The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 36 – Section 37
SECT. XXXVI. Of the Spirituall warfare.
Q. VVHat is the Spirituall warfare?
A. The daily exerciſe of our ſpirituall ſtrength, and armour againſt all aduerſaries, with aſſured confidence of victorie.
Q. What is our ſpirituall ſtrength?
A. The powerfulldEpheſ. 6.10 aſsistance of God in Chriſt, who hath loued vsus, whereby wee become*Rom. 8.37 more then conquerors.
Q. What is our ſpirituall armour?
A. The complete furniture of ſauing and ſanctifying graces; called therefore thea2. Cor. 6.7. armour of righteouſneſſe, and thebEpheſ. 6.11 Panoplie or whole armor of God Viz.
ThecVer. 14. &c girdle of veritie, or ſinceritie.
The breſt-plate of Righteouſneſſe, that is, holineſſe of life, and good conſcience.
The ſhoes of the preparation (or reſolution to goe through with the profeſſion) of the Goſpell of peace.
The ſhield of Faith.
The helmet of the hope of Saluation.
The ſword of the Spirit, which is the (ſound knowledge and wiſe application of the) word of God.
Finally continuall, & inſtant prayer in the Spirit.
Q. Who are our aduerſaries in the ſpirituall conflict?
A. They are either our friend prouing vsus, or our enemies ſeducing and endangering vsus.
Q. Who is that friend of ours, that for our probation entereth into conflict with vsus?
A. God himſelfe, who though heeaJam. 1.13 tempt no man vntounto euill (no more then hee can himſelfe bee tempted) yet, as a Maiſter of defence, enureth vsus to the conflict, by contending with vsus, euen in his owne perſon. Viz.
Sometimes by
bGen. 22.1, &c.Probatorie commandements, or
cGe. 32.24Senſible apparitions.
But more ordinarily bydIob 6.4. ſtriking our hearts with his terrors, ePſal. 77.7withdrawing the comfort of his gracious preſence, f2. Chro. 32.31.leauing vsus, for a time, to our ſelues, that by our falles wee may acknowledge our owne weakeneſſe: FinallygHeb. 12.5, 6 Reu. 3.19. exerciſing vsus vnderunder the croſse, and yoake of outward afflictions.
Q. How muſt wee contend with God?
A. No otherwiſe, thenhHoſ. 12.3.4 Iacob, and other holy men hauehave done, that is, by obedience, humilitie, patience, & feruent prayer vntounto God; who onelyonly enableth vsus to preuaile with himſelfe,aGen. 32.28. giuing vsus the bleſsing, and name of Iſrael.
Q. What are thoſe enemies of ours, that ſeeke to ſeduce and endanger vsus?
A. Whatſoeuer marcheth vnderunder the banner of Satan, theb2. Cor. 4.4 God andcEpheſ. 6.12 Prince of the darknes of this world, who ſometimesd2. Cor. 12.7 Zech. 3.1 immediately aſſaileth vsus with impious and odious ſuggeſtions, but more vſually employeth his forces, or attendants.
Q. What are the attendants of Satan?
A
1. Thee1. Ioh. 2.15. world, which he abuſeth as his ſtorehouſe, and armorie of temptations, that is, bothfVer. 16 allurements to euil with hope of gaine, pleaſure, or preferment, andgIoh. 16.33 diſcouragements from dutie, with feare of loſſe, trouble, reproach, &c.
2. Our ownehGal. 5.24. fleſh, which as a treacherous party within vsus, being by Satan ſtirred vp, and inueigled with the baites of the world, or diſcouraged with the euill intreaty thereof,i1. Pet. 2.11 fighteth on his ſide againſt our ſoule, that is, our ſpirituall life and welfare.
Q. How doe theſe enemies fight againſt our ſoule?
A. By imploying all force, & fraud, to draw vsus by ſinne, from thea1. Ioh. 2.25 obedience, and fauour of God, vntounto damnation.
Q. What muſt we doe being thus aſſailed?
A. Wee muſtbEph. 6.13, 14 ſtand faſt, beeing ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and taking vntounto vsus the whole armour of God, that wee may bee able to reſiſt in the euill day, and to leade our captiuitie captiue.
Q. How may wee bee able to ſtand againſt the aſſaults of the Diuell?
A.
1. We muſt labour toc2. Cor. 2.11 enforme our ſelues, that we may not be ignorant of his enterpriſes, or ſtratagemes.
2. We muſt boldly dIam. 4 7. 1. Pet. 5.9reſiſt, that is,eEph. 4 27. giuegive no place or ground vntounto him, or admit any conference with him, but rather neglect and deſpiſe his ſuggeſtions.
3. Wee muſt take the fEpheſ. 6.16.ſhield of Faith in Chriſt, and his aſſiſtance (aPſal. 16.8 ſetting him on our right hand, who isbEſay 6 3.1. mighty to ſaue,) whereby wee may quench all the fierie darts of that wicked one.
4. Wee muſt brandiſh againſt him thecEphe. 6.17. ſword of the Spirit, that is the word of God, after the example of ourdMat. 4.4, &c. Sauiour, keeping our ſelues to that onelyonly, which God reuealeth to vsus, and requireth of vsus.
Q, How may we withſtand temptations from the world?
A. By oure1 Joh. 5.4 faith, which ſetteth a better world, euen Gods heauenly kingdome, before our eyes, and ſo enableth vsus, both tofHeb. 11.24, &c. contemne andgGal. 6.14 crucifie the louelove of this preſent world, and tohHeb. 11 36, 37. endure manfully, the threates and wrongs thereof, both confeſsing Chriſt in perill, and ſufferingiReu. 12.11 martyrdome for his ſake, if wee bee thereto called.
Q. How may we withſtand the temptations of our owne fleſh?
A. Byk1. Pet. 4 1. ſetting before our eyes the patterne of the death of Chriſt, and arming our ſelues with the ſame minde, that it behooueth vsus alſo to ſuffer in the fleſh, ceaſing from ſinne; hereto crauing and employing the power of the ſame death of Chriſt, toaRo. 6, 2. &c ſubdue and crucifie our carnall luſts and affections; whereto alſo belongeth the help ofb1. Cor. 9.25, &c. Abſtinence for the repreſſing of the inordinate deſires of nature.
SECT. XXXVII. Of good workes in generall.
Q. THus farre of the ſpiritual warfare: What is a good worke?
A. Whatſoeuer thing is done of us,c2. Cor. 3.5. not by the force or conduct of nature, but by the power of thedRom. 8.10 ſpirit of Chriſt, dwelling in vsus, and according to the rule of theeRom. 12.2 knowne will of God, vntounto thef1 Cor. 10.31 glory of God, theg2. Pet. 1.10, &c. aſſurance of our election, and theh1. Cor. 10.23 edification of others.
Q. Is there no concurrence of nature, in the doing of a good worke?
A. Taking nature (in the common ſenſe of Scripture) for thataEpheſ. 2.3 1. Cor. 2.14 hereditarie corruption, that cleaueth to all the ſonnes of Adam, bRom. 8.7no good work hath any ground or help from nature, but is altogether contrarie thereto: but if we vnderſtand bycRom. 2.14 nature, the created abilities of ſoule, and body, as the light of reaſon, libertie of will, motion of the bodily members &c. wee acknowledge nature to bedMat. 16.17 not the principal mouer, or guide, but thee1. Theſ. 5.23 thing moued, & guided by grace, in well doing.
Q. Are there any workes of men perfectly good?
A. None, no not of the moſt perfect, in this life, by reaſō of thefEſay 64.6 Gal. 15.17. remainders of corruption, but onelyonly the workes of Chriſt, in whom alone there wasg1. Pet. 2.22 no mixture of ſinne.
Q. Can all men doe good workes?
A. No, but onelyonly the regenerate, who are, for that purpoſe,hEpheſ. 2.10 2. Tim. 2.21 created a new, and indued in meaſure, with the ſpirit of Chriſt, and power of his reſurrection: As for the vnregenerate, they areaMat. 7 17, &c. Jer. 13.23. the euill tree, that bringeth forth onelyonly euill fruit.
Q. Are there not ſome good workes, ſpecially commended to vsus in the word of God?
A. Yes: and namely, among the duties of the firſt Table, Prayer, and among thoſe of the ſecond Table, Almes; touching which therefore ourbMat. 6.1.5, &c. Sauiour giueth ſpeciall directions in the ſixt of Matthew.
Q. Is not faſting alſo (of which our Sauiour in the cMath. 6.16, &c.ſame place entreateth) a ſpeciall good worke?
A. Faſting is not properly a good worke, but an helpe, and aſsiſtance thereto, namely to Prayer, as ſhall appeare.