The Christian Warfare Part 3, Book 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the effects which this Conflict betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit produceth in vsus.
§ Sect. 1. That the man regenerate cannot with full conſent of will chuſe or refuſe either good or euill.WEe hauehave ſeene the manner of the conflict betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit in our ſeuerall parts and faculties: now let vsus briefly conſider of the effects which it produceth in vsus. And theſe are either in the will and deſires, or in the workes and actions. Concerning the former; from this conflict betweene the fleſh and the ſpirit, ariſing from the imperfection of our regeneration this effect is wrought and cauſed in the man regenerate, that hee cannot with his duplicate page duplicate page whole will and full conſent, either chooſe and embrace, or refuſe and reiect either good or euill; becauſe being partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate, his will is deuided, and accordingly doeth at the ſame time refuſe and chooſe, both the euill and the good. For when the will as it is regenerate would doe that which is good, or auoide and ſhun that which is euill, that part which remaineth vnregenerate ſtruggleth and hindereth, and when this would embrace the euil or refuſe the good, the regenerate part reſiſteth and oppoſeth. And this is that Law which the Apoſtle ſaith he found in himſelfe, namely, that when hee would doe good, euill was preſent with him; and that when he delighted in the lawe of God after the inner man; bee ſaw another laws in his Rom. 7. 21. 23.members, warring againſt the lawe of his minde, and bringing him into the captiuity of the law of ſinne which was in his members. From whence ariſeth a notable differēce betwene the ſinnes of the regenerate and the vnregenerate, which though they be all one in reſpect of the act and deede done, yet not in reſpect of the agent and maner of doing. For the regenerate man cannot commit a knowne ſinne with full conſent of will, but there is a reluctation & reſiſting againſt the fleſh, not onelyonly in his conſcience, but alſo in his heart, will and affection. For being ſpirituall and regenerate in all the faculties of his ſoule, the chiefe and principall part of his will adhaereth to the lawe of righteouſneſſe deſiring in all things to yeelde obedience vntounto it. And conſequently it reſiſteth the motions of the fleſh, nilling that which it willeth; And if through frailty and weakeneſſe it be ouercome it hateth and deteſteth that ſinne with which it is taken captiue, and maketh the Chriſtian to be much diſpleaſed with himſelfe becauſe he hath committed it. Hee conſenteth to the lawe of God that it is holy and good, and i… more delighted in it, then in the bewitching pleaſures of ſinne. An example whereof we hauehave in Dauid, who though by his fleſh he was drawne, not onelyonly in his wil to embrace, but alſo in his actions to practiſe ſome grieuous ſins, yet he truely ſaith of himſelfe, that in his heart he hated eueryevery falſe Pſal. 119. 10…. 118.way, and that he would hauehave reſpect to Gods ſtatutes continually. But the vnregenerate man though he ſometime feeleth ſome panges of conſcience checking him for his ſins, ſo as he cannot ſecurely ſleep in them without diſturbance, yet he liketh and loueth them with all his heart, hee willingly obeyeth his ſinnefull luſtes, hee pleaſeth and delighteth himſelfe in them; neither doeth any thing trouble him, but the feare of a guilty conſcience, apprehending and expecting deſerued puniſhment; ſo that he inuerteth the Apoſtles ſpeech and is ready to ſay, the euill I louelove that doe I not, but the good I hate that doe I.
§ Sect. 2. The regenerate man cannot at all times doe the euill which the fleſh chuſeth. Gen. 39. 9.The effects which ariſe from this conflict in the actions and workes of the man regenerate are diuers: firſt that he cannot doe the euill at all times which the fleſh chuſeth and imbraceth; and this Ioſeph intimateth in his deniall of the wicked ſuite which his miſtreſſe made vntounto him: How can I doe this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt God? And what reſtrained him? ſurely the feare of God and his holy ſpirit which would not ſuffer him to fall into ſo great a wickedneſſe. Secondly that he cannot commit ſinne as the wicked doe with full conſent of will; for ſinne being depoſed from it regency, cannot raigne and rule in the whole man as in times paſt, but is confined vntounto a part alone; and ſo farre foorth as we are regenerate we cannot ſinne. According to that of the Apoſtle; Hee that committeth ſinne 1. Ioh. 3. 9.is of the diuell, whoſoeuer is borne of God doeth not commit ſinne, for his ſeede (that is regeneration or the ſeede of the ſpirit) remaineth in him; and hee cannot ſinne becauſe hee is borne of God. Thirdly that hee cannot walke in the way of ſinners, but propoundeth vntounto himſelfe to worſhip and ſerue the Lord in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe; in which courſe though ſometime he ſlippeth and falleth, and ſometime erreth out of the right way for a little ſpace, yet the ſpirit of God dwelling in him and conuicting him of his ſinnes, and ſhewing vntounto him the digreſſions and errors of his life, exciteth him to riſe againe after his falles, and to returne into his olde and right way by renewing his repentance. Whereby it appeareth that they who liue and continue in knowne ſinnes, and make a daily practiſe of committing wickedneſſe, hauehave not the worke of regeneration ſo much as begunne in them, though they make neuer ſo glorious a profeſſion, and (like Herode) doe many things praiſe-worthy in the ſight of men.
§ Sect, 3. By reaſon of this conflict he cannot doe the good he would. Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 7. 15. 18. Heb. 12. 1.Secondly, by reaſon of this conflict the man regenerate cannot doe the good he would, nor yeeld that perfect obedience to Gods lawe which it requireth and he deſireth. So the Apoſtle out of his owne experience ſaith, that the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, ſo that we cannot doe the things that we would. And againe, what I would that doe I not, but what I hate, that doe I. To will is preſent with me, but how to performe that which is good I finde not. For when he would runne the Chriſtian race, the ſinne that compaſſeth him doeth clinge about his necke, and either maketh him for wearineſſe to ſit downe, or to runne forward ſlowly and with great difficultie. It giueth him ſuch blowes and wounds, that hee is often foyled and falleth in his courſe, and when he recouereth himſelfe and riſeth by repentance, though he laboureth and much deſireth to redeeme his loſt time with his ſuture haſt and ſwiftneſſe yet after his wraſtling and combate, he goeth on his iourney but haltingly, yea and is often times ſo dazled and blinded with the deceites of the fleſh, that hee erreth and goeth aſtray, and oftentimes is haled with violence into the by-wayes of ſinne and wickedneſſe. Whereof it is that our beſt obedience is imperfect, euen after wee are regenerate, and our beſt actions ſo ſtained and defiled by our ſinfull fleſh, that were not their imperfections couered with Chriſts perfect obedience, and their pollutions waſhed away in his blood, they would neuer ble acceptable in the ſight of God, for though they ſpring from the pure fountaine of Gods ſpirit yet running through the filthy puddle of our ſinfull fleſh, they are hereby defiled and looſe their natiue beautie and puritie.
It is true, that the fleſh in this conflict doeth not wholly hinder and withdrawe the regenerate man from performing of his duty, nor alienate his mind and heart from the fleſh cannot wholly hinder the ſpirit from good actions, yet it interrupteth it in them.ſtudy and embracing of godlineſſe and righteouſneſſe but yet it ſtill endeauoureth to doe it, and though it cannot make him to ſtand ſtill or turne backe againe, yet like a heauy burthen it preſſeth him downe and hindereth him in his iourney; though it cannot make him deſiſt running the Chriſtian race, yet it caſteth many blocks in his way, and often trippeth at his heeles to make him ſtumble & fal, though it cannot quench and extinguiſh his deſire to ſerue and pleaſe God, yet it much abateth the heate and feruour of his zeale; and though it cannot quite cruſh and ſincke him; yet it will ſo ſhrewdly bowe and buckle him together, that hee is ready to complaine with Dauid, that he is crooked Pſal. 38. 6.and bowed downe greatly, and therefore goeth mourning all the day long. The conſideration whereof ſhould moue eueryevery Chriſtian to bee humbled in the ſight of his owne frailtie, wants and imperfections, to deny himſelfe and his owne righteouſneſſe, that hee may wholly reſt vponupon the perfect and al-ſufficient righteouſneſſe and obedience of Ieſus Chriſt for his iuſt…fication, and to aſcribe vntounto God the whole glory and praiſe of his ſaluation. For the minde, will, heart and affections, which are the cauſes and fountaines from which all our workes doe ſpring, being in part regenerate, and in part vnregenerate, partly ſpirituall and Eſa. 64. 6.partly carnall, all our workes and actions which proceede and ſpring from them muſt needes bee of the like nature. 1. Cor 10. 12. Phil. 2. 12.So alſo it ſhould moue vsus to worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling, and whileſt wee ſtand to take heede of falling; ſeeing we are ſo full of frailty, and are ſo much weakened vntounto all good actions through the malignitie and continuall oppoſition of our ſinnefull fleſh. This ſhould make vsus to keepe a narrowe watch ouer our hearts, that they be not hardened through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne, and to Prou. 4. 24. Heb 3. 13. 32. 13.lift vp the hands which hang downe, and the feeble knees, and to make ſtraight pathes for our feete, leaſt that which is lame be turned out of the way, as the Apoſtle exhorteth. It ſhould cauſe vsus to mourne and grone in the ſight and ſenſe of our carnall corruption, hindering vsus in all good actions, and leading vsus captiue vntounto ſinne, and to cry out with the Apoſtle, wretched man that I am who ſhall deliuer me from the body of this death. Finally it ſhould moue vsus to poure forth Rom. 7. 23.daily vntounto God moſt feruent and effectual prayers, deſiring Pro. 4. 23. Heb. 3. 13.him to annoynt our ſtiffe limbes with the oyle of his ſpirit, and to enlarge our hearts, that we may runne more chearefully and ſwiftly in the way of his Commaundements, to Heb. 12. 13.ſtrengthen vsus daily with his might and to ſend continually into vsus freſh aydes of his ſanctifying graces, whereby wee may be inabled to withſtād the cōtinual aſſaults of the fleſh, to ſubdue and mortifie it with the luſtes thereof, that it may not be able to reſiſt the good motions of his ſpirit, and hinder our Chriſtian courſe in the way of godlineſſe; and in his good time wholly to aboliſh this our enemy, and to giuegive vntounto vsus a full & a finall victory ouer it in Ieſus Chriſt.