THE CHRISTIAN SWORD AND BUCKLER. OR, A Letter sent by D. SPRINT, to a man seven years grievously afflicted in conscience, and fearfully possessed by the Devil. Very comfortable and commodious too withst and the assaults of Satan. LONDON Printed by B. Alsop for Samuel Rand and are to be sold at his shop at Holborn Bridge. 1623. THE CHRISTIAN SWORD AND BUCKLER. SIR I am not unmindful of your Letter, though by occasion of business I have been let. I commend your care to seek comfort from the ordinance of God, that is his 1 Thes. 5. 14. Ministers, who are commanded of God to comfort the feeble minded, Esa. 10. ●, ●, and to speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and to cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned; As Christ was anointed, so are his Ministers appointed to preach the Gospel to the Luke 4. 1●. poor, deliverance to the captive, recovery of fight to the blind and to set at liberty such as are bruised. Wherefore seeing you have entreated me help, I will (by God's assistance) satisfy your desire. Your case was strange to be holden as a creature senseless for seven whole years. But others also have been holden with the like; Nabuchadnezar Dan. 4. 29. King of Babel was turned out a grazing among beasts. 7. years; yea Gods children have been far worse afflicted, as that Daughter of Abraham was for 18. years bound of Satan. The man Luke 13. 16 40. 5. whom our Saviour cured had been diseased 38. years which are far above the distance of your sickness, wherefore you ought not to think the worse of yourself, for nothing hath befallen unto you but that which appertaineth 1. Cor. 10. 13. unto man; Nay you ought to comfort your heart in your affliction, for as you know the sender which is God, and the cause which is your sin: So now you know your deliverer, and the cause which is his mercy; for it is the Lord who killeth and 1. Sam. 2. 6. maketh alive, bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up: And by how much greater your cross hath been, by so much the greater was your deliverance; The mighty power of God upon your body, and his rich mercy on your soul, hath the more appeared, that so the more he might be glorified, and your heart comforted; for you may argue thus; The Lord might have in justice destroyed me, yet he hath in mercy spared me; the Lord might have chosen whether he would have delivered me or not; But in great mercy he rather chose to deliver me; The Lord might have left me my health, and withdrawn his grace from me, and given ●he over to the power of Satan: But he hath restored my health and understanding, and renewed my Grace; Hereby I see God dear loveth me, which I could never see if I had not thus been afflicted; How should I hence forth distrust his providence, doubt of his promises, despair of his mercy, why would I not rest assured, and secured of his present and perpetual love to embrace me, his mercy to pardon me, his providence to defend me, his goodness to compass me and to work all evils for my good; Therefore my soul return unto thy rest, for Psal. 116. 7. 8. 9 12. 13. the Lord hath been beneficial to thee; he hath delivered my soul from death, and mine eyes from tears, & my feet ●oo●● falling, I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living, what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits, I will take the cup of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. The Lord was ready to save me, Psa. 38. ●0. therefore I will sing my song all the days of my life in the house of the Lord. Thus may you comfort yourself, yet measure not Gods love so much by your deliverance, as by his grace which nature gave you not, nor hath God taken away. For as afflictions are no certain tokens of God's anger: so deliverance, is not always a token of his favour. For he gave the Isralites their desires, but he sent heaviness into their souls: God may in mercy lengthen Psal. 106. 15 our afflictions, & in judgement make an end of it. The table of the wicked Psal. ●9. ●●. is a snare unto them, and their prosperity their ruin, but it is good for God's Psal. 119. 7● children that they have been afflicted that they may learn his statutes; godliness is God's best portion which is 1. Tim. 6. 6, & 4. 8. great gain, and is profitable for all things, having the promises of the life present, and of that which is to come; Wherefore prove the grace that is in you and to measure the love of God unto you; Try what godly grief you have for sin; what vexation at your wants, what fear of God, what faith in jesus Christ, what love of God's children, what delight in the word and Ministry, what desire of the grace you lack, what fervency in prayer, what cheerfulness in praising God, what care of well doing, and readiness to do the will of God, what patience in suffering crosses from God, and reproof from man, what holy Meditations, what gracious speeches, what diligence in your calling, what dutifulness to your superiors, what purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord; these are the sparkles of God's Image, the fruits of his spirit, the effects of his grace, the assurance of his election, the certain tokens of his presence; For 2. Cor. 1. 5. 2 the Lord is with us, whiles we are with him; and he draweth near unto ●●m. 4. 8. us when we draw near unto him. Now touching the temptations of Satan that do trouble you, perceive when God hath done with you, the Devil taketh you in hand, God afflicteth your body, and the Devil your soul. But as God brought you from sickness to health: So think that God can bring you from temptations to victory; that being prepared by affliction in Soul and body, you may both serve him in this life, and live with him in the next. Every temptation of a Christian, is a ground of strong consolation, because Satan's onsets argue that we are none of his; for the Dragon strikes not at his own soldiers (for Kingdoms Reu. 12. ●. divided are at an end) but at Mychaell and his Angels; If Christ Math. 12. 25 had not been the Son of God, he would not so fiercely have assailed him; warriors never besiege nor batter Cities they have won, so Satan seeks not the souls he hath devoured; he rageth most at those he cannot get, Revel 12. 13 14. 15. 17. and is most busy with those he hath least to do; when this strong man keepeth his Palace in men's souls, the Luke 11. 21. things that he possesseth are in peace; and when he is restrained and muzzeled by the power of God, he rageth at the persons, and roareth in the conscience of God's dear Children; your temptations come not to you by chance, but by the will of God, without whose leave he cannot touch either job. 1. 10. man or beast; But God hath an hand to limit Satan, and direct his Math. 8. 31. temptation for our good, as he hath an hand to let him lose for our trial and vexation; Hereby he humbleth the 2. Cor. 12. 17. pride, tryeth the patience, sifteth the faith and worketh the victory of his job. 1. 11. 12. Luke 22. 31 Reuel. 12. 11 Math. 4. 1. beloved Saints: It is God's spirit that leadeth God's Children to be tempted of the Devil and he that leads them into the battle can give them victory; 1. Io. 4. 4. For greater is he that is in us then, he that is in the world; The Serpent's Gen. 3. 15. head is crushed by the seed of the woman; The Devil is conquered and cast Reu. 12. 10. 12. out of heaven, and is come down into the inhabitants of the earth, so that Angels cannot separate us from the Rom. 8. 38. 39 Luke 22. 31. 32. love of God in Christ, when Satan hindereth us, Christ prayeth that our faith fail not, for he ever liveth to make request for us; when the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet us, God's grace is sufficient for us; wherefore 2. Cor. 12. 9 you must rejoice in these temptations, because it is for the trial of your faith and patience; And for Sathan● jam. 1. 2. 3. fig for him, resist him only and he will fly from you, pray to your Father to free you from temptations, and i● he do not free you from them, yet he jam. 4. 7. will deliver you from evil. The particular points of his temptations, I will briefly touch: He tel● you, that the word of God is false: This is the first lesson that the Devil teacheth, and it is his way to mak● men Atheist; But you must tell hi● that God is as true of his word; as h● is false of his; God is the God of truth; Psal. 31. 5. Io. 8. 44. and the Devil is the father of a lie. I● is not possible that God should lie. I● is not possible but the Devil should lie; Heb. 6. 18. say you unto your soul I must believe the truth, and not a lie, lest I turn Rom. 1. 25. God's truth into a lie; for he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; 1. Io. 5. ●0. I will rather believe the creator than the creature; the maker than the destroyer of man: and that which will save me then that which will condemn me; yea let God be true, & every Rom. 3. 4. jam. 1. 18. Devil and man a liar; As for the word of god it is the word of truth it is righteousness altogether, every word thereof is pure & endureth for ever; This the Psal. 19 9 godly show, who only love it, this the wicked show who only hate it; this the Pro. 39 5. 1, Pet. 1. 25. spirit witnesseth in the hearts of God's Children, this the power thereof proclaimeth in the conversion of souls: this experience of all times and places maketh evident, the wicked know it to their cost, (both men and Devils) the faithful to their comfort. Next if Satan seek to lay your sins before your eyes; thereto you must lay the sufferings of Christ before your eyes; If he accuse you, tell him the accuser Reu. 12. 10. of brethren is cast out; If he charge your conscience with your sins; ask him who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? If he condemn ●om. 8. 33. 34. you for them; say it is God that justifieth, who shall then condemn. If he say your sins are many, and more than can be pardoned; tell him where Rom. 15. 20. sin aboundeth grace over aboundeth: If he say you are the greatest sinner in the world; tell him it is true, but Christ came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am the chief: If he 1. Tim. 1. 15. allege the greatness of the guilt, say, though my sins be as red as Scarlet, Esa 1 18. yet he will make them as white as Snow: If he say suppose some of thy sins be cleansed, yet not all, say that the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all 1. Io. 1. 7. sins: If he say Christ died for some but not for all; say he is the reconciliation 1. Io. 2. 2. of the sins of the whole world; he is the Saviour of all men but specially of them that believe: If he say suppose God pardon thee, it is but for a season till thou sinne again, tell him 1. Tim. 4 10. jer. 32. 31. 34 again of the new covenant of God, which sayeth, I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sins no more; If he say in all this thou presumest, 2. Cor. 7. 10 show him your godly sorrow, which causeth repentance to salvation; If he say how knowest thou whether God will accept of thy repentance or not, tell him if we acknowledge our 1. Io. 1. ●. sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our Sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; If he say thy sorrow is despair, examine yourself 2. Cor. 13. 5 whether you be in the faith, and say to God, I believe Lord help my unbelief; Mark 9 24 If he say thy faith is feigned dead and false; say unto him, he that believeth 1. Io. 5. 10. in the Son hath witness in himself, as for thee O Satan, I will jam. 2. 18. show thee my faith by my wo●kes. If he say thy obedience is but feigned dead and false, and you are but an Hypocrite; say of yourself, I know nothing by myself yet am I not thereby justified; 1. Cor. 4 4. Turn unto God and say, O that my ways were directed to keep thy Psal. 1. 9 5. 80. statutes; Keep my heart upright i● thy statutes that I be not ashamed: if he say thou a●t accursed, because thou continue west not in all things that are written; say again, Christ hath redeemed Gal. 3. 13. me from the curse of the law, when he was made a curse for one; If he say thy coruptions be strange and Rom. 7. 24. 25. many; cry out O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death; I thank God through jesus Christ: Pray unto God create a Psal. 51. 10. clean heart O Lord, ●enue a right spirit within me; If he say for all this thou shalt be condemned, because God's judgements be exact, and giveth every man according to his works; say there Rom. 8. 1. is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, to them that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit: lastly if he say, yet thou canst have no peace of conscience but perpetual wound; say, the Lord speaketh peace to his people Psal. 85. 8. and to his Saints, that they turn not again to their folly, For being justified Rom, 5. 1. by faith we have peace towards God through our Lord jesus Christ. I know that Devil may proceed and say, thou art not chosen; But you must say unto him: that God chose us in Eph. 1. 4. Christ that we should be holy: and I am sure that God hath chosen to himself Psal. 4. 3. the man that is godly; virtue joined to our faith makes our calling and election sure, for such as God hath predestinated them hath he called, wherefore so long as God's grace Luke 10. 20. remaineth in me, so long I will rejoice that my name is witten in the book of life: But Satan may object, suppose thou be now in the favour of thy God, yet thou mayst fall away from Rom. 11. 29. grace; he may withdraw his spirit. To this you may answer this again, the gifts and callings of God are Ier 13. 3. without repentance; i● he love us he loved us from everlasting, and loveth Io. 13. 1. us to the end. No creature shallbe able Rom. 8. 38. 39 Psal. 23. 6. to separate us from the love of God in Christ; kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my. life, and this God is our God for ever and ever Psal. 48. 14. he shallbe our guide unto the death. But he may say, that God's mind may alter, and he may hate them for sin, whom he loved of mercy: God answereth Mat. 3. 6. for himself, I am the Lord I change not, and ye 'Zounds of jacob 1. Sam. 15. 29 are not consumed, for God is not as man that he should repent. jesus Heb. 13. 8. Christ that was yesterday, is the same to day, the same also is for ever; Gods covenant of life and peace is everlasting. jer. 33. 20. ●1. If Satan thou canst break God's covenant of the day and night, that there shall not be day and night, in their season, then may God's covenant be broken with his children, for God hath said unto his chosen. The mountains shall remove, and the hills Esa. 54. 10. fall down, but my mercy shall not departed from thee, neither shall this covenant of my peace fall away, faith the Lord which hath compassion on thee. For that mercy and free grace which Rom, ●. 10. moved God to accept us when we were sinners, strangers, enemies and children of wrath, and to reconcile us by the death of his Son, must much more move him, (being reconciled) to accept us, and to save us by the life of Christ. Thus the foundation of God remaineth sure. Yet Satan may reply, suppose there be no alteration or change in God: yet in thee there is: He is strong, but thou art weak. But Peter answereth 2. Pet. 1. 5. that we are not kept by our own strength, but by the power of God unto Salvation, and I shall overcome by Reu. 12. 11. the blood of the lamb, for in his own 1. Sam. 2. 9 might shall no man be strong: suppose than I may fall, and that most grievously, as David, Solomon, and Peter did: yet though I fall I shall no be cast Psal. 37. 24. 23. off: for the Lord putteth his hand under me: The paths of man are directed by the Lord, he will keep the feet of his Saints. Wherefore rejoice not against Sam. ●. 9 me O mine enemies, though I fall I shall rise, when I sit in darkness Mica. 7. 8. 7 the Lord shallbe a light unto me. If Satan urge you further thus, how darest thou presume of God's assistance, thou hast not God's grace at thy command, show him the covenant of God, confirmed and sealed by the blood of jesus Christ, who saith, jer. 31. 33. I will write my law in their hearts, I will make an everlasting covenant jer. 32. 40. with them, that I will never turn away from them, to do them good, I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not departed from me, I will give them a new heart and a new Eze 36. 26. 27. & 11. 19, 20. spirit, I will take the stony heart out of their bodies, and I will give them a heart of flesh, I will put my spirit within them, and cause ●●em to walk in my statutes. It is most true we are not sufficient of ourselves, to think 2. Cor. 3. 5. any thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God: As no man cometh unto Christ, except the father draw Io. 6. 44. 65. Io. 15. 5. him, so without Christ we can do nothing: Yet through the help of Christ which strengtheneth me, I shallbe able Phil. 4. 13. Phil. 1. 6. to do all things. And he that hath begun this good work within me, will perform it until the day of jesus Christ: And his good spirit shall lead Psa. 143. 10 Eph. 4. 30. me into the land of righteousness, and seal me to the day of my redemption. As for the help that Satan offereth thee. Ask him, how he can help another that cannot help himself, and how should one trust the faith of a deceavour: He offered the world unto our Saviour Christ, and told him that the world was his, but he told a Luke 4. 6. lie; for albeit he be called the god of this world, because he ruleth in the 1. Cor. 4. 4. children of disobedience; yet the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is, the Eph. 2. 2. Psa. 24. 1. world and all that dwell therein. Wherefore although the wicked of the world fall down and worship him, to gain fare smaller matters than the world, by lying, swearing, and forswearing, deceiving, and oppressing, and such evil courses, yet you must utterly refuse this offer, with avoid Satan, and come behind me Satan, for it is written thou shalt worship the Mat. 4. 10. Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. If Satan's help might stand a man in steed, he must have no fellowship with his unfruitful works of darkness. Our Saviour Christ & his Apostles would none of his assistance to help Eph. 5. 11. to publish the Gospel to the world. It was the bane of Saul and Ahaziah Kings of judah, to seek for help of Satan: It is better to trust in the Mat. 1. 25. 1. Cor. 10. 13 Lord, then to put any confidence in man, or evil spirit, for devils cannot free us from the hands of God, 2. Kin. 1. 4. but God can keep us from the power of devils: For if God be with us who Psa. 118. 8. Rom. 8. 31. can be against us? He is not fare from every one of us, he is as our shadow Act. 17. 27. at our right hand: He is a shield to them that trust in him: He keepeth Psal. 121. 5. his people as the apple of his eye, under Pro. 30. 5. the shadow of his wings, and as the mountains about jerusalem, so is Psal. 17. 8. the Lord about his people, henceforth Psal. 125. 2. and for ever. Say therefore unto Satan, I defy thy power, and renounce thy help, as I am none of thine because I am bought with a price, so will 1. Cor. 6. 19 20. Psal. 181. I none of thee nor of thy help: The Lord is my helper, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, m● strength, my shield the horn of my salvation, and Psal. 17. 1. my refuge, my light, salvation, and strength of my life; my defence is in God, who preserveth the upright in Psal. 78. 1●. heart. The God whom I serve, is able to deliver me, and though he slay Dan. 3. 17. me I will trust in him: He only maketh me to dwell in safety; the Lord is with me, therefore I will not not fear what man or Satan can do unto me; For when my flesh faileth, and job. 13. 15. my heart also, then God is the strength Psal. 4. 8. Psal. 73 26. of my heart, and my portion for ever: So the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, prosper & sanctify that I have written unto you. Amen. FINIS.