The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 18
Serm. XVIII. At Lawrence Jewry London, Januar. 5. 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 the cauſe of this conflict, whence it is that the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh; and the Apoſtle aſſignes the reſon, theſe being contrary the one to the other. The words need not much explaining, only the ſaying of the Apoſtle, when he tells you that the fleſh and the Spirit are in the ſame man, and that theſe are contrary the one to the other; Touching which I ſhall lay down this concluſion, That contraries may be found in the ſame ſubject. It is true that contraries cannot be in the ſame ſubject, in an intenſe and higheſt degree, but they may be in a leſſer and lower degree; and thus it is here. The Apoſtle tells you of the fleſh and the Spirit in the ſame regenerate man, Contraria non poſſunt eſſe in eodem ſubjecto in gradu intenſo.and of theſe being contrary the one to the other, that is, not in the higheſt, but in a more remiſſe degree; In the higheſt degree they cannot be found, becauſe in heaven there is perfect grace without ſin, and in hell there is all ſin and no grace; but on earth, we are partly ſinful, ann partly gracious, and therefore theſe two contrarieties being in a regenerate man in a more remiſſe degree, they may be very fairly conſiſtent. Theſe two are contrary the one to the other; it is impoſſible to conceive a more bitter oppoſition and direct contrariety between any thing in the world, then between the fleſh and the Spirit; there is not more contrariety between light and darkneſſe, between heaven and hell, fire and water, then between the fleſh and the Spirit. Contrariety, it is more then enmity; enemies may be reconciled, but contraries never; indeed one contrary may expell another, but one contrary cannot be reconciled to another; water may quench fire, but it cannot be reconciled to fire; and light may expell darkneſſe, but they are not to be reconciled. The contrariety of the fleſh againſt the Spirit conſiſts in this, that whatſoever good the Spirit wills, the fleſh wills; and what good the Spirit excites to, the Spirit diſſwades from; this is the contrariety, and this is the cauſe of the conflict in regenerate men.
Doct. The Doctrine is this: That there is a mutual and irreconcileable contrariety between the fleſh and the Spirit, between nature and grace, in the hearts of regenerate men.
I call it a mutual contrariety, becauſe it is not a ſingle oppoſition, the fleſh is againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh; and then I call it an irreconcileable contrariety, becauſe though enemies may be reconciled, yet contraries never.
In the handling of which point, I ſhall onelyonly demonſtrate the truth of it, and then conclude with a practical application.
Demonſt. 1 And firſt, this contrariety appears by the contrary names given both to the fleſh and Spirit in Scripture, as here in the Text corruption it is called fleſh, and grace is called the Spirit; corruption is called darkneſſe, but grace is called light. Rom. 13.12.Rom. 13 12. It is called a law of death, Rom. 8.2. 2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Tim. 4.12.but grace is called the law of the Spirit of life, Rom. 8.2. Corruption is called filthineſſe of the fleſh, 2 Cor. 7.1. but grace is called purity of ſpirit. 1 Tim. 4.12. So that by the theſe contrary names given both to the fleſh and the Spirit, the contrariety of both is ſet out.
2. They are both contrary principled and origined; for, Firſt, corruption it is called the work of the devill; and, For this purpoſe was the Son of God manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the devil, John 3.8.1 John 3.8. but grace is called the work of God, Phil. 1.6.Phil. 1.6. Again, corruption it is called the luſt of the devil, John 8.44.John 8.44. but grace is called the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22.Gal. 5.22. ſo that theſe proceed from a contrary original. That which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit.John 3.6.
3. They have contrary acts and contrary uſes; the fleſh is ſaid to luſt againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, they are contrary in their works; and hence in Scripture, ſin it is called a work contrary to God; Levit. 26.ſin makes a man walk contrary to God, but the Spirit drawes a man to walk in the wayes of God; ſinne is the Dalilah that will never let a man alone, but preſſe him with importunity to yield to the temptations thereof.
4. They are contrary in their ends and iſſues; the end of the fleſh is to damne the ſoul, but the Spirit its motions and workings are to ſave the ſoule. We are commanded to abſtain from fleſhly luſts, which warre againſt the ſoule; and the Apoſtle tells us, That if we live after the fleſh, we ſhall die: but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, we ſhall live. Rom. 8.13.The tendency of ſin is unto death, but of grace unto eternal life. And therefore ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, The law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made me free from the law of ſin and death. Rom. 8.2.Upon theſe demonſtrations it appears the fleſh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other.
Ʋſe. 1 Of inſtruction. If ſo be theſe are contrary the one to the other, firſt, let us conſider the contrariety of the fleſh againſt the Spirit, and thence learn theſe three inclinations.
1. Learn to admire the free grace and mercy of God, that notwithſtanding this contrariety of the fleſh againſt the Spirit in thee, yet that this ſhould not ſtirre up anger and fury in God, but rather pity and mercy; herein is Gods great love ſhewed to his people. God doth to us as we would do to a man that hath taken poyſon, we pity ſuch a man; but poiſon in a tode that we hate: when God ſees ſinne in his people, tormenting them as poiſon in the body, though they have ſuch ſinful natures, and ſo contrary to grace; yet this ſtirres not up fury, but favour, and pity in God. It is a note worth your obſervation, by comparing two Scriptures together, Gen. 6.5,6. Compared with Gen. 8.21.Gen. 6.5,6. with Gen. 8.21. In the ſixth of Geneſis, it is ſaid there that the Lord ſaw that the imaginations of mans heart were evill, and only evill, and that continually; and therefore ſaith God, I will deſtroy man from the earth; there their corrupt nature, and the iſſues and acts of it provoked God to fury; but compare that place with Chapt. 8.21. and there you read that God will not any more curſe the ground for mans ſake, becauſe the imagination of his heart is evill from his youth; this is a ſtrange reaſon, one would think it ſhould be on the contrary, but God doth not bring a curſe, but annexeth a promiſe, as if he ſhould ſay, though I might deſtroy man as I did in the flood, yet I will not do it, though the imagination of his heart be evill, and that continually; no, though his heart be ſo bad: this ſhould teach us to admire the grace of God, that notwithſtanding the contrariety of our natures unto holineſſe, yet that this ſhould not ſtirre up fury, but rather pity and mercy in God to us.
2. Learn to admire the grace and mercy of God, that notwithſtanding the contrariety that is in our natures againſt the Spirit, that yet there is an irreſiſtibleneſſe in the Spirits working converting grace, that the Spirit ſhould conquer a man, and break down the ſtrong holds of nature, 2 Cor. 10.4.that the Spirit of God ſhould out of theſe contraries bring other contraries; for ſo the Lord doth, commanding light to ſhine out of darkneſſe. Oh admire the omnipotency of Gods grace, 2 Cor. 4.6.that notwithſtanding the contrariety of thy nature, yet it hath not been able to reſiſt converting grace.
3. Admire the grace of God, that notwithſtanding the contrariety of thy nature, yet that there ſhould be in the regenerate either activity or perpetuity of grace, that thou doeſt act grace ſeeing thou haſt a principle of ſin in thee, Gratia in nobis eſt flamma in extingui bilis in med …o mari.and that thou haſt a perpetuity in the ſtate of grace, that this contrariety ſhould never be able either totally or finally to conquer grace: admire that this ſpark of fire ſhould not be drowned by this flood of corruption; that this contrariety in thy heart againſt grace, ſhould not deſtroy grace: if thou art once in the ſtate of grace, thou art ever ſo; and therefore let this heighten your admiration, Adam had perfect grace, and yet not perpetuity in it, but thou haſt imperfect grace, and yet thou art eſtabliſhed therein, that thou ſhalt not fall.
Ʋſe. 2 Of humiliation; and indeed theſe doctrines about corruption of nature, they tend chiefly to debaſe this proud heart of man, that is degenerated, and fallen from ſo glorious an eſtate.—Be humble, oh man! though thou haſt a principle of grace, yet thou haſt ſomething in thee that carries a contrariety to grace, thou haſt a contrary principle to a gracious principle, The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary the one to the other; now here I ſhall ſpeak not onelyonly to unregenerate men, but to the regenerate alſo; and there are theſe ſeven conſiderations to provoke you to be humbled.
1. Conſider that the fleſh, and thereby this contrariety againſt grace, it was more ancient in thee then grace was in thee; it was in thee before the Spirit of grace was. Divines make the ſtrugling of Eſau and Jacob in the womb of Rebeccah, an embleme of corruption and grace in a regenerate man; they ſtrugled in the womb; and it is obſerved that Eſau the bad ſonne was born firſt, and Jacob the good ſon born laſt; it is a fit reſemblance of nature and grace which ſtrive in the heart of a regenerate man, but remember this, that ſin is the elder of the twaine; before thou hadſt the Spirit thou hadſt the fleſh: nature is the elder brother, nay aſſoon as ever there was an union between the ſoul and body, ſin was in the ſoule; nay not only before thou couldſt act grace thou hadſt ſin, but before thou couldſt act reaſon. I remember Auguſtine hath a relation in his Confeſſions concerning a little childe, Vidi infantulum Zelantem, &c.which ſaw another childe ſuck his mothers breſt, and ſayes he, before the childe ſpake, I ſaw an envious nature in it, the child grew pale to ſee the other ſuck his mothers breſt, & this, ſayes he, made me call to mind my original ſin; and truly this is a great advantage to the fleſh, that the fleſh is firſt in a man; as if two Armies come to fight a pitcht battel, that Army which firſt comes to the field, hath much advantage againſt the other that come after into the field; the fleſh hath gotten the ſunne and winde againſt us, it hath many advantages upon this conſideration that it was firſt in thee, and therefore be humbled.
2. Be humbled on this conſideration, that the fleſh and this contrariety of the fleſh againſt grace in thy nature, 'tis more abundant in thee then grace is; 'tis not onelyonly more timely, but alſo more abundant; though a Chriſtian hath the Spirit, yet every regenerate man hath more of the fleſh; you have now received but the firſt fruits of the Spirit, but you have the whole crop of ſin, the whole harveſt of original corruption; in a regenerate man there are more ſwarms of luſts and unholy thoughts, then there are gracious thoughts; as in every hedge there are more briars and thornes then fruitful trees, ſo in every mans heart, more briars and thornes of corruption, then of the fruitful trees of grace. And as in every field there are more thiſtles and weeds; then lilies and roſes, ſo in every heart there is more of corrupt nature then of true grace. Sin growes naturally, but grace only by divine culture. Corruption is natural, but grace is ſupernatural. That of the Apoſtle is obſervable to this purpoſe, Rom 6.19.where he exhorts us, As we have yielded our members to uncleanneſſe, and to iniquity unto iniquity: ſo now to yield cur members ſervants to righteouſneſſe unto holineſſe. Divines gather hence, that the Apoſtle ſpeaking of ſin, maketh mention of three To's, there is to uncleanneſſe, to iniquity, and unto iniquity; but when he ſpeaks of grace and holineſſe, he mentions but two To's; to note that there is more abundance of ſin in thee then grace.—Ranſack a believer in every faculty, and in every faculty you ſhall finde more ſin then grace.
Firſt, look into the underſtanding, Hoc tantum ſcio me nihil ſcire. Hieronym.and there you ſhall finde more ignorance then knowledge; and ſo Hierom himſelfe confeſſeth, that he was ignorant of more truths then he did underſtand. In the memory there is more forgetfulneſſe then retention of good; thou forgetteſt more good then thou doeſt remember; Heb. 2.1.the beſt man alive doth not remember ſo much of a Sermon as he doth forget. And therefore the Apoſtle gives this counſell, that we ſhould give the more earneſt heed to thoſe things which we have heard, leſt we let them ſlip as a broken and leaking veſſel runs out; for the word ſignifies, foreign, which is a metaphor taken from leaking veſſels. And ſo likewiſe in the fancy there are more vain ſinful, and unclean ſpeculations, then there are divine and holy contemplations. In the affections there is more love to earthly things then to heavenly; thou more feareſt man then God, and grieveſt more for affliction then ſin; for the puniſhment more then for the evill of ſin; if you ranſack all men, you ſhall finde more corruption of nature, then holineſſe and grace in them, Gal. 5.19,20.this the Apoſtle hints in that catalogue which he gives of the works of the fleſh, and the fruits of the Spirit, where he reckons up ſeventeen ſins, and but ſeven graces; to note that there is more ſinne then grace in men. Corruption it is like great Goliah, and grace is but like little David; but yet though corruption be ſtrong, & there be more of it in us then grace, yet we ſhall get the victory in the cloſe; though Goliah be ſtronger then David, yet as David, ſo all the regenerate ſhall have the final ſucceſſe and conqueſt.
3. That you may be humbled, conſider that this contrariety of nature to grace, it works unweariedly in you; if this contrariety did ſhew it ſelfe now and then, upon ſome extraordinary occaſion, it were not ſo much; but this corruption it works unweariedly againſt grace; grace and good motions are ſupernatural, and therefore are ſometimes irkſome to us that are fleſh and blood: but corrupt motions to ſinne they are natural to a man, and things which act naturally, act unweariedly; as the Sea, it's never weary of flowing, nor the Sunne of running its courſe; and as the fire is never weary of burning: ſo neither is corrupt nature of oppoſing the holy Spirit; our whole courſe and way to heaven is up the hill, and againſt the tide and winde, both of corruptions and temptations.
4. Be humbled alſo on this ground, that this contrariety of nature it will work continually againſt grace, even to thy dying day; if it did but oppoſe ſometimes, and then would be weary, or elſe if it were ſtinted to ſome age of a mans life, it were ſomething; but this corruption will ſhew it ſelf contrary to grace; as long as thou liveſt, thou mayeſt get rid of actual ſin, but thou canſt never rid thy heart of this habitual corrupt nature. It is a notable ſaying of Cyprian to this purpoſe; It is more (ſayes he) to take away one ſin, then many ſins; his meaning is this, that it is harder to take away this one ſin of nature, then to take away many ſins of life; as for actual ſins, the ſinnes thou waſt haunted with the laſt year, thou mayeſt not be troubled with them now, nor the ſins that now thou art troubled with hereafter; but the ſin of thy nature, it hath troubled thee the laſt year, and this year alſo, and it will do all thy dayes; that as Ivy in a wall, though you lop off the branches, yet it is ſo faſtened in the joints and intrals of the wall, that till you pluck down the wall, you cannot root up the the Ivy; ſo it is with us, till God pull down this wall of your body, the root of your ſin cannot be plucked up. This was typified under the Levitical Law, Lev. 14.41,45.in that houſe which was infected with a fretting Leproſie, all their ſcraping and pouring out of the duſt thereof, could not make the houſe clean, and therefore God commanded that the houſe ſhould be pulled down and be remov…d: The corruption of our natures is like this Leproſy, which nothing but the pulling down of the wall of the houſe would remedy: ſo nothing but the death of the body will perfectly deſtroy the body of death. This leprous houſe is a type of thy defiled body, and the ſcraping thereof, an embleme of thy indeavour to ſweep thy heart of ſin, and yet for all this, the houſe could not be cleanſed till it was pulled down: neither can the houſe of thy body be wholly purified, and ſin quite extirpated, untill it be plucked down and laid in the duſt. I remember a learned Authour, Luke 23.40.he makes the impenitent thief on the Croſſe an embleme of the ſin of our natures, when he was nailed to the Croſſe, and (as we ſay) bound hand and foot, he had onelyonly one member untied, and that was his tongue, and with that he falls a reviling on Jeſus Chriſt; juſt ſo, ſayes this Authour, are our natures, when a man lies on his death-bed, and cannot ſtirre hand nor foot, even then hath he a nature kindled with fire from hell, wherewith he ſinnes againſt God; Oh let this greatly humble us in the ſight of God.
5. Conſider that this contrariety in thy nature againſt grace, though it be repugnant to grace, yet it is ſuitable to thy nature. Corrupt nature will tempt men to thoſe ſins which are moſt ſuitable to fleſh and blood; as the devil when he tempted Chriſt in the wilderneſſe being an hungry, Command, ſayes he, Matth. 4.3.that theſe ſtones be made bread; this was a very ſuitable temptation to Chriſts condition, for he had faſted fourty dayes and fourty nights and was hungry, the devil did ſuit him with a temptation; and if the devil do ſuit temptations to our condition, our natures will much more, becauſe a mans owne heart knowes what is more ſuitable to his inclination then the devil doth; it is true, the devil knowes what a mans inclination is by his actions, otherwiſe he cannot know; but our natures are ſo corrupted, that they will propoſe temptations that are moſt pleaſing to fleſh and blood; and to thoſe ſinnes which either by cuſtome or inclination we are moſt inclined to. And this the Apoſtle James ſpeakes of, as I have formerly noted; Jam. 1.14. foreign.when he ſayes, that every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luſts, and enticed. It is a metaphor taken from fiſher-men, who will ſuit their bait to the fiſh which they deſire to take, and will not alwayes fiſh with the ſame bait; thus it is here, thy corrupt nature doth play the fiſherman, and layes ſuch a bait which is moſt ſuitable to every mans inclination; therefore on this conſideration be humbled, that ſin is ſo ſuitable to thy corrupt nature.
6. Be humbled on this ground, that thy corrupt nature will carry thee to commit ſuch ſinnes, which thou didſt believe in thy heart thou ſhouldſt never fall into; an eminent example hereof we have in Hazael, who when he was told by the Prophet Eliſha what evil he ſhould do unto the children of Iſrael: That he ſhould ſet their ſtrong holds on fire, and ſlay their young men with the ſword, daſh their children againſt the ſtones, and rip up women with childe; Oh, ſayes he, is thy ſervant a dog, that he ſhould do theſe things? 2 Kings 8.12.he could not believe it, and yet this he did, and worſe then there the Prophet had told him. Here is cauſe therefore to be humbled; there is that evil ſeminally in thy nature that will provoke to ſinne, which thou couldſt not imagine to be there; why elſe ſhould Chriſt admoniſh his Diſciples, Luke 21.34.to take heed that their hearts were not overcharged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, and worldly cares; Alas… what danger was there for poor Diſciples to be overtaken with theſe ſins? yet Chriſt knew that there was cauſe for them to take heed; though they were eminent Apoſtles of Chriſt, yet they had the ſeed of thoſe evils in their natures. It is an obſervation of Mr. Capel, Capel of temptations.that a godly man at one time or other before his death ſhall be tempted either by the devil or his own heart to break every Commandment of the Law, and to doubt of every article in the Creed; and therefore do not think thou art ſo well ſetled in thy judgement, that thou ſhalt never fall into errour; and thou which liveſt holily, be not over-confident, nor too ſecure, thinking that thou ſhalt never fall, as ſuch a man fell; remember thou haſt as bad a heart, and if God ſhould ſuffer the devil, thy own corrupt nature, and an occaſion to concurre together, thou wouldeſt fall into as bad a ſinne as ever any in the world fell into, there is ſuch a contrariety in thy nature againſt grace, that it would carry thee to the moſt unnatural and groſſe ſinnes that are in the world. Auguſtine had a good ſaying when he ſaw a man fall into ſinne, Tu hodie; ego cras, Thou falleſt to day, and I to morrow, if God help me not.
7. Conſider that this contrariety in thee it is an univerſal contrariety; if there were a contrariety againſt ſome grace, and not againſt all, it were ſomewhat excuſable; or if there were onelyonly a contrariety in ſome parts, not in all, it were ſomewhat tolerable: but when this contrariety is univerſal in every reſpect, how intolerable is this? though thou art a godly man, not only the wicked, but even thou who art a godly man, all thy body and all thy ſoul is defiled; it is true, there is grace in every part of thy ſoul, ſo there is ſinne too. There is ignorance in thy underſtanding, forgetfulneſſe in thy memory, ſtubbornneſſe in thy will, diſorder in thy affections, hardneſſe in thy heart, ſearedneſſe in thy conſcience; now it is true, though every faculty be infected, yet alſo is every part regenerated too in thoſe that are godly. Corruption it is in the ſoule, as the ſoul is in the body; the whole ſoul is in the whole body, and the whole ſoul is in every part of the body; juſt ſo it is with original corruption, it is whole in every man, and it is whole in every part of a man.
One hath this note, that corrupt nature it is more in the ſoule, then the ſoule is in the body; for though the whole ſoule be in the whole body, and every part of it, yet it is not in that manner in every part of the body, as it is in the whole body; it is more eminently in the whole, then in part: but corrupt nature it is more in man, then the ſoule is in the body: for though the ſoule be in the body, yet it is but in the members of the body for particular uſes; it is in the eye to ſee, not to work, and in the hand to work, and not to ſee; it is in the ear to hear, and not to go, and in the foot to walk, and not to hear; but ſinne is in the ſoul, not for particular acts; but it is in every man, and in every part of man, provoking and enticing to all kinde of evil: this the univerſality of that corruption found in mans nature, for which we have great cauſe to be humbled.