England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 50
COLOSS. 1.21. Enemies with the minde, &c.
ACcording to the former reading of theſe words, we were led to conſider the ſeat of ſin; and according to this reading, we are led to conſider the voluntarineſſe of ſin. We are preſſed to many externall ſervices of men, but we are by nature the Devils volunteers, ſo and ſo bad, and with our mindes deſperately ſet againſt Chriſt, and this with our minde: Enemies with your minde. The expreſſion ſpeaks intention. Some things we do, that which we do not mean; the will is redeemed, corruption not emptied, this upon advantage ſurprizes, and carries the ſoul captive to what it did never intend; this is tranſgreſſion of the rule, but not ſinning willingly, (i.) with the minde; a captive under another, is no volunteer. I finde a law in my members, carrying me captive to the law of ſin. Powers within claſh ſometimes, ſeverall things in view, which to be followed, not agreed: debates determined, the way propoſed: actus voluntarius, eſt actus pleno conſenſu, purſued with full conſent, is an act with the minde. And if a Levite come from any of thy gates, out of all Iſrael, where he ſojourned, and come with all the deſire of his minde, be colarath naphſho, in all the deſire of his minde, then he ſhall miniſter in the Name of the Lord his God, Deut. 18.6. There is preaching but of conſtraint, not with a ready minde, not toto deſiderio animae, (i.) not with intention, nor approbation. So there is living, and walking in wayes that are divine, but not toto deſiderio, with a whole deſire, but with conſtraint. As about good things, ſo about bad: ſome ſin from a coercive power, not with a whole deſire of the minde. There is reluctatio debilis, & reluctatio fortis, a weak reluctancy, and a ſtrong reluctancy: in acts of evill with the minde, there may be weak reluctation, becauſe conſcience ſtings, wrath and juſtice hems about the ſinner ſometimes, ſo that he goes affrightedly along in his courſe, yet this is conſiſtent with full conſent. Pharaoh and Judas had this kinde of reluctation in their courſe, and yet were enemies with their minde, and fully conſenting to what was done againſt Chriſt.
The expreſſion ſpeaks extention, all powers fully conſenting, and all powers to the utmoſt acting, to perform what is choſen and conſented to. Things naturally grown to bring forth, venture one life to bring forth another, and all pangs and throws nothing, ſo the birth may be, though but a monſter when born. What is with all the heart, is with all the might, they are joyned together in expreſſion, as they are in order of nature in working. Enemies with your minde, and enemies with your might, with full purpoſe, and with full endeavour; if with the heart, then with both hands, as the Prophet ſpeaks; yea, with every finger, with every toe: An enemie with the minde, 'tis one that fills his hand to the Devill, as the expreſſion is in another kinde, 1 Chro. 29.5. 'Twas Davids ſpeech, when they were offering of jewels and wealth to the Houſe of the Lord. Who then it willing to conſecrate his ſervice this day to the Lord, Lemmalloth jado haijom, &c. to fill his hand this day to the Lord, ſaith the originall. An enemy with the heart, is one that fills his hand to the Devill, that offers like a Prince to the prince of darkneſſe, that fills his hand with his heart in every action, that ſends forth every ſpirit, the ſoul and all that is within him, into every part without him, to ſtand againſt Chriſt; 'tis one that doth draw out all to accompliſh all that a corrupt heart thirſts after; he doth, foreign, do the wills of the fleſh, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, (i.) not one thing that the fleſh luſts after, but every thing it luſts after. You ſay of a ſervant, that he is a willing ſervant, when he gives his minde to ſerve you, (i.) when he doth every thing you bid him; not when he does one thing, and neglects another thing which you bid him, but when he doth your wills, when he applies himſelf to ſerve you in all your command, then you ſay, hee ſerves you with his minde.
Ʋſe. 'Tis a bad ſtate this; yet too common: as you finde your condition laid open, ſo own it. Luſt will run its courſe, and then make its own conſtruction of all. Every mans laſt ſhift is, when evill becomes open and ugly, he did it againſt his will. 'Twere well if a ſinners ſentence of himſelf would ſtand, when Chriſt comes to ſentence all things over again: 'Tis ſad, when a mans ſervant ſhall lie out night after night, and told of it, and yet continue it, and ſtand in it, that all was againſt his will; ſo doth your ſouls lie out of Chriſts boſome day after day, and night after night, and you have been told of it, and whipt for it, and yet ſo you have continued, and is all againſt your will? If will be ſo innocent, why are you ſo unmoved in evill? Full of action, and yet without any paſſion; you can do any thing to accompliſh carnall ends, and lay nothing to heart to break your ſleep a wink. With a light companion, and a pipe of Tobacco, you can whiffe away any thing that gathers about your heart, and yet none muſt believe that you are not hearty in your way. Art will put off bad wares, but 'twill not a bad heart: Let's hear no more pleading for ſelf, there needs no other demonſtration of a willing tranſgreſſor. Own your condition, and what is due to it: You are enemies with your mindes againſt God, and ſo he will be againſt you; you ſhall be puniſhed with plague after plague, and God will never repent. You ſin, and ſin, and never repent, ſo will God judge you: When God lays any ſad thing upon his people, he doth not afflict willingly; his people do not ſin willingly, they repent; in like proportion doth God carry himſelf towards them. You do evill with both hands, ſo ſhall juſtice fight againſt you, and wo to that ſoul that God ſtrikes with all his heart, and with all his might. God will laugh at your deſtruction: hearty ſinners, God will be very hearty in all thoſe acts which fit you for your home. Two in full carreer, one againſt another, one will be ſpoiled, and ſurely 'twill be that man that doth run with his mind againſt the Lord.
Remedy muſt be ſpeedy; two enemies that ſet to it with their minde, will diſpatch one another quickly, if they be not parted. Wilfull ſinners, you cannot ſtrike ſo deſperately againſt God, as he doth againſt you; every blow is upon your heart, he is turning that into a ſtone, which work done, you will ſink preſently, like Pharaoh. Properties are not ſuſpended; when you are once ſinking, ah Lord! what will you catch hold on? what can you catch hold on, to keep you out of hell? Doth a ſtone uſe any ſtruggling to keep up, when 'tis falling downe? Wilfull ſinners, this is your judgement written in your foreheads, you will goe laughing, like Bedlams, to everlaſting chaines: you will have no booke, nor aske for none. Will as it runs its courſe, ſwels bigger and bigger, and it ſwels ſo big at laſt, that it will breake eternally, rather then ſtoop to God or man. If this be the caſe of any ſinner here, let him tie a handkerchiefe about his eyes, the halter is about his neck, he will be turned off ſuddenly, ere he is aware. Wilfull ſinners need remedie ſpeedily, but of all ſorts are moſt untractable to it: much muſt be done from heaven, to ſtop a Balaam, ere he would give back, will was ſo perverſe. You that are Balaams, muſt conſider how God hath now drawne his ſword againſt you from Heaven, and give backe, or you cannot long eſcape. Conſider how many wilfull ſinners God hath ſlaine in theſe few moneths; Bathe and ſoak your ſtubborne hearts in their bloud. What a wonder is it, that I am not yet cut off! My will hath killed many, but hath not killed me yet: it may be God hath mercy in ſtore for mee, it may be he will make me a pattern of long-ſuffering, as he did Saul. I have but one thing to ſay to you all; O that will were throughly ſlaine, if this were throughly ſlaine, we ſhould have no more die.