Gospel Holiness, Part 2 · Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the fleſh doe minde the things of the fleſh, but they that are after the ſpirit, the things of the ſpirit.
IN the former Verſe you remember how I ſhewed you that there was a great priviledge to Scope of the words.all true Beleevers, which indeed is the cheife of all Priviledge, for it is the inlet of all mercies, and the principall deliverance from all evills. It is conteined in the beginning of Verſe. 4. That the righteouſneſſe of the Law might be fulfilled in us. In the latter end of the Verſe I ſhewed the perſons more largely deſcribed, to whom this priviledge doth belong; that is, Not thoſe that walke after the fleſh, but thoſe that walke after the ſpirit. And I have as God enabled me, opened the meaning of that to you, what it was to walk after the Fleſh, and what to walke after the ſpirit.
Now the Apoſtle in this fifth Verſe goes forward a little more particularly to diſcover thoſe that have a right to this priviledge, by drawing one thing from another. The maine was, They walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. I, but that is a generall word, and how ſhall we know that? Saith he, you ſhall know that alſo by this, They that are after the fleſh doe minde fleſhly things, and they that are after the ſpirit doe mind ſpirituall things: You ſhall know whether you have the righteouſneſſe of the Law fulfilled in you, if you walke not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit. And you ſhall know that alſo by your minding, by the frame of your mindes; if you walke after the fleſh you will minde fleſhly things, if you walke after the ſpirit you will minde ſpirituall things. And then he goes on to prove that alſo; as we ſee oft in Scripture, as in 1 John 5. where one thing is made the marke of another by a gradation; there are five or ſix things, and one thing proves another, We know that we are the children of God if we keep his Commandements; and we know we keepe his Commandements by another thing, and wee know that by another thing. So that I ſay the ſcope of the Apoſtle is to cleare unto the Saints their right and title to this great priviledge; and alſo withall, to convince thoſe that are carnall, that they are without it, and to ſhew them their great miſerie in being ſo; for you ſhall ſee after, how, as he diſcovers them, ſo alſo he ſhews their miſery, he ſaith they are enmity to God, and they that walke after the fleſh muſt dye, &c. Now that we may goe on breifly to handle this a little to you; you may take the Doctrine as it lyes here in the words: (for I will not, nor need not frame it otherwiſe) That,
Thoſe that are after the fleſh doe minde the Doct. They that are after the fleſh doe mind the things of the fleſh.things of the fleſh.
OnelyOnly remember what I ſaid before, for it is of great concernment; for that great priviledge depends upon this: If you have the righteouſnes of the Law fulfilled in you, you muſt be thoſe that walke according to the ſpirit, and not according to the fleſh: And then would you know that? Saith the Apoſtle, Thoſe that are after the Fleſh doe minde the things of the Fleſh, and thoſe that are after the ſpirit, the things of the ſpirit; ſo let that be the Doctrine, or Leſſon.
I will give you but two ſhort words to prove this to you; and then to open it as God ſhall helpe us.
The firſt thing to prove it is this, that it muſt Reaſ. 1. Every thing works according to its principle.be ſo, becauſe that every thing in the World, in all the creation of God doth act according to the nature of its principle from whence it flowes. As Saint James ſaith, Jam. 3. 11, 12. Doth a Fountaine ſend forth from the ſame place, ſweet water and bitter? Can a Fig-tree (my Brethren) beare Oliveberries, or can a Vine beare Figs? You know that a Fig-tree beares Figs, and a Vine-tree beares Grapes, an Apple-tree beares Apples, and a Pearetree, Peares, and every Tree, and every thing will work according to its principle. Make the tree good (ſayth Chriſt) and then the fruit will be good, ſuch as the tree is, ſuch will be the fruit; ſuch as the Fountaine is, ſuch will the ſtreame be. And when a mans principles, the frame of his heart is nothing but fleſh, then of neceſſitie his actions muſt be fleſhly, his affections muſt be fleſhly. If he have a fleſhly mind, he muſt have a fleſhly will, a fleſhly love, fleſhly hatred, a fleſhly life, fleſhly prayers, fleſhly Sacraments, fleſhly every thing: for every thing muſt be according to its principle. So, on the other ſide, where the principle is ſpirituall there a man will mind ſpirituall things, he will love ſpirituall things, he will doe ſpirituall things, he will delight in ſpirituall things. That is one reaſon of it,
And the ſecond is this (for I will give you but Reaſ. 2. Carnall men know not ſpirituall things.theſe two, becauſe the cheife thing that I intend at this time is the opening of it) fleſhly, carnall men that are after the fleſh, they muſt mind fleſhly things: becauſe they know not ſpirituall things, they underſtand not ſpirituall things. Or if you will, (and it may be that word hath ſomething more in it) 1 Cor. 2. They perceive not ſpirituall things, they doe not ken and Perceive them. Now you know that a man minds not (I meane look upon it as the acting of the underſtanding) a man cannot mind, but what he knowes: a man cannot think of things he knowes not. That is the reaſon to proove that poore ignorant people ſpeak an untruth, and deceive themſelves, when they ſay, we remember God, we mind God, whereſoever we are; and yet they know not God. For God is not minded, but when he is knowne. As in that place of the Corinthians; A naturall man cannot perceive the things of the ſpirit; he doth not know Jeſus Chriſt, therefore he cannot mind him; he doth not Know the things of the ſpirit of God, therefore he cannot ſet his heart upon them. Without Knowledg the mind cannot be good. That is, till a man have a ſtock of knowledg of things, he can never act his underſtanding and mind, about it. There are two ſhort reaſons why thoſe that are carnall, and fleſhly, thoſe that are after the fleſh, they mind the things of the fleſh, and they mind nothing elſe, nor cannot; and thoſe that are after the ſpirit, mind the things of the ſpirit, becauſe they know them, they underſtand them, and underſtanding them, they cannot chooſe as David ſaith, Pſal. 1. But excerciſe themſelves in them, day, and night. They excerciſe their thoughts and affections, and all in them.
Now for the opening of it unto you, here are The Point opened by 3 queſtions.three queſtions.
Firſt, what is meant by beeing after the fleſh.
And Secondly, what is meant by the things of 1. What meant by beeing after the fleſh.the fleſh, and the things of the ſpirit. I will put them both together. For the one will open the other.
And what is meant by minding the things of the fleſh, and by minding the things of the ſpirit.
Firſt, by be…ing after the fleſh, it is in effect the ſame that I told you before to walk aſ to the Fleſh, therefore if you have not forgotten that you will eaſily underſtand this. But yet to make it clearer, you muſt underſtand, that a man is ſaid to be after the fleſh, or carnall, for ſo they read it in Latine, Qui carnalis, &c. Men are ſaid to be carnall, or after the fleſh three wayes.
The firſt is when a man is a true Saint, but hath 1. VVhen a Saint hath little grace and much corruption.but a little meaſure of grace, and hath much corruption, much fleſh. It pleaſeth the holy Ghoſt many times to denominate ſuch a man by the greateſt part that is in him, which is fleſh, and ſo to call him carnall. As in Rom. 7. Sayth Paul, ſpeaking how ſpirituall the law is, but ſayth he, I am carnall, ſold under ſin: ſold to ſin. Not that there was no grace in Paul, but that there was ſuch abundance of corruption, at leaſt, in his feeling. So in 1 Cor. 3. Are yee not carnall? (ſayth Paul) have ye not need of milk? are ye no… Babes? When I heare there are ſuch diviſions, that ſome are for Paul, and ſome for Apollo, and ſome for Cephas. Are yee not carnall? are ye not after the fleſh? That is, is there not a World of corruption in you? doth not corruption rule, and beare ſway, over that little grace that is in you? So in Gal. 6. 1. If any man be overtaken with ſin, ye that are ſpirituall reſtore ſuch done. That is, as if he had ſayd, there are ſome carnall and they cannot keepe themſelves from beeing overtaken freequently with ſin, and much leſſe can ſuch reſtore others: but a ſpirituall man, one that the ſpirit hath prevailed in ſome meaſure over the fleſh in, keeping him from the foyles, and falls, that weake men fall into, and making him able in ſome meaſure to rayſe, and heale others. Now ſo we are not to Underſtand it here in this place, when he ſayth, They that are after the fleſh.
Secondly, a man may be ſaid to be after the Fleſh, or to be carnall. A man that is a true Saint may be 2. VVhen a Saint doth a carnall actioncalled carnall, when he doth ſome one action that may in a ſence be wholly carnall. For a Saint may doe an action that he, nor none about him may perceive any thing but carnallitie in. As in Mat. 16. 23. Compared with Mark 8. 32. There you ſhall ſee a godly Saint, Peter by name, when his Maſter was Preaching to him, what he ſhould ſuffer at Jeruſalem, and how he ſhould be put to death, and the like: Then Peter tooke him, and began to rebuke him ſaying, be it farr from thee Lord; this ſhall not be unto thee. This was a Fleſhly Speech a meere carnall Speech. Chriſt was going to Jeruſalem to die for Peter, and for other poore ſinners, and Peter takes him aſide, and rebukes his Maſter, and tells him it ſhould not be ſo. Farr be it from thee. Chriſt takes him, and tells him. Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence to mee: for thou ſavoureſt not the things of God, but the things of men. Thou ſpeakeſt as a carnall fleſhly man, thou haſt no taſt of ſpirituall things. If thou diddeſt looke on it ſpiritually, thou wouldeſt rejoyce, and pray the Lord to help thee to ſuffer in that temptation with thy Maſter, or to make a ſpirituall uſe of it: but thou art carnall, and ſavoureſt of Fleſh, Now when the Apoſtle ſayth here, They that are after the Fleſh, doe mind the things of the fleſh, he doth not properly meane that neither.
But thirdly and laſtly, a man is ſayd to be after the Fleſh, when he is in his pure naturalls; when he 3. VVhen men are meerly carnall.is meerly carnall, when he is wholly fleſh, when he is deſtitute of the ſpirit of God: when men are ſo fleſh, and fleſhly in their principles, and actions, that there is nothing of the ſpirit of God in them. So it is principally to be taken here. Though for the former two, I may ſay this, that as farr as a Saint either in the meaſure of his graces, or in his actions, is Fleſhly, he minds Fleſhly things: but a man that is wholly fleſhly, wholly minds Fleſhly things. And ſo much concerning the firſt Queſtion.
The ſecond thing is, what is meant here by the Queſt. 2. VVhat meant by the things of the fleſh, and of the ſpirit.things of the Fleſh, and by the things of the ſpirit? If you remember what I have told you of Fleſh before, you will underſtand much what is meant by the things of the Fleſh. I told you Fleſh was old Adam, both in his good, and in his evill, pure Adam and corrupt Adam, and every thing that came from him, or every thing that leads to him, that was Fleſh. So the things of the fleſh are theſe things, and all opportunities belonging to them in generall.
But, that you may underſtand it a little better. I will ſhew you what the holy Ghoſt calls theſe things of the Fleſh, and the things of the ſpirit, that ſo by the Scriptures you may underſtand Scriptures. We will put them both together, the one will open the other to you. In 1 Cor. 2. 11. There you ſhall ſee the things of the fleſh are called the things of a man. For what man knoweth the 1. The things of the fleſh are the things of a man.things of a man, ſave the ſpirit of a man which is in him. The things of a man. The things of the Fleſh, are the things of a man, that is, proper to a man as man. Therefore. Mark. 8. 32. They are called The things that be of men. The things of the Fleſh are called the things that men deal about, the things that men as men naturally deale about, and look after, the things of men. But the things of the ſpirit of God, in that 1 Cor. 2. You have diverſe expreſſions The things of the ſpirit.of them. Verſ. 9. They are the things that Eye hath not ſeen, nor Eare heard, nor hath entred The things that eye hath not ſeen, &c.into the heart of man; the things that God hath prepared for them that love him. What are theſe things? Theſe glorious things that no carnall man hath ever ſeene or heard, or underſtood any thing of them, that God hath prepared for them that love him? They are as we ſee there afterwards, clearly the things of the ſpirit of God. They are called the deep things of God. Verſ. 10. They are deepe, becauſe no carnall man can reach them, and in Verſ 11. They are called the things of God. And in Verſ. 12. The things that are freely given to us of The deep, things of GodGod. And in Verſ. 14. They are called the things of the ſpirit of God. The things of the ſpirit of God are fooliſhneſſe to him. In 2 Cor. 4. ult. There you ſhall have both theſe things deſcribed: for in that we ſhall have a little light from that deſcription of it: the things of the fleſh, are called there Things of the fleſh are ſeen.the things that are ſeene, and the things of the ſpirit are called the things that are not ſeene: the one are ſaid to be temporall and the other eternall. The things of the Fleſh are temporall things that may be ſeene, that is, not ſo much ſeene with the eyes of the body; but he meanes that a man, every carnall man may perceive and underſtand them. All the things of old Adam, a meere narurall man is able to comprehend them: but the other things are things that are not ſeene: that is, that eye hath not ſeene, nor eare beard, nor hath entred into the heart of man. Therefore Chriſt in Mat. 11. 25. ſaith, I thank thee O heavenly Father that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe, and prudent, and haſt revealed them to Babes. What were theſe things? the things of the ſpirit of God, they are the things that are hid from the wiſe and prudent of the World, they are not poſſible to be ſeene of them, but God reveales them to the leaſt Babe of his owne Kingdome. In Colloſ. 3. 1. 2. You have another deſcription: for you may put theſe together, and ſo the better underſtand They are things on Earth. Things of the ſpirit, above.them. In Verſ. 2. The things of the fleſh are called things on Earth, and the things of the ſpirit are called the things that are above. The things of the fleſh, are the things that are beneath, as it were, things on the Earth. That is, though in old Adam there be many excellent things; you muſt not conceive earth here in a groſs ſence: there is fine refined wiſdome, and underſtanding, and prudence, which the ſpirit of God uſually ſlights, and deſpiſeth; Where is the wiſe and the diſputer, &c. Notwithſtanding, all old Adam is but Earthly; all the ſpirituality, as it were, of old Adam, are but things on the Earth. It is no wonder they are called things of the Earth, when the Doctrine and Preaching of John Baptiſt he himſelfe calls it Earthly. I am from the Earth; I ſpeake earthly; he is from above, he ſpeaks Heavenly and ſpiritually. It was Earthly in compariſon of Chriſt, though there was ſome Goſpell in it. Much more earthly is all the devotion and Religion, and what is beſt in Fleſhly man, that hath nothing in him but old Adam.
In Philip. 3. 7. there is another large deſcription Gaine and loſſe.of theſe things. The things of the fleſh there, they are thoſe things that Paul once accounted gaine to him, and thoſe things that Paul now accounted loſſe to him, ſee there what thoſe things are, thoſe excellent fine things, the things of the fleſh; a man while he is in the fleſh, accounts them gaine, a great gaine to him; he lives by his wit, and his wiſedome, and it is a mighty gaine to him to increaſe; and build up old Adam in him. But when a man comes to ſpirituall things, he accounts all theſe things loſſe, I account them loſſe, ſaith Paul. Now the things of the Spirit, were thoſe things that Paul deſired to win, and to gaine; in the Things behind and before.verſes following; That I may gaine Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe. And a little further, you ſhall ſee Paul calls the things of fleſh, the things behind, and the things of the ſpirit, the things before. And in verſe 19. the things of the fleſh, he calls them earthly things, They mind earthly things; and ſo by contraries, the other things are heavenly. I can not open every perticular expreſſion, only I would point out the deſcriptions to you, as the holy-Ghoſt layes them downe. In 2. Cor. 5. there the things of the fleſh are called old things; and the things of the Spirit are called new things: for ſaith Old, and new.the Apoſtle; We know no man after the fleſh, yea though we have knowne Chriſt after the fleſh yet know we him ſo no more: therefore if any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature, old things are paſſed away. All the things of the Fleſh, are old things, the things of the Spirit of God are new things. Therfore in the Acts, the Athenians deſired to know that new ſtrange doctrine that Paul brought.
What was this new doctrine?
Only the things concerning the Spirit of God, the other things are old things Gal. 2. 18. there the things of the fleſh are deſcribed to be the things That Paul deſtroyed, and built up.that Paul deſtroyed; and the things of the Spirit, the things that Paul ſought to build up. 1 Cor. 7. 32, 33. The things of the fleſh are called the things of the world, but the things of the Spirit are called there, the things of the Lord, The married, The things of the world, and of the Lord.cares for the things of the world, but the unmarried for the things of the Lord. Philip. 2. 20. The things of the fleſh are called, our owne things, and the things of the Spirit, are called the things of Jeſus Chriſt. Saith the Apoſtle, I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your ſtate? Mark that expreſſion, it is well worth obſerving in theſe ſelf-ſeeking times. We may well ſay ſo now, if Paul ſaid ſo then, I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your eſtate. A man can hardly, find a Profeſſor in a multitude, that will naturally, and freely care for the ſtate of others of the Saints: The things that are a mans owne, and that are Jeſus Chriſts.For ſaith he, All ſeeke their owne, and not the things that are Jeſus Chriſts: all ſeeke their owne things, the things that make for old Adam, that make for the Fleſh, and for mans ſelfe. Joh:▪ 6. 27. the things of the Fleſh are called meat that periſheth; and the things of the Spirit, meat endureth to everlaſting life, Luk. 10. 41. they are called many things, periſhing and induring meatand the things of the ſpirit are called one thing, Martha Martha, thou art cumbred about many Many and one thing.things: for, indeed there are many diſtracting buſineſſes in the things of the world: therefore in Mat. 13. when the ſeed was ſowen among thornes, it is ſaid, the deceitfulneſſe of riches, and pleaſures; and the luſts of other things; who knowes how many, it may be a thouſand, two thouſand other things, the things of the fleſh are endleſſe, but the things of the Spirit are called one thing, the ruinous building of old Adam, is going into a thouſand pieces; but there is but one Jeſus Chriſt, and in Trouble, and peace.the things of Jeſus Chriſt there is a greater union then in the things of the Fleſh, and old Adam. In Luke 19. they are called the things of trouble, and the things of the Spirit, the things that belong to our peace. O that thou hadſt known in this Vaine, and excellent.thy day the things that belong to thy peace. In Jerem. 2. 8. they are called, things that doe not profit, vaine things: and the things of the ſpirit in Phil. 1. 10. they are called excellent things, that ye may be able to know the things that are excellent, that is, the things of the Spirit of God: and to conclude this, Philip. 4. 8. ſpeaking of the things of the Spirit, ſaith he, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things of good report; theſe things do. Theſe are the things of the Spirit of God. Then impure things, diſhoneſt things, diſhonourable things, unjuſt things, unlovely things, theſe are the things of the fleſh.
Thus much in generall, according to the deſcription The things of the fleſh in perticular.of the things of the fleſh in Scripture.
But now in perticular, I will ſumme up the things of the Fleſh, or of old Adam, (one or other of which Fleſhly men doe wholly mind) to theſe three heads.
The firſt is to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe, 1. To eſtabliſh mans owne righteouſneſſeby the law, to procure to themſelves juſtification by their works. This is the maſter-peice of old Adam: for, I told you, that man is more prone to this then to ſinne, though he be prone to that alſo; and old Adam works ſtronger towards his righteouſneſſe (ſuch as it is) in a forbidden way, then to ſinne. Therefore it is ſaid, Rom. 10. 3. They being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſſe, went about to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe, went about to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe. He ſpeaks there of the Jewes. The word in the originall is, they went to make it ſtand; juſt as a tottered houſe that every blaſt is ready to throw downe, and it muſt be underpropped on this ſide, & on that ſide to keepe it up: So every fleſhly man in the world, this is halfe his worke, to make the Babel of his owne righteouſneſſe to ſtand; he is alway peicing, and patching, and doing ſome good worke, he is wiſhing and woulding, or in one faſhion or other, to make up a good eſtate, againſt the latter day. Therefore that was the queſtion Act. 2. and Luke 3. and it is the grand queſtion of all mankind, What ſhall we doe to be ſaved? and we ſee when they came to Chriſt, it was alway with this, Maſter, what ſhall I doe to be ſaved? As if he had ſaid, I know it muſt be by doing, and I am willing to goe about it to frame ſome kinde of righteouſneſſe, or other: Therefore in Joh. 6. ſay they, What ſhall we doe to work the works of eternall life? ſaith Chriſt, This is the worke of God to believe; he takes them off.
Now this is one thing whereby you may know what it is to be a fleſhly man, and to minde fleſhly things; when people mind, and caſt projects, and wayes to procure righteouſneſſe to themſelves, or juſtification to their ſoules, any other way, then only by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Men may be, as it were, drunke ſometimes, and mind neither heaven nor hell; but there is no fleſhly carnall man, when he is his owne man, but he thinks there is ſome good worke or other that he muſt doe, either giving, or lending, or building an Almes-houſe, or giving to the poore, or ſomewhat to get him a righteouſnes: But remember, thou art a carnal man, and all thy minding, and all thy thoughts this way, are but according to the fleſh, and thoſe that are after the fleſh muſt dye: it was the firſt and the greateſt curſe that ever was in the world, when God ſaid to old Adam, he muſt dye; it is a generall rule, all old Adam muſt dye, either thou muſt get that peice of old Adam that is in thee to dye, or thou ſhalt dye with it, one of the two.
Then another thing that is called the things of 2 Carnall priviledges.the fleſh, it is carnall priviledges, either men that are Fleſhly, mind their juſtification out of Chriſt, or elſe their carnall priviledges; I told you before that thoſe are called Fleſh, ſaith the Apoſtle, if any might, I may glory in the Fleſh. What is that? I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews, &c. and ſo the Jews in Mat. 3. Joh. 8. and 2. Cor. 11. They were apt, as to ſtabliſh their own righteouſnes, ſo, to glory in their priviledges; we are the children of Abraham, we were never ſlaves, nor Servants. We have not their priviledges to glory in, yet this is a maine piece of old Adam, a great part of the things of the Fleſh, outward priviledges, let them be Church-priviledges, or what you will; when people rejoyce, and mind and contemplate outward priviledges, and doe not regard the inward power, nor what is in, and through and by them, this is but fleſh.
I feare you will not beare with me, you will account me your enemy for telling you the truth: but I am perſwaded, there are many among us, that talke of churches, and government, and ordinances, and priviledges, and yet all is but fleſh, and you cannot well judge of them by their ſtrictneſſe in it; for fleſh will goe as ſtrictly in its way as the Spirit: but it is to be feared, that diverſe build of it, and glory in it; and it is a great part of their religion: I warne you in love to looke to it, and if thoſe priviledges were taken away, as Chriſt takes away the priviledge of being the Children of Abraham from the Jewes, ſuch people would be poore carnall people. Take heed of it, and let him that glories, glory in the Lord.
Thirdly, and laſtly, the things of the fleſh (for 3 To fulfill ſinfull luſts.all old Adam is included in theſe three things) that fleſhly men mind, is to fulfill their luſts, which are many. To make proviſion for the fleſh, Rom. 13. that is, to be caſting how to feed one luſt or other. Now if you would know what thoſe luſts are in particular (though in a ſort it be generall) you have it in 1 Joh. 16. ſaith he, all that is in the world, is the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life. Theſe are the luſts of the world; all the luſts in the world may be reduced it ſeemes to thoſe 3. heads: ſo I ſay, theſe are the fleſhly things that al Carnall people mind: all their thoughts throughout the yeare, every one runns, either in ſtabliſhing their own righteouſnes, or in glorying, and contemplating their outward priviledges, or in projecting for the fulfilling of ſome luſt or other, thus they ſpend their whole life, theſe are the things of the fleſh, that carnall men mind.
Now the other, the things of the Spirit that are contrary to theſe, you may comprehend them all Things of the ſpirit.in three words That is,
They are either the things of faith.
Or elſe their hope, and happineſſe in Jeſus Chriſt.
Or elſe their Obedience to the will of Chriſt.
All the things of the Spirit, are comprehended in theſe three.
Either the things of faith. They mind the 1 The things of faith.things of the Spirit; that is, they alway mind, and ſtudy how to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and how to lay firmer, and righter hold on him, how they may know him more diſtinctly, and hold him more firmly, and get fuller aſſurance, this is their worke.
Or they are excerciſed about the things of hope, 2. The things they hope for by Chriſt.that is, they are contemplating and rejoycing in their happineſse by Chriſt, how their perſons are juſtified, and their ſins pardoned, and the righteouſneſse of the law fulfilled in them, and all in Heaven and earth beſtowed on them. As Paul ſayth, Phil. 3. This is our Religion, we glory in the fleſh as if not, but we reioyce in Jeſus, we have no confidence in the fleſh, but we rejoyce in Jeſus, that is, in all the happineſſe we have in Jeſus Chriſt.
Or thirdly, and laſtly, the things of the ſpirit 3 Obedience to the wil of Chriſt.are the will of God, or the commands of Jeſus Chriſt: they alway ſtudie how they may obey, and fulfill the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. So, that a Saint, if he be ſpirituall, he is alway, either acting his faith, and increaſing, and ſtrengthening that; or he is contemplating his happineſſe in Jeſus Chriſt: Or ſtudying which way to glorifie God, to know what part of the will of God, he knowes not; and to ſtudie what part of the will of God he knowes, and remembers, this is his excerciſe. And let this ſuffice to ſhew what the things of the Fleſh, and what the things of the ſpirit are.
Now the third queſtion breifly is, what is meant Queſt. 3. VVhat meant by minding the things of the fleſh, and of the ſpirit.by the minding of the things of the Fleſh, and the things of the ſpirit?
You muſt underſtand, firſt, that the meaning is not, as though a man might not think upon Fleſhly 1. Not but that a Saint may provide outward things.things. For a ſpirituall Saint oft thinks upon Fleſhly things in a ſpirituall manner, as to conſider his ſins, to bewayle, and to mourne for them: and he may mind, Earthly, Worldly things, to provide things honeſt, to provide for his Familie, as the Apoſtle ſaith; he may think of his buſineſſe. Therfore the holy Ghoſt here doth not uſe the word Frouneſis, but Frounena, Frouneſis ſignifies prudence, or diſcretion, or providence in buſineſſe. He doth not uſe that, leaſt we ſhould think that the holy Ghoſt forbids to provide, to be mindfull, and carefull of Worldly buſineſſe, but Frounena, that ſignifies a further thing, as I ſhall ſhew preſently. Now then you muſt underſtand this alſo, 2. The underſtanding is not only meant.that when the Apoſtle ſayth, they mind the things of the Fleſh. The word doth not onelyonly ſignifie the underſtanding, but it ſignifies all the affections alſo. I could give you divers places of Scripture where this word is ſet downe to expreſſe the working of any affection in the ſoule. Therefore the meaning is not only of the mind that ſtudies: but his affections, his will, the way of his delight, his joy is in earthly things; his care is after fleſhly things.
But in particuler, there are theſe four or five Five things meant by minding of fleſhly thingsthings implied in the word, when they are ſaid to mind the things of the Fleſh.
The firſt is, that the very care of his heart (as 1. The ca…e of the heart is fleſhly.I told you before) is Fleſhly, and carnall. A Chriſtian hath outward VVorldly things in an outward Roome, and Jeſus Chriſt next his heart. There is (ſayth one godly man) a cloſet in the heart of a Saint, onelyonly to entertaine Jeſus Christ. Which the Scripture calls the ſpirit frequently: I worſhip God in my ſpirit: Rom. 1. And in 1 Theſ. 5. That ye may be ſanctified in your ſpirit. That is, in the very Coare, and quinteſſence of the ſoule.
Now a godly man may have many hurries of VVordly things, and lusts croſs and come through, but the coare of his heart is for God, and for holines. Therefore ſaith Paul. Rom. 7. I ſerve the law of the fleſh with my members, and the law of Chriſt with my mind. That is, inwardly, with the care of my heart: I ſhewed the meaning of that word before, I ſhall not now goe on further in that.
Secondly, a man is ſayd to mind worldly things 2. VVhen a man ſavours fleſhly things.when a man not only thinks of Worldly, and fleſhly things, but ſavours of worldly and Fleſhly things: Therefore the ſame word Frounena, that is here minding, is oft read to ſavour. As in the Speech of Chriſt to Peter, Thou ſavoureſt the things of the VVorld, thou haſt a ſmack of it, thou haſt a reliſh of carnall things. So then to mind Fleſhly things, is when a man not only thinks of them, and conſiders them, but when a man finds moſt joy, and taſt, and delight in ſuch kind of things. Put a Fleſhly man about Worldly, or carnall, or if you will about ſinful buſineſſe: O there he is as a fiſh in the VVater, there he is his owne man, he is well; but put him about any ſpirituall thing, let him come to learne a little for his ſoule; or let his Neighbour come to teach him, and admoniſh, and reproove him, he is upon thornes then, he hath no tast of it at all: now if thou be a Fleſhly man thou mindeſt Fleſhly things, that is, thou doeſt not onelyonly in thy underſtanding conſider of them, but thy ſoule reliſheth them; there thou art thy owne man, when thou art in the middest of the VVorld, and the Fleſh, and earth, and hell: therefore looke to thy ſelfe.
Thirdly, to mind Fleſhly things, is when the 3. When the ſtreame of the ſoule goes that way.ſtreame, the maine of the ſoule goes upon Fleſhly, earthly, carnall things; when the things of God are but by▪ buſineſſe to a man. It is not ſo in a ſpirituall man, 1 Cor. 7. He uſeth the world as if he uſed it not, he minds little of the World, as little as may be, but the maine ſtreame of his ſoule is upon Jeſus Chriſt, there he excerciſeth himſelfe day and night, as David ſpeaks.
Fourthly, when a man doth ſtudie and plod continually 4. To ſtudie and plod for fleſhly things.upon Worldly things, upon Fleſhly carnall things. When a man takes care, for ſo the word is uſed oft in Scripture, as it is uſed. Rom. 14. 6. If any man doth obſerve a day, or care for a day, Curare diem, as we read it in the Latine, if one obſerve it, and another will not, or will not regard it. When a man obſerves and regards, and takes care, and ſtudies, and plods for earthly, Fleſhly things, this is to mind Fleſhly things. Therefore in Phil. 4. 7. Saith the Apoſtle, I am glad that your care is renewed towards me; ſaith B E Z A, it is more then care, there is a kind of ſollicitude, it is addicere animam, it is a word that ſignifies when a man addicts himſelfe, when he is given wholly to a thing; when a man is addicted, and gives his mind wholly to the World, to fulfill his luſts, or to enjoy his pleaſures, this is to mind Fleſhly things.
Then fiftly, and laſtly, it is when a man, doth judg of things according to the Fleſh. Non eſt Cogitare, &c. To mind is not only to think of it, but to judge of things. As you have it 2 Cor. 5. I judge no man according to the fleſh. If Chriſt Jeſus were here againe, I would not looke on him according to the Fleſh. Now when he ſaith, they mind the things of the fleſh, this is the meaning of it, that is, they judge of things in an earthly fleſhly way, they judge of the worth of things by the fleſhlineſſe not by the ſpirituallneſſe of them. A godly How godly men judge of things.man doth not ſo, all that he accounts of in the World, are the things of God, and of the ſpirit; were it not for that, this World would be a Hell to him: and he judgeth of every man as he hath the ſpirit of God, he accounts of him as without that, not worth any thing; a carnall man judgeth of things carnally, as they are fleſhly, and carnall, and as old Adam is ſet up; ſo he judgeth by carnall arguments of ſpirituall things. Thus I have as breifly as I could, opened the meaning of it. I will only at this time name one Uſe, and leave the reſt till God give another opportunitie.
You have heard what it is to be after the fleſh, and what the things of the fleſh, and the things of the ſpirit are; and what it is to mind the things of the fleſh and the things of the ſpirit: for we may judge of the one by the other.
Now the Leſſon, or the Uſe (as we call it) is uſe. 1. VVhy moſt people underſtand not ſpirituall things.this. Hence we may learne and ſee what the reaſon is, why diverſe people notwithſtanding all the meanes uſed, even among us in this place, and in other places, why they cannot come to understand any thing of Heavenly things; of ſpirituall things. What is the reaſon? Becauſe they mind them not, and why doe they not mind them? Becauſe they are fleſhly. I have wondred oft times, and I doe beleive in my Conſcience that had I been here but a twelve month, and had taken any naturall thing under Heaven, had I read a Lecture of Philoſophie, or of Logick, or any thing in your Trades, or State buſineſſe, there are none eyther great or ſmall, but could have given ſome account what the man had ſayd: and yet there are ſome among you that though we have been ſpeaking to you as the Lord hath enabled us, almoſt theſe two yeares, yet you are as ignorant, and as unknowing in any thing that hath been ſaid, as if you had been a ſleepe, or had been in your Graves all the while. It is a wonderfull thing that no word ſhould ſtick, nothing in the world of all that hath been ſaid.
If we ſhould ask ſome among us, doe you remember any one paſſage, or any one thing, that the Preacher hath ſpoken of theſe two yeares? they remember not one word. What is the reaſon? You did not mind it: that is the meaning of that word, Seeing they ſee not, and hearing they heare not; that was the plague upon that people in Iſaiah When a mans mind is taken up with other things, a man may ride by the doore, and one may ſay, did you ſee ſuch a man? he came by your eye; I ſaw him not ſayth he, ſeeing he ſaw not; his eye was on him, but his mind was not, he was thinking ſeriouſly of ſomething elſe; ſo, hearing, they heare not. Many times a man heares a ſound, and is neare enough, yet hearing he heares not, ſo it is with many among us, the Lord pittie them, my heart is readie to burſt every day, more, and more to conſider, and think of it; hearing they heare not all the yeare long, there is not one notion, or exhortation from the word that ſticks on their ſoules; the reaſon is, they mind not, they mind the things of the Fleſh, they are feeding ſome luſt, they are providing for ſome fancie, or when they are beſt they are contemplating to ſet up a way of juſtification by works, and all becauſe they mind not theſe things. Therefore ſaith the Lord, I ſay 1. Heare O Heavens, and give eare O Earth, I may well ſay ſo of diverſe among us, heare O Heavens, and give eare O Earth, for the Lord hath ſpoken, I have nouriſhed, and brought up Children, and they have rebelled against me. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters crib, but Iſraelld oth not know, my people doth not conſider. Heare O Heavens, and hearken O Earth: As if he had ſaid, I expect that Heaven ſhould heare, and that Earth ſhould heare, as ſoone as this people, and yet there is nothing further from hearing then Heaven, and nothing dulier then the Earth, and yet the Prophet would Preach to Heaven, and Earth, before he would to this dull peoplo: and ſaith he, The Oxe, and the Aſſe know their owners, but my people have not knowne me. Why? They doe not conſider, they doe not mind. So you doe not mind what we ſpake before; that, you that are drunkards, and Whoremongers, and Swearers, that waſt your Eſtates, and ſoules, and bodies, in the ſervice of the Devill, that you are under the curſe of God, and muſt periſh, that there is nothing that you doe that is pleaſing to God, till you be borne againe, did you ever mind theſe things, and lay them to heart? Did you ever ſay, yonder man ſpeaks really, and tells us the truth? But you goe home when Sermon is done, and ſay there was a great Company, a throng, and he Preached a little too long, and we muſt goe to him againe after Dinner, and ſo you mind not, the Lord Jeſus pittie you; that is the reaſon that you are ignorant, and will be World without end, becauſe you mind not ſpirituall things.
And this is the reaſon alſo, why you have carnall VVhy people care not for Gods Ordinances.people that care not for the ordinances of God, they care not to uſe thoſe meanes of grace, that the poor Saints doe; why, they mind not ſpirituall things, they are like Gallio, he cared not for thoſe things; he was buſie about naturall things. It is likely he was a wiſe, judicious man, but he cared not for theſe things: So to heare Sermons, or diſcourſes, or conference of thy Neighbors, or at thy table, of ſpirituall things, thou art like Gallio, thou careſt not for them, and therefore thou reſpecteſt them not.
Therfore deſire the Lord to put his Law in thy mind. O! the maine miſery of a man is in his mind, the man is nothing but his mind in a manner; the maine happineſſe of a man is in his mind, if the Law of God be there. Therefore, before ever thou canſt have thy heart good, or thy wiſhes or prayers good, thou muſt get a good mind, deſire God to put his Law in thy mind, for there is the firſt, and maine worke.
So alſo for the poore Saint; this is the reaſon VVhy the Saints take injuries patiently.why the people of God are ſo weaned from the world; thoſe that are ſpirituall Chriſtians, you can eaſily cozen and cheat them, and take away all from them, and they beare it very well: Why ſo? they mind not earthly things, fleſhly things. Let the Devill come with all the policie, and power of hell to cheat them in ſpirituall things, to take away their peace, and crack their communion with God, they will ſee, & be wiſe, and reſiſt; but come and cheat them in worldly things, poore creatures they are quiet, and part with them: as it is the manner of many of you that are rotten Profeſſors, and ſelf-ſeekes, you make it a trade to abuſe them, but they are quiet, they mind ſpirituall things: As a cut-purſe that comes into your ſhop, and a man minds other things, he may eaſily steale: So the poore Saints are made poore and ſuffering, becauſe they mind God, and heavenly things; or elſe I tell you, if their minds were not imployed elſewhere, a Saint could be as cunning, and as wiſe, and worldly as thou: but thou mayſt eaſily ſteale any thing from him, and cheat, and cozen him, becauſe his mind is upon other things, it is upon heaven, and thoſe bleſſed things. Therefore learne that one thing, learne to underſtand that the maine of thy happineſſe, or miſery, is in thy mind; beg of the Lord to give thee a good mind, to write his Law in thy mind, without knowledge the mind is not good. Therefore when the Lord gave the people of Iſraell up, it is ſaid, the miſery came upon their minds, blindneſſe of heart is hapned to Iſraell; that is, blindneſse of mind, there was the maine. And there is the excellency of the Saints. When Paul ſaw nothing but fleſh, yet he rejoyced in God, in the law of his mind: therefore look on it, as the fountaine of all good and evill; if thy mind be fleſhly and carnall, thou wilt mind fleſhly things, and love fleſhly things, and walke fleſhly, but if the Lord ſanctifie thy mind, the Lord will give thee ſanctified affections.