The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. That all the godly are aſſaulted with the ſpirituall enemies of their ſaluation.
§. Sect. 1 THE Apoſtle hauing ſhewed the myſterie of our ſaluation and the cauſes thereof for the confirmation of our faith in the three firſt chapters of his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, and afterwards in the other chapters hauing ſet downe diuers duties both generally belonging to all Chriſtians, and alſo particularly appertaining to men of ſundrie conditions, that he might moue them to repentance and amendment of life; in the next place like the Lords Centinell doth diſcouer and giuegive vsus warning of the approch of mighty enemies, willing vsus to arme our ſelues at all points in our owne defence, and couragiouſly to ſtand vnderunder the ſtanderd of Chriſt Ieſus, that we may be continually in readines to endure the encounter, chap. 6.10, 11, &c.All that will liue like Gods ſeruants muſt prepare themſelues for the ſpirituall combat. Whereby he giueth vsus to vnderſtand, that as ſoone as we ſeeke for aſſurance of ſaluation in Chriſt, and endeuour to ſerue the Lord in a holie and a Chriſtian life, wee are to prepare our ſelues for a combat, vnleſſe we would ſuddenly be ſurpriſed; for the ſpiritual enemies of our ſaluation bandie themſelues againſt vsus as ſoone as we hauehave giuen our names vntounto God, and taken vponupon vsus the profeſſion and practiſe of Chriſtianitie, which are the liuerie and cogniſance of our heauenly Lord and Maſter. And this is manifeſt by the example of Gods children from time to tim… … though they liued in peace and ſecuritie before th… …tained into Gods familie, yet no ſooner were … …itted to be of Gods houſehold ſeruants, but Sathan and the world hauehave raged againſt them, laboring both by inward temptations and outward furie, either to withdraw them from Gods ſeruice by flattring inticements, or vtterly to deſtroy and ouerthrow them by open violence. No ſooner had Abel offered a ſacrifice of ſweete ſmelling ſauour vntounto God,Gen. 4. but Sathan ſtirreth vp Cain to become his butcher: whileſt Moſes was contented to be reputed the ſonne of Pharaohs daughter he enioyed all proſperitie, but as ſoone as hee ioyned himſelfe to Gods people and Church, Pharaoh ſeeketh his life: as long as the Iſraelites worſhipped the Egyptian Idols, they ſate by their fleſh-pots in peace, and quietly enioyed the fruites of the land; but as ſoone as they made but a motion of ſeruing the Lord, the King ſtirred vp by the diuell, doth rage againſt them with more then barbarous crueltie: whileſt Paul perſecuted the Church of God, Sathan did not ſo much trouble him either outwardly in bodie or inwardly in minde; but no ſooner was he truly conuerted to the faith and preached the Goſpell, but preſently he ſetteth his wicked impes on worke to take away his life, which the Lord not permitting, he mooueth them to perſecute him by impriſoning, whipping, and ſtoning him; and not content with theſe outward afflictions, he ſendeth his meſſenger to buffet him,2. Cor. 12. that he might be no leſſe vexed inwardly in minde then outwardly in bodie. Yea he ſpared not our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe, but as ſoone as he began to ſhew himſelfe to be the ſonne of God and redeemer of mankinde, in perfourming the duties of his calling, then eſpecially hee bendeth all his force againſt him, he tempteth and aſſaulteth him fortie daies together,Matth. 4. and taking the foyle himſelfe, hee ſtirreth vp his wicked inſtruments to perſecute him, and at length to take away his life.
Whoſoeuer therefore reſolue to be Gods ſeruants, muſt make account to be his ſouldiers alſo; and whileſt with Nehemias followers, with one hand they perfourme the workes of their callings and Chriſtianitie, they muſt …th the other hand hold their weapons to repell th… …ll enemies, who continually labour to hinder the L… …ings: for no ſooner doe we become friends to God, …ently Sathan aſſaulteth vsus as his enemies; no ſooner doe we receiue the Lords preſſe money and ſet foote into his campe, but Sathan aduanceth againſt vsus his flagges of defiance, labouring both by ſecret treacherie, and outward force, to ſupplant and ouercome vsus.
§. Sect. 2 Here therefore is inſtruction for ſecure worldlings,The two fold vſe of this doctrine. and conſolation and incouragement for Gods children. Worldly men in ſteed of fighting the Lords battailes, ſpend their time in chambering and wantonnes, in luſts and vncleannes, in Muſicke and daliance, in ſurfetting and all voluptuouſnes, in couetouſnes and idlenes, as though there were no enemie to aſſault them, and as if Sathan were ſome meeke lambe and not a roring lion readie to deuoure them; ſo that good Moſes comming neere them cannot heare the noiſe of them that hauehave the victorie, nor the noiſe of them that are ouercome, but the noiſe of ſinging and meriment,Exod. 32. for they are not fighting the battailes of the Lord of hoaſts, but ſolemniſing a Sabbath to the golden Calfe, ſitting downe to eate and drink and riſing vp to play. The ſpirituall Cananites are quite forgotten, and they remember not the bleſſed land of promiſe, whereunto like pilgrimes they ſhould bee trauailing, but make this world, this wildernes of ſin, the place of their ioy and delight. In a word, they flouriſh in their outward ſtates, and neuer in their mindes feele any vexation of Sathans temtations. And what is the cauſe of all this? If you aske them they will ſay, that they hauehave ſuch a ſtrong faith and peace of conſcience,That the worldlings peace proceedeth not from ſtrength, but carnall ſecuritie. that Sathans temptations hauehave no power ouer them; neither were they euer troubled with any of his encounters. And not content with theſe bragges of their owne happie eſtate, they cenſure and condemne Gods children, accounting their ſtate moſt deſperate who are moleſted with Sathans temptations, and goe mourning vnderunder the burthen of ſinne all the day long; ſuppoſing either that they are in Sathans power, and hauehave more grieuouſly ſinned then other men, or that they are mad and frantick ſo to vexe themſelues with ſuch needleſſe ſorrow. But let ſuch men know that of all others their ſtate is moſt daungerous, for they are grieuouſly ſicke, and hauehave no ſenſe of their diſeaſe, their wounds are ſo mortall that they depriue them of all feeling; they are aſſaulted, yea taken priſoners whileſt they ſleepe ſoundly in ſecuritie, and diſcerne not the approch of the enemie. Non ergo repugnant quia ſe impugnari ignorant: They make no reſiſtance becauſe they are ignorant of the aſſault. And what can be more daungerous then to hauehave the enemie approch and lay hands on vsus before we be aware? But this is the ſtate of thoſe men:Hierom. for as one ſaith, Tum maximè impugnantur cum ſe impugnari neſciant: They are moſt aſſaulted when they feele no aſſault. Let them know, that they are not the Lords ſouldiers but the diuels reuellers, and therefore he fighteth not againſt them becauſe they are his friends. For there was neuer any of Chriſts ſouldiers in the Militant Church which hauehave not been exerciſed in this warfare; there was neuer any ſo ſtrong in faith but Sathan durſt encounter him, euen the Apoſtles, yea Adam in the ſtate of innocencie, yea our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe; there were neuer any ſo conſtant in the courſe of Chriſtianitie, but the world hath ſought to draw them out of the right way by her baites of proſperitie, or to force them to ſinne by threatning aduerſitie; there were neuer any that hauehave had in them one ſparke of Gods ſpirit (Chriſt excepted) who hauehave not felt it aſſaulted and often foiled by the fleſh. For the fleſh lusteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and they are contrarie the one to the other, as it is Galath. 5.17. Yea the Apoſtle Paul himſelfe when he was moſt ſanctified,Galat. 5.17. Rom. 7.23. ſaw another law in his members rebelling againſt the law of his minde, leading him captiue to the law of ſin, as appeareth Rom. 7.23.
§. Sect. 3 It is not therefore their ſtrength of faith, but their carnall ſecuritie which ſo lulleth them aſleepe in the cradle of worldly vanities that they cannot diſcerne this fight; it is not their peace with God nor the peace of conſcience which makes them thus quiet, for there is no (ſuch) peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked, Eſa. 57.21.Eſa. 57.21. but it is a peace which they hauehave made with Sathan, a couenant with death and an agreement with hell, as the Prophet ſpeaketh,Eſa. 28.15. Eſa. 28.15. When the ſtrong armed man Sathan (quietly) keepes the houſe, the things that he poſſeſſeth are in peace; but when a ſtronger then he commeth to diſpoſſeſſe him, he will neuer loſe his poſſeſſion without a fight; and we cannot chuſe but feele the blowes in ſo ſharpe an incounter. Luk. 11.21.Luk. 11.21. If a man neuer enter the field to fight againſt Sathan, or if at the firſt encounter he yeeld himſelfe priſoner, and be content to be tied in the pleaſing fetters of ſinne, it is no marueile that hee doth not rage in his conſcience, when as alreadie hee is in his captiuitie readie to perfourme all thoſe workes of darknes wherein he employeth him; but if when Chriſt the redeemer is preached vntounto them by his Ambaſſadours, they would ſhew any deſire of comming out of his thraldome, ſurely this ſpirituall Pharaoh would neuer loſe their ſeruice but by force and compulſion, neither can ſo ſtrong a man be forced but wee muſt needes feele the conflict. While the priſoner lieth in the dungeon, loaded with bolts and tied in chaines, the keeper ſleepeth ſecurely, becauſe he knoweth he is ſafe; but if his bolts being filed off and his chaines looſed, he hauehave eſcaped out of priſon, then the Iaylor beginneth to buſtle and purſueth him ſpeedely with Huean crye: ſo whileſt Sathan holdeth vsus impriſoned in the darke dungeon of ignorance, loaded and tied with the heauie bolts and chaines of ſinne, hee is retchleſſe and ſecure; but if our Sauiour by his Ambaſſadours in the preaching of the word, looſe and vnburthen vsus of theſe chaines and bolts, and by the light of his ſpirit ſo illuminate the eyes of our vnderſtanding, that we ſee the way out of Sathans dungeon of ignorance, and ſo eſcape out of his captiuitie, then he rageth againſt and purſueth vsus as Pharaoh did the Iſraelites, that either he may bring vsus backe againe into his bondage, or els deſtroy vsus, if we make reſiſtance. Laſtly they feele not any fight betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit, becauſe the fleſh wholie ruleth them, and like a flood which hath a cleere current carrieth them wholie into a ſea of ſinne without any ſtop or reſiſtance, and therfore no marueile they feele not this fight, when the ſpirit which is one of the combatants hath no force nor reſidence in them.
§. Sect. 4 Secondly, That the true Christian may receiue comfort by feeling the ſpirituall conflict.Gods children who continually feele the aſſaults of their ſpirituall enemies, and ſee the breaches which are made in their ſoules with the continuall batterie of their temptations, may receiue no ſmall conſolation hereby, when as they conſider that all who profeſſe themſelues Gods ſeruants, and reſolue to ſerue the Lord in holines and righteouſnes are thus tempted and tried.Reuel. 12.17. For the Dragon is wroth with the woman (that is Gods Church) and her ſeede which keepe the commandements of God, and hauehave the testimonie of Ieſus Chriſt, as is Reuel. 12.17. and like a roring lion ſeeketh their deſtruction, becauſe they hauehave renounced him, and fight vnderunder the ſtandard of the Lord of hoaſts whom hee maligneth: and hence it is that whileſt we liue without ſenſe of ſinne, we eate and drinke and take our eaſe without diſturbance, but after we make any conſcience of our waies and endeuour to ſerue the Lord, then Sathan caſteth againſt vsus the firie darts of his temptations, and we feele many conflicts betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit, with which the worldly man is neuer troubled. So that when we are thus tempted and aſſaulted by Sathan, the world, and our corrupt fleſh, it is a ſtrong argument to perſwade vsus that wee are intertained for Gods ſouldiers, and hauehave receiued the preſſe money of his ſpirit; for Sathans kingdome is not diuided, neither doth he fight againſt thoſe who are his friends and ſeruants, but againſt thoſe who wage warre againſt him and fight vnderunder the Lords ſtanderd. True it is, that when his ſeruants hauehave committed ſuch abominable and grieuous ſinnes, as hauehave made deepe wounds in their ſeared conſciences, whereby they are awakened out of their ſleepie lethargie of ſecuritie, then Sathan filleth them with horrour and deſpaire, that hee may keepe them from true repentance, when he can hide from them their ſinnes no longer; and the Lord in his iuſt iudgement, and for the example of others, doth ſuffer Sathan to begin in them the torments of hell in this life; but if hee can by any meanes hide their ſinnes and keepe them quietly in his kingdome, he will neuer vexe them. And hence it is that whereas one periſheth through deſpaire, many thouſands periſh through preſumption and ſecuritie. Let all thoſe therefore who feele the burthen of their ſinnes, and are vexed with the continuall aſſaults of their ſpirituall enemies comfort themſelues; for hereby they hauehave aſſurance that they are members of the Church militant, into which none but ſouldiers are intertained, and that now they begin to be Gods friends and ſeruants when as Sathan oppoſeth himſelfe againſt them.