An Comfortable Exhortation, Part 6
Of the mortification of the fleſhe
Roma. vBY one mā ſynne entred in the worlde / ād deeth by the meanes of ſynne: and ſo deeth went ouer all men / in ſo moch that all men ſynned. Dearly beloweth bretherne it is not vnknowen to you / the ſer…tute the bondage / ād the …hialdom where vnderunder we were ſome tyme to ſynne. Ye were ons the ſeruauntes of ſynne.Roma. vi Epheſ. v Ye were one darknes. But thorowe the greate mercy of almyghty God we are delyuered there from / by his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt.Rom. vi. So that we are deliuered frō ſynne / and made the ſeruauntes ef righteueſnes:Ephe. ij but not ſo perfitly that ther is no ſ…nne in vsus. We are deliuered thorow faith / frō the wrath of God / and from the vengeaunce and curſe of the lawe / and from the eternal deeth / Roman. iiij Pſal. xxxi& we hauehave obteyned forgyuīg of all oure ſynnes / ſo that they ſhal not be imputeth to vsus on that daye when the lorde ſhal come. And in the ſprite we are made perfect / and borne a newe vntounto God / Ioan. i Roma. viijſo that we are no ſeruauntes / but ſōnes / & doughters. But yet in oure fleſſhe / there is ſ…me ſynne / yee an wicked ſeed is ſowen in oure fleſſhe: and is ſo roted / that it maye not be cleanly taken awaye in this preſent lyfe.i Ioan. i Of the which ſaith Ihon. Yf we ſhall ſaye that we hauehave no ſynne / we deceaue oure ſylfes / and the trueth is not in vsus.Iacob iij Luce xvij For in many thynges we ſynne all. When we hauehave done all they thynges which are commanded vntounto vsus / we are yet vnprofitable ſeruauntes / we hauehave done but that which was oure duety to do. This ſynne: is this concupiſcence / this luſt / and euyl deſyre which we hauehave in vsus contraryous to the lawe of God And this concupiſcence is verely ſynne / becauſe it is forbydden in the lawe of God / Exod. xxwhich ſaith thou ſhall not concupiſce or deſyre. And be cauſe it is contraryous to God and to his pleaſure and will / for there maye no thynge be contraryous to God / but euyl and ſynneful thynge / and this concupiſcence or euyl deſyre / Gala. …thought it be euyll and ſinnefull / yet we maye not awoyde it: ſo longe we are here in the fleſhe. For (as ſaith Paul) the fleſhe luſteth contrary to the ſprite / and the ſprite contrary to the fleſhe Theyr ar contrary one to the other / ſo that … canne not do that what ye wolde. This b… tayl is euen in an righteous and iuſtified man which hath the ſprite of God. For the fleſhe luſteth continualy agenſt the ſprite … that an maye not do that which he wold… that is / that he mygh… holely and perf… ue hym to the ſeruice of God but he may… not: for the fleſhe luſteth contrary to the ſpr… te / and wyll not nor canne not be obedien… to the lawe / Roman: vij.of this ſame ſaith Paul. The la…we is ſpirituall / but I am carnall ſolde vnderunder ſynne / becauſe I wo…e not what I do Here Pa. knowledgeth hym ſylfe: to hau… an carnall concupiſcence or deſyre in hym and thereby knowledgeth hym ſubdued to ſynne. For he ſaith. I am carnall ſolde vnderunder ſynne. The lawe he ſaith alſo is holy ād good / yee ye lawe is ſpiritual: but I am ca… nall / ſolde vnderunder ſynne. And when Ier… me my ſylfe / to do and fulfil / that holy and ſpirituall lawe / I fynde in me an contrariouſnes to it / and maye not fulfill it. Whereby I knowe that I am carnall and …ld… (that is) ſubdued vnderunder ſynne / for in the fl… ſhe he ſerued the lawe of ſynne. In my fleſhe ſaith he I ſerue the lawe of ſynne. B… thought he was ſubdued to the lawe of ſy… ne in the fleſhe / yet he was fre in the ſprite. I ſerue the lawe of God (ſaith he) in the ſprite. And in the ſprite he fought continualy agenſt the ſynne in the fleſhe / and wolde alwayes hauehave had it awaye. And becauſe he … no meanes culde get it awaye he cōplayneth ſayenge / what I wolde that do I not / but what I hat that do I. As he wolde ſaye. I wolde the fleſh luſteth not agenſt the ſprite. And this concupiſcence I …at becauſe it is euyll: and yet I maye not be fre frō it. Thē it foloweth. Yf I do that which I wolde not / I confeſſe to the lawe …hat it is good. So then nowe it is not I that do it / but ſynne that dwelleth in me. As he wolde ſaye. Yf ſynne to the which I conſent not in the ſprite (but hattes & wolde hauehave it awaye) abydeth in the fleſhe: yee worketh and luſteth agenſt the lawe. And I in the ſprite conſent to the lawe / and graunteth is good / and wolde fulfill it / and hauehave awaye that ſynne out of the fleſhe which is contrarious to the lawe / thought I maye not get it awaye: yet I ſynne not / nor tranſſgreſſes not the lawe in the ſprite / but the ſynne that dwelleth in the fleſhe doeth it
¶ Then it foloweth. To will is preſent with me / but I canne fynde no meanes to performe that which is good
That is to ſaye. I wolde this euyl luſt / and ſynne in the fleſhe were awaye: ſo that then were no thynge in me contrarious to the holy lawe of God / but I can not get it awaye: I hat it and yet it abydeth faſt rote… in the fleſhe. It foloweth. I fynde then by the lawe: that when I wolde do good / euyl is preſent with me. Here Paul ſhewed that ye lawe gaue hym knouledge of ſynne for he had not knowen that this luſt or concupiſcence had bene ſynne / excepte the lawe had ſaid: thou ſhall not luſt / or concupiſce / … deſyre. Therfore he ſaith I fynde by the lawe: that euyl. that is to ſaye / ſynne is preſēt with me / not in the ſprite / but in the fleſhe. Then it foloweth. I delite in the lawe of God / as concerninge the inner man / but I ſe another lawe in my members rebellinge agenſt the lawe of my mynde: and ſubduinge me vntounto tye lawe of ſynne which is in my members. Not that this lawe of ſynne in his members ouer come hym / that he was in the ſprite ſubdued vntounto it. But it ſubdued hym to ſynne / becauſe it made hym in daunger of the lawe / for it requireth the hole mā with his ſtrength and power.Deutero. vi And becauſe ther was an euyl luſt and concupiſcence in hym contrarious vntounto the lawe / therfore he was ſubdued to ſynne / not in the ſprite but thorowe ſynne in the fleſhe. Nowe Paul ſeinge this ſynne ſowen and faſt roted in his fleſhe / that it was vnpoſſible to get it cleane awaye in this lyfe / he longeth and murneth for the delyueraunce of the ſynnefull fleſhe / ſayenge. O wretched man that I am who ſhal delyuer me frō this body of deeth? thē it foloweth I thank God by Ieſus Chriſt oure lorde. As he wolde ſaye: thought I wolde delyuer my ſylfe from ſynne / I maye not: and no other man maye delyuer me from ſynne / for they are all in the ſame bondage and thrall with me ſo many as are yet in the fleſhe.Pſal. xiij There is none righteous / no not one / ther is none that vnderſtōdeth / there is none that ſeketh after God / they are all gone out of the waye. They are all made vnprofitable / there is none that d…eth good no not one. Theyr throte is an open ſepulchre / with they… tounges they hauehave diſceaued: the poyſon of aſpes is vnderunder theyr lippes. Whoſe mouthes are full of churſinge and bitternes. Theyr fete are ſwifte to ſheed bloud. Deſtruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes / and the waye of peace hauehave they not knowen: there is no feare of God before theyr eyes. But thou alone o lorde God / and father which art the weake mans ſtrenght / ād refuge / ready at the honde of hym that is in ſtreſe / arte my delyueroure. For thou ſhal delyuer me of this preſonment of ſynne / and body of deeth / by thy wellbelowed ſonne Ieſus Chriſt / oure lorde. And thought for an tyme I muſt neade ſuffre / or I receaue the finall ende of my deliueraunce / ye… by hope I ā ſure of it. For thou arte true in all thy ſayēges. And thy trueth is ſure to all age for euer. And thought in the fleſhe be ſome ſynne / yet in the ſprite I ſhall conſent to the lawe / and ſerue it. Belowed brethern / thoughe there be in vsus ſome ſynne / and euyl luſt / ād concupiſcence / yet let vsus not conſent to it in the ſprite. But reſiſt to it / and fyght agenſt it / ſeruynge the lawe of God in the ſprite. As did Paul.Roman. vij And as he reached vsus ſayenge. Let not ſynne regne in youre mortall bodyes: that ve ſhulde there vntounto obey in the luſtes of it / Roma. xiijmake not prouiſiō for the fleſhe / to fulfill the luſtes of it. Walke in the ſprite / and fulfill not the luſtes of the fleſhe. Yf ye liue after the fleſhe / Gala. vye muſt dye: So thought we hauehave ſynne in the fleſhe / oure ſprite is fre of it / but not thorowe oure ſylfes / but thorowe the holy gooſt
ij. Corint. iij Ioann. viij¶ Where the ſprite of the lorde is / there is libertie. And Chriſt ſayd to the Iewes. Yf the ſonne ſhall make you fre / then are ye fre in deade. The ſonne worketh by the holy gooſt. So doeth the father alſo. And theyr workynge is indiuiſible
Ioan: v¶ For that which the father doeth / the ſonne doeth / and lyke wyſe the holy gooſt. So when the holy gooſt maketh vsus fre / the ſonne maketh vsus fre. And when the father / ād the ſonne maketh vsus fre / the holy gooſt maketh vsus fre. And though one of the iij. perſones of the holy trinite be named in any place of the ſcripture / yet it ſhalbe vnderſtonde after the indiuiſible workinge of the holy trinite / hauynge ſome workes after oure maner of ſpeakinge / appropriet to euerych perſone Thyſe fredome that we hauehave (as ſaith Paul) we hauehave it thorowe the ſprite of the lorde and not be oure ſylfes. For God hath ſent his ſprite in oure hertes / wherby we are louſeth in the ſprite from the bondes of ſynne / and delyuered out of ſeruitute / and cryes to God Abba father.Roman. viij Nowe ſeinge that we are made fre in the ſprite from ſynne / let vsus not tangle oure ſylfes agayne in ſubiection therto / but fyght agenſt it / reſiſt to it / ād with all diligence labour to dante and tayme the wantannes of it / to holde it doune and mortifie it as it is written. Yf ye thē be ryſen agayne with Chriſt / ſeke they thynges which are aboue / where Chriſt ſitteth at the ryght honde of God. Set youre affectiō / on thynges that are aboue / and not on thynges which are on the erth. For ye are deed:Colloſſen. iij and youre lyfe is hyd with Chriſt in God When Chriſt which is youre lyfe ſhal ſhew… hym ſylfe / then ſhal ye alſo apere with him in glory / mortifie therfore youre mēbers which are on ye erth. &.c. And in another place it is writtē.Gala. v They yt are Chriſtes / hauehave crucifyed the fleſhe with the appetites and luſtes. Not that we maye mortifie the fleche / thorowe oure awne ſtrength / and labours / as preache the falſe preachers. No: no but by the holy ſprite / as it is written.Roma. viij Yf ye mortyfie the deades of the fleſhe / by the helpe of the ſprite / ye ſhall lyue. And of what ſprite he ſpeaketh: he ſhewed immediatly after ſayenge. As many as are ledde by the ſprite of God / are the ſonnes of God. This mortyfication and crucifienge of the fleſhe and ſynne / is an ſubiection where vnderunder ſynne is …ut / not that it is takē cleane awaye / but ſubdued / holden doune: and not ſuffered to worke. An thynge when it ſca…es workynge / it is called deed. An… tree when it ſpringeth not: and beareth no frute nor braunches / it is called deed. So ſynne when it worketh not / and ſhewed not the ſylfe / by workes / it is called deed: ſo we ſhall make ſynne to dye and we ſhulde crucifie it / not ſufferinge it to worke. And this we maye not do of oure ſylfes / but by the holy ſprite which regneth in oure hertes: and of his power mortyfies and crucifies this ſynne which reſteth in the fleſhe. He ſtrenghteth vsus / for in to the inner man he maketh vsus able and ſtronge to reſiſt to all the aſſautes of oure enimies He eyketh oure power / and miniſhet they…s He maketh vsus fre / and ſubdued them. He gyueth vsus lyfe / and kylled them. The fleſhe and ſynne (as is ſaid) is mortifieth by the ſprite of God / but to the ſame mortification oure workes are required / but oure ablenes commeth of God. Not that we maye do any good of oure ſylfes.ij Corint. i… No we are not ſufficient of oure ſylfes / to thynke any thynge as it were of oure ſylfes / but our ablenes (there to) cometh of God / by his holy ſprite.Philippe. i… For it is God that worketh in vsus / both the will ād alſo the deade / yee euē of his awne good wyll. He worketh in vsus / the workes which are neceſſary to the mortification of the fleſhe / yee he maketh vsus to chaſtifie the body & brynge it into ſubiection / by reſiſtinge vntounto the luſtes of it / and continuall excertion of good workes. For the moare that an man be vſeth to ſynne / the harder ſhall it be to reſiſt vntounto the euyl vſe and luſtes therof. For the luſtes of ſynne / are euer the ſtrōger / the moare that an man folowe them be an euyl vſe. And by the contrary / the reſiſtinge of ſynne and excercition of good workes taketh ſome thynge awaye of the ſtrength of ſynne.i Thimo. ii… Herefore brethern exerce youre ſylfes vntounto Verely I ſaye vntounto you / they hauehave receaued theyr rewarde. But when ye faſte anoynte youre heed: and waſhe youre face / that it apere not vntounto men howe ye faſte / but vntounto youre father whiche is in ſecrete. &.c.
¶ Herefore bretherne in all thynges kepe meaſure be diſcrete / folowe the ſprite / and mortyfie the fleſhe / by the holy gooſt whom ye hauehave receaued / as the erneſt of youre enheretaunce / by whom ye are teached in all trueth / and as he hath teached you abyde therin.i Ioan. ij Hebreo. xiij And be not caryed hidder / and thydder / with diuers and ſtraunge learninge.
¶(I ſaye the learninge of men whiche the holy ſcripture do not knowe) as ye hauehave bene in tyme paſſed. Wherwith ye were drawene from the faith and gaue hede vntounto ſprites of erroure / and deuylſhe doctrine of them which ſpeake lyes thorowe ypocriſy / and hauehave theyr conſciences marked with an hett yerne forbiddynge to mary / and cō maundynge to abſteyne from meates / whiche God hath created to be receaued with geuynge of thankes of them whiche beleue: and hauehave knowen the trueth. For all the creatures of God are good: and no thynge to be refuſed / yf it be receaued with geuynge of thankes. For it is ſanctified by the worde of God and prayer. Yf thou ſhall put the bretherne in remembraunce of theſe thynges (ſaith Paul to Thimothe) thou ſhalbe a good miniſter of Ieſu Chriſt whiche haſt bene noriſhed vppe in the wordes of faith / and good doctrine / whiche thou haſt continualy followed: but caſt awaye vngoſtly and olde wyues fables
This I ſaye leſt eny man ſhulde begylle you with entyſinge wordes. For though I be abſent in the fleſhe: yet am I preſent with you in the ſprite ioyinge and beholdinge youre ſtedfaſt faith in Chriſt. As ye hauehave therfore receaued Chriſt Ieſu the lorde: euē ſo walke ro…ed and bilt in hym / and ſtedfaſte in the faith / as ye hauehave learned / and therin be plenteous in geuinge thankes
¶ Beware leſt eny man come and ſpoyle you thorowe philoſophy and diſceatful vanitie / thorowe the tradicions of men / and ordinaciōs after the worlde and not after Chriſt. For in hym duelled all the fulnes of the go… heeth boddyly / and ye are full in hym / which is the heed of all rule and power / in whom alſo ye are circumciſed with circumciſion made without hondes by puttinge of of the ſinful body of the fleſhe / thorowe the circumciſion that is in Chriſt. In that ye are buried with hym thorowe baptim / in whom ye are alſo riſen agayne thorowe faith / that is wroght by the operation of God which rayſed hym from deeth
¶ And hath with hym quickened you alſo which were deed in ſynne and in the vncircumciſiō of youre fleſhe / and hath forgeuē vsus oure treſpaſes: and hath put out the obligation that was agaynſt vsus / made in the lawe written / and that hath he taken out of the waye: and hath faſtenet it on his croſſe and hath ſpoyled rule and power / and hath made aſhewe of them openly / and hath triumphed ouer them in his awne perſone
¶ Let no man therfore trouble youre cōciences aboute meate and drincke: or for a peace of an holy daye / which are no thinge but ſhadowes of thinges to come / but the body is in Chriſt. Let no man make you to ſhute at a wronge marke / which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humblenes and holynes of angels / thinges which he neuer ſawe / cauſleſſe puft vppe with his fleſhly mynde / and holdeth not the heed / wherof all the body by ioyntes and couples receaueth noriſhment: and is knet to gedder and encreaſeth with the increaſynge that commeth of God
¶ Wherfore ſen ye are deed with Chriſt from the doctrine of the worlde: why as thought ye yet lyued in the worlde / ſhuld ye be yet ledde with tradicions of them that ſaye touche not / taſt not / handle not. &.c. Nowe in cōcluſiō be ye all of one mynde ād the God of peace / that rayſed from deeth oure lorde Ieſus Chriſt:i Corin. xiiij Ioan x the greate ſheperde of you his ſhepe / thorowe the bloude of the euerlaſtinge teſtament / make you perfect in all good workes / to do his godly and holy will / and brynge to paſſe that whatſoeuer ye do maye be accepted in his fyght / by the meanes of Ieſus Chriſt. To whom be prayſe for euer. Amen
¶ I beſeche you bretherne / ſuffre the wordes of exhortation: for I hauehave written vntounto you in feawe wordes. Salute all the ſaynctes / they which are here ſalute you in the lorde. Grace be with you all. Amen
¶ At Pariſhe / by me Peter congeth A.M.D. xxxv.xx. Ianuarij
End of the text · John Johnsone, An Comfortable Exhortation (1535)