an exercise of mortification and as an helpe for the increasing of our repentance and for our better fitting and inabling to call vpon God more earnestly by feruent prayers wherof it is that these are vsually ioyned together in the Scriptures Fast and pray the one being the end the other the meanes in abling vs therevnto Much lesse must wee vse those carnall weapons of whippes to torment our body which onely offend in yeelding themselues as instruments to our sinfull soules or of popish pennances and pilgrimages which are the meere inuentions of men and haue no warrant out of the Word of God and beeing carnall weapons doe as ill fit the spirit as the armour of Saul did fit Dauid and therefore doe but cumber and hinder it in the spirituall warfare Yea like Achilles launce doe cure the flesh in stead of killing it and make it more strong and full of courage by filling it with spirituall pride and a glorious opinion of our owne merits and well deseruing §. Sect 4. We must not remitt any thinge of our first zeale in holy duties The third meanes of weakening the spirit which we are to auoide is to remit any thing of our former zeale in the duties of Gods seruice and to giue way vnto any declination in grace and Christian duties For we may much more firmely stand in the highest pitch of our sinceritie as it were on the top of the mountaine then in our declinations discent from that measure of perfection vnto which wee had attained as it were on the side of the hill wee may more easily preserue the health and strength of the spirit whilest it is in the best plight then recouer it when it is impeached and in some degrees of declination Wee may liue much more comfortably and plentifully when our stocke is whole and dayly increasing then when it decayeth and is in some part spent and wasted wee may better defend our selues against our spirituall enemies when as wee are in our compleate armour then when we haue put off some pieces of it And wee shall much more easily discourage them and weaken their sury by taking away all hope of victory when wee haue remitted nothing of our Christian valour and fortitude but stand couragiously vpon hostile tearmes and at open defiance with them and when wee keepe them out from entring into our borders then when we growe to â— parley and yeeld a little to their conditions or when we haue suffered them to iâ—â—ade some part of our countrey and haue receiued some foyles in the spirituall conflict Againe the more resolutely we stand in the strength of grace receiued the more willing the Lord is to assist vs in fighting his battailes the more carefull wee are to increase his spirituall talents the more ready hee is to re-double them whereas it is iust with our great commander to leaue vs to our selues to deliuer vs into the hands of our enemies when we begin cowardly to leaue his standard and somewhat to incline to the enemies part by our remisnesse in fighting or faintnesse in yeelding it is a righteous thing with our Lord and Master when we waste his rich talents and spend ryotously some part of the stock to take that which remaineth from vs and giue it to another who wil be more carefull and faithfull in imploying of it Finally that we may not decline no not in the least degrees let vs consider that it is most dangerous for who can be assured if he begin once to slip that he can preserue himselfe from catching a fall or that hauing begun to runne downe the hill he can stay himselfe before he come to the bottome And therefore if wee would stand surely let vs stand in our sinceritie if wee would not weaken the spirit nor haue the gifts thereof to perish in vs let vs preserue them euen in their least degrees from vvasting and consuming § Sect. 5. That we must auoyde fleshly sloth and negligence The last meanes of weakening the spirit which wee are to take heede of is fleshly sloth and negligence when as hauing receiued Gods graces and gifts of the Spirit wee doe not imploy and exercise them in holy and Christian duties to the glory of him that gaue them and the edification of our neighbours for whose sake also wee haue receiued them For as the strength of the body is much weakened and impayred when as wee liue in sloth and idlenesse and neuer imploy it in any good exercise so is it also with our spirituall strength Our knowledge must be then exercised in the holy practise of that wee know our faith in good workes our loue towards God and our neighbours in performing all duties which wee owe vnto them our zeale in aduancing all meanes of Gods glory and in remouing all impediments wherby it is hindred and impeached And if we thus imploy Gods spirituall graces which are his talents committed vnto vs then will our Lord and Master increase and multiply them and we shall haue abundance but if with the slothfull and vnprofitable seruant wee hide them in a napkin neuer imploying our graces receiued to the glory of our Master nor the good of our fellowes in the same family he wil take these talents from vs and cast vs into outer darknes Finally though it were possible that we could abound in the graces of the spirit yet if we did not vse them for our owne defence and discomforting and indamaging of our enemies wee should be neuer the neerer the obtaining victory If wee haue the sword of the spirit and neuer smite with it nor draw it out but suffer it to rust in the scabbard if wee haue all the seuerall parts of the Christian Armour and neuer put it on and girt it to vs but suffer it as it were to hang rusting vpon the walles without vse if we haue powder and good peeces of Ordnance but neuer charge nor discharge them against the enemy wee shall neuer ouercome and put them to flight but notwithstanding our furniture and munition we shal be vanquished in the first assault and become an easie prey vnto them but if hauing these warlike preparations we doe imploy them in the spirituall Warfare with all care and diligence we shall be sure to obtaine the victory CHAP. XX. Of the meanes for the comforting choaring and strengthening of the spirit vnto the Conflict § Sect. 1. Earnest and longing desires after spirituall streÌ„gth THE second thing required is that wee vse all meanes for the comforting and cheering the strengthening and inabling of the spirit vnto this spirituall Conflict And first wee must earnestly desire to haue the spirit more strengthened and the gifts and graces thereof inlarged and and multiplyed in vs For as we haue Gods promise that if wanting the spitit we doe desire and pray for it he will giue him vnto vs so also when hauing it we desire to haue it and Luk. 11. 13.
and foyleth the aduerse party like those warres of old betweene the Romanes and Carthaginians and those mighty enemies the Turkes and Persians in these dayes And because both parties continue in their great strength hereof it commeth to passe that these sharpe and fierce encounters doe also last euen to the end of their liues vntill the Lord by death doe put an end to the battaile giuing vnto the spirituall man full and finall victory ouer all his enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting happinesse § Sect. 4. That this conflict is aften weake in strong Christians Finally the Lord to shew the riches of his bounty doth sometimes giue vnto his seruants such a large measure of spirituall strength sauing grace knowledge faith loue Christian magnanimitie and the rest that like those mightie worthies in the time of Dauid none of their spirituall enemies are able to withstand them but in the first encounters after this strength receiued they foile wound and vanquish them either leading them captiue without any great resistance or else putting them to a shamefull flight So as they neuer againe gather their scattered forces nor once dare to enter the field onely they may perhaps after a treacherous manner lye in ambushment and make some attempt vpon some great aduantage And in this case the spirituall sould our gloriously triumpheth ouer his spirituall enemies and keeping them vnder with vnresistable power doth enioy his victory with much peace and heauenly comfort But all this while we are to remember that the Christian Champian and the Lords great worthy doth not thus preuaile by vertue of any naturall strength which he hath aboue others of his fellow souldiers but like Sampson through the gifts of the spirit and the power of God communicated vnto him which because through their pride and selfe-loue they are apt to forget and beeing swollen vp in their owne conceipts to rob God of his glory by arrogating some part of the praise of their spirituall strength and victories vnto themselues the Lord leaueth them by spiritual desertions vnto their owne abilities and letteth loose their enemies to assault and encounter them In which case they are vtterly vnable to stand in the least conflict but are shamefully foyled put to flight and led captiue of sinne as we see in the example of Noah Lot Iob Dauid Peter and many others And then being discouraged and discomfited they complaine with Iob that God opposeth them as a mightie enemie making them his markes and shooting against them his enuenomed arrowes With Dauid that God hath forsaken them will be no Psal 22. 1. 77 7. 8. more intreated but hath shut vp his kindnesse in displeasure that his terrours doe fight against them dry their bones and drinke vp their spirits And finally with the Church they cry out O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy Esa 63. 17. 64. 9. wayes and hardened our heart from thy feare Bee not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquitie for euer On the other side the flesh all this while proudly swelleth in victorie insulteth ouer the spirit is this the man that tooke God for his hope Carryeth away the spoiles and vaunteth it selfe in a wicked triumph But though God hath withdrawne himselfe a little that the spirituall man might more carnestly seeke him yet hee doth not vtterly forsake his souldiers and seruants and those his graces in them though in respect of sense motion and outward operation they seeme quâ—â—e vtterly extinguished yet in truth they are but in a swound and as it were couered ouer with the ashes of corruption and therefore when the Lord reuiueth them bloweth vpon them with his spirit and cherisheth their inward heate by fresh fuell and a new accesse of sauing grace then Sampsons haire growing cut againe hee recouereth his strength and the Christian Champion being grieued and ashamed for his former foyles gatheteth together his scattered forces and with more then wonted valure and resolution encountering his enemies he putteth them to flight obtaineth the victorie and for euer after holdeth them vnder in more base subiection CHAP. XI How we may know whether this Conflict be fought in vs that is whether the spirit of God dwell in vs or no. § Sect. 1. That euery faith fall man may ought to be assured that the spirit of God dwelleth in him THE third point propounded iâ— how a Christian may know whether there bee in him this conflict betweene the spirit and the flesh or no which is in effect as much as to knowe whether wee be sound Christians whether we be the children of God whether wee belong to Gods election and finally whether we haue in vs any sauing grace yea or no seeing in all these and these onely this conflict is or wil be fought as soone as they are regenerate and conuerted vnto God The which waighty question hath already in part beene resolued when as I shewed the differences betweene the combate of the flesh and spirit and the conflict of conscience and the will and affections and now commeth to be more fully and directly handled For the clearing whereof we need not to make any further search but onely to examine whether the spirit of God accompanied with his sauing graces which is one of the combatants doth reside and dwell in vs. For if it doe theÌ„ there is no question but this conflict is in vs seeing it no sooner entreth and taketh possession of vs but presently it maketh warre against our flesh with all the carnall lusts thereof deposeth them from their regency giueth them deadly wounds holdeth them in subiection and laboureth all it may vtterly to desplace and roote them out Now euery faithfull man ought to be assured of this namely that the spirit of God dwelleth in him or if hee haue not this assurance as yet he is neuer to be at rest till it bee euident and cleare in his owne heart and conscience as being the greatest question and the waightiest and most important case of conscience that can bee propounded or knowne of vs. The which as it may bee knowne so no Christian ought to bee ignorant of it as the Apostle implyeth by that interrogation Know yee not that yee are the 1 Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you And againe Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost And therefore we must not content our selues with the doubtfull opinion of the Papists nor with the vncertaine and vngrounded hope of carnall gospellers but labour after certaine assurance that wee are the Temples of God and that his holy Spirit dwelleth in vs. Which that we may studiously indeauour to attaine vnto let vs consider first that God in his Word reuealeth this truth of the spirits dwelling in euery faithfull Christian by many infallible markes and signes to this end and purpose that we Deut. 29. 19.
the flesh and strength of Sathans tentations it may be auerted from God and turne this way and that way after the vanities of the world and the deceitfull pleasures of sinne yet it neuer resteth till it be againe returned and inclined towards him from whom it had first motion and being It may be whilest the storme of tentation lasteth the spirit may be hid like the sunne vnder a thicke cloud or a ship couered ouer with the waues but afterwards the beames and beauty of it will burst through and dispell these foggie mists and like a goodly ship it will againe aduance it selfe and appeare vnder full sayles speedily hasting towards the holy land And finally though these carnall lusts like those cursed Amalekites may on a sodaine make inroades waste spoile sack burne leade captiue and carry away a great bootie for some small way yet the spirit like Dauid being excited by Gods Oracle will rise vp pursue these enemies obtaine victory and vindicate and recouer all out of their hands Where againe we haue a notable difference between the regenerate and the vnregenerate For whereas they being ruled by a free and generous spirit doe after their foyles earnestly desire and labour to re-gaine their libertie and repaire and increase their strength that giuing a new on set they may put their enemies to flight and obtaine victorie the other being of a slauish disposition after they are once subdued doe contentedly liue in the bondage of sinne neuer labouring or endeauouring to come out of it and better their estate Or if there be in them any struggling at all it is onely out of seruile feare and terrours of conscience arising from expectation of deserued punishment which as hath beene shewed may make some assaults against the will and affections and yet neither part be more sanctified or lesse corrupted then the other but like the good Witch which vndoeth that which the bad Witch hath done they remaine both euill and the limmes of Sathan agreeing well enough in their common designes of wickednesse and impietie § Sect. 3 Secondly an indeauor in the vse of all good meanes to be preserued from such foyles for the time to come But it is not thus with the man regenerate who after his foyles receiued from the flesh not onely earnestly desireth and indeauoureth to recouer himselfe from the captiuitie of sinne but hauing obtained his desire vseth all good meanes whereby hee may for the time to come be preserued from being againe surprised by the like stratagems and assaults To which purpose hee doth first keepe a narrow watch ouer all his wayes and especially ouer his owne heart wherein the flesh hideth it chiefe ambushments not easily and suddenly yeelding to the satisfying of euery desire of profit and delight but first trying and examining them by the rule of Gods Word whether they are to be lawfully imbraced as Gods blessings or to be reiected seeing they cannot be compassed without sinne Secondly he wil be most carefull to comfort and strengthen the spirituall part to keepe the armour of God fast buckled on him to be alwaies well prouided furnished with weapons and munition before the time of conflict or rather because this conflict with the flesh is continuall he will take care that he may neuer be found vnprouided Finally hee will shew the like care in weakening and disabling his enemie the flesh by withdrawing from it the chiefe weapons and munition whereby it hath formerly preuailed and will studiously indeauour to be so furnished at all points that he may be able to incounter it in the open field or to defeate the pollitique stratagems and escape the secret ambushments which it layeth to intrap him Thirdly the regenerate man after his fals will more zealously hate his sinnes and especially those wherewith he hath beene ouertaken then euer hee did before and in this detestation will auoide and flee from it yea the oftner hee hath fallen into it the more his hatred increaseth against it as against his greatest enemie from whom hee hath receiued most wrong and damage Euen as a man most feareth and shunneth that sicknesse which hath most vexed him abhorreth that meate whereon hee hath dangerously surfetted and most hateth that serpent the venome and poison of vvhose sting hath most afflicted and tormented him Lastly after his foyles and fals hee will carefully performe all holy duties which are contrarie to his former sinnes as if hee hee haue fallen by couetousnesse he will being risen exercise himselfe in bounty and liberalitie if by pride hee will abase himselfe in all humblenesse and meekenes of spirit if by surfetting and excesse in meates and drinkes hee will practise moderation in dyet and oftentimes fasting and totall abstinence Yea the regenerate man after his relapses into the ague fits of sinne will much increase and thriue in his spirituall stature beeing much more feruent and zealous in all holy and Christian duties then hee vvas before redeeming his lost time by future diligence and running after hee is risen vp so much the more swiftly by how much hee findeth himselfe hindered in his spirituall race by his slippes and fals §. Sect 4. How farre the flesh may preuaile against the spirit 1 common graces may be lost for a time But here a waightie question may fitly and seasonably be moued and determined namely how farre the flesh in this conflict may preuaile against the spirit and whether it may by the furious assaults thereof be not onely foiled but for a time quite ouercome not onely cooled but vtterly quenched lost extinguished For the resoluing of which doubt wee must first distinguish betweene the gifts of the spirit and the persons in whom they are The gifts may bee considered both in their kinde and in their qualitie Concerning the former the gifts and graces of the spirit are either common to the regenerate and vnregenerate or proper and peculiar to the faithfull and elect The common graces are especially those Morall vertues of wisedome ciuill honestie fortitude temperance patience and such like which may not only be lost extinguished in worldly ciuil men but also in the faithfull because they are not essentiall to a Christian but rather ornaments then parts of the spiritual man And this Dauid may be a foole in seeming so and be spiritually mad whilest he counterfetteth naturall madnes thus hee was dishonest in his dealing with Bethsheba and much more with Vriah his faithfull seruant and both vniust and vngratefull in that vnrighteous sentence for Ziba against Mephibosheth the innocent distressed sonne of his dearest Ionathan Thus Noah made a temporarie for feiture of his temperance Lot of his chastitie Ieremy and Ionah Rom. 11. 29. Ioh. 10. 18. of their patience and many other of Gods best seruants of the like graces But as for those sanctifying and sauing graces proper and peculiar to the faithfull which are so essentiall vnto a Christian that without them hee ceaseth