Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Sanctification of Mans Body, and all the External Actions.
THe body as well as the soul was redeemed by the price of Christs bloud, taken into union with him, and shall be glorious to all eternity.
I shall here handle four things:
1. The Nature of the Body.The work of Gods grace in sanctifying the body.
2. The Image of God in it before the fall.
3. Its Corruption.
4. Its sanctifying by the Spirit.
Of the first.
It is one of the most curious pieces of all Gods workmanship, Psal. 139. 14, 15.
The operation of the soul much depends on the temper or distemper of the body.
2. What the Image of God was in mans body before the fall.
God is a Spirit, how can the body be his Image?
The Schoolmen say it stood in three things:
1. In the admirable frame and composure of it, this is not probable.
2. In its Majesty which carried a beam of God in it, bruit beasts did stoop to him as their Lord.
3. It bore Gods Image significativè, it was the vessel wherein the soul did act that holinesse which was Gods Image. The comlinesse of any mans body depends not on outward decking, but when it is imployed in the works of holinesse.
3. The depravation of the body since mans fall.
It is a great Question, Wherein the sinfulnesse of the body lies, because there is no sin in it till the soul comes, nor when it is gone: Yet that there is sin in it appears by 1 Thess. 5. 23.
Its sinfulnesse consists in three things:
1. In its fitnesse to sin, Rom. 6. 13.
2. In its readinesse to sin; there is not only a passive fitnesse, but an active readinesse in the members to sinne, Act. 13. 10. The feet are swift to shed bloud.
3. In its greedinesse to the service of sin, Deut. 29. 19.
The whole body of original corruption dwels in our bodies, Rom. 6. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies. This corruption desiles the body within, and issues out likewise, sometimes it will inwardly burn with lust and anger.
The members of our bodies are the instruments of sin:Psal. 30. 12. & 57. 9. Iames. When the Apostle giveth up the Anatomy of a natural man in all the members of the body, he stayeth longest on the organs of speech. Rom. 3. 13, 14. Capel of tentat. part. 3. cap. 4. Sect. 3.
The Tongue was given man to be an instrument of Gods glory, therefore David calleth it his Glory; since our fall the Spirit of God saith, It is a world of wickednesse. One hath written a large Treatise of the sins of the Tongue, with that we curse God and rail on men, much uncleannesse is acted by it. One reckoneth up four and twenty several sins of the Tongue, lying, swearing, ribaldry, scoffing, flattering, quarrelling, deceiving, boasting, tatling, &c. It is compared to a sharp two-edged sword, to a razor, to sharp arrows, to an Adders sting, to the poyson of an Asp, to fiery coles, to the fire of hell.
Eyes] Eyes full of adultery, 1 Pet. 2. an evil eye, a covetous eye.
Ears] A deaf ear to that which is good, itching ears.
Hands] Full of violence, oppressing.
Feet] Swift to shed bloud.
4. The work of Grace in sanctifying mans body.
When the whole work of Sanctification is intended; God sometimes names onelyonly the sanctifying of mans body, Rom. 12. 1 Thess. 4. 3, 4. Rom. 6. 12, 13. 1 Cor. 6. 13, 19.
The work of Grace in sanctifying the body, stands not in making it the immediate and proper subject of Grace, that being spiritual cannot have its seat in mole corporea, but in these particulars.
1. It shall be no longer at the command of the devil or a lust, 1 Cor. 6. 15. Iob 31. 1. Psal. 141. 3.The members are become fit and ready for good. Ps. 45. 1
2. It is consecrated to the Lord, Rom. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. It is made the Temple of the holy Ghost; where the holy Ghost resides he will spiritually adorn it that it shall be no more inthralled to sin.
3. It is taken into a real and indissoluble union with God himself, 1 Cor. 6. Your bodies are the members of Christ.The eye and ear are helps also to the soul. Job 31. 1. Mary Magdalen wipes our Saviours feet with those locks of hers which before she had been so proud of and inveigled others with. The body which heretofore hath burned with lusts, is now ready to burn at the stake for Christ
4. Our bodies are the instruments by which the Spirit of God and our souls work Sanctification, Rom. 6. Give up your members as instruments of righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 6. 20. David often calleth on his tongue to blesse God, naming it his glory; it exalts Gods praises, ministers grace to the hearers. Psal. 141. 3.
The bridling of the tongue standeth,
1. In forbearing words,
1. Sinful simply, whether
1. Impious against Gods
1. Being, Authority and Greatnesse.
2. Worship and Word.
3. Name and Honour.
4. Sabbath and Rest.
2. Injurious against
1. Those that we have relation to
1. Betters, irreverent.
2. Equals, comparing and disgracing.
3. Inferiours, vilifying, contemning.
2. All men, viz.
1. Unkinde, passionate, provoking and bitter words against the sixth Commandment.
2. Impure, unclean against the seventh.
3. Fraudulent and deceitfull against the eighth Commandment.
4. Whispering, slandering, flattering, bragging, backbiting against the ninth Commandment.
2. Superfluous, too many Prov. 10. 8, 10. 1 Tim. 5. 11.
3. Impertinent, not to the purpose, not concerning ones self, Psal. 73. 9.
4. Idle, to no purpose, Matth. 13. 36.
5. Unseasonable, uttered out of time and place, as to apply the comforts of the Gospel to him which is not at all humbled, or denounce the terrours of the Law against one who is too much already pressed with the sense of his sins.
2. In using speech, which is
1. Alwayes gracious, viz.
1. Discreet.
2. Gentle.
3. Lowly.
4. True.
2. Often religious.Thess. 4. 4.
Motives to preserve our bodies in purity.
Consider
First, What an excellent piece the body of man is in the Lords Creation of it, wherein the Power, Wisdom and Goodnesse of God appears.
Secondly, Rather then it should be lost, Christ hath bought it with his precious bloud, 1 Cor. 6.
Thirdly, Thy body is joyned to Christ, and all the members are made members of his body.
Fourthly, The holy Ghost dwels in it. God hath two thrones the highest heavens and the body and soul of a believer, God would not let any natural filthiness be amongst them while he was present with them.
Fifthly, Thy body shall be raised out of the dust and made like the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sixthly, Look upon thy body in the relation it stands to thy soul, it is to be the vessel thy soul should use, by defiling it and regarding it more then enough, you make the soul a slave to it.
Seventhly, Consider that our bodies without a great deal of looking to and watching over will never be kept clean; originall sinne hath over-spread them.
Eighthly, A small temptation prevails over our bodies, they are more subject to spiritual then bodily evils.
Ninthly, Satan well knows, that although God most looks at the grace and corruption which acts in the inward man, for judging of the inward goodnesse or badnesse, yet when grace breaks out in the body it is majoris gloriae, and when corruption appears there it is majoris infamiae & turpitudinis.
Tenthly, In the judgement of God the greatest beauty and comlinesse to be found in our bodies is to have them thus devoted and consecrated to God, and thus imployed. The bravery of our cloathes, washing, and trimming, is to set out our bodies, because we would not appear deformed in the eyes of others, Prov. 3. 22, 23.
Means to possesse our bodies in purity:
1. Take heed of over-loving or over-valuing the body, then I shall not put my body on any duty of mortification, the body is but a Scabberd, the soul is the Tool.
2. Above all look to thy heart within, keep that in a right frame, and the body will easily be kept. Ierom saith, I left the City and went into the wildernesse, but I took my wicked heart thither.
3. Look to the senses, sinne came into the world by our senses, the devil spake slattering words to the ear, shew'd the fruit to the eye, she touched it and tasted of it, and perhaps smelt to it, Prov. 7. The harlot kist him for his touch, she had the attire of an harlot for his eye, perfumed her bed for his smell, her words dropt as the honey comb for his ear.
4. Keep the body as well as the soul in frequent Communion with God, exercise thy hands, eyes and ears in prayer.
5. Because our bodies being filthy vessels ever since our fall, and prone to be defiled, our care must be to wash them in clean water, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Heb. 10. 22, 23. We must daily renew our faith and repentance, Psal. 51. Besprinkle we with …ys…p and wash me.
For our external actions, they are
1. Sinfull, and here is all new, the grosse sinfull actions are removed, Old things are past away: Ye were sometimes thus, but ye are washed, cleansed. Hence they are called Saints, and called from the world, Let him that stole steal no more.
2. Common infirmities are much subdued, and what is yet remaining is much bewailed, Gal 6. 24. You shall not see the same anger and love as before. He that was a very Nabal before is turned to a meek Moses, and he that was a Tiger before is changed into a Lamb.
2. Natural and civil actions, they are altered
1. They are put upon a right end, Whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God; so that as God made all things for himself, so we desire to live to him; whereas naturally a man doth all these actions for himself, as the utmost end; we eat, drink, and do every thing to the glory of God, either immediately when we give him the glory and acknowledge him the author of these mercies we partake of, or else mediately, when we do imploy and lay out the strength, comfort and profit we have, in the way which God hath required at our hands.
2. They are made but the accessary, and heavenly things the principal, Matth. 6. Seek first the kingdom of Heaven, John 6. Labour not for the meat which perisheth: And what will it profit a man to gain the whole world? Naturally a m… i… so …t on the world that he is taken up with it; if there were no heaven, no soul, no better thi…gs to be looked after it were another matter, but the conversation of the godly is in heaven, and their affections are set upon things above.
3. In the use of all these they live by faith, Hab. 3. The just shall live by faith, it is thrice repeated in the New Testament, a man depends upon Gods promise in the most trouble some straights, believeth in God as a Father, Matth. 6. who will provide for him; Care and distractions what thou shalt do, how thou shalt live, oppose the work of converting grace. Paul knew how to abound, and how to want; he saith, he had all things, because he that by faith hath God as his, hath all things of God, his wisdom, power.
3. Their religious actions, they are altered
For, 1. These are done with the inward man, with inward sorrow and delight; people think that praying and doing other duties is godlinesse it self, but here if any where grace makes a great change; for whereas before these duties were done out of custom and more verbally, now he performs them with more sense of his unworthines, the Spirit making groans unutterable, and taking away the s…onin…s of our hearts, now they are earnest and …ervent in prayer, and hear the Word diligently.
2. They are effects of faith reconciling us to God, whereas before his conversion all his duties were abominable things, yet he had high conceits of them, now they are accepted, converting grace working faith in them, which laying hold upon Christ, doth cover them all with his worth and excellency: before they were but the meer desires of nature, such as any Heathen would make, and they did no more prevail, and if God did hear them it was in a common way of providence, such as he shewes to the Ravens when they cry to him, but now they are the prayers and duties of those which are in Christ in whom God is well-pleased. There is as much difference between a beleevers prayer and a naturall mans prayer, as between Lazarus dead, and him risen again.
3. They are done eff…aciously to make us grow more, and to get more strength, that is the end of prayer, of hearing the Word, of the Sacraments, partly to cleanse us, and partly to further us in the way of salvation; the godly man faithfully using these Ordinances, findeth them such bread, that in the strength of them he liveth and groweth: but the natural man is never reformed by these though he live under the Minstry, he retains the same old lusts and sins.
4. They are so done as that we go out of them and relie on Christ only. This is a wonderful change wrought on the godly mans heart, that he goeth out of all his prayers, All our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth; naturally a man relieth on these, and till God make us see the spiritual purity of his Law, and all the inward filth of our hearts, it spoils all our duties, and it is impossible that we should depend upon Christ and go out of all.
General Rules for the sanctifying of Meats and Drink, Apparel, Sports and Labor.
1. All these being in themselves neither morally good nor evil, but indifferent, we may use and desire them too much or too little, therefore we should be moderate in the use of them.
2. They should be sanctified by the Word and Prayer, 1 Tim. 4. The Word shews us the warrantable use of them, and teacheth how to use them, prayer obtains a blessing upon them, 1 Cor. 10. 31.
3. Our liberty in the use of them must not be a scandal to our brethren.