The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of ſome ſpeciall meanes whereby we may be preſerued from falling into ſinne.
§. Sect. 1 ANd theſe are the reaſons whereby eueryevery one may be armed againſt Sathans ſuggeſtions,The firſt meanes is to auoyde the occaſion of ſinne. tempting him vntounto ſinne; and be moued vntounto a chriſtian reſolution, of poſſeſſing body and ſoule in holineſſe and puritie: now we are to ſpeake of ſome ſpeciall meanes, whereby the chriſtian thus reſolued may be preſerued from falling into ſuch grieuous ſinnes, as wound the conſcience, and hinder him in the courſe of ſanctification.1. Theſ. 5.22. Firſt, he that would auoyde ſinne, muſt carefully alſo auoyde the occaſions thereof, which are ſtrong inducements to draw him vntounto ſinne; for as it is great folly for a man who dreadeth burning to be alwaies medling with fire and gunpowder; ſo is it no leſſe madneſſe to thinke that we can preſerue our ſelues from ſinne, and yet intertaine all occaſions thereof, continually ſuffering the ſparkes of Sathans temptations to fall as it were into the tindar of our corrupt affections. It is not poſſible that he who is inclined to gluttonie and drunkenneſſe ſhould containe himſelfe from theſe ſinnes, if he giuegive himſelfe to companie keeping, and take his chiefe delight in pleaſing his taſt with the daintieſt meates and drinkes: or that he who is cholericke, ſhould refraine from anger, and yet thruſt himſelfe into needleſſe controverſies and hot contentions: or for him that is laſciuious to abſtaine from vncleaneſſe, and yet frequent vnchaſt companie, reade wanton bookes, view obſcure ſpectacles, vſe filthie communication, and pamper himſelfe in gluttonie, and drunkenneſſe. In a word we cannot auoyde any ſinne, vnleſſe wee alſo flee and ſhunne the occaſions and meanes thereof; and therefore let vsus be as carefull and watchfull in the one as the other, or els we ſhall moſt certainely looſe our labours.
§. Sect. 2 Secondly,The ſecond meanes, to make conſcience of the leaſt ſinnes. if wee would not fall into greater ſinnes, we muſt alſo make conſcience of thoſe which are leſſe; and thinke with our ſelues that no ſinne is ſmall, ſeeing the leaſt deſerueth the anger of God and euerlaſting death: otherwiſe if we willingly intertaine euen ſmall corruptions, we ſhall at length make no conſcience of heynous tranſgreſſions; and theſe little theeues being let in, wil in time ſet wide open the doore of our hearts, that the greateſt and groſſeſt may eaſily enter, and ſo robbe and ſpoyle vsus of all grace and goodneſſe.
§. Sect. 3 Thirdly,The third meanes is continually to ſtand vponupon our guard. let vsus continually ſtand vponupon our guard, carefully watching ouer our owne hearts, that we be not ſurpriſed at vnawares; for thouſands are the baites which are laid to intrap vsus, and tenne thouſand ſnares doth Sathan lay to intangle vsus; and therefore it behooueth vsus to looke narrowly to our waies, and to be alwaies as readie to giuegive Sathan the repulſe, as he to make the encounter. And conſidering that if we doe not aſſault ſinne, it will moſt ſurely ſet vponupon vsus, and at one time or other will giuegive vsus the foyle if we onelyonly lie at warde and neuer offer blow againſt this our enemie; therefore it behooueth eueryevery chriſtian ſouldier, not onelyonly to giuegive ſinne a repulſe, but alſo to wound it in the head, and beate it downe, that it may not againe aſſault him, or at leaſt not with wonted power and violence: and for as much as he hath many enemies which cannot at once be ouercome, therefore he is to labour to get eueryevery day the maſterie of ſome ſinne, and to bring it in ſubiection, that ſo in continuance of time he may vanquiſh all, and obtaine a full and finall victorie our all his corruptions.
§. Sect. 4 Fourthly, if we would not fall into grieuous ſinnes,The fourth meanes, to reſt on Gods aſſiſtance and not on our owne power. wee muſt not ſtand in our owne power, nor truſt in our owne ſtrength, but wholy reſt and relie vponupon Gods promiſed aſſiſtance. For if once we robbe God of his glorie, and arrogate the praiſe of our victorie ouer ſinne and Sathan vntounto our ſelues, the Lord will withdraw his helping hand, and leaue vsus vntounto our ſelues, till by our grieuous falles we hauehave learned to acknowledge our owne weakeneſſe, and to reſt wholy in the power of his might. For as all other ſinnes are odious vntounto God, ſo eſpecially the ſinne of pride, becauſe it maketh vile man corriuall with God in his praiſe and glorie, of which he is moſt iealous; and therefore the Lord ſuffereth, euen his owne children, to fall into grieuous ſinnes, that hereby they may be humbled; and ſo vſeth other ſinnes as a counterpoyſon to cure pride.
§. Sect. 5 Laſtly,Ths ſift meanes is feruent prayer. ſeeing we ſtand not by our owne ſtrength but by the power of Gods might, let vsus as often as we ſee our owne weakeneſſe and aptneſſe to fall, hauehave our recourſe vntounto God, by feruent and effectuall prayer; crauing his ayde and aſſiſtance that thereby we may be enabled to ſtand in the day of temptation. And when by vertue thereof we hauehave giuen ſinne the foyle, and repelled Sathans ſuggeſtions; let vsus remember to returne praiſe and thankeſgiuing to the Lord by whoſe helpe wee hauehave beaten backe our ſpirituall enemies: and then wee may bee aſſured that the Lord will vphold vsus by the power of his ſpirit from falling into ſinne; or if we doe fall, he will ſpeedily raiſe vsus vp by vnfained repentance.