The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Anſweres to thoſe temptations of Sathan, whereby he perſwadeth carnall men of Gods louelove.
§. Sect. 1 ANd ſo much concerning the common affections of the Chriſtian conflict,That Sathans temptations impugne all the cauſes and meanes of our ſaluation. namely his manfull withſtanding Sathans encounters, and alſo his fainting and falling into ſinne. Now we are to ſpeake of the ſpeciall temptations themſelues, and the meanes whereby wee may be ſtrengthened againſt them. Where firſt wee are to conſider that Sathans temptations are not alwaies one and the ſame, neither impugne one or two points onelyonly of our faith and religion; but as the cauſes and the meanes of our ſaluation are manifold, ſo alſo doth he gather manifold obiections againſt euerie one of them, if they truly appertaine vntounto vsus, that ſo hee may impugne and race our faith; or els doth fill vsus with vaine preſumption, perſwading vsus that all the cauſes and meanes of ſaluation concurre together in vsus, when as in truth wee are voide and deſtitute of them all.
Let vsus therefore conſider of the ſeuerall cauſes of our ſaluation, and obſerue what temptations Sathan ſuggeſteth in our minds againſt eueryevery one of them. The firſt and principall cauſe of our ſaluation is Gods eternall louelove and immutable goodwill, wherewith he hath loued his creatures from before the foundations of the world were laid; the which louelove and goodwill in himſelfe did moue him to elect them to ſaluation, whom he ſo loued without any deſerts in themſelues: for how could they deſerue any thing at Gods hath before they were? or what good could the Lord foreſee in them, but that which in his eternall counſaile hee purpoſed to beſtow and impart vntounto them?
Sathans temptation whereby he perſwadeth carnall men, that they are beloued of God.Firſt therefore we will ſpeake of thoſe temptations which concerne the louelove of God toward vsus, which are of two ſorts; the firſt leading vsus to vaine preſumption and carnall ſecuritie; the other, to horrour and deſperation. For if Sathan ſee men liuing in carnall ſecuritie, frozen in the dregges of their ſinnes, ſo as in truth there is no ſigne that they are beloued of God; he will perſwade them that they are highly in his fauour and louelove, and therefore though they runne on in their wicked courſes, yet they ſhall be ſaued. Doeſt thou not perceiue (will he ſay) that God dearely loueth thee? Why, conſider that hee hath made thee one of his chiefeſt creatures, whereas otherwiſe hee would hauehave made thee a toade or ſerpent; he hath alſo like a tender father preſerued and nouriſhed thee from thy infancie, and which is more, he hath ſent his dearely beloued ſonne to die for thee, and hee hath made choiſe of thee amongſt many others to be a member of his Church, where thou inioyeſt the preaching of the Goſpell, and the vſe of the Sacraments, to the end thou maiſt be aſſured of thy ſaluation without all queſtion or doubting. Neuer therefore take care nor trouble thy ſelfe concerning thy ſaluation, vſe not ſuch ſtrictnes and preciſenes of life, but take thy pleaſure, and follow thoſe delights which the Lord hath beſtowed vponupon thee as pledges of his louelove; for thou art not now a ſlaue but a ſonne, and therefore maiſt more freely follow thine owne deſire, and vſe thy libertie: caſt away all ſeruile feare, which maketh thee take ſuch paines in vſing all meanes whereby thou maiſt be aſſured of ſaluation; for thou art aſſured of the principall, namely of Gods louelove, and therefore thou needeſt not to doubt of the reſt, nor to debarre thy ſelfe of thy pleaſures, ſpending thy time in feare and care, to the end thou maiſt get the aſſurance of that which thou needeſt not to call into queſtion.
The anſwere to the former temptation.And thus doth the diuell fill men with preſumption, and lull them aſleepe in carnal ſecuritie to their vtter deſtruction; and therefore it behooueth vsus to arme our ſelues againſt him, that we be not circumuented. And to this end let vsus conſider that Gods louelove goeth not alone, neither is it idle in thoſe whom he loueth: but as the firſt linke of a chaine draweth all the reſt of the chaine with it, ſo the louelove of God, which is the firſt cauſe of our ſaluation, is accompanied with all the other cauſes which are ſubordinate thereunto; for whom God loueth, them he electeth; whom he electeth, thoſe in his good time he calleth; whom hee effectually calleth, them he iuſtifieth; and whom he iuſtifieth, thoſe hee ſanctifieth: if therefore we be not ſanctified, we are not iuſtified; if wee are not iuſtified, we are not called; if we are not called, we can hauehave no aſſurance that wee are elected, nor yet of Gods louelove and fauour; and conſequently whoſoeuer liue in their blind ignorance, in their infidelitie, and wallow themſelues in the filthie puddle of their ſinnes, without any true ſorrow for thoſe which are paſt, or any good purpoſe of heart to forſake them in the time to come; they can hauehave no aſſurance of Gods louelove, but are rather iuſtly to feare leaſt they are in the number of thoſe whom the Lord hath eternally reiected, if they continue in this their miſerable and deſperate eſtate.
§. Sect. 2 Neither let Sathan bewitch them with that vaine opinion of Gods louelove towards them,Temporall benefits no infallible ſignes of Gods louelove. becauſe of thoſe generall benefits, which like the raine and Sunne-ſhine are beſtowed both vponupon the good and bad; for what in this reſpect can they promiſe more to themſelues than Eſau, and Saul? Were not they created men according to Gods own likenes? were they not preſeured and nouriſhed by God, and that more liberally than many Gods owne children? For Eſau had ſo much the he profeſſed to his brother Iacob that he had enough, and was attended vponupon by foure hundred men. And was not Saul a mightie King, who had all at commaund? Were not all theſe in the Church of God, and outwardly enioyed the word and Sacraments as well as any other; and yet God himſelf ſaith that he hated Eſau, and had reiected Saul. And therefore let vsus neuer bragge of our aſſurance of Gods louelove, becauſe of theſe outward and common benefits which he indifferently beſtoweth both vponupon the elect and reprobate; but if we would be aſſured indeed of Gods louelove, let vsus looke into our ſelues, and conſider if he hauehave beſtowed vponupon vsus his ſpirituall graces, faith, hope, patience, louelove of him and our brethren, true repentance for our ſinnes, and holineſſe of life and the reſt; and then by the fruites of ſanctification we may be aſſured that we are ſanctified, and conſequently iuſtified, called, elected, and eternally loued of God.
§. Sect. 3 And thus doth Sathan falſely perſwade the carnall man that he is highly in the louelove and fauour of God:How Sathan perſwadeth weake chriſtians that th…y are not belou… of God. but contrariwiſe when he aſſaulteth the weake Chriſtian, hee changeth his copie, and goeth about to perſwade him that he is not beloued of God, but ſubiect to his wrath and heauie diſpleaſure. And this he inforceth by two ſorts of arguments: the one drawne from his manifold corruptions, whereby hee is vnworthie of Gods louelove; the other from thoſe grieuous afflictions and croſſes which the Lord in this life inflicteth on him; both which he thus vrgeth againſt him. Canſt thou vild wretch conceiue the leaſt hope that thou art beloued of God? Why, doe but take a view of thy ſelfe, and thou ſhalt ſee that originall corruption hath ouerſpread both thy bodie and ſoule like a filthy leproſie; vntounto which thou haſt added actuall tranſgreſſions more in number than the haires of thy head, or the ſtarres of heauen; for daily, nay hourely thou omitteſt ſome dutie which thy God hath commanded thee, and committeſt ſome ſinne which hee hath forbidden. Can therefore the Lord, who abhorreth wickedneſſe, louelove the wicked? canſt thou obtaine his fauour, and yet doeſt nothing but diſpleaſe him? He that loueth God keepeth his commandements; but thou by tranſgreſſing them all, doeſt ſhew that thou loueſt him not: and will the Lord louelove them who hate and rebell againſt him? Can iuſtice it ſelfe louelove wickednes, and perfect holineſſe impure corruption? No verely; for in his word hee hath threatned his wrath againſt all ſuch notorious ſinners, and hee is no leſſe true in his threatnings than in his promiſes.
But if all this will not perſwade thee that the Lord abhorreth thee, yet at leaſt bee perſwaded by thine owne experienc. For, hath not thy iuſt God begunne already to make thee taſte the cuppe of his wrath, of which hereafter thou ſhalt drinke in full meaſure; hath hee not ſpoyled thee of thy goods, taken away thy good name, made thee an abiect amongſt men, afflicted thee in body with grieuous and continuall ſickneſſe, and filled thy ſoule full of horror and deſpayre? Is not thy conſcience ſtung with ſinne, and hath not the poyſon thereof drunke vp thy ſpirit? Doeſt thou not plainely apprehend his wrath, and is not thy ſoule as it were ſet vponupon the racke, ſo that there is not one part of thee, either of body and ſoule which is not full of miſery and wretchedneſſe. Doe not therefore fondly flatter thy ſelfe with a vaine opinion of Gods louelove, but beleeue, if not my words, yet at leaſt thine owne ſenſes; and ſeeing thou haſt no hope of Gods louelove, if thou beeſt wiſe louelove thy ſelfe, follow thy pleaſures, eate and drinke and cheere vp thine heart, and doe not vainely macerate and turmoyle thy ſelfe in labouring after impoſſibilities, and in ſtriuing for the aſſurance of Gods louelove, of which, when thou haſt done what thou canſt, yet ſhalt thou neuer be aſſured.
§. Sect. 4 And thus you ſee the manner of Sathans temptations,How we may anſwere the former temptation. whereby he laboureth to perſwade vsus that we are out of the louelove and fauour of God; againſt which we muſt moſt carefully arme our ſelues, as being moſt odious and iniurious vntounto God, and moſt pernicious vntounto our owne ſoules. It is moſt iniurious vntounto God, if we doubt of his louelove towards vsus, ſeeing he hath giuen vsus innumerable pledges and moſt certaine teſtimonies thereof, and omitted nothing which might doe vsus good. He hath created vsus after his owne image, he hath continually preſerued and ſuſtained vsus, giuing vsus our meate in due ſeaſon, and oft time hath ſuccoured and defended vsus before we craued his helpe; but which is more, he hath giuen his dearely beloued ſonne to dye a bitter death, to redeeme vsus out of the hands of our ſpirituall enemies: and to the end we ſhould be made partakers of Chriſt and all his benefits, he hath giuen vsus his word, and made his couenant with vsus, that in Chriſt he will be our God, and we his people, he our father, and we his children: And leaſt yet there ſhould be any place left to doubting, he hath added to his word, his ſacraments, which like ſeales may aſſure vsus of his louelove and fauour. What iniurie therefore ſhall we offer vntounto God, if notwithſtanding all this we doubt of his good will, of which he hath aſſured vsus by ſo many pledges, teſtimonies and ſeales? We know that a kinde friend will take it moſt vnkindely, if after he hath heaped vponupon a man innumerable benefits, and ſhewed all teſtimonies of true louelove, hee notwithſtanding doubt of his good will, and ſuſpect his friendſhip: and ſo ſurely the Lord will take it ill at our hands; and thinke himſelfe much abuſed, if after he hath beſtowed ſuch infinite benefits, euen his dearely beloued ſonne to dye for vsus, we now ſuſpect his good will, and growe iealous of his louelove; if we doubt of his louelove, who is louelove it ſelfe, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1. Iohn 4.8.
§. Sect. 5 But againſt this which I hauehave ſaid, there are two obiections,That carnall men hauehave no aſſurance of Gods louelove though they boaſt thereof. the firſt is made by the worldling, the other by Sathan. The worldly man will ſay, that the Lord hath made him alſo partaker of all theſe benefits, and therefore there is no cauſe why he ſhould doubt of his louelove; nor any reaſon why he ſhould be cenſured or condemned for his faith. I anſwere, that he is not reprehended for his perſwaſion of Gods louelove, nor for his aſſurance of Gods promiſes in Chriſt; but for his boaſting of this faith, perſwaſion, and aſſurance, whereas there is nothing in him in truth but a dead carcaſe of faith, carnall ſecurity, and vaine preſumption. For true faith purifieth the heart, Acts 15.9. and worketh by louelove, Gal. 5.6. it is plentifull in good workes, and prouoketh vsus to performe all good duties to God and our neighbours: and it is impoſſible that wee ſhould be truely perſwaded of Gods louelove, and not louelove him againe: it cannot be that we louelove God, if we ſhew no care in glorifying his name, by letting our lights ſhine before men, nor any deſire to performe obedience to his will. For as our Sauiour ſaith, He that loueth me keepeth my Commaundements, and he that loueth me not, keepeth not my words, as it is Iohn 14.23, 24. If therefore we liue in our ſinnes without repentance, if we make no conſcience of our waies, and ſhew no zeale in glorifying Gods name; if our faith be deſtitute of the fruites of good workes, then is our perſwaſion but fond preſumption; our aſſurance, carnall ſecuritie; our faith dead, and like a carcaſe which breatheth not, as Iames ſpeaketh, chap. 2.26. Wee doe not then reprehend any for being perſwaded of Gods louelove, gathering his aſſurance out of Gods manifolde mercies, and innumerable benefits beſtowed on his Church: nay, contrariwiſe wee affirme that notwithſtanding all our ſinnes and vnworthineſſe, we are to be perſwaded of Gods louelove in Chriſt, yea, and to beleeue againſt beleefe, and to hope againſt hope, when as there is no ground or reaſon of either in our ſelues: but this we maintaine, that whoſoeuer hath this aſſurance and faith, in the leaſt meaſure begunne in him, doth truly louelove God againe, and earneſtly laboureth after mortification and newneſſe of life; and whoſoeuer is deſtitute of Gods louelove, and liueth in his ſinnes, without any ſorrowe for thoſe which are paſt, or purpoſe to leaue them for the time to come, he may well brag of his faith and aſſurance of Gods louelove, but in very trueth there is as yet nothing in him but carnall ſecuritie and vaine preſumption.
§. Sect. 6 Secondly,That eueryevery particular chriſtian may aſſure himſelfe of Gods louelove. the tempter will obiect that the Lord hath giuen all theſe teſtimonies and pledges of his louelove vntounto his Church, and that it therefore may well be aſſured thereof; but as for particular men, they notwithſtanding may iuſtly doubt of his louelove, ſeeing they hauehave no ſpeciall reaſons to perſwade them that theſe teſtimonies and pledges were giuen vntounto them. But I anſwere that this is a fond of obiection. For what is the Church, but the whole company of Gods ſaints? What is it but a body conſiſting of many members, which are particular chriſtians? how therefore can the whole Church be perſwaded of Gods louelove, if all the ſeuerall members doubt thereof? How can any thing belong to the whole, which belongeth not to the particular parts? as though a whole citie could be aſſured of the Princes fauour, and yet all the particular men in the citie ſhould thinke themſelues in his diſpleaſure. Saint Paul teacheth vsus another leſſon in his owne perſon, ſaying;Gal. 2.20. Gal. 2.20. Who hath loued me and giuen his life for me: he ſaith not, who hath loued and giuen his life for the Church, but for himſelfe. Neither doth the Apoſtle here ſpeake this by reuelation, whereby he might extraordinarily be aſſured of Gods louelove: but he vſeth for his argument a reaſon common to all Chriſtians; namely, that God loued him, becauſe hee had giuen himſelfe to death for him: whoſoeuer therefore beleeueth with Paul that Chriſt dyed for him, may bee aſſured alſo with him of Gods louelove.
§. Sect. 7 Secondly, if we doe not beleeue that God loueth vsus,That doubting of Gods louelove, is iniurious vntounto him. wee make him a lyar, for he hath profeſſed his louelove, and giuen vsus many teſtimonies thereof in his word, neither doth he require any condition at our hands but that we beleeue him. For his mercifull promiſes doe not exclude any for their vnworthineſſe, but for their vnbeleefe: according to that, Iohn 3.16. So God loued the world, that hee gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, Ioh. 3.16.but hauehave euerlaſting life. Seeing then there is no other condition required but faith, for the aſſurance of Gods louelove and euerlaſting life; ſurely moſt deſperately doe we ſinne againſt our owne ſoules, and moſt blaſphemouſly againſt God, if we will not beleeue his word confirmed by his ſeale, no not his oath whereby he hath ratified his couenant betweene him and vsus, but make him, who is truth it ſelfe, a liar, a couenant breaker, yea, a periured perſon. For ſo the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1. Iohn 5.10. He that beleeueth not God, hath made him a lyar, 1. Ioh. 5.10.becauſe hee beleeued not the record, that God witneſſed of his Sonne. Though therefore we ſinne, yet let vsus not thus blaſpheme; though we be grieuous ſinners, and vnworthy Gods louelove, yet let vsus not adde this to all our other ſinnes and vnworthineſſe, to diſtruſt Gods trueth in his gracious promiſes: for if we put all our other ſinnes into the one ſcole, and this alone into the other, yet will it weigh downe all the reſt; neither are we damned for our other ſinnes, if we doe not adde vntounto them infidelitie. For whereas the precious baulme of our Sauiours blood is a ſoueraigne ſalue to cure all other ſores of ſinne; yet this it cannot helpe, becauſe it doth refuſe the cure, and as it were pulleth off this precious plaiſter when it is laid on it.
§. Sect. 8 But as this diſtruſting and doubting of Gods louelove is iniurious vntounto him,Doubting of Gods louelove, pernicious vntounto our ſelues. ſo alſo it is pernitious vntounto our owne ſoules. For firſt, it tormenteth our mindes, and ſetteth our conſciences vponupon the racke, when as we hauehave no other aſſurance of Gods louelove, but onelyonly ſo farre foorth as we finde our ſelues worthy of it: for ſo often as wee fall, and the ſight of our ſinnes commeth before our eyes, hauing no other ground of Gods louelove but our owne deſerts, wee doubt and ſtagger like a ſhip toſſed with the billowes of the ſea, and in the end ſinke into the gulfe of deſpaire, being ouer balanced and too heauily laden with the vnſupportable waight of our ſinnes; whereas if we were throughly perſwaded of Gods free louelove and goodwill, grounded on his owne good pleaſure, and not on our worthineſſe, if we did fall we would be grieued in deede euen at the very heart, becauſe wee had diſpleaſed our gracious God and louing Father; but yet our ſinnes would not make vsus deſpaire or doubt of his louelove towards vsus, becauſe it hath not it ground on our worthineſſe, but vponupon Gods owne free merciemercy, grace, and good will.
That we cannot louelove God, if we hauehave no aſſurance of his louelove towards vsus.Secondly, if we doubt and diſtruſt of Gods louelove towards vsus, we ſhall neuer louelove him from our hearts: for who loueth him intirely, of whoſe louelove he is not perſwaded? or who can performe the dueties of louelove to ſuch an one as hateth and abhorreth him? Cos amoris amor, LoueLove is the whetſtone of louelove. And if this be true amongſt men, then much more betweene God and vsus:1. Ioh. 4.19. for we louelove him becauſe he loued vsus firſt, as the Apoſtle ſayth, 1. Ioh. 4.19. As therefore the cold ſtone can of it ſelfe caſt foorth no heate, till it be firſt warmed by the Sunne beames, and then it reflectsth againe ſome of the heate which it receiued: ſo no more can our cold hearts caſt any beames of hearty louelove towards God, till they be warmed with the apprehenſion of his louelove towards vsus, and then they begin to returne ſome ſparkes of louelove towards God, after they are inflamed with the beames of his louelove cleerely ſhining in them. Vnleſſe therefore wee be aſſured of Gods louelove we cannot louelove him,Rom. 13.8. and conſequently cannot performe any duetie of louelove in obedience to his will: for as louelove is the fulfilling of the Law, as it is, Rom. 13.8. ſo the want of louelove is the tranſgreſſing of all the commandements: for all conſiſt in the louelove of God, which is the fountaine of all true obedience; and in the louelove of our neighbour, which as a ſpring iſſueth from it. Nay, when we diſpaire of Gods louelove, then doe we deſpaire of our ſaluation, and therefore hauing no hope of happineſſe in the life to come, wee are ready to ſeeke al the pleaſures and delights which this life wil affoord vntounto vsus, giuing our ſelues ouer to the ſatisfying of all the filthy luſts of the fleſh, and ſpending our times in all Epicuriſme and fenſuality.
§. Sect. 9 Laſtly,The manifold euils which accompanie, our doubting of Gods louelove, and the benefits which follow our perſwaſion thereof. our doubting and diſtruſting of Gods louelove doeth ouerthrow our patience in the time of affliction, and cauſeth vsus to murmure and repine againſt God, blaſpheming him to his face; it hindereth all Chriſtian reſolution in ſuffering any thing for the Name of Chriſt; for how ſhould we ſuffer any thing patiently for his ſake of whoſe louelove we are not aſſured? It maketh the day of death horrible, when as we are not perſwaded that we ſhall render vp our ſoules into the hands of a gracious father, but into the hands of a ſeuere iudge: whereas on the other ſide, when we are throughly perſwaded of Gods louelove, then may we patiently, yea, ioyfully ſuffer all afflictions, becauſe wee know that they are but gentle trials, and fatherly chaſtiſements, which our gracious God doth inflict on vsus for our euerlaſting good: when we are perſecuted for our profeſſion of the Goſpel, we will triumph with ioy, becauſe we are thought worthy to ſuffer any miſerie for the Name of Chriſt, who hath laid downe his life for our ſake:Act. 5.14. when the day of our departing approacheth we reioice, becauſe we deſire nothing more than to be diſſolued,Phil. 1.23. and to be with Chriſt, who ſo tenderly loueth vsus. In a word, come proſperitie, come aduerſitie, come affliction, come perſecution, come fire, come ſword, come life, come death, nothing can come amiſſe, nothing can diſmay or diſcourage vsus, if wee be once fully aſſured of Gods louelove in Chriſt, both becauſe our louelove of God, which by his louelove is wrought in vsus, will make the heauieſt and moſt tedious burthen ſeeme light and momentanie, which it ſhall pleaſe our heauenly father to lay vponupon vsus:Rom. 8.28. and alſo becauſe we know that all things (euen miſeries, afflictions, perſecutions, yea death it ſelfe) worke together for the beſt vntounto them that louelove God. As it is Rom. 8.28.