The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. How wee muſt arme our ſelues againſt Sathans temptations, whereby he laboureth to make the word of God fruitleſſe.
§. Sect. 1 ANd theſe are the temptations which Sathan vſeth to diſſwade vsus from hearing the word;That Sathan tempteth vsus to careleſſe negligence in hearing. but if we breake theſe ſnares and cannot bee withheld from frequenting Gods holie aſſemblies; then hee will labour by all meanes to make the word of God which we heare, fruitleſſe and vneffectuall for our conuerſion and ſaluation; and to this end hee will labour to work in vsus a negligent careleſneſſe in hearkening to thoſe things which are deliuered; and this is vſually accompanied with dulneſſe of ſpirit, drowſineſſe and ſleepineſſe: or if wee ſet our ſelues to heare the word, with any care and conſcience to profit thereby, then he wil ſeeke to diſtract our mindes with wandring thoughts, either by offring and ſuggeſting to our conſideration and memorie the world and the vanities thereof, as our affaires and buſineſſe and thoſe pleaſures wherewith wee are moſt delighted; or if this will not preuaile, by caſting into our mindes things in their owne nature good and religious, if they were thought vponupon in time conuenient, to the end that wee may be diſtracted, and be made vnfit to heare the word with profit.
That to reſiſt Sathan we muſt prepare our ſelues before we heare.Which temptations we are to withſtand as being moſt dangerous and pernicious: and to this purpoſe there is ſomething required at our hands to be perfourmed before our comming to Gods aſſemblies, and ſomething afterwards. Before wee come to the hearing of the word, there is required due preparation, whereby our mindes are made fit veſſels to receiue the ſpirituall treaſure and foode of our ſoules. For if we come into the congregation of the faithfull, without any premeditation, reuerence, or regard of the action which we are to take in hand; if we preſent our ſelues raſhly and vnaduiſedly, as if we went to a play, or to diſpatch ſome worldly buſineſſe: we ſhall hardly keepe our minds from negligent wandring and worldly diſtractions, which will make the word of God fruitleſſe and vnprofitable.
§. Sect. 2 Now this preparation doth principally conſiſt, firſt in the purging of our corrupt affections,VVherein this preparation conſisteth. Eccl. 4.17. to which duty the wiſe man exhorteth vsus; Eccl. 4.17. Take heed to thy feete when thou entrest into the houſe of God, that is, be carefull to purge thine affections which are the feete of thy ſoule. And this was typically ſignified by the outward waſhing of the Iſraelites before the promulgation of the law,Exod. 19.10. Exod. 19.10. where by the waſhing of their clothes and bodies, the purging of the ſecret corruptions of the heart was ſignified and repreſented. Which dutie is neceſſarily to be performed, of al thoſe who will heare the word with profit: for as the moſt pure liquor is defiled and made vnprofitable for vſe, if it bee put into a polluted and ſtinking veſſell; ſo the pure liquor of Gods word is defiled and made fruitleſſe, vntounto al thoſe who receiue it into an heart polluted with vncleane affections: As therefore Moſes was enioyned by God to put off his ſhooes from his feete, before he might tread on that ground made holy by Gods preſence, or receiue the Lords ambaſſage to his people; ſo hee requireth of vsus that we put off the ſhooes, that is, the corruption of our affections, before we tread vponupon the holy ground of his Church, there to heare the glad tidings of the Goſpell, concerning our euerlaſting deliuerie out of the bondage of our ſpirituall enemies. What theſe affections are the Apoſtle Iames partly ſheweth, Iam. 1.19. namely wrath,Iam. 1.19. 1. Pet. 2.1. filthineſſe, malitiouſneſſe, to which Peter addeth diſſimulation and hypocriſie, enuie and euil ſpeaking, 1. Pet. 2.1. And to theſe alſo wee may adde all other like vntounto them.
§. Sect. 3 Secondly,VVe muſt baniſh all foreſtalled opinions of the miniſter wee muſt baniſh out of our mindes all preiudice, foreſtalled opinions, and ſiniſter conceits, of the miniſter of Gods word whom wee are to heare; whereby men are either carried away with a vaine admiration of his gifts, and in the meane time make no conſcience of feeding vponupon that foode which is offred; like vntounto them who in ſteede of drinking of the wine, ſtand wondring at the curious workmanſhip of the cup; or els with a preiudicate opinion of his inſufficiencie in gifts, or imperfections of life, whereby they are ſo foreſtalled that they thinke nothing which hee can deliuer will be worth the hearing.
VVe muſt expell all worldly cogitations.Thirdly, we muſt expell out of our cogitations, the remembrance of all worldly buſineſes, pleaſures & delights, leaſt they diſtract our mindes in the hearing of the word, and ſo choaking this heauenly ſeede make it fruitleſſe; for as the veſſell which is alreadie full, will receiue no more, and whatſoeuer is powered into it, ſpilleth vponupon the ground: ſo the minde that is full of worldly meditations, is not fit to receiue the word of God, but as ſoone as it offereth to enter, it is kept backe and ſo periſheth; for God and Mammon, the holy word of God and the cares and vanities of the world, can neuer dwel at the ſame time together, but as ſoone as one entreth it expelleth the other. As therefore men purpoſing to write a ſermon, doe make cleane their writing tables, by blotting out yt which was written in them before, for otherwiſe there would be ſuch a mixture & confuſion, that nothing would be legible; ſo whē we purpoſe to carry away a ſermon faire writtē in the tables of our memories, we muſt firſt blot out all worldly affaires and buſineſſes, otherwiſe there will be nothing but confuſion, and we ſhall not be able to recall any thing to our remembrance.
§. Sect. 4 Fourthly,We muſt examine our ſins and wants. before the hearing of the word wee muſt ſearch and examine our hearts both concerning our ſinnes and corruptions, as alſo concerning our wants and imperfections; for the firſt we muſt conſider to what ſins we are moſt addicted, and with what temptations we are moſt eaſily ſubdued, to the end wee may bring our ſinnes to bee ſlaughtered and mortified with the ſword of Gods ſpirit, being otherwiſe vnable to ouercome them our ſelues; and that we may alſo thereby ſo ſtrongly arme all parts, both of our bodies and foules, ſo as they ſhall not in time to come, bring vsus againe vnderunder their dominion. And as citizens being beſieged with their enemies, doe learne by their aſſaulting which part of the citie is moſt weake, and ſo with more care and labour fortifie it, with men and munition, trenches and bulworkes; ſo when we who are continually beſieged by our ſpirituall enemies, doe learne by their aſſaulting of vsus where we are weakeſt, and the enemie moſt like to enter, then we muſt goe into Gods armorie and prouide ſufficient weapons and munition, whereby we may be enabled to hold out and make reſiſtance. So alſo we are to conſider of our wants and imperfections, that ſo we may be ſtirred vp with an earneſt deſire, to hauehave them ſupplied, and hereby may be moued with more care to apply vntounto our ſelues ſuch foode as ſhall be moſt fit to ſupply theſe our wants, and amend our imperfections; for as men who hunger earneſtly deſire to be ſatiſſied with wholeſome foode, neither will they willingly without any difference eate of all meates, eſpecially if they hauehave weake ſtomackes, but of that which is moſt fit and beſt agreeth with them; ſo thoſe who finde their ſpiritual wants earneſtly deſire to be ſatiſfied, and to hauehave their defects ſupplyed: and for as much as all foode contained in Gods word, is not fit for this purpoſe, nor agreeable to their ſtomackes, to the end that Gods graces may be nouriſhed in them, therefore they will wiſely make choyſe of that which beſt agreeth to their preſent ſtate, and apply it vntounto themſelues accordingly. For example, he who findeth his heart hard and ſecure, muſt feede vponupon the threatnings of the law, to the end he may be humbled, and his heart molified, and reſolued into teares of vnfained repentance; he that is of a broken heart and contrite ſpirit, muſt feede vponupon the ſweete and gracious promiſes of the Goſpell; he that is ignorant, muſt hunger after milke, and deſire to be inſtructed in the principles of religion; he that hath a good meaſure of knowledge, may deſire ſtronger meate, that is, attend vntounto the more deepe poynts of diuinitie; in a word, eueryevery man is to examine his particular ſtate, and to ſearch out his greateſt wants, that ſo comming to heare the word, he may more diligently apply ſuch doctrines, inſtructions, and exhortations as ſhall bee moſt fit for his vſe and benefit; for that which is foode to one is poyſon to another, and that ſalue which is fit to heale one ſore, doth make another to feſter and ranckell, and one part of the word of God being applied to men of diuers eſtates, doth worke diuers effects, one it feedeth, another it poyſoneth, one it healeth another it woundeth, to one it is the ſauour of life vntounto life, and to another it is the ſauour of death vntounto death: and therefore before we come to the hearing thereof, we are to examine our ſtates that we may apply and make profitable vſe to our ſelues of that which is moſt fit to nouriſh and ſtrengthen vsus in Gods graces.
Laſtly and moſt eſpecially we are to vſe earneſt and harty prayer vntounto the Lord that he may open our blind eyes, We are to vſe earneſt praier Pſ. 119.18.ſo as we may ſee the wonderfull things of his law, that he will take away our ſtonie harts, and giuegive vsus fleſhly hearts in which his word may more eaſily be imprinted; that hee will with the cyle of his grace bow our ſtubborne willes, and make them flexible and inclinable to perfourme obedience to his wil, reuealed in his word, that he wil ſanctifie our affections and purge them from their naturall corruptions, that hee will diſtill the heauenly dew of his holy ſpirit into our mindes and barraigne harts, that ſo the ſeede of his worde being watred there by may yeeld a plentifull harueſt in grace and godlineſſe.
§. Sect. 5 And theſe are the duties which we muſt perfourme in the time of our preparation: now after we are thus prepared and hauehave preſented our ſelues into Gods holy aſſemblies,Of the duties which we muſt performe in hearing it, to ſet our ſelues in Gods preſence. there are alſo other duties to be performed to the end that Sathan may not diſtract our minds and ſo make the word which we heare fruitleſſe: firſt wee are to ſet our ſelues in the preſence of God who looketh vponupon vsus, & beholdeth all our behauiour in this action, according to the example of good Cornelius. Act. 10.33. Here (ſaith hee) wee are all preſent before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God. And if we thus doe we ſhall not careleſly and negligently heare the word of the Lord, but with feare and trembling as in his preſence, before whom the earth trembleth, and the foundations of the mountaines moue and ſhake as it is Pſal. 18.7.
Secondly, wee are to heare the word preached not as the word of a mortal man, but as it is in truth the word of the euerliuing God,2. Wee muſt heare it as the word of God. according to the example of the Theſſalonians. 1. Theſ. 2.13. when (ſaith the Apoſtle) yee receiued the word of God which ye heard of vsus, yee receiued it not as the word of men, but as it is indeed the word of God. For the miniſter is not his owne ſpokeſman but the ambaſſadour of the Lord, it is not his owne meſſage which he bringeth, but the Lords embaſſage, & hence it is that the Prophets and Apoſtles prefixe before their writings; theſe & ſuch like ſpeaches, The word of the Lord, the burthen of the Lord, thus ſaith the Lord; ſo alſo the Apoſtle profeſſeth in his owne name, and in the behalfe of all Gods true miniſters, that they are the Lords ambaſſadours who in Chriſtes ſtead beſeech their hearers that they will be reconciled vntounto God. 2. Cor. 5.20. We muſt not therefore looke vponupon the man but on God who ſendeth him, nor on the earthen veſſell, but on the heauenly treaſure which it bringeth, nor on the ſimpleneſſe of the casket, but on the precious pearle which is contayned in it, nor vponupon the meaneſſe of the ambaſſadour, but vponupon the glorious royalty of the prince who ſent him: and on his ambaſſage which is the glad tidings of the goſpel, the word of ſaluation and life; which is able to ſaue our ſouls and then his feete will ſeeme beautifull and none ſhall be better welcome, then ſhall we not contemne or neglect their miniſterie but receiue ioyfully, reuerently, and attentiuely the word preached by them, remembring what our Sauiour Chriſt hath ſaid, Luk. 10.16. Hee that heareth you heareth mee, and he that deſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me, and he that deſpiſeth me deſpiſeth him that ſent me.
§ Sect. 6 Thirdly let vsus ſtirre vp our ſelues to reuerent attention by the conſideration of thoſe ineſtimable benefites which are deriued vntounto vsus by the hearing of the word,3. We muſt ſtirre vp our ſelues with meditation of the benefite of hearing. as that it is the liuely ſeede whereby we are begotten vntounto God, the foode of our ſoules wherby we are nouriſhed vntounto euerlaſting life, that ſpirituall phyſicke wherby we are purged from our corruptions, that light which guideth vsus in the waies of holines and righteouſneſſe, in a word that it is the cheife meanes to worke in vsus all Gods graces in this life, and to aſſure vsus of euerlaſting happineſſe in the life to come. And if theſe and ſuch like meditations come to our remembrance, they will ſerue to ſtirre us vp from our drowſie dulneſſe and to heare Gods word with alacritie and chearefulneſſe, faſtening our eyes on Gods miniſters according to the example of Chriſts hearers. Luke 4.20. and euen hanging vponupon them (like the child on the mothers breſt) to ſucke our ſoules nouriſhment, as the people hanged on our Sauiour. Luke 19.48.
Fourthly wee muſt heare the word as if wee were neuermore to heare it, for who can tell whither hee ſhall liue till the next ſabboth? or though he doe, yet how knoweth hee whether hee ſhall hauehave his ſenſes, vnderſtanding, and memorie, ſeeing hee will not vſe them to Gods glorie and his owne good? or though hee hauehave, yet may the word of God bee taken from him and ſuch a famine bee of this heauenly foode that hee may wander from ſea to ſea,Am. 8.11. and from North to Eaſt ſeeking it and ſhall not find it, and therfore whilſt the Lord ſpeaketh vntounto vsus, today let vsus harken and not harden our hearts, for he hath not promiſed vsus to morrow that we ſhall heare it, whilſt wee inioy this heauenly light let vsus looke vponupon it and be directed by it to doe the workes of holyneſſe, for it may be it will ſhortly ſet and neuer riſe againe vntounto vsus, and then what will follow but eternall darkeneſſe?
Laſtly let vsus be ſtirred vp to attention by the conſideration of Gods iudgments which he inflicteth on the contemners and neglectours of his word which he may iuſtly eueryevery minute poure vponupon vsus whilſt our minds are a wandringe not regarding that which hee ſayth vntounto vsus, hee may ſuddenly ſtrike vsus with frenzie and madnes, or with death it ſelfe, and then how fearefull and lamentable were our ſtate if ſuch a iudgement ſhould ſeaſe vppon vsus.Actes 20. Let vsus remember what hapned to drowſie Eutichus, and cōſider with our ſelues that that which befalleth vntounto one may happen vntounto another.
§ Sect. 7 And thus are wee to ſtirre vp our ſelues to the diligent and attentiue hearing of Gods word that ſo it may bee fruitful in our heartes and effectual for our conuerſion and calling vntounto God;How we are to behaue our ſelues after we hauehave heard the word. but when wee hauehave gone thus farre wee muſt not heere reſt, for if our enemie ſathan can no hinder the ſeed of Gods word from falling into our heartes then hee will labour to ſteale it away as ſoone as it is ſowed that it may neuer take roote nor bring forth any fruite, as appeareth by lamentable experience; for how many are there who receiue the word of God with their approbation, and are ſomewhat affected with that which is ſpoken and yet ſoone after it vaniſheth away; and nothing remaineth but their old corruptions? and whenc doth this proceed but from the malice of Sathan who when hee findeth the ſeed of the word not throughly entred into the ground of the heart and therein couered like a rauinous bird deuoureth it, or if it hauehave a little rooting, yet hee choaketh it with the thornie cares of the world ſo as it neuer ſpringeth vp no not ſo much as into a blade of profeſſion, or if it be ſo farre growne vp, yet he indeauoureth to keepe it from euer thriuing further, by cauſing the hot ſunne of perſecution to ariſe and with the heate thereof to make it wither, and periſhe, though for a time it hauehave made a flouriſhing ſhewe; as our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus in the parable of the Sower. Mat, 13. And therefore it behooueth eueryevery one of vsus to take no leſſe paines after the hearing of the word to keep it from deuouring and to preſerue and nouriſh it, that it may take deep roote and bring forth much fruit, then we did in the time of preparation, and in the time when we receiued it; for as the carefull huſbandman taketh great paines in ſtirring vp his fallow grounds; and preparing it for the ſeed, as alſo in the ſeed time in ſowing it in the ground thus prepared, and yet all this were to no purpoſe if hee did not afterwards harrowe it and couer it in the ground; ſo though we take greate paines in breaking vp and preparing the fallowe grounds of our hearts, and alſo in receiuing the ſeed of Gods word yet if we be not as carefull after all this to couer and hide this ſeed in the furrowes of our heartes that it may take deepe rooting it will neuer bring forth any fruite of true godlineſſe. Now the meanes to preſerue and nouriſh this heauenly ſeed of Gods word is firſt ſerious mediation; wherby wee call to mind that which wee hauehave heard, in which it it is very requiſite that wee examine the doctrines which were deliuered according to the touchſtone of Gods word, and turne ouer the bible to thoſe proofes which we remember alledged as moſt principall for the confirmation of the doctrines which were deliuered: a notable example whereof we hauehave in the noble men of Berea. Actes. 17.10.11. Who though with great readineſſe they receiued that doctrine which Paul had deliuered yet when they came home they ſearched the ſcriptures to ſee if thoſe things which they hard were conſonant and agreeable with them or no.
Secondly, we muſt vſe holy and Chriſtian conference one with another, about thoſe matters which we hauehave heard, for hereby it will come to paſſe that what one did not obſerue or hath forgotten, the other remembreth and repenteth, and ſo likewiſe the other helpeth out in another point where his neighbourfaileth, till at laſt they recall al the material points to their remembrance, euen as many meeting together at a feaſt do eueryevery one caſt in his ſhot til the reckoning be made, ſo many ioyning their heads together for the recalling of a ſermon to mind, one repeateth a little and another as much more, till at laſt all be repeated. And ſecondly, this benefit redoundeth hereof that all which eueryevery one remembreth by this repetition is more ſurely imprinted in his memorie and is not afterwards eaſily forgotten.
Laſtly, the beſt and ſureſt way to imprint things in our memorie neuer after to be blotted out, is vponupon all occaſions to practiſe it in our liues and cōuerſation, for as we only truly know that in chriſtianitie that which we practiſe, ſo likewiſe that is onelyonly well remembred which is well practiſed.