The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 27
SERMON XXVII. at Lawrence Jury. Lond. Feb. 16. 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 Shall by Gods aſſiſtance in this Sermon finiſh this point; and there is only one queſtion that depends upon the laſt caution I named in my laſt Sermon, which was, that you ſhould not look upon the reſtraints of the Spirit in keeping you from ſin, to be the ſaving and gracious work of the Spirit. And hereupon I ſhall anſwer this queſtion, and ſhew you what other cauſes there may be, beſides the renewing grace of the Spirit, that may keep wicked men from doing evil.
1. Men may be kept from wickedneſſe, from the power which a religious education hath had on them while they were young; when you are under the tuition of Parents or Maſters, or Governours, this may reſtrain men from doing much evil. 2 King. 12.2.You have an inſtance hereof in King Jehoaſh; He did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord all the dayes wherein Jehoiada the Prieſt inſtructed him: All the dayes his Uncle lived he walked in the wayes of the Lord; but aſſoon as ever he was dead, he fell to work wickedneſſe. Thus you read concerning Paul, that he was according to the Law blameleſſe, Phil. 3.6.that is, as to the outward letter; now how came he to be thus? why, ſayes he, Quo ſemel eſt imbuta recens ſervabit odorem Teſta diu.—I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews, and touching the law a Phariſee; that is, he was trained up in the Jewiſh religion, and the force of education had made Paul a man of a very good moral life. And ſo the young man he ſaith to Chriſt that all the Commandments he had kept from his youth; this was the power of education, Mark 10.19,20. Plutarch.A colt if he be never taken, nor tamed with bit nor bridle, will be a very ſavage and wilde creature all his life-time; and if you let him runne too long, he will hardly be tamed at all; but if you take up a colt when he is young, though he be wilde by nature, yet by breaking of him, you will make him fit for ſervice. It is true, religion doth not runne in a blood, yet the profeſſion of it may; and this may be one cauſe why men do not the evil they would, becauſe a religious education hath a power to keep them back; yet this falls far ſhort of renuing grace.
2. Diſability of body, whether through age or ſickneſs, may be a meanes to reſtraine men from many ſinnes: Ambroſe calls diſeaſes the ſhops of vertue. Indeed ſickneſſe it is a priſon, but not a grave to ſinne; it is only mortification which is a ſlaughter-houſe to ſinne, Morbi virtutis officinae. Ambr.ſickneſſe keeps ſinne in; when men are faſtened to their beds, and when their bones are made to rattle in their skin, they have then no pleaſure, nor leiſure left them to think of Luxurious exceſſe: Thus we ſee in Abimelech, how God kept him by laying ſome ſickneſſe or other upon him. Gen. 20.6. compared with verſ. 17.This you ſee by comparing Gen. 20.6. with the 17. ver. of that Chapter. In ver. 6. God told Abimelech, that he withheld him from ſinne; there it is only ſaid in the generall, that God reſtrained him; but in ver. 17. is hinted the manner how God did this; Abimelech would faine have defiled Abrahams wife; but God laid ſome diſeaſe upon him, and therefore it is ſaid that Abraham prayed unto God,and God healed Abimelech. Rivet.Rivet upon theſe words ſaith, that aſſoone as ever he took Sarah into his houſe, God ſmote him with a ſore ſickneſſe, ſo that he was not able to commit folly with her: And he gives this reaſon; becauſe Iſaac was the promiſed ſeed; and if Abimelech ſhould have laine with Sarah, the childe would have been thought Abimelech's, and not Abrahams; and therefore God did ſend ſome exquiſite diſeaſe upon him, that ſo he might be diſabled to his intended folly.
3. Outward meanneſſe and poverty of a mans preſent condition, is a cauſe to hinder many men from ſinne; whereas if they had wealth, they would work wickedneſſe with greedineſſe. And this was Hazaels condition; while he was a ſervant, he could not then do much miſchiefe, his outward condition was ſo mean that he had not opportunity and advantage, 2 King. 8.12.but when he came to be King in his Maſters roome; Then ſhalt thou burne the City, rip up women with childe, and daſh children againſt the ſtones; he never thought he ſhould have been ſo bad; but when he came to be King he did this and much more: We may bleſſe God, as it is a common proverb, That curſt cowes have but ſhort hornes; that wicked men are not ſometimes rich men, and great in place and power, God many times ſo orders it, that men that have much evil in their natures, ſhould not have opportunity to act it in their lives.
4. Another way whereby men may be kept from ſin, may be from the affrightment of a natural conſcience; Gods Spirit doth not only ſometimes witneſſe with the ſpirit in godly men, but alſo checks the ſpirits of wicked men; and though a wicked man doth not forbeare to act ſinne obedientially, with any reſpect to the command of God; yet he forbeares to ſinne rationally, out of conviction from a natural conſcience. Natural conſcience it is that which over-rules and ſwayes a wicked man, ſo that he ſhall not do the evil he would; the Gentiles, having not the law; as the Apoſtle ſaith, that is the written law, Rom. 2.14.yet they do by nature the things contained in the law, and theſe having not the law, are a law unto themſelves; theſe Gentiles, though heathens, the Scripture ſayes they were a law unto themſelves, that is they have a conſcience which is inſtead of a law to them.
5. The feare which is implanted in men of humane lawes, and penal ſtatutes is another meanes to keep men from much ſinne; when a divine law cannot bear ſway with a wicked mans conſcience, a humane law will reſtraine his practice; if it were not ſo, how many murthers would there be, were it not more for venturing their neck…, then their ſouls? It is a mercy to have good lawes in a Nation, becauſe they reſtraine men from the practice of evil, when the law of God hath not a ſway upon mens conſciences. You finde in Scripture how men have been reſtrained meerly upon this account; the favourites of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon informing againſt Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego, Dan. 3.29.touching their God, there was an order made that the three children ſhould be caſt into the fiery furnace, and that it ſhould be ſeven times more hotter then formerly; well, they were caſt in, and the ſtory tells you, that they walked in the fire as in a pleaſant roome. Now this did ſo convince the King and his Nobles, that the King made this law, and ſent out this Edict, that every People, Nation, and language which ſpake any thing amiſſe againſt the God of Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego, they ſhall be cut in pieces, and their houſes be made a dunghill; here was a humane law, and this did ſo quell, and awe the people, that though they did raile againſt the God of Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego before, yet now they were ſilent: I only mention this to ſhew what force and power a humane law hath to reſtraine the ſin of wicked men.
6. Men may be kept from ſin, meerly by the preſence and example of good men among whom they live; who do take notice of, and obſerve their wayes. I remember that it is reported as a proverb among the Romanes, they will ſay, Take heed, Cato beholds you. Cato who was eſteemed a good man, and being ſo eſteemed, when any man was doing evil, this was their Proverb, Take heed, Cato ſees you. And thus you finde in Scripture concerning Herod, that he feared John, knowing that he was a juſt man, and an holy, and obſerved him. Jo…. 6.20.We have a ſtory in the book of Martyrs in the beginning of the firſt vollume, concerning John the Evangeliſt who wrote the Revelation; as he was riding upon the high way, a company of thieves met with him; and it ſo happened that the Captain of theſe thieves was a youth which lived under John's Miniſtery; and though John hardly knew him, yet he knew Iohn; and it is ſaid, when he ſaw the old man, he ran away; the guilt of his conſcience did ſo recoile upon him, and the preſence of Iohn, that he ranne away, not daring to act his accuſtomed wickedneſſe. To this purpoſe is that of the Apoſtle Paul, It is good to be zealouſly affected alwayes in a good thing, and not only when I am preſent with you. Gai. 4.18. Phil. 1.27. Phil. 2.12.It intimates that whileſt Paul was preſent, they walked marvellous well; but when he was abſent, they then grew idle; the preſence and example of good men is an occaſion many times to keep others from ſinne.
7. Men may be kept from ſinne, from an heroickneſſe of Spirit, and from the ingenuouſneſſe of a mans natural temper. And thus Luther before converſion, whilſt he was a Monk in the Church of Rome, yet he profeſſes that then he was never tainted with covetouſneſſe; he was of ſo ingenuous a ſpirit, that ſuch a ſordid ſinne did not cleave to him. And ſo Paul, he tells you of a natural gift which he had, which was continency. Thus it is reported of Plutarch that he ſhould ſay. Malo nullumſuiſſe Plutarchum, &c. Rom. 2.14.I had rather you ſhould ſay there is no ſuch man in the world, then to ſay that Pſ…tarch is either vaine, unjuſt, or unconſtant; the natural temper of the man did incline him to equity and juſtice. Paul ſpeaking of the Gentiles ſayes, that though they had not the Law, yet they did by nature the things contained in the Law; that is, by a refined nature. What is the reaſon that ſome men are paſſionate, and others not? the reaſon is not from renuing grace; but it is, becauſe there is in ſome a more ingenuouſneſſe of ſpirit then in others; and hereby many evils as to the act of them are reſtrained, though men be deſtitute of renuing grace.
8. Wicked men they may be kept from doing evil, for feare of puniſhment, either temporal or eternal; ſometimes fear of outward judgements: and thus it was with the Egyptians; Formidine poenae potiùs quàm deteſt…tione moli. Exod 12.33.they cry, Let the Iſraelites go, or we are all dead men; depart they muſt, but not becauſe God would have them go; nor yet out of love to the Iſralites, but out of love to themſelves; we are all dead men, if they be not free men. So we read the High Prieſts and Phariſees, Mat. 26.5.they would not kill Chriſt upon a feaſt-day, leſt there ſhould be an uproar among the people; it was not love to Chriſt, but love to themſelves. So many Polititians they would do many injurious acts, were it not that they feared the people.
9. The fear of hell, and Gods wrath, that may lie hard on the ſoul of a ſinner, and may keep him from doing wickedneſſe, fear of everlaſting burnings. To this purpoſe you have a notable paſſage of the Prophet Iſaiah, The ſinners in Sion, ſaies he, are afraid, fearfulneſſe hath ſurprized the hypocrites; Iſa. 3.3.14.what? what's the matter? This is the reaſon, Who among us can dwell with devouring fire? who can dwell with everlaſting barnings? The feare of Gods wrath made them afraid of ſinne.
10. Hope of temporal and eternal reward may be another cauſe why men may forbear ſinne. Mark. 10.17.And this was the conceit of that young man: What ſhall I do, that I may inherit eternal life! Chriſt anſwers him, Thou knoweſt the Commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not ſteale: and he anſwers, All theſe have I kept from my youth; he had more regard to the reward then to the rule in his obedience of the Commmandments. And thus Balaam his hope in a happy end did curb him that he did not commit an unrighteous act. Upon all theſe forementioned occaſions wicked men may refraine from ſinne; ſuch who are wholly without any truth of grace.
Ʋſe. The Uſe I ſhall make of this point ſhall be to wicked men, Pu…c…rum eſt in ſecundis t…rti…ſque conſiſter…, &c. Cicero.even to thoſe who upon any of the forementioned grounds have been kept from ſin.
1. Hereby you have leſſe ſinne then others have, or then your ſelves would have had, if you had been without reſtraining grace; though reſtraining grace in checking ſinne do not make you good; yet it makes you leſſe evil; though not holy and ſpiritual men, yet good moral men.
2. Your puniſhment will be leſſe then otherwiſe it would have been, in that God hath given you reſtraining grace to keep under ſinne. A Heathen ſhall be puniſhed leſſe, that hath reſtraining grace, then a Chriſtian which wants it. A ſober Heathen ſhall be puniſhed leſſe then a drunken Chriſtian.
3. Conſider, that in keeping under ſinne, you will not ſo fearfully break the peace of your conſciences; open and groſſe ſinnes they lay the conſcience open, and fill it with terrour and amazement; but the leſſe thou acteſt ſinne, the leſſe ſhall thy conſcience be troubled.
4. Hereby thou doeſt leſſe ſcandal religion, then otherwiſe thou wouldeſt have done; leſſer evils they give a ſcratch to the face of religion, but open ſinnes they give religion a ſtab at the heart; religion receives not ſo much diſreputation by cloſe hypocrites as by open prophaneneſſe.
5. Thou mighteſt do more hurt by thy ſinnes example if God ſhould leave thee, then now thou doeſt. Though thou art a bad man, yet if God reſtraine ſinne in thee, thou doe…t not give ſo bad an example as otherwiſe thou wouldeſt do.
6. Who knows but that theſe ſmal beginnings of reſtraining grace may be a forerunner of renuing grace? thou which art reſtrained from evil, though thou art at preſent wicked, who knows but that God may turne reſtraining grace into r…n…ing grace?
Ʋſe. 2 The next Uſe ſhall be of comfort to godly men; and truly there are many gracious hearts, which may upon what I have ſaid, raiſe to themſelves many fears and doubts; ſome ſuch feare as this may be in the breſts of many, and they may ſay,
Object. Sir, you have been treating of the power of Gods Spirit, even in its common workings by reſtraining grace to keep under ſinne in wicked men; and ſome may ſay that they fall ſhort not only of godly, but even of wicked men; for a wicked man can refraine thoſe ſinnes which I cannot. This objection may come from the heart of many a good man; and to this I ſhall lay down three or foure words by way of anſwer, and comfort, and ſo conclude all.
Anſwer. 1. Conſider, that to perceive the unbridled workings of ſinne in your natures, doth not argue the increaſe of ſinne; but your increaſe of light, and tenderneſſe in conſcience. Paul while he was unconverted, thought himſelf alive, and in a very happy condition before he ſaw the ſpirituality of the Law; Rom. 7.9.but when he was converted, When the Commandment came, ſin revived, and then he died; that is, the Law coming in power upon his conſcience he then ſaw ſin alive, and yet then he was in a converted eſtate and in a happy condition. As light breaking into a roome doth diſcover what wants and diſorders are there, which were unknown, and unſeen in the dark: ſo doth light breaking into the underſtanding, diſcover our ſpiritual wants.
2. Do not judge your ſelves to be in a bad eſtate, by the want of particular reſtraints under ſinne; but judge your ſelves by the powerful manifeſtations of habitual grace in your more ordinary and conſtant courſe and practice. It may be one man can bridle his paſſion, but thou canſt not; yet he may be a bad man, and thou a good man. A traveller perhaps may ſometimes ſtep into a wheel-tract, but his ordinary courſe is in the beaten road: ſo if thou falleſt into ſin, and wanteſt reſtraining grace, this may be thy falling into a wheele-tract; Prov. 16.17.thy ordinary way is the beaten path. It being the high way of the upright to depart from evil; yet now & then thou maiſt loſe thy way. You are not to judge of your ſelves by particular acts of reſtraint.
3. Though thou art overtaken with a ſin when other men are not, who are worſe then thy ſelf; yet conſider, thou haſt more temptations unto ſin then other men have. It is true, in ſome caſes a godly mans ſins they are more to be aggravated then a wicked mans, yet in other caſes a godly mans ſin is not ſo to be aggravated. The devil is more ſolicitous to tempt a godſy man to ſin, then he is a wicked man. Job. 1. Zeck. 3.1,2.When the ſons of God came together, the devil came alſo in the midſt of them. He owes them a ſpite; and therefore if they be now and then overtaken, they ſhould not judge themſelves by thoſe particular acts, but by the conſtant courſe of their lives.
4. Conſider, though thou doeſt yield to a ſinful act, Rom. 7. foreign.yet if ſin be not a Tyrant, nor a Lord over thee, thou haſt no cauſe to fear. Thou yieldeſt to ſin as to an Ʋſurper, not as to thy Liege Lord; though thou wanteſt the reſtraint of the Spirit in ſome particular acts to keep thee from evil, yet if thou art kept by God from the reigning power of ſin: be not diſcouraged, thou art in a happy condition.
5. Let this be your comfort; though now and then thou canſt not reſtraine the acts of ſin, yet ere long thou ſhalt be a compleat conquerour over all thy ſins; God ſhall tread down Satan under thy feet ſhortly; now thou fighteſt with the devil hand to hand, but then thou ſhalt trample him under thy feet: and let this be your comfort, who have the Spirit luſting againſt the Fleſh; your combate is but ſhort, your victory is certaine, your conqueſt is great, and your reward, and Crown everlaſting.
FINIS.