I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
— Psalm 69:3-5
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
— Isaiah 43:2
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
— Psalm 71:20
And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
— Job 2:2
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
— Acts 14:22
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
— 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
— 2 Timothy 3:11-12
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
— Psalm 34:6
The Christian Warfare, by John Downame. The following contains Chapters One and Two of his work. 1609.
CHAPTER I. That all the godly are assaulted with the spiritual enemies of their salvation.
The Apostle having shown the mystery of our salvation and the causes thereof for the confirmation of our faith in the three first chapters of his Epistle to the Ephesians, and afterwards in the other chapters having set down diverse duties both generally belonging to all Christians, and also particularly appertaining to men of sundry conditions, that he might move them to repentance and amendment of life; in the next place like the Lord’s Sentinel doth discover and give us warning of the approach of mighty enemies, willing us to arm ourselves at all points in our own defense, and courageously to stand under the standard of Christ Jesus, that we may be continually in readiness to endure the encounter, chap. 6:10,11, &c. Whereby he giveth us to understand, that as soon as we seek for assurance of salvation in Christ, and endeavor to serve the Lord in a holy and a Christian life, we are to prepare ourselves for a combat, unless we would suddenly be surprised; for the spiritual enemies of our salvation banded themselves against us as soon as we have given our names unto God, and taken upon us the profession and practice of Christianity, which are the livery and cognizance of our heavenly Lord and Master. And this is manifest by the example of God’s children from time to time, who although they lived in peace and security before they were entertained into God’s family, yet no sooner were they admitted to be of God’s household servants, but Satan and the world have raged against them, laboring both by inward temptations and outward fury, either to withdraw them from God’s service by flattering enticements, or utterly to destroy and overthrow them by open violence. No sooner had Abel offered a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor unto God, but Satan stirreth up Cain to become his butcher: whilst Moses was contented to be reputed the son of Pharaohs daughter he enjoyed all prosperity, but as soon as he joined himself to God’s people and Church, Pharaoh seeketh his life: as long as the Israelites worshipped the Egyptian Idols, they sat by their flesh-pots in peace, and quietly enjoyed the fruits of the land; but as soon as they made but a motion of serving the Lord, the King stirred up by the devil, doth rage against them with more than barbarous cruelty: whilst Paul persecuted the Church of God, Satan did not so much trouble him either outwardly in body or inwardly in mind; but no sooner was he truly converted to the faith and preached the Gospel, but presently he setteth his wicked imps on work to take away his life, which the Lord not permitting, he moveth them to persecute him by imprisoning, whipping, and stoning him; and not content with these outward afflictions, he sendeth his messenger to buffet him, that he might be no less vexed inwardly in mind then outwardly in body. Yea he spared not our Savior Christ himself, but as soon as he began to show himself to be the son of God and redeemer of mankind, in performing the duties of his calling, then especially he bendeth all his force against him, he tempteth and assaulteth him forty days together, and taking the foil himself, he stirreth up his wicked instruments to persecute him, and at length to take away his life. Whosoever therefore resolve to be God’s servants, must make account to be his soldiers also; and whilst with Nehemiah’s followers, with one hand they perform the works of their callings and Christianity, they must with the other hand hold their weapons to repel their spiritual enemies, who continually labor to hinder the Lords buildings: for no sooner do we become friends to God, but presently Satan assaulteth us as his enemies; no sooner do we receive the Lord’s press money and set foot into his camp, but Satan advanceth against us his flags of defiance, laboring both by secret treachery, and outward force, to supplant and overcome us.
Here therefore is instruction for secure worldlings, and consolation and encouragement for God’s children. Worldly men in steed of fighting the Lord’s battles, spend their time in chambering and wantonness, in lusts and uncleanness, in Music and dalliance, in surfeiting and all voluptuousness, in covetousness and idleness, as though there were no enemy to assault them, and as if Satan were some meek lamb and not a roaring lion ready to devour them; so that good Moses coming near them cannot hear the noise of them that have the victory, nor the noise of them that are overcome, but the noise of singing and merriment, for they are not fighting the battles of the Lord of hosts, but solemnizing a Sabbath to the golden Calf, sitting down to eat and drink and rising up to play. The spiritual Canaanites are quite forgotten, and they remember not the blessed land of promise, whereunto like pilgrims they should be travailing, but make this world, this wilderness of sin, the place of their joy and delight. In a word, they flourish in their outward states, and never in their minds feel any vexation of Satan’s temptations. And what is the cause of all this? If you ask them they will say, that they have such a strong faith and peace of conscience, that Satan’s temptations have no power over them; neither were they ever troubled with any of his encounters. And not content with these brags of their own happy estate, they censure and condemn God’s children, accounting their state most desperate who are molested with Satan’s temptations, and go mourning under the burden of sin all the day long; supposing either that they are in Satan’s power, and have more grievously sinned then other men, or that they are mad and frantic so to vex themselves with such needless sorrow. But let such men know that of all others their state is most dangerous, for they are grievously sick, and have no sense of their disease, their wounds are so mortal that they deprive them of all feeling; they are assaulted, yea taken prisoners whilst they sleep soundly in security, and discern not the approach of the enemy. Non ergo repugnant quia se impugnari ignorant: They make no resistance because they are ignorant of the assault. And what can be more dangerous than to have the enemy approach and lay hands on us before we be aware? But this is the state of those men: for as one saith, Tum maxim impugnantur cum se impugnari nesciant: They are most assaulted when they feel no assault. Let them know, that they are not the Lord’s soldiers but the devils revelers, and therefore he fighteth not against them because they are his friends. For there was never any of Christ’s soldiers in the Militant Church which have not been exercised in this warfare; there was never any so strong in faith but Satan durst encounter him, even the Apostles, yea Adam in the state of innocence, yea our Savior Christ himself; there were never any so constant in the course of Christianity, but the world hath sought to draw them out of the right way by her baits of prosperity, or to force them to sin by threatening adversity; there were never any that have had in them one spark of God’s spirit Christ excepted who have not felt it assaulted and often foiled by the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and they are contrary the one to the other, as it is, Gal. 5:17. Yea the Apostle Paul himself when he was most sanctified, saw another law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind, leading him captive to the law of sin, as appeareth, Rom. 7:23.
It is not therefore their strength of faith, but their carnal security which so lulleth them asleep in the cradle of worldly vanities that they cannot discern this fight; it is not their peace with God nor the peace of conscience which makes them thus quiet, for there is no such peace, saith my God, to the wicked, Isa. 57:21, but it is a peace which they have made with Satan, a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, as the Prophet speaketh, Isa. 28:15. When the strong-armed man Satan quietly keeps the house, the things that he possesseth are in peace; but when a stronger than he cometh to dispossess him, he will never lose his possession without a fight; and we cannot choose but feel the blows in so sharp an encounter. Luk. 11:21. If a man never enter the field to fight against Satan, or if at the first encounter he yield himself prisoner, and be content to be tied in the pleasing fetters of sin, it is no marvel that he doth not rage in his conscience, when as already he is in his captivity ready to perform all those works of darkness wherein he employeth him; but if when Christ the redeemer is preached unto them by his Ambassadors, they would show any desire of coming out of his thralldom, surely this spiritual Pharaoh would never lose their service but by force and compulsion, neither can so strong a man be forced but we must needs feel the conflict. While the prisoner lieth in the dungeon, loaded with bolts and tied in chains, the keeper sleepeth securely, because he knoweth he is safe; but if his bolts being filed off and his chains loosed, he have escaped out of prison, then the Jailor beginneth to bustle and pursueth him speedily with Hue and Cry: so whilst Satan holdeth us imprisoned in the dark dungeon of ignorance, loaded and tied with the heavy bolts and chains of sin, he is reckless and secure; but if our Savior by his Ambassadors in the preaching of the word, loose and unburden us of these chains and bolts, and by the light of his spirit so illuminate the eyes of our understanding, that we see the way out of Satan’s dungeon of ignorance, and so escape out of his captivity, then he rageth against and pursueth us as Pharaoh did the Israelites, that either he may bring us back again into his bondage, or else destroy us, if we make resistance. Lastly they feel not any fight between the flesh and the spirit, because the flesh wholly ruleth them, and like a flood which hath a clear current carrieth them wholly into a sea of sin without any stop or resistance, and therefore no marvel they feel not this fight, when the spirit which is one of the combatants hath no force nor residence in them.
Secondly, God’s children who continually feel the assaults of their spiritual enemies, and see the breaches which are made in their souls with the continual battery of their temptations, may receive no small consolation hereby, when as they consider that all who profess themselves God’s servants, and resolve to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness are thus tempted and tried. For the Dragon is wroth with the woman that is God’s Church and her seed which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, as is Rev. 12:17, and like a roaring lion seeketh their destruction, because they have renounced him, and fight under the standard of the Lord of hosts whom he maligneth: and hence it is that whilst we live without sense of sin, we eat and drink and take our ease without disturbance, but after we make any conscience of our ways and endeavor to serve the Lord, then Satan casteth against us the fiery darts of his temptations, and we feel many conflicts between the flesh and the spirit, with which the worldly man is never troubled. So that when we are thus tempted and assaulted by Satan, the world, and our corrupt flesh, it is a strong argument to persuade us that we are entertained for God’s soldiers, and have received the press money of his spirit; for Satan’s kingdom is not divided, neither doth he fight against those who are his friends and servants, but against those who wage war against him and fight under the Lord’s standard. True it is, that when his servants have committed such abominable and grievous sins, as have made deep wounds in their seared consciences, whereby they are awakened out of their sleepy lethargy of security, then Satan filleth them with horror and despair, that he may keep them from true repentance, when he can hide from them their sins no longer; and the Lord in his just judgment, and for the example of others, doth suffer Satan to begin in them the torments of hell in this life; but if he can by any means hide their sins and keep them quietly in his kingdom, he will never vex them. And hence it is that whereas one perisheth through despair, many thousands perish through presumption and security. Let all those therefore who feel the burden of their sins, and are vexed with the continual assaults of their spiritual enemies comfort themselves; for hereby they have assurance that they are members of the Church militant, into which none but soldiers are entertained, and that now they begin to be God’s friends and servants when as Satan opposeth himself against them.
CHAPTER II. Why God suffereth his servants to be exercised in the spiritual conflict of temptations.
ut here it may be demanded, why the Lord will suffer his servants to be thus tempted and assaulted, whereas the wicked are free from such conflicts. I answer, first for his own glory, for whereas our enemies are strong and mighty and we weak and feeble, hereby is the Lord’s omnipotent power manifested to all the world, by whose assistance such impotent wretches conquer and subdue such furious and puissant enemies.
Secondly, God suffereth his children to be tempted, that so those spiritual graces which he hath bestowed upon them may the more clearly shine to his glory. For who can know whether they be God’s golden vessels before they be brought to the touchstone of temptation? Who could know the faith, patience and valor of God’s soldiers, if they always lay quietly in garrison and never came to the skirmish? Who could feel the odoriferous smell of these aromatical spices, if they were not punned and bruised in the mortar of afflictions? For example, who would have discerned Abraham’s faith, David’s piety, Job’s patience, Paul’s courage and constancy, if they had been never tempted, which now to the glory of God shine to all the world?
And as the Lord suffereth Satan and his imps to try his children for his own glory, so also for their spiritual and everlasting good: for first hereby he chastiseth them for their sins past, and recalleth them to their remembrance, that so they may truly repent of them. And this cause Job speaketh of: Job. 13:26. Thou writest saith he bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
Secondly, hereby he manifesteth unto us our secret and hidden sins, which the blind eyes of our judgment would not discern, if their sight were not quickened with this sharp water of temptation. For so long as we live in peace, our secure consciences never summon us to the bar of God’s judgment; but when we are roused up by temptation, we enter into a more straight examination of ourselves, and search what secret sins lie lurking in the hidden corners of our hearts, that so we may repent of them and make our peace with God, without whose assistance we can have no hope to stand in any temptation.
Thirdly, the Lord hereby preventeth our sins to come: for when we have experience, that the most sharp weapons, which Satan useth to inflict deep wounds in our consciences, are our sins; this will make us most careful to abstain from them, least thereby we strengthen him for our own overthrow. And as these temptations of Satan are in this regard so many bridles to restrain us from sin; so also they are so many pricks to let out the wind of vain glory, wherewith like bladders we be puffed up, as we may see in the example of Paul, who lest he should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, received a prick in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him. 2 Cor. 12:7.
Fourthly, the Lord suffereth Satan to assault us, that we may hereby come to the fight of our own weakness and infirmities, when we have received many foils; and learn to rely upon his help and assistance in all our dangers; for so proud we are by nature, that before we come to the fight we think that we can repel the strongest assaults, and overcome all enemies which oppose themselves against us by our own power; but when we see ourselves vanquished and foiled with every small temptation, we learn to have a more humble conceit of our own ability, and to depend wholly upon the Lord. And this end is set down, Deut. 8:2, and 13:3.
Fifthly, the Lord permitteth Satan continually to assail us with his temptations, to the end we may continually buckle unto us the whole armor of God, that we may be ready for the battle. For as those who have no enemies to encounter them, cast their armor aside and let it rust, because they are secure from danger; but when the enemies are at hand and sound the alarm, they both wake and sleep in their armor ready for the assault: so, if we should not continually skirmish with our spiritual enemies, we would lay aside the spiritual armor; but when we have continual use of it, both day and night we keep it fast buckled unto us, that being armed at all points, we may be able to make resistance that we be not surprised at unawares.
Lastly, by this conflict the Lord strengtheneth and increaseth all his graces in us: for as by exercise the strength of the body is preserved and augmented, and in short time decayeth through idleness and sloth; so the gifts of God’s spirit, faith, affiance, hope, patience and the rest languish in us, if they be not exercised with temptations. For tribulation bringeth forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, as it is, Rom. 5:3,4,5. For when once we have been tempted and tried, and the Lord hath mercifully delivered us from the temptation, afterwards being so assaulted we patiently endure it, hoping for the Lord’s assistance, believing and assuring ourselves that the Lord who hath delivered us will again deliver us, as it is, Psal. 27:9. Moreover, when we see the great need of the graces of God’s spirit, this will be a strong motive to entice us to a careful use of all good means whereby we may attain unto them, whereas if we were free from this spiritual conflict, we should not so clearly see nor apprehend the use and necessity of them.
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