The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Reasons to moue vsus to resist and fight against our enemie the world.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed the dangerousnes of this§. Sect. 1. God commandeth vsus to oppose against the world. enemie, both in respect of his malice and power, by the first whereof is inferred the necessitie of the fight; for such is his malice that he will hearken vntounto no peace, but if we will not ouercome him, he will surely ouercome vsus; by the other carnall securitie is taken away, and wee stirred vp with all diligence to prepare our selues against the encounter; seeing wee are not to fight against a weake and contemptible enemie, but against a politike and powerfull champion, with whom few hauehave combatted, but either they hauehave been shamefully foyled, or vtterly ouerthrowne. But that we may the rather be incouraged to proclaime warre against the world, with which we are too too prone in our owne corrupt nature to be in league and amitie, let the reasons following induce vsus. First, the Lord hath by speciall commandement inioyned vsus to hauehave no amitie or correspondencie with the world and worldly vanities, but to renounce and contemne it, both in our actions, and also▪ in our hearts and affections, as being vnworthie both our labour and our louelove. The former, Rom. 12. 2. Fashion not your selues like vntounto this world but be ye changed by Rom. 12. 2.the renewing of your mindes. And elsewhere he willeth vsus, to vse this world as though wee vsed it not, as being a false and treacherous friend, who will deceiue and betray vsus when we most trust it, because (saith he) the fashion of this world goeth away, or as the words may more fitly signifie, be cause the beautie and glorie of this world doth seduce vsus, and like a false guide misleadeth in directing. The other, 1. Ioh. 2. 15. LoueLove 1. Ioh. 2. 15.not the world, nor the things that are in the world, &c.
The second argument may be taken from the passion of§. Sect. 2. The second reason taken from the passion of Christ. Christ: for hee shed his precious blood to cleanse vsus from these worldly and wicked lusts, and victoriously triumphed ouer the world vponupon his crosse on our behalfe, not that wee should yeeld our selues to the subiection thereof againe, being thus dearely redeemed from it, not that wee should still hauehave our hearts and affections fast nailed to the earth, and glued as it were vntounto worldly vanities, but that wee should contemne and tread them vnderunder our feete, as being partners in his victorie, and that being risen with Christ, in glorious triumph ouer them, we should seeke those things that Col. 3. 1. 2.are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, and set our affections on things that are aboue, and not on things which are on the earth. And though our abode be vponupon the earth, yet our conuersation should be in heauen, from whence wee looke Phil. 3. 20.for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ; in comparison of whose infinite worth we are with the Apostle Paul to esteem all earthly things drosse and dung, yea euen losse that wee may vers. 8.gaine him. And this argument the Apostle Peter vseth to encourage vsus to fight against and forsake worldly lusts: 1. Pet. 4. 1. For as much as Christ hath suffered for vsus in the flesh, arme 1. Pet. 4. 1. 2.your selues likewise with the same minde, which is; that hee which hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sinne. 2. That hee hence forward should liue (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. 3. For it is sufficient for vsus that wee hauehave spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnes, lusts, drunkennes, in gluttonie, drinkings▪ and in abominable idolatries, &c. amongst which one of the most hamous and commonest is, to set vp the world as an idoll in our hearts, which should bee the temple of the holy Ghost.
The third argument is taken from vnauoidable necessitie:§. Sect. 3. The third reason taken from necessitie of this fight, seeing the friends of the world are enemies to God. for first it is necessarie that we fight against the world; or else we shall fight against God, there being opposition between them without meane, and therefore no neutralitie admitted, but whosoeuer ioyneth not with God, is on the worlds part, whosoeuer loueth the world hateth God, and who so loueth God hateth the world. This is plaine, Iam. 4. 4. Know you not that the amitie of the world is emnitie with God? Whosoeuer Iames 4. 4.therefore will be a friend of the world, maketh himselfe the enemie of God. And the Apostle Iohn vseth it as an argument to disswade vsus from the louelove of the world, because wee cannot louelove the world and God too. If any man (saith hee) louelove the 1. Ioh. 2. 15.world, the louelove of the father is not in him. For as soone as the louelove of God is shed abrode in our hearts, it moueth vsus to louelove him againe, who hath thus dearely loued vsus, and louing him to louelove his friends also, & to hate his enemies. As soone as we are reconciled vntounto God and become his seruants, we presently oppose against all those who make opposition against our Lord and master, and when as wee are made his sonnes by adoption and grace, we cannot chuse in our filiall affection, but take our fathers part, breaking off all friendship with those which are his enemies, and making warre against those who fight against him▪ To this purpose the Apostle saith, that as soone as the grace of God, that is, the doctrine ofTit. 2. 11. 12. grace and reconciliation, doth appeare, it teacheth vsus to denie vngodlines, and worldly lusts, and to liue soberly; and righteously and godly in this present world. So that the louelove of the world and the louelove of God, peace with the world, and peace with God, will not stand together. And therfore the Apostle Paul saith, that Demas forsooke him, and together with him the2. Tim. 4. 10. seruice of God, when he began to imbrace the world. And our Sauiour telleth vsus plainly, that no man can serue these two masters, being so opposed one against the other, for either he shall hate the one, and louelove the other, or else he shall leane to the Matth. 6. 24.one, and despise the other: yee cannot (saith he) serue God and mammon. As well then may we reconcile fire and water, light and darknes, righteousnes and vnrighteousnes, Christ and Belial, as God and the world: and therefore when Iehosaph…, though otherwise a godly King, would hauehave bin friends to both, the Lord sendeth Iehu the Prophet vntounto him with an ambassage of sharpe reproofe. Wouldest thou (said he) help the wicked, and louelove them that hate the Lord? therefore for this thing, the wrath of the Lord is vponupon thee. 2. Chro. 19. 2.2. Chron. 19. 2. §. Sect. 4. Vnlesse vve renounce the world, we are not of the number of the faithfull.
Secondly, of necessitie wee must renounce the world, and flying out of this spirituall Babylon adioyne our selues vntounto the kingdome of Iesus Christ, or else we cannot be reckoned in the number of the faithfull, nor hauehave any part in their priuiledges. Wee must bee sheepe of Christs flocke seuered from the goates, or else we shall hauehave no share in the benefit of his death and intercession. For Christ hath chosen his faithfull ones out of the world, and hath disfranchised them of all the carnall liberties thereof, as soone as he made them partakers of that glorious libertie of being the sonnes of God. So hee saith, that because the faithfull are not of the Ioh. 15. 19.world, but he had chosen them out of the world, therefore the world hateth them. And more plainly elsewhere: They (saithIoh. 17. 16. he) are not of the world, as I am not of the world. And as those who adhere to the world cannot be reckoned in the number of the faithfull, so can they hauehave no interest in the death and mediation of Christ, or in any other benefits which are appropriated vntounto them, as their peculiar priuileges. For Christ laid downe his life for his owne sheepe, and not for goatesIoh. 10. 15. Ioh. 15. 13. and wolues, he best…wed his life for his friends alone, and therefore not for worldlings, who are strangers, or rather professed enemies; hee gaue himselfe for his Church, and consequentlyEph. 5. 25. those who are seuered from the communion of Saints, and adhere to the world, which is the synagogue of Satan, hauehave no interest in this gift▪ And as they hauehave no part in his death, so neither any benefit in his intercession; for himselfe hath excluded them in that diuine prayer which he made to his father: I pray (saith he) for them, I pray not Ioh▪ 17.for the world, but for them which thou hast giuen mee. Heere therefore wee are put to our choice; either wee must▪ renounce the world, or renounce our part in Christ; we must with the blessed Apostle be crucified and die to the world,Gal. 6. 14. or else wee can hauehave no benefit in the death of Christ; wee must cease to be citizens of the world, and disclaime our interest in his sinful vanities, or we shall hauehave no part in Christs mediation and intercession. Take then which you will, for both you cannot hauehave; and thrice blessed is he that chuseth the better part, for that shall neuer be taken from him.
Thirdly, of necessitie wee must vndertake this combat against§. Se…t. 5. Christian religion requireth that we should renounce the vvorld. the world and worldly vanities, because our religion in a great part doth consist in abandoning of them, whereof it is that at our first entrance into the course of Christianitie, when as in our baptisme we take vponupon vsus the name of Christ, wee renounce the world with all the vaine pompe and glorious vanities thereof, and professe that we will couragiously fight against them vnderunder the standerd of Iesus Christ. As soone therefore as wee cease this fight, and become friends with the world, setting our hearts and affections more vponupon worldly vanities then vponupon spirituall things, we steale out of Christs campe like runnagate souldiers, we cast aside Christs liuerie, we slide back from our religion in truth, whatsoeuer wee professe in words, and ioyning in league with Christs enemie wee traiterously make warre against him. To this purpose the Apostle Iames saith, that pure religion and vndefiled Iames 1. 27.before God, euen the Father, is this, to visit the fatherlesse and vidowes in their aduersitie, and to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of the world. The which we cannot doe vnlesse we abandon and renounce it; for this pestiferous aire infecteth all that liue in it, and as impossible it is to hauehave familiar conuersation with this wanton harlot, and not to bee inueigled in her bands, and defiled with her vncleannes, as to liue in a mill and to keepe our selues cleane from meale and dust.
Fourthly, the necessitie of leauing the world and renouncing§. Sect. 6. The vvay of the world is the way of sinne. carnall vanities hereby appeareth, in that whilest we continue in the way of the world, wee are in the way of sin, and the way of sinne is the way of death and destruction. So the Apostle saith, that Christ hath quickned vsus that were dead Ephes. 2. 1. 2.in trespasses and sinnes, wherein in time past we walked according to the course of the world▪ and after the prince that ruleth in the aire, euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, &c. And the Apostle Iohn saith, that the whole world 1. Ioh. 5. 19.lieth in wickednesse. If therefore if wee will not breake off companie with the world, wee walke with it in the way of sinne and death. If wee make the world our bedfellow, well may our corrupt flesh thinke our bed soft as downe, and sweete as roses, and so cause vsus to sleepe a dead sleepe in carnall securitie; yet in truth like filthie swine wee wallow in the sinke and puddle of sinne and wickednesse; and if euer wee awake out of this spirituall lethargie, we shall see our estate most desperate and damnable, ti…l we be seuered from this companion, and cleansed from that filthinesse, wherewith hee hath defiled vsus. So that wee may conclude where the holy Psalmist began, Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seate of scorners.
Fiftly, if wee will be the seruants and Disciples of Iesus§. Sect. 7. We must fight against the world if we will be Christs disciples. Christ, we must of necessitie make warre against the world, for it will hauehave no peace with vsus, but as soone as it discerneth that we are chosen by him, it will pursue vsus with mortall hatred; so that wee must fight against▪ it, or it will fight against vsus, and so destroy vsus for want of resistance; vnlesse wee can be content to renounce the seruice of our Sauiour, and yeeld our selues as slaues to the world, sinne and Satan, who will reward vsus for the present with the wages of vanitie, and afterwards with the wages of death. And this argument the Apostle Peter vseth, 1. Pet. 2. 11. Dearely beloued, I 1. Pet. 2. 11.beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes, abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule.
Sixtly, if we doe not fight against the world, but suffer our§. Sect. 8. We become apostats if vve fight not against the vvorld. selues to be againe defiled with worldly lusts, after that Christ hath shed his blood to wash and cleanse vsus, wee shall fall into a fearefull relapse, and make our latter end much worse then our beginning; we shall like filthie dogges returne to our vomit, and with the sow that was washed, to our wallowing in the mire. And this the Apostle Peter plainly affirmeth, 2. Pet. 2. 20. For if they (saith he) after they hauehave 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21.escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ, are yet tangled therein againe, and ouercome, the latter is worse with them then the beginning. 22. For it had been better for them, not to hauehave knowne the way of righteousnesse, then after they hauehave knowne it, to turne from the holie commandement giuen vntounto them, &c.
The fourth argument to incourage vsus to this fight against§. Sect. 9. The fourth reason taken from our assured hope of victorie. the world and worldly vanities, is our assured hope of obtaining victorie: for howsoeuer (as hath been shewed) the world is a malitious, politike, and puissant enemie, and we (being considered in our selues) are altogether vnable to make resistance, seeing our nature is weake, and our forces fraile, and which is worst of all, that weake strength we hauehave being diuided, and ciuill warres at home, our selues contending against our selues, and the flesh which is our greater and stronger part, rebelling and lusting against the spirit, and traiterously ioyning with the world to worke our ouerthrow: yet being by a liuely faith knit vntounto Christ, assisted with his spirit, and armed at all points with the spirituall armour of his sanctifying and sauing graces, there is no doubt of getting victorie. For we doe fight against but a conquered enemie, whom Christ alreadie hath subdued, not onelyonly for himselfe, but also for all vsus that are true members of his bodie. And this argument of incouragement our Sauiour vseth, Ioh. 16. 33. In the world (saith he) ye shall hauehave affliction, Ioh. 16. 33.but be of good comfort I hauehave ouercome the world. Yea this conquest Christ obtained at an high rate, for he gaue his life to free vsus from the worlds thraldom, as the Apostle witnesseth, Gal. 1. 4. which gaue himselfe for our sinnes, that he might deliuer Gal. 1. 4.vsus from this present euill world. And therefore hauing so dearely bought this victorie, and our freedome, he will not suffer his paines to be spent in vaine, but hauing all power in heauen and earth committed vntounto him, he will giuegive vsus also strength to ouercome, if we will lay hold on Christ by faith, professe our selues his souldiers and seruants, and valiantly fight vnderunder his standerd, against these spirituall enemies of our saluation. And this comfort and incouragement the Apostle Iohn giueth vsus: All (saith he) that is borne of God ouercommeth the world, and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the world, euen our faith. Who is it that ouercommeth the world, but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God? 1. Ioh. 5.1. Ioh. 5. 4. 5. vers. 4, 5.
The last argument to moue vsus, is the great reward which§. Sect. 10. The last reason taken from our reward which accompanieth victorie. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Apoc. 3. 21. accompanieth this victorie, for hauing fought this good fight, we may assuredly expect, with the blessed Apostle, a crowne of righteousnesse; and to raigne with Christ in glorie, as himselfe hath promised: Apoc. 3. 21. To him (saith he) that ouercommeth, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, euen as I ouercame, and sit with my father in his throne. Yea we shall enioy all blessednesse and happinesse, for we shall hauehave the fruition of God himselfe, and together with him enioy all good things. For so he promiseth, Apoc. 21. 7. He that ouercommeth shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne. What therefore though in this conflict we lose, or be driuen to forsake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, Matth. 19. 29.or wife, or children or lands, for Christs names sake, seeing wee shall hauehave the worth of these benefits redoubled vntounto vsus a hundred fold, euen in this life in Gods spirituall graces, and in the world to come shall inherit euerlasting life? What if we be driuen for a moment of time, to beare the easie burthen of some light affliction, if wee shall afterwards be rewarded2. Cor. 4. 17. with a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie? Yea what though in this fight wee lose a temporarie life, if we may be rewarded with life eternall, and thatLuke 9. 24. glorie and happinesse which doth accompanie it?
And these are the reasons which may incourage all Christians§. Sect. 11. How we are said to fight against the world, and to obtaine victorie. to encounter this spirituall enemie of our saluation: now if we would know how wee may thus fight against the world, and be assured also that wee hauehave obtained victorie; we are said thus to combat with it, when we resist and ouercome all worldly tentations, which moue or draw vsus vntounto sinne; and more especially, when being allured to commit sinne, or to neglect any dutie which God requireth, by the worldly baites of riches, pleasures, and preferments, wee doe renounce these worldly lusts, and contemne these base offers, preferring farre before them our obedience towards God, and the reward thereof, his louelove and fauour in this life, with all other his spirituall gifts and graces, and the eternall ioyes of his kingdome, reserued for vsus in the life to come. And contrariwise when being discouraged in our course of Christianitie, or vrged and enforced to commit any sinne, with crosses, troubles, afflictions and persecutions which the world and wicked worldlings raise against vsus, wee arme our selues with patience to beare the brunt of the worlds furie, accounting sinne the greatest euill, and the burthen of Gods wrath due vntounto it the greatest torment; and therefore chuse rather to endure any extremitie, yea to hauehave our liues taken away, with most exquisite tortures, then wee will be forced to make shipwrack of a good conscience, or incurre the displeasure of our most gratious God by committing any sinne.