The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That the body and ſenſitiue faculties onelyonly are not the fleſh proued by the Scriptures, and diuers reaſons.
§. Sect. 1. That the body and ſenſitiue faculties onelyonly are not the fleſh proued by teſtimonies of the Scripture.AND therefore hauing ſhewed what is the erroneous conceipt of the Papiſts concerning the fleſh, in the next place wee will confute it, and proue that by fleſh we are to vnderſtand, not the body and inferiour and ſenſitiue faculties of the ſoule, nor yet onelyonly the corruption of them both; but alſo the corruption of the whole man, and principally of the reaſon and wil which they magnifie with ſo many praiſes. And this will appeare by the cleare euidence of the holy Scriptures, by ſtrong and demonſtratiue reaſons grounded vponupon them, by the teſtimony of the Fathers, yea euen of the Aduerſaries themſelues. And firſt in the whole courſe and current of the Scriptures we may obſerue that there is much more ſpoken of the ſinfull corruption of the ſoule, then of the body; and in the ſoule, not onelyonly of the inferiour, ſenſitiue and animall faculties, but alſo of the ſuperiour and intellectuall, as of the corruption and deprauation of the minde, vnderſtanding, reaſon, wiſedome and will. The Apoſtle ioyneth them both together, 2. Cor. 7. 1. Hauing therefore (ſaith he) theſe promiſes (dearely 2 Cor. 7. 1.beloued) let vsus cleanſe our ſelues from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the feare of God. Where he neceſſarily implyeth, that both in himſelfe, & in thoſe beloued Saints to whom he writeth, there was remaining corruption and filthineſſe of nature, which was to bee purged away, not onelyonly in the body which here is ſignified by fleſh, but alſo in the ſoule, which is here vnderſtood by the Spirit. So Ephe. 2. 3. Among whom (ſaith he) alſo wee all had our Epheſ. 2. 3.conuerſation in times paſt, in the luſts of our fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh and of the minde. And Rom. 8. 8. hee telleth Chryſoſt. in Rom. 8. Ser. 13. Rom. 8. 8.vsus, that they, who are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God. Where by fleſh we cannot vnderſtand the body (for then the ſeruants of God could not pleaſe him in this life) but the corruption of nature, with which our bodies and ſoules are defiled, till they be renewed and ſanctified by Gods ſpirit. And thus Chryſoſtome expoundeth this place. What then (ſaith he) ſhall we deſtroy our owne bodies, and ſo goe out of the fleſh that wee may pleaſe God? Doeſt thou command vsus to bee murtherers, when as thou pretendeſt to draw vsus vntounto vertue? Ye ſee what abſurdities doe hence ariſe, if theſe things be ſimply and literally vnderſtood. But by fleſh here he meaneth not the body or bodily eſſence, but a worldly and carnall life addicted to wantonneſſe and voluptuous pleaſures, which make the whole man to become fleſh. For as they who are led by Gods ſpirit, hauehave alſo their bodies made ſpirituall, ſo they who are led by the fleſh and are addicted to carnall delights, they make their ſoules to become fleſhly and carnall, not by changing the eſſence and ſubstance, but by ſpoiling it of true nobilitie. And this manner of ſpeaking is vſed in the Old Teſtament, where the fleſh ſignifieth that groſſe and earthy life, which is filthily intangled in all abſurd pleaſures. For God ſaith to Noah, my ſpirit ſhall not ſtay with theſe men becauſe they are fleſh. And yet Noah himſelfe was clothed and encompaſſed with the garment of fleſh; but this was not the fault that offended God, to be compaſſed with fleſh, becauſe this was the worke of nature, but in that they had made choiſe of a carnall and ſenſuall life. And therefore Paul ſaith, They who are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God; and alſo addeth; But you are not in the fleſh but in the ſpirit, not vnderſtanding ſimply the ſubſtance of the fleſh, (for ſo they were in it to whom hee writeth) but ſuch a fleſh which is drawne and oppreſſed with luſts and paſsions. Euen as the like ſpeech of our Sauiour is to be vnderſtood, but you are not of the world, not becauſe they had not their habitation in the world, but becauſe they were not defiled with worldly malitiouſneſſe. And afterwards more fully expounding thoſe words; You are not in the fleſh but in the ſpirit; What then (ſaith he) were they not in the fleſh? and did they goe about without bodies? What ſenſe or reaſon were in ſuch a ſpeech? And therefore you ſee that he meaneth by fleſh a Ambroſ de fide reſurect. To. 3.fleſhly life. And thus alſo Ambroſe expoundeth this place, The Apoſtle (ſaith he) by denying thoſe to be in the fleſh whom it is manifeſt to hauehave been in the fleſh, did not condemne in them the ſubſtance of fleſh, but their ſinnes and ſinfull corruptions, that is the workes of the fleſh.
§. Sect. 2. Other teſtimonies to proue the former poynt.And vntounto theſe teſtimonies of Scripture many more might be added. As Tit. 1. 15. VntoUnto the pure all things are pure, but vntounto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure, but euen their minde and conſcience is defiled. So the Apoſtle ſaith, that the wiſedome or (aRom. 8. 7. foreign.) minding of the fleſh is emnitie againſt God, and that the (bCol. 2. 18. foreign.) minde as well as the bodie is fleſhly. And thus he exhorteth the Epheſians to be renewed in the ſpirit of their mindes, thereby implying that not onelyonly the body and ſenſitiue faculties are naturally corrupted, but c Eph. 4. 23alſo the minde▪ the chiefe part of man, and hereof the ſpirit, that is, the prime vigour and chiefe faculty of the minde. For what needeth any renouation if there were not in them the taynture of their old corruption? So Rom. 12. 2. And be Rom. 12. 2.not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minde, that you may proue what is that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God. Whereby hee implyeth that naturally they were corrupted, euen in the vnderſtanding part, and ignorant of the will of God, till they were renewed and inlightned by the Spirit of God, which renouation is not finiſhed at once, but by little and little, euen to the end of life; according to that 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Againe, where the Apoſtle prayeth vntounto God that the mindes of the faithfull might be renewed, he plainely intimateth that they were by nature corrupt and ſinfull. And thus he prayeth that the faithfull Theſſalonians might be ſanctified 1 Theſ. 5. 23.wholly, and that their whole ſpirit, and ſoule and body might be preſerued blameleſſe vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And that the Epheſians might hauehave the ſpirit of wiſedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him, and that the eyes of their vnderſtanding being in lightned they might know what was the hope of their Calling, &c. Of which prayers they had great neede, ſeeing as the Apoſtle teſtifieth of them, they together with the reſt of the Gentiles had their vnderſtandings Eph. 4. 18.darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance which was in them, becauſe of the blindneſſe of their heart. Epheſ. 4. 18. Finally the Apoſtle plainely determineth this queſtion, whereas hee ſaith that the enemies with whom wee wraſtle in this Chriſtian Warfare, are not fleſh and bloud, but ſpirituall wickedneſſes, euen the wicked ſpirit, the world and our owne corruption.
§. Sect. 3. Reaſons to proue that the body only is not the fleſh. The firſt taken from the names that are giuen vntounto it.VntoUnto theſe teſtimonies of Scripture wee may adde many reaſons to proue, that by the fleſh wee are not onelyonly to vnderſtand the bodie and the ſenſitiue faculties or the corruption of them both; but the ſinne and pollution which hath ouerſpread the whole man, ſoule and body. Firſt becauſe the names in the ſcriptures which are giuen to the fleſh doe intimate thus much, for it is called the old Adam and the old man, which conſiſt as well of a reaſonable ſoule, as of a Omne peccatum Caro dicitur. Ambr, in Eph. …. Ezech. 18. 4.naturall body; It is called ſinne, according to that of Ambroſe; All ſinne is called the fleſh; and the ſoule ſinneth as well as the body, as the Prophet implyeth, where hee ſaith; that the ſoule that ſinneth ſhall dye. It is called the euill concupiſcence, and the act of luſting belongeth to the ſoule and not to the bodie. It is called the euill which encloſeth vsus, namely all the whole man, body and ſoule, and finally it is called the law of ſinne and law of death, and lawes are giuen by the chiefe commaunder and ſupreame ſoueraigne, which as all confeſſe, is not the body, but the ſoule, and herein the reaſon and vnderſtanding. Secondly, the actions Reaſon 2 which are attributed to the fleſh doe proue this; for it is ſaid to couet, deſire, or luſt, Gal. 5. 17. which is an act of the ſoule, and not of the body; and therefore Chryſoſtome Gal. 5. 17▪ Non hic carnē apellat corpus, alioquin quomodo concupiſcit, quandoquidem concupiſcentia non ca…n… eſt ſed animae Chryſoſt. in Gal. 5.concludeth that the Apoſtle meaneth not the body but the ſoule, for otherwiſe (ſaith he) how can the fleſh be ſaid to luſt; ſeeing luſting belongeth not to the body but the ſoule, for the bodie is to be reckoned among thoſe things which are moued and not which moue, as being not …ragent▪ but a patient. Thirdly, the ſinnes which are attributed to the fleſh ſhew plainely that wee are thereby to vnderſtand the corruption of the ſoule, as well as of the body. So the Apoſtle reckoning vp Reaſon 3 diuers fruits of the fleſh, nameth not onelyonly Adultery vncleanneſſe, Cal. 5. 9. 20.murthers, drunkenneſſe and ſuch like; But alſo Idolatrie, Witchcraft, Hereſie, which are the ſinnes of ſoule and minde, and not properly and immediately of the body: And this Auſtine obſerued. Who knoweth not (ſaith he) that Idol-ſeruice, emnitie, contention, aemulation; ſtomaching, Auguſt. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 14 cap. 2.diſſenſion, hereſie, enuy are rather the vices of the mind then of the fleſh; ſeeing it may be that for idolatrie, or ſome errour of hereſie, a man may abſtaine from the pleaſures of the fleſh? Where further it is to bee noted, that theſe workes of the fleſh, are not onelyonly in the wicked and vnregenerate, but alſo in the godly and ſanctified in reſpect of their fleſh or part vnregenerate, for of ſuch the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſeeing they onelyonly are exerciſed in the ſpirituall conflict, and they, and none but they, hauehave the ſpirit in them luſting againſt the fleſh.
§. Sect. 4. Reaſon 4. Original corruption hath ouerſpread the whole man body and ſoule.Fourthly the corruption of originall ſinne (which in the man regenerate is all one with the fleſh) hath ouerſpread not the body alone, but alſo the whole man body & ſoule: for the image of God was thereby defaced which principally conſiſted in wiſdome, originall righteouſnes and holines, and theſe were cheifely and immeadiately ſeated not in the body, but in the ſoule: and in this regard the whole man, the ſoule as well as the body, needed to be waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, and in the lauer of regeneration, becauſe all his powers and parts were defiled and corrupted. The which will better appeare if wee conſider of ſome particulars. For in the minde and vnderſtanding are ſeated, as in their proper place, the ſinnes of ignorance, not onelyonly in the vnregenerate, according to that of the Apoſtle; the naturall 1 Cor. 2. 14.man perceiueth not the things which are of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him, neither can bee know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerued; but alſo the reliques therof remaine in the regenerate, for we know but in part, and we ſee but as through a glaſſe darkely; in which regard Chriſt telleth 1 Cor. 13▪ 38.Peter that fleſh and bloud had not reuealed vntounto him that our Sauiour was the Sonne of God, meaning by fleſh and bloud, humaine reaſon and vnderſtanding. And vntounto this we may adde the ſinnes of infidelity and doubting; errours and hereſies. In the conſcience alſo there is ſtupiditie and terrours, whereby it is either aſleepe, and obſerueth not our actions to approue that which is good, and to accuſe vsus for euill, or being awakened doth with horrible fury purſue and terrifie vsus admitting of no pacification. In the cogitation and imagination vanity and much wickedneſſe, according to that Gen. 6. 5. Where it is ſaid, that God ſaw that Gen. 6. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5.eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of mans heart, were onelyonly euill continually. Finally in the will remaineth much auerſneſſe to good, and proneneſſe to euill, great rebellion and ſtubbornneſſe againſt God whereby we reſiſt his holy Ier. 17. 10.wil. in reſpect wherof the Prophet ſaith, that the heart of man is wicked aboue all things; and the Apoſtle telleth vsus that in our wils there is no inclination vntounto any thing which is good, vnleſſe, God firſt worketh it in vsus. By all which it appeareth, that by the fleſh we are to vnderſtand the corruption Philip. 2. 12. Bernard. de Aduentu. domini. Serm. 5.of ſoule & body, according to that of Bernard; As (ſaith he) the old Adam was ſpread ouer the whole man, and profeſſed him wholly; ſo now let Chriſt hauehave all who hath created all and redeemed all, and will alſo glorifie all.
§. Sect. 5. Reaſon 5. Becauſe the Body and ſpirit are not enemies but louing friends.Fiftly, the Fleſh and the Spirit are as the Apoſtle telleth vsus, contrarie one to the other, and like mortall enemies in hoſtile manner they fight together ſeeking one anothers ruine and deſtruction; but ſuch emnitie is not betweene the ſoule Gal. 5. 17.and body, for then they would ſeeke one anothers ouerthrow, whereas contrariwiſe they mutually louelove and cheriſh the one the other, and are much grieued when they muſt part aſunder; ſo the Apoſtle telleth vsus, that no man Eph. 5. 28. 29.euer yet hated his owne fleſh, but nouriſheth it and cheriſheth it, euen as the Lord the Church, and in this regard hee willeth the husband to louelove his wife, as his owne body. And this argument Chryſoſtome vſeth. Whereas (ſaith hee) the Apoſtle telleth vsus that the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, he ſpeaketh of a Chryſoſt. in Gal. 5.twofold knowledge, whereof the one is contrary to the other, to wit not the ſoule and body, but vertue and maliciouſneſſe; for if they ſhould be ſo oppoſed, they would deſtroy one another, as water, fire, and light darkneſſe, &c. Now whereas the oppoſition and fight is not betweene the body and the ſoule, but the fleſh and the Spirit, hereof it will clearely follow, that wee are not by fleſh to vnderſtand the ſubſtance of the body, but the quality of corruption in ſoule and body; for theſe enemies are of like nature, and therefore as by the ſpirit we vnderſtand not the ſubſtance or eſſence of the holy ſpirit, but a created qualitie of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, in the whole man; ſo contrariwiſe wee are by the fleſh to vnderſtand not our bodily ſubſtance, but the ſinfull quality of corruption which hath defiled ſoule and body.
§ Sect. 6. The ſixt reaſon taken from the wordes of the Apoſtle. Rom. 7. 18.Sixtly, the Apoſtle ſaith, that in him that is in his fleſh dwelled no good thing; where the fleſh cannot ſignifie the body as it is diſtinguiſhed from the ſoule; for ſo it is not true which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſeeing his body was not onelyonly the habitation of his ſoule, but alſo the Temple of the holy Ghoſt. Neither was it here the Apoſtles purpoſe to diſtinguiſh betweene his ſoule and his body, but betweene grace and naturall corruption which had ouerſpread the whole man, ſo farre forth as he remained vnregenerate; as contrariwiſe by ſpirit he vnderſtandeth the whole man, as he is regenerate and ſanctified. And this is the reaſon why he correcteth himſelfe ſaying in me, that is in my fleſh, becauſe he would not be iniurious to Gods ſpirit dwelling in his body, which maketh him thus to explicate his ſpeech, of his fleſh or part vnregenerate, in which the holy ſpirit dwelleth not. So Chryſoſtome telleth vsus that the Apoſtle calleth 1 Cor. 6. 19. Chryſoſt. in Cal. 5.Fleſh not the natural body, but the depraued will, as when he ſaith, you are not in the Fleſh but in the Spirit; And againe, thoſe who are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God. What then is the fleſh to be deſtroyed? Why he who ſpake theſe things, was not hee compaſſed with fleſh? &c. By fleſh therefore hee meaneth earthly, ſluggiſh and retchleſſe thoughts. So that this is not the accuſation of the body, but the fault of the negligent ſoule.
§ Sect. 7. The ſeuenth Reaſon becauſe the body is not abſolutely euill, as the fleſh ….Eighthly, that which is called the fleſh, is in other places, called the euill concupiſcence, the euill which encloſeth vsus, and the law of ſinne; but the body is not euill abſolutely, for it is the good creature of God as well as the ſoule; but reſpectiuely, as together with the ſoule it is tainted & defiled with corruption. So Auſtine telleth vsus that our fleſh that is Aug. de eccleſiaſt. dogmat. Cap. 76.our body is good, yea very good, as beeing the workmanſhip of our onelyonly good God; and it is not euill as Sethianus, Ophianus and Patricianus would hauehave it; nor the cauſe of euill as Florianus hath taught, nor yet compacted of euill and good, as Manichaeus blaſphemeth, but whereas it is good by creation, it is at the choiſe of the minde made vntounto vsus either good or euill, not by the change of the ſubſtance, but by the wages of execution. With whom Chryſoſtome agreeth, ſaying, that the Apoſtle doth Chryſoſt. in Rom. 7. Serm. 13.nor call the fleſh (that is the body) ſinne, but it is the worke of God, which if we wiſely vſe it, is exceeding fit for the purſuing of vertue. Neither is the body our enemy in this ſpirituall conflict, but our friend which aſſiſteth vsus in the fight, and taketh our part againſt the fleſh with the reſt of our ſpirituall enemies; namely as it is imployed by the ſoule, in praying, faſting, watching, hearing the word, holy conferences, giuing of almes and ſuch like religious and Chriſtian duties. So Hierome teſtifieth that this life to mortall men is a place Hieron. ad Licinium.of Combate, here wee fight that elſewhere wee may be crowned, and no man can goe ſecurely among ſerpents and ſcorpions. Wee are compaſſed about with great troupes of enemies; the whole world is full of them; the fraile fleſh which within a while will become duſt, fighteth alone againſt many, &c. For as the bodie partaketh with the ſoule in the ſtate of corruption, ſo alſo in the ſtate of regeneration, the one beeing ſanctified as well as the other. For whereas the Apoſtle ſpeaking to the faithfull telleth them, that they were waſhed and ſanctified, hee excludeth not their body but vnderſtandeth it of the whole perſon body and ſoule. And this he plainely teſtifieth, ſaying, that the vnmarried woman careth for the things 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 34.of the Lord, that ſhe may be holy, both in body and in ſpirit: And therefore he exhorteth the Corinthians to the waſhing and purging of the whole perſon. Hauing (ſaith he) theſe gracious promiſes, (dearely beloued) let vsus cleanſe our ſelues from 2. Cor. 7. 1.all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the feare of God. So whereas he affirmeth that our bodies are temples of the holy Ghoſt, hee implyeth, that they are regenerate and ſanctified; for what communion can there bee betweene light and darkneſſe, God and Belial, the holy ſpirit, and a polluted cage of vncleane ſpirits? And therefore as our ſoules are not in this life perfectly regenerate, but hauehave remaining in them many reliques of corruptions, ſo our bodies are not quite without regeneration, but are in part waſhed and purged by Gods holy Spirit, that they may bee fit habitations for himſelfe to dwell in. To which purpoſe Hierome ſaith, that the Apoſtle doth not praiſe the ſpirit, and Hieron. in. Rom. 8.diſpraiſe the fleſh, becauſe that is good and this is euill: Seeing himſelfe ſaith, that the Virgin careth for the things of the Lord, that ſhe may be holy in body and in ſpirit, and contrariwiſe doth accuſe the ſpirit, ſaying men corrupted in their mindes, &c. So Chryſoſtome ſaith, that Chriſt hath deſtroyed the kingdome of ſinne, and hath made the flesh more able and ſpirituall for all good duties, not by changing the ſubſtance of it, but by raiſing and inciting it hereunto. For as fire beeing ioyned with yron, Chryſ. in Ro. 8.doth make the iron like vntounto fire, though it remaine the ſame in it owne nature: ſo the flesh of the faithfull who are indued with the holy Ghoſt, is cha…ged by vertue of the ſpirit, and beeing made ſpirituall and loftie is lifted vponupon high together with the ſoule. And as the body is thus in part ſanctified, ſo alſo the affections and inferiour faculties of the ſoule, as louelove, hope, deſire, hatred, and the …eſt, and are made ſeruiceable to the ſoule for holy and religious duties: and whereas whileſt we were in the ſtate of vnbeliefe, they fought on the diuels ſide, and prouoked vsus to the committing of all wickednes, now they forſake his campe and take part with the armie of Ieſus Chriſt, inciting vsus both in our ſoules and bodies, to the ready performance of all holy duties. And as the Apoſtle numbreth idolatry, witchcraft and hereſie which are more properly belonging to the ſuperiour faculties of the ſoule among the workes of the fleſh: ſo contrariwiſe he reckoneth louelove, ioy, and peace, among the workes of the ſpirit, which Gal. 5. 22are affections belonging to the inferiour part.
§ Sect. 8. The eight reaſon. Becauſe the faithfull are tempted to ſuch ſinnes as properly belong to the vnderſtanding and will.Laſtly, euen the faithfull and regenerate are tempted, not onelyonly to ſinnes wherwith the inferiour faculties of the ſoule are delighted, as luſt, wantonnes, intemperance, and the like; Iam. 1. 14.but alſo vntounto ſuch ſinnes as properly belong to the vnderderſtanding and will, as errours, hereſies, infidelitie, doubting of Gods mercy, truth, prouidence, ſecuritie, impenitency and hardneſſe of heart. Now of what are they thus tempted, but as the Apoſtle telleth vsus, of their owne concupiſcence? and therefore this concupiſcence extendeth as well to the ſuperiour as the inferiour faculties of the ſoule. Yea not onelyonly are they tempted but often are foyled by yeelding to the tentation; of which I neede no other proofe, but that experience which eueryevery Chriſtian may hauehave in himſelfe, if without partialitie he will examine his owne conſcience: for who is ſo inlightned that doth not finde in his minde much darkneſſe? who ſo ſanctified, that doth not acknowledge many errours whereby he hath been ouertaken in his iudgement; and much vanity in his cogitations? Who is ſo humbled and hath ſo denied himſelfe, that doth not feele in his will much peruerſeneſſe and rebellion againſt the will of God? Finally, who hath his remembrance ſo confirmed and ſtrengthned in grace, that doth not ſee his forgetfulneſſe of God and of holy duties? And who is ſo ſtrong in his faith, that doth not finde many aſſaults of doubting and infidelitie? All which doth plainely proue that euen in the regenerate the reliques of carnall corruption doe remaine not onelyonly in the inferiour and ſenſitiue faculties of the ſoule, but alſo in the ſuperiour and intellectuall.