The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 14
Sermon. XIV. At Lawrence Jury, London, Decemb. 24. 1650.
GAL. 5. verſe 17.
For the fleſh luſts againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, ſo that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
I Proceed now to a fourth Quere, and that is why, or for what reaſon is it that in regenerate men God ſhould ſuffer corrupt nature thus to war with the Spirit? Why doth not God deal with us in our regeneration, as he did in creation, make us perfect?
This is a queſtion worth diſcuſſing; God loves no ſinne, and yet he ſuffers all the ſinnes that are, and this Maſſe of ſinne, this one ſinne, which vertually is every ſinne. For anſwer hereto I ſhall lay down five Reaſons.
Firſt, Corruption of nature is left remaining, even in regenerate men to humble them; even as it was with the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe when they were ſtung with fiery Serpents and Scorpions, Deut. 8.15,16it was to humble them. So we whil'ſt we are in the wilderneſſe of this world, have a corrupt nature alwayes cleaving to us, wherewith we are ſtung, and this fiery Serpent of ſinne ſhould humble us before the Lord. God hath ſo ordered it in nature, that creatures of the greateſt excellency ſhould have ſome manifeſt deformity: if we look either among birds, or beaſts. Among birds, the Peacock a bird of the fineſt feathers, yet it hath the fouleſt ſeet; the Swan a bird of the whiteſt feathers, yet of the blackeſt skin; The Eagle a bird of the quickeſt ſight, and of the higheſt flight, yet the moſt ravenous among birds. Among beaſts, the Lion, the moſt goodlieſt of all beaſts, yet the moſt fierce and cruel: The Fox it is moſt ſubtile, yet is a creature of the fouleſt ſmell: Thus God hath ordained even in nature, and thus it is with his own people in reſpect of grace, though they may have many excellent endowments, and gifts, yet he leaves this corruption in them to humble them.James 4.8,10.
That of the Apoſtle James is obſervable, Chap. 4. having ſpoken in the eight Verſe of corrupt nature, in the next Verſe but one, he exhorts men to be humbled; to note that the conſideration of a corrupt heart, ſhould be an incitement to humiliation. It was a ſaying of Maſter Fax, that his graces hurt him more then his ſinnes, which riddle he expounded thus; that many times he was proud of his gifts and graces, but humbled by reaſon of ſinne. The Apoſtle Paul after he had thoſe extraordinary Revelations, There was given him a thorne in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he ſhould be exalted above meaſure. 2 Cor. 12.7.It is true, this Text is variouſly expounded. Some expounding this thorne in the fleſh to be the ſinne of luſt and incontinency: But this cannot be, becauſe he affirmes of himſelfe, foreign. Morbus acutus.that he had the gift of continency. Others ſay that it was a bodily diſeaſe, and that it was the Sciatica or Gowt, or ſome exquiſite paine in his body: but the current of Interpreters vary from all theſe, expounding it to be corrupt nature; and the thorne in the fleſh to be ſome ſharp temptation and motion to ſin, which did ariſe from the corruption of his nature, and the remainders of luſt. But then it will be objected, how can corrupt nature be called the meſſenger of Satan! To this Divines anſwer, that it is called ſo, not as if it were a temptation from the devil; but it is called ſo, becauſe the devil is an inſtrument to ſet on our ſinful nature to ſin; this thorn in the fleſh was left in Paul to humble him; and this is the true and proper reaſon why God will not have regeneration to be as perfect as Creation, becauſe he would keep us humble. So it is, that humility the beſt of graces, comes from the worſt root, our ſin; and pride the worſt of ſins, comes from the beſt root, our graces. How wiſe, and how good is God, that by this thorn in the fleſh he doth prick, & thereby let out the impoſtumation of pride out of our hearts!
2. To make the regenerate put a difference between earth and heaven, between being in a courſe of pilgrimage, and in their fathers houſe. Heb. 12.22.In heaven the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect, but they are not ſo on earth, if the ſpirit were made perfect, we ſhould have all ſpirit and no fleſh. In the wilderneſſe there were ſcorpions and fiery ſerpents, but in Canaan there were none; this world is a wilderneſſe, and whileſt we live here, the fiery ſerpents of ſin will ſting us, but when we come to heaven we ſhall be above ſin. Corruption now dwells in the ſoul, as the body in a houſe; and ſo long as the ſoul dwells in the body, ſin will dwell there in the ſoul; but when we come to heaven, then corruption ſhall put on incorruption. And we ſhall be freed not onelyonly from the natural corruption of the body, but alſo from the moral corruption of the ſoul by ſin.
3. Which is the chief reaſon of all; God ſuffers it, that ſo you may the more prize a Mediator; if you had no ſinne you would prize God only as a Creator, and not Chriſt as a Mediator. Sin makes you to prize a Saviour; thus it was with Paul, O wretched man that I am who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jeſus Christ our Lord; Rom. 7.24.as if he ſhould ſay, if I had been perfect, I ſhould have thanked God as a Creator, as Adam in Paradiſe; but now having a ſinful nature, it makes me to prize Chriſt as a Mediator delivering me from ſin. I may exemplify this by an Elephant, which (as ſome ſay) if it once falls to the earth cannot riſe again, and therefore Naturaliſts ſay, that the Elephant doth not lie down to ſleep, but doth ſleep leaning to a tree; now the ſtory is this, An Elephant being fallen to the earth, and a man having helped him to riſe, the Elephant (like Andronicus his grateful Lion) followed his Benefactor whereever he went; ſo it is with us, we were fallen, and no help but Chriſts could raiſe us up, how ſhould we then be lift up with humble thankfulneſſe to God, who hath therefore ſuffered us to fall, that we might thereby learn to prize the help we have and hope to have by Jeſus Chriſt?
4. God ſuffers corruption in nature to try his people, which ſide they will take in this conflict; here are two Camps pitcht, army againſt army, and the Lord leaves the fleſh in thee to try which ſide thou wilt take; wilt thou cleave to the ſtrongeſt ſide? wilt thou worſhip the riſing Sun? why, then thou wilt ſide with the fleſh, for many times and for the preſent that conquers; though indeed the final iſſue, and conqueſt will be on the Spirits ſide. Now will you war againſt the fleſh, and ſide with the Spirit in oppoſing the motions of ſin; hereby will the Lord make a trial of you. Deut. 8.2.The Canaanites and Jebuſites were left in the land on purpoſe to try whether the Iſraelites would cleave unto the true worſhip of God: ſo God ſuffers corruption to bein us, to try the truth of our grace.
5. The Lord ſuffers motions to ſin to be in the hearts of his own people, that ſo he might make uſe of the motions of ſin, to keep men from the acting of ſin, and this is a myſterious conſideration. God ſo diſpoſes of it, that thoſe ſins which we moſt are frequently tempted unto, we ſhall be moſt watchful againſt: A man that is ſuddenly tempted may yield; but a man often haunted with motions to ſin, God in his wiſdome makes uſe of theſe motions to prevent the action. Had David been often haunted with motions to thoſe great and abominable ſins of adultery and murder, he might happily had time to have bethought himſelfe, and ſo prevented the acting of them; and the like of Peters denial of Chriſt, but both theſe ſervants of God were ſuddenly ſurprized: And theſe are the reaſons why God leaves regeneration ſo imperfect.
The next Quere is, to ſhew what rules you ſhould follow, that ſo the motions of the fleſh exciting to ſin, may not prevaile againſt the Spirit?
1 If you would not have the fleſh in its ſinful motions prevaile over you, then reſiſt them whileſt they are but bare motions, before they break forth into actions; Cruſh the Cockatrice in the egge, tread out ſin which is the fire of Hell while it is in the ſpark, the ſuggeſtion and motion. As we ſay, It is eaſier to keep out an enemy, then to beat him out being once gotten in; ſo it is eaſier to keep out ſin, then to beat out ſin; ſin in the motion it is like an enemy in the ſuburbs, not got into the city; and if thou wouldſt not yeeld to theſe motions, reſiſt them whileſt they are ſo, quench them while they are motions. A diſeaſe if it be taken in time, Principiis obſta, ſerò me…icina paratur, Cùm mala per longas invaluêre moras.before the humours be gathered together, may eaſily be cured. Do to thy ſins as Pharaoh gave command ſhould be done to the Iſraelites children; he would not ſtay till the children were grown up to yeares; but commanded the Midwives to kill them aſſoon as they were born; this was a cruel act in him, but thus do thou to thy ſins, and it will be a merciful act in thee to thy ſoul, what Pharaoh did moſt cruelly, do thou do prudently againſt thy ſins; kill them when they are in the birth, and there are three cogent reaſons why you ſhould take this courſe.
1. Becauſe if you reſiſt motions whileſt they are motions, you ſhall be ſure not to find the devils ſuggeſtions to joyn againſt you with the fleſhes motions; take but this experiment, if thou haſt a motion in thy nature to ſin, and doeſt act that motion, the devil will then joyn with thy corruption to make thee act that ſin again. The devil he knowes not the motions to ſin that are in thy heart, but as thou acteſt ſuch motions; as ſuppoſe thou art tempted to luſt, and thou yeeldeſt to it, hereby the devil knowes what motion there was in thy heart, and thy love to that ſin, and ſo will be ready to tempt thee to the committing of that ſin again; therefore reſiſt motions while they are ſo, and by this meanes you will hinder the devil, that he ſhall not joyn his ſuggeſtions to the ſinful motions of your own hearts.
2. If you do not reſiſt motions while they are motions, there will be a more eager, vehement proneneſſe to ſin in your natures then was before; acting of ſin is not the way to ceaſe and quell a ſinful motion, but to increaſe it; it is as it were a caſ…ing oile into the fire to make it burn the more: the way therefore to quell ſinful motions, is to withſtand whileſt they are ſo. In Philoſophy we ſay, that acts do ſtrengthen habits; Habitus acquiritur actibus, actus confirmant habitum.if a man hath a habit of any grace, acting of that grace, makes the habit more ſtrong; thus it is in ſin, acting of ſin begets a greater proneneſſe thereunto, and therefore it behoves you to keep under ſins motions, leſt they lead you farther to ſinful actions. For ſinful ſuggeſtions when they meet with our ſinful inclinations, the inclination begets conſent; conſent, acting; acting, continuance of act; then delight; then ſecurity; and then ſcornful contempt of all reproof, and means of amendment.
If you keep not under ſin in its motion, it will be more difficult for thee to ſuppreſſe corruption; if a houſe be on fire, and you can keep the fire within, there is no danger of a great conflagration; but if it break out into the aire, and the winde take hold on it, then it will burn exceedingly: thus it will be with thee in regard of thy ſin, if thou keepeſt it not under in the motion, it will be hard for thee to ſuppreſſe it afterwards. We take phyſick by way of prevention; health of body and ſoul too is more eaſily preſerved then reſtored. A ſore neglected growes a gangrene, one part being infected after another, till there be no ſoundneſſe in the fleſh.
2. Keep off from all external occaſions of that ſin which thou haſt a motion to commit, whatever thy ſin be; ſuppoſe it be pride, wear not that apparel which may miniſter an occaſion of pride; ſuppoſe drunkenneſſe, keep from bad company; if it be uncleanneſſe, Prov. 5.8.keep off from the dore of the harlot; carefully avoid occaſions of ſin. This is very imitable in Joſeph; Gen 39.10.it is ſaid that as his Miſtreſſe ſpake to him day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her; he kept out of her company as much as might be. And this is the counſel and command of the Lord, Keep thee far from a falſe matter; Exod. 23.7.the occaſions of ſin are as it were the awakening of corrupt nature; what elſe ſhould be the reaſon that a man not thinking of ſin when he hath an occaſion, hath a motion to commit it; therefore be not ventrous to run upon occaſions of ſin; and whenſoever thou art moved to any ſin, keep off from the external occaſion thereof. A Divine ſets out men ventring upon occaſions of ſin to be like thoſe who pray to God they may not be burned, and yet will thruſt their fingers into the fire; thou which prayeſt againſt ſins motions, have a care alſo to keep from ſinnes occaſions. 2 Theſſ. 5.27.Gods children are bound to abſtain from all appearance of evil, 1 Theſſ. 5.17. and to hate the garment ſpotted with the fleſh, Jude 25. Jude 25.The Nazarite was not only to abſtain from wine, but alſo from touching the very husk of the grape, Numb. 6.3,4.Numb. 6 3,4.
3. Labour to unarm the fleſh. As the godly have armour, and the peeces thereof are regiſtred in the 6 Chap. to the Epheſ. So the fleſh hath armour to fortify it ſelf; it is armed with power, labour to conquer it; with malice, with an inſatiable deſire of thy ruine, with manifold ſolicitations to ſin. Now labour to diſarm it, of all its pretences, of all its policies. You muſt do with ſinne in this caſe as the Philiſtines with the Iſraelites, they fearing that the Iſraelites would wage warre againſt them, uſed this ſtratagem; they would ſuffer no iron weapon to be found among them, nor no Smith in Iſrael to make theſe weapons. Do you as the Philistines did, unarm ſin, take away any occaſion which corrupt nature may have to act tranſgreſſion in you; you muſt do as the Rechabites did, they were commanded not to drink wine, and they would not yeeld to any temptation or ſolicitation to break that Commandment; diſarm ſinne by taking away its occaſions.
4. Do not ſo much diſpute with evil motions, as reſiſt them. It is the folly of many that they will diſpute with ſins temptations; whereas there is no man that hath ever conſulted with fleſh and blood, but at laſt hath been overcome by it. Count the fleſh as thy enemy, but never let it be thy Counſellor; the fleſh is a great diſſembler, it hath ſuch ſubtile inſinuations, ſuch ſlie evaſions, that it will cheat a man into ſin, and therefore do not diſpute with it; you will do with diſputing with fleſh, as our firſt parents with the devil, after diſputing they fall to eating; the fleſh will tell thee, this ſin is profitable for thee, and the other ſin is pleaſurable, and ſuitable, and therefore beware of ſin, and be more in reſiſting, then in diſputing with the fleſh.
5. Give thy ſelfe much to the exerciſes of mortification, and the exerciſes of thoſe duties which tend thereunto, and this will be an eſpecial means to preſerve thee. There are three duties I ſhall commend to you for this end; Spiritual watchfulneſſe, prayer, and faſting. You have two of theſe duties preſcribed by our Saviour together: Mat. 26.41.Watch and pray, (ſayes he) that ye enter not into temptation. The fleſh will be ſtill aſſaulting thee, and Satan by thy fleſh, and therefore we had need to be ſtill watching and praying; the warre between the fleſh and Spirit is foreign. Be much in watchfulneſſe againſt the occaſions of ſin. Watch over the outward ſenſes of thy body, and over the inward faculties of thy minde; be much in prayer, that ſinful motions may be ſuppreſſed, and ſubdued. Do not pray as Auſtin, Metuebam nè me exaudiret Deus. Aug.who confeſſed that before his converſion, through the light of a natural conſcience he prayed againſt the luſt of incontinence, and the ſins of his youth, but was afraid that God ſhould hear his prayer; do not you ſo pray. And joyn faſting with the duty of prayer; it was Pauls cuſtom, 1 Cor. 9.17. foreign, vox à pugi ibus derivata qui propriè di cuntur foreign, i. e. cum pugnis aut coeſtibus An tagomſtam obtundere.ſayes he, I keep under my body, and bring it into ſubjection, that is, corrupt nature. By the body cannot be meant the body in a natural ſenſe, who hereupon do excruciate and torment their body by whippings, faſtings, and pilgrimage; but the body here is termed the body of death: by faſting, prayer, and watchfulneſſe, hereby he kept under the ſinful workings of corrupt nature, and a little care will not ſerve the turn, but we muſt be as vigilant as wreſtlers or fencers, who are very ready to beat down their adverſaries before them.
6. And laſtly, be skilful in the Word of righteouſneſſe, and this will be a great means to keep the fleſh from prevailing over the Spirit. As Chriſt did to the devil, ſo muſt thou do to the devil of thy fleſh: It is written (ſayes he;) do thou come with a written Word againſt the devil and thy own heart; be ſo skilful in the Word of God, that there may no temptation offer it ſelfe to thee, but thou mayeſt draw arguments out of the Word againſt it; we ought to be very careful to uſe the ſword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and ſheath it in the bowels of ſinful fleſh. And if this courſe were taken in this particular, you would be leſſe peſter'd with a tempting devil, and corrupt heart then you are.
Ʋſe.Ʋſe. he uſe which I ſhall make from what you have heard, ſhall be of comfort to dejected conſciences; me thinks I hear many a godly man ſay, Wo is me, I have a ſenſible experience in my own ſoul, that my evil heart hath all thoſe evil properties you named, and my ſoul bears me witneſſe I uſe thoſe means you preſcribed, I do keep off from occaſions of ſin, I watch and pray againſt ſin, and yet God knowes I cannot keep under a naughty heart. To any man that in the ſincerity of his heart, and ſenſe of his ſinnes doth make this complaint, I have four words of comfort.
1. Thou muſt never expect a total extirpation of the corruption of thy nature whileſt thou liveſt here, only a partial ſuppreſſion. Corrupt nature will be in thee; That as thoſe beaſts mentioned by Daniel, their dominion was taken a…cay, yet their lives were prolonged for a ſeaſon and time: Dan. 7.12.ſo the dominion of ſin is taken away, ſin ſhall not reign over you, but yet the life of ſin remaines, the body of death will live in us as long as we live in the body. Corrupt nature it will live in thee though it ſhall not reign, like unto that tree mentioned by Daniel, whoſe branches were cut off, Dan. 4.15.yet the ſtump remained in the earth; thou mayeſt lop off actual evils, yet remember, the root will remain; that as it is with Ivie which growes on a wall, it cannot be rooted up untill the wall be pulled down: ſo untill thy body be pulled down, ſin in thy nature (which is as Ivie gotten into the wall) cannot be gotten out. We have a promiſe made to Gods children, that ſin ſhall not have dominion in them, but no where it is ſaid that ſin ſhall have no being in them while they are in being here.
2. There is great difference between yeelding to the corrupt motions of thy nature to ſin, and between fulfiling the luſts of the fleſh. I know there is none of us all but do in ſome things yeeld to the motions of the fleſh, but yet all do not fulfill the luſts of the fleſh; thou mayeſt imbrace the motion thy ſinful heart ſtirres thee up unto, yet thou mayeſt not fulfill the motions of ſin; the Scripture gives you this difference, Rom. 13.14.Make not proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof: godly men may commit the luſts of the fleſh, but they do not make proviſion for them; foreign.thou doeſt not provide for ſin, as a man for his family, becauſe he would have them live; thou art not a Caterer for ſin, therefore bear up thy heart with comfort, though ſin be in thee, yet thou ſhalt not periſh for it.
Thou who haſt uſed all means, and yet findeſt the fleſh prevailing againſt the Spirit; conſider that ſtrong and potent motions to ſin do not alwayes argue ſinnes ſtrength, but ſins weakneſſe; rather that ſin is decaying, then in its full ſtrength. It is obſerved that dying things they ſtrive and ſtruggle with moſt ſtrength; a bird, a weak creature, yet if you pull off its head, with what ſtrength will it flutter? this doth not argue that the bird is gathering ſtrength, but that its ſtrength is departing; it may be thus with thee, thou haſt ſtrong motions to ſin, and thou diſcerneſt it; it may be, ſinne is now playing its laſt game. Luſts in the Scriptures are ſaid to be crucified; now it is with ſin crucified, as it was with the wicked and impenitent thief, he was bound and nailed hand and foot, and yet he raved, and raged; ſo it is when luſt is dying, yet it may be raging: and as we ſee in the taking of Phyſick, when it is firſt taken, it will make a man more ſick then the diſeaſe made him; not that a man is indeed worſe, but only from the Phyſick ſearching his body: thus it may be with thee, ſins ſtruglings, is Gods giving of thee Phyſick; and though it be ſtrong, yet in the end God will make it tend to the purging out of evil humours out of thy ſoule.
4. If corrupt motions be ſtrong in thy ſoule, then bend the ſtrength of thy heart in prayer to God for the ſubduing of theſe corruptions. If a Virgin that was raviſhed did not cry out, by the law ſhe was accounted guilty and conſenting; the more the devil and thy corruptions do attempt thee, the more earneſtly muſt thou pray and cry to God for help. Complain upon thoſe frequent incurſions which corrupt nature and the devil makes upon thee, and flying unto God for help and ſuccour, thy ſoul ſhall never periſh for thy iniquity.