The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Sathans temptations drawne from our ſlow progreſſe in ſanctification, anſwered.
§. Sect. 1 ANd ſo much for anſwering Sathans temptations,Sathans temptation grounded vponupon our little profiting in chriſtiantie. drawne from the reliques of ſinne which remaine in vsus, and the ſmall meaſure of our ſanctification: the ſecond temptation whereby he laboreth to diſcourage the weake chriſtian, from going forward in his courſe of true godlineſſe, he taketh from his ſlow progreſſe and ſlacke proceedings in ſanctification, vponupon which occaſion he thus aſſaulteth him. Thou laboreſt much (will he ſay) and toyleſt thy ſelfe with intollerable paines that thou maieſt become a ſanctified man, but all in vaine; for though thou heareſt the word often, and readeſt much, and prayeſt continually, and beateſt thy braines with daily care, to the end that thou mayeſt attaine vntounto ſome perfection in chriſtianitie; yet, doſt thou not ſee how little thou profiteſt by all thy labours, ſeeing thy knowledge is ſtill ſmall, thy faith weake, thy charitie cold, thy heart dull and hard, thy good workes few and imperfect, and all thy zealous reſolutions eaſily hindred and quite ouerthrowne with eueryevery ſmall temptation? Why then doſt thou ſtriue againſt the ſtreame, and vndertake a taske which is to thee not onelyonly hard but euen impoſſible? for doe what thou canſt, yet all will bee to little purpoſe, ſeeing this worke is full of great difficulties, thy ſelfe diſabled with manifold corruptions, and thy enemies which oppoſe againſt thee exceeding ſtrong and mightie, as thy ſelfe findeſt by lamentable experience, and thy much laboring and little profiting doe clearely proue. Ceaſe therefore thy bootleſſe trauaile, and rather imbrace thy pleaſing delights, than turmoyle thy ſelfe with vaine labour.
§. Sect. 2 For the anſwering of which temptation we are to know,That the diſlike of our dulneſſe and backwardneſſe is accepted of God. that if we diſlike our own dulneſſe and backwardnes in profiting and growing forward in ſanctification, if we be truely ſorrowfull and bewaile our great wants and imperfections, and labour earneſtly in the vſe of the meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto knowledge, faith, and all other ſanctifying graces, and alſo be enabled to bring forth the fruites of holy obedience; then are we accepted of God and ſhall in the end moſt certainely obtaine our deſire, though yet we can ſee but ſmall profit of all our labours; neither ſhall all the power of our ſpirituall enemies ſo farre preuaile againſt vsus, as vtterly to hinder vsus in this worke, but that we ſhall vndoubtedly goe forward although not ſo ſpeedely as we deſire. For this holy deſire of profiting in godlineſſe, this indeauour and carefull vſe of thoſe meanes which are ordained by God for this purpoſe, are not naturall, but the worke of Gods ſpirit begun in vsus; and we are with the Apoſtle to be perſwaded of this ſame thing; Phil. 1.6.that he that hath begun this good worke in vsus will performe it vntill the day of Ieſus Chriſt, Phil. 1.6. We are to aſſure our ſelues with the Prophet Dauid, that the Lord will fulfill theſe holy deſires of thoſe that feare him, Pſal. 145.19.Pſal. 145.19. We are vndoubtedly to beleeue that the Lord will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our power, 1. Cor. 10.13.but will giuegive a good iſſue with the temptation, 1. Cor. 10.13. We are not to imagine that he will breake this bruſed reede, nor quench this ſmoking flaxe ſeeing he hath promiſed the contrarie,Matth. 12.20. Matth 12.20. And though this little graine of muſtard ſeede for a time lie hidden in the earth, and when it ſprouteth vp ſpringeth ſo ſlowly that wee cannot ſenſibly diſcerne the growing thereof; yet in Gods good time being watred with the dew of his holy ſpirit, it will become one of the greateſt trees in the Lords garden. For ſeeing the Lord hath giuen vsus this grace, not to be wanting in the vſe of all good meanes, we may moſt certainely aſſure our ſelues that the Lord for his part will not be wanting, in giuing his bleſſing and graunting the aſſiſtance of his holy ſpirit, which he hath promiſed to thoſe that deſire it.Luk. 11.13.
§. Sect. 3 Secondly,That Gods ſpirit dwelling in vsus, will in the end perfect this worke. let vsus conſider that theſe ſmall beginnings of grace and firſt fruites of the ſpirit, are moſt vndoubted ſignes that he dwelleth in vsus: now whereſoeuer he dwelleth, he ſanctifieth his own lodging, and is not idle till he hauehave effected this worke which he hath vndertaken and begun. Though therefore this worke in regarde of thy ſlowe proceedings ſeeme hard, yea, euen impoſſible, yet conſider that that which is poſſible to man, is impoſſible to God; though thou ſeeſt many difficulties and mighty oppoſitions by thy powrefull enemies, yet let not this diſcourage thee, ſeeing the Lord who is with thee is almightie, and therefore able to repell the violence of all oppoſers, and to make the moſt heauie and pinching yoke light and eaſie. Though in thy ſelfe thou art moſt weake and feeble,Matth. 11.30. Eph. 6.10. Phil. 4.13. yet thou art ſtrong in the power of Gods might, and enabled to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which ſtrengtheneth thee.
§. Sect. 4 Thirdly, let vsus conſider, that as the Lord hath decreed our ſaluation, and promiſed vntounto vsus eternall life: ſo he hath alſo as certainly decreed and promiſed the meanes tending thereunto,That the Lord hath as certainly decreed and promiſed our ſanctification as our ſaluation. which are the effects of his election and the forerunners of our ſaluation; but one eſpeciall effect of his election is our ſanctification, and the way to ſaluation is the path of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe; and therefore this is no leſſe certainely aſſured vntounto vsus, that we ſhall be ſanctified, and enabled to walke in this way of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, then that we are elected and ſhall be ſaued. Though then we are weake and vnſtable,2. Tim. 2.19. yet the foundation of God remaineth euer ſure; though in regarde of our owne feebleneſſe, and manyfould imperfections, the worke of ſanctification ſeeme altogether impoſſible, yet this ſhould not moue vsus to doubting nor diſcourage vsus in our courſe, ſeeing it hath not any ground vponupon our owne ſtrength, but vponupon Gods immutable decree, and neuer failing promiſes.Eph. 1.4. Ioh. 14.16.17. Ezech. 11.19. and 36.26. Ier. 31.33.34. Ioel. 2.28.29. When then our ſmall progreſſe in true godlineſſe, cauſed through the violence of our corruptions and oppoſitions of our ſpirituall enemies, diſcourageth vsus making this worke of ſanctification ſeeme impoſſible, let vsus cal to minde that the Lord hath as certainely decreed, that we ſhould be his ſaints here vponupon earth as his ſaints in heauen, that he hath moſt faithfully promiſed, that he will direct vsus with his holy ſpirit, take away from vsus our ſtonie hearts and giuegive vsus fleſhy hearts, illuminate our blinde vnderſtandings with true ſauing knowledge, indue vsus with a liuely faith, and with all other ſanctifying graces, enable vsus to performe in ſome meaſure holy obedience to his heauenly will, mortifying our corruptions and enabling vsus to ſerue him in newnes of life; all which gracious promiſes we are as vndoubtedly to beleeue, as thoſe which concerne either the remiſſion of our ſinnes, or euerlaſting happines. And therefore though our owne dulneſſe, backwardneſſe, and little profiting in ſanctification, ſhould worke in vsus true ſorrow, yet this ſhould not diſcourage vsus doubting of the iſſue of all our labours, but knowing that God is alike true in all his promiſes, let vsus, ſetting aſide all difficulties, beleene againſt beliefe, and vndoubtedly perſwade our ſelues that the Lord will finiſh that good worke which hee hath begun in vsus, though as yet it hath but ſmall proceedings, if we hungar after more perfection, and carefully vſe the meanes whereby we may attaine to true holines.