The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 11
SERMON. XI. At Lawrence Jury, London, Decemb. 15. 1650.
GAL. 5. verſe 16.
And ye ſhall not fulfil the luſts of the fleſh.—
I Have hitherto treated on the duty, Walk in the Spirit; And am now to treat of the benefit annexed to this duty,—And ye ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh.—
In the handling of which, I ſhall firſt explaine it, and then give you the Doctrine.
There are two things to be opened. Firſt, what is meant by the luſts of the fleſh?—Secondly, what is meant by fulfilling theſe luſts?
Queſt. 1 What is meant by this phraſe the luſts of the fleſh?
Anſw. 1 By the luſts of the fleſh, if you take them for the natural deſires of the body, then this Text cannot be made true; for we may and do fulfill the natural appetite of the body; if it be hungry, we give it meat; if thirſty, we give it drink; if weary, we give it reſt: So that the luſts of the fleſh, if you take them for the natural deſires of the body; theſe ye may lawfully fulfill; therefore it cannot be ſo taken here.
2. Neither is it to be confined to the ſinne of incontinency, but to be taken more comprehenſively, for the ſinfulneſſe of our corrupt nature, the luſts and motions whereof you muſt not fulfill.
3. Theſe motions and luſts of corrupt nature muſt be conſidered two wayes.—Firſt, either as a power. Or ſecondly, as an act.
1. As a power, and ſo they nore that radical indiſpoſition that is in mans nature to good, and its proneneſs to evil. Or—
2. As an act, and ſo it notes thoſe ſinful motions to ſinne that come from corrupt nature, and ſo I take the meaning of this place; 1 Pet. 2.11.You ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh, that is, walk according to the dictates and motions of the Spirit, and you ſhall not act thoſe ſinful motions which ariſe from corrupt nature.
Queſt. 2 But then a farther queſtion is, what is meant by not fulfilling theſe luſts of the fleſh?
Anſw. To which I anſwer, 1. Negatively, we muſt not underſtand this, as if ſo be we were not to have any luſts of the fleſh in us. But ſecondly, that if you walk after the Spirits motions, you ſhall not yield to the motions of ſinne, with ſo ſtrong an inclination and bent of the will as wicked and unregenerate men do, ſo you ſhall nor fulfill the luſts of the fleſh.
Before I come to handle the Doctrine, I ſhall premiſe theſe particulars.
1. This benefit here annexed may be underſtood, either preceptively, or promiſſively; either as a precept what you ſhould do, or as a promiſe what you ſhall do. And the Tranſlators of the Bible it ſeemes were at a ſtand, how to render theſe words foreign. Beza renders them ne perficite preceptively, fulfill not; the vulgar; ne perficietis, you ſhall not fulfill.—Which our tranſlatours followed, but as you may perceive, put alſo the other rendering and reading in the Margin. But it is not material which way you take it.
2. This promiſe, (for ſo it ſeems to be taken) it is not to be taken abſolutely, but conditionally; my meaning is this, God doth not promiſe this abſolutely, but upon this condition, If you walk in the Spirit, on this condition, you ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh.
3. It is not ſaid, you ſhall not have the luſts of the fleſh; for what man is there which hath them no…? but you ſhall not fulfil them.
4. foreignWe read in our tranſlation the luſts of the fleſh; but it is in the Greek, The luſt of the fleſh, in the ſingular number. —Now what may be the reaſon that though the Word be in the ſingular number, yet it is read in the plural? For this reaſon, becauſe the ſinne of nature, though it be but one Maſſe of ſin, yet it hath many ſinsin the womb of it; and there may be this uſe made of the tranſlation. That though the ſinne of nature be but one, yet ſeminally there are all the ſinnes in the world contained in it.
5. Touching the benefit annexed, there is no cauſe of doubting to be left in your mindes, that this benefit ſhall not be yours, if you perform the condition. Do you walk in the Spirit, and God will keep you that you ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh; and this I draw from the Apoſtles Aſſertion, in theſe words; This I ſay then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh. This I ſay, as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, This is that which I have to ſpeak unto you in the name of the Lord, that if you walk in the Spirit, you ſhall not fulfill, &c.
Now having premiſed theſe particulars, the Doctrine is this.—
Doct. That Walking after the guidance, or motions of the Spirit, is an eſpeciall means to keep men that they ſhall not yeeld to the luſts of the fleſh with ſo ſtrong and full a bent of the will, as wicked and ungodly men, when they ſin againſt God.
This is a very fruitfull point, the promiſe is not to be taken abſolutely, you ſhall not fulfill them at all; but comparatively, you ſhall not ſin as wicked men do; you may ſin, but you ſhall not regard iniquity in your heart, as the phraſe is, Pſal. 66.18. you ſhall not commit ſin, foreign, 1 Joh. 3.9. as wicked men do, who make a trade of ſin.
In the handling of this point I ſhall onelyonly diſpatch this one thing, to ſhew you how the wicked do ſin, and fulfill the luſts of the fleſh, that all godly men which walk after the guidance of the Spirit, ſhall not ſo ſin.
1. They who walk after the Spirit, they ſhall not ſin ſo wilfully, Heb. 10 26.nor ſo voluntarily as wicked men do. If we ſin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin. Godly men they do not ſin with ſo ſtrong a bent of will, as wicked men do; ſin they do, and they ſin with their wils too, but there is much reſiſtenice in the will againſt the will; it is not a full conſent of the will, nor a full bent and tendencie of the heart: and therefore ſayes the Apoſtle Paul, The evil that I would not, that I do. Rom. 7.19.Paul he tels you he did evil, but he tels you alſo that he did not will the evil he did. A godly man he ſometimes yeelds to ſin, as to an uſurping Tyrant, but never as to his naturall Lord. Wicked men they will the evil they do, but godly men will the good they do not. Wicked men they ſin with all their will, becauſe there is no part of their will regenerated; Pſal. 50.19. Impii delectontar impi…tate, & bell…m in… cunt perſpect…e veritati, uti ſccit Saul, Abab, Julianus Apeſtata, Arrius, & alii quorum exceranda eſt memoria. Beza. Rom. 7.14. 1 King. 21,25.and therefore ſayes the Pſalmiſt, ſpeaking of a wicked man, Thou giveſt thy ſelf to ſpeak evil. It is remarkable that variation of expreſſion concerning Ahab and Paul. Ahab, it is ſaid of him, that he ſold himſelf to work wickedneſſe; but of Paul it is ſaid, that he was ſold under ſin. They were both ſold, but there is this difference. Ahab he ſold himſelf; but Paul was ſold, he did not ſell himſelf. Ahabs act was a voluntary act, he ſold himſelf; but Paul was ſold under ſin, it was not voluntary, but againſt his will.
2. Thoſe who walk after the Spirit, they do not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh ſo impudently as wicked men do. Wicked men they commit wickedneſſe before the Sun, and are not aſhamed; therefore ſayes the Lord by his Prophet, Jer 6.15. Chap. 8.12.Were they aſhamed, when they had c…mmitted abominations? nay, they were not at all aſhamed, neither could they bluſh. Thou haſt a whores forehead (ſayes the ſame Prophet) thou refuſedſt to be aſhamed. Jer. 3.3.The wicked they have caſt off ſhame, and therefore ſayes the Prophet Zephaniah, The unjuſt knoweth no ſhams; Zeph. 3.5.they will not be aſhamed when they have done wickedly: as that whore ſhe findes a young man, Pro 7.13,14.and ſhe caught him, and kiſſed him, and with an impudent face ſaid unto him, I have peace-offerings with me, this day have I payed my vows. Thus wicked men they ſin impudently, and are not aſhamed when they have committed abomination; but the godly they do not ſo ſin. Rom. 6.21.What fruit had ye then in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? (ſaith the Apoſtle.) And Ezra, Oh God, our iniquities are increaſed, I bluſh and am aſhamed to look up. Ezra 9.6.The godly they do not ſin ſo impudently as wicked men do.
3. Neither ſo boaſtingly as wicked men, ungodly men they boaſt in their ungodly deeds; and therefore ſayes the Pſalmiſt to Doeg, Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, oh mighty man? Pſal. 52 1.It ſeems Doeg did not onelyonly kill thoſe innocent Prieſts, but boaſted of his villany and wickedneſſe. Hence it is ſaid, Phil. 3.18,19.that the Apoſtle Paul wept over ſome that were enemies to the croſſe of Chriſt, whoſe glory was in their ſhame, that is, in their ſin. A regenerate man may act ſin, and hide ſin; nay, he may extenuate ſin, he may mince the matter, and put off, and excuſe it all he can; but we never read of a regenerate man which did boaſt in his ſin. A godly man may go neer, Jer. 11.15.ever to the ſuburbs of hell, by his ſin; but he never glories in ſhame, nor boaſts of his ſin.
4. Godly men they ſin not ſo rejoycingly as wicked men do. The Prophet Jeremiah tels you of ſome, Prov. 10.23.that when they did evil, they rejoyced. It is a ſport to a fool to do miſchief, as the wiſe man tels you. Chap. 2 14.By Solomons fool is meant a wicked man, and ſuch are they, who rejoyce to do evil, and delight in the frowardneſſe of the wicked. Ungodlineſſe, it is a wicked mans ſport, he makes a jeſt of ſin, Prov. 10.23.but a man of underſtanding hath wiſdom, that is, he hath more wiſdom then to make a ſport of ſin, he knows that they ſhall be damned, that have pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe; and therefore he dares not ſin rejoycingly as other men do; he hath wiſdom rather to mourn for it, as David, I will declare mine iniquity, I will be ſorry for my ſin.Pſal. 38.18.
5. Godly men they ſin not ſo plottingly, and contrivingly, as unregenerate men. It is true, godly men they may yeeld to the luſts of the fleſh, and act ſin, but they are not ſo cunning to contrive it. 1 John 3.8. foreign differt ab foreign. Beza in loc. Jer. 4.22. Ezek. 21.31. I ſal. 119.69. foreign concinnârunt, à foreign conjunxit, metaphora à Fabris. Pſal. 50.19.He that committeth ſin, is of the Devil. It is not ſaid, He that ſins, but he that commits ſin, that is, he that makes ſin. The word is taken from Artificers, that are skilfull and cunning about their work. Godly men are bunglers about ſin, but wicked men they do it artificially. Hence it is ſaid, that they are wiſe to do evil; And skilfull to deſtroy. David he tells you, The proud have forged a lie againſt me. It is bad to tell a lie, but worſe to forge a lie. It is an expreſſion drawn from Smiths, that when they would bring a piece of iron into any curious frame, they bring it to the forge. Wicked men, they are as skilfull in the way of ſin, as if they were bound aprentice to it. Therefore we read of them, that their tongues are ſaid to frame deceit. It is ſaid, that Chriſt at laſt day will put away thoſe who are workers of iniquity; all are actours of iniquity, but all do not work iniquity, that is, they do not make a trade of ſin, neither are cunning in the curſed craft of ſin.
6. Godly men, they ſin not ſo deliberately as wicked men do. A godly man (it is true) may be carried to ſin through the violence of temptation, and through the treacherouſneſſe of his own ſpirit; but he doth not deliberate ſin, pauſe, and conſider with himſelf how he may commit it: Micah 2.1.Wo be to them that deviſe iniquity and work evil upon their beds: and when the morning is light they practiſe it. Wicked men are ſaid to ſhut their eyes to deviſe froward things. Prov. 16.30.Which is a poſture which argues the intentnes of the minde, becauſe by opening of the eyes many objects are adminiſtered, whereby the minde is diſtracted. Thus wicked men, they plot, contrive, and deliberate, how they may commit ſin: wicked men are ſtudents in ſin. But remember that at the day of judgement, God will not onelyonly call thee to an account for thy actions, but for thy deliberations, foreign, Heb. 4.12.and the debates of thy minde, how thou mighteſt commit ſuch a ſin, though it were never acted by thee: 1 Cor. 4.5.then will God make manifeſt the counſells of the heart: all thoſe deliberate thoughts and purpoſes that were in your minde to ſin theſe will God make manifeſt, and judge you even for the counſels of the heart. Pſal. 36.4.The Pſalmiſt tells you, that a wicked man, he deviſeth miſchief upon his bed, he ſetteth himſelf in a way that is not good. He deviſeth miſchief, there is his deliberation, and ſets himſelf in a way that is not good, that is a further expreſſion of it. A godly man may be turned aſide by the Devil and his own heart, Gal. 6.1. foreign, ſi praeoccupatus ſit à carne & Satana, & in cantus incidit in inſidias. Beza.but the wicked they ſet themſelves in a way of ſin. A godly man may be overtaken with ſin, as the Apoſtle tells you, which intimates that he is going from it; but a wicked man, he goes not from ſin, but ſets himſelf in a way which is not good. It is true I muſt confeſſe, as Divines upon this caſe, that in a ſenſe there may be deliberation in a godly man to ſin, yet there is great difference between the godly and the wicked herein. There is difference betwixt the deliberating about the act of ſin, & between a deliberation to find out an occaſion how to commit ſin. A godly man he may be deliberate about the act, he may rowl the Sun in his fancie; but a godly man doth not deliberate how to finde an occaſion whereby he may be wicked. There was a deliberation in David, when he committed adultery, but he did not deliberate about the occaſion to finde it out; he did not go to his houſetop, thinking with himſelf that there he ſhould ſee a woman to luſt after; but when he was there, the Devil preſented him with an occaſion, and when the occaſion was found out, then he did not deliberate how to commit that foul ſin. The like may be ſaid about his deliberation in the death of Ʋriah, for though he did it deliberately, yet the violence of the temptation that then was upon him, preſſed him thereunto. But now wicked men they deliberate how they may finde occaſions to ſin, they are Devils to themſelves, plotting how they may do miſchief, they tempt the Devils to tempt them.
7. Godly men, they do not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh ſo eagerly, and intently as wicked men do, who are eagerly ſet upon their luſts. The adulterous thoughts of the wicked are compared to the neighing of a well-fed horſe, which is a very ſtrong deſire, Jer. 5.8.and to the fury of a horſe ruſhing into the battel; Chap. 8.6.wicked men are as eager in the purſuit of their luſts, as ever a horſe was to ruſh into the battel. Exod. 32.22You read in Exod. 32. that the people were ſet on miſchief, which intimated their eagerneſſe to do wickedly. How eager was Amnon to ſatisfie his luſt? inſomuch that he was ſick: And how ſick was Ahab for Naboths vineyard? they were ſo intently bent upon their luſts. But good men though they ſinne, yet they do not ſinne ſo eagerly, and therefore the Apoſtle he makes this a difference between godly and wicked men, the wicked they commit all iniquity, Eph. 4.19. foreign Ezekiel 11.21and all iniquity with greedineſſe. It is ſaid of the wicked that their heart walketh after their deteſtable things.
8. Godly men they do not ſin ſo reſolvedly as wicked men do; wicked men are ſo reſolved upon their luſts that there is no taking of them off. When God bids the people leave their Idolatry, they ſay, No, we have loved ſtrangers, and after them we will go; Jer. 2.25.as if they ſhould ſay, we have done evil, and we will do evil ſtill; Thus at another time when they had burned incenſe to the Queen of heaven, and the Lord had commanded them to leave their Idolatry, Jer. 44.16.and threatened to puniſh them, yet ſay they, As for the word which thou haſt ſpoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: They were reſolved to follow their wickedneſſe. A wicked man is ſo ſet upon his ſinne, Prov. 4.16.that it takes away his ſleep, He ſleeps not unleſſe he hath done ſome miſchief, and his ſleep is taken away, unleſſe he cauſe ſome to fall; but godly men they do not ſin ſo reſolvedly. It is true, a godly man may have a purpoſe to act a ſinne, though he may know it to be a ſinne, but a little good counſel will take him off. That of David is very remarkable, how reſolved was he to kill Nabal and all his family; and what a bloody reſolution was it? nay he had bound himſelf under an oath, and was going up to execute his bloody reſolution, but at laſt Abigail meets him, and by her good counſel how ſoone was he brought off from his reſolution? And bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, 1 Sam. 15.32,33.(ſayes he) which ſent thee this day to meet me, and bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou, which haſt kept me this day from coming to ſhed blood. Godly men they are not ſo reſolved upon wickedneſſe; a little good advice will bring them off, and they will bleſſe God for ſuch preventing counſel, and you for giving it them.
9. They do not ſinne ſo contentedly as wicked men. Wicked men they ſinne contentedly becauſe they are in their proper element, when they are ſinning. Nil gravitat in ſuo centro.Now Philoſophers ſay of the elements; that the earth is not heavy in its proper place. Wicked men they are as ſwine in the myre, it pleaſes them to be there; but for a ſheep to be in the myre, how doth it trouble it? 'tis their delight to be in the green Paſtures. Wicked men they not only walk, and ſtand, but ſit down in ſinne, Pſal. 1.1.which argues their contentedneſſe therein. But it is not ſo with the godly, there is that difference between ſinne in a good man and in a wicked man, as there is between poyſon being in a man and a toade; poyſon in the toade, contents it, becauſe it is natural; but poyſon in a man how doth it offend him? thus it is between ſinne in the godly and the wicked: Sinne in the wicked it contents him, becauſe it's natural to him; but ſinne in the godly it is like poyſon in a mans body, it tortures, and torments him.
10. A godly man he doth not ſinne ſo cuſtomarily as wicked men do. A wicked man he makes it his cuſtome to ſinne, it is his way wherein he walks, and therefore ſayes David, Search me, O God, and know my heart, and my thoughts: And ſee if there be any wicked way in me: Pſal. 139.23,24.There may be a work of wickedneſſe in a godly man, but there is not a way of wickedneſſe in him. The wicked are accuſtomed to a way of wickedneſſe, and as the Prophet ſpeaks, If the Leopard can cleanſe his ſpots, or the blackmore his skin, then may they alſo who are accuſtomed to do evil. Sinne in a wicked man it is like water in a river, you ſaw it there yeſterday, and you may ſee it to day, alwayes it is there; when they are in a way of ſinne, they are in their proper courſe; but ſinne in a godly man, it is like the water of a land-flood, you ſee it to day, but to morrow it is gone; ſin it is not a cuſtomary thing to them.
11. They who walk after the Spirit, they yield not to ſinne ſo indulgently as wicked men; the Prophet he brands wicked men with this, Pſal. 58.2.that in heart they work wickedneſſe, they ſinne with their hearts; and in another place he ſaith, Pſal. 5.9.Their inward part is very wickedneſſe, that is, their ſinne it comes from their hearts. Hence alſo they are deſcribed to be ſuch, Jer. 11.21.Whoſe heart walketh after deteſtable things, they ſinne affectionately; but a good mans heart it is not ſo taken up with ſinne. The wicked are ſaid to hide ſinne under their tongues as a ſweet morſel, but the godly though they may have ſin in their mouths, yet it is there as a bitter morſel, it is unpleaſant to them. A wicked man is as indulgent to his ſinne, though he know it will be his ruine, as David was to Abſolom, and he deals gently with it; but it's otherwiſe with the godly, for though he be overtaken with a ſinne, yet he takes revenge of it; 2 Cor. 7.11. Rom. 7.21,22.and therefore ſayes Paul, I finde a law that when I would do good, evil is preſent with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. My inward man is changed, Verſ. 25.and therefore ſayes be, With the minde I my ſelf ſerve the law of God, but with the fleſh the law of ſinne: Godly men they do not delight in a courſe of ſinne.
12. And laſtly, they do not ſinne ſo maliciouſly as wicked men: The Pſalmiſt hath a prophetical prayer againſt ſuch, Lord, (ſayes he) be not merciful to them that ſinne of malicious wickedneſſe; good men who walk after the Spirit, they never ſinne ſo as to deſpight the Spirit of grace; they ſinne inconſiderately, but they never ſinne maliciouſly. Now ſumme up all theſe particulars, and you will ſee the text is true, that if ye walk in the Spirit, ye ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh, that is, you ſhall not ſinne after that manner, and after that rate as wicked men ſin.
Ʋſe 1 You who have the Spirit of God, bleſſe God, that you have ſuch a preſervative to keep you from ſinning ſo as wicked men ſinne. Why is it that the wicked ſin ſo as they do; but becauſe they have not the Spirit of God? Haſt thou not the ſame ſinful inclinations with the worſt that are? other mens abominable actions, are but commentaries upon thy heart: You have cauſe to bleſſe God, becauſe otherwiſe you would commit more ſinnes then you do; and thoſe which you do commit, after a worſe manner more willingly, more eagerly, more wilfully; bleſſe God therefore in this regard for his holy Spirit.
Ʋſe 2 You may learne the happineſſe of a godly man, and the miſery of a wicked man. The happineſſe of a godly man, that thou haſt the Spirit to keep thee from ſinning ſo as other men ſinne; 1 John 3.9. Non homines, ſed monſtra Hominum ſunt Pelagiani, Cathari, Caeleſtiani, Donatiſtae, A nabaptiſtae, Libertini, qui ex hoc loco perfectionem illam ſomniant, à qua abſunt ipſi emnium hon inum longiſſimi. Beza. Chap. 2.1. Job 1.22. Job. 5.24.and the Scripture ſpeaks of a godly man in this regard, as if he had no ſinne at all. Whoſoever is borne of God (ſayes the Apoſtle) doth not commit ſinne, for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſinne, becauſe he is borne of God. It is not to be taken abſolutely, as if we had no ſinne, but comparatively, he cannot ſinne ſo as wicked men. Theſe things write I unto you, that ye ſinne not, ſaith the Apoſtle. And as it is ſaid of Job, that in all this he ſinned not. Theſe expreſſions are not to be taken abſolutely, but comparatively; not that godly men ſinne not at all, but that they ſinne not after that man…er wicked men do. Thou ſhalt viſit thy habitation, and ſhalt not ſinne, ſaith Job. What an honour then is this put upon the godly, that becauſe they ſinne not as the wicked, therefore the Scripture makes mention of them, as if they did not ſin at all.
But farther, ſee the miſery of the wicked; what a caſe are they in, who have not the Spirit of God to lay a controule upon their ſinful natures? what ſervants to ſin are they? what vaſſals to their own luſts? when the devil tempts from without, and their own luſts from within, they have no Spirit of God to withhold them. Wicked men, they ſin ſo as no godly men can; and therefore, ſaith the Lord, Deut. 32.5.They have corrupted themſelves, and their ſpot is not the ſpot of my children. It is true, I confeſſe, there may be a ſpice of thoſe particulars I mentioned, in thy practice; there may be ſomething of the will in ſin, ſome delectation, ſome deliberation; yet do not be diſcouraged if thy heart yield not fully, if there be not ſuch a ſtrong bent of will to ſin as is found in wicked men.