The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Arguments whereby we may be encouraged to enter into this ſpirituall conflict.
§. Sect. 1 ANd thus hauehave I ſhewed that al that will be Gods ſeruants muſt fight his battailes againſt his and our ſpirituall enemies, and the cauſes why the Lord preſſeth vsus to this ſeruice; now that wee may goe couragiouſly into the field, let vsus conſider of ſome reaſons and motiues which may make vsus reſolute and valiant. The firſt is the iuſtneſſe of our cauſe. For though ſouldiers be neuer ſo ſtrong and well furniſhed, yet if their conſciences tell them that they fight in a bad quarrell, it will much abate their courage, and make them cowardly and timorous. But our cauſe is moſt iuſt, and our warre moſt lawfull, for God who is iuſtice it ſelfe hath proclaimed it by his Heraulds the Apoſtles.Eph. 6.10. So Ephe. 6.10. Finally my brethren be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ſtand against the aſſaults of the diuell, Iam. 4.7. 1. Pet. 5.8.&c. And Iam. 4.7. Reſiſt the diuell and he will flie from you. And 1. Pet. 5.8. Be ſober and watch, for your aduerſarie the diuell as a roring lion walketh about ſeeking whom he may deuoure: 9. Whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith.
The cauſe of our ſpirituall warre of great importance.Secondly, the cauſe of our warre is of great waight, as namely for the glory of God and our owne ſaluation; for in all ſathans skirmiſhes, he ſeeketh to impeach Gods glory with falſe imputations, and to bring vsus to vtter deſtruction. And this may appeare by his firſt conflict with our mother Eue, Gen. 3.4.5.Gen. 3.4.5. where he accuſeth God of a lye, who is truth it ſelfe; and of impotencie and enuious diſdaine, ſaying, that the cauſe why he did forbid them to cate of the fruite of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill, was not (as he had ſaid) becauſe they ſhould die, but becauſe he knew that when they ſhould eate thereof, their eyes ſhould be opened, and they ſhould be as Gods knowing good and euill. Where firſt he ſeeketh to dimme the beames of Gods glorie by accuſing him of a lie, and to perſwade them that he was not omnipotent, ſeeing that he was not able to hinder them from being Gods, if they taſted of this fruite: laſtly, that he therefore forbad them to eate thereof, becauſe he enuied them ſo glorious an eſtate. And ſecondly he laboureth to deſtroy our firſt parents both bodie and ſoule, by tempting them to diſobedience and the tranſgreſſion of Gods commandement: and therefore our Sauiour Chriſt Ioh. 8.44. doth very fitly ioyne theſe two together, ſaying,Ioh. 8.44. that he was a liar and a manſlaier from the beginning. A liar, in that he falſely accuſed God of lying; a manſlaier, becauſe he did it to this end, that he might murther our firſt parents and all their poſteritie both bodie and ſoule. So that you ſee that the end of Sathans fight is to diſhonour God and deſtroy vsus, and therefore if wee hauehave any regard of Gods glorie (which ſhould be more deare vntounto vsus then our owne ſoules) or any reſpect of our owne ſaluation, if we would not treacherouſly betray them both by our ſlothfulnes or cowardize into the hands of Gods and our enemie; let vsus valiantly enter the field, and neuer ceaſe our couragious fight till we hauehave obtained a full victorie.
§. Sect. 2 The ſecond reaſon to moue vsus to vndertake this fight is the profit which will accrew vntounto vsus thereby: The profit of this ſpirituall fight.for if the getting of ſome bootie and prize, or the receiuing of ſome trifeling pay will moue the ſouldiers of earthly Princes to vndergoe all daungers, and with wonderfull perill of life to fight euen at the Cannons mouth; how much more ſhould the ſtipend of our heauenly king moue vsus to fight this combat how terrible ſoeuer it ſeemeth to fleſh and bloud? For firſt that is truly here verified, Pax belli filia, Peace is the daughter of warre, neither can we ſooner enter the field to fight againſt theſe enemies, but preſently we ſhall hauehave peace with God, and ſoone after the fruite thereof the peace of conſcience. Whereas if we betray Gods cauſe to Sathan and our ſoules to ſinne, well may wee be lulled aſleepe in carnall ſecuritie, but we ſhall neuer enioy this peace with God and peace of conſcience: for there is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. Eſa. 57. And whoſoeuer hauehave taken this treacherous truce with Sathan,Eſa. 37.21. ſhall finde that he will breake it for his beſt aduantage, if not in the whole courſe of their liues, yet at the houre of death when as they ſhall be able to make no reſiſtance.
Promiſes made to thoſe that fight. Apoc. 2. & 3.Secondly, if wee fight againſt theſe enemies and valiantly ouercome, the Lord hath promiſed to giuegive vsus to eate of the tree of life which is in Paradice, and the Manna that is hid, and that he will write our names in the booke of life, Apoc. 2 and 3. that is, he will in this life beſtow on vsus all his ſpirituall graces, and in the life to come repleniſh vsus with ſuch ioyes as neither eye hath ſeene, 1. Cor. 2.9.nor eare heard, nor heart of man conceiued, 1. Cor. 2.9. Let vsus therefore ſtriue that wee may ouercome, Nam breuis eſt labor, praemium verò aeternum: Our labour is but ſhort, but our reward ſhall be eternall. On the other ſide, if wee conſider Sathans pay which he giueth vntounto his ſouldiers, we ſhall finde that it is nothing but the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, and in the end euerlaſting death and deſtruction of bodie and ſoule: For the wages of ſinne is death, as it is Rom. 6.23. Who therefore is ſo ſlothfull and cowardly that would not be encouraged,Rom. 6.23. to fight the Lords battailes againſt our ſpirituall enemies, with ſuch promiſes made by him who is truth it ſelfe and cannot deceiue vsus? Who is ſo deſperate and foole-hardie as to fight vnderunder Sathans banner, ſeeing the pay which he giueth is euerlaſting death, and vtter confuſion?
§. Sect. 3 The third reaſon to moue vsus to this fight, The honor that will accompany our victorie.is the honour which will accompanie this victorie: for if earthly ſouldiers will purchaſe honour with the loſſe of life, which is nothing els but the commendation of the Prince, or applauſe of the vaine people; what hazard ſhould we not vndergo in fighting the ſpirituall combat, ſeeing our grand Captaine the Lord of hoaſts, & infinite multitudes of bleſſed Angels look vponupon vsus and behold our combat, whoſe praiſe and approbation is our chiefe felicitie? What peril ſhould we feare, to obtaine a crowne of glorie which is promiſed to all that ouercome, and to become heires apparant of Gods kingdome? On the other ſide, the ſhame and confuſion of face which ſhall ouertake them who cowardly forſake the Lords ſtanderd and yeeld vntounto Sathan, when as they ſhall not dare to looke the Lord in the face whoſe cauſe they hauehave betrayed, ſhould ſerue as a ſtrong motiue to encourage vsus to the fight.
§. Sect. 4 The fourth reaſon to perſwade vsus, The neceſſitie of vndertaking this warfare.is the neceſſitie of vndertaking this combat. There is no man ſo cowardly that wil not fight when there is no hope in flight, no merciemercy to be expected in the enemie, no outrage and crueltie which will not be committed. But ſuch is our enemie that we cannot poſſiblie flee from him, his malice is vnreconcilable, his crueltie outragious, for hee fighteth not againſt vsus to the end that hee may obtaine ſoueraigntie alone, abridge vsus of our libertie, ſpoyle vsus of our goods; but he aimeth at our death and deſtruction of bodie and ſoule: if therefore wee ſo carefully arme our ſelues againſt carthly enemies, who when they hauehave done their vttermoſt rage can but ſhorten a miſerable life, how much more carefully ſhould we reſiſt this enemie, who ſeeketh to depriue vsus of euerlaſting life, and to plunge vsus into an euerdying death?
Secondly, this fight is neceſſarie, becauſe in our Baptiſme we hauehave taken a militarie ſacrament, and promiſed faithfullie vntounto the Lord, that wee will continue his faithfull ſouldiers vntounto the end, fighting his battailes againſt the fleſh, the world and the diuell. There wee hauehave giuen our names vntounto Chriſt, to whom wee owe our ſelues and liues by a double right, both becauſe he hath giuen them vntounto vsus, and alſo reſtored them the ſecond time when wee had loſt them. There wee are put in minde of his bloudſhed for our redemption, which ſhould encourage vsus to fight couragiouſly, that wee may be preſerued from falling againe into the cruell ſlauerie of ſinne and Sathan.
Thirdly, vnleſſe wee fight this ſpirituall combat, and in fighting ouercome, wee ſhall neuer be crowned with the crown of glory: for it is not giuen vntounto any to triumph, who hauehave not fought valiantly and ſubdued their enemies. The euerlaſting peace of Gods kingdome is not promiſed to ſuch cowards as neuer entred the field, or being entred hauehave preſently yeelded themſelues to be the captiues of Sathan: but vntounto thoſe that fight couragiouſly and gloriouſly ouercome. If any man (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſtriue for a maisterie, he is not crowned except he ſtriue as he ought to doe, 2. Tim. 2.5. So the Apoſtle Iames chap. 1. verſ. 12. pronounceth the man bleſſed that endureth tentation; for when he is tried (or rather as the words are, when by triall he ſhall be found approued) he ſhall receiue a crowne of life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that louelove him. Whereby it appeareth, that none are crowned vnleſſe they ſtriue as they ought, and therefore much leſſe they which ſtriue not at all; that none are bleſſed but thoſe who are tempted, and being tempted endure the temptation; that firſt we muſt be tried, and by triall approoued, before were we can receiue the crowne of life.
§. Sect. 5 Laſtly, Thoſe that will fight against our ſpirituall enemies are ſure of victorie.wee may be encouraged to this fight by certaine hope of victorie, for we fight vnderunder the ſtanderd oof Chriſt Ieſus, who alone is mightier then all our enemies that aſſault vsus. If wee did indeede regard our enemies ſtrength and our owne weaknes onelyonly, wee might well be diſcouraged from vndertaking this combat, but if wee looke vponupon our grand Captaine Chriſt, whoſe louelove towards vsus is no leſſe then his power, and both infinite, there is no cauſe of doubting, for he that exhorteth vsus to the fight, will ſo helpe vsus that we may ouercome;August. Deficientes ſubleuat & vincentes coronat: When wee faint he ſuſtaineth vsus, and crowneth vsus when wee ouercome. He hath alreadie ouercome our enemies to our hand, and hath cooled their courage and abated their force. He hath bruſed the ſerpents head, ſo that he ſhall not be able to ouercome the leaſt of his followers, well may he hiſſe againſt them, but he cannot hurt them, for his ſting is taken away. Sathan was the ſtrong man who poſſeſſed all in peace, but our Sauiour Chriſt who was a ſtronger then he, comming vponupon him hath ouercome him, and taken from him all his armour wherein he truſted and diuided his ſpoiles, Luk. 11.21, 22. We fought againſt mightie enemies and great potentates, Eph. 66.12. but our Sauiour hath ſpoiled principalities and powers, and hath made a ſhew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them vponupon the croſſe, Col. 2.15. and ſo through death hath deſtroyed him that had the power of death, that is the diuell, that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life ſubiect to bondage, as it is Heb. 2.14, 15. He was indeede a mightie prince of this worldly Canaan,Ioſh. 10.24.25 but our good Ioſhua hath ſubdued him, and hath left nothing for vsus to doe who are his ſouldiers and followers, but to tread in his necke in token of victorie. But we alas are faint-harted, like vntounto Iether the firſt borne of Gedeon, Iudg. 8.20, 21. for though our Sauiour Chriſt hath conquered theſe our ſpirituall enemies, and hath put the ſword of his ſpirit into our hands, wherewith we might alſo vanquiſh them, yet we are afraid to draw the ſword, becauſe we are but freſh water ſouldiers and white liuered; and therefore we had need to encourage our ſelues, not onelyonly by looking on the victorie of our chiefe Captaine, but alſo on the conqueſt of our fellow ſouldiers, who were weake and fraile like our ſelues. So likewiſe Chriſt hath ouercome the world, and willeth vsus to be of good comfort, ſeeing we ſhall be partakers with him in his triumph, if we wil ioyne with him in his fight, Ioh. 16.33.Ioh. 16.33. And though our fleſh be a treacherous enemie and ſtronger to vsus then the ſpirit, yet ſo we will fight againſt the luſts thereof we ſhall be ſure of victorie, for he will aſſiſt vsus with his holie ſpirit, and therewith enable vsus more and more to mortifie this old man and bodie of ſinne. Well may we take a foyle in this ſpirituall combat, but the Lord wil raiſe vsus vp againe; For though we fall, yet ſhall we not be caſt off, becauſe the Lord putteth vnderunder his hand, as it is Pſal. 37.24. And the Lord hath promiſed, that he will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our power, but will giuegive the iſſue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it, as it is 1. Cor. 10.13. and he that hath promiſed is faithfull and true, yea truth it ſelfe, and therefore he will be as good as his word. Though therefore Sathan incounter vsus with all furie, let vsus not be faint-harted, but couragiouſly endure his aſſaults, and ſo in the end the victorie will be ours: for if wee reſiſt the diuell he will flie from vsus, Iam. 4.7. if we fight the Lords battailes valiantly, the God of peace ſhall tread Sathan vnderunder our feete ſhortly, as it is Rom. 16.20. For the promiſe of bruſing the ſerpents head made by the Lord, Gen. 3.15. doth belong not onelyonly to Ieſus Chriſt our head, but alſo to all thoſe who are members of his bodie.
§. Sect. 6 Let vsus not therefore feare to fight againſt beaten and conquered enemies, ſlothfully pretending our weaknes to withſtand theſe ſonnes of Anakim, for as one ſaith: Nemo hic non vincet niſi qui vincere noluit: Eraſm. in Enchir. milit. Chriſt.EueryEvery one ſhall be a conqueror who deſireth the conqueſt. For if we will be the Lords ſouldiers, he will not ſuffer himſelfe to be ſo much diſgraced, as to let vsus be ouercome by his mortall enemies. He hath armed vsus himſelfe with his owne armour, and ſent vsus out to fight his battailes, and therefore he will not hauehave vsus vanquiſhed, being fortified with his ſtrength, for ſo ſhould himſelfe be ouercome in vsus, and his weapons would be eſteemed weake and inſufficient. Yea he hath ingrafted vsus into his own bodie, and we are liuely members thereof, and therefore let vsus neuer think that all the power of hell ſhall be able to ouercome vsus: for what head can with patience ſuffer his ſound members to be pulled from his bodie, if he be able to defend them?