The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the Policie of the Fleſh; and that it is more dangerous and pernicious then it power and ſtrength.
§ Sect 1. ….IT now remaineth in the next place, hauing ſeene the power of the Fleſh, that wee alſo conſider of the policie of this enemy. The vvhichwhich as it is great in it ſelfe, ſo alſo moſt dangerous and pernicious vntounto vsus. For howſoeuer the ſtrength of the fleſh be very great, yet the policy thereof doth farre exceede it; for being not a poſſeſſed enemy, but a ſecret traytor, it is more exerciſed in cunning vndermining of our ſafety with ſubtle ſleights and pollitique ſtratagems, then in aſſaulting vsus after an open and hoſtile manner with ſtrength and violence. Hence it is that the Lord telleth vsus by the Prophet, that the heart (whereby he vnderſtandeth the ſoule of man, or that part of the ſoule which remaineth vnregenerate) is deceitfull aboue all things, and ſo deſperately wicked in this depth of fraude, that none can Ier. 17. 10.know it but the Lord, who is omniſcient, and knoweth all things. For howſoeuer Sathan the old Serpent in reſpect of his naturall abilities and long experience, may be more cunning and politique in himſelfe, yet his deceit is not ſo great, in abuſing and wronging vsus, as is the deceipt of our owne fleſh. For this being a part of our ſelues, yea of eueryevery power, facultie and member of our ſoules and bodies, it is of the priuy counſell of all our thoughts, and knowing our moſt hidden imaginations and ſecret intentions, it can take aduantage of them to worke our owne ouerthrow; where as Sathan being ignorant of them, cannot by all his craft and ſubtiltie ſo much endamage vsus. And in this reſpect Sathan cannot deceiue vsus, vnleſſe our owne fleſh aſsiſting him doe firſt deceiue vsus, whereof it is that our Sauiour, being pure from all fleſhly corruption, and moſt free from this carnall guile, could not poſsibly be deceiued vvith Sathans pollicies and moſt ſubtle ſtratagems. Whereas on the other ſide our owne fleſh can eaſily abuſe and cozen vsus, though it hauehave no helpe at all from the arch-enemy of our ſaluation. And hereof it is that the fleſh in the Scriptures is called the old man, to note vntounto vsus, that as men in this age, grow by their long experience very pollitique, and vnleſſe they be ſanctified with Gods grace and holy Spirit, very ſubtill, craftie and full of fraude, ſo the fleſh exceedeth and aboundeth in fraude and treacherie.
§ Sect. 2. Of the ſtrength of the fleſh being conſidered in it ſelfe. Rom. 8. 7.Now this fraude and policy of the fleſh, as it is moſt malicious in it ſelfe, ſo it is moſt pernicious vntounto vsus. The former appeareth in that it taketh part with ſathan, the wicked one, againſt God himſelfe the chiefe goodnes; for ſo the Apoſtle telleth vsus, that the wiſedome of the fleſh is emnitie againſt God. And that this policy is moſt pernicious vntounto vsus, it is manifeſt, firſt becauſe it often preuaileth, and much deceiueth vsus; as the Apoſtle out of his owne experience complaineth- Rom. 7. 11. Sinne taking occaſion by the commandement deceiued me. In which regard that may iuſtly be Rom. 7. 11.ſaid vntounto vsus vvhichwhich the Prophet ſpeaketh in another caſe, Truſt ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide, keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy boſome. For ſo often and commonly are we hereby deceiued and abuſed, that wee hauehave iuſt cauſe to ſubſcribe to the wiſe mans ſaying: He that truſteth in his owne heart is a foole. Secondly the perniciouſneſſe of this policy vntounto vsus hereby appeareth Pro. 28. 26.in that it tendeth vntounto no leſſe hurt then our death and vtter deſtruction, for ſo the Apoſtle telleth vsus; that the wiſedome Rom. 8. 6.of the fleſh is death, and therefore he ioyneth theſe two together, that ſinne, or his ſinfull corruption deceiued & ſlew Rom. 7. 11.him; becauſe it was ſuch a deceipt as brought death and deſtruction, vnleſſe he had beene redeemed and freed from it by the precious death of Ieſus Chriſt. Finally, the danger of this carnall policy and deceipt is ſo much the greater, becauſe it is ſo ſubtill and ſecret ſo deepe and diſguiſed, that it can hardly be diſcerned and found out; according to that of the Prophet Ieremie, The heart is deceitfull aboue Ier. 17. 10.all things and deſperately wicked, who can know it? So that our longeſt line cannot ſound the bottom of his gulph, out quickeſt and moſt piercing ſight cannot diſcouer the multitude and ſtrength of theſe ſubtle enemies, becauſe they diſplay not their coulours in the open field, but lye hidden in ſecret ambuſhments: yea they mingle themſelues amongſt our owne forces, and diſguiſe themſelues in our owne coates and habits. They make ſhew of ſimplicity and ſinceritie, when as there is nothing but craft and deceipt: and theſe dangerous bogges ſeeme outwardly faire greene fields and firme ground, but hauing with this outward ſhew inuited vsus to them, we are ready to ſinke, and to bee ſwallowed vp and periſh, when we reſt vponupon them. In which regard it behooueth vsus to follow the Wiſe mans aduice: Pro. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence. And the exhortation Pro. 4. 23 Heb. 3. 12. 13:of the Apoſtle: Take heede brethren leſt there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God. But exhort one another dayly, whileſt it is called to day, leſt any of you bee hardened through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne. For how hard is it to ouercome thoſe enemies, which are ſo hardly diſcouered? and to fruſtrate and preuent thoſe deceits vvhichwhich cannot without great difficultie be ſo much as diſcerned?
§ Sect. 3. That the pollicy of the fleſh ſhould make vsus more watchfull and vigilant.But let this difficultie in ſounding of the depth of this helliſh policy, and in ſearching out thoſe deceipts vvhichwhich lye lurking in theſe darke corners, onelyonly make vsus more vigilant and diligent to diſcouer them but not daunt and diſcourage vsus, or make vsus leſſe confident and couragious in fighting this ſpirituall conflict; for be the fleſh neuer ſo politique and euen inſpired with all the ſubtiltie of the Diuell, yet hauehave we a wiſedome to direct vsus in compariſon whereof all this depth of craft and cunning is but childiſh folly. And though there be in our corrupt nature ſuch a maze of deceipt, that we cannot enter into it, or being entred can not tell how to get out; and though it be ſuch a darke dungeon of deceipt, that by the light of our owne wiſedome and vnderſtanding we cannot ſee into it; yet the Lord hath giuen vntounto vsus his word to be our line, which if we follow we ſhall finde eueryevery creeke and corner, turning and winding of this Labyrinth of wickednes; and to be a light ſhining in the darkeſt places, which is able to diſpell this Ci…erian darknes, and to diſcouer cleerely all theſe ſubtilties and 2 Pet. 1. 19.crafty policies, teaching vsus alſo the way to preuent and defeate them, ſo as we ſhall not be in danger of theſe ſecret ambuſhments. So the Apoſtle telleth vsus, that the Word of Heb. 4. 13.God is quicke and powerfull, and ſharper then any two edged ſword; piercing euen to the deuiding a ſunder of ſoule and ſpirit, and of the ioynts and marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And therefore as the darkeſt dungeon vvhereall things are hidden and vnſeene, becommeth as light as any other place, if there bee made an open paſſage, for the ſunne-beames to ſhine into it▪ ſo as all the filth and ſluttiſh corners are manifeſt to eueryevery beholder, which before by reaſon of the darknes none could diſcerne: ſo this dungeon and depth of carnall policie hideth all things, and is it ſelfe hidden from our ſight, ſo long as wee bring vntounto it no other light then our darke vnderſtanding: but if once the beames of Gods ſhining truth, and the bright rayes of his holy Word doe inlighten vsus, we ſhall eaſily diſcerne theſe deepe and darke deceipts, and diſcouer all the ſecret filthineſſe and abominable wickednes which lyeth lurking in theſe ſecret corners. So that if we will make choiſe of Gods Word to be a lampe to our feete and a light vntounto our Pſal. 119. 105.pathes; wee ſhall eaſily auoide thoſe ſecret ſnares which lye in our way, and eſcape thoſe ſubde ſtratagems and dangerous ambuſhments, which the fleſh hath purpoſely laid to inſnare and circumuent vsus. If we will often and ſeriouſly ſtudie in this holy booke, we ſhall finde all the ſleights and ſubtilties of thoſe ſpirituall enemies layed open, together with the meanes how wee may defeate them. But vvithal, becauſe the fleſh doth continually caſt fogges and miſts before our eyes, that we may not diſcerne this light; and like ſome kindes of fiſh doth purpoſely muddy theſe cleere waters, that ſo it may the better glide away and not be diſcouered; wee muſt continually deſire the Lord to open our eyes, that wee may ſee the wonderfull things of his Law, and that hee will by the light of his holy Spirit ſo illuminate our mindes, and diſpell theſe fogges and miſts which Pſal. 119. 18.the fleſh dayly raiſeth, that we may ſee all the deepe policies, and dangerous ſubtilties of the fleſh, and hauehave ſuch a meaſure of ſpirituall wiſedome and vnderſtanding, that we may be able to preuent and eſcape them.