Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Titus · Sermon 5
SERMON V.
TITUS II.12.
—And worldly Lusts, &c.
GRace that teacheth us to deny Ungodliness, doth also teach us to deny worldly Lusts. These are fitly coupled; Ungodliness feedeth worldly Lusts, and worldly Lusts encrease Ungodliness.
1. Ungodliness feedeth worldly Lusts: because when we leave God the chiefest Good, then our Hearts go a whoring after every base Comfort. Jer. 2.13. My People have committed two Evils; They have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters, and have hewed them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns that can hold no Water. If Men are ignorant of God, or do not seek after God, the Heart lies open to every Object; As when a worthy Match is refused upon some groundless dislike, in a fond humour, the next Suitor is entertained, how base and unworthy soever. It cometh to pass partly by Man's Wickedness: when God is refused, any thing serves the turn instead of God, to put the greater Affront and Despite upon him. And partly by God's just Judgment: to evidence our Baseness and Folly, God suffereth us to match our Affections with any thing that comes next to hand.
2. On the other side, worldly Lusts cause Ungodliness, for they withdraw our Hearts from God, and deliver them up to the Creature: As a sensual Man that loveth his Pleasure, maketh his Belly his God; Phil. 3.19. Whose God is his Belly. And a base-hearted Worldling, who suffereth outward Profits to intercept his Care, his Delight, and his Trust, makes Mammon his God; and therefore he is fitly called an Idolater, Ephes. 5.5. And a proud Man makes himself his God, and so is both Idol and Idolater; as the Sea sendeth forth Waves, and then sucketh them into it self: All their Esteem, all their restless Projects, are to exalt themselves, and set up themselves; and so they set their Heart as the Heart of God, Ezek. 28.2. All that they think, speak and do, is to set up the Idol of Self, their own Worthiness and Esteem. So that if we would deny one, we must deny both, not only Vngodliness, but worldly Lusts. A Man that is given to worldly Lusts, will surely be ungodly; and a Man that is ungodly, will be given to worldly Lusts.
I shall prosecute this second Branch in this Method. I shall enquire,
I. What are worldly Lusts.
II. How they are to be denied.
III. The difficulty of denying them.
IV. The Grounds or Encouragements so to do, or what Course Grace teacheth to draw us off from them.
I. What are worldly Lusts? Two Terms are to be explained, Lusts, and Worldly.
1. By Lusts are meant carnal Affections, or the risings of corrupt Nature, or all sorts of evil Desires: for it is usual in the New Testament to express Sins by Lusts; partly, because Lusts are more corrupted than the Thoughts; or than the Counsels are, as appears by constant Experience. There is more Light left in the Heart of Man concerning God, than there is Love to God; and many are convinced of better that do worse; they see more than they are able to perform, because they are over-set by their Lusts. Reason giveth good Counsel, but it is overmastered and disregarded: as in a Mutiny the Gravest cannot be heard. And we see, that when we give Counsel to another in a thing in which we have no Interest, we give commonly good Counsel; but when the Matter concerneth our selves, we act otherwise, because our Desires carry us another way: therefore the Scripture expresseth Sin, rather by Lusts, than by Counsels and Imaginations; partly, because Lusts are the most vigorous commanding and swaying Faculty of the Soul. The desiring part of the Soul, is as the Stern to the whole Man, it is either the best or the worst part of the Man: a Man is as his Lusts are. For it is Desire that draws us to Action, we do not act because we know, but because we desire; as the Eye doth not carry the Body to a far Country, but the Feet. All Affections have their rise from some inclination and tendency of the Desire towards the Object; Amor meus pondus meum, It is Love or Desire that poiseth and inclineth the Heart. We are directed by the Judgment, but pressed and carried to a thing by the Heart. So Austin, Non faciunt bonos vel malos mores, nisi boni vel mali amores; A Man is not Good or Evil by his Thoughts, but by his Desires. It is true, before Man sinned, his Desires and Appetites were under Rule, and did not stir but at the Command of Reason; but now since the Fall, Desire doth all in the Soul, and Man consulteth with his Desires rather than any thing else, and there all Action and Pursuit beginneth. Thus you see the Reasons, why the word Lusts is used in this Case.
2. The next Term is, Worldly Lusts. Sometimes they are called Fleshly Lusts, and sometimes Worldly Lusts: 1 Pet. 2.11. Fleshly Lusts, Abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul. They are so called, because they are most of all manifested in those things that belong to the Body, or the Flesh. But here they are called worldly Lusts; and that for three Reasons. Partly, because they are cherished by the greater sort of Men; which greater sort of Men is counted by the Name of the World; 1 John 5.19. The whole World lies in Wickedness; that is, the opposite malignant World. In this sense these Lusts are called Worldly, because they are most rife in the Multitude, or greater part of the World, who only regard the present Life. Partly, because they are stirred up by worldly Objects, by Pleasures, Honours, and Profits; Having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust, 2 Pet. 1.14. He doth not name the Objects, but the Lusts, because the World becometh hurtful only by our own Lusts. The World affordeth the Object, and we find the Sin; as the Garden yieldeth the Flower, and the Spider sucketh the Poison out of it. Partly, because they serve only for a worldly Use and Purpose, to detain us in the Employments of the present Life; so that we have no Heart, no Desire, no Leisure to think of any other, or to apply our selves to better things. Lusts depress the Heart, and sink it down to the present World, and the Contentments thereof, and therefore called worldly Lusts.
You see now what is meant by the Terms here used. But that you may conceive a little better of the thing it self, let me give you a Distinction or two.
First; These worldly Lusts are sometimes carried out, either to things simply Unlawful, or else to Lawful things in an unknown manner.
1. There are some Desires altogether Evil, in what sense soever you take them: As a desire of Murder, Theft, Adultery, Revenge. The Works of the Flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, Fornication, Vncleanness, &c. Gal. 5.19. that is, these gross and brutish Lusts are easily discerned, not only by Grace, but by the Light of Nature; therefore they must not be regulated, but extinguished, as a venomous Plant must be plucked up by the Roots; you cannot qualify them, it is a Sin to be moderate herein; to be a moderate Adulterer, a moderate Drunkard, here the least is too much, these Lusts must be wholly destroyed.
2. There are other Desires that are natural and necessary for the preservation of Mankind, as to eat and drink lawfully, to provide for our Families and Posterity. Here Men do ordinarily sin by Excess, by desiring these things otherwise than they should, and more than they should, and not for the Causes that they should. Now these natural and necessary Desires are not to be extinguished, but governed, and to be kept under the Coercion of Prudence and Honesty; Honesty must restrain them, that they may not exceed their Bounds, and so degenerate, lest a Desire be turned into a Lust, and its vehemency withdraw the Heart from God. As we know natural Heat from Unnatural, it is so temperately dispersed, that the Constitution of Nature is not disturbed or oppressed by it; but unnatural Heats oppress Nature: So Desires, as long as they do not disturb the Soul, they are not hurtful; but when they exceed their Bounds, they are to be under the Coercion of Reason. 1 Cor. 6.12. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the Power of any. He that will do all that he may, will do more than he should. It is good to keep at a distance from the Power of Sin, not always to walk on the Brink, lest we become Slaves to Lust.
Secondly; Take one Distinction more of these Lusts. It is intimated by the Apostle, 1 Iohn 2.16. All that is in the World, the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life; This is the Sum and Contents of the corrupt World. Let us see the meaning, and then make some Observations on the Place; All that is in the World.
You will say, How can the Apostle speak thus? There are Sun, Moon, and Stars, and glorious Creatures in the World; why doth the Apostle instance only in the Sink and Kennel of the World?
I answer; The World is taken for the corrupt World; all that is of Price, all that is of Account with carnal Men, all that takes up their Care and Thoughts, is Lust and Vanity; either the Lusts of the Flesh, the Lusts of the Eyes, or the Pride of Life. He doth not speak of the natural World, which is full of glorious Creatures, but of the corrupt World, which is opposite to the Kingdom of Christ, that's full of Lusts and Sins.
But let us see a little particularly, what are the Contents of this World. 1. The Lust of the Flesh. 2. The Lust of the Eyes. 3. The Pride of Life.
1. The Lust of the Flesh. Flesh is sometimes taken in a large sense for corrupt Nature, for the whole Dunghil of Corruption that we brought with us into the World: And the Lusts of the Flesh, for the workings of this Corruption, the reaking of this Dunghil, whether in the Understanding, by Thoughts or carnal Counsel; or in the Will, by carnal Desires, so it is taken at large: But here it is taken more strictly for the Corruptions of the sensual Appetite, or for the immoderate Desire of soft and delicate Living; and for Sensuality, or the intemperate use of Pleasures, Meats and Drinks, and such things as gratify the Flesh.
2. The Lusts of the Eye, some expound by Curiosity, others by Wantonness. Indeed the Eye is the usual Broker of Temptations; the Eye lets out the Lust, and lets in the Temptation; all kind of Lusts make use of it. But I suppose Covetousness is here intended, or an inordinate desire of Profit. When we look upon the Bravery of the World, or upon Money, or any thing that pleaseth this kind of Corruption, the Eye seduceth the Heart as soon as we look upon a thing. This is charged upon the Eye; Eccl. 1.8. All things are full of labour, Man cannot utter it; the Eye is not satisfied with seeing. Prov. 27.20. Hell and Destruction are never full; so the Eyes of Man are never satisfied. All strong Desires look out by the Eye, especially insatiable Avarice.
3. The next part of the corrupt World is, Pride of Life; so called, because it cannot be kept in, but is manifested in our Lives; or rather, because 'tis a Sin of a diffusive Nature, that spreads it self throughout the whole Life of Man. Whereas other Sins are confined and limited, he ascribeth an universal and unlimited influence to Pride. The Lusts of the Flesh, they are but for the Flesh, to content the Body; the Lusts of the Eye, there he noteth the Instrument, the Eye purveyeth for the Heart; but Pride of Life, there he ascribes an universal and unlimited Influence, and calls it Pride of Life, because it taints every Action, it serves it self of every Enjoyment, it mingles with other Lusts; the whole Life is but Sphear enough for Pride to discover it self. Other Vices destroy only their Contraries; Covetousness destroys Liberality; Drunkenness, Sobriety; but Pride destroyeth all, it runs through all Enjoyments, Wit, Strength, Beauty, Riches, Apparel, Learning, Grace. There is nothing so low, but it yields Fuel to Pride; the Hair, which is but an Excrement, is often hung out as a Bush and Ensign of Vanity. And there is nothing so high and sacred, but Pride can abuse it; like Misseltoe, it groweth upon any Tree, but most upon the Best. Well then, all worldly Lusts are reduced to these three Heads, for he says, All that is in the World. Usually we understand by Worldliness, nothing but Covetousness, or an inordinate Desire of worldly Profit; but the corrupt World is of a larger extent; Pride is a worldly Lust, and so is Sensuality, or a love of Pleasure. For, look as the Ocean is but one, yet several parts of it have divers Names; so Worldliness is but one Sin, yet having divers kinds, it hath several Names. Those that mind Honours, are guilty of Worldly Lusts, Pride of Life. Those that mind Riches, are guilty of Worldly Lusts, the Lusts of the Eye: Those that are voluptuous, and mind Pleasure, are still guilty of Worldly Lusts, the Lusts of the Flesh. This is (as one saith) the World's Trinity, the Roots of all other Sins, against which we should bend the main Endeavours of our Souls. You do nothing in Mortification till the Axe be laid to the Root of these Sins, Sensuality, Covetousness, Pride.
1. The Lusts of the Flesh, viz. Sensuality, or an inordinate desire of Pleasures. It is the Happiness of Beasts to enjoy Pleasure with more Liberty than Man can, and without Remorse of Conscience; and therefore a Heathen could say, He is not worthy the Name of a Man (qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate) that would spend one day in Pleasure. Other Sins deprive us of the Image of God, but the Lusts of the Flesh deprive us of our own Image; they unman us of all Desires. These bring most Shame, because it is the lowest basest Act of Self-Love, and the matter of them is gross and burthensom, and they do emasculate and quench the Bravery of the Spirit, and embase it, and keep the Soul at the greatest distance from God, and spiritual Employments. How can they look after God and Heaven, whose Hearts are sunk in their Bellies? The Lusts of the Flesh quench the Vigor of Nature, how much more do they hinder the powerful Operations of the Spirit? Iude 19. Sensual, not having the Spirit. The Spirit is divine and active, and raises the Soul to higher things; but sensual Persons have no Radiancy of Graces, nor Vigor of Gifts. Nay, in some sense, this is at the bottom, and is the Root of every Sin; it is the Devil's Bait, and the Sauce of every Temptation: Men take a pleasure in their proud Thoughts, in their Worldly and Carnal Practices. Other Sins are rooted in Sensuality and love of Pleasure. Again, it is a Sin most opposite to the Gravity and Severity of Religion. A garish frothy Spirit, that is addicted to carnal Delights, is not fit for such a grave thing as Religion, which requires a solid grave frame of Spirit; and yet as contrary as it is, it is very natural to us. We had but two common Parents, Adam and Noah, and both fell by Pleasure, they miscarried by Appetite; Adam by eating, and Noah by drinking. And when the Apostle gives us a Catalogue of the Lusts of the Flesh, Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. it is filled up in a great part with the Fruits of Sensuality, as Adultery, Fornication, Vncleanness, Lasciviousness, Drunkenness, Revellings. We are mighty prone to this, because Pleasures are tasted by the Senses, and Vertue is found out by Searches of Reason; therefore we are very apt to be carried away by our Senses: you must subdue this, or else you are utterly unfit for Religion, or any high Work. The Heart of Man is melted and dissolved, and all Vigor is quenched, and the Soul doth grow gross and dreggy, not fit for the chaste Consolations of the Gospel, for the Flagons of spiritual Wine, for the fulness of the Spirit, and for the sweetness of the hidden Manna.
2. The Lust of the Eyes, or an inordinate desire of Riches, when we can see nothing but we must wish for it; as Ahab falleth sick for Naboth's Vineyard. The Heart of Man naturally is all for a present good, and therefore nothing is more delightful and pleasing to our Corruption, than the Glory and Bravery of the World. Heaven (as it is set forth) is a fine place to a carnal Heart, but it is to come; so Men look upon it but as a Dream and Notion, they shall have time enough to consider it hereafter; but the World is at hand. This was Demas his Bait, the present World, 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved the present World. Things at a distance, tho never so glorious, lose somewhat of their Worth and Esteem, because they are so; 2 Pet. 1.9. They are blind, and cannot see afar off. All natural Men are troubled with a short Sight, they can see nothing but what is before them, they can see no Excellency in things to come: Without the Perspective of Faith we cannot look within the Vail, and therefore hunt after present Interests with all Earnestness and Greediness: Covetousness is a radical Evil, 1 Tim. 6.10. The love of Money is the root of all Evil. A Soul is fit for any thing, that is subdued and captivated with the Love of the World: Look what the Root is to the Tree, that is Covetousness to all Sin. All the Branches are nourished with the Sap which the Root sucketh from the Ground; so this is that which maintains the carnal State. Covetousness is a Sin more dangerous, because all other Evils bewray themselves by some foul Action, which bringeth Shame and Remorse of Conscience, and therefore they are sooner wrought upon; but this is close and reserved, Men are more serious than profane. O but this must be renounced! lessen your Esteem of worldly things, they are not your Portion: Christ gave the Bag to the worst of the Apostles, and it brought him to the Halter.
3. The next radical Evil, or worldly Lust, is Pride of Life: This grows upon any thing, Gifts, Graces, Parts, Estate. Paul's Revelations were like to puff him up, 2 Cor. 12.7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations, there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh, the Messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure: it is a Sin that sticks very close to us. It was the main Ingredient in Adam's Disobedience, and still it runs in the Blood, Pride is natural, we suck it in with our Milk. There is Pride in every Sin, a lifting up of the Creature against the Creator. The carnal Mind is Enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8.7. and therefore the great Work of Grace is to subdue the Pride of the Spirit, not only to sanctify, but to humble us. Look, as Sensuality is the great Corruption of the brutish Part or Appetite, so Pride is of our Understanding, or the Angelical Part. Man is in part an Angel, and in part a Beast; his Appetite he hath in common with the Beasts, but his Understanding in common with Angels. Now look as inordinate Love of Pleasure is the Corruption of the Brutish Part, so is Pride the Corruption of the Angelical Part. By being sensual, we sink as low as the Beasts; and by being proud, we lift up our Hearts as the Heart of God. Sensual Men are called Beasts, 2 Pet. 2.12. These as unnatural brute Beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own Corruption. And the worldly and covetous are called meer Men, 1 Cor. 3.3. Are ye not carnal, and walk as Men? But by Pride we are made Devils, 1 Tim. 3.6. Not a Novice, lest being puffed up with Pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. When we are puffed up with self-Conceit, and do all we do for self-Esteem; this is one of the last Sins we shake off, we leave it not till we come to Heaven, and therefore it is mentioned in the last place. One of the Heathens doth compare it to our Shirt which we put off last. In Heaven only when we are most holy, we are most humble. It's a Sin that incroacheth upon God's Prerogative, therefore mightily hated by God, Prov. 6.16, 17. These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an Abomination to him: A proud Look, &c. Prov. 8.13. Pride and Arrogancy, and the evil Way, and the froward Mouth do I hate. Pride is as much hated by God as Sensuality by us, and infinitely more.
II. What is it to deny these Worldly Lusts? or how far they must be denied? There are three degrees in this Denial, they must be prevented and kept from rising, supprest and kept from Growth; and (which is an inferior degree) they must not be accomplish'd, but kept from Execution, if they do prevail upon the Heart, and gain the Consent. Sutable to these three degrees, there are three Duties required of a Christian; Mortification, that we may prevent them; Watchfulness, that we may suppress them; and Christian Resolution, that we may not accomplish them, and suffer them to break out into Act.
1. The top and highest degree of this Denial, to deny Worldly Lusts, is to keep them from rising, and prevent the very workings of Lust or Pride. The Scripture doth press us not only to abstain from the Sin, but the Lust, 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul. Many keep themselves free from the Acts of Sin, when their Hearts boil with Lusts, and carnal Desires, and Thoughts of Envy, and proud Imaginations; therefore we must deaden the very Root, prevent the breaking out of the Lust, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. We are to mortify the inward Affections, that if it be possible we may not so much as have a Temptation or Lust stirring; As Luther said, He had not a Temptation to Covetousness. Prevention is the Life of Policy, and better than Deliverance. He deserves great Praise that freeth a City from the Enemies, when they have beleaguered it; but he deserveth greater, that so fortifieth a Place, that the Enemies dare not assault it. It is somewhat to keep off Lusts, but it is more to keep them down, so to deaden the Affections, and exercise our selves unto Godliness, that it cannot have room to work. She is chaste that doth check an unclean Sollicitation; but she is more worthy of Praise, whose grave Carriage hindreth all Assaults: so should we be constantly mortified, and exercise our selves to Godliness, and deaden the Root of Sin, that the Devil may despair of entrance, and be discouraged from making his Approaches. It is a step to Victory to hope to prevail. Possunt, quia posse videntur: Resistance is good, but yet utter Abstinence is a Duty, and falls under a Gospel-Precept; as much as we can we should prevent the rising of any carnal Thought, or disobedient Desire.
2. The next degree is timely to suppress them, to conquer Lusts, when we cannot curb and wholly keep them under. We must keep a watchful Eye, and a hard Hand over our Lusts, dash Babylon's Brats against the Wall; take the little Foxes, smother Sin in the Conception, and disturb the Birth: as the Apostle speaks of the conceiving of Sin, Iam. 1.15. When Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin. Look as it is a great Sin to quench the Spirit's Motions, so it is also to be negligent in watching over your Hearts, not to take notice of the first thoughts and risings of Sin. The little Sticks kindle first, and set the great ones a fire; so Lusts kindle first, and then they break out into a Flame, and make way for greater Sins to come in upon the Soul. When a Country was infested with hurtful Birds, and they consulted the Oracle how to destroy them, it was answered, Niàos eorum ubi que destruendos, their Nests were to be destroyed. We must crush the Cockatrices Eggs, and not dwell upon Sin in our Thoughts. If there arise a wanton Thought, a lustful Glance, a distrustful or revengeful Injection, it should be cast out with Loathing and Detestation. Every Lust should have a Check from the contrary Principle, Gal. 5.17. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh. We have often Experience that the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, we should have Experience also of the Spirit's lusting against the Flesh; deny it Harbour. We cannot hinder the Bird from flying over our Heads, but we must not suffer it to rest and nestle: So, many times Corruption will get the start, tho we mortify it never so much; but we must not suffer it to root in the Heart, to encrease and grow there. If Carnal Thoughts and Desires arise in the Heart, they must not rest there; let it be only a Motion, let it not gain Consent. David chides away his distrustful Thoughts, Psal. 11.1. In the Lord put I my Trust; how say ye to my Soul, flee as a Bird to your Mountain? It is a Rebuke to his own Thoughts and Fears, no other Speaker is introduced. With such Indignation should we rise up against every carnal Suggestion, Avaunt evil Thoughts, distrustful Fears, fleshly Counsels. Remember, these very intervening Thoughts are Sins before God, tho no Effect should follow; therefore do not give them Harbour and Entertainment. For a Man to have thoughts to betray his Country, or to have Communication with the Enemy, is a Crime punishable with Death, though it come not to Execution. It is done in God's sight, if it be resolved on; as God accounted Abraham to have offered up Isaac, because he intended it, Heb. 11.17. By Faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac.
3. Let not Worldly Lusts be put in Execution; if thou hast neglected Mortification and deadning thy Affections; if Sin hath got the start of thee, and gained the Consent of thy Soul, yet at least restrain the Practice. If the Conception be not disturbed, the Birth will follow, Iames 1.15. Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin. There are the Works of the Flesh that follow the Lusts of the Flesh; Gal. 5.19. Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest, &c. Therefore it is good to put a stop, at least not to suffer Lusts to break out; Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit mortify the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live. We should mortify the Lusts of the Soul, but if that cannot be, then prevent the Deeds of the Body. Tho Lust grieves the Spirit or God, yet the Work besides the Grief brings Dishonour to God, gives an ill Example, brings Scandal to Religion, makes way for an habit and proneness to Sin; therefore to act it is the worst of all. See what the Prophet saith, Mich. 2.1. Wo to them that devise Iniquity, and work evil upon their Beds; when the Morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their Hand. Mark, it is naught to harbour the Motion, to plot, to devise Evil, to muse upon Sin; but it is worse to practise, because every Act strengthneth the Inclination; as a Brand that hath been once in the Fire, is more ready to burn again; and we know not how far Lust may carry us, when we give it scope and leave to work: Therefore it is good to interpose by a strong Resolution, and to cry out for Strength, and to continue fighting, that we may not be utterly foiled.
III. To shew the Difficulty of this Denial of deadning, suppressing and hindring the Execution of worldly Lusts. There are many things which will sollicite for Lusts, and plead hard; so that we have need of a great deal of Grace to give them the Denial; there's Nature, Custom, Example, and Satan.
1. Nature, that is strongly inclined to close with worldly Lusts; a carnal and worldly Disposition is very natural to us, as for a Stone to move downward, or Fire to move upward: Now the Course of Nature is not easily broken and diverted; if it be hindred a while, it will return again. That these worldly Lusts are rooted in our Nature, is clear from many Scriptures. Ever since Adam turned from the Creator to the Creature, he hath left this Disposition in all his Children that come of his Loins, that their Hearts hang off from God toward the Creature: The Nature we have from Adam is a carnal Nature which savours and affects things that are here below: And therefore it is the great Work of Grace to cure this Disposition, to take us from the World; first our Hearts, then our Bodies: It is made an Effect of the new Birth; 1 Iohn 5.4. Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the World. And 2 Pet. 1.4. By which we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. Heavenliness follows Grace; there is something Divine, a higher Birth than that we receive from Adam, else we should live as other Men do. There is the Spirit of the World, and the Spirit of God; now natural Men are endowed with the Spirit of the World; they use their Souls only as a Purveyor for the Body, to turn and wind in the World, to feed high, to shine in worldly Pomp, to affect Honours and great Places; these things we learn without a Master; we bring these Dispositions into the World with us. Therefore to deny worldly Lusts, is to row against the Stream, to roul the Stone upward, to go quite contrary to the Course and Current of Nature. When the Apostle speaks of the new Nature, he calls it, a putting off concerning the former Conversation, the Old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts, Ephes. 4.22.
2. Custom, which is another Nature. Carnal Affections are not only born with us, but bred up with us; we are acquainted with them from our Infancy, and so they plead Prescription. Religion comes afterward, and therefore very hard it must needs be to renounce our Lusts, because they have the start of Grace. The first Years of humane Life are merely governed by the Senses, which judg of what is sweet, and not of what is good: whence it cometh to pass that when a Man is come to that Age wherein he beginneth to have the Use of Reason, he can hardly change his Custom, and alter his Course of Life, and therefore continueth to live as he hath begun: still the Senses act in the first place. Earthly Contentments are present to our Sense, the other only to our Faith; these are before our Eyes, and we still see the Need and Use of them: We know how hard it is to break a Custom, especially if it yield any Pleasure or Profit; Ier. 13.23. How can ye do Good, that are accustomed to do Evil?
3. Example increaseth Sin, though it doth not cause it. At first Sin is natural, it is not caused by Imitation, but yet Imitation doth much encrease Sin; Isa. 6.5. I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips: that's a Snare certainly. So we are born worldly, and the greatest part of those Men with whom we do converse, they are all for present Satisfaction; There are many that say, Who will shew to us any good? Psal. 4.6. The Multitude are for worldly Wealth and Profit. A mortified Man is rare; one that renounces Interest and Contentments, is a Wonder in the World; 1 Pet. 4.4. They think it strange that you run not with them to the same Excess of Riot. Therefore this is a great Snare to the Soul; we are in Danger to miscarry by Example as well as by Lust: for Men will say, Why should not we do as others do? there are but a few that are otherwise given, and the World thinks them to be mopish, precise, and singular: The greatest part seek worldly Good. We easily contract Contagion and Taint one from another, and learn to be carnal and worldly. There are few heavenly and mortified Christians, and Men think these do thus and thus, and hope to be saved; we that have the same Nature, learn the same Manners; surely there is some what in the World, or else these wise Men would not follow it so earnestly.
4. Satan, he joins Issue with our Lusts, and makes them more violent; he finds the Fire in us, and then blows up the Flames: Therefore carnal Men are said to walk after the Prince of the Power of the Air, in fulfilling the Will of the Flesh and the Mind; Ephes. 2.3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the Course of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience. Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past, in the Lusts of the Flesh, fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind. Satan hath a Hand in it; he presents Objects, poisons the Fancy, and stirs up those corrupt and carnal Motions; therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 7.5. Lest Satan tempt you for your Incontinency. He marks our Temper, and to what we are flexible and pliable, what is our Sin, and then he joins Issue with it; when Satan seeth our carnal Affections run that way, he makes an Advantage of it. As when the matter of a Tempest is prepared, the Devil joins and makes it more terrible and violent: so he doth deal here with our Corruptions, when he seeth our Hearts strongly carried out, either to the Delights, Pleasures, or Honours of the World, he blows up the Fire he finds in us into a Flame. Well then, to deal with Nature, Custom, Example, Satan, this is hard: All these plead for worldly Lusts.
IV. Upon what Grounds and Encouragements are we to deny worldly Lusts? How doth Grace teach us to deny them? partly by way of Diversion; partly by way of Opposition; and partly by way of Argument, Discourse and Perswasion.
1. By Diversion; acquainting us with a better Portion in Christ. The Mind of Man must have some Oblectation and Delight. Love is a strong Affection, and cannot remain idle in the Soul, it must run out one way or another. Look as Water in a Pipe must have a Vent, therefore it runs out at the next Leak: So we take up with the World, because it is next at hand, and we know no better things. Well then, Grace for Cure goes to work by Diversion: Why should we look after these things when better are shewed to us in Christ? Grace acquainteth us with Pardon of Sin, with the Sweetness of God's Love in Christ, with the Comfort of Forgiveness, with the spiritual Delight that is in Communion with God, with the Hopes of Glory. And look as the Woman of Samaria, John 4.28. when she was acquainted with Christ, left her Pitcher; so when Grace acquainteth us with Christ, and draws out the Stream of our Affections that way, the Course of them is diverted and turned from the World; why should you look after these things, when you have a better Portion? Rom. 13.14. There the Apostle describes this Diversion, or turning the Stream another way; Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make no Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. If Christ be put on, and take up the Heart, if he be delighted in as the Treasure of the Soul, Lusts will not engross so much of our Care and Esteem. Get Christ as near the Heart as you can; for those that are acquainted with him, and his Sweetness, with Pardon, Peace and Grace, they will lose their Savour and Relish of these things. It is an ill Sign, when we have not lost our Savour and Taste of carnal things; it is a Sign we are not much acquainted with Christ. It is no wonder for a Man that knows no better Fare, to love coarse Diet; and so it is no wonder that one that never tasted of the Sweetness of hidden Manna, should long for the Garlick and Flesh-Pots of Egypt.
2. Grace goes to work by way of Opposition, it planteth opposite Principles in the Heart, and maketh Use of an opposite Power. It planteth opposite Principles. We have a new Divine Nature, and so escape the Corruptions of the World through Lust; 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises, that by these ye might be Partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust. Lusts follow the Nature: as the Nature is, so are the Desires. The Old Man is full of deceitful and carnal Lusts; and the New Man is full of spiritual and heavenly Desires: then it makes Use of an opposite Power, of the Help and Supply of the Spirit of God; Gal. 5.16. Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh. There are two Principles, Flesh and Spirit, that are always warring one upon another, and that weaken one another. The Spirit, as a never-failing Spring of holy Thoughts, Desires and Endeavours, doth dry up the contrary Issue and Spring of Corruption: So Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit mortify the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live. The mortifying of the Body of Sin must be done through the Spirit: a natural Man may see better, but without the Spirit's Help he can do nothing. All the Reason in the World will not tame Lust: We may declaim against it, but nothing in Heaven or Earth will change our Dispositions, or work out our Corruptions, but only the Spirit of God. We have by the Spirit not only Direction, but a continued Influence and Supply of Power.
3. Grace goes to work by way of Argument and Perswasion: Grace out-reasons and out-pleads Lust, and so it cannot obtain a Grant from the Soul, but is denied. The chief Argument which Grace urgeth, is the Unsuitableness of Lust to our Condition, that so it may shame the Soul. Those things that become us while we are Children, as Toys and Rattles, will not become us when we are Men: so certainly those things that suited well enough with us while we were mere Men, become us not when we are Christians; 1 Pet. 4.1, 2, 3. He that hath suffered in the Flesh, hath ceased from Sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the Flesh to the Lusts of Men, but to the Will of God. For the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the VVill of the Gentiles, when we walked in Lasciviousness, Lusts, Excess of VVine, Revellings, Banquettings, and abominable Idolatries. Rom. 13.11. And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of Sleep. It is high time to leave worldly Lusts. For a Man after Grace to be addicted to Lusts, it is a Relapse into a spiritual Disease; and in all Diseases, Relapses you know are dangerous: as a Man that falls into a distempered Heat, is recovered out of a Feaver; 1 Pet. 1.14. As obedient Children, not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance. These were your former Lusts, when you were under spiritual Distempers, and were only fit for you then.
But how are they unseemly and unsuitable to our Condition?
1. They are unsuitable to our Privileges, and to our Interest in the Death of Christ; Rom. 6.2. How shall we that are dead to Sin, live any longer therein? He argues not ab impossibili, but ab incongruo; it is an unfit thing for such to live in Sin. We disparage the Death of Christ, when we are not the better but the worse for it; Hath he redeemed us from Sin, that we might yet serve it? Did he humble himself for our sakes, that we should be proud? Did he put such Contempt on the World, that we should loosen the Reins to worldly Lusts? Was he at all this Pains to make us worse? You hereby put a Contumely and Reproach upon Christ's Death, and disparage his Purchase.
2. It is contrary to the Example of his Life. We do not worship the God of this World, nor Mammon, but Christ: Christ by his own choice hath put a Disgrace on the World; he chose a mean Estate, not out of Necessity, but Design: He came not in worldly Pomp; Matth. 8.20. The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air have Nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head. John 18.36. My Kingdom is not of this VVorld. Who is more able to judg what is best, We, or Christ? Iohn 17.14. They are not of the VVorld, even as I am not of the VVorld. Who is fitter to chuse, or wiser to chuse, Christ or We? Who is in an Error, Christ or We? If there was so much in the World as we fancy, Christ was in an Error to despise it.
3. It is contrary to our Hopes, we look for better things. It is a most lamentable thing to see a Christian that professeth the Assurance of a better Life, to lie digging like a Mole in the Earth: 1 Pet. 2.11. Dearly Beloved, I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims, abstain from fleshly Lusts, that war against the Soul. Worldly Men are fastned to things present, but the Children of God do bend and tend to things to come. Worldly Men do not look for better things, and therefore they are more to be excused: We have Cause to blush every time we think of our Condition: What are you? Whence came you? Whither are you going? You are Passengers to Heaven; why do you stick and linger by the way? Something we may take for our Refreshment; as Men that pass through a Field of Corn, rub the Ears as they go. As the Angel roused Elijah, 2 Kings 19.7. Arise and eat, for the Iourney is too great for thee. You that affect to tarry in a foreign Country, have you a Father in Heaven? Would a Traveller hang his Room in an Inn? Will he buy such things as he cannot carry with him? Such things as we can carry with us to Heaven, should take up our Time and Thoughts: Piety out-lives the Grave, but Honour and Wealth must be left behind us.
4. It is contrary to our Vows. We renounced them in Baptism. In Baptism there is foreign, an Answer to God's Questions: Believest thou with all thy Heart? Renouncest thou with all thy Heart? 1 Pet. 3.20. Baptism saves, not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh, but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God. You break your baptismal Vows, if you do not deny worldly Lusts. Christ doth not only call us off from Sin, but from the World, for he is to be accepted not only as our Lord and Lawgiver, but as our chiefest Good, as an All-sufficient Saviour. You are under a Vow, and alienate things once consecrated, when you withdraw your Affections, after you have once given them up to Christ: What have Lusts to do in an Heart that is once dedicated to God?
Vse 1. Information. It informeth us;
1. How little Interest in Christ they have, who are still under the Power of worldly Lusts. The Apostle giveth us this Note, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. He doth not say, that they are Christ's that believe that he was crucified, or that he died for Sinners; but they are Christ's that feel that he was crucified, that by the Virtue of his Cross do crucify their own Lusts and sinful Affections. What, a Christian, and yet worldly! a Christian, and yet sensual! a Christian, and yet proud! You that are given to Pleasures, do you believe in Christ, that was a Man of Sorrows? You that are carried out after the Pomp and Vanity of the World, do you believe in Christ, whose Kingdom was not of this World? You that are proud and lofty, do you profess an Interest in the humble Christ? It is in vain for those to talk of his dying for Sinners, and boast of the Excellency of his Cross, that never felt the Virtue of it; Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World. Your Affections to the World are still strong; how can you glory in his Cross? What Experience have you of the Goodness of it? Have you gotten any thing by the Cross? Are you planted into the Efficacy of it? Rom. 6.5. For if we have been planted together in the Likeness of his Death, we shall be also in the Likeness of his Resurrection. Do you feel any weakning of Lusts, and decay of Sin? at least doth it put you upon Endeavours in this kind? The Roots of Sin are in all, but do you seek to mortify them? Do you deny them in the way prescribed? do you seek to prevent them with Diligence, to suppress them with Watchfulness, to resist them with Strenght and Resolution? When there is not a constant Course of Mortification set up, but Lust is let alone to reign without Controul, you have no Interest in Christ. Mark, it is said, they crucify the Flesh; there is a Work on your part, Man is not wholly passive.
2. It informeth us, that true Mortification is proper to Grace. Grace teacheth us to deny worldly Lusts, mere Reason cannot. Reason may sometimes convince us of Lusts, but it cannot reform them; in many things it is blind, but in all weak. The sublimest Philosophy that ever was, could never teach a Man to go out of himself, to deny his Lusts, to despise the World. Many of the Heathens were to Appearance temperate, just, sober and liberal, but still the Lusts remained; and therefore some in Despair have pulled out their Eyes, because they could not prevail over a naughty Heart; Sapientia eorum abscondit vitia, non abscindit; they hid their Sins, but did not cut them off. As an Oven stopped up, is the hotter within; so the Excess and Execution of Lusts being prevented, they grew more outragious. The Heart of Man will not be kept in order by any thing, but by the Power of Grace. We may argue, fast, vow, pray, promise, and watch against Sin; these are good means, but not to be rested in, for they are too weak to master Sin: God hath reserved this Honour for his Grace in Jesus Christ; Rom. 7.24, 25. O wretched Man that I am! who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord. We can have Deliverance no where else. Are not Counsels of Reason able to help me? No, they cannot. Is not a moral Course of Mortification able to help me; as Fasting, Watching, Prayer? No, these may restrain it somewhat, and lessen the Violence of it; Satan may be outed for a time, but yet he returneth with more Violence, as the Jailor hangeth more Irons on him that is caught again after an Escape. It is only the Grace of God that mortifies Sin.
Vse 2. Of Reproof of those that do not deny worldly Lusts, but feed and serve them, they act for their Sins rather than against them. Nature is bad of it self, and we need not make it worse; these tempt Temptations, and cater and purvey for Sin. Therefore the Apostle useth that Phrase, Rom. 13.14. Make not Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Men make it their Business to satisfy their boundless Desires, forecast to fulfil their sinful Desires and Affections. We must provide for the Body, but not to fulfil every wanton Lust and loose Desire. This may be done by outward Provocations, when Men feed their Distempers, and make Nature more lustful and more wrathful; Iames 5.5. Ye have lived in Pleasure on Earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter. The Heart is the Seat of Desires; they reared up their Concupiscence by Excess and dainty Morsels, and all those Courses by which Lust seemeth to be satisfied, but is indeed inflamed. As salt Water wets the Palate, but inflames the Stomach; so they nourished Lust by voluntary casting themselves on Occasions of Sin. He who truly desireth to shun Sin, will shun the Occasions of it; Who would bring Fire to a Barrel of Gunpowder? Gen. 39.10. And it came to pass as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. As he would not yield to the Sin, so not to the Occasion. Or else it may be done by Meditation and Thoughts: By Thoughts the Heart and the Temptation are brought together, as a Match is first propounded before it is closed with. Thoughts are Sin's Spokesmen, and fasten the Temptation on the Heart, as worldly Thoughts, admiring outward Excellencies; Psal. 144.15. Happy is the People that is in such a case! Wrathful Thoughts debase Men, every Circumstance aggravates the Injury and Offence, and so inflames their Spirits: Or else by a free and uncontroled Use of the Senses; Matth. 5.28. Whosoever looketh upon a Woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart. Death getteth in by the Windows. Eve saw the Fruit, Gen. 3.6. And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was pleasant to the Eyes, and a Tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the Fruit thereof, and did eat. David saw Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11.3. From the Roof he saw a Woman washing her self, and the Woman was very beautiful to look upon: and this inflamed his Heart. Solomon bids us, Prov. 23.31. Look not thou upon the Wine when it is red, when it giveth his Colour in the Cup, when it moveth it self aright. The Senses must be bridled. Iob made a Covenant with his Eyes, chap 31.1. I made a Covenant with mine Eyes, why then should I think upon a Maid? No Man is above these Rules. The Eyes transmit the Object to the Fancy, the Fancy to the Mind, the Mind to the Heart.