Chapter 40. Of Christian Warfare.
A GOLDEN CHAIN
Chapter 40. Of Christian Warfare.
Christian warfare concerns the right way of fighting in the spiritual battle.
The parts of it are the preparation for battle, and the combat itself.
As to the preparation, we must use the complete armour of God. Eph 6.13, For this cause, take to yourself the whole armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having finished all things, stand fast.
There are especially six parts of this [armour]: 1.
Truth; 2. Justice; 3. Evangelical [personal] obedience; 4. Faith; 5. The word of God; 6. Continual and fervent prayer, with watching.
Eph 6.14-18, Stand therefore, and your loins girded about with verity [truth], and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, take the shield of faith, with which you may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints. 1Pet
5.8, Be sober, and watch for your adversary; the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour.
The combat is a mutual conflict of those who fight spiritually.
The warriors are the Tempter, and the Christian soldier. Eph 6.12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly governors, the princes of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness, which are in high places.
WILLIAM PERKINS
The Tempter is the prince, or his helpers. The prince is Satan and his angels, which are spiritual wickednesses in high things. His helpers are the flesh and the world.
The conflict of all these is temptation, by which man is provoked to commit such wickedness as is hurtful to the salvation of his soul. 1Pet 2.11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul.
In the Soldier, two things are to be considered: his resisting, and his fall.
Resistance is an action by which the soldier withstands temptation, through grace working in him inwardly. 1Joh 2.14, I write to you babes, because you have known the Father. I have written to you fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked [one]. 1Pet 5.8; Eph
6.16. Psa 91.13, You shall walk upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the dragon you shall tread underfoot.
To confirm this, these preservatives which follow, are very necessary.
I. When you are tempted to sin, not only abstain from it, but earnestly love and follow after the contrary.
II. Never yield or consent to Satan's words, whether he speaks the truth, accuses falsely, or flatters dissemblingly. Joh 8.44, You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father, you will do. He has been a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, then he speaks of his own. For he is a liar, and father of them.
Mar 1.24-25, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, the son of the most high God? And Jesus said, Hold your peace and come out of him. Act 16.17, She followed Paul and us, and
A GOLDEN CHAIN
cried out saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation, etc. See Augustine, Sermon 241.
III. Temptation is to be looked for one after another, especially when our enemy, after he has set his snares, seems at rest. For the devil never makes an end of his malice. 1Pet 5.8.
The fall is when the soldier faints through infirmity, being subdued by the power of the enemy. Gal 6.1,
Brethren, if a man has on occasion fallen into any fault, you who are spiritual, restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.
To this pertains the spiritual remedy. A remedy is a thing having aptness to restore someone who has fallen into his former estate. Gal 6.1.
And here are two things that must always be thought about:
I. If there is a willing mind, everyone is accepted for that grace which he has, not for that which he does not have. 2Cor 8.12, For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not.
II. In all these things, whoever would lead a godly life in Christ, the power of God is to be made perfect through their infirmity. 2Cor 12.9, And He said to me,
'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect through weakness.' I will therefore very gladly rejoice in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.