The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. Of the reaſons which may encourage vsus to this conflict againſt the fleſh.
The firſt reaſon becauſe it is the will of God that we ſhould fight againſt it.AND thus hauehave we ſhewed, both the nature of this enemy the fleſh, and of the conflict betweene it and the ſpirit: now wee are to ſpeake of the meanes whereby we may obtaine the victory in this combate; vntounto which there are two things required. Firſt a due preparation to the fight; and ſecondly a wiſe and valourous cariage and behauiour in the conflict it ſelfe. VntoUnto the former alſo two things are required. Firſt a ſerious conſideration of thoſe reaſons and arguments which may put courage into vsus, & make vsus reſolute & valourous in aſſaulting this enemy. Secondly a right vſe of certaine meanes whereby we may be enabled to ouercome. The reaſons which may incourage vsus to ſet vponupon this enemy are many: firſt becauſe it is the will of our graund Captaine, the Lord of Hoſts, that wee ſhould encounter this enemy, vntounto which he doth no leſſe often and earneſtly preſſe vsus to yeelde our obedience, by his expreſſe commandements, then that we ſhould make daily warre againſt the world and the diuell. As firſt that we ſhould depoſe it from the thorne of regency; let not ſin raign in your mortal body, that you ſhould obey it in the luſts Rom. 6. 12.thereof. That we ſhould giuegive it no ſatisfaction or contente walke in the ſpirit, and yee ſhall not fulfill the luſt of the fleſh. Yea rather that we ſhould vtterly renounce it; for the grace Gal. 5. 16,of God which bringeth ſaluation teacheth vsus, that wee ſhould deny theſe worldly luſtes, and that wee ſhould liue ſoberly, and Tit. 2. 11. 22righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. So the Apoſtle Eph. 4. 22.from God requireth, that we ſhould put of concerning the former conuerſation the olde man; which is corrupt according Col. 3. 5.to the deceitfull luſts; yea that we ſhould mortifie theſe earthly members, and doe our beſt, not onelyonly to ſubdue them, but to put them to death, yea to a ſhamefull death, crucifying the fleſh with the affections and luſts, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Gal. 5. 2….The which commaundement hath a grieuous comination and gratious promiſe annexed, whereby we are prouoked and encouraged to yeelde our obedience vntounto them; namely that if we liue after the fleſh, we ſhall dye, but if through the ſpirit we doe mortifie the deedes of this body of ſinne, wee ſhall liue. That is either dye temporally and eternally, or liue the life, of grace heere, and of glory in the life to come.Rom. 8. 13.
§ Sect. 2. The ſecond reaſon is the neceſſitie of this conflict. Pro. 29. 21.Secondly, let the neceſſity of this fight animate and encourage vsus to enter into it, ſeeing we can hauehave no peace or truce with our ſinnefull fleſh but vponupon moſt woefull and miſerable conditions; if wee doe not fight againſt it, it will fight againſt and ouercome vsus; if we delicately bring vp this ſlaue from his youth, hee will not onelyonly be as a ſon, but as a tyrannous Lord and maiſter at the length; if wee hold it not ſtrictly vnderunder in baſe ſubiection, it will leade vsus captiue vntounto ſinne, and inthrall both our ſoules and bodies in moſt wretched bondage; ſo that much better it were for vsus to be miſerable Galley-ſlaues to the merciles Turkes, then to be held in this cruell bondage, although a generous and noble death were much to bee preferred to either of them. Better it were with the Prodigall ſonne to become ſwineheards and feede filthy hogges, then to become ſeruants and ſlaues to theſe ſenſuall and more filthy luſtes, which make vsus to take delight in nothing but in wallowing in the myre and ſinke of ſinne. Now how vnworthy is it our beeing and breeding, that wee who were by our creation the ſonnes and children of the glorious creatour of heauen and earth, ſhould by yeelding our ſelues to our carnall and ſinful luſts, become ſlaues to ſuch cruel tyrants; who will make vsus imploy our bodies & minds which were created for the ſeruice of the great God, in the miſerable Maior ſum et ad maiora genitus quam vt mancipium ſim mei corporis. Seneca.bondage of ſinne and Sathan? The heathen man could ſay that hee was more noble and borne to more excellent ends then that he ſhould become a ſlaue to his owne body; and ſhould not we who far exceede him in ſpirituall nobilitie, as hauing God for our father, and Ieſus Cbriſt for our elder brother, fight rather in this warfare vntounto blood and death, then to become captiues & thrals to a far worſe maſter, euen the body of ſin and death which dwelleth in our members?
But as the fleſh is hatefull for it baſe and carnall tyranny; ſo is it in reſpect of the pollution and filthineſſe thereof moſt odious and loathſome; for there is no filthy ſincke, no ſtincking carrion to be compared vntounto it. Now which of vsus (as one ſaith) eſpecially ennobled by birth, and liberally Bernard lib. de dilig. Deum.brought vp, that being clothed with loathſome ragges, ſpawled on with filthy ſpittle, and in moſt beaſtly maner defiled with noyſome excrements and filth, that would not exceedingly loath and abhorre them, haſtily ſtrippe them off▪ and with indignation caſt them away. And therefore he who findeth not his garment, but himſelfe within vnderunder his garment, to bee ſuch an one, it becommeth him to grieue ſo much the more, and to be aſtoniſhed in his mind, becauſe he beareth, and is faine to carry about with him, that which being much more neare, is alſo much more loathſome & abhominable.
§ Sect. 3. The 3 reaſon taken from …e manifold euills which a…c…ent vntounto vsus by the fleſh.Thirdly, let the manifold euils which are done vntounto vsus by the fleſh, make vsus to vndertake this combate againſt this malitious and peſtilent enemy with all courage and reſolution. For it is more miſchieuous vntounto vsus then the diuell himſelfe, who (as hath beene ſhewed) could neuer hurt vsus, if we were not firſt betrayed by this inbred enemy. Yea it is worſe then hell and damnation, as being the cauſe of them both, and without it hell were no hell, neither could condemnation foſten vponupon vsus, vnleſſe wee walked after theſe carnall luſtes. It is the roote of all ſinne, and the welhead and fountaine of all other wickedneſſe, from which idolatry, blaſphemy, murther, adultry and all impietie and vnrighteouſneſſe growe and ſpring. Conſequently it is ſuch an enemy as maketh God himſelfe our enemy, expoſing vsus to the hot flames of his fiery wrath, and would innumerable times caſt vsus headlong into the euerlaſting torments of hell fire, if the infinite mercies of God did not ſtay vsus in the way. It is the prouoker and inticer to all wickedneſſe, and all the outrages and horrible crimes which are committed in the world, may challenge the fleſh as their chiefe cauſe and authour. From it came Caines murther, Lots inceſt, Dauids adultry, the malice of the Iewes and Prieſtes which moued them to ſlander, apprehend, accuſe, condemne, whip, crowne with thornes, and crucifie the Lord of life. It was it that pearced our Sauiours hands and feete, that thruſt the ſpeare into his ſide, that made him to bee in that agony and perplexity in the garden and vponupon the croſſe, and which moueth men daily to crucifie him afreſh, and to trample his precious blood vnderunder their filthy feete, as though it were an vnholy thing; and can wee finde in our hearts to hauehave any peace or truce with ſuch a malitious enemy to our bleſſed Sauiour? And ſhall wee not rather with implacable anger and conſtant reſolution aſſault, perſue, wound and kill it which offred all theſe indignities to our deareſt Lord? Moreouer as it is the cauſe of all ſinne, ſo alſo of all puniſhment in this life, of all our miſeries, of ſickneſſe and diſeaſes of the body, trouble of conſcience, and terrours of minde, of pouertie and penury in eſtate, loſſe of our good names, ſhame and reproach, and all other the deſerued puniſhments of ſinne, and for concluſion of all, of death in the ende of our liues and of euerlaſting condemnation and deſtruction in the world to come. For if we liue after the fleſh wee ſhall dye, the death of body and ſoule, and not onelyonly bee depriued of Gods fauour, of the eternall fruition of his heauenly kingdome, and thoſe vnſpeakeable ioyes which ſhal neuer hauehave ende, but for euer bee plunged into the lake of perdition, whereas is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Now what can iuſtly more incenſe our anger to take ſharpe reuenge vponupon ſuch an enemy, then to conſider that it is vntounto vsus the authour of all miſchiefe, and plungeth vsus into all euill both of ſinne and puniſhment?
§ Sect 4. The 4 reaſon is taken from the aſſurance of victorie.Laſtly, let this encourage vsus to the fight, in that if wee make warre againſt our fleſh and the luſtes thereof, wee ſhall be ſure to obtaine the victory, and not onelyonly ouercome them, but with them the world, the diuell and all other enemies of our ſaluation. To which purpoſe Auguſtine Ibi ergo vincuntur enimicae nobis inviſibiles poteſtates, vbi vincūtur inviſibiles cupiditates. etc. Auguſt. de Agon. Chriſt lib. cap. 2. Tom. 3. col. 762.excellently ſpeaketh. There (ſaith he) the inuiſible powers which are at enmitie with vsus are ouercome, where the inuiſible luſts are conquered and ſubdued. And therefore we who ouercome the deſires of worldly things in our ſelues; it is neceſſary that we ſhould alſo ouercome him who by theſe deſires raigneth in man, &c. For within vsus we ouercome thoſe who aſſault vsus without, whileſt we ouercome our luſtes by which they raigne and rule in vsus; as on the other ſide thoſe whom they find like vntounto themſelues, them they drawe with them into the like puniſhments. For as I hauehave ſaide theſe outward enemies hauehave no power to hurt vsus, but when this ſecret traitour betraieth vsus into their handes; they hauehave no weapons that can pearce and wound vsus, vnleſſe our owne corruption both ſteele and point them, and alſo diſarme and leaue vsus naked to their malice and fury; they cannot enter and ſacke our ſoules, robbing and ſpoyling them of all ſpirituall treaſures, and leading them captiue vntounto all manner of ſinne, vnles the fleſh did open the gates diſarme vsus of Gods protection, and breaking downe the walles of our defence, did expoſe and lay vsus open to their mercileſſe cruelty.