The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. What the Conflict betweene the Fleſh and the Spirit is, and what are the cauſes of it.
The conflict betweene … fleſh and …e ſpirit deſcribed.BY this it appeareth that there is a combate in eueryevery Chriſtian betweene theſe enemies now in the next place let vsus conſider what i… is; and the cauſes of it. Where then needeth no curious definition, ſeeing the very name doth ſufficiently expreſſe the nature of it; For it is nothing elſe but a continuall conflict betweene the vnregenerate part the fleſh, with the luſts thereof, and the part regenerate, the ſpirit with all the holy qualities, graces and motions thereof, by reaſon of their contrarietie in nature and coniunction in place, whereby they mutually luſt and ſtriue one againſt the other, the fleſh willing and in bracing that euill which the ſpirit nilleth and hateth, and nilling and ſhunning that good which it willeth and effecteth, and contrariwiſe. For in this conflict they mutually aſſault one another with vnreconcilible emnitie and immediate and vnplacable contrarietie, ſo that as the one getteth, the other looſeth, as the one gathereth ſtrength, the other is weakened; and looke how much this preuaileth and triumpheth, ſo much his enemy and oppoſite is foyled and deiected. Like herein to a payre of ſcales, in which the riſing of the one is alwayes ioyned with the going downe of the other, or like the ſpleene in the body, the ſwelling whereof is ioyned with the others conſumption. Yea alike nay much more contrary then light and darkneſſe, heate and cold the one vvhereof increaſeth, as the other decreaſeth.
§ Sect 2. Of the firſt and cheife cauſe of the conflict which is Gods will for the manifeſtation of his owne glory.The cauſes of this conflict are either efficient and more remote, or formall and eſſentiall; the later is plainely expreſſed, the former implyed in the deſcription of this conflict, namely Gods will appointing this fight; and to this purpoſe, not perfecting our ſanctification in this life, but in part regenerating, and in part leauing vsus vnregenerate. Yea but why did not the Lord, who through his infinite wiſedome was as able to hauehave recreated and renewed vsus at once by his ſole word as he did firſt create & make, vsus perfect this worke of regeneration, repleniſh vsus with abundance of his ſpirit and with ſanctifying graces thereof, and quite aboliſh the fleſh with the luſtes thereof? I anſwere though there were no other reaſon but the good pleaſure of his moſt wiſe will, it were ſufficient to ſatisfie vsus, for hee beſt knoweth what to giuegive, and when to giuegive it, what meaſure of his grace is fitteſt for him to beſtowe, and the moſt ſeaſonable time for vsus to receiue it. But yet diuers reaſons may bee yeelded why the Lord ſuffereth the fleſh and the ſinfull luſtes thereof ſtill in ſome meaſure and degree to remaine in vsus, and to fight with and aſſault the ſpirituall part, all which may be reduced to two heads; firſt becauſe this courſe is moſt profitable, and ſecondly moſt fitting and ſeaſonable. It is moſt profitable both for the ſetting forth of Gods glory, and the aduancing and furthering of our owne good. It doeth more manifeſt and magnifie the glory of God, for the weaker vvee are in our regenerate part, and the ſtronger the fleſh is with all other the enemies of our ſaluation, the more clearely his wiſedome and power ſhineth and appeareth, which ſo ſtrengtheneth this weake part, that it is able to ſtand in the day of battell; yea that it obtaineth a full and finall victory, and putteth all it mighty enemies to flight. Whereas if we were perfectly regenerate and the fleſh vtterly vanquiſhed and aboliſhed, it were no great wonder, that we were not ouercome, if we had no enemy or but a vveake one to ſet vponupon vsus. And this moued the Lord to ſuffer the pricke in the fleſh to moleſt the Apoſtle, and the meſſenger of Sathan to buffet him, notwithſtanding he ſo earneſtly prayed to be deliuered from 2 Cor. 12. 9.them, that the al-ſufficiency of his grace aſſiſting him might appeare, and his power might bee gloriouſly manifeſted in his vveakeneſſe and infirmitie. Secondly God is more glorified, when as vvee ſeeing the ſtrength of our fleſh and naturall corruptions, and our frailtie and vveakeneſſe, vvants and many infirmities of our ſpirituall part are moued hereby to attribute the vvhole glory and prayſe of our ſaluation to the alone mercy of God, both in reſpect of the beginning and perſecting thereof, and vtterly denying our ſelues and our owne righteouſneſſe, doe wholly reſt and rely vponupon the perfect and al-ſufficient righteouſneſſe and obedience of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt: where as if there were in vsus perfection in holineſſe, vvee vvould hardly acknowledge the Lord to be all in all in the worke of our ſaluation, but would bee ready to attribute ſomething vntounto our ſelues. Thirdly, the wiſedome and power of God is more manifeſted and glorified, when as he doth his great works by contrary meanes and cauſes which in their owne nature would rather hinder them. And therefore hee will hauehave vsus Ioh. 9. 41. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Apoc. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 12. 9.blinde that we may ſee, fooliſh that we may become wiſe, poore that he may inrich vsus, weake that we may be ſtrong, imperfect in our graces, that wee may bee endued with more perfection, and finally will hauehave vsus paſſe by the gates of hell, that we may come to a greater meaſure of heauenly happineſſe. It were not ſo much, if the Lord ſhould perfectly ſanctifie vsus, and preſently giuegive vsus eternall glory; but to giuegive this bleſſedneſſe to vsus who hauehave ſo many wants and corruptions, yea to make our imperfections to ſerue as meanes for the increaſing of our happineſſe, this doeth exceedingly magnifie his power and wiſedome. Fourthly, we are hereby made more thankefull vntounto the Lord, and more chearefull in ſinging to his praiſe, when wee are ſupported and ſaued notwithſtanding our imperfections, then if hee ſhould indue vsus at the firſt with all perfection. For the more ſenſible wee are of Gods benefits, the better wee eſteeme them, and ſo conſequently receiue them with greater thankfulneſſe: but the more wee hauehave found the want of them, and how little we hauehave deſerued them, the more ſenſibly doe we apprehend their excellency when wee enioy them; the more wee hauehave groaned and laboured vnderunder the burthen of our infirmities and corruptions, the more weereioyce when wee a…ed from them; and our reſtoring out of a ſtate of in perfection vntounto perfection, is much more acceptable, then if we … alwayes beene preſerued in it. Euen as i… giues vsus more contentment hauing beene poore to be made, then to bee borne rich; to enioy our libertie after thraldome, the… if we had neuer beene embondaged; and makes vsus more thank full to our benefactors, when as by them vve hauehave beene adopted, then vvhen vve hauehave beene borne to a goodly inheritāce. And ſo in the like caſe we are more thankefull vntounto God for freeing vsus from our ſinfull corruptions, by litle and litle, then if at the firſt he had made vsus pure and perfect, and for giuing vsus victory ouer the fleſh after a painefull and doubtfull conflict, then if vvee had neuer beene aſſaulted but had alwayes enioyed a ſecure peace. And this vve may ſee in the example of the Apoſtle, who hauing through the violence of the fleſh beene led captiue vntounto ſinne, and thereby forced lamentably to cry out, O wretched man that I am who ſhall deliuer me from the body of Rom. 7. 24. 25.this death? doeth preſently in the ſenſe of Gods mercy which had deliuered him, burſt forth into thankful prayſes; I thanke God through Ieſus Chriſt my Lord. Laſtly, hereby vve more glorifie God when we are aſſured by our growth in ſanctification and in all ſauing graces of the ſpirit, by vvhichwhich vve are inabled to reſiſt the fleſh and the luſts thereof, that they are the free guifts of God and that hee beginneth, continueth and increaſeth them in vsus, vvhichwhich if they vvere alwayes from the beginning perfect in vsus, vve would thinke them to be ſome naturall faculties and abilities and not giuen vsus of God. And theſe are the reaſons vvhichwhich doe chiefely reſpect the glory of God.
§. Sect. 3. That this conflict … profitable for the faithfull, to traine them vp in humility.Secondly, the Lord ſuffereth the fleſh ſtill to dwell in vsus and daily to aſſault vsus, becauſe it is profitable for our owne good, and the furthering and aſſuring of our heauenly happineſſe. Firſt becauſe it is a notable meanes to traine vsus vp in humilitie, vvhichwhich is a grace moſt acceptable vntounto God, and to ſubdue our pride and all vaine-glorious conceipt, vvhichwhich aboue all other vices is moſt odious and hatefull, vvhen as vvee ſee and conſider vvhat a miſerable vaſtation and ſpoyle of all thoſe graces and excellent endowments which we had by creation ſinne hath made in vsus; how it hath poyſoned, corrupted and diſabled all the powers and faculties of our ſoules and bodies, how it hath made vsus vnfit for any good thing, and prone vntounto all euill; and that theſe ſtaines and blots of ſinfull corruption doe in a great part remaine in vsus after our regeneration, ſo aſſaulting vsus with all malice and furie, darkening our vnderſtandings, wounding our conſciences, peruerting our wils, hardening our hearts, and corrupting and diſordering all our affections, that were wee not continually aſsiſted and vpheld by the ſpirituall grace of the Almightie God, we ſhould ſinke and fall in the conflict, and bee made an eaſie pray to our malitious enemies: this may well ſubdue our loftie and proude conceipts, and make vsus pull downe with ſhame our peacockes plumes, when as wee looke to the foule feete of our filthy corruptions, ſee the ruines remaining of Gods goodly building, and how all our naturall forces doe quite faile vsus and forſake vsus, when as we moſt relye on them; yea when as wee ſee euen after regeneration ſuch reliques of corruption and rebellion remaining in vsus, that did not the Lord cōtinually ſend vntounto vsus freſh aides of renewed graces we were not able to ſtand nor maintaine the fight againſt ou… carnall corruptions. In conſideration whereof wee are iuſtly moued to humble our ſelues and to giuegive all glory vntounto God, who worketh in vsus the will and the deede, and not onelyonly beginneth, but continueth and perfecteth the worke of our ſaluation; and finally to acknowledge, that what grace or ſpirituall ſtrength we hauehave more then others, we 1 Cor. …. 7.hauehave it from God and not from our ſelues, and therefore that wee hauehave no cauſe to boaſt of it ſeeing it is receiued, but muſt returne God the glory of his owne guifts. And thus doth the Lord in his infinite power and wiſdome turne euill into good, and like the moſt skilfull Phyſition doeth make our ſinnes (as it were the fleſh of the Viper) a moſt holeſome preſeruatiue and cordiall for the diſpelling from our hearts more daungerous poyſons.
§. Sect. 4. This conflict is effectuall to make vsus deny our ſelues.Secondly, whereas we cannot be Chriſts Diſciples vnleſſe we deny our ſelues, nor bee partakers of his righteouſnes for our iuſtification, vnleſſe we renounce our own, nothing can be more effectuall to this purpoſe, then the ſight and ſenſe of our owne imperfections and corruptions; for when wee plainely diſcerne, that there is nothing in our ſelues to reſt vponupon for the ſatisfying of Gods iuſtice, this will make vsus to flee vntounto Chriſt, to hunger and thirſt after his perfect and al-ſufficient righteouſneſſe, and to make vsus wholly to relye vponupon him for our iuſtification and ſaluation. Which when we doe, we may be more ſecure and better aſſured of heauenly happineſſe, then if we were as perfect in our owne inherent righteouſneſſe, as our firſt parents in the ſtate of innocency, ſeeing they fell into ſinne and miſery through the ſtrength of Sathans temptations, but wee cannot; ſo long as wee wholly reſt vponupon Chriſt and are vpheld by his omnipotency. And as hereby our ſelues hauehave great aſſurance of our happy condition; ſo doe we more glorifie our Lord and redeemer, ſeeing we acknowledge the al-ſufficiency of his grace, and yeelde vntounto him the whole glory of our ſaluation.
§ Sect. 5. By this conflict we are moued the more to hate ſinne.Thirdly, we are hereby moued to abhorre ſinne, which God ſo hateth, with greater deteſtation, when as by our owne experience we finde and feele the venome and poyſon of it working in our ſelues, and to bewaile and forſake it with more earneſt endeauour, when we diſcerne and ſee what miſerable effects it produceth, and what bitter and curſed fruits it bringeth forth in vsus. As namely that it hath corrupted our whole nature, diſabled al our ſtrength, defaced in vsus Gods glorious image, incenſed his wrath againſt vsus, made vsus ſubiect to the curſe of the lawe, depriued vsus of the glory of God, and made vsus guiltie of eternall damnation. From all which miſeries nothing could free vsus, vnleſſe the ſonne of God had dyed for vsus, and waſhed vsus from the guilt and puniſhment of all our ſinnes in his moſt precious blood. All which plainely diſcouereth the haynouſnes and tyranny of ſinne, and maketh vsus thankefull vntounto our Sauiour who hath freed vsus from it.
§ Sect. 6. Wee are moued hereby to fly vntounto God by frequent and feruent prayers.Fourthly, by the ſight and ſenſe of theſe ſinnefull corruptions ſtill dwelling in vsus, wee are occaſioned to flee oftener vntounto God by feruent prayers, acknowledging and bewayling them before the throne of grace, earneſtly crauing the remiſſion of them, and the aſsiſtance of Gods grace and holy ſpirit whereby we may be inabled to mortifie our corruptions, and to flee all ſinne for the time to come; and to returne vntounto him praiſe and thankeſgiuing when we hauehave receiued theſe graces from him. Fifthly, whereas there is nothing more daungerous vntounto vsus then ſloth and ſecuritie, we hauehave through theſe corruptions dwelling in vsus the benefit of ſpirituall exerciſe, whileſt wee make warre againſt them, withſtand their aſſaults, prepare our ſelues for the conflict, watch ouer our owne hearts that wee bee not ſurpriſed at anawares with their deceiptfull pollicies, mortifie and ſubdue them with the ſword of the ſpirit, exerciſe the ſpirituall graces receiued from God, and our ſelues in all holy duties which God requireth for the obtaining of victory; by which they are more and more confirmed and encreaſed. So alſo hereby wee hauehave great cauſe to bee more carefull and watchfull ouer our hearts and wayes, ſeeing we hauehave dwelling in vsus a ſecrete enemy who watcheth all opportunities to ſupplant vsus and to betray vsus into the hands of Sathan and the world; the which ſhould make vsus worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling; and vvhileſt vve ſtand to take heede of falling; this ſhould cauſe vsus to Phil. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 6. 10.ſtand daily and howerly vponupon our guard, and to keepe the ſpirituall armour girded faſt vponupon vsus as the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus.
§ Sect. 7 It ſerueth to worke in vsus patience and contentment. Lam. 3. 39.Sixtly, it may ſerue to make vsus goe on in our pilgrimage vvith contentment, and to beare all afflictions vvhichwhich are layde vponupon vsus vvith meekeneſſe and patience, not onelyonly becauſe vve hauehave deſerued them by this ſinne that dwelleth in vsus, according to that in the Lamentations; Wherefore doeth a liuing man complaine, ſeeing he ſuffereth for his ſinned but alſo becauſe wee knowe and hauehave experience that theſe corrections are neceſſary to bridle & mortifie the fleſh with the luſtes thereof, and ſerue as drawing ſalues to drawe out the core of our corruptions, as the launcher and ſearing yron to helpe and heale our impoſtumations of ſinne, as bitter potions to purge away our corrupt humours, and as ſalt to ſeaſon vsus, that we may not be tainted and periſh in our fleſhly puterfaction; and to make vsus more wiſe & wary, that we may not nouriſh our enemy, but mortifie & crucifie it, ſeeing it is the chiefe authour of all our calamities.
§ Sect. 8. By this conflict our heartes are weaned from the world.Seauenthly, it is profitable for the weaning of our hearts and affections from the world, and to make vsus long after our heauenly happineſſe, when as wee finde our ſelues tyred and wearied in fighting, not onelyonly with forraigne foes, but with theſe inteſtine and ſecret traytors in our owne bowels; whereas if hauing gotten full conqueſt we ſhould hauehave continuall peace and our victory crowned with earthly proſperitie, wee would neuer ſo much long after our heauenly happineſſe. And this chiefely made the Apoſtle to long after his diſſolution and to be with Chriſt, becauſe he found himſelfe ſo often foyled with this lawe of his members, and Phil. 1. 21. Rom. 7. 23.led away captiue by his ſinnefull fleſh. Eightly as it maketh vsus to long after the crown of victory, ſo it will make it, when we ſhall obtaine it much more glorious; for the Lord will hauehave vsus firſt to fight and ouercome our ſpirituall enemies, and then hee will reward vsus with the crowne of victory; firſt he will hauehave our ſpirituall graces exerciſed and manifeſted in the conflict, and then being approued he will giuegive vsus a proportion of glory according to the propertion of our graces. So our Sauiour promiſeth (not to the Souldiars which lye quietly in their garriſon, aſſaulted with no enemy) but to them who fighting ouercome, that they ſhall ſitte with him on his throne, cloathed with white rayment, and ſhall eate of the tree of life, which is in the middeſt of the Paradiſe of God. And this order Paul vſeth in Apoc. 2. & 3.laying hold on theſe bleſſed hopes, firſt to fight the combate, and then to receiue the crowne. I hauehave (ſaith hee) fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith; henceforth is laide vp for mee a crowne of righteouſneſſe.2 Tim. 4. 8.
§ Sect. 9. T… conflict is ſuitable for the time and place wherein wee liue.Laſtly, as it is profitable that theſe reliques of ſin ſhould remaine in vsus, and alſo ſutable and ſeaſonable to the time and place wherein we liue. For it is appointed by God that we ſhould not in this life attaine vntounto perfection, but that we ſhould onelyonly labour after it and attaine vntounto it in the life to come; that we ſhould, whileſt we be heere, be in our nonage and come to our perfect age in Chriſt and our heauenly inheritance after wee are diſſolued and bee with Chriſt. This world is appointed for our painfull pilgrimage, wherein we muſt toyle and trauell, indure many miſeries and be indaungered to the malice and furious aſſaults of our ſpirituall enemies; and it is not ſeaſonable to expect our reſt and ioyes, vntill we be ariued ſaufe in our owne countrey. Finally it is appoynted of God to the place of our warrfare, and therefore we muſt not looke to hauehave our enemies quite expelled or vanquiſhed, but here wee muſt fight dayly and approue our faith and Chriſtian valure to our cheif ſoueraigne; and then afterwardes when by death we hauehave gotten a full and finall conqueſt, we ſhall be crowned with the crowne of victory. Finally it is not Gods pleaſure that wee ſhould in this life attaine to our full ſtature and perfect meaſure of ſanctification and holineſſe, but that wee ſhould bee ſtill growing from one meaſure of grace to another, and by peecemeale conſume the body of ſinne which hindreth our growth, vntill by death it be ſully aboliſhed.