The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the fleſh and the diuers ſignifications of it, and what we are to vnderſtand by it in the following diſcourſe.
§. Sect. 1. That there is in a chriſtian this fight betweene the fleſh and ſpirit.WHere firſt we will ſpeake of the enemies which fight one againſt another in this Warfare, and then of their conflict. In the former wee will conſider, firſt, what theſe enemies are, and then how dangerous and pernicious vntounto vsus if they be not ſubdued & kept in ſubiection to them which fight on our ſide againſt them. The enemies which thus fight with one another are the Fleſh and the Spirit, with an innumerable armie of their motions and luſts. Both which, with all their forces dwell in eueryevery true Chriſtian, making mutuall oppoſition, the one nilling what the other willeth, and hindring and deſtroying, that which the other furthereth and aduanceth. This plainely appeareth by the Scriptures, which both diſcouer this hoſtile diſſenſion and contrarie faction in the ſame man, and the oppoſition and conflict which ariſeth from their emnitie and cohabitation, their natural diuiſion and locall vnion. So the Apoſtle ſpeaketh plainely of this conflict in all Chriſtians. Gal. 5. 17. Ioh. 3. 6. Gal. 5. 17.The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrarie one to another; and particularly in himſelfe, where he thus complaineth, But I ſee another foreign. Rom. 7. 25.law in my members, rebelling, or warring, againſt the law of my minde, and bringing me into captiuitie to the law of ſinne, which is in my members. And againe, I my ſelfe in my minde ſerue the law of God, but with my fleſh the law of ſinne. And hence it is that the Apoſtle Peter exhorteth vsus, to fight valiantly againſt theſe luſts, becauſe they doe continually make warre againſt vsus. Dearely beloued (ſaith he) I beſeech you as ſtrangers and pilgrims, abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, which 1. Pet. 2. 11.fight againſt the ſoule. 1. Pet. 2. 11.
§. Sect. 2. The divers ſignifications of the word fleſh, taken for things materially ſubſiſting.Now that we may like Chriſts faithfull ſouldiers, after a lawfull and laudable manner thus fight againſt them, wee muſt in the firſt place labour to know what they are, leaſt we miſtake our enemies for our friends; to which end we are to vnderſtand that the fleſh is diuerſly taken in the ſcriptures: As (to omit many acceptations of it which are farre off and nothing pertinent to our preſent purpoſe) ſometime it is taken for all mankinde; In which ſenſe it is ſaid, that all (aGen. 6. 12.) fleſh had corrupted his way vponupon the earth, that is, all mankinde; that all fleſh is (bEſa. 40. 6.) graſſe, that is, all mankinde is fraile and momentany, and that God would (cIoel 2. 28.) poure out his ſpirit vponupon all fleſh, that is, vponupon men of all ſorts and conditions. Sometimes it is taken for the whole man, d 1. Pet. 3. 18.conſiſting of ſoule and body. And thus our Sauiour Chriſt is ſaid, to hauehave beene put to death concerning the fleſh, that is, his humane nature, his body being ſeuered from his ſoule, and his ſoule (in his preſent ſenſe and feeling) from his God, when as vponupon the croſſe hee bore his wrath for our ſinnes: and the Pſalmiſt, hauing ſaid, that he would not feare Pſal. 56. 4.what fleſh could doe vntounto him, Pſal. 56. 4. expoundeth himſelfe in the eleuenth verſe; In God (ſaith he) hauehave I put my truſt, I will not be affraide what man can doe vntounto me. Sometimes it is taken for the body of man alone conſiſting of many members. And ſo the Apoſtle exhorteth vsus to cleanſe 2. Cor. 7. 1.our ſelues from all filthineſſe of the fleſh, and of the ſpirit; that is body and ſoule; and the Pſalmiſt ſaith, that the enemies Pſal. 79. 2.of the Church had cruelly giuen the fleſh of Gods Saints to the beaſts of the earth, that is the dead bodies of Gods ſeruants, which alſo as he ſaith in the ſame place, were giuen to be meate to the fowles of the heauen. Sometime this word fleſh ſignifieth the whole nature of man, as it is born in corruption & polluted with originall ſin. And thus our Sauiour ſaith, that, that which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh, that is, if Iohn 3. 6.the parents be defiled with ſin, then needs muſt the childrē be polluted with their corruption; for a ſtinking fountaine cannot bring forth ſweet waters; and who (as Iob ſaith) can bring a cleane thing out of filthineſſe? And thus the Apoſtle Iob 14. 4.ſaith, that they who are in the fleſh, that is, remaine in that Rom. 8. 8.corrupt and ſinfull condition in which they were borne, cannot pleaſe God. But in none of theſe ſenſes are we to conceiue the fleſh to be our enemie; for neither may wee Timon-like be at enmitie with mankinde; nor like mad men make warre and offer violence againſt our owne perſons, nor ought we with the Baalites and Papiſts to fight againſt our owne bodies; neither is there any warre in the naturall man borne in corruption, ſeeing he is wholly fleſh and vnderunder Sathans gouernment, who like the ſtrong man, whileſt he keepeth the houſe, poſſeſſeth all in peace; ſauing that now and then there is ſome ciuill diſſenſion and ſmall iarres betweene the will and conſcience, and one paſsion with another, which are quickly taken vp, as wee ſhall ſhew hereafter.
§. Sect. 3. Diuers ſignifications of the word fleſh, taken for accidents and qualities.But we are further to conſider that the fleſh is not onelyonly thus ſubſtantially taken for things really and materially by themſelues ſubſiſting, but alſo for accidents and qualities; In which ſenſe it is taken two wayes in the Scriptures: Firſt for that qualitie of corruption, frailetie and infirmitie of the humane nature, which is not ſinne, but rather the effect and puniſhment which attendeth and waiteth vponupon it; and in this ſenſe it is ſaid of the Iſraelites, that he turned away his wrath from them, becauſe hee remembred that they were but 1. Cor. 15. 50.fleſh, and a winde that paſſeth away and commeth not againe. Thus alſo it is ſaid that fleſh and bloud cannot inherite the Kingdome of God, and what this fleſh and bloud is, hee expoundeth in the next words, neither doth corruption in herit 2. Cor. 10. 2, 3, 4corruption. And thus the Apoſtle ſaith, that though hee walked in the fleſh, yet he did not warre after the fleſh, not with weake and carnall, but with ſtrong and mighty weapons, which were able to caſt downe all that oppoſed againſt them; and in this ſenſe (as I take it) are wee to vnderſtand the ſpeech of our Sauiour to his Apoſtles, The Spirit indeed is willing, but the Fleſh is weake. And in this ſignification Mat. 26. 41.the fleſh is not to be taken for a malicious enemie, but rather a weake and feeble friend, which is not to be oppoſed in hoſtile manner (as it were) with a ſword and ſpeare, but rather to be ſtrengthned with the cordials of comfort, after that the corruption of ſinne, which is the cauſe thereof, by the phyſicke of the Word is purged away.
§. Sect. 4. The fleſh taken for the corruption of nature.Secondly, the fleſh is taken for the whole corruption of nature, or for that originall ſinne, whereby the whole nature of man, with all the powers and faculties of his ſoule and body ate wholly defiled, the image of God vtterly defaced, and he quite diſabled vntounto all good, and made prone vntounto all manner of euill, the which as it is the child and offſpring of our firſt parents ſinne, ſo is it the mother and nurſe of all actuall tranſgreſsions, and of all our rebellion againſt God and his will. And this carnall corruption poſſeſſeth and ouer-ſpreadeth the whole man before regeneration, defiling and diſabling his body and ſoule, with all the members, parts and faculties of them, raigning and ruling in him in his full ſtrength as a King and ſoueraigne, and making him obedient to the ſinfull luſts thereof; and after regeneration it ſtill remaineth and dwelleth in him, (although wounded and weakned) like a wicked enemie and falſe traitor, rebelling againſt the Spirit, and reſiſting the good motions thereof; and though it be depoſed from the regencie, and expelled (as it were) out of the heart of the Kingdome, yet (like the curſed Cananites) it ſtill keepeth reſidence in the borders of the land, and after it is beaten out of the Citie doth ſtill dwell in the Suburbs, whence it much moleſteth the ſpirituall part, and is to the regenerate man a ſnare to intangle him, and a trap to catch him, a ſcourge to his Ioſ. 23. 13.ſides, and a thorne in his eyes, ſometime aſſaulting him by open violence, and ſometime indangering him by ſecret ambuſhments and hidden vnderminings. In which ſence the fleſh is taken either for the whole nature of man, as it commeth into the world corrupted and defiled with ſinne, ſeeing he is nothing but a maſſe of corruption and a ſinke of all filthineſſe, till he be regenerate by the Spirit of God; or elſe for that part of a Chriſtian which remaineth ſtill vnregenerate after his effectuall calling and ſound conuerſion vntounto God. In the former ſignification we are to vnderſtand all thoſe places, where vnregenerate and wicked men are called fleſh, as where our Sauiour ſaith, that that which is Ioh. 3. 6. Rom. 7. 5.borne of the fleſh is fleſh: and the Apoſtle Paul, that, when we were in the fleſh, the motions of ſinne which were by the Law did worke in our members, to bring forth fruit vntounto death; and that they who are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God. In the later Rom. 8. 8.we are to vnderſtand it when it is applied vntounto the faithfull, who are but in part regenerate, to ſignifie the reliques of naturall corruption and the vicious qualitie of ſinne, which ſtill dwell and remaine in them vnmortified and vnſubdued. So the Apoſtle complaineth, that there was giuen him a pricke in the fleſh, that in his fleſh dwelled 2. Cor. 12. 7. Rom. 7. 18. 25.no good thing, and that in the fleſh hee ſerued the Law of ſinne. And thus he would hauehave the inceſtuous perſon deliuered to Sathan, for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit 1. Cor. 5. 5.(that is the regenerate man) might bee ſaued in the day of the Lord Ieſus. But moſt plainely and diſtinctly doth hee ſpeake of it, where he ſaith, that the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and that theſe are contrarie Gal. 5. 17.the one to the other, bringing forth in the ſame man diuers and contrarie fruits, as hee there at large deſcribeth them.
§. Sect. 5. That the fleſh in this diſcourſe ſignifieth the part vnregenerate in a chriſtian or the reliques of corruption remaining after ſanctification.Now in this laſt ſenſe we are to take the word fleſh in the following diſcourſe, vnderſtanding thereby thoſe reliques of corruption, which after regeneration doe ſtill remaine in vsus, the corrupt qualitie of ſinne adhering to all the parts and faculties of our ſoules and bodies, vnmortified and vncrucified, or that part of a Chriſtian which is vnregenerate and continually fighteth and ſtriueth againſt the ſpirit. And this is the malicions enemie that aſsiſteth Sathan and the world, to worke our vtter ouerthrow, vntounto which the Scriptures hauehave giuen many names, whereby the nature and qualities there of are implyed, that we may the better know it, and arme our ſelues to fight againſt it. For it is called the (aRom. 6. 6. Epheſ. 4. 22. Col. 3. 9.) old man, not onelyonly becauſe in age and antiquitie, it almoſt matcheth humane nature; but rather to imply vntounto vsus, that (like thoſe, who, by reaſon of their old age, hauehave had much experience) it is very ſubtle and politique, and ſo full of ſleights and ſtratagems, that if wee be not exceeding wary and watchfull it will eaſily circumuent vsus. It is called alſo the (b1. Cor. 2. 14.) naturall man, becauſe this corruption ouerſpreadeth the whole nature of all men who are vnregenerate; for howſoeuer in the firſt creation we were good & free from ſinne, yet after the fall of our firſt parents, wee were ſo degenerate and infected in our natures with the poiſon of their corruption, that it is as naturall familiar and eaſie to ſin and offend God, as for a man to eate, drink and ſleepe, for a fiſh to ſwim, a bird to flie, or for a ſtone to deſcend downwards. It is called the old Adam, to leade vsus vntounto the fountaine from which it ſprung, that is, not God who made all things good, but our firſt parents, who as they loſt the image of God by their fall and were wholly corrupted duplicate page duplicate page in their owne natures, ſo they deriued their corruption vntounto all their poſteritie, and hauing firſt defiled themſelues with this ſpirituall Leproſie did alſo infect therewith all that numerous of-ſpring which deſcended of them. It is called the (c2. Cor. 9. 17. Rom. 8. 10.) body, becauſe this corruption dwelleth in the bodie, and exerciſeth it ſelfe in it by it, as by it inſtrument in the committing and perpetrating of all the workes of darknes; and that we may the more clearely diſcerne what body the Apoſtle meaneth, he calleth it the (dRom. 6. 6.) body of ſinne, and the (eCol. 2. 11.) body of the ſinnes of the fleſh, becauſe the fleſh by the bodie committeth all manner of ſinne and wickedneſſe. It is called the body of death, becauſe it is the cauſe of death and fRom. 7. 24.condemnation, in which ſenſe Elizaus his Diſciples ſaid, that death was in the pot, that is, deadly poyſonous hearbs, which would cauſe them to dye who had taſted of them. It is called alſo (gRom. 7. 8. 11) ſinne, not onelyonly becauſe it ſelfe is ſinne, but alſo the roote and fountaine of all other wickedneſſe, and the (hRom. 7. 17.) ſinne that dwelleth in vsus, becauſe like the ſtrong man it keepeth ſure poſſeſſion till a ſtronger commeth and diſpoſſeſſeth it, euen the Spirit of God dwelling in vsus. It is called (iIam. 1. 13. 14.) euill concupiſcence, becauſe it filleth vsus with ſinfull luſts, and maketh vsus to to ſtand in oppoſition againſt the will of God, deſiring and willing, that which he nilleth and condemneth. It is called (kHeb. 12. 1.) foreign, the ſin which encloſeth or beſetteth vsus about, becauſe this helliſh Captaine with a whole armie of ſinfull luſts enuiron vsus on eueryevery ſide, ſo as wee cannot poſſibly of our ſelues eſcape out of their ambuſhments. Finally, it is called the law of ſinne, the (lRom. 7. 23.) law of the members, and the (mRom▪ 8. 2.) law of death; becauſe it is the rule of all the naturall mans actions, guiding him into all wickedneſſe, the commander of all his parts and members, vntounto whoſe iniunctions they doe like ſubiects yeeld free and willing obedience, the which their ſeruice and ſubiection is in the end rewarded with euerlaſting death of bodie and ſoule.