The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 1 · Chapter 1

The Christian Warfare Part 2 · Book 1 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

Of the world, the second enemie of our saluation, and what it is.

THere is none shall be thought fit to§. Sect. 1. That there is none crowned, but he that dotle ouercome. Apoc. 3. 21.Rev 3:21 raigne with Iesus Christ in the kingdom of heauen, but those who hauehave bin conquerors here on earth; not of some small countrey or petite kingdome, for that great glorie shal neuer be the crowne of so meane a victorie; nor (like Alexander) of the greatest part of the earths knowne territories; for so a man may attaine to the height of this glorie, and yet remaine a slaue to his owne passions and ambitious lusts, and be a vassall after his victorie to that which he seemeth to hauehave ouercome. But he who will raigne with Christ, must conquer the whole world, not with the sword and arme of flesh, but1. Ioh. 5. 4.1 John 5:4 with the spirit of God, and the shield of faith, whereby hee repelleth all the tentations thereof; both the charming allurements whereby hee might be infeebled, and the fierie darts of affliction and persecution, whereby hee might bee p. 2discouraged; neither so admiring the one, nor regarding the other, as that he should suffer them to hinder him in his way to his heauenly countrie. Yea hee must together with the world ouercome the prince of the world, and all the power of hell; and which is a victorie of greatest difficultie, he hee must ouercome himselfe, and his owne corruptions; which conquest whosoeuer obtaineth, hee putteth to flight these forraine forces at the first onset: whereas contrariwise it is in vaine to hauehave warres abroad, if in stead of peace and subiection there be nothing but treason, discord, and rebellion at home; these inbred enemies being alwaies readie to betray and lose, that which is recouered and wonne with great paine and difficultie, and to yeeld into the enemies power in a day, that which hath been got with a yeeres labour.

Concerning the meanes of resisting and ouercomming§. Sect. 2. That the world is sometime takē in good part, and so to be loued as a friend. our first and chiefe enemie Satan, I hauehave alreadie intreated in the first part of my Christian Warfare: And now it remaineth, that being assisted with the same spirit, wee encounter also the world, which is the second enemie of our saluation, and teach the weake Christian how he may so manage his spirituall weapons, as that he may be assured of a triumphant victorie. But lest whilest we fight against our enemie, wee should bend our strength against those that bee our friends, because they are intitled by the same name, let vsus learne to distinguish the one from the other, and consider in what sense we are here to take the world, which is a word of ambiguous signification, and how it is to bee imbraced as a friend, and how to be auoided or withstood as a mortal enemie. To this purpose wee are to know, that the world in the Scriptures is sometimes taken in a good, and sometime in anAct. 17. 24.Acts 17:24 euill sense. In the former it sometime signifieth the whole vniuerse and goodly frame of heauen and earth, and so it is an excellent creature of Gods making, approoued as goodGen. 1. 3….Gen 1:3 by his owne testimonie, whereby the glorie, wisedome and power of the mightie Creator is manifested and declared, according to that of the Psalmist: The heauens declare the Psal. 19. 1.Ps 19:1glorie of God, and the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands. p. 3Sometime it signifieth the whole earth and sea, which is appointed of God to bee the place of habitation for his creatures; in both which senses it is taken, Ioh. 1. 10. He was in Ioh. 1. 10.John 1:10the world, and the world was made by him: and in this signification also the world is good, sauing onelyonly that it is defiled with mans sinne, as being the stage whereon hee acteth all his wickednesse. To this purpose one saith, that the world is 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Mundus in maligno positus, non quòd mundus ipse sit malus; sed quòd mala in mundo fiant ab hominibus, &c. Hieron. in 1. ad Gallat.1 John 5:19said to lie wholly in euill, not because it selfe is euill, but because euils are committed in it by men: euen as the woods are infamed when they harbour theeues, and as wee hate the sword wherewith mans blood hath bin shed, and the cup in which poyson hath been tempered, not because of any faultinesse that is in them, but because of their wickednesse who hauehave abused them vntounto euill. Sometime the world is taken for all mankind that liueth in the world, both good and bad, beleeuer and infidell; and in this sense the Apostle saith, that by one man sinne entred into the world, that is, into all mankinde,Rom. 5. 12.Rom 5:12 who were corrupted in Adam as sinning in his loynes. Neither are we to hate and fight against the world, being vnderstood in this generall signification, lest wee should be found (like that currish Timon) haters of humane societie, and enemies of our owne nature. Finally, the world sometime signifieth the faithfull onelyonly; not because they are of the world; for being in the world, Christ hath chosen them out of the world; but because the world was created, and is continually preserued for their vse and benefit, namely, that it might serue as a place of trial, where they should be fitted for Gods kingdome, and a passage through which they might trauell into their heauenly countrey, the new Ierusalem. And in this sense it is said, that God so loued the world, that he gaue his only Ioh. 3. 16.John 3:16begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish, but hauehave euerlasting life. And the Apostle saith, that God was 2. Cor. 5. 19.2 Cor 5:19in Christ and reconciled the world vntounto himselfe, not imputing their sinnes vntounto them. And Christ is said, to be a propitiation or reconciliation, not for the Apostles and Disciples only, but for the sinnes of the whole world, that is, for al in the world that1. Ioh. 2. 2:1 John 2:2 shall beleeue in him. Now in this sense wee are not to fight against the world, seeing it is reconciled and at peace with p. 4God, nor to loath that which God so dearely loueth: yea we must louelove those who are of this world, as our selues, as being subiects of Christs kingdome, and fellow members of his bodie.

But this word is also taken in the Scriptures in euill part,§. Sect. 3. In what sense the vvorld is to be reputed our enemie. 2. Tim. 2. 26.2 Tim 2:26 and that most vsually, and so it signifieth somtime reprobate, wicked; and vnbeleeuing men, who hauing yeelded themselues ouer, as voluntarie slaues vntounto Satan, for the wages of worldly vanities, willingly yeeld obedience vntounto him as their prince and soueraigne, and submit themselues to be ruled by the law of sinne, imprinted by him in their corruptRom. 7. 23.Rom 7:23 natures, which is flatly opposed to the law of nature, written in the hearts of our first parents, and afterwards in the tables of stone, by the finger of God; opposing with all their malice, power and policie, against God, and the kingdome of Iesus Christ; hindring as much as in them lieth the prosperitie, encrease & propagation thereof, & hating, enuying, and persecuting those, who will not be allured by any worldly baits to renounce the seruice of Christ, and to ioyne with them in the seruice of sinne and Satan. And thus the world is taken, Ioh. 15. 19. If yee were of the world, the world would Ioh. 15. 19.John 15:19louelove his owne, but because ye are not of the world, but I hauehave chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. And 16. 20. Ye shall weepe and lament, but the world (that is, the wickedand 16. 20. of the world) shall reioyce. And this is that world, which the Apostle Iohn saith lieth wholly in wickednes, and is therefore1. Ioh. 5. 19.1 John 5:19 excluded by our Sauiour Christ from hauing any part in his prayers, or benefit by his mediation: Ioh. 17. 9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world. Now these are called theIoh. 17. 9.John 17:9 world, because they are the worlds citizens, which mind only worldly things, and setting their hearts and affections vponupon the earth and earthly vanities, doe in comparison thereofDicuntur improbi mundus quoniam configurati sunt huic mundo. August. contemne God and his kingdome.

Somtime by y^e world are signified worldly things, which Satan and wicked men vse as meanes to draw men from the seruice of God, to the seruice of sinne; whether they be alluring baits whereby they intice vntounto wickednes, as pleasures,1. Cor. 7. 31.1 Cor 7:31 profits and preferments; or discouragements, whereby they p. 5seeke to disharten and hinder them in the way of godlines, as troubles, afflictions, and persecutions.

And sometime both these are ioyned together, in which sense the Apostle Paul saith, that he was crucified to the world, Gal. 6. 14.Gal 6:14and the world to him; where by world he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer in the world, whether men or other creatures, are opposed to the kingdome of Christ, all which were as little valued by this holy Apostle, as a crucified or dead man esteemeth of the things of the liuing. And so the Apostle Iohn ioyneth them, though not in the same word, yet in the same sentence, 1. Ioh. 2. 15. LoueLove not the world, nor the things of the world. And thus wee will take the world in this discourse; vnderstanding thereby whatsoeuer in the world▪ either in it own enature, or through abuse, allureth vsus to the seruice of sinne and Satan, or discourageth and hindreth vsus in the seruice of God, and the meanes of our owne saluation; whether it be wicked men, or the creatures abused by Satan and our corruption, as occasions and motiues vntounto euill. Or more briefly thus: Whatsoeuer in the world is the instrument of the dixell, to draw vsus vntounto sinne.

Whereby it appeareth that wee are not to oppose against,§. Sest 4. How wicked worldlings are to be hated. as our enemies, and to pursue with our hatred, wicked men in the world absolutely, or as they are men, but respectiuely as they are wicked, and hating their sinne we may, yea wee ought to louelove their persons, as being the creatures of God inCum hominibus pacem habebis, bellū cum vitijs. respect of their essence, who hauehave in them (how wicked soeuer) some good naturall parts, and common gifts of the spirit, which precious pearles are to be valued euen when they are found in these filthie dunghils. And as our hatred ought not to be generall and absolute in respect of the obiect, so in respect of the quality it should not be deadly and malitious, but it must bee mixed and sweetned with compassion and commiseration, yea with sorrow of heart, that they are no better, and with a desire of their conuersion and amendment, that so emnitie ceasing▪ they might become worthie of our louelove. Our hatred must (like our Sauiour Christs anger)Mark. 3. 5.Mark 3:5 be ioyned with holy mourning, because their hearts are so hardned in sinne; and though we are to esteeme them enemies, yet our eyes (like Dauids) must gush out with riuers of p. 6Psal. 119. 136.Ps 119:136waters, because they hauehave not kept Gods law. The like also may be said of all other creatures in the world, abused by Satan and his wicked imps, as baits to allure vsus vntounto sinne; which are to be contemned and loathed, not in their owne nature, but in respect of the abuse onelyonly, as afterwards shall appeare.