The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Of he pollicies which the fleſh vſeth to inturrupt vsus in the doing of good duties, and to alienate our hearts from them.
§ Sect. 1. How the fleſh interroſeth when we are exerciſed in doing good duties.ANd thus the fleſh hindereth vsus from the performance of all good duties. In the performance of them it dealeth alſo no leſſe deceiptfully, and that either to inturrupt and diſtract vsus, that wee may doe them onelyonly formally and to no purpoſe, or elſe ſo to corrupt and poyſon our beſt graces and moſt vertuous actions, that they may become vnprofitable, yea hurtfull vntounto vsus. For the former when we endeauour to ſeeke the Lord in his holy ordinances, and ſet our ſelues to performe the pious duties of his ſeruice, if it cannot by the former deceipts wholly hinder vsus from doing of them, it will (like Dauids falſe friend) accompany vsus to the houſe of God, as though it likewiſe were delighted in theſe holy exerciſes; but to no other ende, but that it may fruſtrate and defeate our holy deſires. For when we labour to heare Gods word, to call vponupon his name, or ſinge his praiſes, this ſinne that hangeth on vsus and preſſeth vsus downe, doeth either make vsus dull and drowſie, lumpiſh and heauy, ſo that we cannot attend theſe holy exerciſes with any chearefulneſſe and alacritie of ſpirit, but offer vntounto God dead and carrion-like ſacrifices, which hauing no heart nor life in them are loathſome vntounto him: or elſe it worketh our minds to ſome carnall proiudice or diſlike of our teachers, or of ſome paſſages in his Sermon, whereby we are affected with choller and ſpleene towards him; or to thinke meanely and baſely of him in reſpect of ſome naturall infirmities or defects; or elſe becauſe of the mediocritie of his guifts; or it hangeth ſo heauily on vsus that it maketh vsus weary of theſe holy exerciſes before they be halfe ended. Or if non of theſe, yet it will neuer faile to diſtract our mindes with worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts, ſo as wee cannot intend theſe religious duties, but performe them with the lippes, eares, and outward man, but not with the heart, in ſhewe and ceremony, but not in ſpirit and trueth. And thus the fleſh like Iudas waiteth vponupon vsus that it may betray vsus, it goeth with vsus into Gods market, that it may hinder vsus from buying any ſpirituall merchandize, it thruſteth in with vsus into Gods armory, when as we goe to furniſh our ſelues with ſpirituall weapons, that it may make vsus neglect them and leaue them behinde vsus, or elſe ſo weaken vsus that we cannot carry them with vsus; it will like Huſhai force kindneſſe vponupon vsus, and by no perſwaſions will ſtay behinde vsus; but it is to this ende that by cunning pollicy it may fruſtrate our enterpriſes, & ſo betray vsus into the hands of our enemies. For the defeating of which pollicy our beſt courſe is, to leaue behinde our chiefe corruptions by renewing of our repentance, before we come to performe theſe holy exerciſes, and keepe vnderunder thoſe which we carry with vsus, watching ouer them with all diligence, that they doe not diſtract nor hinder vsus. To which ende wee muſt come vntounto theſe holy duties with due preparation, and being come we muſt meditate on Gods glorious preſence before whom we ſtand, we muſt with all diligence looke to our hearts, becauſe that the Lord chiefely requireth them in all duties of his ſeruice; we muſt thinke of the excellency, waight and fruite of theſe Religious exerciſes, that our hearts being inflamed with the louelove of them, wee may performe them with all cheerefulneſſe and delight. And finally we muſt continually craue the aſſiſtance of Gods gracious ſpirit, that thereby we may be in ſome good meaſure enabled to performe them ſo, as that they may be acceptable to God, and profitable for our owne ſaluation.
§ Sect. 2. How … duties.Thus alſo when wee hauehave in the regenerate part an earneſt deſire to embrace vertue and to bee inriched with ſauing graces, like a cunning ſorcereſſe it laboureth to infect them with the poyſon of corruption, and like a ſubtill Merchant it ſophiſticates theſe pure wares and intermingleth with them the baſe refuſe of ſinneful vices, that they with the other may become vendible. Thus if wee be deuout and earneſt in religion, it ſeeketh to taint vsus with wilworſhip and ſuperſtition; if we excell in knowledge, it laboureth to puffe vsus vp with ſelfe-conceipt, to contemne plaine trueth, and curiouſly to affect nice and vnprofitable ſpeculations, and to deſpiſe others in compariſon of our ſelues whom wee thinke doe come ſhort of our meaſure. With our faith it intermingleth preſumption and carnall ſecuritie; which our louelove, luſt and iealouſie; with our zeale, raſhneſſe and corrupt anger; with our humilitie baſeneſſe; with our courage audatiouſneſſe; with our conſtancy pertinacy and obſtinate inflexibleneſſe; and finally with all our graces and excellent vertues pride and vaine glory, whereby wee ouerweene them, or arrogate the praiſe of them, or magnifie our ſelues before others who hauehave not attained to our pitch and proportion. And thus this cunning coyner embaſes the pure mettall of grace and vertue, by mixing with it the copper or rather droſſe of carnall corruptions, ſetting notwithſtanding vponupon it vertues ſtampe and ſuperſcription, that ſo it may goe for currant with vsus, and by mingling theſe poyſons with our holeſome food, doeth make it become vntounto vsus mortall and pernitious. For preuenting of which deceipt we are often to examine our vertues, and to try if they be not tainted and infected with the contagion of the next extreames; let vsus often bring them to the touchſtone of Gods trueth, which is onelyonly ſufficient to make vsus diſcerne the differences betweene the pure gold of Gods graces, and the baſe mettals of our own corruptions; & let vsus continually deſire the helpe of Gods holy ſpirit, which is that heauenly fire, that can part and ſeuer the ſolid ſubſtance from the droſſe, purifying he on, and conſuming the other, and the pure gold from other baſe metalles of any kinde.
§ Sect. 3. How the fleſh perſwadeth vsus to abate of our zeale, and to intermit vertuous actions for a while.The third and laſt kinde of policies which the fleſh vſeth are thoſe, whereby it ſeeketh to alienate our hearts and affections from imbracing and practiſing of holy vertues and Chriſtian actions. And firſt of all, if it cannot perſwade vsus wholly to forſake them, & at once to deſiſt from the exerciſe of them; then it will allure vsus to abate our feruour and zeale in piety, to intermit all vertuous actions for a little while, and not to fall altogether, but in ſome degrees from our former ſinceritie, either pretending that if we goe more ſlowly, we ſhall goe more ſurely or that we are more zealous then needs, ſeeing with faire leſſe ſtrictneſſe in our courſes wee may attaine vntounto happineſſe; or elſe though vponupon ſome occaſions we ſlacken our pace in the waies of godlineſſe for a while, we may hereafter make more ſpeed and eaſily recouer and redeeme our loſt time, by our future diligence. With which deceipt that we may not be ouertaken let vsus conſider that there is no ſtanding ſtill in the Chriſtian courſe, ſeeing he who doth not dayly goe forward in it will queſtionleſſe goe backward; and what then can become of them who are in the way of declination and backſliding? That if we giuegive way to our ſpirituall enemies for a time, and be perſwaded to lay aſide our Chriſtian armour, they will giuegive vntounto vsus deadly wounds before we ſhall be able to put it on againe, and that we may much more eaſily keepe them out of the gates of our city, then driue them backe when they are once entred. Let vsus know that if we ſlacken our hold, we ſhall hardly recouer it in our fall; and that we may be as deſperately endangered by a lingring conſumption of grace and goodnes, as by a feuer of Apoſtacie. Let vsus remember that if our heate come once to lukewarmeneſſe, it will within a while turne to keycoldnes, and that if the Diuell and our owne corruption can but a little while diſacquaint our hearts from God and his waies, they will not leaue till they hauehave made them meere ſtrangers, if they hauehave a little looſened them from him they will with much more eaſe pull them quite aſunder. And therefore let vsus carefully watch ouer our ſelues, that there bee no declination in grace nor the leaſt backſliding from our former ſinceritie, but forgetting that which is behinde, let vsus reach vntounto thoſe things which are before, and preſſe hard towards the marke, for the price of the high Phil. 3. 13. 14calling of God in Chriſt Ieſus. For if we ſlacken our pace in the wayes of godlineſſe, and ſit ſtill, though but a little while, we ſhall grow ſo ſtiffe and ſore, that we ſhall hauehave little deſire to goe on in our iourney. And by our negligence we ſhall looſe our ſweet communion with God, the light of his countenance, the ſenſe of his louelove, and ioy and comfort of his ſpirit, which are our chiefe encouragements that make vsus goe on in the way of godlines. Of the liuely feeling whereof, when we are depriued, we ſhall either diſconſolately ſit downe and looſe our crowne, or faintly proceede with much weakeneſſe and wearineſſe.
§ Sect. 4. How the fleſh perſwadeth vsus to reſt in that which wee hauehave all ready done or ſuffered.Another deceipt like vntounto this, whereby the fleſh allureth vsus to deſiſt from vertuous actions, is to make vsus to reſt in that which we hauehave already either done or ſuffered, as being aboundantly ſufficient for our ſaluation. Which that we may defeate, let vsus conſider, that though it vvere true, yet it is of no force to make vsus leaue off or intermit our vertuous actions. For what ingratitude and groſſe negligence were this in a ſeruant, who hauing done a little worke would loyter and ſurceaſe his paines, becauſe he is aſſured that his Lord is ſo bountifull, that hee would not hold backe any part of his wages? And how much more in vsus ſeeing the riches of our reward is ſo ineſtimable and permanent, that we hauehave iuſt cauſe to thinke our whole life, which is but ſhort and momentanie to bee too too little (though we could attaine to the age of Methuſelah) if it were ſolye imployed in glorifying our gracious God by our faithfull ſeruice, which if we doe not, but content our ſelues onelyonly with that which ſtandeth vponupon the neceſſitie of our ſaluation▪ we plainely ſhew, that all we hauehave done is but falſe and counterfeit obedience, ſeeing it did ſpring and flow onelyonly from fooliſh ſelfe-louelove, and not from the ſincere louelove of God. Fooliſh I ſay becauſe it ſhall ſurely be fruſtrate of it end, or though it ſhould not, yet of that meaſure of glory which thoſe who are wiſe will labour after, for according to that meaſure of grace we hauehave receiued, and obedience which we hauehave performed, we ſhall hauehave our portion & proportion in that heauenly happines. But be it that thou art not ſo ambitious of bleſſednes, but that the leaſt part and loweſt place will well content thee, conſider in the next place, that in this life wee are neuer ſo rich in grace and the fruits of obedience, that we may now giuegive ouer and ſpend vponupon the ſtocke, vnleſſe wee meane to be bankerupts in goodnes; for if there be not a growth there will be a decreaſe, if not a progreſſe, then a regreſſe in the wayes of godlineſſe, and when we neglect the ſeruice of God, then doe we begin to ſerue the Diuell, the world and our owne fleſh. Beſides true ſauing grace is not like the Moone ſometime in the full and ſometime in the waine, but like the light of the morning which ſtill increaſeth till it be perfect day; It is alwayes in the growth vntill we come vntounto a perfect age in Chriſt, which perfection we ſhall not attaine vntounto till wee hauehave layed downe Pro. 4. 18.theſe bodies of fleſh. And that which a while groweth and Phil. 1. 6.then ſtandeth at a ſtay, was but a falſe conception, and like an Embrio in the wombe, which though it may delude a woman with a deceiuing hope, yet this ioy will bring bitter Mat. 24. 13.ſorrow without all comfort in the end. Againe conſider, that all Gods promiſes are made to thoſe alone who continue Apoc. 2. 10. & 3. 21.conſtant in their faith and obedience to the end. Hee that indureth to the end ſhall be ſaued, and be faithfull vntounto Eccleſ. 11. 3.the death and I will giuegive thee the crowne of life; and to him that ouercommeth I will grant to ſit with me in my throne &c. And as the tree falleth ſo ſhall it lye. And therefore our former graces and good workes ſhould not make vsus ſlothfull and ſluggiſh for the time to come, but much more painefull and diligent in imbracing and practiſing them, ſeeing if we now deſiſt we ſhall ſurely looſe all our former labour. Finally what ſouldiour will thus fooliſhly reaſon; I hauehave fought long and indured many brunts in the battell, and now I will take my eaſe, becauſe I hauehave almoſt obtained the victory, what traueller will ſit downe in the middeſt of his iourney, becauſe hee hath gone farre and taken much paines, ſeeing all his labour is loſt if he come not to the end? And who running in a race will giuegive ouer before he come to the goale, excuſing himſelfe that he hath runne well in the beginning; becauſe he is ſure to looſe the garland with all his former paines? Yea rather becauſe they hauehave begunne well they will continue till by their conſtant labours they hauehave obtained their reward. And therefore let vsus not be leſſe wiſe or induſtrious for the aſſured gayning of heauenly and euerlaſting happineſſe, then we are for the momentany and vncertaine poſſeſſion of earthly trifles; but after we hauehave done much good, let vsus ſtill hold on to doe more, for bleſſed is the ſeruant (not who hath done well in former times but) who when his maſter commeth ſhall be found ſo doing.Mat. 24. 46.