The Christian Sword and Buckler, Letter
THE CHRISTIAN SWORD AND BVCKLER.
OR, A Letter ſent by D. SPRINT, to a man ſeuen yeares grieuouſly afflicted in conſcience, and fearefully poſſeſſed by the Diuel.
Very comfortable and commodious to withſt and the aſſaults of Sathan.
LONDON Printed by B. Alſop for Samuel Rand and are to be ſold at his ſhop at Holborne Bridge.
1623.
THE CHRISTIAN SWORD AND BVCKLER.
SIR I am not vnmindfull of your Letter, though by occaſion of buſines I hauehave beene let. I commend your care to ſeeke comfort from the ordinance of God, that is his 1 Theſ. 5. 14.Miniſters, who are commaunded of God to comfort the feeble minded, Eſa. 10. …, …,and to ſpeake comfortably to Hieruſalem, and to cry vntounto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed that her iniquitie is pardoned; As Chriſt was annoynted, ſo are his Miniſters appointed to preach the Goſpell to the Luke 4. 1….poore, deliuerance to the captiue, recouery of fight to the blinde and to ſet at libertie ſuch as are bruſed.
Wherefore ſeeing you hauehave entreated me helpe, I will (by Gods aſſiſtance) ſatisfie your deſire.
Your caſe was ſtrange to be holden as a creature ſenceleſſe for ſeuen whole yeares. But others alſo hauehave beene holden with the like; Nabuchadnezar Dan. 4. 29.King of Babell was turned out a grazing among beaſts. 7. yeares; yea Gods children hauehave beene far worſe afflicted, as that Daughter of Abraham was for 18. yeares bound of Sathan. The man Luke 13. 16 40. 5.whom our Sauiour cured had beene diſeaſed 38. yeares which are far aboue the diſtance of your ſicknes, wherefore you ought not to thinke the worſe of your ſelfe, for nothing hath befallen vntounto you but that which appertaineth 1. Cor. 10. 13.vntounto man; Nay you ought to comfort your heart in your affliction, for as you know the ſender which is God, and the cauſe which is your ſinne: So now you know your deliuerer, and the cauſe which is his mercy; for it is the Lord who killeth and 1. Sam. 2. 6.maketh aliue, bringeth downe to the graue and raiſeth vp: And by how much greater your croſſe hath beene, by ſo much the greater was your deliuerance; The mighty power of God vponupon your body, and his rich mercy on your ſoule, hath the more appeared, that ſo the more he might be glorified, and your heart comforted; for you may argue thus; The Lord might hauehave in iuſtice deſtroyed me, yet hee hath in mercy ſpared me; the Lord might hauehave choſen whether hee would hauehave deliuered me or not; But in great mercy he rather choſe to deliuer mee; The Lord might hauehave left mee my health, and withdrawne his grace from me, and giuen …he ouer to the power of Sathan: But hee hath reſtored my health and vnderſtanding, and renued my Grace;
Hereby I ſee God dearely loueth me, which I could neuer ſee if I had not thus beene afflicted; How ſhould I hence forth diſtruſt his prouidence, doubt of his promiſes, diſpayre of his mercy, why would I not reſt aſſured, and ſecured of his preſent and perpetuall louelove to imbrace me, his mercy to pardon me, his prouidence to defend me, his goodnes to compaſſe me and to worke all euils for my good; Therefore my ſoule returne vntounto thy reſt, for Pſal. 116. 7. 8. 9. 12. 13.the Lord hath been beneficiall to thee; he hath deliuered my ſoule from death, and mine eyes from teares, & my feete …oo… falling, I ſhall walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing, what ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits, I will take the cup of Saluation and call vponupon the name of the Lord.
The Lord was ready to ſaue mee, Pſa. 38. …0.therefore I will ſing my ſong all the dayes of my life in the houſe of the Lord.
Thus may you comfort your ſelfe, yet meaſure not Gods louelove ſo much by your deliuerance, as by his grace which nature gaue you not, nor hath God taken away.
For as afflictions are no certaine tokens of Gods anger: ſo deliuerance, is not alwayes a token of his fauour.
For he gaue the Iſralites their deſires, but he ſent heauines into their ſoules: God may in mercy lengthen Pſal. 106. 15our afflictions, & in iudgement make an end of it. The table of the wicked Pſal. …9. ….is a ſnare vntounto them, and their proſperitie their ruine, but it is good for Gods Pſal. 119. 7…children that they hauehave beene afflicted that they may learne his ſtatutes; godlines is Gods beſt portion which is 1. Tim. 6. 6, & 4. 8.great gaine, and is profitable for all things, hauing the promiſes of the life preſent, and of that which is to come; Wherefore proue the grace that is in you and to meaſure the louelove of God vntounto you; Try what godly griefe you hauehave for ſinne; what vexation at your wants, what feare of God, what faith in Ieſus Chriſt, what louelove of Gods children, what delight in the word and Miniſtery, what deſire of the grace you lacke, what feruency in prayer, what chearefulnes in prayſing God, what care of well doing, and readynes to doe the will of God, what patience in ſuffering croſſes from God, and reproofe from man, what holy Meditations, what gracious ſpeeches, what diligence in your calling, what dutifulnes to your ſuperiors, what purpoſe of heart to cleaue vntounto the Lord; theſe are the ſparkles of Gods Image, the fruites of his ſpirit, the effects of his grace, the aſſurance of his election, the certaine tokens of his preſence; For 2. Cor. 1. 5. 2the Lord is with vsus, whiles wee are with him; and he draweth neare vntounto …m. 4. 8.vsus when we draw neare vntounto him.
Now touching the temptations of Sathan that doe trouble you, perceiue when God hath done with you, the Diuell taketh you in hand, God afflicteth your body, and the Diuel your ſoule. But as God brought you from ſicknes to health: So thinke that God can bring you from temptations to victorie; that being prepared by affliction in Soule and body, you may both ſerue him in this life, and liue with him in the next.
EueryEvery temptation of a Chriſtian, is a ground of ſtrong conſolation, becauſe Sathans onſets argue that wee are none of his; for the Dragon ſtrikes not at his owne ſouldiers (for Kingdomes Reu. 12. ….deuided are at an end) but at Mychaell and his Angels; If Chriſt Math. 12. 25had not beene the Sonne of God, hee would not ſo fiercely hauehave affailed him; Warryors neuer beſiege nor batter Cities they hauehave woone, ſo Satan ſeekes not the ſoules he hath deuored; he rageth moſt at thoſe he cannot get, Reuel 12. 13 14. 15. 17.and is moſt buſie with thoſe he hath leaſt to doe; when this ſtrong man keepeth his Pallace in mens ſoules, the Luke 11. 21.things that he poſſeſſeth are in peace; and when he is reſtrained and muzzeled by the power of God, hee rageth at the perſons, and roareth in the conſcience of Gods deere Children; your temptations come not to you by chance, but by the will of God, without whoſe leaue he cannot touch either Iob. 1. 10.man or beaſt; But God hath an hand to limit Sathan, and direct his Math. 8. 31.temptation for our good, as he hath an hand to let him looſe for our tryall and vexation; Hereby hee humbleth the 2. Cor. 12. 17.pride, tryeth the patience, ſifteth the faith and worketh the victory of his Iob. 1. 11. 12. Luke 22. 31 Reuel. 12. 11 Math. 4. 1.beloued Saints: It is Gods ſpirit that leadeth Gods Children to be tempted of the Diuel and he that leades them into the battle can giuegive them victory; 1. Io. 4. 4.For greater is hee that is in vsus then, he that is in the world; The Serpents Gen. 3. 15.head is cruſhed by the ſeede of the woman; The Diuel is conquered and caſt Reu. 12. 10. 12.out of heauen, and is come downe into the inhabitants of the earth, ſo that Angels cannot ſeparate vsus from the Rom. 8. 38. 39. Luke 22. 31. 32.louelove of God in Chriſt, when Sathan hindereth vsus, Chriſt prayeth that our faith faile not, for he euer liueth to make requeſt for vsus; when the meſſenger of Satan is ſent to buffet vsus, Gods grace is ſufficient for vsus; wherefore 2. Cor. 12. 9you muſt reioyce in theſe temptations, becauſe it is for the tryall of your faith and patience; And for Sathan… Iam. 1. 2. 3.figge for him, reſiſt him onelyonly and hee will flie from you, pray to your Father to free you from temptations, and i… he doe not free you from them, yet he Iam. 4. 7.will deliuer you from euill.
The particuler poynts of his temptations, I will briefely touch: Hee tel… you, that the word of God is falſe: This is the firſt leſſon that the Diuel teacheth, and it is his way to mak… men Atheiſt; But you muſt tell hi… that God is as true of his word; as h… is falſe of his; God is the God of truth; Pſal. 31. 5. Io. 8. 44.and the Diuel is the father of a lye. I… is not poſſible that God ſhould lye. I… is not poſſible but the Diuel ſhould lye; Heb. 6. 18.ſay you vntounto your ſoule I muſt beleeue the truth, and not a lye, leaſt I turne Rom. 1. 25.Gods truth into a lye; for he that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer; 1. Io. 5. …0.I will rather beleeue the creator then the creature; the maker then the deſtroyer of man: and that which will ſaue me then that which will condemne me; yea let God be true, & eueryevery Rom. 3. 4. Iam. 1. 18.Diuel and man a lyer; As for the word of god it is the word of truth it is righteouſnes altogether, eueryevery word thereof is pure & endureth for euer; This the Pſal. 19. 9.godly ſhow, who onelyonly louelove it, this the wicked ſhew who only hate it; this the Pro. 39. 5. 1, Pet. 1. 25.ſpirit witneſſeth in the hearts of Gods Children, this the power thereof proclaimeth in the conuerſion of ſoules: this experience of all times and places maketh euident, the wicked know it to their coſt, (both men and Diuels) the faithfull to their comfort.
Next if Satan ſeeke to lay your ſinnes before your eyes; thereto you muſt lay the ſufferings of Chriſt before your eyes; If he accuſe you, tell him the accuſer Reu. 12. 10.of brethren is caſt out; If hee charge your conſcience with your ſins; aske him who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen? If he condemne …om. 8. 33. 34.you for them; ſay it is God that iuſtifieth, who ſhall then condemne. If he ſay your ſinnes are many, and more then can be pardoned; tell him where Rom. 15. 20.ſinne aboundeth grace ouer aboundeth: If he ſay you are the greateſt ſinner in the world; tell him it is true, but Chriſt came into the world to ſaue ſinners, whereof I am the chiefe: If he 1. Tim. 1. 15.alleadge the greatnes of the guilt, ſay, though my ſinnes be as red as Scarlet, Eſa 1 18.yet hee will make them as white as Snowe: If he ſay ſuppoſe ſome of thy ſinnes be clenſed, yet not all, ſay that the bloud of Chriſt clenſeth vsus from all 1. Io. 1. 7.ſinnes: If he ſay Chriſt dyed for ſome but not for all; ſay he is the reconciliation 1. Io. 2. 2.of the ſinnes of the whole world; he is the Sauiour of all men but ſpecially of them that beleeue: If he ſay ſuppoſe God pardon thee, it is but for a ſeaſon till thou ſinne againe, tell him 1. Tim. 4 10. Ier. 32. 31. 34againe of the new couenant of God, which ſayeth, I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their ſinnes no more; If he ſay in all this thou preſumeſt, 2. Cor. 7. 10ſhew him your godly ſorrow, which cauſeth repentance to ſaluation; If he ſay how knoweſt thou whether God will accept of thy repentance or not, tell him if we acknowledge our 1. Io. 1. ….ſinnes, God is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue our Sinnes, and to clenſe vsus from all vnrighteouſnes; If hee ſay thy ſorrow is diſpaire, examine your ſelfe 2. Cor. 13. 5whether you be in the faith, and ſay to God, I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleife; Marke 9. 24If he ſay thy faith is fained dead and falſe; ſay vntounto him, hee that beleeueth 1. Io. 5. 10.in the Sonne hath witnes in himſelfe, as for thee O Sathan, I will Iam. 2. 18.ſhew thee my faith by my wo…kes. If he ſay thy obedience is but fained dead and falſe, and you are but an Hypocrite; ſay of yourſelfe, I know nothing by my ſelfe yet am I not thereby iuſtified; 1. Cor. 4 4.Turne vntounto God and ſay, O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Pſal. 1. 9. 5. 80.ſtatutes; Keepe my heart vpright i… thy ſtatutes that I be not aſhamed: if he ſay thou a…t accurſed, becauſe thou contine weſt not in all things that are written; ſay againe, Chriſt hath redeemed Gal. 3. 13.me from the curſe of the law, when he was made a curſe for one; If he ſay thy coruptions be ſtrange and Rom. 7. 24. 25.many; cry out O miſerable man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from this body of death; I thanke God through Ieſus Chriſt: Pray vntounto God create a Pſal. 51. 10.cleane heart O Lord, …enue a right ſpirit within me; If he ſay for all this thou ſhalt be condemned, becauſe Gods iudgements be exact, and giueth eueryevery man according to his workes; ſay there Rom. 8. 1.is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, to them that walke not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit: laſtly if he ſay, yet thou canſt hauehave no peace of conſcience but perpetuall wound; ſay, the Lord ſpeaketh peace to his people Pſal. 85. 8.and to his Saints, that they turne not againe to their folly, For being iuſtified Rom, 5. 1.by faith we hauehave peace towards God through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
I know that Diuel may proceed and ſay, thou art not choſen; But you muſt ſay vntounto him: that God choſe vsus in Eph. 1. 4.Chriſt that we ſhould be holy: and I am ſure that God hath choſen to himſelfe Pſal. 4. 3.the man that is godly; vertue ioyned to our faith makes our calling and election ſure, for ſuch as God hath predeſtinated them hath he called, wherefore ſo long as Gods grace Luke 10. 20.remaineth in me, ſo long I will reioyce that my name is witten in the booke of life: But Sathan may obiect, ſuppoſe thou be now in the fauour of thy God, yet thou maiſt fall away from Rom. 11. 29.grace; he may withdraw his ſpirit. To this you may anſwere this againe, the guifts and callings of God are Ier 13. 3.without repentance; i… he louelove vsus hee loued vsus from euerlaſting, and loueth Io. 13. 1.vsus to the end. No creature ſhalbe able Rom. 8. 38. 39. Pſal. 23. 6.to ſeperate vsus from the louelove of God in Chriſt; kindnes and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my. life, and this God is our God for euer and euer Pſal. 48. 14.he ſhalbe our guide vntounto the death. But he may ſay, that Gods minde may alter, and he may hate them for ſinne, whom he loued of mercy: God anſwereth Mat. 3. 6.for himſelfe, I am the Lord I chaunge not, and ye Sounes of Iacob 1. Sam. 15. 29are not conſumed, for God is not as man that hee ſhould repent. Ieſus Heb. 13. 8.Chriſt that was yeſterday, is the ſame to day, the ſame alſo is for euer; Gods couenaunt of life and peace is euerlaſting. Ier. 33. 20. …1.If Sathan thou canſt breake Gods couenaunt of the day and night, that there ſhall not be day and night, in their ſeaſon, then may Gods couenant be broken with his children, for God hath ſaid vntounto his choſen. The mountaines ſhall remoue, and the hills Eſa. 54. 10.fall downe, but my mercy ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall this couenant of my peace fall away, faith the Lord which hath compaſſion on thee. For that mercy and free grace which Rom, …. 10.moued God to accept vsus when wee were ſinners, ſtrangers, enemies and children of wrath, and to reconcile vsus by the death of his Sonne, muſt much more moue him, (being reconciled) to accept vsus, and to ſaue vsus by the life of Chriſt. Thus the foundation of God remaineth ſure.
Yet Sathan may reply, ſuppoſe there be no alteration or chaunge in God: yet in thee there is: He is ſtrong, but thou art weake. But Peter anſwereth 2. Pet. 1. 5.that we are not kept by our owne ſtrength, but by the power of God vntounto Saluation, and I ſhall ouercome by Reu. 12. 11.the bloud of the lamb, for in his owne 1. Sam. 2. 9.might ſhall no man be ſtrong: ſuppoſe then I may fall, and that moſt grieuouſly, as Dauid, Salomon, and Peter did: yet though I fall I ſhall no be caſt Pſal. 37. 24. 23.off: for the Lord putteth his hād vnderunder me: The pathes of man are directed by the Lord, he will keepe the feete of his Saints. Wherefore reioyce not againſt Sam. …. 9.me O mine enemies, though I fall I ſhall riſe, when I ſit in darknes Mica. 7. 8. 7the Lord ſhalbe a light vntounto me.
If Sathan vrge you further thus, how dareſt thou preſume of Gods aſſiſtance, thou haſt not Gods grace at thy commaund, ſhew him the couenant of God, confirmed and ſealed by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, who ſaith, Ier. 31. 33.I will write my law in their hearts, I will make an euerlaſting couenant Ier. 32. 40.with them, that I will neuer turne away from them, to doe them good, I will put my feare into their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me, I will giuegive them a new heart and a new Eze 36. 26. 27. & 11. 19, 20.ſpirit, I will take the ſtony heart out of their bodies, and I will giuegive them a heart of fleſh, I will put my ſpirit within them, and cauſe …em to walke in my ſtatutes. It is moſt true we are not ſufficient of our ſelues, to thinke 2. Cor. 3. 5.any thing of our ſelues, but our ſufficiencie is of God: As no man cometh vntounto Chriſt, except the father drawe Io. 6. 44. 65. Io. 15. 5.him, ſo without Chriſt we can doe nothing: Yet through the helpe of Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me, I ſhalbe able Phil. 4. 13. Phil. 1. 6.to doe all things. And hee that hath begun this good worke within mee, will performe it vntill the day of Ieſus Chriſt: And his good ſpirit ſhall leade Pſa. 143. 10 Eph. 4. 30.me into the land of righteouſnes, and ſeale me to the day of my redemption.
As for the helpe that Sathan offereth thee. Aske him, how hee can helpe another that cannot helpe himſelfe, and how ſhould one truſt the faith of a deceauour: Hee offered the world vntounto our Sauiour Chriſt, and tolde him that the world was his, but he tolde a Luke 4. 6.lye; for albeit he be called the god of this world, becauſe he ruleth in the 1. Cor. 4. 4.children of diſobedience; yet the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is, the Eph. 2. 2. Pſa. 24. 1.world and all that dwell therein. Wherefore although the wicked of the world fall downe and worſhip him, to gaine farre ſmaller matters then the world, by lying, ſwearing, and forſwearing, deceiuing, and oppreſſing, and ſuch euil courſes, yet you muſt vtterly refuſe this offer, with auoide Sathan, and come behinde me Sathan, for it is written thou ſhalt worſhip the Mat. 4. 10.Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. If Satans helpe might ſtand a man in ſteede, hee muſt hauehave no fellowſhip with his vnfruitfull workes of darkenes.
Our Sauiour Chriſt & his Apoſtles would none of his aſſiſtance to helpe Eph. 5. 11.to publiſh the Goſpell to the world. It was the bane of Saul and Ahaziah Kings of Iudah, to ſeeke for helpe of Sathan: It is better to truſt in the Mat. 1. 25. 1. Cor. 10. 13Lord, then to put any confidence in man, or euil ſpirit, for diuels cannot free vsus from the hands of God, 2. Kin. 1. 4.but God can keepe vsus from the power of diuels: For if God be with vsus who Pſa. 118. 8. Rom. 8. 31.can be againſt vsus? Hee is not farre from eueryevery one of vsus, he is as our ſhadow Act. 17. 27.at our right hand: He is a ſhield to them that truſt in him: He keepeth Pſal. 121. 5.his people as the apple of his eye, vnderunder Pro. 30. 5.the ſhadow of his wings, and as the mountaines about Ieruſalem, ſo is Pſal. 17. 8.the Lord about his people, henceforth Pſal. 125. 2.and for euer. Say therefore vntounto Sathan, I defie thy power, and renounce thy helpe, as I am none of thine becauſe I am bought with a price, ſo will 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20. Pſal. 181.I none of thee nor of thy helpe: The Lord is my helper, my rocke, my fortreſſe, my deliuerer, m… ſtrength, my ſhield the horne of my ſaluation, and Pſal. 17. 1.my refuge, my light, ſaluation, and ſtrength of my life; my defence is in God, who preſerueth the vpright in Pſal. 78. 1….heart. The God whom I ſerue, is able to deliuer me, and though he ſlay Dan. 3. 17.me I will truſt in him: Hee onelyonly maketh me to dwel in ſafety; the Lord is with me, therefore I will not not feare what man or Sathan can doe vntounto me; For when my fleſh faileth, and Iob. 13. 15.my heart alſo, then God is the ſtrength Pſal. 4. 8. Pſal. 73 26.of my heart, and my portion for euer: So the father of mercyes, and the God of all comfort, proſper & ſanctifie that I hauehave written vntounto you.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Sprint, The Christian Sword and Buckler (1623)