receiued any, when we heare any newes of trouble comming towards vsus, we are on the ſudden ſo taken and oppreſſed with it (yea though it be but a litle) that it vnſetleth vsus out of our preſent eſtate of peace and quietneſſe wherein we were, and wholly poſſeſſeth all our ſenſes, and ſcattereth our former comforts, as if they neuer had bene any: whereas the Lord hath to that end vnderunder-propped vsus before with ſtrong conſolation, that when afflictions come we might the better beare them and retaine our peace with him, ſuch as his word had before warned vsus of; as it is ſayd in Iohn, beſides many other places: Theſe things I hauehave ſayd vntounto you, Iohn 16.33.(ſpeaking of his comfortable doctrine, which he had before taught them) that in the middeſt of your tribulations ye may hauehave peace in me.
This feare and faintneſſe therefore vnderunder the croſſe,Hovv Sathan troubleth vsus vvith this let. we muſt know the Diuell will ſtrongly aſſault vsus with, and thereby buffet vsus ſo reproachfully for that we reioyced ſo, yea & boaſted of Gods fauor before, and yet now in our afflictons we find not deliuerance many times, but we are rather made ridiculous to the world thereby, and a gazing ſtocke therein: beſides the fainting of our owne hope, which is more then all the reſt. He will inſult ouer vsus in ſuch extremities, as he ſpared not to do to our Sauiour himſelfe: Where is now your God? Let him deliuer you now, if he louelove you ſo dearely; or elſe know,Mat. 27.43. that ye hauehave put your truſt in a bruiſed reed: renounce him therefore, and ſhift for your ſelues, except ye will miſcarie; for there is no helpe for you in him: euen as his curſed inſtrument Rabſhakeh, Captaine of the King of Aſſyria, did perſwade Ezekiaes men, not to truſt in or depend on the God of Iſraell in their trouble.
Hovv to remoue it. Heb. 13.And therefore that we may find ſome eaſe in our troubles, let vsus gather ſtrength from him, who will not faile, neither can be reſiſted: his word is the ſword that muſt cut off this Goliahs head: and our faith is the hand in which we muſt hold it.Pſal. 30.5. 2. Cor. 4.17. Heb. 12.11. 2 Cor. 9.10. Iam. 1 3. And thus God ſaith in his word to all his: This ſhort trouble of yours, is to bring you a long comfort afterwards, when yee hauehave indured it a while: and they are ſent you, that my power may appeare in your weakneſſe, and that you may hauehave proofe of my grace dwelling in you; as faith, hope, louelove, humbleneſſe, obedience: and to make the world contemned, and all that is in it (as our fleſhly luſts,1. Pet. 2.11. which fight againſt our ſolues) to be renounced, that they may not annoy vsus: and to cure many diſeaſes, as careleſneſſe, high mindedneſſe and too much eaſe-taking in the world; for the rodde bringeth wiſedome;Gen. 42.21. Rom. 8.28. & P…al. 119.71. Hoſ. 6.1. Pſal. 120 1. Mat. 5.12. and Ioſephs brethren ſayd: We ſuffer theſe things worthily, for that we ſinned against our brother. They are not (I ſay) ſent, but for our good; and they driue vsus more feruently to God; and cauſe vsus to call on him: yea, and they make vsus happie whiles we ſuffer them, (and like vntounto Chriſt himſelfe, who was called the man of ſorrowes) and giuegive vsus matter of reioycing after: and therefore we ſhould be thankfull for them.Pſal. 50.15. But we do not a litle bewray our vnkind dealing with God, who are ſo vnwilling to heare of them. For it is no leſſe then a great gift;Phil. 1.29. yea, a priuiledge vntounto vsus, as the Apoſtle ſaith: To you it is giuen for Christ, that not onelyonly ye ſhould beleeue in him, but alſo ſuffer for his ſake. And what vnquietneſſe doth it raiſe in vsus, when we refuſe and impatiently caſt off the Lords yoke? the very feare of it is farre greater then the ſuffering it ſelfe. Therefore we ought to reſolue with our ſelues, when we ſee the will of God is we ſhall ſuffer it, that it is the beſt for vsus & very expedient; as Chriſt ſayd to his Diſciples when he was to depart from them:Ioh. 16.7. It is expedient for you that I go:Lam. 3.27. and therefore indeuour to bow and ſubmit our neckes vntounto the yoke, praying for that power which our God ſeeth we hauehave need of,1. Cor. 10.13. Iam 1.4. Dan. 3 25. 2. Cor 4.9. aſſuring our ſelues of helpe in due time, yea though he ſometime deferre it. For if he call vsus to ſuffer, he will moſt certainely ſuccour and deliuer vsus: that ſo we may find it verified in vsus which is written: We are afflicted on euerie ſide, yet not in diſtreſſe, perſecuted; but not forſaken; cast downe, but we periſh not. And the meditation of this ſhall (through Gods goodneſſe) be a preſeruatiue to vsus in our afflictions.
1. Pet. 5.7.Saint Peter teacheth ſuch as are diſtracted with theſe feares, ſo that they vnſettle them and diſquiet their minds, to caſt their care vponupon God, for he careth for them. Phil. 4.6.7.And the ſame in effect, ſaith Saint Paule: Be nothing carefull and penſiue, but in all things let your requeſts be ſhewed vntounto God in prayer and ſupplication with giuing of thankes: and the peace of God which paſſeth all vnderſtanding, ſhall preſerue your hearts (from Sathan who ſeeketh by vnquietneſſe to take your peace from you) and ſettle your minds in Chriſt Ieſus. So that, if God hauehave either any credite with them, that they dare truſt him in ſaying, That he will vanquiſh their vnquietneſſe that made them penſiue: or, if they beleeue that he hath any helpe in him,Ioh. 10.28. ſo that he is able to helpe, they may with reuerence be bold in their diſtreſſe to looke for it, and promiſe it to themſelues; and yet ſo, that as they truſt in him, ſo they tempt him not, but pray for it in token that they beleeue in him, and vſe the meanes to remoue ſuch penſiueneſſe from them.
This remedie is found to be throughly proued and ſufficient, as oft as it is applied to any ſuch kind of diſeaſe. And herewith let them weigh the examples of other ſeruants of God; Moſes, Peter, &c. who after greater grace receiued, beleeued more ſtrongly. But if they neglect and paſſe by ſuch remedies, and ſo fall from feare and doubting to boldneſſe and preſuming, that is, to go from one extremitie to another, they are groſſely bewitched, and muſt be taught by experience to prouide better for themſelues. Which I ſay,The heed of indirect meanes, and deceiueable remedies. ſeeing many are caried to vſe indirect meanes; as, by forgetting their feare, putting it away by merry company and paſtime, or by hoping that no ſuch thing ſhall befall them any more; and ſo waxe ſecure and careleſſe: and thus not onelyonly they are deceiued in looking for that which ſhall not come to paſſe, that is, to thinke that they ſhall be ſafe and without daunger after; but alſo herein, that they thinke themſelues the more religious and godly for that they hauehave had ſuch trouble, when yet they were without fruite of it. But when the Popiſh holy water ſcareth away Diuels, then ſhall theſe remedies ſtay and comfort them in their troubles.
But beſides theſe lets, the Diuell hath another way,The ſecond vnmortified affection is, Pride and an ouervveaning of themſelues. Reuel. 3.17. whereby he hideth the full beautie of the Chriſtian life from many who hauehave well begun, namely, by raiſing in them a proud conceipt and opinion of their profiting in knowledge and godlineſſe: like them of Laodicea, who ſayd, they were rich and needed nothing. So that when they hauehave but newly begun, yet they ſhall thinke themſelues to hauehave no great need to go forward: and by that meanes they neuer attaine to the ſweete priuiledges which are to be inioyed of them, euen in this life.Example of it in the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 4.8. And after this maner he puffed vp the Corinthians when they had receiued the Goſpell, as by the Apoſtles writing to them here, chap. 4. and elſewhere, it appeareth: Now ye are full, now ye are rich, and raigne as Kings: thereby ſhewing them their ſlackneſſe in proceeding to grow forward in the knowledge of Chriſt, and their loathing and weariſomeneſſe of paines taking, and their pride and contempt: which was no ſmall enemie to their profiting.
The Apoſtles were deceiued by him after the ſame manner,In the Apoſtles. who when our Sauiour told them that they ſhould receiue great light of knowledge and other increaſe of grace, when he ſhould ſend downe the holy Ghoſt vppon them; they but dimmely vnderſtanding him, imagined that they had them alreadie, ſaying: Now ſpeakeſt thou plainely, and thou ſpeakeſt no parable:Iohn. 16.29. imagining that they had the full vnderſtanding of his ſpeech, when they miſconceiued his meaning. Such as I ſpeake of, being ſtrongly poſſeſſed of this ouer-weaning of their gifts, is no ſmall enemie to true knowledge and godlineſſe. But this vſe the Diuell teacheth men to make of Gods gifts, euen to be the worſe for them, and to waxe inſolent by meanes thereof when they be glutted with them: imagining that they hauehave more then others, when the more they hauehave indeed, the more they ſhall deſire; and ſeeke to be brought nearer to God by the ſweet taſt that they hauehave of his gifts already. Whatſoeuer tetch againſt any perſon, or other corruption be ioyned with this action in men, (as it is too common) yet the chiefe ſinne in it is pride, which ſcornefully reiecteth to heare and learne thoſe things which all do know they hauehave need of. And what commeth of this, if it be not ſtayed and ſuppreſſed,Dangerous effects of it. but a waxing wearie of learning any more then they know, and a neglecting of diligence and care to grow better, a meane account making of thoſe which are good, and an acquainting themſelues with looſe and irreligious perſons, or a falling into ſects, ſciſmes and hereſie? or if they doe none of theſe, yet they bring vponupon themſelues that curſe in a melancholicke ſolitarie life, (hauing made themſelues vnfit euen for good companie:) Wo to him that is alone, as Iudas: Mat. 27.5. So that they verifie the ſaying of our Sauiour, that for not vſing it well,Luc. 19.26. they loſe euen that grace which they had.
The remedie. Reu. 3.17.Such are taught to preuent this daunger, by acknowledging that they are poore, and blind, and naked, and therefore to furniſh themſelues yet better: and ſeeing they attribute ſo much to their owne wiſedome, to learne of the Apoſtle:1. Cor. 3.18. that they muſt become fooles, that they may be wiſe: and that they know nothing as they ought to know: and whatſoeuer they hauehave, yet to hunger and thirſt after more, and to couet ſpirituall things ſtill, and to pray with the Prophet:1. Cor. 14.1. Pſal. 119.12. Lord, teach me thy ſtatutes: and not to pleaſe themſelues in that which they hauehave practiſed alreadie, comparing themſelues in a blind manner with thoſe which are like, or rather farre behind themſelues; but be better acquainted daily with their owne wants, weakneſſes and corruptions, that more ſtrength may be gathered againſt them: and to looke vponupon them, which in the Scriptures, and now, are ſet before them, as the forwardeſt Chriſtians and holieſt examples. And as this is the remedie to auoide theſe ſnares of the diuell for the time to come; ſo it is the helpe and remedie whereby they muſt redreſſe their eſtate, who hauehave thus bene deceiued by him alreadie. If they hauehave fallen to this point, and ſee it not, their daunger is the greater: and a token it is, that they hauehave vnfaithfully, or not at all viewed and examined their purpoſes and doings ſo many long dayes as they lye in them; or very houerly and to ſmall purpoſe, which is farre from the dutie of ſuch as hauehave firmely couenanted the contrarie.
In this caſe therefore we ſee what a benefite of God it is, that he hath appointed vsus daily an examination of our wayes,Examine our wayes. that if at other times, any vnbeſeeming thing ſhould hauehave paſſed vsus; yet we might by this laying our actions with the rules which ſhould guide vsus, ſee our wandrings or other tranſgreſſions.Note. But if the diuell enter ſo farre as to faſten hollowneſſe and falſheartedneſſe vponupon vsus, which is, when we are not willing to ſee our trecheries; or in ſeeing them, yet counting them no great diſgrace or matter of accuſation againſt vsus, (neither are we willing to riſe out of the ſinnes which hauehave paſſed vsus, bringing pleaſure or commoditie vntounto vsus:) here as the diuell beguiled Eue through his ſubtiltie, ſo he hath done vsus. What is to be gone about in this caſe, but that we duly and ſeriouſly conſider that which the holy Ghoſt hath ſaid in the Prouerbes:Pro. 28.13. He that hideth his ſinne ſhall not proſper; remembring this,Pſa. 32.4. & 5 that though it go ſore againſt our nature to ſhame and confeſſe againſt our ſelues, yet the longer we forbeare to do it, ſo much the more bitter it will be vntounto vsus after: and therefore it will behoue vsus to take againe to vsus the ſinceritie and ſimplicitie beſeeming the Goſpell, and to gird our ſelues with the girdle of truth,Another vnmortified affection: Slouth. which we ſo ſhamefully caſt off?
If otherwiſe, he ſeeing our diſpoſition, ſhall carrie vsus to luskiſhnes, ſlouth, idleneſſe, ſo that this ſaying in the Prouerbes be verified in vsus: A lyon is in the way; or any other of that curſed litter, that we begin to take ſweetnes therin which is no better then poyſon; and that the works of our lawfull calling waxe loathſome and vnſauourie to vsus; and the meanes to vphold godlineſſe, become vnwelcome; or other parts of the Chriſtian courſe, irkeſome and tedious: do we not know, that as we ſow, ſo we ſhall reape? and if to the fleſh, that of it we ſhall reape corruption? What is to be done then of vsus, but this: namely, That we looke to the roote and fountaine of this miſchiefe?Remedie. And if it be growne by litle and litle, trace it out by footſteps: know that thou art beguiled. For thou before didſt delight and take pleaſure in godlineſſe, as finding no ſafetie elſewhere, and renouncedſt all whatſoeuer might hinder and hold thee from the chriſtian courſe: and what ſhame is it that thou ſhouldeſt after be much backwarder? Remember alſo, that eaſe ſlayeth the fooliſh:Prou. 1.32. Prou. 14.12. and the way that ſeemeth pleaſant to the fleſh, is the way to death. And how hard ſoeuer it be to go backe out of this courſe, yet God hath encouraged thee thereto infinite wayes; eſpecially by this one, that he (in any thing that he ſetteth thee about) will be with thee, and not leaue thee, nor forſake thee:Ioſ. 1.9. Epheſ. 3.19. but will giuegive thee more then thou couldeſt aske or thinke, and therefore much more that which thou doeſt deſire. The longer thou art led by any ſuch ſlauerie, the more hardly thou knoweſt thou ſhalt find recouerie.