The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of the ſword of the ſpirit.
§. Sect. 1 Of the ſword of the ſpirit.ANd ſo much for the defenſiue armour which wee muſt put on; that which followeth is both defenſiue and offenſiue, fit to defend our ſelues, and repell and foyle the enemie. The firſt is the ſword of the ſpirit, the word of God. This the Apoſtle calleth the ſword of the ſpirit, becauſe it is a ſpirituall and not a carnall weapon, which the ſpirit of God himſelf hath as it were tempered, made, ſharpened, and put into our hands, to repell our ſpirituall enemies whenſoeuer they aſſault vsus. If therefore we would defend our ſelues and driue backe Sathan, wee muſt not onelyonly buckle vntounto vsus the defenſiue armour before ſpoken of (for he that ſtandeth altogether vponupon defence, ſtandeth vponupon no defence) but wee muſt take vntounto vsus the ſword of the ſpirit, wherewith we may repell and deadly wound our ſpirituall enemies. Wherein we are to imitate the example of our chiefe Captaine Ieſus Chriſt, who though he was able to hauehave confuted Sathan by other arguments, or to hauehave confounded him by the omnipotent power of his deitie,Matth. 4. yet as he ſuffered himſelfe to be tempted in all things like vntounto vsus, ſo he vſed alſo the ſame weapons, which he hath appointed vsus to vſe in this ſpirituall combat of temptations, to the end that we might be taught how to handle them, hauing his example for our imitation, and alſo may conceiue aſſured hope of victorie, conſidering that our Captaine ſubdued Sathan with the ſelfeſame weapons.
§. Sect. 2 Whenſoeuer therefore wee are aſſaulted by Sathan, let vsus draw out the ſword of the ſpirit, That the ſword of the ſpirit is a moſt fit weapon to repell Sathans temptations.that wee may defend our ſelues, and giuegive him the foyle, as being the moſt fit weapon for this purpoſe: for if Sathan ſeeke to blind the eyes of our vnderſtanding with ignorance, that thereby hee may leade vsus as it were hoodwinkt into ſinne, the word of God is a lanthorne to our feete, and a light vntounto our pathes to diſcouer Sathans darke illuſions and ſecret ambuſhments, and to guide our feete in the way of peace. If he ſeeke to deceiue vsus with his lies, and to ſeduce vsus into errors; the word of God is the touchſtone of truth, by which wee diſcerne the pure golden veritie from the droſſie conceits of humane inuentions; and the ſubtill deluſions of Sathans probable falſehoods, from the vndoubted certaintie of Gods infallible truth. If he tranſforme himſelfe into an angell of light, Gods word doth pull off his vizard, and maketh him appeare in his owne likenes: if he come vponupon vsus like a roring lion to deuoure vsus, it protecteth vsus from danger, and maketh vsus ſtrong enough to withſtand his violence. Seeing therefore this weapon is ſo excellent, let vsus moſt highly eſteeme it, and manfully vſe it whenſoeuer Sathan doth aſſault vsus and tempt vsus vntounto ſinne.How we are to vſe the ſword of the ſpirit in the conflict of temptations. For example, when he inticing vsus to commit ſinne, doth extenuate and mince it as though it were but a May-game and a tricke of youth which God regardeth not; let vsus draw out the ſword of the ſpirit, ſaying, it is written, that all they are accurſed who continue not in all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it,Galat. 3 10. Rom. 8.8. Gal. 3.10. that they who liue according to the fleſh, cannot pleaſe God, Rom. 8.8. that the burthen of ſinne cannot be light, ſeeing it preſſed out of Chriſt himſelfe a bloudie ſweate, &c.
On the other ſide, if hee aggrauate the hainouſnes of our ſins, to the end hee may draw vsus into deſpaire of Gods merciemercy; let vsus ſay,Ezec. 18.23.32 it is written, I will not the death of a ſinner (ſaith the Lord) but that he repent and liue, Ezech. 18.23.32. And, that Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſaue ſinners, 1. Tim. 1.15. Matth. 9.13.1. Tim. 1.15. And that he came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance, Matth. 9.13. Ioh. 3.16. If he tempt vsus to the louelove of the world, and to the ſeruice of this vnrighteous Mammon; let vsus anſwer him,Matth. 6.24. that it is impoſſible to ſerue two masters of ſuch contrarie diſpoſition, as it is written Matth. 6.24. That if wee louelove the world, 1. Ioh. 2.15. Iam. 4.4.the louelove of the father abideth not in vsus, 1. Ioh. 2.15. That the amitie of the world is enmitie againſt God, Iam. 4.4.
Contrariwiſe, if renouncing the world, and endeuouring to ſerue the Lord in vprightnes and in truth, hee ſeeke to draw vsus from our integritie, by threatning afflictions and perſecution; wee are to ſtrengthen our ſelues and reſiſt him with the ſword of the ſpirit, remembring that they are bleſſed which ſuffer perſecution for righteouſnes ſake, Matth. 5.10. 1. Tim. 3.12.for theirs is the kingdō of heauen, Mat. 5.10. That all that will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus ſhall ſuffer perſecutiō, 1. Tim. 3.12. That whoſoeuer loſeth any thing for Chriſts ſake, Matth. 19.29.ſhall receiue in recompence an hundreth fold more, and hauehave euerlaſting life to boote, Matth. 19.29.
If he tempt vsus to the neglect of Gods word, wee are to tell him, that all Chriſts ſheepe heare his voyce and follow him, Ioh. 10.27. Ioh. 8.47.Ioh. 10.27. That whoſoeuer is of God heareth Gods words, Ioh. 8.47. that they who know God heare his miniſters, whereas he that is not of God heareth them not, 1. Ioh. 4.6. And if he obiect that wee cannot heare it without great labour and coſt, wee are to remember, that whoſoeuer is a wiſe Merchant fit for the kingdome of God, will rather ſell all he hath to buy this precious pearle, than be without it, Matth. 13.44, 45, 46.Mat. 13.44.45.
On the other ſide, if he tempt vsus to content our ſelues with the bare hearing thereof, neglecting obedience thereunto, we are to tell him that not the hearers of the word, Rom. 2.13.but the doers thereof ſhall be iustified, Rom. 2.13. that they who are hearers of the word and not doers alſo, doe deceiue themſelues,Iam. 1.22. if they thinke hereby to hauehave any aſſurance of eternall life, Iam. 1.22. That not eueryevery one who ſaith Lord, Lord, (that is,Matth. 7.21. maketh a goodly profeſſion of religion) ſhall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doth the will of the father who is in heauen. Matth. 7.21.
So when he tempteth vsus to pride, wee are to ſay vntounto him, Sathan I may not yeeld vntounto thy temptation, for it is written; God reſiſteth the proude, but giueth his grace to the humble, 1. Pet. 5.5.1. Pet. 5.5. If he tempt vsus to couetouſnes, we are to reſiſt him, ſaying, it is written,1. Tim. 6.10. that the deſire of money is the roote of all euill, 1. Tim. 6.10. If to carking care, wee are to tell him, that the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus to caſt all our care on the Lord, for he careth for vsus, 1. Pet. 5.7.1. Pet. 5.7. If to vnthriftie miſpending of Gods gifts, and careleſſe conſuming of our eſtates, wee are to tell him, that he that prouideth not for his familie, 1. Tim. 5.8.is worſe than an Infidell, 1. Tim. 5.8.
§. Sect. 3 And thus may we repell the violence of all Sathans temptations and giuegive him the ſoyle, if wee will take vntounto vsus the ſword of the ſpirit,That it behooueth vsus to be skilfull in handling the ſword of the ſpirit. and skilfully vſe the ſame in the fight; for it is not ſufficient that we hauehave this ſword lying by vsus, nor to be able to ſhew the goodnes thereof in diſcourſe, if in the meane time we neuer draw it out to fight the ſpirituall combat, but let it ruſt in the ſcabberd; but we muſt alwaies hauehave it readie for the combat, and (as it were) naked in our hands, that wee may ſtrike home, and cut off all the temptations of Sathan, and the luſts of our owne fleſh when they doe aſſault vsus. And to this end we muſt be skilfull in the vſe thereof: for though a man hauehave an excellent weapon, yet if he know not how to vſe it, it will little helpe him either to defend himſelfe or offend his enemie: ſo if a man hauehave this two edged ſword of Gods word, and hauehave no skill to rule it, he will ſtrike flatlong and not cut, and ſometime wound himſelfe in ſtead of hurting his enemie; yea ſo politike a warriour is Sathan, againſt whom we fight, that if wee be not skilfull in the vſe of this ſword, he will turne the edge and point thereof againſt our ſelues, and ſo in ſtead of defending vsus, it will, like the ſword of Goliah, be readie for the enemie to cut off our owne head. And therefore it behooueth vsus to come into Gods ſchoole continually, that there we may learne how to vſe and handle this ſword of Gods word ſo cunningly, that wee may reſiſt Sathan in all his aſſaults, and giuegive him no aduantage in the fight. Otherwiſe he will vſe it to our own ouerthrow; for if hee durſt fight againſt our Sauiour Chriſt with his owne weapon the word of God, whoſe knowledge was exquiſite and without meaſure, ſaying, It is written; how much more buſie will he be in vſing it againſt vsus, who hauehave not attained vntounto the leaſt part of his skill?
The folly of thoſe who neglect this ſpirituall weapon.Whereby appeareth firſt the carnall retchleſneſſe of many men, who, as though there were no enemie to aſſault them, hauehave not this weapon in their houſes at all, or if they hauehave, yet they beſtow more time in prophane exerciſes, than in ſtudie how to vſe the ſword of the ſpirit for their owne defence; or at leaſt truſting to their owne skill as ſufficient in it ſelfe, they ſeldome come to the Lords ſchoole, where they might learne to vſe the weapon of Gods word for their beſt aduantage.
Secondly, hereby appeareth the wicked practiſe of the enemies of Gods truth, who take from Gods people this ſword of the ſpirit, which the Lord hath giuen vntounto all for their defence. Neither doth the Apoſtle in this place exhort onelyonly the Clergie to take this weapon, but all Chriſtians whatſoeuer, who are aſſaulted with their ſpirituall enemies: but they notwithſtanding conſpiring with Sathan to worke the ouerthrow of Gods Church, depriue them of the vſe of the ſword of the ſpirit, the word of God, and ſo betray them into the power of Sathan, being able to make no reſiſtance, when their chiefe weapon is taken from them.