Soldiery Spiritualized, Sermon · Part 2
Second part of the Doctrine.
That in this fighting they must be vigorous and in good earnest, not like such as beat the Air. Take this one Argument to confirm it.
Reas. Because no other acting but vigorous strenuous acting will attain the end, no other will serve the Turn, all other motions will be to no purpose, he that uses them will be never the better, and as good never a whit, as never the better. He that only beats the Air, will never beat his Enemy, and he that beats not his Enemy shall be beaten by him. None but he that Fights valiantly, couragiously, strongly shall overcome, and none but he that overcomes shall be crowned. Sin and Satan will not be scared and frighted away (as was hinted) by squibs and Cracks, nor daunted with great words, nor made to fly with a meer flash in the Pan. Beating the Air will never beat the Devil the Pri…ce of the Air. No, you must run sin thorow and thorow, your Sword up to the very Hilts, Ehud-like, prick it to the Heart, else it will not die; you must hit the Old-man under the fifth Rib and let his bowels out, else you do nothing. If thou deal gently with sin it will be thy Master, but if thou wilt master it, do as Joab did by Absalom who ran the darts through the very Heart of him. When you come to deal with sin and Corruption, do your work substantially and throughly, get it fast nailed to the Cross of Christ that it may not have its liberty, else you'l never secure your Comfort now. nor your Crown hereafter.
Many will sometimes in a Fit talk of what they will do against sin, promise to leav it off, forsake it, kill it, give out that they will come out with such a force against Sin, as that they make no doubt to storm and take it; But Sin will give such Braggadochio's leave to talk and vapour, and will give like Answer to them as Ahab to Benhadad, when he said, that the dust of Samaria should not suffice for handfuls, &c. Let not him that puts on his Harness, boast as he that puts it off, 1 King. 20.10, 11. Many will declaim much against Sin, while in the mean time they nourish and cocker it; but Sin cares not for words, values only blows, and down-right blows too. The Lord hates Cowards and curses deceivers both in his worship, and other work and Service too, See, Mala. 1.14. with Jer. 48.10. Fighting weakly offends God, and advantages and encourages the Adversary. Beelzebub (saith one) like the Flies medles not with flesh that is boiling over the Fire, but when raw or cool will fly-blow and corrupt it. The Application of it is Easy, if thou art fervent in Prayer, warm in Duty, vigorous in thy opposition of Satan and Sin, Satan will avoid, Sin will yield, but if thou be cold and remiss, Satan will grow more bold, and Sin more strong. If thou art but a Fen…er, a Stage-Player in Religion with a Button on the Point of thy Rapier, Satan will not be afraid to come near thee; but if he see that thy blood is warmed, and thy Spirits are up, and that thou offerest the naked point to him, art resolved to Fight at Sharps, and layest about thee like a man, he will stand further off.
When thou goest out against Sin thy great Enemy, perhaps thy deceitful Heart, that secretly too much loves Sin, will be ready enough to give such a Charge as David did to the Captains, (2 Sam. 18.5.) deal gently, &c. But Christ stands in the Ga…e as thou a…t going forth, and saith, for my sake, and for thy Souls sake, and as ever thou wilt appear before me with joy at the End of the warr, deal severely, deal sharply and throughly with Sin and the Old-man. Thy Commission is to take, kill, burn, sink, destroy all sin and Corruption, &c. which are professed Enemies to Christ Jesus, and not to pity or spare any of them. It is like that sometimes given to Saul against Agag, 1 Sam. 15.3. Then if thou spare any under what pretence whatsoever, thou wilt be indighted, tried by a Couneil of Warr, found guilty, eondemned, and executed for Rebellion, stubbornness, Witchcraft and Idolatry. and so justly rejected or cashiered.
It is a silly thing when the signal of Battel is given for men to charge with nothing but Powder, which will only make a sound, give crack, but do no Execution, and yet such Fools are many Professors, they talk of Religion, talk against sin, charge it highly, and discharge whole vo…ies of words against it, but there be no Bullets, they are not in earnest, make a great noise, a loud report▪ but the Report is all. They make a shew as Children do with their wooden Swords and Pot-guns, but they draw no bloud, no wounded lust drops down, no bleeding Corruption lies gasping for breath, or breathing its last, Sin is as strong, lust as haile, corruption is as found as ever it was, and so will be notwithstanding their beating or breaking the Air with their empty words and unprofitable discourses. Away with such Childrens play, this play-Fighting, Fighting in Jest will never attain the end to make thee a Conquerour in earnest; It may serve for a show, and so Sin may be mortified in show, and thou saved in show, but damned in Reality. If thou let go sin which God hath put into thy hand, without putting it to Death, (as he did him who was appointed to Death, 1 King. 20.42.) and if thou only beat the Air, not it, (be sure it will go.) Thy life must go for its life.
No acting but Strenuous a…ing will do against the Old man, thou must fall on him couragiously, stoutly, the word in the Content signifies to box and thump manfully to be about the Ears of him and beat him all black and blew. Beza on Luk. 18.5. where the same word is used tells us that a Noun from this Verb signifies bruizes that are black and blew from the setling of the bloud there, and indeed it is as Solomon saith, Prov. 20.30. the blewness of the wound cleanses evil, &c. So must Sin and the Old man be Served, else nothing is done, beating the Air then in these matters will not avail.