The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 7
LECT. 7th. Novemb. 21. 1649.
Epheſ. 6. 13.
Having done all to ſtand, &c.
VVE now come to the laſt LECT. 7Doctrine of this 13. v. which is from theſecond encouragement given to this oppoſition, in theſe words: And having done all to ſtand, The words have been explicated before. foreign notes, the concluſion and finiſhing of all Aſſaults, and ſtanding here notes Victory. The Doctrine is this, that
Whoſoever ſhall take to himſelf the whole Doct. 4.Armour of God, and uſe it aright, ſhall be enabled not only to make reſiſtance in the evill day of temptation, but ſhall alſo certainly ſtand and be victorious after all Aſſaults are ended. In this propoſition there is ſomething implyed: And ſomething expreſly aſſerted.
That which is implyed is, That a Chriſtian muſt expect multiplicity of Aſſaults. foreign. The Devill will not leave off with one conflict. When he made Warre with Job, he uſed more then one temptation, vid. Job 1. 11, 12. there is one skirmiſh: yet Cap. 2. 7. he ſets upon him again: And afterwards again, ver…e 9. he aſſaults him by his wife, with another temptation. And there is no doubt, but he aſſayled him many times beſide, during his affliction. When he had power given him to make Warre upon Chriſt, he was not contented with one Aſſault: we read of three ſeverall battels fought in that one Chapter, Matth. 4. 3. 5. 8. One in the Wilderneſs, v. 3: another on the Pinacle of the Temple, verſe 5: and another upon a high Mountain, verſe 8. And it ſhould ſeem, that he was not quiet afterwards; for although one of the Evangeliſts tell us, that then the Devill left him, Mat. 4. 11. yet another of the Evangeliſts hints ſome after-aſſaults, Luke 4. 13. And when the Devill had ended all the Temptation, [he departed from him] for a ſeaſon, foreign. Hereby intimating that Satan was buſie with Chriſt, all the dayes of his continuance on earth. As he was vir dolorum in reſpect of outward griefs: So in regard of the multiplicity of Aſſaults, he was vir tentationum. When Balaam was brought by Balak, to curſe Iſrael, we finde how many attempts he makes for that purpoſe: firſt at the high places of Baal, Numb. 22. 41. When his Inchantments would not prevail in that place, he brings him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Piſgah, and there he hath another bout, Numb. 23. 14. and though he ſaw himſelf defeated there alſo, yet he brings him to another place, to the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeſhimon, Numb. 23. 28. Balak in theſe his endeavours againſt Iſrael, is a figure of Satan, in his endeavours to deſtroy the godly by his temptation, he is not ſatisfied with one ſingle battel; but though he be ſhamefully vanquiſhed, yet he will rally and ſet upon the ſoul again: we read 1. Reg. 20. 20, 21. of a great victory obtained by the Children of Iſrael, over the Syrians. Benhadad accompanied with 32. Kings more, comes with a huge Hoſt to beſiege Samariae, verſe 1. that great Army is totally routed by a ſmall Army, under the conduct of the young men of the Princes of the Provinces: yet verſe 22. the Prophet tells the King of Iſrael, that at the return of the yeer, the Syrians would make another Invaſion, and ſo they did, though it was to their utter ruine. The Devill is like the King of Syria in this reſpect: though he be oftentimes baffled by the Servants of God, yet he will renew his Aſſaults and Temptations.
For (1.) The Devill is a very malicious Creature, he hates the Servants of God, with a perfect hatred. Your adverſary the Devil, &c. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Malice is an inſatiable thing, its never weary of proſecuting all means that can be deviſed, for the utter ruine of the thing or perſon it oppoſeth. As love never thinks it can do enough for the advantage of the object beloved, ſo envy and malice is never weary of attempting the deſtruction of the object hated. Now Satan envieth the godly with an irreconcileable envy. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy ſeed and her ſeed, Gen. 3. 15. Saul envied David, and therefore though God did often croſſe his deſignes againſt him, yet he would go on in deſigning his deſtruction to the very end of his life; The Devill envieth them, (1.) becauſe God loves them. He envieth them, (2) becauſe They have the Image of God upon them, which ever ſince himſelf loſt it, he hath an Antipathy againſt. And he hates them, (3) Becauſe they are the onelyonly people that troubled him: he cannot hold his uſurped juriſdiction, becauſe of them. And (4.) his envy is much increaſed againſt them, by all the defeats he hath received from them: Every overthrowe they give him, keens the edge of his malice, to make another attempt upon them.—manet altâ mente repoſtum Judicium Paridis, ſpretae que injuria formae.
And (2.) He hath not onelyonly one, but variety of wayes to tempt them; and though one fail, yet he hopes another may take. The Apoſtle verſe 11. of this ſixth Chapter of Epheſ. mentions foreign. He hath diverſity of ſtratagems, and artificiall methods, and he cannot uſe all theſe in one battel. He tempts (1.) ſometimes Suadendo bonum, propter majus malum inde or…urum. Sometimes, (2.) Suadendo malum ſub ſpecie boni: Sometimes, (3.) Diſſuadendo bonum, tanquam malum. And (4.) ſometimes, Diſſuadendo malum, ut pejus inducat, See Chemnit. Harm. p. 212. It is not to be wondered, if an adverſary that hath a huge Army, make frequent invaſions. Satan doth not want Souldiers; he can find a Legion (which is 6666.) in one man.
I'le apply this, and ſo come to that which is expreſſed:
(1) We may take notice from hence of the 1. Ʋſe.preciouſneſs of the ſoul: Satan would never make ſo many attempts about it, if it were not a pearl of great value. Many men there are that make very little reckoning of their ſouls. They onelyonly have Animam pro Sale: it's onelyonly as Salt to keep the body from putrifaction, and many caſt it upon the Dung-hill as ſalt that hath loſt its ſavour. How many, to ſave a dead eſtate, are content to caſt away a never-dying ſoul? Poor Peter, to ſecure a brittle life, forſwears his Maſter, and puts his ſoul to a ſad hazard. Judas to gain 30 pieces of ſilver, ſeals the Devil an Indenture of his ſoul, &c. Some have ſaid of the Lawyers, that they have linguas venales: I fear many men in our times, would I could not ſay, ſome good men, have animas venales, they put their ſouls to ſale. God grant, that by Repentance, they may haſte to redeem them. Many men, rather then loſe a place of profit, will venture the loſſe of a ſoul that cannot be valued; And many, rather then not ſatisfie a ſinful Luſt, will ruine and deſtroy a glorious ſoul. What's the reaſon of this? The ſoul is, (1.) an inviſible Spirit; and becauſe it is not ſeen, many think it is not at all: or if it be, yet that it's little worth: The glory of the things of this World, is viſible to the eye of the body; but the glory of the ſoul is onelyonly viſible to the eye of Faith. And (2.) the Caring for the Soul, is time enough to be thought upon when we are a dying, ſo many think, therefore they neglect all thought of it. Satan hath another opinion of it, then we have, elſe he would never ſweat and toyl, and multiply temptations, as we ſee he doth, to ſubdue it to himſelf.
We may learn from hence, that a Child of God is never out of danger and fear of Temptation, till all his work on earth be finiſhed. He cannot ſay when he riſes, I ſhal this day be free from temptation; and when he lyeth down in the evening, he cannot ſay, The evill one ſhall not aſſault me till the morning. He may ſay, through God, Satan ſhall not deſtroy me; but he cannot ſay, Satan ſhall not aſſault me. In other warres, when the forces of the enemy are all ſcattered, the Souldier may put off his Armour, and ſay, This night ſhall be a night of reſt; the enemy that's now broken, cannot in a ſhort time be able to diſturb me: But the Chriſtian Souldier cannot ſay, When he hath ſcattered one of Satans temptations, Now my ſoul take thy eaſe, eat, drink, and be merry, thou art ſure of a weekes reſpite, &c. Though thou haſt broken ſome of Satans forces; yet can'ſt thou not ſay upon any ground, I ſhall have a moments reſt. He can preſently recruit the old temptations: or if not, yet he can ſend out new temptations; and if thou take not heed, he will deſtroy thee by thy own victory. If thou overcome a temptation, to drive thee to deſpair, he can, out of that victory, make a temptation to bring thee to preſumption, if thou be not very cautious. Be watchful therefore and ſober, becauſe your Adverſary foreign goes about ſeeking to devour. Keep your guards continually, and keep them ſtrongly. Preſumption, and Security, hath been the Pit-fall of many a ſoul. I ſaid in my proſperity, I ſhall never be removed, &c. thou didſt but turn thy face, and I was troubled, Pſal. 30. 6, 7. While men ſlept, the enemy came and ſowed tares, &c. the Chriſtians ſleeping time, is the Devils Seed-time: if your Candle go out but one moment, that moment you may be ſurprized.
Thus much for that which is implyed: That which is expreſſed, is this:
That though a Chriſtian be often aſſaulted, yet if he take and uſe the Armour of God aright, he ſhall overcome and keep the field when all aſſaults are over. He ſhall ſtand, when the Devil and all his Hoſts are deſtroyed and fallen: They may loſe the day for a time, and be ſo beaten and bruiſed, that in the thoughts both of themſelves, and others, they ſhall never be able to recover; but at the laſt, their dead bodies ſhall riſe again, and then they ſhall obtain the final victory over Satan, and all his Inſtruments. I ſhall, firſt, prove that it is ſo: ſecondly, ſhew, By what meanes.
That it is ſo, is proved three wayes:
(1.) This was prefigured and ſhadowed out by the Victories of the old Church over their enemies. I ſhall inſtance but in one, viz. the great victory over Pharoah, and his great Hoſt, Exod. 14. I need not give you the Narrative of it: That this was a figure of the Victory which the Elect ſhall obtain over Satan, and his Inſtruments, is clear from Rev. 15. 3. where we have the Song of Moſes, and of the Lambe: Why the Song of Moſes and of the Lambe? But to point out this, that the overthrowing of Pharoah, was a figure of the overthrow of Satan: and the triumphal ſong of Moſes was a figure of that Song which the godly ſhould ſing in Heaven, for the overthrowing of Satan, and all his Inſtruments, whereby they have been ſadly aſſaulted in this world. As certainly, as Pharoah was overcome by the people of Iſrael, ſo certainly ſhall every true Iſraelite overcome this Helliſh Pharoah. Some alſo make the cutting off of Goliah's head, to be a figure of the ſame thing. As Goliah was overcome by David, and the Iſraelites; ſo ſhall this great Goliah, the Devil, in all his aſſaults, be overcome by Jeſus Chriſt, and all the Iſrael of God.
(2.) This is clearly laid down in many Promiſes, vid. Jam. 4. 7. Reſiſt the Devil, and he will flee. It is not onelyonly a Prediction, but a Promiſe, He [ſhall] flee. Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet, ſhortly. 'Tis Gods power that brings him down; but yet we are the Conquerors: He is bruiſed under [our] feet: ſo 1 Joh. 5. 18.
(3.) We have glorious Examples, as well as Promiſes: Job was fearfully troubled with him, and ſometimes foiled by him. When he curſed the day of his birth, then did Satan prevail, but he overcame at laſt; and as a ſtout Champion, kept the field, till GOD himſelf came, and proclaimed him Conqueror. Paul was buffeted for a good ſpace; but he overcame at laſt: You may hear him ſounding Victoria before his death, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. Satan is not able to ſhew one of the people of God over whom he did ever yet finally prevail, nor ever ſhall be able.
II. By what means do they ſtand? Which are as the Reaſons of this Victory.
(1.) They are upheld by a Divine Power. God is with them in the day of Temptation; and if God be with us, who can be againſt us? That which God promiſed Jeremiah the Prophet, when he ſent him in his name to fight againſt a ſtubborn and refractory people, Jer. 1. 19. He makes good to all ſuch as rightly uſe this Armour in the day of Satans encounter. They ſhall fight againſt thee, but they ſhall not prevail againſt thee: for I am with thee, ſaith the Lord, to deliver thee. Satan is ſubject to the power of God, and muſt be ſubject. Hell and deſtruction are before the Lord, Prov. 15. 11. To be before the Lord, doth not onelyonly denote, that all things are bare and naked to his eye; but alſo that all things are under his power and ſubjection. Is not the whole Land before thee, ſaith Abraham to Lot? Gen. 13. 9. i. e. is it not in thy power to pitch and ſet down where thou pleaſeſt? Satan, and his Power, is in ſubjection to God. He can with one word ſpeaking, bring him upon his knees, and make him lick the duſt. I command thee, Come out of him, and enter no more into him for ever. All evill Spirits are in the hand of God, as well as good Spirits. The evill Spirit from God came upon Saul, 1 Sam. 18. 10. He is ſaid to come from God, becauſe he was ſet on, and reſtrained, and taken off by the Lord at his pleaſure.
(2.) They ſtand by the vertue of Chriſts death. The Devil was vanquiſhed by Chriſt, through his ſufferings: He triumphed over Principalities and Powers upon the Croſs, Col. 2. 15. By Death, he deſtroyed him that had the power of Death, Heb. 2. 14. Jeſus Chriſt cut off the head of this Goliah with his own Sword, as David, a Type of Chriſt, did before. Now all who fight aright with Gods Armour, draw vertue from Chriſts death, whereby they are ſure to prevail.
The Martyrs crowned in Heaven, are ſaid to overcome through the blood of the Lamb, Rev. 12. 11. They overcame him, as an Accuſer, by the blood of Chriſt: Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is Chriſt that died, Rom. 8. 33, 34. By applying this Blood, they put him to ſilence: And they overcame him as a Tempter alſo, by the Blood of the Lamb: By caſting this blood in his face, they put him to flight. Pharoah was drowned in the red Sea; The Devil, in the red Sea of Chriſts blood.
(3.) They have an intereſt in Chriſts exaltation and victory. Jeſus Chriſt overcame Satan as the Head of the Church Militant, not for himſelf alone, but for the whole body. As all Mankind were overcome in the overthrow the firſt Adam received in Paradiſe; ſo all the Elect do overcome in, and by the victory of the ſecond Adam. This is that which our Savior comforteth his Diſciples with, againſt the Oppoſition of the world, Joh. 16. 33. Be of good cheer, I have over come the world, that is to ſay, My Conqueſt is your Conqueſt; I have overcome not onelyonly for my ſelf, but for you alſo. His Victory would have miniſtred no comfort to them, if they had not apprehended from his words, their joint-intereſt in it. And as they partake with him in his overthrow of the world, ſo do they ſhare with him in his overthrow of the Devil. And they are exalted with him in his Exaltation.
That of the Apoſtle, is full of comfort to this purpoſe, Epheſ. 2. 4, 5, 6. God who is rich in mercy, &c. hath quickned us together with Chriſt, and raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. Chriſt muſt either deſcend from the Throne, or elſe we, as Conquerours with him, muſt aſcend to the Throne. Chriſt, and his Seed, are put as joynt-Conquerors into the firſt Promiſe, Gen. 3. 15. It ſhall break thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel: As Chriſts Reſurrection, is by the Apoſtle made the pledge of the Reſurrection of our bodies, 1 Cor. 15. 20: ſo is the Victory and Exaltation of Chriſt, the Pledge and Earneſt both of our Victory and Coronation: And therefore he ſaith to the Church of Laodicea, Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh, will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father in his Throne. In Earthly Warres, all the Souldiers have a ſhare in the Victories of the Commander in chief. Chriſt is the Commander in chief in the Lords Hoſt, and his Victories are not onelyonly his, but the Churches alſo.
(4.) They overcome by the ſtrength of Chriſts Interceſſion. I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith do not fail, Luk. 22. 32. Faith, and all other Graces, would ſoon be brought to nothing, did not Jeſus Chriſt make continual mediation to ſtrengthen them. And the Ordinances would prove but Paper-Armes, if the Prayer of Jeſus Chriſt did not mightily empower them. This was figured clearly in that notable inſtance which is upon Record, in Exod. 17. 9, 10, 11. Amalek and Iſrael were joyned in battel in Rephidim. Moſes while they were fighting, ſtood upon the Mount praying, and the iſſue was; While Moſes held up his hands, Iſrael prevailed. By this Example, God would, in a figure, have his people learn whence it is, that they ſtand againſt all Satans encounters; not by their own ſtrength, but by the holding up of the hands of Moſes, by the interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt in the Holy Mountain. His hands are never heavy, neither is his heart heavy; he needs no ſupporters to ſtay up his hands, as Moſes did; he lives for ever, to make interceſſion.
Information: (1.) Take notice of the certainty 1. Ʋſe.of the ſalvation of the people of God. If any thing could deprive them of their Crown, it would be the prevalency of Satans Temptations, but he cannot prevail againſt them finally; they muſt ſtand, when he is fallen. And upon this ground it is, that the Apoſtle doth ſo triumph in the aſſurance of his own glorification, Rom. 8. 38, 39.
(2.) We may from hence alſo take notice, that all the Defeatments and Overthrows, and Foyls, which any Chriſtian receives from the Devil, either immediatly aſſaulting, or aſſaulting by his Inſtruments, are of, and from themſelves: God hath furniſhed them with ſufficient Furniture, to enable them to with-ſtand and overcome, and therefore if they be at any time overtaken and brought into bondage, they may blame their own negligence, they cannot accuſe their God.
Exhortation. Let this put courage and valour, 2. Ʋſe.and reſolution, into the hearts of all Chriſtians, againſt the evill day. Keep your ground, hold faſt your Weapons in your hands; and though Satan beat you down upon your knees, yet up again, and continue fighting, and you ſhall certainly overcome at laſt: nothing can hinder you from overcoming, but either want of the right Armour, or elſe want of oppoſing. Certain knowledge of victory before hand would make a Coward valiant: you have a promiſe of certain victory, and therefore let not your hearts be faint. Charles the fifth, when he was going to ruſh with his Horſe into the battel, he was earneſtly requeſted to retreat, leſt by his miſhap the whole Army ſhould be diſcouraged; but he made this Heroick anſwer. An Emperor was never ſhot through with a Bullet. A Chriſtian may encourage himſelf againſt Satan, upon far better grounds. A Child of God was never ſhot to death by any Temptation of Satan, &c. Its a marvellous encouragement in theſe black dayes of tryall. I do not think, that there was ever any age of the Church in which Satan had more ſtratagems and devices to draw the people of God into ſin, then now he hath. He hath his Temptations of profit, and his Temptations of loſſe: a Chriſtian cannot go into any Company, but ſome ſnare or other is laid for him, ſome Devill or other is ready to meet him. Well, do but reſiſt, and you ſhall overcome. The Devill cannot force you, he can do you no hurt, without your own conſent: and to conſent to an enemy, when you are ſure of victory, is neither wiſdom nor manhood.
The three Children did bravely in the day of their temptation, they defied Satan and his Inſtruments, diſobeyed the Kings word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not ſerve nor worſhip any God, except their own God: neither the ſweet melody of the Inſtruments of Muſick, nor the ready complyance of others, nor the dreadful terror of the burning Furnace, could make them ſtoop, and by their valour they did overcome; and they obtained ſuch a perfect victory, that they had not ſo much as a skar upon them: The fire had no power over their bodies, nor was a hair of their head ſinged: neither were their Coats changed, nor the ſmell of fire had paſſed on them. You may read both the battel and Conqueſt, Dan. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. ad finem. Yea, their very enemies at laſt, proclaimed them Conquerours, and a glorious decree is made, that no God beſides their God, ſhould be worſhipped, and that it ſhould be preſent death for any within the Kings Dominions, to ſpeak the leaſt word againſt their God. verſ. 28. 29. And they themſelves are promoted higher then ever they were in the Province of Babylon. A man would little have thought, when he ſaw the three Children bound by the Command of an angry King, and caſt into a hot Furnace, that this ſhould have been the way to their preferment, and yet God made it ſo to be.
Daniel alſo, he did like a man of God, in the day of his Temptation, He was tempted to forbear praying for 30. dayes. It was a bare omiſſion, nothing was he compelled to do againſt the Law of God, onelyonly to forbear holy invocation for a moneths time: he had liberty to pray in his heart, and to pray in a corner unſeen, he might have had 1000. things to have pretended for his omiſſion, He was a man of note, had a high place in the Kingdom, and was likely to riſe yet higher, if obedience to his God did not hinder his preferment, he was able to do great ſervices for the Church, by his Intereſt in the Kingdom, and would he now cut off himſelf, and prejudice the Church for ſo ſmall a matter? All theſe things and many more, no doubt, were ſuggeſted to him, by Satan and his Inſtruments; but Daniel like a man of courage, oppoſeth all theſe; and what the iſſue was, you may read Dan. 6. per totum. He beat the Devill in his own Den, by the help of Gods Angel; he clapt a muzzle upon the mouthes of the hungry Lions, lived to ſee the juſt hand of God upon his conſpirators, who had contrived his death, were promoted higher then ever, and which was beſt of all, obtained a Decree from the King, that all men ſhould tremble at the God of Daniel. And who knowes whether in our evill day of Church Calamities: the Prince of darkneſs and his adherents may not be utterly foiled by the conſtancy of a few of the people of God, in oppoſing temptations.
This Doctrine is ſingularly comfortable to 3. Ʋſe.many poor Chriſtians, who are actually engaged againſt Satan. Many perhaps of Gods Children are even wearied out with a long ſiege: night and day for many moneths together, doth the Devil play upon them, with his Temptations of all ſorts. They cannot ſleep, or eat, or confer, or hear, &c. but Satans Darts fly in their face; in the morning they ſay, would to God it were evening, &c. Here's good news for ſuch Chriſtians, Yet a little while, and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry. Caſt not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward, Heb. 10. 35, 36, 37. Here is relief a comming to you, you know not how neer it may be; and if you hold out, it will not come too late. The God of peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly, Rom. 16. 20. Shortly▪ Ay, ſhortly, in the fitteſt time, in the needieſt time: that's done ſpeedily, that's done ſeaſonably. You are ſure the ſiege ſhall be raiſed; and therefore do not ſurrender upon any condition. Charge your Cannons again, and ſhoot them, and continue ſo, and you will do execution at laſt to purpoſe. And know this, that the neerer you are to ruine in your own ſenſe, the neerer you are to victory. Meditate upon the four Reaſons I gave you to prove the Doctrine, and let your hands and hearts be ſtrengthened in the Lord. And know this, that the day of victory will recompence all your waiting and feares, vid. Matth. 4. 11. Conſider that. And ſo much for the thirteenth verſe.