A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the laſt Subject of Inheſion, or Seat of Original Sinne (viz.) the Body of a Man.
SECT. I.
1 THES. 5. 23.
And the very God of peace ſanctifie you wholly, and I pray God your whole ſpirit, and ſoul, and body be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
HItherto we have been diſcovering the univerſal pollution of the ſoul by original ſinne, and that both in the upper and lower region, the rational and ſenſitive part thereof; Our method now requireth, that we ſhould manifeſt the defilement and contagion that is upon the Body alſo: For as it was in the deluge, that did overflow the world, the cauſe did precede both from above and beneath, Gen. 7. 11. The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of Heaven were opened; from above and below did come the overflowing of waters: Thus it is in that ſpiritual deluge of ſinne, which doth overflow all mankind, There is corruption in the ſuperiour parts of the ſoul, and there is alſo in the body the loweſt and meaneſt part of man: So that whatſoever goeth to the making of man, is all over defiled; There is nothing in ſoul or body but is become thus polluted, we therefore proceed to the laſt ſubject of Inheſion, or ſeat of original ſinne, and that is the body of man, which will be declared from the Text we are to inſiſt upon.
SECT. II.
The Text explained.
FOr the Coherence of it, obſerve, that the Apoſtle having in the former verſes enjoyned many excellent and choice duties; In this verſe he betaketh himſelf to prayer to God in their behalf, that God would ſanctifie them and inable them thereunto, for in vain did Paul water by this Doctrinal Information, unleſs God did give the increaſe; and withall we ſee, that is a true Rule, That precepts are not a meaſure of our power; They declare indeed our duty, but they do not argue our power, otherwiſe prayer thus to God would have been needleſs.
In the prayer it ſelf we may conſider, the matter it ſelf prayed for, and that is ſet down,
1. Summarily, and in the General. And then
2. Diſtributively, in ſeveral particulars.
The General is, That they may be ſanctified wholly or throughout foreign, the Theſſalonians were ſuppoſed to be ſanctified already, but yet the Apoſtle doth here pray for their further ſanctification, which doth evidence, That the Doctrine of perfection in this life, is a proud and preſumptuous errour; If they had, attained to the higheſt pitch of ſanctification already, why ſhould they ſtill grow in it? Thus the Apoſtle doth often preſs Goſpel-duties upon ſuch as attain to them already, but becauſe they have not perfection, therefore they are to be urged forward: Thus the Apoſtle writing to thoſe that were reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. ſaith, We pray you be reconciled to God; So to the Epheſ. 4. 23, 24. Be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and put on the new man, &c. He ſpeaketh as if the work were now to begin, as if they had not as yet been partakers of this new-creature; Not but that they were ſo, onelyonly there was much behind ſtill to be perfected, much leaven was to be purged out, they were ſtill imperfect, and therefore are to forget what is behind, preſſing forward to the mark.
In the ſecond place, you have the Diſtribution of this whole in its parts; This Sanctification is to be exerciſed in a three-fold ſubject, your Spirit, Soul and Body; It is not Sanctification ſimply he prayeth for, but growing and increaſing, that it be foreign, as in the Original, that it have all, that the lot (foreign is a lot) what the condition of them doth require, what holineſs is the ſpirits portion, the ſouls condition to have, that they are to partake of, but becauſe this will never be gradually perfect in this life, though integrally it is, therefore he ſaith foreign, without blame; Though the godly are not preſerved without ſinne, yet they may without fals, ſuch as may make them notoriouſly culpable and faulty before men, but becauſe it is not enough for a time to be preſerved, and then afterwards to be left to our ſelves, for then we ſhould quickly lick up our old vomit again, he therefore addeth, that this preſervation ſhould be even to the coming of Chriſt.
Now that which I intend chiefly out of theſe words, is the Subject to be ſanctified, and that not the two former (viz.) Spirit and Soul, of whoſe uncleanneſs we have largely treated already, but of the Body, which is laſt of all; Only it is neceſſary to ſpeak a little to the explication of theſe three parts of man, how they differ, for commonly when the Scripture ſpeaketh of man it enumerateth but two parts, the Soul and the Body, as Eccleſ. 12. 7. and in the creation of man, we have only two parts inſtanced in, which are his Soul and his Body; Becauſe of this there have been various conjectures upon this place, for ſome have hence made three parts of man, his Body, his Soul, which they make to be the ſenſitive part of man, and his Spirit, which they make to be ſome part (as it were) flowing from the eſſence of God, and this they acknowledge immortal, but the ſoul and the body (they ſay) are mortal; And the ancient Heretiques the Apollinariſts might runne to this refuge, who denied Chriſt to have any rational ſoul, but his Divine Nature, and his ſenſitive ſoul and body, do make upon Chriſt. The Manichees alſo affirmed two ſouls in men, the one rational that was good, and of God; The other evil, and the fountain of evil, the ſenſitive ſoul, coming from the Devil. Yea Cerda upon Tertul. (de anima lib. 3.) ſaith, not only Dydimus, but others of the ancients did incline to this opinion, that the Spirit was a diſtinct part in a man from ſoul and body, which opinion Auſtin oppoſed.
Thus this Text hath favoured (as ſome think) that opinion of two ſouls in a man, his rational and ſenſitive, not in the Manichean way, but in a Philoſophical way; and ſome learned men indeed have thought by holding two diſtinct ſouls, many inconveniences would be avoided, wch are maintained in Philoſophy, and alſo the conflict and combate that is between the fleſh and the ſpirit, would be better explicated. But certainly the Scripture ſpeaketh conſtantly of man, as having but one ſoul, What will it profit a man to winne the whole world and loſe his ſoul? not his ſouls, which Chryſoſtome uſed as an argument to make man watchfull to the ſalvation of it, ſaying, If thou haſt loſt one eye, thou haſt another to help thee; if one arm, another to ſupport thee, but if thou loſeſt thy only ſoul, thou haſt not another to be ſaved.
Others therefore that they may avoid this inconvenience of holding three parts in a man, do by ſpirit underſtand the work of grace in a man; Thus the Greek Interpreters of old, and ſome learned men of late, but this doth not appear any wayes probable, nor will the Context runn ſmoothly, to make grace (as it were) a part of a man; neither is it coherent to pray, that God would preſerve our grace, our ſoul and body, but rather grace in them; Therefore we take ſpirit and ſoul for the ſame real ſubſtance in a man, onelyonly diverſified by its ſeveral operations. Lactantius cals it an inextrieable Queſtion, Whether animus and anima be the ſame thing in man, meaning by anima, that whereby the body is enlivened; by animus that whereby we reaſon and underſtand, but there ſeemeth to be no ſuch difficulty therein, the Scripture promiſcuouſly calling it ſometimes a ſoul, and ſometimes a ſpirit. It's called the ſpirit in regard of the underſtanding and reaſon, as Epheſ 4. 23. Be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and ſoul becauſe of the affectionate part therein; ſo that the Apoſtle doth not mean two diſtinct parts in a man, but two diſtinct powers and offices in the ſame ſoul; You have a parallel expreſſion Heb. 4. 12. where the word of God is ſaid, To divide between ſoul and spirit, which afterwards is expreſſed by diſcerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart: Thus when Mary ſaid, Luke 1. 46, 47. My ſoul doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoyced in God; ſhe meaneth the ſame part within her, only giveth it divers names.
This being explained, whereas we ſee the Apoſtle praying for the ſanctification of the body as well as the ſoul, it is plain, That it is unclean and ſinfull as well as the ſoul, elſe it did not need Sanctification. From whence obſerve,
That the body of a man naturally is defiled and ſinfull; Sanctification extendeth adequately to our pollution: Seeing then it is required of man, that his body be holy, and he is to glorifie God in that as well as in his ſoul, and this cannot be without the ſanctification of it, it remaineth that our bodies are not only mortal but ſinfull; And indeed under the corruptibility of them, we do readily groan and mourn under the diſeaſes, pains and aches of the body, but ſpiritual life is required to be humbled for the ſins of the body.
Object. And if you ſay, How can there be ſinne in the body, ſeeing that is not reaſonable, all ſinne ſuppoſeth reaſon, now the body being void of that, it ſhould ſeem that it is no more capable of ſinne, then bruit beaſts are?
Anſw. To this it is anſwered, That the body is called ſinfull, not becauſe ſinne is formally in it, for ſo it is in the ſoul, but becauſe by it as an inſtrument ſinne is accompliſhed; The ſubjectum quod, or of denomination of ſinne, is the perſon man himſelf; The Principium quo formale, is the ſoul, the mind and will; The medium or inſtrumentum quo is the body, not that the body is only an inſtrument to the ſoul, for it is an eſſential part of man with the ſoul, as is further to be ſhewed. Thus we truly call them ſinfull eyes, ſinfull tongues, becauſe they do inſtrumentally accompliſh the ſinfulneſs of the heart; when the Apoſtle prayeth, That they might be ſanctified wholly in ſpirit, ſoul and body, he prayeth for the reparation of Gods Image again; Now when that was perfect in Adam, the ſpirit was immediately ſubject to God, the ſoul to the ſpirit, the body to the ſoul; So that what the ſpirit thought, the ſoul affected, and the body accompliſhed; but now this excellent harmony being diſſolved, as the ſpirit is diſobedient to God, the affections to the ſpirit, ſo alſo in the body to both, and thereby it becometh a co-partner with the ſoul in ſinne, and therefore muſt be joyned with it in eternal torments.
SECT. III.
Scripture Proof of the ſinfull pollution of the Body.
THat the very body of a man is ſinfull and needeth ſanctification, is plain from theſe Texts, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe; This is ſpoken to thoſe alſo that are regenerated, none is perfect, they muſt be perfecting; As Apelles, when he drew his line would write faciebat in the Imperfect tenſe, not fecit, as if he had finiſhed it, he would be ſtill making it more exact; ſo ſhould we be in our beſt holy duties, Amabam not amavi, credebane, not credidi, there remaineth a further complement and fulneſs to be added to our beſt graces; Now this perfection is by cleanſing of the fleſh and ſpirit, that is the body and the ſoul. It is a great errour among ſome Papiſts, that they hold the ſpirit and mind of a man free from original contagion, and therefore confine it only to the inferiour bodily parts, but that hath ſufficiently been confuted, yet we deny not but the bodily part of man is likewiſe greatly contaminated, and like an impure veſſel defileth whatſoever cometh into it. The uncleanneſs of the body appeareth alſo from that command Rom. 12. 1. where the Apoſtle enjoyneth, that we ſhould preſent our bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable; So that whatſoever we do by our body it is to be holy and acceptable unto God: Now this exhortation was needleſs, if we did not naturally offer up our bodies a ſacrifice to ſinne, and to the Devil: For meerly a natural man ſerveth ſinne and the Devil with all the parts of his body: Therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking to perſons converted, Rom. 7. 19. ſaith, As ye have yeelded your members ſervants to uncleanneſs and to iniquity, ſo now yeeld your members ſervants to righteouſneſs; Thy eye was once the Devils and ſinnes, thy tongue was, thy ear was, by all theſe ſinne was conſtantly committed, ſo now have a ſanctified body, an holy eye, a godly ear, an heavenly tongue, a pure body; And indeed we need not runne for Texts of Scripture, experience doth abundantly confirm the preparedneſs and readineſs of the body to all ſuitable and pleaſing iniquity; Conſider likewiſe that pregnant place, Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a pure heart in full aſſurance of faith, having our hearts ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, and our bodies waſhed with pure water; As the heart muſt be cleanſed from all ſinnes, that our conſciences may condemn us for, ſo our bodies likewiſe muſt be waſhed with pure water; it is an alluſive expreſſion to the legal cuſtom, which was for all before they drew nigh to the ſervice of God, to ſprinkle themſelves with pure water, to take off the legal uncleanneſs of the body; And thus we muſt ſtill in a ſpiritual way, that ſo the body may be fitted for Gods ſervice: As it is ſaid of Chriſt, Heb. 10. 5. A body thou haſt prepared for me, becauſe the Spirit of God did ſo purifie that corpulent maſs, of which Chriſts body was made, that being without all ſinne, he was thereby fitted for the work of a Mediator; For as for the Socinian Interpretation, who would apply it to Chriſts body, made immortal and glorious, as if it were to be underſtood of Chriſt entring into Heaven, the Context doth evidently confute it, that which the Apoſtle, following the Septuaginnt in the original, calleth, Preparing the body, out of which it is alledged, Pſ. 40. 6. It is, my ears haſt thou opened, aliuding to the Jewiſh cuſtom, who when a ſervant would not leave his Maſter, his ears were to be boared, and ſo he was to continue for ever with him; The ears were boared, becauſe they are the inſtrument of hearing and obedience, and thereby was ſignified, that he would diligently hearken to his Maſters commands: Thus it was with Chriſt, his ears were opened, his whole body prepared to do the will of God; Now as it was thus with Chriſt, ſo in ſome reſpect it muſt be with us; God muſt prepare and fit a body for us, till grace ſanctifie and poliſh it, there is no readineſs to any holy duty, The ſeeing eye, and the hearing ear, God is ſaid to make both, Prov. 20. 12. By theſe inſtances out of Scripture, you ſee what a Leproſie of ſin hath ſpread over the body as well as the ſoul: Oh that therefore we were ſenſible of theſe ſinfull bodies that are ſuch clogs to us, ſuch burdens to us in the way to Heaven! But let us proceed to ſhew the ſinfulneſs thereof in particulars.
SECT. IV.
The Sinfulneſs of the Body diſcovered in particulars.
¶. 1.
It is not now Inſtrumental and ſerviceable to the Soul in holy Approches to God, but is a clog and burden.
FIrſt, The Body is not now inſtrumental and ſerviceable to the ſoul in holy approaches to God, but is a clog and burden; whereas to Adam abiding in the ſtate of innocency, the body was exceeding uſefull to glorifie God with. The body was as wings to the ſoul, or as wheels to the chariot, though weighty in themſelves, yet they do ableviate and help to motion: They are both Onera and adjumenta, oneranda exonerant: Thus did the body to Adam's ſoul, but now ſuch is the uſefulneſs, yet the hinderance of the body to the ſouls operations, that the very Heathens have complained of it, calling it Carcer animae, and Sepulchrum animae, the priſon of the ſoul, the very grave of the ſoul, as if the ſoul were buried in the body: How much more may Chriſtianity complain of this weight of the body, while it is to runne its race to Heaven. Mezenius is noted for a cruel fact of binding dead bodies to live men, that ſo by the noiſom ſtink of thoſe carkaſſes the men tied to them might at laſt die a miſerable death; Truly by this may be repreſented original ſinne not fully purged away by ſanctification; The godly do complain of this body of ſinne, as a noiſom carkaſs joyned to them, and with Paul cry out, Wretched men that we are, who ſhall deliver us from this bondage?
¶. 2.
It doth poſitively affect and defile the Soul.
SEcondly, The bodies ſinfulneſs doth not only appear thus privatively, in being not ſubſervient and helpfull to the ſoul, But it doth alſo poſitively affect and defile the ſoul; not by way of any phiſical contact, for ſo a body cannot work upon a ſpirit, but by way of ſympathy; for ſeeing the ſoul and body are two conſtituent part eſſentially of man, and the ſoul doth inform the body by an immediate union, hence it is that there is a mutual fellowſhip one with another, there is a mutual and reciprocal acting (as it were) upon one another; the ſoul greatly affected doth make a great change upon the body, and the body greatly diſtempered doth alſo make a wonderfull change upon the mind, and if thereby man fall into madneſs and diſtractions, why not alſo into ſinne and pollutions of the mind: Thus the corrupt ſoul maketh the body more vile and the corrupt body maketh the ſoul more ſinful, and ſo they do advance ſinne in a mutual circle of cauſality; Even as vapours cauſe clouds, and clouds again diſlolving do make vapours; Thy ſinful ſoul makes thy body more wicked, and thy ſinful body heightens the impiety of thy ſoul.
¶. 3.
A man acts more according to the body and the inclinations thereof, then the mind with the Dictates thereof.
THirdly, Herein is the pollution of the body manifeſted, In that a man doth act more according to the body and the inclinations thereof, then the mind with the dictates thereof; He is body rather then ſoul, for whereas in mans Creation, the ſoul had the dominion and the body was made only for the uſe of the ſoul, now this order is inverted by original ſinne, the body prevaileth over the ſoul, and the ſoul is enſlaved to the propenſities thereof; Even Ariſtotle ſaid, that homo was magis ſenſus quam intellectus, more ſence then underſtanding, and ſo more corporeal then ſpiritual; man is compounded of two parts, which do in their nature extraemly differ from each other; the body that is of duſt and vile matter, and ſuch materials God would have man formed of even at firſt, he did not make mans body of ſome admirable, quinteſſential matter, as Philoſophers ſay the heavens are made of, but of that which was moſt vile and contemptible, to teach man humility, even in his very original and moſt abſolute, eſtate; now in being conſiſtent thus of a body, he doth partake with beaſts and agreeth with them; But the other part of man, is ſpiritual immaterial and immortal ſubſtance breathed at firſt into Adam by God himſelf, and herein he doth agree with Angels: According to theſe two conſtituent principles a man doth act, either according to the ſoul or the body. In the ſtate of integrity his ſoul was predominant, he was like an Angel in this particular, but now ſince man is fallen, his body is principal and chief, and thereupon is become like the bruit bea…, living and walking according to the inclinations and temptations of the body; This the Pſalmiſt obſerved, Pſal. 49. 12. Man being. in honour abideth not, he is like the beaſts that periſh; And verſ.20. man that is in honour and underſtandeth not, is like the beaſts that periſh; Here you ſee, that though a man be exalted to never ſo much glory and dignity in the world, yet if he underſtand not, if he doth not live according to the true principles of reaſon and grace, he is but like a beaſt, not only in that he periſheth like a beaſt, but alſo in that he liveth and walketh like one; Hence it is that the Scripture doth ſo often compare wicked men to beaſts, to the Aſs, to the Wolf, to the Dog and Swina, becauſe they fall from the principles of a rational ſoul, and become like them in their operations: Thus evil men are ſaid, 2 Tim. 2. 26. To be taken captive by the Devil at his will, or (as in the Greek) taken alive; As the hunter doth drive wild beaſts into his nets and ſo taketh them alive; Thus are wicked men brought (as it were) willingly into the Devils hands and are tame under him; and if ſo be the foreign, his will be referred to the Devil (as ſome do) then it ſheweth in what willing ſubjection they are in to Satans luſts, but becauſe it's not foreign, but foreign, it therefore relateth rather to the remote antecedent which is God, implying that it is by Gods juſt judgement, that man is thus become a miſerable ſlave, and doth the Devils drudgery, even as we make beaſts do our work. And thus it is with all men ſince the fall, they are not worthly the name of a man, therfore the whole body of wicked men are compared to the Serpents ſeed, as if they were the off-ſpring of ſuch a poiſonous creature rather then of man; yea doth not experience confirme this, take men without the work of grace, either internally ſanctifying of them, or externally reſtraining of them; take them as left to their own natural principles, and having no more to walk by, what do you perceive in them more then a beaſt? Indeed their body is ſtill upright, and ſo they differ from them, but in their life and manners they are conformable unto them; Oh that men would conſider and lay this to heart, to be affected with this original ſinne that hath thus degraded us even from the honour (as it were) of a man! There doth not appear in us the actings and workings of a rational ſoul, we are as our body, and the inclinations thereof do carry us away.
¶. 4.
The Body by original Sinne is made a Tempter, and a Seducer.
FOurthly, The body by original ſinne, is made a tempter, and a ſeducer, it doth adminiſter daily matter and occaſion to ſinne; As the Devil is a tempter without, ſo the body is the tempter within; we are incited and drawne away to many bodily ſinnes from the temptations thereof, hence we read in the Scripture that the word fleſh is ſo often put for the ſinful part of a man, and ſpirit for the regenerate part, and why is it called fleſh, but becauſe it is ſo intimately adhering to the body, and by the body ſo much iniquity and ſinfulneſs is expreſſed: Thus ſinne is called our fleſh, as if it were no longer a quality polluting of us, but our very bones and corporeal ſubſtance; There are ſeveral bodily ſinnes which are bred (as it were) in this noiſome pudddle of the body, as drunkenneſs, this is a bodily ſinne, and where this vice is accuſtomed unto, how greatly doth the body crave and importune for the accompliſhing of it? this maketh repentance of it, and a through reformation ſo difficult, becauſe it is now ſoaked (as it were) in the body; that as you ſee it is with the food we eat, while in the mouth or ſtomack it is with ſome eaſe exonerated, but when digeſted and by nouriſhment turned into the very parts of the body, then it cannot be ſeparated: Thus when ſinnes come to be incorporated into thee, when thy body is habituated to any vice, it requireth much prayer and agony, much humiliation and ſupplication, ere ſuch a luſt can be diſpoſeſſed. Oh then bewail thy body, that is thus become an enemy to the ſoul, that is like a furnace ſending forth continual ſparks of fire: That as the tree by the moiſture and ſoftneſs thereof doth cauſe wormes to breed in it which do at laſt deſtroy it. Thus out of thy body ariſe ſuch luſts that will at laſt be thy eternal perdition: As drunkenneſs ſo uncleanneſs, this is alſo a luſt of the body, this ſinne ariſeth from it, and although that be very true which the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 6. 18. That fornication and ſuch uncleanneſs they are againſt the body, becauſe the body is to be kept holy and pure it being the temple of the Holy Ghoſt: where a man is ſanctified, yet take it as corrupted and polluted, ſo theſe luſts are very ſutable and conſonant to it; who can think then, that the body is ſuch as at firſt Creation, ſuch a ready inſtrument to much bodily wickedneſs, yea a tempter and a ſeducer? This is the Dalilah that doth ſo often plunge us into ſoul ſinnes, there was no root of bitterneſs in mans body at firſt, but as it was with the ground, when curſed for mans ſinne, then it did naturally and of it ſelf bring forth weeds and thorns, ſo doth the body thus defiled, it is now the continual nouriſher, and fomenter of vice, we damn our ſouls to pleaſe our bodies, we are become ſlaves to our bodily pleaſures and delights, though we know they are to the eternal perdition both of ſoul and body at laſt; nouriſh it we muſt, provide for it we muſt, yet we cannot nouriſh that, but ſinne alſo is thereby ſtrengthned; Hence you have that holy Apoſtle himſelf much afraid of his body, that it may not riſe up in rebellion againſt the work of grace, 1 Cor. 9. 27. he uſeth two emphatical words to this purpoſe foreign, I keep under my body, an alluſion to thoſe who did fight for maſteries by way of exerciſe; ſo that when one did beat the other black and blue about the face (foreign) is the countenance, and (foreign) are thoſe marks upon the face; Hence Hyſichius rendereth foreign, an humiliation of the body) this was foreign (not to ſpeak of thoſe who read it foreign.) Corinth was well acquainted with theſe exerciſes of the body, and although there were five kinds of them, yet the Apoſtle inſtanceth in two only (viz.) of racers and of wreſtlers, as being moſt ſuitable to his purpoſe. Now by this Metaphor the Apoſtle would teach us, what an enemy and adverſary the body is to the ſoul, what ſnares it layeth for us, what great danger may ariſe to us from it alone; He doth not name his fighting with the world and the Devil, though theſe be potent enemies, but the body only, becauſe theſe adverſaries cannot do us any hurt, till this domeſtical enemy and home-adverſary do betray us; and as it ſignifieth, that the body is an enemy, ſo it declareth alſo with what auſterity and mortification we are to obſerve our bodies, for they are like our beaſts, if we take not their provender from them, they will quickly grow too unruly, as is implied in the next word. It is true, the Apoſtle doth not ſay, I kill my body, nor I mutilate my body, for that had been unlawfull; neither doth this Text give any encouragement to thoſe Popiſh Penances and Diſcipline they uſe to their bodies (although their learned men think this place alone to be enough to juſtifie their flagellations, their whippings and ſcourgings of the body) but commands ſuch an abſtinence about our bodies, that thereby they may be the more prepared and uſefull for any ſpiritual duty, for ſuch who live in bodily exceſs, they make their bodies a very noiſom ſink or dunghill to the ſoul; Hence the word is to be underſtood metaphorically, as Luke 18. 5. where it is applied to the importunate widow that troubled the Judge: And although the Apoſtle by the body doth chiefly mean the carnal and ſinfull part of a man, yet he nameth the body, becauſe that, if not diligently watched unto and obſerved, will quickly produce many carnal luſts; The other Greek word is foreign, I bring it into ſubjection; by this is denoted, That the body is like ſome rebellious and ſtubborn ſervant, or ſome pampered and untuly horſe, which with much art and ſtrength muſt be brought under: Thus alſo the body is, it is unruly and maſterfull, it will prevail over the ſoul, and even overcome the workings of grace, if we do not carefully attend: As in deep mines there do ſometimes ariſe ſuch foggy vapours that put their light out who are digging there, and ſo endanger them if they do not diligently obſerve them: Luſts then and ſinnes lie in the body (as it were) like fire in the ſlint, any temptation will draw them out: It was the ſpeech of one, who (though ſick) yet would not have the temptation come nigh him, ſaying, Auferte ignem adhuc enim paleas habeo; Take away the fire, for I have yet chaff within me: Thus if Paul be afraid of his body, if he fear himſelf leſt temptations ariſe from thence, what ſhould we do? if the Ramme fear ſo, what ſhould the Lamb do? as Auſtin upon this point; If the green tree thus fear burning, what ſhould the dry one do? Though bodily ſinnes are very many in number, ſo that it would be too tedious to reckon up all, yet I muſt not paſs by one more, which the Apoſtle is ſo large in, and that is the ſinfulneſs of the tongue, that is one part of the body, yet the Apoſtle ſaith, a world of evil is in that, how many worlds of evil are then in the whole man? James 1. 4, 5, 6, 7. The Apoſtle from his former councel given, that they ſhould not be many maſters, that is, as ſome expound it, and that moſt probable, Do not affect to produce new opinions, and ſo to create many Diſciples to follow you, as if you only found out this or that Doctrine; (Like that of our Saviour, Matth. 23. 10. And be ye not called Maſters, for one is your Maſter even Chriſt,) and that they muſt depend upon your authority only; From this councel (I ſay) he doth occaſionally declare the evil and general wickedneſs of the tongue, becauſe where there are contrary maſters, and they hold contrary opinions, commonly theſe are maintained by them with much pride and arrogancy, with bitter cenſuring and condemning of one another: Therefore the Apoſtle doth fully inform us, what an inſtrument of evil the tongue is, that it ſetteth on fire the courſe of nature; It is from the tongue that houſes, Towns, Cities, yea the whole world is ſet into combuſtion, and no wonder, for that is ſet on fire from Hell, that is, from the Devil, who by the corruption of man doth now reign and rule in him; yea it is ſo full of deadly poiſon, and ſuch an unruly evil, that no man can tame it; From which expreſſion Auſtin did well gather the neceſſity of Gods grace, for the tongue only is ſo ready to evil one way or other, that without Gods grace it cannot be tamed, and though nature hath given teeth, and lips, as ſo many barres to keep in the tongue, yet grace only muſt over rule it: As then the Phyſician by looking on the tongue doth diſcover the heat and diſeaſe of the body within, ſo by thy tongue, thy paſſionate tongue, thy unruly tongue, thy raging tongue, original ſinne which is in the whole man, is notoriouſly manifeſted; How quickly is the poiſon in the heart emptied into the tongue? Neither may you object, ſaying, That drunkenneſs, adultery, and evil bitter words are actual ſinnes, and what is this to original? Yes, very much, as the fruit to the root, as the ſtreams to the fountain; For were not the body thus originally polluted with the ſoul, the fruit would be then anſwerable to a pure and perfect root; And well may we diſcourſe after this manner, ſeeing we have the Apoſtle a Preſident herein; for Rom. 3. 9, 10, 11, 12. having aſſerted both Jew and Gentile to be under ſinne, ſo that there is not one good of all mankind by nature; he demonſtrateth this both by the ſoul-ſinfulneſs and the body ſinfulneſs, and that by actual impieties, Their throat is an open ſepulchre, the poiſon of Aſps is under their lips, their feet are ſwift to ſhed bloud: Thus it is plain, that original ſinne lying latent in the heart of a man, is diſcovered by the actual impieties of the body, and all the parts of the body are one way or other executive of the fruit of this ſinne.
¶. 5.
It doth objectively occaſion much ſinne to the Soul.
FIfthly, The body is not only a tempter thus to ſinne, and ſo as Saul purpoſed about Michal, is become a ſnare to us, a worſe evil then is in that imprecation, Let their table become a ſnare to them, for our body, which is ſo dear and ſo intimate, that is alſo become a ſnare, But then objectively it doth occaſion much ſinne to the ſoul. In the former particular our bodies had ſome kind of efficiency and working in thoſe ſinnes, but here it is paſſive (as it were) an object that doth allure and draw out the ſoul inordinately to it, ſo that we mind the body, look to the body, provide for the body more than the ſoul; ſo that whereas the ſoul is farre more excellent and worthy than the body; ſo that our thoughts and ſtudies ſhould be infinitely more zealous to ſave that then the body, yet till grace doth ſanctifie and life us up to the enjoyment of God, who doth not look after his body more than his ſoul, which yet is, as if (ſaith Chryſoſtom) a man ſhould look to his houſe to ſee that be repaired, and that be in good order, but neglect his own ſelf: The ſoul that is properly a man, the body is but his houſe, and a vile one alſo, is an houſe of clay; it is but a garment to the ſoul, and a ragged tottered one. Now it is good to take notice in what particulars our bodies are thus objectively a cauſe of ſinne to us. And
Firſt, It is evident in that diligent and thoughtfull way of car we have about the feeding and cloathing of it. Doth not our Saviour even to his very Diſciples, prohibit this perplexing care, Matth. 6. 25. Take no thought for your life what ye ſhall eat, nor for your body what ye ſhall put on; but how faulty are we here, comparatively to our ſouls? we that have ſo many thoughts to provide for the body, how few have we about the ſoul? Is not the body well fed, when the ſoul is ſtarved? Is not the body well cloathed, when the ſoul is naked? How juſtly may thy ſoul cry out murder, murder, for thou art deſtroying and damning that every day? Will not thy ſoul witneſs againſt thee at the day of judgement, the body was taken care for, the body was looked to, but I was neglected? Will it not cry out in hell, Oh if I had been as diligently attended unto, as the body, I had not been roaring in theſe eternal torments.
The ſecond particular, wherein the body doth objectively and occaſionally tempt the ſoul to ſinne, is about the adorning and trimming of it, not only the care to provide for it, but the curioſity to adorn it doth provoke the ſoul to much ſinni. And whereas our very garments ſhould put us in conſtant mind of our original pollution (for there was no ſhame uponnakedneſs till that firſt tranſgreſſion) and thereby greatly humble us; we now grow proud and vain from the very effect of the firſt diſobedience: Every morning we put on our garments, we ſhould remember our original ſinne; The body before ſinne was not expoſed to any danger by cold and other damages, neither was the nakedneſs thereof any cauſe of bluſhing, but all this and more alſo is the fruit of the firſt ſinne, and if ſo, how inexcuſable is it, to be curious and diligent in trimming up, and adorning our bodies by thoſe very garments, the thoughts whereof ſhould greatly debaſe us, but this is not all; The great attendance to the glory of the body doth wholly take off from the care of the ſoul; How happy were it, if perſons did take as much pains to have their ſouls cloathed with the robes of righteouſneſs, to have them waſhed and cleanſed from all filth, as they do about their bodies, one ſpot, one wrinkle in the garment is preſently ſpied out, when the ſoul at the ſame time, though full of loathſomneſs, is altogether neglected, as if our ſouls were for our bodies, and not our bodies for our ſouls. The Platoniſts indeed had ſuch high thoughts of the ſoul, and ſo low of the body, that their opinion was, Anima eſt homo, the ſoul is the man, they made the body but a meer inſtrument, as the Ship is to the Pilate, or muſical inſtruments to an Artificer; This is not true in Philoſophy, though in a moral ſenſe it may have ſome affinity with truth, but if we do regard the affections and actions of all by nature, we may rather ſay, The body … man; Yea the Apoſtle goeth higher, he maketh it ſome mens God, Phil. 3. 19. Whoſe belly is their God, Why their God? Becauſe all they look at in Religion, all they mind is only to ſatisfie that. The Monks belly in Luther's time was their god; When then a man liveth his natural, civil and religious life onelyonly to have his belly ſatisfied, this man maketh his belly his god. And again, there are perſons, whoſe backs are their god; For never did Heathens or Papiſts beſtow more coſt upon their Idols and Images to make them glorious, then they do on their backs, little remembring that we came naked into the world, and that we ſhall not carry any thing out with us; If this care were for ſoul-ornaments, if thou didſt ſpend as much time in prayer to God and reading the Scriptures, whereby thy ſoul might be made comely and beautifull, as thou doeſt about thy body, this would prove more comfortable; If thou didſt as often look into the glaſs of Gods word, to find out every ſinne thou doeſt commit, and to reform it, as thou doeſt into the material glaſſe to behold thy countenance, and to amend the defilements there, thou wouldſt find that the hours and day ſo ſpent will never grieve thee, whereas upon the review of thy life ſpent in this world, thou wilt at the day of judgement cry out of, and bewail all thoſe hours, all that time in unneceſſary adorning of the body; The Apoſtle giveth an excellent exhortation, 1 Pet. 3. 3, Whoſe adorning let it not be of plating the hair, or of wearing of gold—but let it be the hidden men of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, The Apoſtle doth not there ſimply and abſolutely forbid the wearing of gold in ſuch who by their places and calling may do it, for Iſaac gave Reb…ccah earings of gold; but he ſpeaketh comparatively, rather look to the adorning of the ſoul, then of the body, ſpend more time about one then the other. It is a known Hiſtory of that Pambo, who ſeeing a woman very induſtriouſly trimming her ſelf to pleaſe that man with whom ſhe intended naughtineſſe, wept thereupon, becauſe he could not be as carefull to dreſſe up his ſoul in ſuch a poſture as to pleaſe God: Oh then look to thy body hereafter; Let it not ſteal ſo much time from thee, as thereby to neglect thy ſoul, and to loſe thoſe opportunities thou mayeſt have of humbling thy ſelf before God!
Thirdly, The body doth objectively draw out ſinne from the ſoul, In that the fear of any danger to that, especially the death thereof, will make us damne our ſoules and greatly offend God, which doth plainly diſcover, that our bodies are more to us, then God or heaven, or our ſoules are: Therefore we have our Saviour preſſing his Diſciples againſt this fear, if fear about hurt to the body may inſnare the godly, and keep them from their duty, no wonder if it totally prevail with the natural man. Mat. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 4. I ſay to you may friends, fear not them which can kill the body only but fear him who can caſt both body and ſoul into hell; But what Apoſtacies, what ſad perfidiouſneſs in religion hath this love to the body cauſed? the inordinate fear of the death thereof hath made many men wound and damne their ſoules: Times then of dangers and perſecutions do abundantly diſcover how inordinate men are in their love to their bodies, looking upon bodily death worſe then eternal damnation in hell; although our Saviour hath ſpoken ſo expreſly, What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul, Mark 8. 36. It is the Scriptures command that we ſhould glorifie God in ſoul and body which are Gods, our body is Gods, that is bought with a price as well as your ſoul, ſo that it ought to be our ſtudy how we ſhould glorifie God by our eies, by our ears, by our tongues: It is not enough to ſay thou haſt a good heart and an honeſt heart if thou haſt a ſinful body; now though there be many wayes wherein we may glorifie God by our bodies, yet there is none ſo ſignal and eminent as when we do willingly at the call of God give our bodies to be diſgraced, tormented and killed for his ſake, then God ſaith to thee, as he did to Abraham upon his willingneſs to offer up his ſon Iſaac, Now I know thou loveſt me; Thus you have Paul profeſſing, Gal. 6. 17. I bear in my body the marks of the Lords Jeſus, The Greek word ſignifieth ſuch markes of ignominy as they did uſe to their ſervants, or fugitives, or evil doers, now though in the eies of the world ſuch were reproachfull, yet Paul gloryed in them, and therefore he giveth this as a reaſon why noue ſhould trouble and moleſt him in the work of the Miniſtery this ought to be a demonſtration to them of his ſincerity, and that he ſeeketh not himſelf, but Chriſt, hence alſo he ſaith, Phil. 1. 20. Chriſt ſhall be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death. By this it is evident that we owe our bodies to Chriſt as well as our ſouls, and that any fear to ſuffer in them for his ſake argueth we love our bodies more then his glory.
¶. 6.
The Bodies indiſpoſition to any ſervice of God, a Demonſtration of its original Pollution.
BUt let us proceed to another particular wherein the original pollution of the body may be manifeſted, and that is by the indiſpoſition that is in the body to any ſervice for God, though it may be the ſoul is willing and deſirous. The drouſineſſe, dulneſſe and ſleepineſſe of the body doth many times cauſe the ſoul to be very unfit for any approaches unto God; Our Saviour obſerved this even in his very Diſciples, when he ſaid, The Spirit is willing, but the fleſh is weak, Matth. 26. 41. when our Saviour was in thoſe great agonies, making earneſt prayer unto God, and commanding his Diſciples To watch and pray, that they might not enter into temptation, yet they were heavy and dull, and therefore were twice reproved for their ſleep; and this ſleepineſſe of theirs, was at that time, when (if ever) they ſhould have been throughly awakened; but thus it falleth out often, that in thoſe duties, and at thoſe times, when we ought moſt to watch and attend, then commonly the body is moſt heavy and dull; Hence is that drouſineſſe and ſleepineſſe while the Word is preached, whereas at thy meals, or at thy recreations, and in wordly buſineſſes there is no ſuch dulneſſe falleth upon thee; This ariſeth partly from the ſoul, and partly from the body; The ſoul that is not ſpiritual and heavenly, therefore it doth not with delight and joy approach unto God, and then the body is like an inſtrument out of tune, as earth is the moſt predominant element in it, ſo it is a clog and a burden to the ſoul; Therefore bewail thy natural condition herein; Adams body was expedite and ready, he found no indiſpoſition in his body to ſerve the Lord, but how often, even when the heart deſireth it, yet is thy body a weight and trouble to thee. Nazianzene doth excellently bewail this, How I am joyned to this body, I know not (ſaith he) how at the ſame time I ſhould be the Image of God, and roll in this dirt (ſo he calleth the body)—It is a kind enemy, a deceitfull friend, How ſtrange is this conjunction, Quod vereor amplector, quod amo perhorreſco? Doth not God ſuffer this wreſtling of the body with the ſoul to humble us, that we may underſtand that we are noble or baſe, heavenly or earthly, as we propend to either of theſe. (Orat. de pauperum curâ) This ſhould alſo make thee earneſtly long for the coming of Chriſt, when all this bodily ſinfulneſſe ſhall be done away: Oh what a bleſſed change will there then be of this vile, heavy, dull and indiſpoſed body, to an immortal, glorious and ſpiritual body, then there will be no more complaints of this body of thine, then that will cauſe no jarre or diſturbance in the glorious ſervice of God.
¶. 7.
How eaſily the Body is moved and ſtirred by the paſsions and affections thereof.
FOurthly, The body is from the original defiled, in that it is eaſily and readily moved and ſtirred by the paſſios and affections thereof. It cannot be denied but that Heathens and Heretiques have declamed againſt, and reviled the body of man, (as appeareth by Tertul de Reſurrect. Carmi.) as if it were an evil ſubſtance made from ſome evil principle, hence it is written of Piotinus the great Plateniſt, that he was aſhamed his ſoul was in a body, and therefore would by no means yeeld to have the picture of it drawn, neither would he regard parents, or kindred, or countrey, becauſe his body was from them; but we proceed not upon theſe mens account we follow the Scripture-light, and by that we ſee the body conſociated with the ſoul in evil, whereof this of the paſſions is not the leaſt. The paſſions they are ſeated in the ſenſitive and material part of a man, and therefore have an immediate operation upon the body, being therefore called paſſions, becauſe they make the body to ſuffer, they work a corporal alteration: Hence anger is defined from its effect, an ebullition or bubling forth of bloud about the heart; and thus grief, becauſe it is ſo immediately ſeated in the body, is therefore ſaid to be rottenneſſe to the bones, and it is ſaid to work death, 2 Cor. 7. 10. But it was not thus with the body from the beginning, Adam indeed had ſuch paſſions as do ſuppoſe good in the object, ſuch as love and delight, though they were bounded and did not tranſgreſſe their limits, but then he was not capable of thoſe paſſions which do ſuppoſe evil and hurt, as anger, fear and grief, for theſe would have repugned the bleſſed eſtate he was created in; but ſince original ſinne hath made this violent breach upon the whole man, the body is become the foaming and unquiet ſea, while tempeſts and ſtorms blow upon it, How quickly do theſe paſſions of love, anger, fear and grief put the whole body out of all order? So that it is not fit to hear, to pray, to do any ſervice for God; when we are to pray, we are to life up our hands without wrath, 1. Tim. 6. 8. and ſo without any other inordinate motion, for theſe make an earthquake (as it were) in the body; Theſe are like a ruſhing wind and fire, but not ſuch as the holy Ghoſt will appear in; We may therefore lie down and roll our ſelves upon the ground with ſhame and confuſion, conſidering what an unquiet, reſtleſs and diſturbed inſtrument to the ſoul, our body is now become, ſometimes anger that ſet it on fire, ſometimes ſorrow that is ready to drown it; Even as we read, Matth. 17. 15. the poor lunatique perſon vexed with the Devil, he did ofttimes fall into the fire, and oft into the water two contrary elements, but dangerous: Thus where paſſions do reign in the body; They oft fall into the fire of anger, and then as oft into the water of grief and ſorrow; ſo that thy body is moulded according to thy paſſion, even as iron heated appeareth no longer iron but fire. Surely the experience of this ſhould grieve thee, and break thy very heart; How many tempeſts and ſtorms do ariſe in thy body daily; What whirlwinds of paſſions do carry thee away violently from reaſon and grace: Oh remember this was not in the ſtate of innocency, neither will it be in the ſtate of glory. Therefore be ſo farre from being proud of the beauty or ſtrength of thy body, that the very thoughts of thy body, as now vitiated by original ſinne may juſtly humble thee; and though Plotinus the Platoniſt (as you heard) was juſtly to be reproved for the hatred of his body, proceeding upon evil principles, yet Auſtin commendeth the modeſty and humility of Paulinus, for when Sulpictius Severus ſent to him to have his Image or Picture, Paulinus refuſed it, and that becauſe of the pollution upon it by original ſinne, and that the Image of God was now loſt,—Erube copingere quod ſum, non audeo pingere quod non ſum—Durat enim mihi illud prime Adam virus paternum quo univerſitatem generis ſui pater praevaricatus infecit; Thus he being aſhamed to give the picture of his body, becauſe contamnated by original pollution.
¶. 8.
The Body when ſanctified is become no leſs glorious then the Temple of the holy Ghoſt.
FIfthly, Even the very body of a man, when ſanctified, it become no leſſe glorious then to be the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, which doth demonſtrate, that till a man be regenerated it is not ſuch a Temple, but a dunghill or ſtie, wherein ſwiniſh luſts, yea and the Devils themſelves do reſide, as in their proper habitation. It is neceſſary to take notice of ſeveral things relating to the body, which the Apoſtle mentioneth, 1 Cor. 6. 13, 15, 19. For having there ſpoken briefly to the diſputes that were then very prevalent about meats, the uſing or not uſing of our liberty therein, he giveth this remarkable reaſon againſt too much ſervency in debate thereof, becauſe God ſhall deſtroy both belly and meats; Theſe were corruptible things, and were but for a temporary uſe, and therefore their hearts ſhould be more attentive to thoſe things which are of eternal conſequence, A neceſſary truth to moderate our ſpirits in diſputes of that nature. Having done this, being to aggravate the ſinne of fornication, which was then generally thought either no ſinne, or very venial, he bringeth in ſome arguments that being general make againſt any ſinfulneſs of the body as well as uncleanneſs; As 1. The body is for the Lord (that is Chriſt) and the Lord for the body; our body is intentionally not for any ſinne, but the Lord Chriſt, and he demands it as a body dedicated to him; How powerfull ſhould this reaſon be to make us watch againſt any bodily pollution whatſoever? 2. He argueth, Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? Know ye not? He ſuppoſeth that this ought to be; If it were an undoubted received truth, That our bodies when regenerated do become members to Chriſt their Head; and if ſo, Shall I take the members of Chriſt and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid; He apprehendeth matter of trembling and abomination at ſuch a thing, and this holds of every bodily ſinne, Shall I take the eye of Chriſt, the ear of Chriſt, the tongue of Chriſt, and imploy it in any luſts or paſſions? God forbid. And at the 19th verſe he goeth yet higher, with a Know ye not again, that your bodies are the temple of the holy Ghoſt, which is in you, and which ye have of God? This doth denote an holy dedication of the body to God; So that every ſinne committed in the body hath a ſacriledge in it, with what purity, reverence and ſobriety ſhould we uſe our bodies, thus it ought to be; but take a man in his natural condition, there is his whole body ſet apart to the Devils work, all the parts thereof are to fulfill the luſts of the fleſh; but when a man is regenerated there doth become an intimate and unſpeakable conjunction, not only of our ſouls, but our bodies alſo with Chriſts body; ſo that he doth ſay, We are bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh, but the body naturally is farre from any ſuch myſtical conjunction with Chriſt.
Laſtly, The pollution of the body from the womb is ſeen, in regard of the ſenſes of the body, which are the moſt noble parts thereof. They are the windows or gates to let in all wickedneſs; The greateſt part of our impiety entereth into the heart by the bodily ſenſes; The ſubordinate end of the ſenſes were to be a preſervation to the body, and to maintain the natural life thereof; but the principal and chief end was to be inſtrumental to the ſalvation of the ſoul: God gave us eyes and ears chiefly thereby to glorifie him, and to help forward the ſalvation of our ſelves; but how greatly are the bodily ſences fallen from this principal end, Rev. 2. 7. and in many other places we have that expreſſion, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear; no man hath an ear to hear till God open it; and by that phraſe is denoted, that the ear is principally for this uſe, to hearken to what God ſaith, and therefore Rom. 10. Faith is ſaid to come by hearing; Thy ear is not given thee to hear ſtories and merry jeſts, chiefly for commerce with men, but to hearken what God out of his Word ſaith to thee; And ſo for the eyes, they are not to behold wanton objects, or to take delight in ſights, but to behold the creatures, that thereby God may be glorified; Therefore our eyes, our ears need Gods grace to ſanctifie them and prepare them for any heavenly duty, Prov. 20. 12. The hearing ear and ſeeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
Let the Uſe be even to amaze and aſtoniſh thee with the thoughts of this univerſal pollution upon thee, the ſoul in all the parts thereof, the body in all the members thereof; Nothing clean and pure, but all over leprous and ulcerous, How canſt thou any longer delight and put confidence in thy ſelf? Why doeſt thou not with Job ſit abhorring of thy ſelf, and his indeed were ulcers of the body only, and they were a diſeaſe, but not ſinne, whereas thou art all over in ſoul and body thus defiled, and that in a proper ſinfull way? Oh that the Spirit of God would convince all of this ſinne! The Prophet Iſaiah was to cry, All fleſh is graſſe, and the flo…rer thereof fadeth away to prepare for Chriſt, but in that was chiefly comprehended, All fleſh is ſinne, and the fruit thereof damnation: What though this be harſh and unpleaſing to fleſh and bloud? What though many erroneous ſpirits deny it, or extenuate it, yet ſeeing the Scripture is ſo clear and evident, with which every man that hath experience of his own heart, doth alſo willingly concurre? Believe it ſeriouſly and humble your ſelves deeply, think not tranſient and ſuperficial thoughts will prevail, as the weighnneſs of the matter doth require; If ever thy heart can be broken and ſoftned, let it be diſcovered here, riſe with the thoughts of it, walk with the thoughts of it, and leave it not, till thou find the belief thereof drive thee out of thy ſelf with fear and trembling, finding no reſt till thou art intereſſed in Chriſt.