The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 2
LECT. 2. Octob. 17. 1649.
VVE now come to the LECT. 2.handling of the words particularly as they are recorded in the 13. v. Wherefore take to you the whole armour, &c. In which words we have theſe two things, 1. A ſerious exhortation and advice given to all Chriſtians. Take unto your ſelves the whole Armour of God. 2. The Motives inforceing the practice of this counſell: and they are two, viz. 1. Enablement in oppoſing, that ye may be able to withſtand, they cannot poſſibly make any reſiſtance if they do not obſerve this Direction.
2. A promiſe of victory, having done all: to ſtand. There's no good oppoſing without theſe armes. And there's certain hopes of overcoming, if they be rightly uſed.
I ſhall firſt open the words in a ſhort explication, and ſecondly gather up the ſtrength of them by doctrinall obſervation.
Wherefore, take unto you &c: foreign, for this cauſe. This denotes the ground of the exhortation. The Apoſtle had mentioned, v. 11. 12. great oppoſition by a powerfull and ſubtle adverſary. The Adverſary is the devill; ſet out by a large deſcription. (1) Of his Policy in that expreſſion of, Wiles, foreign (2) Of his power, in thoſe expreſſions of principalities, powers, ſpiritual wickedneſſes in heavenly places. The neceſſity of oppoſing this Adverſary is hinted in the word, Wraſtling; we muſt wraſtle and that againſt a potent and politique enemy, foreign, for this cauſe its neceſſary that we be not unfurniſhed, but provided before hand.Mat. 16. 19. Acts 1. 2. 11.
Take unto you, foreign, The word ſignifyeth to take unto our ſelves, or to take up a thing; and ſomtimes to regaine and recover what we have loſt or let go out of our poſſeſſion: we muſt take up what God offers; and if our Armesbe beaten out of our hands, we muſt take them up againe.
The whole armour of God, foreign, It ſignifies armour of all ſorts, whereby the ſouldier is made fit for an encounter with his Adverſary: which is here called the Armour of God, quia nobis divinitùs ſubminiſtratur, nec in externo ro…ore conſistit, Baldvin. in locum.
That ye may be able; foreign. Our ability is not in our ſelves.
To withstand, foreign.
This word ſignifies the manner of oppoſition namely face to face, hand to hand, foot to foot. Dr. Gouge, upon the place.
In the evill day: foreign.
In that evill day. foreign here is put for time indefinitly whether long or ſhort, Mat. 3. 1. foreign the word notes ſomtimes the evill of ſin, Math. 9. 4. Joh. 3. 19. ſomtimes the evill of punniſhment or trouble. So 'tis here, therefore Beza reads it, Tempore adverſo.
In the evill day. It notes tempus Cribrationis; What that day is, and why its called evill, we ſhall ſhew hereafter.
And having done all to ſtand. This hints a certaine victory to him that withſtands aright. foreign The word ſignifyeth Rem inchoatam provehere eò uſq donec abſolvatur. The word nots that a chriſtian muſt expect more aſſaults then one: and that the victory is not to be expected till all aſſaults be perfectly finiſhed. Thus for explication. The words thus opened have theſe doctrines.
1. That, Every Chriſtian is liable unto an evill day of Aſſaulting, and temptation from Satan.
This is neceſſarily implyed in the exhortation: it were ſuperfluous, and unneceſſary counſell to adviſe chriſtians to get this furniture, if they were not certaine to have a day of battell. All chriſtians are not actually aſſaulted alike, ſome are continually aſſaulted; others very rarely, yet is there no believing chriſtian freed from theſe conflicts and aſſaults: every believer muſt expect them.
1 The Scripture ſpeaks of an hour of temptation which ſhall come upon all the earth, Rev. 3. 10.
2. Our Saviour, tells Peter that Satan hath deſired to have him, and thereſt of his brethren, that he may ſift them as wheat, Luc. 22. 31. He tells them indeed that he hath prayed for him and the reſt, that their faith do not faile, but he doth not tell them, that he hath prayed againſt their ſifting. And
3. We finde that many of the ſervants of God have been under theſe aſſaults. Paul, David, Job, And Quod cuiquam, cuivis, that which doth befall any one Saint is liable to all: they have not onelyonly been liable to temptations from God, temptationes Probationis, but they have alſo been liable to temptations from Satan temptationes Deceptionis.
4. Chriſt would have all to pray againſt it, Mat. 6.
foreign Some refer it to the providing of the Armour: ſo the Sytiack Interpreter, ut praeparati, id eſt, poſtquam omnia comparaveritis ad hanc obeundam pugnam neceſſaria, Beza. Others refer it to the aſſaults of the adverſary devictis omnibus hostibus.
In the handling of this Doctrine, I ſhall endeavour to open theſe three things.
I. I ſhall ſhew you, What evill day This is.
II. I ſhall ſhew you, Why its called an evill day.
III Why God ſuffers his people to be thus aſſaulted.
I. Any day, in which God permits Satan and gives him liberty, may become an evill day: temptation will turn the brighteſt and moſt comfortable day into an evill and bitter day. Though he be continually aſſaulting 1 Pet. 5, 8. yet there are ſome ſpeciall dayes and ſeaſons, in which Satan doth more fiercely aſſault and ſet upon the ſoul. I ſhall name a few. viz. theſe 8 enſuing particulars.
1. The time of outward perſonall calamity and affliction; when God ſhall by any providence bring a believer under outward calamity and trouble of any ſort, ſickneſſe, or poverty, or impriſonment, or baniſhment this is a ſpeciall day for Satan to aſſault in. Thus we ſee it in the caſe of Job, when God had taken away his goods, and ſtricken him in his Children, and laid his hand upon his body in a violent manner, then Satan he brings his forces to aſſault his ſoul and minde with temptations, vid. Job. 2.
As ſuch a time Satan aſſaults the ſoul with theſe two temptations.
(1.) To murmur and to blaſpheme God, vid. Job. 2. 9. His endeavour is to perſwade the afflicted ſoul into an ill opinion of his God; that God doth not love them, if he did he would not ſo diſtreſſe them. He did prevaile with Job in this evill day, to curſe the day of his birth, Job. 3. init.
(2) To uſe ſome ſinfull in direct meanes to be delivered out of ſuch troubles. This way he aſſaulted David in the evill day: he perſwaded him to fly out of the land of Judea amongſt the Philiſtims, 1 Sam. 27. 1. 2. And in this evill day he aſſaulted our Saviour with the like temptation, If thou be the Son of God, command theſe ſtones to be made bread, Math. 4. 3. It was an unlawfull meanes to work a miracle at the direction and command of Satan. Thus was Nehemiah aſſaulted Neh. 6. 10. which was (doubtleſſe) from Satan though not immediatly, but by the hand of a pretended friend. Thus he tempted Abraham, to equivocate and deny his wife in a day of outward trouble, vid. Gen. 12, 11. 12, 13.
2. The day of Church-calamity, eſpecially when cruell Heretiques and cunning Seducers are riſen up. This is one ſpeciall time of Satans aſſaulting ſuch as are truely godly. And indeed this is, I ſuppoſe, the evil day of which the Apoſtles ſpeaks more particularly in this place. We read Act. 20. 29, 30. that the Apoſtle taking his laſt leave of this Church of Epheſus, doth by the Spirit of prophecy give them to underſtand in his farewell Sermon That when he was gon away, there ſhould enter in grievous wolves, which ſhould not ſpare the flock; and that there ſhould ariſe ſeducers from amongſt themſelves which ſhould preach foreign preſerve things to draw away diſciples after them.
And now writing to this very Church he doth put them in mind of this evill day, Zanchy in his Commentaries upon this Text gives us this Interpretation, making this day to be meant eſpecially of that time when God permits Satan quaſi ſolutum graſſari, et Eccleſiamturbari per tyrannos, per haereticos tam occultos & hppocritas, quàm manifeſtos. And indeed as this day is an evill day, ſo it is a fit day for Satan to aſſault and make his Onſet. In ſuch a Day.
(1) He doth endevour to prevaile with chriſtians to doubt of the truth which they had receivved & embraced, and many times to caſt it off, and to run after fables. You ſhall find that in ſuch a day as this, Satan hath carried many captive by this temptation, vid. Gal. 1. 6. In this evill day, there was a great Apoſtacy from the faith of the Goſpel. And 2 Tim. 4. 3, 4. we have a prophecy of the defection which ſhould be made in ſuch times, vid. 2 Cor. 11. 2. 3.
(2) He tempts many in ſuch a day to revile & ſpeak evill of the truth, 2 Pet. 2. 2. Satan is, no doubt, very buſie at ſuch a time, both by feare of perſecution, and by promiſe of rewards, and by hopes of ſinfull liberty to draw off men from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel to embrace his deluſions. We find in our own Church by the lukewarmneſſe of moſt, and the defection of many, that ſuch a day is a great aſſaulting day.
3 The day of ſinfull miſcarriage: When a child of God ſlips through infirmity and frailty into ſome enormity, this is a ſpeciall day of temptation to the ſoul. Satan makes many onſets in ſuch a day, viz.
(1) He aſſaults the ſoul by temptations to Conceale and hide the ſin commited: thus he aſſaulted David, Pſal. 32. 3. Satan that drew him into the ſin aſſaulted and tempted him afterward not to confeſſe his ſin. And David lay a long time in that ſnare, till God ſent Nathan to ſet conſcience a ſpeaking.
(2) He tempts the ſoul to Excuſe the ſin, at leaſt in part. Thus he aſſaulted our firſt parents, firſt he drew them into ſin, & then tempts them to make excuſe, The Serpent ſaith the woman beguiled me, and I did eat, Gen. 3. 13. And ſaith the man, The woman which thou gav'ſt me ſhe gave me of the tree & I did eat, Gen. 3. 12 And thus was Aaron aſſaulted by Satan when he had ſinned, vid. Exod. 32. 22. 23. 24. We may ſee how irrationall his anſwer is: he would have excuſed his ſin, and he doth indeed, by all he ſaith, aggravate his ſin.
Thus he tempted Abraham to make an excuſe for his lying, Gen. 20. 12. She is the daughter of my Father, but not the daughter of my Mother, &c.
(3) He tempts them in ſuch a day to call in queſtion their Converſion & Regeneration becauſe of their ſin. David ſeems to be under this temptation, when he had fallen into the ſins of murther and adultery, Pſa. 51. 10. Create in me a cleane heart, ô God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. He was tempted to believe that ſuch ſins were inconſiſtent with converſion, therefore he calls for a new Creation. 4. He tempts the ſoul to deſpaire of remiſſion and pardon, and reconciliation with God. Under this tempation was the Church, in Lam. 3. 42, They prayed and had not preſent ſenſe of forgiveneſſe, therefore they were ready to queſtion whether God had or would forgive their ſin.
4. The day of ſpirituall deſertion, when God for ſin hides the light of his countenance from the ſoul: Such a day is a peculiar day of temptation; Satan will rage with violence at ſuch a time.
(1) He will perſwade the ſoul that God hath utterly caſt him off. Thus it was with Jonah, Cap. 2. 4. And under this temptation was Aſaph in ſuch a day, Pſal. 77, 7, 8. 9. Wil the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy gon for ever? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? And ſo it was with Heman, Pſal. 88. 14. Lord, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul, why hideſt thou thy face from me?
(2) He perſwades the ſoul at ſuch a time to caſt off God and to caſt off duty, and to leave waiting upon God. He perſwades the ſoul that all religion is in vaine and to no purpoſe, that he doth but diſhonour God in making mention of his name, &c.
5. The day of extraordinary Enlargement and inward manifeſtations of God. When the ſoul hath had more then ordinary communion with God, then Satan uſually tempts.
And in ſuch a day he aſſaults the ſoul.
(1) Which ſpiritual ſecurity, vid. Cant. 5. 1, 2. In the former verſe we ſee Chriſt and the Church feaſting together. Jeſus Chriſt had ſhewed her more then ordinary favour; now Satan takes occaſion of tempting the ſoul; and the next news you heare, ſhe is ſung into a ſpirituall ſlumber. I ſleepe but my heart waketh.
(2) With ſpirituall pride, Satan then ſets the ſoul upon applauding it ſelfe, as if for ſome worth in it ſelf, it had enjoyed ſuch great enlargements, vid. 2 Cor. 12. 7. The Apoſtle in that ſtory diſcovers to us what ſnare the tempter uſeth after great Revelations. Euge, Barnarde.
6. After ſome great temporall Advancement or Deliverance. When God had given David many victories, and had made his name dreadfull to the nations, then doth Satan ſet upon him, 1 Chron. 21. 1. In the former Chapter you may read of his great ſucceſſes over the Philiſtims, and Moabites, and the King of Zobah, and the Syrians and Edomites, vid. Cap. 18. & Cap. 19. over the Moabites, and Cap. 20. you have a liſt of his worthies. Then Cap. 21. 1. Satan tempts him, &c.
And the Temptation of ſuch an evill day is, To ſwell up the heart with pride and vain glory: ſo it was with David. Satan tempted him to number the people. And ſo Hezekiah, when God had given him a great deliverance from a mortall diſeaſe, Satan tempted him to pride, Iſa. 39. 1. 2.
7. The day of death. This is indeed a peculiar day of Temptation. There are ſome Interpreters which underſtand the Text to be meant, if not onelyonly, yet chiefly of that day. And indeed, this no doubt is a tempting time. This Satan knowes, is the laſt ſtorm that ever he ſhall make upon the ſoul; if he conquer not now, he ſhall never conquer: therefore he uſeth all the power, and all the policy he hath to carry captive the ſoul at this laſt encounter. We ſee by daily experience, that Satan ſhoots his Arrows at the Saints on this day. There are very few that go out of the World, without ſtrong and many Onſets of Satan.
8. The day of the ſucceſs and proſperity of wicked men, eſpecially if they live actually, in wicked wayes: when it is as Pſal. 37. 7. Eccleſ. 4. 1. Heb. 12. 13. Satan will be ſure to aſſault the Servants of God in this day. And that with theſe two Temptations.
(1) He will tempt them to deny Providence, That God doth not take any notice, or regard of the Actions of men, vid. Mal. 2. 17. and Cap. 3. 15.
(2) He will tempt them, to juſtifie the cauſe of the wicked, and to condemn the cauſe of the righteous, vid. Pſal. 73. verſe 13. Satan ſuggeſted ſuch thoughts, to that holy man there.
This is the firſt Particular, When this evill day is.