The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Containing ſome Directions, tending to entrench and fortifie the Chriſtian againſt the aſſaults and wiles of the devil, as a Troubler of the ſoules Peace.
Queſt. HOw ſhall I ſtand in a defenſive poſture (may the Chriſtian ſay) againſt theſe wiles of Satan as a Troubler?
SECT. I.
Anſw. 1.Firſt, if thou wouldeſt be guarded from him as a Troubler, take heed of him as a ſeducer. The haſt of Satans hatchet, (with which he lies chopping at the root of the Chriſtians comfort) is commonly made of the Chriſtians wood: Firſt, he tempts to ſin, and then for it. Satan is but a creature, and cannot work without tooles, he can indeed make much of a little, but not any thing of nothing (as we ſee in his aſſaulting of Chriſt, where he troubled himſelf to little purpoſe, becauſe he came and found nothing in him. Joh. 14.30Though the devil throws the ſtone, yet 'tis the mud in us which royles our comforts. 'Twas in vaine for the Philiſtines to fall on Samſon till his lock was cut: take heed therefore of yielding to his enticing motions; theſe are the ſtumbling block, at which he hopes thou'lt break thy ſhins, and bruiſe thy conſcience, which once done, let him alone to ſpin out the cure. Indeed a Saints fleſh heals not ſo eaſily as others: drink not of the devils waſſel, there is poiſon in the cup, his wine is a mocker, look not on it as it ſparkles in the temptation; what thou drinkeſt down with ſweetneſſe, thou wilt be ſure to bring up again as gall and wormwood. Above all ſins, take heed of preſumptuous ones,Pſ. 19.13. thou art not out of the danger of ſuch. Sad ſtories we have of Saints falls, and what follows? then, Take him Jailor, (ſaith God,) Deliver ſuch a one unto Satan; and if a Saint be the Priſoner, and the devil the Keeper, you may gueſſe how he ſhall be uſed. O how he will teare and rend thy conſcience! Though that dreadful Ordinance is not uſed (as it ſhould be) in the Church, yet Gods Court ſits, and if he excommunicate a ſoule from his preſence, he falls preſently into Satans clutches. Well, if through his ſubtilty thou haſt been overtaken, take heed thou ſtayeſt not in the devils quarters: ſhake the viper off thy hand, ply thee to thy Chirurgeon: green wounds cure beſt, but if thou neglecteſt, and the winde get to it, thy conſcience will ſoon feſter.1 Kings 22.35. Ahab (we read) was wounded in battel, and was loath to yield to it, (it is ſaid) he was held up in his chariot, but he died for it: when a ſoule hath received a wound, committed a ſin, Satan labours to boulſter him up with flattering hopes, holds him up, as it were, in his chariot againſt God; what yield for this? afraid for a little ſcratch, and loſe the ſpoile of thy future pleaſure for this? O take heed of liſtening to ſuch counſel, the ſooner thou yieldeſt, the fairer quarter thou ſhalt have. Every ſtep in this way ſets thee further from thy peace. A rent garment is catch't by every naile, and the rent made wider. Renew therefore thy repentance ſpeedily, whereby this breach may be made up, and worſe prevented, which elſe will befall thee.
SECT. II.
2ly, ſtudy that grand Goſpel-truth of a ſouls juſtification before God, acquaint thy ſelf with this in all its cauſes; the moving cauſe, the free mercy of God, Being juſtified freely by his grace, the meritorious, which is the blood of Chriſt; and the inſtrumental, faith,Rom. 3.24 with all the ſweet priviledges that flow from it. An effectual door once open'd to let the ſoul into this truth, would not only ſpoil the Popes market (as Gardner ſaid) but the devils alſo; when Satan coms to diſquiet the Chriſtians peace, (for want of a right underſtanding here) he is ſoon worſted by his enemy: as the ſilly hare which might eſcape the dogs in ſome covert or burrough that is at hand, but (truſting to her heels) is by the print of her owne feet and ſent, which ſhe leaves behinde, followed, till at laſt (weary and ſpent) ſhe falls into the mouth of them. In all that a Chriſtian doth, there is a print of ſinful infirmity, and a ſent by which Satan is enabled to trace and purſue him over hedge and ditch, this grace and that duty, till the ſoule, not able to ſtand before the accuſation of Satan, is ready to fall down in deſpair at his feet: whereas here's a hiding place, whither the enemy durſt not come, the clefts of the rock, the hole of the ſtaires, which this truth leads unto. When Satan chargeth thee for a ſinner, perhaps thou interpoſeſt thy repentance and reformation, but ſoon art beaten out of thoſe works, (when thou art ſhewen the ſinful mixtures that are in them) whereas this truth would choak all his bullets, that thou believeſt on him who hath ſaid, Not unto him that worketh, Rom. 4.5.but unto him that believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is imputed for righteouſneſſe. Get therefore into this tower of the Goſpel-Covenant, and rowle this truth, (as ſhe that ſtone on the head of Abimelech) on the head of Satan.
SECT. III.
Thirdly, be ſure (Chriſtian) thou keepeſt the Plains. Take heed that Satan coop thee not up in ſome ſtraits, where thou canſt neither well fight, nor flie. Such a trap the Egyptians hoped they had the Iſraelites in, when they cried, They are entangled, they are entangled. There are three kindes of ſtraits wherein he labours to entrap the Chriſtians; Nice Queſtions, obſcure Scriptures, and dark Providences.
Firſt, he labours to puzzle him with nice and ſcrupulous queſtions, (on purpoſe to retard the work, and clog him in his motion) that meeting with ſuch intricacies in his Chriſtian courſe, which he cannot eaſily reſolve, thereby he may be made, either to give over, or go on heavily: therefore we have particular charge not to trouble the weak heads of young Converts with doubtful diſputations. Rom. 14.1Sometimes Satan will be asking the ſoul, how it knowes its election: and where he findes one not ſo fully reſolved, as to dare to own the ſame, he frames his Argument againſt ſuch a ones cloſing with Chriſt and the promiſe; as if it were preſumption to aſſume that, (which is the only portion of the Elect) before we know our ſelves of that number. Now, Chriſtian, keep the Plains and thou art ſafe. 'Tis plain; we are not to make Election a ground for our faith, but our faith and calling a medium or argument to prove our Election. Election indeed is firſt in order of divine acting. God chooſeth before we beleeve; yet faith is firſt in our acting. We muſt believe before we can know we are elected, yea, by believing we know it. The Husbandman knowes 'tis Spring by the ſprouting of the graſſe, though he hath no Aſtrology to know the Poſition of the Heavens; thou mayeſt know thou art Elect, as ſurely by a work of grace in thee, as if thou hadſt ſtood by Gods elbowe when he writ thy name in the book of life. It had been preſumption for David to have thought he ſhould have been King, till Samuel anointed him, but then none at all; when thou believeſt firſt, and cloſeſt with Chriſt, then is the Spirit of God ſent to anoint thee to the Kingdom of Heaven: this is that holy oyle which is poured upon none but heires of glory; and 'tis no preſumption to reade what Gods gracious purpoſe was towards thee of old, when he prints thoſe his thoughts, and makes them legible in thy effectual calling; here thou doeſt not go up to heaven, and pry into Gods ſecrets, but heaven comes down to thee, and reveals them. Again, he will ask the Chriſtian what was the time of his Converſion; Art thou a Chriſtian (will he ſay) and doſt thou not know when thou commencedſt? now keep the Plains, & content thy ſelf with this, that thou ſeeſt the ſtreams of grace, though the time of thy Converſion be like the head of Nylus, not to be found. God oft comes betimes, before groſſe ſins have deflowered the ſoule, and ſteals into the creatures boſome without much noiſe. In ſuch a caſe Satan doth but abuſe thee when he ſends thee on this errand; you may know the Sun is up, though you did not obſerve when it roſe. Again, what will become of thee (ſaith Satan) if God ſhould bring thee into ſuch an affliction on trial, when thou muſt burn or turn, or when all thy outward eſtate ſhall be rent from thee, no meal in the barrel, no money in the purſe; dareſt thou have ſo good an opinion of thy ſelfe, as to think that thy faith will hold out in ſuch an houre of temptation? It thou haſt but half an eye, Chriſtian, thou mayeſt ſee what Satan drives at: this is an enſnaring queſtion; by the feare of future troubles he labours to bring thee into a neglect of thy preſent duty, and indiſpoſe thee alſo for ſuch a ſtare whenever it falls. If a man hath much buſineſſe to do on the morrow, 'tis his wiſdom to diſcharge his minde thereof, (when compoſing to ſleep) leſt the thoughts thereof break his reſt, and make him the more unfit in the morning. The leſſe reſt the ſoule hath in God and his promiſe concerning future events, the leſſe ſtrength it will finde to beare them when the pinch comes. When therefore thou art moleſted with ſuch feares, pacifie thy heart with theſe three plain Concluſions.
Firſt, every event is the product of Gods Providence, not a ſparrow, much leſſe a Saint falls to the ground by poverty, ſickneſſe, perſecution, &c. but the hand of God is in it.
Secondly, God hath put in caution he will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. Heb. 13.5.He that enables thee in one condition, will in another. God learns his ſervants their whole trade. Grace is an univerſal principle. At the firſt moment of thy ſpiritual life ſuffering grace was infuſed as well as praying grace.
Thirdly, God is wiſe to conceale the ſuccours he intends in the ſeveral changes of thy life, that ſo he may draw thy heart into an entire dependance on his faithful promiſe. Thus to try the mettal of Abrahams faith he let him go on, till his hand was ſtretch't forth, and then he comes to his reſcue. Chriſt ſends his diſciples to ſea, but ſtayes behinde himſelf, on a deſign to try their faith, and ſhew his love. Comfort thy ſelf therefore with this, though thou ſeeſt not thy God in the way, yet thou ſhalt finde him in the end.
Secondly, Satan perplexeth the tender conſciences of doubting Chriſtians with obſcure Scriptures, whoſe ſenſe lies too deep for their weak and diſtempered judgements, readily to finde out, and with theſe he hampers poor ſoules exceedingly; indeed as melancholy men delight in melancholy walks, ſo doubting ſoules moſt frequent ſuch places of Scripture in their muſing thoughts, as encreaſe their doubts; how many have I known that have look't ſo long on thoſe difficult places, Heb. 6.7. Heb. 10.26. (which paſſe the underſtanding, as a ſwift ſtream the eye, ſo that the ſenſe is not perceived without great obſervation,) till their heads have turned round, and they at laſt (not able to untie the difficulties,) have fallen down into deſpairing thoughts and words of their own condition, crying out, O they have ſinned againſt knowledge of the truth, and therefore no mercy remains for them; who if they would have refreſhed their underſtandings by looking off theſe places, (whoſe engraving is too curious to be long pored on by a weak eye,) they might have found that in other Scriptures plainly expreſt, which would have enabled them, as through a glaſſe, more ſafely to have viewed theſe? Therefore, Chriſtian, keepe the Plaines; thou mayeſt be ſure 'tis thine enemy that gives thee ſuch ſtones to break thy teeth, when thy condition calls rather for bread and wine, ſuch Scriptures, I mean, as are moſt apt to nouriſh thy faith, and cheere thy drooping ſpirit. When thou meeteſt ſuch plain Scriptures which ſpeak to thy caſe, go over where it is fordable, and do not venture beyond thy depth. Art thou afraid becauſe thou haſt ſinned ſince the knowledge of the truth, and therefore no ſacrifice remains for thee? See David and Peters caſe, how it patterns thine, and left upon record that their recovery may be a Key in thine hand to open ſuch places as theſe; mayeſt thou not ſafely conclude from theſe, this is not their meaning, that none can be ſaved that ſin after knowledge? Indeed in both thoſe places, it is neither meant of the falls of ſuch as ever had true grace, nor of a falling away in ſome particular acts of ſin, but of a total univerſal falling away from the Faith, (the doctrine of it as well as ſeeming practice of it.) Now if the root of the matter were ever in thee, other Scriptures will firſt comfort thee againſt thoſe particular apoſtaſies into which thou haſt relapſed, by ſweet promiſes inviting ſuch to return, and Precedents of Saints, who have had peace ſpoken to them after ſuch folly, and alſo they will ſatisfie thee againſt the other, by giving full ſecurity to thy faith, that thy little grace ſhall not die, being immortal, though not in its proper eſſence, becauſe but a creature, yet by Covenant, as it is a childe of Promiſe.
Thirdly, Dark Providences. From theſe Satan diſputes againſt Gods love to, and grace in a ſoule. Firſt, he got a commiſſion to plunder Job of his temporal eſtate, and bereave him of his chilchildren, and then labours to make him queſtion his ſpiritual eſtate and ſonſhip: his wife would have him entertain hard thoughts of God, (ſaying, Curſe God and die,) and his friends as hard thoughts of himſelf, (as if he were an hypocrite) and both upon the ſame miſtake, as if ſuch an afflicted condition and a gracious ſtate were inconſiſtent. Now (Chriſtian) keep the Plaines, and neither from this charge God fooliſhly for thine enemy, nor thy ſelf as his. Reade the ſaddeſt Providence with the Comment of the Word, and thou canſt not make ſuch an harſh interpretation. As God can make a ſtreight line with a crooked ſtick, be righteous when he uſeth wicked inſtruments; ſo alſo gracious when he diſpenſeth harſh Providences. Joſeph kept his love, when he ſpake roughly to his brethren. I do not wonder that the wicked think they have Gods bleſſing, becauſe they are in the warme Sun: Alas, they are ſtrangers to Gods counſels, void of his Spirit, and ſenſual, judging of God and his Providence, by the report their preſent feeling makes of them; like little children, who think every one loves them that gives them plums. But 'tis ſtrange, that a Saint ſhould be at a loſſe for his afflicted ſtate, when he hath a Key to decipher Gods character: Chriſtian, hath not God ſecretly inſtructed thee by his Spirit from the Word, how to reade the ſhort-hand of his Providence? doeſt not thou know that the Saints afflictions ſtand for bleſſings? Every ſon whom he loves he corrects; and proſperity in a wicked ſtate, muſt it not be read a curſe? doth not God damne ſuch to be rich, honourable, victorious in this world, as well as to be tormented in another world? God gives them more of theſe then they ſeem to deſire ſometimes, and all to binde them faſter up in a deep ſleep of ſecurity, as Jael ſerved Siſera, Judg. 5.25he ſhall have milk though he asked but water, that ſhe might naile him the ſurer to the ground. Milk having a property (as ſome write) to encline to ſleep.
SECT. IV.
Fourthly, be careful to keep thy old receits which thou haſt had from God for the pardon of thy ſins. There are ſome gaudy dayes, and Jubilee-like Feſtivals, when God comes forth clothed with the robes of his mercy, and holds forth the Scepter of his grace more familiarly to his children then ordinary, bearing witneſſe to their faith, ſincerity, &c. and then the firmament is clear, not a cloud to be ſeen to darken the Chriſtians comfort. Love and joy are the ſoules repaſt and paſtime, while this feaſt laſts. Now when God withdrawes, and this chear is taken off, Satans work is how he may deface and weare off the remembrance of this teſtimony, which the ſoule ſo triumphs in for its ſpiritual ſtanding, that he may not have it as an evidence when he ſhall bring about the ſuite again, and put the ſoule to produce his writings for his ſpiritual ſtate, or renounce his claim. It behoves thee therefore to lay them up ſafely; ſuch a teſtimony may ſerve to non-ſuit thy accuſer many yeares hence; one affirmative from Gods mouth for thy pardoned ſtate, carries more weight (though of old date) then a thouſand negatives from Satans. Davids Songs of old ſpring in with a light to his ſoule in his midnight-ſorrowes.
Queſt. But what counſel would you give me (ſaith the diſtreſſed ſoul, ) who cannot faſten on my former comforts, nor dare to vouch thoſe evidences, which once I thought true? I finde indeed there have been ſome treaties of old between God and my ſoule; ſome hopes I have had, but theſe are now ſo defaced and interlined with back-ſlidings, repentances, and falls again, that now I queſtion all my evidences, whether true or counterfeit, what ſhould one in this caſe do?
Anſw. Firſt, renew thy repentance, as if thou hadſt never repented. Put forth freſh acts of faith, as if thou hadſt never believed. This ſeriouſly done will ſtop Satans mouth with an unexpected anſwer. Let him object againſt thy former actings as hypocritical, what can he ſay againſt thy preſent repenting and beleeving, which if true, ſets thee beyond his ſhot. It will be harder for Satan to diſprove the preſent workings of Gods gracious Spirit, whileſt the impreſſions thereof are freſh, then to pick an hole in thy old deeds and evidences. Acts are tranſient, and as wicked men look at ſins committed many yeares ſince, as little or none, by reaſon of that breadth of time which interpoſeth; ſo the Chriſtian upon the ſame account ſtands at great diſadvantage, to take the true aſpect of thoſe acts of grace, which ſo long ago paſſed between God and him, though ſometimes even theſe are of great uſe. As God can make a ſinner poſſeſſe the ſins of his youth, as if they were newly acted to his terrour in his old age; ſo God can preſent the comforts and evidences which of old the Saint received, with thoſe very thoughts he had then of them, as if they were freſh and new.
And therefore ſecondly; If yet he haunts thee with the feares of thy ſpiritual eſtate, ply thee to the throne of grace, and beg a new copy of thy old evidence, which thou haſt loſt. The Original is in the Pardon-Office in Heaven, whereof Chriſt is Maſter; if thou beeſt a Saint thy name is upon record in that Court; make thy moane to God, heare what newes from Heaven, rather then liſten to the tales which are brought by thine enemie from hell. Did ſuch reaſon leſſe with Satan, and pray over their feares more to God, they might ſooner be reſolved. Can you expect truth from a liar, and comfort from an enemy? Did he ever propheſie well of believers? Was not Job the Devils hypocrite, whom God vouch't for a non-ſuch in holineſſe, and prov'd him ſo at laſt? If he knew thou wert a Saint, would he tell thee ſo? if an hypocrite, he would be as loath thou ſhouldeſt know it; turn thy back therefore on him, and go to thy God: feare not, but ſooner or later he will give his hand again to thy Certificate. But look thou doeſt not raſhly paſſe a cenſure on thy ſelf, becauſe a ſatisfactory anſwer is not preſently ſent at thy deſire; the Meſſenger may ſtay long, and bring good newes at laſt.
Thirdly, ſhun battel with thine enemy while thou art in a fitter poſture? and that thou mayeſt draw into thy trenches, and make an honourable retreat into thoſe faſtneſſes and ſtrengths, which Chriſt hath provided for his ſick and wounded ſouldiers. Now there are two places of advantage into which deſerted ſouls may retire; the Name of God, and the abſolute Promiſes of the Goſpel; theſe I may call the faire Havens, which are then chiefly of uſe, when the ſtorme is ſo great that the ſhip cannot live at ſea. O, ſaith Satan, doeſt thou hope to ſee God? none but the pure in heart ſhall be bleſt with that viſion. Think'ſt thou to have comfort? that is the portion of the Mourners in ſpirit. Now, ſoule, though thou canſt not ſay (in the hurry of temptation) thou art the pure and the Mourner in ſpirit, yet then ſay thou believeſt God is able to work theſe in thee, yea, hath promiſed ſuch a mercy to poor ſinners, 'tis his Covenant, (He will give a new heart, a clean heart, a ſoft heart,) and here I wait, knowing, as there was nothing in the creature to move the great God to make ſuch Promiſes; ſo there can be nothing in the creature to hinder the Almighty his performance of them, where and when he pleaſeth. This act of faith, accompanied with a longing deſire after that grace thou canſt not yet finde, and an attendance on the meanes, though it will not fully ſatisfie all thy doubts, (may be) yet will keep thy head above water, that thou deſpaireſt not; and ſuch a ſhore thou need'ſt in this caſe, or the houſe falls.
Fourthly, If yet Satan dogs thee, call in help, and keep not the devils counſel. The very ſtrength of ſome temptations lies in the concealing of them, and the very revealing of them to ſome faithful friend, (like the opening and pricking of an impoſthume) gives the ſoule preſent eaſe: Satan knowes this too well; and therefore, as ſome thieves, when they come to rob an houſe, either gagge them in it, or hold a piſtol to their breaſt, frighting them with death, if they cry or ſpeak: Thus Satan that he may more freely rifle the ſoule of its peace and comfort, over-awes it ſo, that it dares not diſcloſe his temptation. O, ſaith Satan, if thy brethren or friends know ſuch a thing by thee, they'l caſt thee off, others will hoote at thee. Thus many a poor ſoul hath been kept long in its pangs by biting them in; thou loſeſt (Chriſtian) a double help by keeping the devils ſecret, the counſel and prayers of thy fellow-brethren; and what an invaluable loſſe is this?