Sermons, Sermon 9
SERMON, IX.
PREFACE.
HOW true is that word of our Saviour, who is truth it self, Without me ye can do nothing, severed from me, as that branch that is not in me: They that are altogether out of Christ in Spiritual Exercises do nothing at all. 'Tis true, they may Pray, and hear the Word, yea, and Preach it too, and yet in so doing they do nothing, nothing in effect. They have the matter of good actions, but it is the eternal Form gives being to things; they are but a number of empty words, and a dead service to a living God, for all our outward performances and worship of the Body is nothing but the body of worship, and therefore nothing but a Carkass, except the Lord Jesus, by his Spirit, breath upon it the breath of life. Yea, the Worshipper himself is Spiritually Dead, till he receive Life from Jesus, and be quickned by his Spirit. If this be true, then it will follow necessarily, That where numbers are met together, (as here) pretending to serve and worship God, yet he hath very few that do so indeed, the greatest part being out of Christ; and such, being without him, they can do nothing in his service.
Rom. VIII. 7.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.
THE ordinary workings and actions of Creatures, are suitable to their Naure, as the ascending of light things, and the moving of heavy things downwards; so the vital and sensitive actions of things that have life and sense. The reasonable Creature, 'tis true, hath more liberty in its actions, freely chusing one thing and rejecting another, yet it cannot be denied, that in acting of that liberty, their choice and refusal follow the sway of their nature and condition, as the Angels and glorified Souls, their nature being perfectly holy, and unalterably such. They cannot sin, they can delight in nothing but in obeying and praising that God, in the enjoyment of whom their happiness consisteth; still ravish'd in beholding his face. The Saints again, that have not yet reach'd that home, and are but on their Journey, they are not fully defecated, and refined from the dross of Sin; there are in them two parties, Natural Corruption, and Supernatural Grace, and these keep a strugling within them; but the younger shall supplant the elder. Grace shall in the end overcome, and in the mean while, though it be not free from mixture, yet it is predominant. The main bent of a renewed Man, is Obedience and Holiness, and any action of that kind he rejoyces in, but the Sin, that escapes him, he cannot look upon but with regret and discontent. But alas! they that be so minded, are very thin sown in the World, even in Gods peculiar Fields, where the Labourage of the Gospel is, and the outward profession of true Religion unanimously received. Yet the number of true Converts, Spiritualminded Persons, is very small, the greatest part acting Sin with delight, and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness, living in disobedience to God, as in their proper Element; and the reason is, The contrariety of their Nature to our Holy Lord. The carnal mind is enmity against God.
The mind foreign] Some render it the Prudence or Wisdom of the Flesh. Here you have it, The Carnal Mind, but the word signifies, indeed, an act of the mind, rather than either the faculty it self, or the habit of Prudence in it, so as it discovers what is the frame of both those. The minding, as it is used, in… ▪ ver. 27. conform to that of Moses, Gen. 6. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart, is only evil continually. The word indeed signifies the wise thoughts, so then take the full latitude of it thus: The carnal mind, in its best and wisest thoughts, is direct enmity against God.
Carnal, foreign] What meant by the flesh here? It is the whole corrupt Nature of man, and that we may know by its opposition to the Spirit, not to the Spirit or Soul of a man, for so it hath no thoughts nor minding, these being proper to the Soul, but opposed to the Spirit of God.
Now the Corruption of Nature is called the Flesh, not without very good reason, not only to signifie the baseness of it, the Flesh being the more ignoble and meaner part of a Man, but because the greatest part of the sins of mens lives are about sensitive objects, and things that concern the Flesh or the Body; it lets in temptation of sin to the Soul by the doors of the Senses, and it gives the last perfection, or accomplishment, to sin, by external acting of it. The very first sin, that brought in Death and Misery with it upon Mankind, the pleasure of the eye and of the taste, were sharers in the guiltiness of it.
The carnal mind] Man in regard of his composure, is, as it were, the tie and band of Heaven and Earth; they meet and are married in him. A Body he has taken out of the Dust, but a Soul breathed from Heaven, the Father of Spirits; a House of Clay, but a Guest of most noble Extraction. But the pity is, it hath forgot its Original, and is so drowned in flesh, that it deserves no other but to go under the Name of Flesh. It is become the Slave and Drudge of the Body, and, as the Israelites in Egypt, made perpetually to moyl in Clay. What is all your Merchandise, your Trades and Manufactures, your Tillage and Husbandry, but all for the Body, in its behalf, for Food and Raiment? In all these, the Mind must be careful and thoughtful, and yet properly they reach it not, for it self hath no interest in them. It is true, the necessity of the Body requires much of these things, and superfluous custom far more, but it is lamentable that men force their Souls to forget it self, and its proper business, to attend these things only, and be busie in them. They spend all their time, and their choicest pains upon perishing things, and which is worse, engage their affections to them. They mind earthly things, whose end is destruction, Philip. 3. 19. The same word that's here, foreign, &c.
Will you consider seriously, that your Souls run the hazard of perishing, because you consider not their Spiritual Nature? When that earthly Tabernacle of yours shall fall to the ground (and e're long it must) your Souls must then enter Eternity, and though you had as large a share of earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wish, they all lose their use in that moment; they are not a proper good for the Soul at any time, and least at that time. If you keep it all your life long, busie about the interest and benefit of the flesh, the Body, how poor will be when thy part, having provided nothing at all for it self, but the guiltiness of a sinful life, which will sink it into that bottomless Pit? Be forewarned then, for to be carnally minded is death, verse 6. precedeing the Text.
The carnal mind] Now as Sin hath abased and degenerated the Soul of Man, making it Carnal, so the Son of God, by taking on our Nature, hath sublimated it again, and made it Spiritual. The Souls that received him are Spiritualized, yea, as Sin made the Soul Carnal, Grace makes the very Body to become Spiritual, making it partaker and coworker in spiritual things, together with the Soul, in doing and suffering, and participant of the hopes too of an everlasting reward. This is the main Christian Character our Apostle gives here, that they are spiritually minded, and that their actions suit their minds, They walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit; whereas before, with the rest of the World, they were eager in the pursuit of Honours and Profits, and Worldly Pleasures. Now the stream of their desires run in another channel, they seek after Honour, and are very ambitious of it, but it is such Honour as the Apostle speaks of in this Epistle, Rom. 2. 7. By patient continuance in well doing they seek for glory, and honour, and immortality. Their mind is upon profit and gain, but it is with the same Apostle, Philip. 3. that they may win Christ, and they account all other things loss in comparison. And their desires are after pleasure too, but not Carnal Pleasures, those are both base, and of short continuance, but the pleasures they aim at, are those that are at Gods right hand, and for evermore, Psal. 16. 11. And that path of life he there speaks of, that way of holiness that leads thither, is their delight: Spiritual Excercises they go to, not as their task only, but more as their joy and refreshment. And this change the Spirit of God works in the Soul, making it (yea, and the body wherein it dwells) of Carnal, to become Spiritual, as the fire, to which the Holy Ghost is compared, refines Sand and Ashes, and makes of them the purest Glass, which is so neat and transparent.
Enmity against God] Sin hath not only made us unlike God, by defacing his beautiful Image in us; not only strangers by making us wander far off from him, but enemies; nor enemies only, but Enmity in the abstract, for that is emphatical, The carnal mind is Enmity; nothing else but Enmity.
Now this Enmity is described in the latter clause of the Text, by an Antipathy, so to call it, or Not-compliance with the Law of God; it is not subject to the Law of God, neither can it be, to wit, while it remains such▪ There is an absolute impossibility in it, to suit with the Law of God, and consequently, with God himself; the reason lies in their opposits qualities. God is spiritual and holy, and so is the law, as our Apostle hath it in the preceeding Chapter; and the opposition he there makes, betwixt his Unregenerate part and the Law, is wholly true of the Unregenerate man. The law is holy, says he, ver. 12. And ver. 14. It is spiritual; to which too he opposes, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Where are now those that so vilifie Grace, and magnifie Nature? Or, shall I rather say, Nullifie Grace, and Deifie Nature? Here is the best Elogy the Apostle will bestow upon the best of Natures, Enmity against God. Nay, all the sparkles of Virtue and Moral Goodness in Civil Men, and Ancient Heathens, is no better; besides many other things, to be said to the Vertues of those Philosophers, as ignorance of Christ, by whom alone this enmity is removed.
I should easily confess, nor (I think) can any deny it, but that there is in the very ruines of our Nature, some Character left of a tendency to God, as our chief and only satisfying good, which we may call a kind of love, and when we hear him spoken of, find it flutter and stir; and hence men so abhor the imputation of hating God, and being enemies. Yet this is so smothered under sensuality and flesh, that until we be made spiritual, nothing appears, but practical, and, as they call it, Interpretative Enmity.
There is one thing stains them enough, they were all, as that Father speaks, Animalia Gloriae, They aimed not in their study of Vertue at God's glory, but at their own; and is not that quarrel enough, and matter of enmity? Says not he, My glory I will not give unto another, &c.
But that is most useful for you, to convince you of that too good conceit men have of their natural condition; you would take it hardly, the most prophane of you all, if any should come to you, in particular, and tell you, you are an enemy to God. But I answer, there is none of you, if you believe the Scriptures, but will confess, that all men are naturally such; and therefore, except we find in our selves a notable alteration, from the condition of Nature, we must take with it, that we are Enemies, yea, Enmity to God. Of strangers to become acquainted with him; yea, which is more, of enemies to become friends, is a greater and more remarkable change, than to be incident to a man without any evidence and sign of it. I know there is very great variety in the way and manner of Conversion; and to some, especially if it be in their tender years, Grace may be instilled, and dropt in, as it were, insensibly. But this I may confidently say, that whatsoever be the way of working it, there will be a wide and apparent difference betwixt friendship with God, and the condition of Nature, which is Enmity against him. Do not flatter your selves, so long as your minds remain Carnal, ardent in love to the World, and cold in love to God: Lovers of pleasures more then of God (as the Apostle speaks.) You are his Enemies, for with him there is no neutrality. That which they say, taxing it as a weakness in the Sex, Aut amat aut odit nihil est tertium, is in this case necessarily true of all. And this is Gods peculiar, that he can judge Infallibly of the inside; those shadows of friendship, men use one with another, will not pass with him, deceived he cannot be, but men may easily, and alas! too many do deceive themselves in this matter to their own ruin.
We may learn hence, how deep Sin goes in our Nature, and consequently, that the cure and remedy of it must go as deep. That all the parts of our Bodies, and powers of our Souls, are polluted originally; our very mind and conscience, as the Apostle speaks, for it is immersed in flesh, and inslaved to flesh naturally, and therefore goes under its name, We are become all flesh. That is the spring of our mischiefs; we have lost our likeness with our Father, the Father of Spirits, the purest and most Spiritual Spirit, till renewed by participation of his Spirit on our Flesh.
And it is the Errour, not only of Natural Men, but somewhat of the Godly too, that in Self-reformation, they set themselves against actual sin, but they lay not the Ax to the root of the Tree; this root of bitterness, this our inbred and natural enmity against God. And till this be done, the lopping off of some branches will do no good, while the root is in vigour those will grow again, and possibly, faster than before. Bewail every known act of sin, as much as you can, for the least of them deserves it; but withal, let the consideration of them lead you into thoughts of this seed of Rebellion, the wickedness of our Nature, that takes life with us in the Womb, and springs and grows up with us, and this will humble us exceedingly, and raise our Godly sorrow to a higher tide. We find David taketh this course, Psal. 51. 5. where he is lamenting his particular sin of Adultery and Murder, it leads him to the sinfulness of his Nature, I was shapen in Iniquity, and in sin did my Mother conceive me, or, warm me; which he mentions not to extenuate and diminish his sin, no, he is there very far from that strain, but adds it as a main aggravation. Indeed, the power of Original Sin, in the Regenerate, is laid very low, yet not altogether extinct, which they find often to their grief, and makes them cry out with our Apostle, in the former Chapter, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. The Converted are already delivered (as he adds) from the Dominion of it, but not from the Molestation and Trouble of it; though it is not a quiet and uncontroulled Master, as it was before, yet it is in the House still as an unruly Servant or Slave, ever vexing and annoying them: And this Body of Death, they shall have still cause to bewail, till Death release them. This Leprosie hath taken so deep in the Walls of this House, that it cannot perfectly be cleansed till it be taken down; and it is this, more than any other sorrows or afflictions of life, that makes the Godly man not only content to die, but desirous, longing with our Apostle, To be dissolved, and be with Christ, which is far better.
As this teaches us the misery of Mans Nature, so it sets off, and commends exceedingly, the riches of Gods Grace. Are men naturally his Enemies? Why then, admire his patience and bounty a little, and then we will speak of his Saving-Grace. Could not he very easily ease himself of his Adversaries (as he says by the Prophet?) Wants he power in his right hand, to find out, and cut off all his Enemies? Surely no, not only he hath power to destroy them all in a moment, but the very withdrawing of his hand, that upholds their being (though they consider it not) would make them fall to nothing; yet is he pleased not only to spare Transgressours, but to give them many outward blessings, rain and fruitful seasons, as the Apostle speaks, Act. 14. And the Earth that is so full of mans Rebellion, is yet more full of his Goodness: The earth is full of thy goodness. It is remarkable, that that same reason which is given, Gen. 6. 5. of the Justice of God in drowning the World, is Chapter 8. 21. rendred as the reason of Gods resolved patience ever since.
His Grace, in finding a way of Reconcilement, and not sparing his own Son, his only begotten Son, to accomplish it; nor did he spare himself. O matchless Love! to lay down his life, not for Friends but for Strangers! Not only so, but Enemies, for Unrighteous and Ungodly Persons, such as be at enmity against him, Rom. 5. 7, 8, &c. And having done this, he sends his Word, the Message of Reconciliation, to Rebels, and sends his Spirit into the hearts of these whom he hath appointed to Salvation, to change their Spirits, that they perish not in Disobedience; he brings them near that were far off, having slain this enmity by the Death of his Son.
As many of you then, as have hitherto heard this Message of Reconcilement in vain, be perswaded at last to give ear to it: This is all that Gods Ambassadours require, according to their Instructions from himself, That men would lay down that enmity against him, and not be so foolish as wilfully to perish in it, 2 Cor. 5. 20.
Consider that this enmity is (1) Unjust. (2) Unhappy. Unjust it is, being against him who is the chief object of Love, who is altogether Goodness, both in himself, and towards his Creatures; it is too much not to love him with most ardent and superlative affection, but to entertain enmity against him is madness, as he said to one who asked why are the beautiful loved, it is a blind man's question. Certainly we are blind if we see not cause enough, not only to desist from enmity, but to be inflamed with his love; one glance of his amiable countenance is sufficient to cause the most rebellious heart to yield, and lay down arms, and for ever devote themselves to his service. No, we know him not, and therefore it is we hold out against him; is he not the living spring of all our comforts? Have we not from him life and breath, and all things? And is he not ready to forgive Iniquity, Transgression and Sin? Let mercy melt our hearts to him, those sweet rays of love. Let his loving kindness overcome these stubborn Hearts or Spirits of ours; among Enemies, the weaker usually seeks first for Peace, but here the Mighty; Almighty God comes to intreat agreement with sinful Clay.
But if this prevail not, then think how unhappy this enmity is, you that are so afraid of men, and these weak men, of men like your selves, whose breath is in their Nostrils; will ye not tremble at his power, and be afraid to continue in terms of Hostility, against him who is the Lord of Hosts, who hath power of the Soul and Body both, to kill both, and cast them into Hell? What is the stoutest of men, but as Stubble, to the flame of his Wrath? Our God is a consuming fire; the sinners in Zion are afraid (says the Prophet, who shall dwell, say they, with devouring fire and everlasting burnings. Then if you would not perish, when his wrath is kindled, take that word of Eliphaz, Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee.
And to you, so many as he hath taken into friendship with himself, look backward to the gulf you have escaped, and forward to the happiness you are appointed too, and let the joynt-consideration of both, awaken your Hearts and Tongues to Praises. How can your Hearts contain such a wonder of Love, as he hath manifested to you, and not run over in Songs and Praise?
And as you owe him praises, so study, being made his friends, to become more like him; that same idem velle & idem nolle, to love and hate the same things with him, will be a sure testimony of friendship. And because carnality, or fleshly and earthly mindedness, is here made the Character of Enmity, mortifie these affections, nail them to that Cross of Christ, whereby the enmity was taken away. And further, being once admitted into friendship, labour for a further degree of Intimacy with him, and forbear every thing that may hinder that; use frequent converse with him, for that both entertains and increases friendship. If any thing fall out on your part (as it too often does) that may occasion any strangeness betwixt you and your God, rest not till it be removed: and if you walk in this way, it shall undoubtedly, at length, bring you where you shall abide in his presence for ever, and shall no more fear any breach or interruption of enjoying him. To him be praise.
Amen.