Exposition of Philippians 3, Part 45
VERS. 19. Whose God is their belly.
THese words, doe partly shew the inward disposition of these m…n, by Bellie, in this place hee meanes in generall all contentments, and worldly pleasures, whereof these Teachers being satisfied, they lived at large, and at ease.
But how may they be said,Quest. to make their bellie their God?
I answer we may be said to make any thing our God.Answ. First, when we count it one, as some of the Papists have esteemed of the Pope, as of an essence betweene man and God, and some Emperours have required themselves to be so esteemed, and adored as a Dietie.
Secondly, when wee give such affections to it, as are onelyonly due and proper to God, as to trust in it, to repose content in it, to joy in it, and so is that sentence true, amor tuus, Deus tuus.
Thirdly, when wee use actions of invocation and adoration thereto: and thus the Papists make Saints their God, attributing such power in working to them, as is onelyonly proper to God.
Fourthly, when wee bestow all labour to giv… satisfaction thereunto: for explication, these men gave the intention of their most inward affections, to procure content to their lusts, all their labour was to this end, and so quieted themselves in the injoyment of them, and as they made their bellie their God, so their belly acted the part of a god, in giving them lawes, bidding them to doe, proiect, devise this or that, undermine such, and grounding them in this first fundamentall law. Thou canst not live long, neither wilt thou live well therefore while thou livest live for thy pleasure, take thy ease, and from thence inioynes them to use all meanes thereto, take all acquaintance, undermine all that crosse thee: and all to this end, that thou maist have thy ease.
As it was then, so now is it with the Papists their successors: all the differences in Religion betweene them and us, are by them grounded on the bellie, that is the Monarchie of the Pope, and worldly pompe, and Masses invented for idle Priests, latine prayers, little or no preaching, onelyonly that the people being ignorant, they might more easily command them. If their errors were not invested in gaine, wee should soone accord, their worship, especially the manner thereof, onelyonly to delight the sense.
And among our selves, many are not wanting that make profession of religion, but denie the power thereof: so long as religion and outward content doe meet, and when Religion brings preferment, all will be religious, for they live by no rules. but those that their lusts prescribes, morning and evening taking care for the flesh, how to bee rich, how to live at ease, and for this will sell their birthright in happinesse, refusing the Word, refusing good companie, yea heaven it selfe. And this justly comes as a iudgement for mans first rebellion, when men will not serve God as they should, they are iustly given over to the service of those that are no Gods.
Quest.But it may be asked, may wee not seeke to content our flesh?
Answ.I answer, wee may respect our bodies, and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man, but we must so seeke for them, as in the first place and principally we seeke the Kingdome of heaven, and is righteousnesse, and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us. But when wee breake order and measure, being first and principally carefull for our lusts, the divell knowing our haunts offers baites fitting for our humours, and wee like filthi… swine devoure our owne destruction.
And therefore to avoid this, let us set the feare of God and damnation before our eyes, and if we use not these things moderatly and soberly, let that in Rom. 8.13. be as a flaming sword to keepe us from the way to destruction. If we live according to the lusts of the flesh, we shall die: and therefore, as strangers and Pilgrims let us abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule: against our comfort here, and our happie estate hereafter.
Secondly, let us avoid the companie of condemned persons, but looke on them with a kinde of horrour, and detestation of them, and and passe not for their wicked censures, their end is damnation, and their bellie is their God.
But because the best are drawne away by these pleasures, let us observe some directions;
And first, let us see the reasons why we are thus inveagled with them.
First,Reason. 1. these earthly contentments are present to our sense: the other onelyonly are present to faith, which the carnall man lookes not after, neither cares for.
Secondly, wee nusle up our selves in an opinion of the necessitie of these things, seeing the present use of them, and wee see no present use of those better things.
Thirdly, these things are bred up with us, and wee are acquainted with them from our infancie: and so they pleade prescription, and when we are thus taken up before, Religion comes after, and very hard it must needs be, to keepe our mindes lifted up, and yet is it most necessarie to be, for lusts doe drowne men in perdition,Helpes. 1 Tim. 6.9.
But for helpes in this estate of ours, observe first, with due consideration, the nature, dignitie, and excellencie of the soule: that it is a spirit of an excellent beautie, adorned with understanding and judgement, not made to cast off the crowne, submitting it selfe to the rule of every base lust, which indeed is the onelyonly happinesse of the beasts, nay if happinesse consist in pleasing the senses, beasts are more happie than we, for they have neither s…me without, nor conscience within, to disquiet them in the injoyment of their pleasures.
And know also that this bodie of ours, being of that excellent temper, is a fabricke which was not made onelyonly for to be a strainer for meate to passe through: The qualitie of the braine in man, the structure of the eve, doe testifie man was made for divine meditation, to contemplate of the workes of God, which it doth behold with the eye, as through a glasse.
Secondly, wee must know, by giving our affections to these things, we are made like the things we affect: for the soule is placed in the middest, as it were betweene heaven and earth, and as it affects the one or the other, so is it fashioned; if we love the flesh we are flesh, if wee follow the spirit, wee are transformed to its likenesse.
Thirdly, consider that God is better than the worshipper, else is hee mad that will worship it; but the bellie is baser than our selves: reason teacheth us the pleasures of this life end in death, when our soules must still continue after all: now to seeke such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madnesse, as appeares even by the light of reason: and therefore are of more power with naturall men, than pure religious truthes, but for those that are called; The Scripture puts them in minde of the last day of judgement, and telles them that they are made for heaven: and such are therefore to set their mindes on things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; Col. 3.1. and when they begin to grow worldly, and to follow their belly, it calles them backe with a but know for all this, God will bring thee to judgement: which duly pondered, cannot but be as a hooke in our jawes, to bring us back to a more diligent watch over our wayes.