The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 3
LECT. 3. Octob. 24. 1649.
II. Why this day is called foreign. An evill day.
NOt in regard of the finall concluſion LECT. 3and event of it. For the day of Temptation is to the Children of God, the fore-runner of a glorious Victory. There never was, never ſhall, any of the true Servants of God be loſt, or utterly overcome in this day: my Father is ſtronger then all, and no man ſhall pluck them out of my Fathers hands, John 10. 29. He is greater in wiſdom, and he is greater in power. Hell where is thy Victory? Satan cannot ſhew any ſoul for whom Jeſus Chriſt intentionally dyed, that he was prevailed againſt: No, no, neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, &c. ſhall ever be able to ſeparate any Child of God, from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus his Lord, Rom. 8. ult. Though Jeſus Chriſt did not pray againſt the Temptation of his people, yet he hath prayed againſt the failing of their faith in Temptation. Luke 22. 31. Satan muſt prevail againſt Chriſt, before he can prevail againſt any of Chriſts. That which was the bleſſing of Gad, is the bleſſing of every true Iſraelite. A troop ſhall overcome him, but he ſhall overcome him at the laſt, Gen. 49. 10. Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon, and the Dragon fought, and his Angels; but they prevailed not, nor ſhall they ever prevail, Rev. 12. 8. So that in regard of the finall iſſue, it is ſo far from being an evill day, that it is indeed a good day.
But it may be called an evill day, in two reſpects, viz.
1. In regard of Satans Intention, he aims at nothing but evill, he means to ſwallow up, to ruine, to devoure, and to lead the ſoul captive for ever, 1 Pet. 5. 8. We may ſay of the Devil, in all his aſſaults, as God ſaith of the King of Aſſyria, whom God uſed, to chaſtiſe his Church, Iſay 10. 7, 8, 9, 10. God put his people under his power onelyonly for correction; but he aimed at their deſtruction. Howbeit, he meaneth not ſo, neither doth his heart think ſo, but it is in his heart to deſtroy, and to cut off Nations, not a few, &c.
2. In regard of preſent effects and Apprehenſions: It creates many fears, much ſadnes, many doubtings unto a Child of God, that is in ſuch a condition: Therefore an evill day.
(1.) Temptation bereaves the ſoul of preſent comfort, and fills it full of horrors and tremblings. If you read over the 88. Pſalm, you may ſee how it was with Heman, in the day of his Temptation. My ſoul is full of troubles, my life draweth nigh unto the grave, v. 2. Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in the darkneſs, in the deeps, while I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted, v. 15.
2. Temptation hinders the ſoul from doing that good, and receiving that good, it might do and receive, at another time. It hinders from praying, from hearing, from meditation, &c.
(3.) It doth many times involve the ſoul in many ſins: it cauſeth ſometimes diſtruſt, ſometime creates prejudice in the ſoul againſt God, and godlineſs, and ſometimes evill ſpeakings, ſometimes neglects of duty. Thoſe who are hampered under ſuch Aſſaults, finde and can diſcover the evill of it, better then we can ſpeak or conceive.
III. Why doth God ſuffer his people to be thus aſſaulted and tempted? Why doth he permit ſuch dayes to come upon them?
1. In regard of himſelf. That he may manifeſt his Power, and Providence, and wiſdom, and Grace, and faithfulneſs to his people, both in ſupporting, and in delivering them out of Temptation. Theſe Attributes of God are moſt clearly diſcovered in ſuch a day. My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12. 9. Paul never apprehended ſo much of the Allſufficiency of Gods grace, or power, &c. as he did when he was under the buffettings of Satan. Now he underſtood what Almighty Power was, and what Providence was, and what Faithfulneſs was, and what infinite Wiſdom meant, &c.
II. In regard of his people. 1. To teach them to hate ſin, and to watch againſt it. The ſoul that hath been much under theſe Aſſaults, will not be ſo bold as others are: the ſmoke of ſin, the very ſight of it, will be offenſive to his eyes.
2. To teach him how to handle and uſe his ſpirituall Armor. Chriſtian Graces are beſt uſed, and moſt improved in a day of Temptation. Now he knowes how to uſe faith and patience, and hope, and ſeeth what ſtrength is in them; he knowes now the power of faith, vid. 2 Theſ. 1. 11. Now he ſeeth the efficacy of Hope, and the potency of Prayer: he now ſeeth the excellency of all his graces, the neceſſity and uſefulneſs of them, that which he knew before in the Notion; he now knowes by Experience, And then
3. To make them more experimentally feele the love of Chriſt, in ſubmitting Himſelf to Temptations for their ſakes. The tempted ſoul knowes beſt the ſorrow of Chriſts Temptations, and the greatneſs of his Affection in being willing to be tempted for their ſakes. As Chriſt would actually be tempted, that he might experimentally ſuccour them that are tempted, Heb. 2: 18. ſo he will have his people tempted, that they may the more experimentally know how to prize His Temptations.
4. To kill their ſins, vid. 2 Cor. 12. 7. The bran is ſifted out onelyonly.
III. In regard of Satan. 1. God will have him do ſome ſervice for Himſelf, and ſome ſervice alſo for His people. All the Temptations of Satan are indeed acts of Service, which the Devill doth for God and his Church. Satan did God ſervice, and Paul too, in buffetting of him, vid. 2 Sam. 24. 1. compared with 1 Chron. 21. 1. Satan is but Gods Servant, and his peoples Drudge, in doing this work for them. He is your Scullion, by his Temptations to rub you bright, &c. As the good Angels are miniſtring ſpirits, employed for the good of them that are Heirs of ſalvation, Heb: 1. ult. ſo are the wicked Angels too; though in tempting, they neither aim at Gods honour, nor your good.
2. Tis for the increaſing of his Torment. This is done two wayes. 1. It adds torment to him, to ſee himſelfe baffeled and diſappointed in his Aſſaults. He alwayes comes off foyled at laſt, when he meddles with any of Gods Servants. How did Job baffle this roaring Lyon? Job got and kept the field, and the Devill with all his Troops were utterly routed.
3. All his Temptations and Aſſaults, ſhall add to his Eternall torment, when he comes to have his laſt finall Doom. The Apoſtle tells us, that the Angels that ſinned are delivered into chains of darkneſs, and reſerved unto judgment, 2 Pet. 2. 4. And all the miſchief he doth now in the world will be laid to his charge at that Day. Satan doth but blow his own fire, and heat his own Hell, and dig that bottomleſs Pit deeper, by his malice and rage, in aſſaulting the godly: So much the more wrath will be powred upon him, for the killing of Job's Children, and the deſtroying of his goods, and the tempting of him in his ſoul. Then ſhall Pauls buffettings, and Davids annoyings, be returned with fury upon his own head.
Let all Chriſtians take heed of paſſing any Vſe 2.raſh ſentence, either againſt themſelves, or againſt any others, that they are not the children of God, becauſe of Satans aſſaults. It is the great deſign that Satan drives on: by the aſſaulting of the ſervants of God, to make them queſtion their Election and Intereſt in God, that ſo he may take off their hearts from cheerfulneſs in his ſervice; as is evident in the caſe of Job. And he doth too much prevail upon many by this means, who through incogitancy and unbelief, are ready to blot their names out of Gods book, becauſe of ſuch Conflicts. If God took any delight in me, he would not ſuffer the Adverſary thus to aſſault me? I cannot either pray or hear, ſleep or wake, but Satan afflicts me; God hath made me the Mark of Satan, at which he ſhoots his Arrows continually. This Doctrine may be a Cordial for ſuch Chriſtians: Thy condition may be made uncomfortable, by reaſon of Temptations; but all that Satan doth, or can do, is not able to make thy condition unſafe. Job was Job ſtill, even when Satan ſhot at him; Peter was the beloved Diſciple of Chriſt, though he was ſifted by Temptations. Paul was a choſen Veſſel ſtill, though the Meſſenger of Satan did ſore buffet him. Yea, to put all out of doubt, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf was as ſorely aſſaulted, as thou canſt be, and yet the Elect of God, in whom his ſoul delighted, Eſa. 42. 1. Read but the fourth Chapter of Matth. ver. 1, 2. and 11. and do but conſider that Story well, and it will prevent thee from being diſcouraged in the day of thy Conflict. 1. God permits Satan there to appear in a bodily ſhape to Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 3. This is more then God hath given him leave to do againſt thee. If it were thus with thee; yet thou ſhouldſt not conclude any thing againſt thy ſelf. 2. God permitted him to have power to carry and tranſport the body of Chriſt from place to place, ver. 5, 8. He had liberty given him to tranſport the body of Chriſt, firſt from the Wilderneſs, to the City; and from the City, to the Pinacle of the Temple. This hath not yet befallen thee; If it had, there would be no cauſe to conclude thy ſelf caſt off by God. And if you look upon the Nature of the Temptations of Chriſt, you will then find a three-fold Onſet, and a three-fold Repulſe.
Firſt, Temptation is, ver. 3, 4. There he tempts him. 1. To queſtion his Son-ſhip, If thou be the Son of God, &c. 2. He tempts him to queſtion the Care and Providence of God over him, that he ſuffered him to be hungry, and to want bread. Surely, his Care was not great that had not provided any thing for him, after ſo long faſting. And then, 3. He tempts him to uſe indirect means, for preſent ſupply, to work a Miracle at his Command; Command that theſe ſtones be made bread.
2d. Temptation is, ver. 5, 6, 7. There Satan tempts him to take away his life: If thou be the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down, &c. And he brings Scipture to ſet on this Temptation, though he wreſted the meaning of it: It's poſſible Satan may tempt a dear Child of God, to lay violent hands upon himſelf.
3d. Temptation is, v. 8, 9. He tempts him there to Idolatry, Blaſphemy; to deny the true God, and to worſhip him as his God. All theſe will I give thee, &c. Let this Scripture be well ſtudied, and it will preſerve you from concluding your ſelves Reprobates, becauſe of Temptations; eſpecially conſidering this, that one Reaſon why Chriſt would ſuffer himſelf to be aſſaulted, was, that his Temptations might be as a ſtaff to uphold his ſervants in all Ages, from being over-much diſcouraged under their Temptations.
And then further, God doth put honour upon his people, by ſuffering them to be aſſaulted. God did much honour Job, by calling him out to fight with Satan, and to overcome him in open war. It was an honour which God put upon Paul, that he ſhould be called out to play at Cudgels with Satan, and to win the field of him, through the power of Chriſt. It's counted an honour amongſt Souldiers to be ſingled out to ſome difficult ſervice: ſo it is in the Spiritual Warfare.
And beſides; Such violent Temptations, they are rather hopeful Evidences that we are the Children of God, then otherwiſe; eſpecially, when we find deſires to oppoſe them. Thoſe whom an Enemy hath already in his power, they are not uſually aſſaulted much: Aſſaults are made upon ſuch as are unſubdued, and ſtand out in oppoſition, &c.
What great cauſe all the ſervants of GOD have to be watchful, and to ſtand continually upon their guard, that they may be prepared and provided for theſe evill dayes of Temptation. Do not ſay, I am ſure to be freed from Temptation, the evill one ſhall not come neer me. This ſecurity is like to bring the evil day ſooner upon you; and if it come upon you unprovided, it will be a very ſad day. Souldiers that are beſieged by a ſtrong and watchful Adverſary, if they be ſecure & ſleepy may be ſurpriſed on a ſuddain. Invadunt urbem vino ſomno que ſepultam. Every Chriſtian hath a ſtrong & watchful adverſary lying in ſiege to annoy him; & his ſecurity may betray him into his Enemies hand. It is good counſel which the Apoſtle duplicate page duplicate page gives to this purpoſe, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be ſober, be vigilant, becauſe the Devil your Adverſary goeth about as a roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom he may devour. Satans work is to compaſs the Earth, and to walk up and down in it, Job 1. 7. And if he find Chriſtians like the Inhabitants of Laiſh ſecure, and quiet, he is much encouraged to make deſperate aſſaults upon them. The Scripture ſpeakes much in the commendation of Holy Fear; it's one of the beſt Preſervatives in the World, to keep the Soul out of ſnares. Bleſſed is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart ſhall fall into miſchief, Prov. 28. 14. Noahs fear made him prepare an Ark at the Command of God; by which, he and his Family were preſerved, when the reſt of the careleſs World were drowned, Heb. 11. 7. He was fearful, and provided againſt dangers, which were not yet within the Ken of his Eye foreign. The things, which he provided for, were at a great diſtance 120 years off; He might have reaſoned thus with himſelf, I may be dead long before the Flood. He was now 500 years old, and yet he was religiouſly afraid, and ſet himſelf to prepare for it. Satans Temptations are within the clear view of every Chriſtian: therefore, it's prudence to be provided againſt them, and that ſpeedily: And the rather ſhould we do this, becauſe the end of all theſe premonitions is, to ſhake off carnal ſecurity, and to put our ſelves into a fit poſture to receive this Aſſailant.
What cauſe of thankfulneſſe unto God have all thoſe chriſtians who are freed and delivered from this evill day? Doth God keep Satan chained up that he doth not annoy thee? art thou preſerved from his vexations? Certainly thou haſt cauſe every day to returne praiſes for this unto thy Saviour who keeps thee ſo in ſafety, that the evill one doth not touch thee. And we have the more cauſe to do this (1) becauſe we put our ſelves daily into his hands and yet are preſerved from him; we even allure Satan to ſet upon us, and ſend meſſengers daily to him to invite him to make aſſaults, and yet God is pleaſed to reſtraine him. And then (2) becauſe he is eager to ſet upon us: never was any ravenous hungry Lyon more greedy of his prey then Satan is to prey upon the ſoul by temptation. Our Saviour would have us to pray daily that God would keep us out of the devils hands. Mat. 6. 13. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evill. And whatſoever we are to pray againſt as an evill, we ſhould be thankfull to God for preſervation from it as a great bleſſing. Did we but feele thoſe heart-akings which ſome of the godly do groan under, by reaſon of the vexations of the Evill one, we would not riſe in the morning, nor go to bed at night, without praiſing God for our freedom from him.
This lets us ſee what difference there is between the ſtate of the godly on earth and the 4. Uſe.ſtate of the godly in Heaven. In this life they are liable to aſſaults, but in the other life they are ſet free from all batteries: here they are militant, there they ſhall be all triumphant: here they walk in Armes, there they ſit with Palms in their hands, Crowns on their heads and white Robes upon their backs. In heaven there's no ſin, and therefore no temptation: the earthly Paradiſe was not free from temptation; but in the celeſtiall Paradiſe, there's no tempter. The Devill for his ſin was once caſt out of Heaven, and there's no re-entry thither, Rev. 12. 8. He hath his dioceſſe on earth, as ye heard out of Job. 1. 7. There he rags and there he fights, but he hath no roome in Heaven, he is the Prince of the power of the aire, Eph. 2. 2. but he can aſcend no higher. If you can but make ſhift to yet well out of the world, Satan and you ſhall have done for ever.