Saints by Calling, Dialogue · Part 8 · Section 2
Of the Spirituall combate betweene the Spirit and flesh, Grace and corruption.
Aquila.
SIR, I doe much thanke you for my yester-nights cheere, and especially for the sawce that I had with my meate; feeding me with the fruits of your lips, as well as with the fruites of the earth. Me thought wee had a Theologicall supper, wherein our mindes were no lesse refreshed then our bodies; so as I went from you well apaid with more then ordinary comfort. But to see how that cunning and vigilant enemie, which espieth and … all our good, and endeuoureth to bereaue vsus of it, did attempt to ouerthrow the ioy and gladnesse of my soule. For within soure houres after I was gone, in my first sleepe, I had such a sodaine and bitter conflict, as I hauehave had many, yet to my remembrance neuer any so sharpe for the time. But I thanke God for his helpe, whereby the assault was repulsed & ouercome.
Apollos.
Good friend Aquila, I perceiue that olde enemy of yours, and of all good men, hath not done with you; nor indeede will he, till either you be dead, or he cast and chained vp in hell. I am not so sorrie for your greefefull combate, as I am glad of your ioyfull victory ouer it. But thus it falleth out, that as after a great calme sodainly ariseth a rough storme, and then returnes a calme againe; so our ioyes, euen when they are of the best sort, are broken off with some greeuous euents inward or outward, after which commeth matter of gladnesse againe. So all things heere are vneertaine, and keepe an vnsteddy and vneuen course; euen as the Kings highway, where it is sometime lowe as a valley, sometime ouer hils, and then downe againe into the bottome. Thus is our way of Christianitie, not all plaine and pleasant, but some rugged, stonie, and cragged pathes we hauehave to passe through, ere wee can come well to our iournies end. But tell mee Aquila, was your assault all outward in temptations from the fiend, or felt you inward motions concurring, your self aswell as satan combating against you.
Aquila.
Nay Sir, it was a mixt combat. Satan found friends in my owne bosome to helpe him, euen mine owne corrupt heart, which troubled me as much and more too; neerer it was to me, then that that damned dogge did: but both together vnited their force, and put me to the more molestation. When all is well at home, that I get the mastery of my sinfull affections, I find my battle with Sathan more easie, and my victory more easie: but when my corruption rageth, and ioynes side with the enemy, then it goes harder.
Apollos.
The last time of our conference, you did truly affirme, that the worke of Sanctification is vnperfect during this life, and that the diuine power of Christ by his death hath crackt, but not wholy crusht the strength of the olde man; which by mortification is left as a Souldier that hath his braine pan crackt with a blow, who yet liueth, and strugleth still with his aduersary; or as a serpent that hath his head brused, but wriggles still with his tayle: and yet by his rising vp, the heart is quickened and made a new man, yet left as a weake babe or young childe, who is in processe of time to gather strength, and to grow vp to the age and stature of a man, till hee come to a ripe age. Now this truth Sathan knoweth as well as you, or I, by long obseruation, as also being present in the …, where it is taught; and being a subtill Spirit, hee knowes that the old man, howsoeuer daunted by grace, and much taken downe, yet is still ready to play his part, to arise vp against that new creature, which by the Spirit is framed in the heart. And though he can neuer hope to heale his wound againe, and to set him in former plight, yet hee is content to conspire with remaining corruption, and to vse it as an instrument to vexe and hurt the Children of God, whom hee doth so extremely hate: yea, though he oftentimes be not afraide onelyonly, but assured to take the foyley yet that accursed fiend (such is his malice) will be doing, and giuing enterprizes and onsets. But now we are entred thus farre in this talke of the combate of a Christian, and you Aquila doe so well know by experience what it meaneth, I will put you to speake of it what you know and feele, for my better instruction; for one experimentall Teacher, is better then ten other.
Aquila.
Indeed Sir, my owne experience being holpen with that which you taught vsus, when you handled this point, amongst other the workes of grace, doth enable me to say somewhat of this argument, and to fetch it from the beginning. I doe well remember, that you hauehave shewed both by Scripture, and common experience, especially that of Paul, Rom. 7. 16, 17. vntounto the end of the Chapter, a battell there is in eueryevery good Christian; and that it is spirituall and inuisible, fought by inuisible combaters and weapons. At length you deliuered the necessity of this battle, by the true causes ofCauses of spiritual combat. it; whereof the first is the wil and good pleasure of God, who as he ordained his owne Sonne, so all his members to this spirituall warre and conflict, thorow which they are to passe vntounto the Crowne and the Kingdome, which is prepared for them; as in earth no man is crowned, except first hee striue lawfully; none diuide the spoile, which first hauehave not abid the brunt of the battle, and obtained the victory. The second cause is the extreme malice of Sathan against Christ, the head; and for his sake, against all the Elect his members, whom he will neuer ceasse to tempt, and that with most wonderfull subtilty, as a Serpent long experimented; and with outragious cruelty, as a red, fierce, and fell Dragon, or roaring Lyon, if it were possible to draw backe againe the regenerate vntounto his kingdome, and hauing ouercome them, to destroy them; 1 Pet. 5. The third is the repugnancy and contrariety which is betweene the Spirit and the flesh, in the new borne Christians, in whom they continually striue together, as the twinnes did in Rebeccaes wombe; the Spirit striuing against the flesh, and the flesh lusting against the Spirit, without truce or reconcilement: hell and Heauen, light and darkenesse, God and Sathan, being no more contrary in quality, then the Spirit and the flesh. Here I call to minde, that it was taught, that in Scripture phrase, Spirit, grace, new man, law of the mind, in this argument were Synonyma, and of one signification: also flesh, old man, corruption, law of the members, were equiualent termes, importing one thing; so as eueryevery regenerate man hauing these in him, consisted of a double man, and had two men warring in him perpetually, during his whole pilgrimage: the old man, which is that remainder of sinne, that vicious quality deprauing and poysoning our Nature, inclining to the breach of Gods Law, which is vsually called, the flesh. That which is borne of flesh, is flesh; Iohn 3. 6. And abstaine from the lusts of the flesh; 1 Peter 2. 12. And corruption, as Ephe. 4. 22. The old man is corrupt, for it causeth spirituall vnsoundnesse, wasting all where it reigneth: lastly, Law of the members, because in faculties and powers of soule and body, it hath force of a king, or law to command and enioyne absolutely in wicked men; but in the regenerate, with resistance. And the other man, is the new man, which is that quality of holinesse created in mind and will, renewed by the Spirit of God; hence called The Spirit and Grace, because it is freely giuen and worketh things gracious and pleasing to God: and lastly, The Law of the minde, because there it gouernes as a Law or Commander. Now the opposition and strife betweene these two men in the regenerate, it is this in generall; that grace, or the Spirit, or the new man, doth raise and beget godly desires and affections tending to Heauen; and hindereth the wicked motions of corruption, and the old man: and this againe engendereth vicious euill desires and thoughts, crossing and hindering the good counsels and purposes of the Spirit and new man. In which conflict, sometime sinne preuaileth against grace, carrying vsus away, and leading vsus captiue as it were, fast bound in fetters and chaines; Rom. 7. 23. and sometime grace mastereth the lusts of sinne, and remaineth Conquerour. And this alwayes falleth out, by reason of this combate, that a godly person as he cannot doe what euill Sathan, sinne, and himselfe, according to his will corrupt would doe; because grace dwelling in him, doth put an obstacle and barre vntounto sinfull desires, that they doe not breake out as blisters or botches in ones body: so he is not able to attaine to performe either all that good which he would, or in so good a manner as he would, with such louelove to God and his Neighbour, as his soule wisheth, and the Law requireth; because remaining corruption doth oppose it selfe vntounto the worke and motions of the Spirit. Which is the thing whereof Paul had experience in his owne person, and hath reported in Rom. 7. 14, 15. both to the instruction of all, and great comfort of the weake: that by reason of dwelling sinne, egging and tempting him to euill, pulling and drawing him from God, hee both did the euils which he would not, and left vndone the good which hee would doe, or did it vntowardly and weakely. He could no sooner hauehave a good thought and motion tending to God ward, but euill was present and at hand, very ready to quench and smother. This was the condition which hee was subiect vntounto; euen like the condition of a sicke man newly recouered, or but recouering, who faine would walke a mile or two for his health: but when he begins to go, his legges double vnderunder him for feeblenesse, and he can scarse walke two turnes about his chamber. Or as it fareth with an escaped prisoner, which desireth to flye, and his heart could serue him to go twenty miles or forty a day; yet his bolts and fetters so comber him, as he can scarse rid one mile a day. So the Apostle felt, and so much other regenerated persons feele themselues encombred with their sinnefull Nature, as they are enforced euen when they do best, to do their duties with care, wants, and imperfections.
Apollos.
In this spirituall combate, there is a materiall thing to bee enquired into: whether corruption do so farre at any time preuaile ouer grace, as wholly to extinguish it for a time; or the faithfull do but onelyonly fall into a spirituall sleepe, deepely forgetting themselues, yet still retaining the life of Grace. The case of Dauid falling so heinously, sinning so deliberately, lying so long being falne, causeth diuers more then to suspect, that the godly in their conflict with sin, may take such a foyle, as to hauehave grace wholly beaten out of their hearts for a season, though not finally. For it thoughts, that he yeelded vntounto sinne with his whole will, which cannot be, where any sparkle of Grace remaines.
Aquila.
Sir, this is a Question, which it were more meete for you to make answer to then my selfe: howbeit, seeing you will hauehave it so, I will speake my minde in it. When I reade in Scripture, that God is vnchangeable, his couenant euerlasting, his calling and giftes without repentance, his regenerating grace to bee an immortall seede, to remaine in the elect, to be such as none can take from them; and that the life of grace can no more returne to the death, then Christ can returneRom. 6. 9, 10, 11. to dye againe; and that Christ doth make intercession for beleeuers, and that the Comforter which is giuen them, shall abide in them for euer: VponUpon these, and such like grounds, I am resolued, that howsoeuer sauing grace in the Elect may be wounded, yet not killed; battered and beaten, yet not raced; sore shaken, yet not plucked vp by the rootes. For God, who put it into their heart, still preseruing it, and being stronger then all that be against it, how can it vtterly faile? This is it therfore which I iudge, that when regenerate persons, being ouercome by the strength of any temptation, or in-bred corruption, yeeld vntounto any sinne, their whole will doth neuer sinne so much onelyonly doth sin, as is vnregenerate, the regenerate part doth neuer sin, neither can it sinne: for it is impossible that grace shold sinne, which is as contrary vntounto sinne, as light is vntounto darkenesse. The Spirit and grace, doth euer like and louelove that which is good, and hate that which is euill. So the Apostle confesseth, that when hee did the euill he would not, and did not the good he would, it was dwelling sinne that did it, that is to say, his soule vnrenewed was that which sinned; it was not he, that is, his soule so farre as it was vnrenewed, that did sinne: For his minde renewed serued the law of God, it was his flesh that serued the law of sinne: his inward man did euen then delight in the law of God, when the lawe of his members rebelled against it. And this is the condition of all other the children of God: amongst whom, when any of them be ouercome in this conflict, their will and minde renewed doeth still make resistance to sinne; yet so feeble, so faintly, and weakely somtimes, that sinne gets the vpper hand, and grace is put to the worst.
Now touching Dauid, and such as do sinne in such a sort as he sinned, this is it which I do iudge of them; that it fareth with them as with a man going downe a steepe hill, whose foote once slipping, hee cannot recouer himselfe, but tumbles downe till hee meete with some stay. Or, as it doth with one in a swoone or in a Lethargie, whose life is in them, and yet to seeming they are dead. Or, as a withered tree in winter season, which hath neither leafe, blossome, or beauty, and yet there is life in the roote. Or, as with a soldier, whose braine-pan being cracked with a blow, he lieth astonished, and as one vanquished; yet comming to himselfe againe, renewes the battle, and conquers his enemie. Or finally, as one taken prisoner against his will, for lacke of power to withstand the assault, being willing and ready to make an escape, whensoeuer an opportunity is offered. As appeareth in the example of that Kingly Prophet, who was so held captiue in the hands of sinne, as when God did reach out a hand vntounto him, to draw him out by the admonition of his Prophet outwardly, and the motion of his Spirit inwardly, hee quickly apprehended it; and embracing the occasion, gaue satan and sinne the slip, and (as wee say) shewed them a paire of faire heeles.
Apollos.
I am altogether of your iudgement in these points: and surely, as this is a very true doctrine, so it is comfortable to consider, that God doeth so maintaine grace in the hearts of his owne children, as howsoeuer for due and iust causes, the gates of helmay very farre preuaile, yet neuer so farre, as to displant that which God hath planted, nor to destroy that image which God hath set vp. But it remaines now, that ye speake something more particularly of this combate, and what weapons are to be vsed therein, & after what sort we are to make vse of them?
Aquila.
Sir, it were a matter of great labour, a very long worke, particularly to rehearse how our knowledge is assaulted by ignorance, our faith by infidelity, our louelove by enuy and hatred, our holines by prophane lusts; our chastity and temperancy, by incontinency & riot: also, to declare the dangerous stratagems, wiles, and enticements that are vsed by satan and the world, to vndermine and ouerthrow the poore christian soul. and this haply is sufficiently performed by som others. Touching the Weapons which wee are to vse in this warfare, and how by prayer wee are to get the power to vse them well, the Apostle instructeth vsus fully, in the 6. chapter to the Ephesians. And for the right application of the maine weapon, to wit, the Worde of God, we hauehave Christs practise in the 4. chap. of Matth. Therefore if it please you, leauing this argument, wee will passe forward to the doctrine of Repentance. This onelyonly I thinke meete to say ere we part from this matter, that there is a very great oddes between a regenerate person, and one vnregenerate, as touching this fight against sinne: they both fight, but neyther vvith like minde, nor with like successe.
In vnregenerate persons, the light of naturall reason, and of knowledge infused into the conscience, doe checke sinne, as well as discouer it, leading the combater to a mislike, and some kind of resistance, whereof the issue and successe is the holding backe of the rage of sinne, without weakning or killing it at the roote; in so much as when this resistance (such as it is) …, then sinne like a Gyant or a Tyrant mightily assaulteth, and insulteth ouer the poore soule, trampling it downe, and fiercely oppressing it. Whereas regenerate persons doe more then mislike sinne, and make some slender opposition to the keeping in of the fury of euill lusts; for they doe truly detest and hate sinne, as that which is contrary to the will, image, and glory of their Father, and the cause of curse to their blessed Redeemer: so as there is in them a conflict, not alone betweene reason and affection, and betweene conscience and sinne; but between grace and sinne, betweene the heart renewed by grace, and remaining sinne, which with a loathing is refused of them, when it ariseth and tempteth; the regenerate setting and bending themselues directly against eueryevery lust of reason and will, as against a most mortall enemy, which it desireth and seeketh vtterly to destroy: for that end being in continuall watch, frequent in seruent prayer, alwayes fearing infirmity, and Gods dreadfull Maiesty; the euent and successe of which strife is a daily wasting of sinne, and mortifying it at the roote, that it may at the length be quite abolished.