The Measures of Christian Obedience, Book 5 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of such groundless Scruples as make safe, but weak Minds doubt of their Title to Salvation.
The CONTENTS.
Pious minds scrupulous. Their condition is safe even then, but uncomfortable. Several needless grounds of their fears. 1. Ineffective desires of evil. This represented. No man otherwise good shall be condemned for ineffective lusts and thoughts of evil. These are considerable either as to their first birth, or indulged continuance. The first stirrings of lusts after evil things are unavoidable. The after-entertainment is by our own indulgence. Even these are uncondemning so long as they neither are consented to, nor fulfilled, being in themselves not deadly under the Gospel, but a temptation to deadly and damning sins. The way whereby sin wins upon men, and the nature and force of temptation. To be tempted is no sin, which is proved from the nature of temptation, from Adams being tempted before he sinned, and from Christs being tempted who knew no sin. Degrees in temptation or in lusts of evil. Some are checked quickly, and are not permitted long to parly. This happens only in grown men and perfect Christians, and that too not in all instances. These certainly are not damning. Others stay longer, and strive and contend with our mind or conscience, although at last they are vanquished by it. This happens ordinarily to younger Converts, and in extraordinary temptations to grown Christians. These still are uncondemning, which is shewn from Gal. 5.16, 17; and from the instance of our Saviour Christ. What lusts and desires of evil are damning. They are condemning when they make us consent to a damning sin. A distinct account of the several steps to a sinful action. A proof of this, that from their gaining of our consent in all the after-steps they are mortal. Our lusts must be mortified to that degree, as to be disabled from carrying us on thus far. This is done when men become true Christians. The better men are, the less difficulty and self-denial do they find in mortification. Watchfulness and strife still necessary. The danger of indulging to temptations, or to lusts and desires of evil. This point summed up.
IN matters of Religion and another World, nothing is more ordinarily observable than that those people are wont to have the greatest fears, who have the least reason for them. For good Christians, although they think the best of others, are generally very suspicious of themselves. They have a deep sense of the danger of sin, and a full conviction of the fatal end of disobedience; and that makes them think, that in a matter wherein it so highly concerns them not to be mistaken, they can never be over-jealous of their own hearts, or too cautious, lest after all, those insupportable punishments of sin should fall to be their own portion.
And this they do especially, if in any material point, whereupon, as to the Sentence of Life or Death, the Gospel lays a great stress, they are ignorant and erroneous. For there are no terrors in the world that are comparable to those of Religion, nor have any men upon earth so much reason to be afraid, as they who are in danger to fall under them. And therefore if there is any thing which will be of great account in the last Judgment, or, what is all one, which they think will be severely accounted for; and they either find themselves to be guilty of it, or, which comes to the same thing, fansie that they are: they must needs be fearfully perplexed, and deprived of all peace and comfort, though really they are in the greatest safety. 'Tis true indeed that in the end they shall be no losers, nor shall their mistaken fears ever be fulfilled upon them; because at the last Day God will judge them according to his own Rule, and not according to their errours and misapprehensions of it; so that if they have really done all that which he requires to Heaven and Happiness, he will think well of them notwithstanding they think never so hardly of themselves. Their errors shall in no wise pervert his Truth, for he sees what they are, howsoever they may mistake it; and if he sees them to be righteous, his sentence will follow his own knowledge, and he will declare to all the world that they are so.
This is the security of all good men, as it is the eternal terror and astonishment of all hypocrites and sinners, that they shall be brought before an unerring and uncorrupt Judge, who can neither be bribed nor deceived, and who cannot mistake them, or wrongfully condemn them, howsoever they may mistake, or wrongfully condemn themselves. And since it is so, they are really safe in their own goodness, when they most of all suspect their own danger; and secure from evil, even whilst they are afraid of falling under it.
But although every good man is in this safety, let his understanding of himself be what it will; yet if in any of those things which he takes to be a matter of life or death, he judges wrong of himself, and thinks erroneously, he can enjoy no peace and comfort. He will go to Heaven full of fears, and forbodeing thoughts; and never think himself in the way to Bliss till he is actually inthroned in it, and possessed of it. He will meet indeed with happiness in the end, but he will have no sight or expectation of it in the way; for all his life long he will be tormented with doubts and suspicions, fears and jealousies; and be still by turns concluding himself lost as to the next World, though he be lost no where but in his own fancy. And this imagined future misery will bring him under a real one for the present; it will make him have sad thoughts and a sorrowful heart, it will bereave him of all joy and peace, and almost overwhelm him in groundless perplexity and vexation.
But that pious Souls may not fear where no fear is▪ nor torment themselves with unreasonable expectations; having before shewn what that condition really is which renders any mans a safe condition, I will go on now to remove their groundless scruples and mistakes concerning it, by shewing what, and of what force those things are, which are wont, without any sufficient reason, to disquiet the minds, and to disturb the peace of good and safe, but mistaken Christians about it.
And as for the causes of good mens fears, so far as I have been able to learn them, they are chiefly these that follow.
1. Good men are wont to call in question the saveableness of their present, and the happiness of their future state; because after all their care against them, they find that some motions of the flesh, some stirrings of their lusts, some thoughts of evil do still arise up in them. They feel themselves subject to delightsom fancies and desires of forbidden things. They are liable to a lustful thought, a covetous wish, an insurrection of anger, of envy, and of several other damning sins. 'Tis true indeed that these lusts do not reign in them, because they do not consent to their instigations, nor do what they would have them. They can only inhabit and stir in them, but have not strength enough to give Laws to them; for they repress them before they get so far, and prevail over them before they go on to fulfil what they inclined to. Not any of these sinful lusts, whereof they are afraid, has got so much power over them, as to carry them on either to consent to them, or to fulfil them; for though they may think on some forbidden things in their minds, or desire them in their hearts; yet do they not will and chuse any of them, and least of all do they work and practise them. They may perhaps have a thought and fancy, a wish and inclination after unchast pleasures; but they correct themselves there, and go no further, for they never in their hearts consent to an unlawful embrace, nor ever proceed to an unclean action. In a sudden motion of anger, it may be, they may have several expressions of wrath and instances of revenge occur to their thoughts, and obtruding themselves upon their fancy; but they stop there and go no higher, for they do not consent to utter an injurious word, or to commit a spiteful action; and the same they experience by themselves in other instances. In all which several forbidden things will get into their thoughts and desires, and steal from them a wish or inclination; but when once they have done that they can do no more, being unable either to gain their consent, or to command their practice, so as that they should not only desire, but also chuse and fulfil them. But although they do not suffer sin to reign in them so as to consent to it, or to fulfil it in the lusts thereof; yet they fear lest their very thoughts and inclinations after it should prove damnable. For God requires the obedience of our whole man, of the mind and affections, as well as of our wills and actions; and he is disobeyed by any, as well as by all our faculties. And seeing every sin is forbidden under pain of death, who knows but that this admission of sin into our thoughts and desires is a deadly transgression. This is one great cause of fear, and a rock of offence to truly honest and good men.
But to take off all doubt and scruple upon this account, we must know that our impotent lusts and ineffective desires of evil things, if they are able to get no further than a thought or a wish, though at present they are a matter of our exercise and humiliation; yet at the Day of Judgment they shall be no Article of death or condemnation. For Christs Gospel doth not sentence us severely upon these first motions of a lust, or beginnings of a sin; no, if they arrive no higher than fancy and inclination, through the merits of Christs Sacrifice there is Grace enough in store for them, and in the Gospel account they are not grown up to be a matter of Death, nor come within the Confines of destruction.
That I may speak with the more distinctness to this Point, I will here shew these two things:
1. That for our feeble lusts and desires after evil, which are unconsented to, and unfulfilled, we shall not at the last day be condemned.
2. For what lusts and desires of them we shall.
1. I say, For our feeble lusts and desires of evil, which are unconsented to and unfulfilled, at the day of Judgment no man otherwise good shall ever be condemned. God will never sentence us to Hell for every sudden desire an inclination after sinful things; but if it rests there, and goes no further than bare desire, he will pardon and pass it by, but not eternally avenge it.
To speak distinctly to this Point, these lustings and desires are considerable either as to their first birth, or as to their indulged and allowed continuance: the first are never damning, and the latter many times are no Article of condemnation.
As for our bodily lusts and desires of evil, in their first birth, I say, they are never damning, nor shall any man, who is otherwise vertuous and obedient, be ever judged to dye for them.
And if it were otherwise, who could possibly be saved? For as long as we live in this World, we have all of us these first motions of appetites after evil things more or less; and there is no avoiding of it. For the Laws of God, which are impositions superinduced upon our Natures, by their prohibitions make several of our most natural appetites and desires themselves to be sinful; the lusts of the Flesh making up a good part of the prohibitions of the Gospel. But although God by his after-prohibition has made them sinful, yet from that natural necessity which he had laid upon us before, we cannot live intirely free from them. For our Flesh will lust, and make offers after such things as are naturally fitted to its liking; and we cannot help it: because our Bodies, so long as they are conversant among the things of this World, from their natural frame and constitution will still be delighted with some things, to crave and desire; and pained by others, to hate and abhor them. This, I say, is natural, whilst there is any life and sense in our Bodies, the good and evil things of the world must of necessity thus sensibly affect them; and where they are affected with pleasure, there 'tis natural for them to desire; as where they feel pain, 'tis natural for them to abhor the thing which occasions and produces it.
These first lustings then and cravings after forbidden things are natural, and were made necessary before the prohibition came to make them sinful. And if by an after-Law men shall be condemned for being sensibly affected with outward things, or for having a sudden lust and inclination after them upon their being so sensibly affected with them; then shall they be condemned for what they could not help, and dye for not performing impossibilities.
But God neither can, nor doth make any Laws which exact things so rigorous: He punishes nothing in us but what proceeded from our own will, nor exacts an account of us for our natural lusts and inclinations, further than they are subject to our own choice and free disposal. If a sudden fear, or an unclean desire arise up in the heart of an holy man, from the presence of outward objects or inward imaginations, and the natural temper of his Blood and Spirits; he shall not be put to answer for it, because he could not prevent it. He could no more hinder it, than he can hinder the beating of his heart, or the motion of his blood; seeing it was no free work of his will, but a natural effect of his temper. And to be condemned for that, is to suffer for having flesh and blood, as well as Reason and Spirit; and to undergo punishment for being made up of Body as well as Soul, for being a man and not an Angel.
As for several things indeed which follow upon the first suggestion of a prohibited object, and upon the first lusting after it: they are not the effects of nature, but of our own choice. For though a fancy of evil, and a sudden lusting after it from its fansied agreeableness, may obtrude it self upon us whether we will or no, either by chance, or by occasion of a temptation: yet a continued entertainment of it, and a stay upon it in our imaginations, to cherish lust, and inflame desire, cannot come upon us but by our own liking and connivence. For as soon as ever we can observe them, our thoughts are our own, to dispose of how, and upon what we please The first thought, 'tis true is not always in our power to hinder, because many times it comes upon us e're we can observe it. For our souls, as I have sometimes said, are souls in flesh, and make use of our bodily powers in their most spiritual operations; being linked so fast to them, as that they cannot but communicate, and be affected with them. But then the stay upon it, and the continued attention to it in after-entertainment is a thing that cannot be so suddenly forced upon us, but we give way to it only when, and how long we our selves please. So that whatsoever the first fancy and desire of evil was, the after-entertainment is our own; seeing it came not from any necessity of nature, but from the free determination or connivence of our own will.
But yet even these after-thoughts and inclinations after forbidden things are not always an Article of our condemnation; but then only when we consent to them, or practise and fulfil them. For if the forbidden thing is only fansied in our minds, and craved by our appetites, but has got no consent of our hearts, nor any endeavours of our lives and actions: according to the gracious terms of that Gospel whereby we must stand or fall, it is not yet come within the terrours of Judgment, nor has made us liable to Death and Hell.
For the evil and danger of our bodily desires, we must know, is the evil and danger of a temptation. When our appetites desire what the prohibition has made evil, and our Spirits on the other side declare what the Commandment has made good; then is the time of temptation or tryal whether our wills are resolved to stick to our lusts or to our Duty, and whether they will prefer God or sin. And herein lyes the great danger of our natural appetites; for although in themselves they are not deadly and damning to any man otherwise good, yet are they traps and snares to deadly and damning sins.
In themselves, I say, to any Christian man who is otherwise good and vertuous, our natural appetites are not deadly and damning. The lusting and inclination of our Flesh after Meats and Drinks, and after ease and pleasures; and the lusting of the eye after gain and riches, are not absolutely and directly forbidden, or in themselves, and before they have got any further, an Article of our condemnation. No, all the desires of the Flesh are naturally necessary, some to preserve our own persons, and some to the preservation and propagation of Mankind. This God himself has made, and he allows of it. It is no mans sin to have a stomach to his meat, or to have desires after ease, and a fleshly inclination after bodily pleasures: because God has so framed our Bodies that they should, and therefore he cannot be angry with us if we do desire them. Indeed he has not left these desires to their own swing, but has put several restraints upon them: he has bound them up from some objects, and in some degrees. For we are forbid to desire and lust after meat and drink, ease and pleasure, riches and plenty, when either we are injurious to other men in procuring that which we lust after, or when we are excessive and intemperate in the use of it, or for its sake transgress any other Commandment. Our desires of meat and drink, for instance, must not carry us on to excessive measures in gluttony and drunkenness; our carnal lusts must not draw us on to act them with undue objects in fornication, adultery, rapes, or other prohibited uncleannesses; and our desire of money must not betray us into thefts or robberies, fraud and circumvention, extortion and oppression, niggardliness, uncharitableness, or other sins whether against Justice or Charity. As on the other side our fears and aversations from want, or pain, or other bodily evils, must not induce us to neglect a Commandment that we may please our Flesh, or to deny our Religion for the securing of a bodily enjoyment. These restraints God has laid upon our bodily appetites, having given us these Commands, with several others mentioned above, which we are oft-times tempted to transgress in order to the fulfilling of them. For our bodily appetites themselves do not distinguish, either of objects, or of degrees. A mans palate, or his stomach in any delicious meat or drink which yields a pleasure to it, doth not tell him when they have enough, or cease desiring before they are gone on to be intemperate. Our eyes lust after money, but they consider not whose it is; but so they may have it, they matter not to whom it belongs, or how they come by it: and so it is in our fleshly appetites of other things. For it is the natural pleasure of those things which we lust after that moves our bodies; and therefore they lust after them so long as they are pleased with them. They never stop at a fixt measure, or turn away from a forbidden object; so that if we will be ruled by them, they will carry us on to any thing that agrees with them, whether it be lawful or unlawful, and so are sure to insnare us into sin. And here indeed God has set a strict restraint upon them, and will punish them severely if they go beyond it. For
Then, as I said, our lusts are deadly to us, and articles of our condemnation, when they have damning effects, and ensnare us into deadly and damning sins. To any good man the bare lusts and desires of evil are not so truly a damning sin, as a dangerous temptation; they are not in themselves an Article of Death to him, but they are apt to carry him on to that which is. For that which puts any sin into a capacity to tempt us, is our lust or desire of something which is annexed to it, and which we hope to obtain by it. There is always something that goes along with it, which is naturally fitted to please our flesh, and to excite a carnal appetite; and by this we are tempted and allured into the practice and commission of it. For bare sin could never tempt any man, nor could any one in his wits ever chuse to disobey for disobedience sake without any thing further: because there is no good in transgression nakedly considered, which should move any mans will to chuse and embrace it; but on the contrary much evil, that will disswade and affright him from it. For it deprives us of Gods favour, and subjects us to his vengeance, and fills us with sad hearts, and anxious thoughts, and terrible expectations. But that which wins us over to a liking and approbation of it, is the appearance of some pleasure, profit, honour, or other annexed allurement which we expect to reap by it. It is one or other of these that overcomes all our fears, and inveagles us into the commission of it; for they strike in with our natural appetites, and raise in us desires after it; and those prove the bait which draws us in, and the insnaring temptation.
For herein lies all the force of any temptation: The satisfaction of a lust is joyned with the acting of a sin, which is an invitation to us for the sake of the one to commit the other also. The transgression has something annexed which is agreeable to our fleshly Natures, and raises in us desires of it, and cravings after it; and when it has got this hold of us, it draws us as much as we can be drawn by our love of our own lusts, and the gratification of our bodily appetites; which is indeed a great step to our choice and commission of it, and a strong temptation.
For this is the natural order of our actions; either our Consciences or our Passions move and excite us to them, and then our Wills chuse and intend them, and upon that choice and intention our Vnderstandings contrive and direct, and last of all our bodily and executive Powers fulfil and perform them. All our bodily actions are at the choice and under the command of our wills, and all our choice is upon the appearance of some good or other, which either our consciences, or our fleshly lusts and appetites propose to us. For our wills, we must remember, are placed in a middle state, and are canvased and beset on both sides, our lusts being urgent with us to consent to one thing, and our consciences to another. And this is that strife betwixt the flesh and spirit, which is mentioned in the Scriptures; and that contention which St Paul describes in the 7th Chapter to the Romans, between the Law of lust in the members and the Law of God in the mind. These two Principles, our Body and Spirit, or our Lusts and our Consciences, are those great Interests that vie and struggle in us, and emulously contend which shall obtain the consent and choice of the will of man. And whensoever either of them has got that, our actions follow in course. For our bodily members move at our own choice; and therefore if our lusts after the pleasures of sin have once prevailed upon our wills to consent to it, they have gained their point and their work is done, and we shall go on without more ado to act and commit it.
In this then lies all the force of a temptation, that the sin which we are tempted to has something annexed to it wherein our flesh is delighted, and which it lusts after, and desires for the sake of that pleasure which it finds in it. And when by this means any sin has got our fleshly love and desire, it has got a powerful friend in our own bosoms. For our lusts are strong and violent, and where they set upon a thing, they will not easily be denied, but are urgent and importunate with our wills to consent to their gratification, and yield to the fulfilling of them. So that if once any sin has struck in with them, it is able to try its strength, and contend with the Law of God in the mind; being furnished now with a powerful bait and a strong temptation.
Thus are our lusts and desires of forbidden things, not the forbidden sin it self, but the temptation to it; so that in bare lusting or desiring of them, we do not commit the damning sins themselves, but are tempted only to their commission. And in this St James is most express; for then, says he, every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed to evil by them, Jam. 1.14.
And as for meer temptation to a damning sin, it is not deadly and damning. For our being tempted to sin is not a renouncing of our Lord, but an exercise of our service and obedience to him, and a tryal whether or no we will renounce him. It is the great proof and argument how dearly we love him, and how closely and faithfully our wills adhere to him. It shews how obedience is uppermost in our hearts, and that we will rather deny our dearest lusts and importunate desires, than venture, for their sakes, to offend him. So that to be tempted is no instance of damning disobedience, but a plain proof how much we will lose and suffer rather than we will disobey. It is a tryal of us how we prefer God and our Duty before other things, even those that are most dear to us of all things in the world besides. We do not sin damnably then in being tempted, so long as we consent not to it, but manfully resist and overcome the temptation.
And this is evident from hence, because those very men who have lived most free from sin, have not for all that lived free from temptation. Even Adam himself, before he knew what sin was, and during his state of Innocence, was liable to be tempted. For the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, whereof God had forbidden him to eat, was alluring to his eyes, and an incentive to his lust, as well as any other Tree of the Garden. And because it was so, the Woman was won to eat of it through the strength of such desire after it, notwithstanding God had commanded her to abstain from it. The woman saw that the Tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and by the same inducement she drew in her Husband, and gave it unto him, and he did eat also, Gen. 3.6. And the second Adam, who was most entirely innocent and guilty of no sort of a1 Pet. 2.22. John 14.30.sin, was yet liable to temptation like as we are, being in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, Heb. 4.15. Nay, says the Apostle, it was necessary that he should be so; that by what he felt in himself, he might the better know how to shew mercy and have compassion upon us. In all things, says he, it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful as well as a faithful High Priest; for in that he himself hath suffer'd being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted, Heb. 2.17, 18.
As for our being tempted then, or invited to any sin by our bare lusts and inclinations after it; in it self, and before it has got any further, it is no deadly sin or damnable transgression. It is the scene of good endeavour, the tryal of obedience, a test of our great love and preference of God and his Law before all the world besides, yea even before our own dearest lusts, and our own selves. It is nothing more than befel Adam before he had sinned, or than befel Christ who never knew sin; and therefore in it self bare lust and desire, or being tempted and invited to sin, cannot be damnably sinful.
As for our Lusts or Temptations, 'tis true they differ in degrees, according as our desires of that evil which we are tempted to are indulged, and have advanced more or less. For sometimes a lust may stir, but as soon as ever it is observed it is again extinguished. The pleasure of the sin, whether by being seen or fansied, raises in us a sudden thought or desire after it; but the lust is expelled as soon as it is discovered, it is not suffered to remain and dwell in us, but is presently thrown out with indignation. For we turn away our fancy from the evil thing, and will not endure to think upon it, or to continue craving and lusting after it. And this is a power over our own desires, and a way of breaking the strength of temptation, which is incident only to grown men and to perfect Christians: and that not in all instances of temptation, but only in such as are not extraordinary in themselves, and which have been often vanquished and triumphed over. It is in such cases where use has made the conquest easie, and long custom of ceasing and turning away from the inveigling desire has taken off all the difficulty; so that now we are able to silence and subdue the lust as soon as we discern it. And as for these feeble desires and impotent temptations, there is no question but that a good Christian may be under them, and yet be in no danger of being condemned for them.
But then at other times our lusts live longer, and advance higher; they grow up to good degrees, till they are able to contend and strive against our mind and conscience; so that even when at last they are denied, and our wills chuse to do what God commands in spite of them; yet is it after much struggling and opposition. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, as well as the spirit lusteth against the flesh; and although at last the fleshly lusts are overpower'd, and cannot prevail with our wills to chuse on their side; yet do they strive hard and contend for it. And here a lust is not presently subdued as soon as it is discerned, but it strives and struggles; it can make head against the Law in the mind, although it cannot overcome it; it has some interest in the will, although it have not an interest sufficient; for the will hearkens to it for some time, and considers of what it offers, notwithstanding at last it reject its suit, and through the sollicitations of a more powerful Favourite, resolves against it. And this power our lusts have in us whilst we are young Converts, and of a more imperfect goodness; nay in some very great temptations indeed, such as are the fear of death and bodily torments especially, they will struggle thus in those who are the most perfect Christians of all.
But now when our lusts are in this d…gree, so as to stay upon our Souls for some time, and to strive against our spirits for the consent of our wills before they are …inally denied it: yet if they go no further than bare lust, and our wills do not after all their struggling consent to them, or chuse the evil thing which is craved by them, they are still uncondemning, and incident to an Heir of Salvation. And this, as I take it, is clear from what St Paul himself says of the truly regenerate, or of those who, in his words, walk in the spirit. For in them he says plainly, that the flesh lusteth against the spirit, albeit it is not able to prevail over it; so that even in doing what the spirit commands them, they do against the contrary will and lusting of the flesh which gainsays it. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; so that even in fulfilling the will of the spirit, you contradict another will of your lusts, and cannot do, or bforeign.do not the things that you would, Gal. 5.16, 17. Nay even Christ himself who knew no sin, nor ever committed any thing which could in strict justice be worthy of death; was yet subject to such a conflict of flesh and spirit as this now mentioned. His very Death and Passion, which was the very cPhil. 2.8.consummation and highest part of his obedience, was not without great struggling of his flesh, and a long and earnest conflict of his bodily desires against it. For he was in a strange fear and discomposure about it; he began, says St Mark, to be sore amazed, Mark 14.34. And when he had recovered himself a little from the maze of that sudden fright, he prays against it— O my Father, if it he possible, let this cup pass from me, Mat. 26.39. And when his request was not granted at first, he makes a fresh address wherein he is more importunate— being in his Agony, says St Luke, he prayed more earnestly, Luk. 22.44; his supplications he offered up with strong crying and tears, Hebr. 5.7. All this strife and opposition did the desire of life, and the bodily appetite after ease and safety, together with the sense of God's wrath and high displeasure, raise in him against this obedience of his sufferings. But because all this was only lust and desire, which although it lasted some time, and discomposed him much, was not yet able to gain any thing of his will and dMatth. 26.39, 42.consent to it; therefore notwithstanding it, was he perfectly innocent. All that can be said is, That he was tempted by the desires of his Flesh against this great and last instance of obedience; but he did not yield or consent to the temptation.
Thus then as for the lusts and desires of our Flesh, whether they be suddenly rejected and make no resistance, or are longer liv'd and contend much; if they have got no consent of our wills to the fulfilling of them, nor any choice of the evil which is craved by them, they are only a temptation to a damning sin, but in themselves thus far they are not damning.
As for these motions and lustings after evil things then, that are unconsented to and unfulfilled, which are the complaint and fear of good men; they shall not harm them, or be charged upon them to their condemnation. But when God comes to judgment, he will pardon and pass them by, and not eternally punish and avenge for them.
And having shewn thus for what lusts and desires of evil we shall at the last day be pardoned; I come now,
2. To shew for which of them we shall be condemned.
And as for this, we have in great part our answer to it already. For our lusts are then damnable and dangerously evil, when they are effectual instruments and temptations to damning evils, and carry us on either to chuse, or practise them. For they are the great Favourites and Seducers of our wills, and thereby the Authors of our actions; they first bring us to chuse and consent to the deadly sin whereby they are gratified, and then to act it; and when they are gone on to either of these, they are an Article of our condemnation. They are uncondemning till they come so far, but if once they have got us to consent to the alluring sin, from that consent begins their sting, and both it, and all that follows it, make us liable to eternal destruction.
To make this Discourse more clear, I will here set down those several steps whereby we ascend to the completion, and are carried on to the working and commission of any sin.
1. At the representation of the object which is to tempt us to it, whether it be an unchast embrace, an unlawful gain, or the like, either by what we feel of it now if it be before our senses, or by what we fansie if it is in our imagination, our flesh is pleased and delighted with it. And from this pleasure it naturally goes on to love, and from loving to desire it. And desire or lust is the last step among the passions; for delight begets love, and love ends in desire; but when once we are come to desire a thing, our passions have done their part, and all that in them lyes towards the action.
2. When in the appetite or animal soul the sin has gone thus far, the next step is, that to gratifie this desire or lust of our Flesh, our wills should consent to it. For our wills are the Disposers of all that follows, so that unless they consent to get that which the Flesh so much desires, there can nothing more be done towards it. But if they do consent to the desire, and intend to fulfil it; then,
3. Our understanding and contrivance is employed in deliberating and consulting what time, what place, what means are fittest to accomplish it with the least difficulty, and the most delight, and to the greatest advantage. And when our minds have seen which to prefer and fix upon; then,
4. Our wills resolve upon them, and make choice of them. And when this is done, the last Decree is past, and all the time of doubting and deliberation is over; so that nothing more remains, but,
5. To apply our bodily powers to perform our resolutions, in the execution and commission of that which was resolved upon.
This is the natural order of our faculties, and the process that is observed by our principles of action in their completion and final commission of any sin. The first beginning is in the lower soul, for that is the inlet of all sin, and the seat of temptation; and there it is that sin hath all its strength and insnaring power, upon which account it is called by St Paul a Law in the Members, Rom. 7.23. And when these lusts of our Flesh have won the consent of our wills, they are secure of all our after-contrivances for it, and of our actual performance and execution of it. For both our thoughts and our bodily powers are at the Command of our own wills; so that if at the instigation of our lusts, our wills have once consented to the sin, they will quickly set our heads awork to contrive for it, and our hands and other bodily powers to execute and fulfil it.
And in this method our Principles of action move, when we act with full deliberation, and when they are all employed. Sometimes indeed there is no contrivance at all, because none is needful; as it happens when the opportunity of the sin is present with us, and just before us at such time as we consent to it; so that nothing more is wanting but only to act and fulfil it. But when the opportunity is absent, and we are put to forecast and contrive for it; then is the process of our faculties in that very order which I have here described.
For an instance and illustration of this, we will take the sin of drunkenness, and the process will appear to be in that order which I have mentioned. For in a man whose inclination that way disposes him to be tempted by it, the fancy of it in himself, or the having it suggested by another, gives him a thought of the pleasure which accompanies it; and from that apprehension of its pleasurableness he begins to love, and from that loved he goes on straightway to desire it. And now his will being sollicited by his lust or bodily desire, consents to the fulfilling of it. And this consent being once gained, the next thing in order is to deliberate and contrive what company, what time, and what place are fittest for it. And when by comparing all things together he comes to make a judgment of that, he immediately chuses and resolves upon it; and that being done, there is nothing remaining further but to execute what he has resolved, and go on to the performance of it.
This then is the method and progress, from our lusting and desiring of any thing that is evil, to our acting and committing it. It begins in delight, and love and desire; and thence goes on to our consenting to it, to our contrivance for it, to our resolutions upon it, and after all these to our practice and performance of it.
Now so long as the evil is entertained only in a short delightsom thought, or love, or desires, and rests there, but goes no further: it is not so much our damning sin, as our dangerous temptation; it will be connived at, and at the last Day we shall not be condemned for it. For thus far the sin is only solliciting our choice, but has not got it; and as yet we have not committed a mortal crime, but are only under a tryal whether we will be drawn to the commission of it, or no. But if once our wills consent to it, then begins the sting, and there the danger enters; for the lusting after evil so far as to consent to it, and much more so as to contrive for it, or to fulfil it, makes us liable to death and eternal condemnation. For our own choice, as we heard above▪ makes any sin damning; so that if by means of the tempting lust any sin has prevailed so far, it is become a deadly offence, and subjects us to destruction. Lust, says St James, when it has conceived, or is imperfectly consented to, answering to conception which is an imperfect information, bringeth forth sin; and sin when by being perfectly consented to, it is finished, bringeth forth death which is the wages of it, Jam. 1.15.
And that our lusts after any sin are then damnably sinful when they are gone beyond desire, and are come on either to our consent, or contrivance, or actual performance; appears further from these instances in them all three.
If we lust so long after any evil thing, as to consent to the sinful enjoyment of it, we are guilty of all that punishment which is threatned to it. He that looks upon a woman, says our Saviour, so long as to lust after her, or to eJuxta Domini nostri Dictum, Qui Mulierem viderit ad concupiscendum, reus est Adulterii corde concepti: intelligere possumus quod et sires turpes & damnabiles necessitate non agimus, pro ipsa tamen rerum turpium voluntate damnamur. Sal. de Prov. l. 6. p. 205. Ed. Oxon.consent in his heart to the enjoyment of her, he hath committed adultery already with her in his heart, Mat. 5.28.
If we lust so long as to contrive for it, which is a degree further; we are more guilty of the sin, and more liable to the punishment of it still. The inclinations and contrivances of murder, as was observed above, are reckoned among those things which pollute a man, (and thereby unfit him for entring into Heaven, where nothing can ever have admittance that is unclean) as well as murder it self is, Mat. 15.19.
But if our lust after any sinful enjoyment carry us on, not only to consent to it, or to contrive for it, but, what is the perfection of all, to work and fulfil it: then has it ensnared us into as much mischief as it can, and is become dangerous and damning with a witness. For then it has prevailed with us to compleat our sin, and give the last hand to it; it has brought us under that which is most of all threatned; for now we fulfil the lusts of the flesh, Gal. 5.16, 19; we work iniquity, Mat. 7.23.
And if we continue to do this not only for once or twice, but in constant returns, and in a fixt course and tenure of action; then as our sin is grown higher, the acts thereof being more numerous, and the guilt more crying; so will our punishment also be more dreadfully severe. And this is called walking after the flesh, 2 Pet. 2.10; and living after the flesh, Rom. 8.13. And this being a state of wasted virtue, and habitual reigning sin; it is not only, through its obnoxiousness to punishment, a state of death; but also, through its hardness of cure and difficult recovery, a state of great doubt and danger likewise.
So that as for all these further degrees, from the consent of our wills, onward; if our lusts after any sin have gone on to them, they are deadly and damning. For the same Law in the members which wars against the law of the mind, so as thus to captivate and triumph over it, is as the Law of sin, so, as the Apostle says, the Law of death too, Rom. 7.23.24.
All our lustings after evil therefore, when once they come to be consented to, although before they were connived at, are thenceforth deadly and damning. So that whosoever hopes to be saved at the last Day from the punishment of them, must thus far mortifie and kill them. Mortifie, says St Paul, those desires which are seated in your earthly members, Col. 3.5; for it is only if you through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, that you shall live, Rom. 8.13. As to these damnable degrees, all fleshly lusts must of necessity be crucified in all good Christian men; for no man will be reputed to belong to Christ till this change is wrought in him. They that are Christs, says the same Apostle, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5.24.
Mortifie and crucifie them, I say, we must; not so as to have no fleshly appetites and bodily desires of evil; for then must we have no bodily desires at all. Because our lusts themselves, as was observed, do not distinguish of lawful or unlawful, but are naturally moved by an agreeable object, whether it be with God or against him. But we must mortifie them to that degree, as that they never be able to win us over to consent to any forbidden thing for their gratification. They must never have so much interest in our hearts, as to make us prefer them before our duty, and chuse to perform what they bid us, rather than what God doth. Some stirrings and ineffective motions of them, which cannot prevail against God, nor gain over the consent of our wills to any thing that he has forbidden, are dispensed with; they are the stage of temptation but not of death; for God bears with them, and the mortified men themselves do daily feel and labour under them. But it is the prevailing strength of our lusts after evil things, when they get our consent to them, and carry us on to transgress Gods Laws to fulfil them: this conquering power of fleshly lusts, I say, it is which is to be mortified in every good man, because under this strength and empire of them he cannot go to Heaven.
And that no good man may call in question the safety of his state, from any needless fears about this mortification; this we must know every man has done in his conversion to become a good Christian. For before he can be such, he has killed the reigning power of lust, so as not to be acted any longer by its instigation. He feels some small stirrings of it afterwards indeed; but they do not win upon him, or prevail over him; for he is always ready to deny the satisfaction of his lust, before he will displease his God; and makes all the desires of his flesh to give way to the dictates of his Conscience. Ye that are Christs, saith St Paul, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5.24.
And when this is once done, there is no great trouble in it afterwards; for the more any man is accustomed to obey, the less difficulty doth he find in mortification and self-denial, and in restraining of all those lusts which tempt to disobedience. He is not now in every temptation put to the pain and trouble of cutting off a right hand, or of plucking out a right eye; the self-denial and mortification went so near him at first, 'tis true; but since he has been used to it, and his flesh is accustomed to bear the yoke and to be under subjection, there are no such pangs and uneasiness attending it. So that if he is not now still upon the severe task of painful mortification, it is because he doth not need it, since it is done already to his hand. His lusts are so far mortified as it is absolutely necessary they should; they are crucified to that degree, as to be disabled from gaining his consent to them, his contrivance for them, or his fulfilling and performance of them; and that is as much mortification as God will exact of him.
But yet when this is done, and our lusts are mortified to this degree, there is still need of a watchful care over them, and of a continual strife against them, lest they should rebel again and go further. For the objects of sense, and the allurements of our flesh are still before us; and our bodies naturally are still as capable to be delighted in them, and thereupon to lust and long after them, as ever they were before. It is only the overpowering strength of the Law in the mind or conscience which maintains the resolution of our wills against them, and by that means keeps them under. And therefore if once we begin to slacken our care, and to keep no hank upon them; but allow them to go where, and how far they please; they will quickly grow upon us, and prove too hard for us, and bring us first to consent to them, and after that to compleat and fulfil them.
Let no man therefore indulge to the thoughts of unlawful pleasures, and by the delights of his fancy foment and cherish the lusts and desires of his Flesh; presuming that all is safe whilst he doth not consent to them, nor yields to fulfil them. For admitting that all things else are innocent and uncondemning, yet however by this means he lays a snare for his own soul. For he throws himself into temptation, and so cannot expect that God should deliver him out of it. God has promised to relieve us indeed in all necessities of his own making; if his Providence throws us upon trial, his Grace shall support us under it, and make a way for our escape out of it. He will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, saith the Apostle, but together with the temptation he will make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear so much of it as befalls you, 1 Cor. 10.13. But what is this to us if we bring our selves into snares, and prove our own tempters? For there is no reason at all to presume that God, if he will deliver us from other enemies, should deliver us also from our own selves; and that he should secure us by his Spirit from those very snares, which we lay for our own Vertue. No, if we will entertain Serpents in our bosoms, he has no where engaged, nor is there any reason why he should, that we shall not be stung by them. But on the contrary, he warns us against them, and bids us be careful to keep off from them. Yea, so far must we be from bringing temptations upon our selves, that, if we will observe his orders, we must pray daily even against those whereto his Providence might expose us. This being one of those Petitions, which, according to our Lords appointment, we are to put up to God as often as we do that for our daily bread; viz. That he would not lead us into temptation, Matth. 6.13. So that if by indulging to delightsome fancies, and growing lusts of evil, we throw our selves into a great temptation, we have just reason to fear that God, for our punishment, should leave us in it, and suffer us damnably to fall by it. Such indulgence is apt of it self to inflame our lusts, and to weaken our resolutions; and God is also prone to withdraw his Grace, and to leave us to our own strength upon it; and since at the same time it increases our necessities, and withdraws our aids, it must need… put us into a dangerous condition. If then we would secure our souls, and keep off from damning sins; we must resist temptations at the beginning, and not give way to them; we must not cherish and indulge, but timely check, and heedfully suppress them.
And thus at last we see what is the just force of this first cause of fear to honest minds, their ineffective lusts, and impotent desires of evil. The first beginnings of lust cannot be avoided, and the longer entertainment of it shall not finally be punished, if it is soon checked by us, nay if it stays longer and contends much with us, so long as it doth not prevail upon us to consent to and fulfil the sin whereto it is a temptation. But when once it has gained our consent and choice of that sin whereto it would engage us, then is it of a damning stain, and all its following effects are mortal. All which St James insinuates to us in that account which he gives us of the progress and production of sin, which he sets down from the motive or first temptation, to the perfect birth or compleat production, in this order: Then, says he, every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and inticed to evil by them. This lust or desire of evil is only the first step, being as yet not grown up to the stature of sin, but only to that of temptation. But when it advances, and draws in our other faculties; then sin begins and ripens; it is first conceived, and then finished; and after the finishing of it, it is a matter of condemnation, although before it were uncondemning. For then when lust hath conceived, by being in some imperfected measure willed and consented to, it bringeth forth, answerable to its conception, which is but an imperfect sort of production, an imperfect embryo of sin; and this embryo of sin, when by a full choice and perfect consent, and much more when by action and practice, it is finished, bringeth forth its proper wages▪ death. Jam. 1.14, 15.
Although these lustings and desires therefore which good men complain of, may justly be an imployment of their watchfulness and care; yet ought they not to be a cause of their fear or scruple. For it shall not bring upon them those evils which they are afraid of, nor ever prove their ruine and destruction. The evil thing is entertained only in a thought, or a wish; they lust after it, and are tempted by it; but that is all, for they do not consent to the temptation. And since their lusts go no further than thus, they shall not harm them when Christ comes to Judgment, nor ever bring them into condemnation.