The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 2
SERMON. II. At Lawrence Jury, London. Novemb. 3. 1650.
GEN. 6. verſe 3.
And the Lord ſaid, My Spirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man, &c.
HAving opened and explained theſe words, and ſhewed how that it is a grievous judgement for God to withhold or withdraw the workings and operations of his Spirit from the Miniſtery of the Word, and likewiſe laid down the reaſons hereof; I come now to make the application thereof which ſhall carry a double reference.
1. To thoſe who finde the ſtrivings and workings of the Spirit in the miniſtery of the Word.
2. To thoſe who have the Spirit withheld from the miniſtery which they attend upon.
Ʋſe 1 To thoſe who are perſwaded that they finde the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the miniſtery of the word, there are two cautions or poſitions I would lay down for ſuch.
Poſition 1 Be ſure you do not miſtake moral perſwaſion to be the Spirits ſpecial working in you. When reaſon is convinced by the ſtrength of Scripture-argument, this is a morall perſwaſion, and the word of God may go farre this way, and yet there be onelyonly a common work of the Spirit; reaſon may be convinced, and there may be a great ſtirring up of the affections; where there is no effectual working of the Spirit, there may be flaſhes of joy, as in John Baptiſts hearers, they rejoyced in him for a ſeaſon; pangs of fear, as in Felix; fits of ſorrow, as in Eſau and Ahab. Moral perſwaſions are very like unto the Spirits workings; and that you may not take the one for the other, I ſhall lay down theſe three diſtinctions.
1. Moral perſwaſions do reach but to the outward man, but the Spirits operations to the inward man; they are ſuch which reach the heart, and the inward part; Thou deſirest truth (ſaith David) in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou ſhalt make me to know wiſdome.Pſal. 51.6.
2. Moral perſwaſions they do only reſtraine the acts of ſinne, but the Spirits working debilitates the habits of ſinne; and herein is the force and power of the Spirits workings ſeene, in that it changes the habit, and mortifies the inclination to that which is evill.
3. Moral perſwaſions they only make a man forbeare ſinne rather for feare of puniſhment, then out of love to holineſſe, or hatred of ſinne with reſpect to God; whereas the operations of the Spirit they are upon the heart, changing it, and making it in love with holineſſe, cauſing us to hate ſinne more then fear the puniſhment of it, viz. becauſe of its contrariety to Gods goodneſſe, holineſſe and authority.
Poſition 2 To them who have found the Spirit of God working upon their hearts in the Miniſtery of the Word; aſcribe the glory to God only; not to the meanes, nor to your ſelves in the uſe of the meanes, neither glory to the Miniſter, nor glory to the Miniſtery, 2 Cor. 3.3.nor glory to your ſelves, but to God only. Ye are our Epiſtle written, (ſaies the Apoſtle) not with pen and inke, but with the Spirit of the living God; he compares the people to paper, the Miniſtery to inke, the Miniſter to the pen, but it muſt be the Spirit of God which muſt write with it, 2 Cor. 10.4.through the working of the Spirit the Miniſtery becomes effectuall. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, to pull down ſtrong holds; he doth not ſay, we are mighty, but the Goſpel …s mighty; not in it ſelf, but it is mighty through the operations of the Spirit of God. And ſo alſo the Apoſtle (ſaies he) I laboured more abundantly then they ai, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1 Cor. 15.10.Miniſters muſt ſay with Peter, Acts 3.12. Why look you ſo earneſtly on us, as if by our own power and holineſſe we had made this man walke? verſ. 16. No,—But the name of Jeſus Chriſt hath made this man ſtrong. Aſcribe not therefore praiſe to the Miniſter, nor to your ſelves; you have not been your own converters, you gave not your ſelves your firſt being in nature, much leſſe your being in grace; it is not you, but the grace of God. Thy pound (ſaith that ſervant in the Parable) hath gained ten pounds, and thy pound hath gained five pounds; Luk 19.16,18not my paines, but thy pound; So ſay you to God in all that good you have received by Ordinances, thy Spirit hath been the worker and effecter of it, Pſal. 115.1.and unto thee be given all the glory; Not unto us, but unto thy Name be the glory.
Poſition 3 To them who have found the workings of the Spirit in the Miniſtery of the Word ſee thou be thankful for it. Conſider, that the Spirit doth work upon men more clearly and more efficaciouſly now under the Goſpel then ever it did upon men under the Law, and this is a very comfortable poſition; the Spirit of God works more clearly and efficaciouſly.
1. More clearly, In the latter dayes the Spirit ſpeaks expreſly, and holy men of God wrote, as they were directed by the Spirit of God; 1 Tim. 4.1. foreign.the nearer it was to Chriſts coming in the fleſh, the clearer were things of the Covenant of grace known; and ſo the Evangeliſt Saint Luke writing to Theophilus, ſaies (Moſt excellent Theophilus) the things which we write, are moſt ſurely believed among us; Luke 1.1.things were hardly believed before, becauſe they were darkly delivered; and therefore you read, that in other ages the Miniſtery of Christ was not made known to the ſonnes of men, as it is now revealed unto us by his Spirit; Eph. 3.5.it was a Myſtery hid from the foundation of the world, that is, not totally hid in compariſon of the now revealing it, but there was not ſo clear a diſcovery made thereof by the Spirit; and here I would have you to obſerve, that under the Old Teſtament, the Spirit did reveale things gradually, now a little and then a little: and did keep the full manifeſtation of the glory of Chriſt untill he came in the fleſh; foreign Heb. 1.1.—As firſt in Adams time it was only known unto the world, that the Saviour of mankinde ſhould be born of a woman. And then in Abrahams time it was farther revealed, that Chriſt which ſhould ſave the world, ſhould come out of Abrahams loines; but then all this while, Gen. 12.3.though it were known that he ſhould be of the ſeed of a woman, and of the ſeed of Abraham alſo; Yet thirdly, it was not revealed of what tribe he ſhould be, that was revealed in Jacobs time, viz. of that tribe of Judah; Gen. 49.10.—but yet in all this time it was not mentioned how he ſhould be borne, and therefore in Iſaiahs time it was ſaid, A Virgin ſhall conceive, and bring forth a Sonne; but where he ſhould be borne, Iſa. 7.14.that was not revealed untill Micahs time; where it is ſaid, Micah. 5.2.But thou Bethlem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thouſands of Judah; yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Iſrael, whoſe goings out have beene from of old, from everlasting; nor the time, till Daniel had it by revelation.Dan. 9.24.
Thus you ſee, and thus true it is what the Apoſtle tells you, that at ſundry times, and in divers manners the Lord hath revealed himſelf to the ſonnes of men; Heb. 1.1.ſo that herein what cauſe have we to bleſſe God that we are not borne in ancient dayes, but in thoſe wherein the Spirit of God doth reveale plainly and clearly the Myſteries of Religion.
2. As the Spirit in theſe dayes of the Goſpel doth make known things more plainly and clearly: So alſo more efficaciouſly the Spirit operates with more efficacy upon mens affections; and therefore in the dayes of John the Baptiſt it is ſaid, Matth. 11.12.that the Kingdome of Heaven ſuffered violence, and the violent tooke it by force; that is, the Spirit by its effectual working did make men more eager and vehement for heaven then they were before under the Law. There ſhall be a more glorious manifeſtation of the Spirit in its operations; and hence you read of that promiſe in the Prophet Iſaiah concerning the abundance of Goſpel-grace, that the light of the Moone ſhall be as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne ſhall be ſeven-fold, as the light of ſeven dayes. Iſa. 30.26.In Goſpel-times there is a full revelation of the Spirit, and therefore you read that when Ezekiel deſcribed the holy City in his Propheſie, and Saint John the New Jeruſalem in his Revelations; John deſcribes his City farre more large then Ezekiel did his, to note (ſay Interpreters) that God reveals more by his Spirit now then he did in former time.
Poſition 4 You that have found the Spirit of God efficacious in the Miniſtery; Conſider, That the Spirit to ſet a dignity on the Miniſtery of the Word, doth not work upon man immediately, but mediately; the Spirit will not teach men immediately, but tranſmits them to an outward miniſtery, which ſets a great dignity upon it. I ſhall give you three famous inſtances hereof, wherein the Spirit refuſes to teach men immediately, but leaves them to an outward Miniſtery. One whereof you haves concerning the Ethiopian Eunuch, who reading in his Chariot the Prophecie of Iſaiah, and the Spirt obſerving him how he read, and could not underſtand, bids Philip go neare, and joyne himſelf to his Chariot, and expound to him what he read; Acts 8.29.the Spirit would not do it immediately himſelf, but bids Philip go. Interpreters obſerve hence, what a dignity the Spirit of God puts on the Miniſtery of the Word; that in thoſe times when Viſions and Revelations were in uſe, yet God eſtabliſht the Miniſtery.
Another inſtance you have of Paul at his converſion, Act. 9.4. &c.when he ſaw that Viſion, and heard that voice, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? and crying out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Now Chriſt would not tell Paul immediately, but ſaies he, Go to Damaſcus, and thertehou ſhalt meet with Ananias, and he will tell thee what thou ſhalt do. Thus Chriſt he would not immediately himſelf teach Paul, but ſends him to Ananias, that he might ſet… greater dignity upon the Goſpel-Miniſtery. And therefore they that will expect the Spirit, muſt attend upon the Ordinances; as thoſe that would be healed, muſt ſtep into the Poole when the Angel moved.
Another example you have of Cornelius, when he ſaw the Angel, and was ſore afraid, and ſaid, What is it Lord? The Lord he bids him ſend for Peter, and he ſhould ſhew him what he ought to do. Thus doth the Lord dignifie the Miniſtery of the Goſpel.
I mention this particular the rather, to ſhew the vanity of Enthuſiaſme, that would aboliſh the Miniſtery, and cry up the Spirits immediate teaching; but here we ſee the great dignity which the Spirit ſets on the Miniſtery of poor weak and fraile man, in that he will not teack men immediately, but ſends them to the Miniſtery of the Goſpel.
Poſition 5 Though the Spirit, who is abſolutely free in his operations, ſometimes hath wrought without the Word, yet never hath the Spirit wrought upon any mans heart againſt the Word. To the Law and to the teſtimony, if they ſpeak not according, to the Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. Iſa. 8.20.I mention this Poſition, to condemne thoſe vaine impulſes of Spirit, which men in our dayes pretend to; but let ſuch remember, that to plead an impulſe of Spirit contrary to the Word of God, it is not from God, but an inſtigation from the Devill. And yet many have forſaken the bright Lamp of Gods Word to follow the ignis fatuus of their own fancy.
Poſition 6 You which have found the efficacious working of the Spirit in the Miniſtery of the Word, bleſſe you God, that hath not left you a naked, empty, and inefficacious Miniſtery to attend upon; the word as it is in our mouths without the operation of the Spirit, is but a poor, weak, and empty thing; thereby men often occaſionally are hardened and perverted; but you who have found the Spirit backing the Word in the Miniſtery thereof, bleſſe you God that hath put ſuch rich treaſure in earthen veſſels; that what the Apoſtle ſaid to the Corinthians is made good to you, 1 Cor. 2.4,5.Our Miniſtery (ſaies he) came not to you with enticing words of mans wiſdome, but in demonſtration of the Spirit and of power; bleſſe you God that hath put forth ſuch a power in the Miniſtery of the Word for the good of your ſouls. This is the firſt uſe to to thoſe who have found the Miniſtery of the Word accompanied with the efficacy of the Spirit.
Ʋſe 2 To thoſe who have the efficacy and operation of the Spirit withheld from the Miniſtery they attend upon; there are ſeven things I would have ſuch to take notice of.
1. That Gods Spirit is a free agent, and is not to be tied to an outward Miniſtery, but to be left at liberty to work how, when, and in what manner he pleaſes. The winde bloweth where it liſteth, even ſo is every man which is born of the Spirit. John 3.8.By the wind is meant the Spirit. There is a Sovereignty and free agency in the Spirit of God to work when he pleaſes, or to withhold working from whom he pleaſes; And therefore the Spirit of God is called a free Spirit, Pſal 51.12. Ʋphold me with thy free Spirit; and James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.
2. Conſider that God doth not withhold his Spirit from the outward Miniſtery, meerly as an act of his Sovereignty, but as an act of his Juſtice, becauſe of your ſins whereby you have provoked him. You provoke him to withhold the efficacy of his Spirit from his Ordinances by your ſins, and therefore are you hardened, and receive not benefit by them; you do ſome of thoſe injuries to the Spirit, as quenching, grieving, reſiſting, vexing, tempting and deſpiſing the Spirit (which I mentioned before;) therefore do not think hardly of God, but judge your ſelves. Sinne was the cauſe which made the Lord withdraw his Spirit, that it ſhould not ſtrive with the men of the old world; it was their diſobedience, as you finde the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaking, Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the ſpirits in priſon, which ſometimes were diſobedient, when once the long-ſuffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah; 1 Pet 3.19.20.their diſobedience made God withdraw the efficacy of his Spirit; if therefore the Spirit do not work on you, think not hardly on God, but thank your ſelves, he is provoked unto it. Thus God departed from the Iſraelites, becauſe of their ſinfull provocations, Pſalm 81.11,12.—But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own wayes. The Spirit in Scripture is compared to a Dove; now a Dove will alwayes keep in the houſe where it is bred, unleſſe the Dove-houſe be naſtily kept. The Spirit of God in this may fitly be reſembled by a Dove; keep your hearts clean, and the Spirit will abide with you; keep them naſty; and the Spirit will ſoone leave you; ſin is the cauſe why the Spirit withdraws it ſelf from the Ordinances, and why men are left unto themſelves, and God doth it as an act of his juſtice, puniſhing of ſin.
3. If God do withhold his Spirit from the Miniſtery of the Word, the fault is rather to be imputed to thy ſelf, then unto the Word. Many like the woman in Seneca, complaine the roome is dark, when they themſelves are blinde, and the place wants no light, but they want eyes: Or to him that preaches the Word, uſually if men do not profit by the hearing of the word, the blame is caſt upon the Miniſter; and truly we Miniſters have our faults as well as others, if we preach not plainly, methodically, and duly there is a fault in us; but yet I ſay, you are rather to blame your ſelves, then either the Word, or the Miniſter thereof: If the ſeed grow not, the fault is neither in the hand of the husbandman, nor in the influence of the heavens, but in the badneſſe of the ſoile. That you may know where the fault lies; conſider
1. If a Miniſter preaches plainly and impartially, and yet thou getteſt no good by him, the fault is thy own, not his. It was the Herodians fault, not Chriſts, that thoſe perſons profited not by Chriſts preaching, for they themſelves give this teſtimony of Chriſt, Matth. 22.16. Maſter, we know that thou art true, and teacheſt the way of God in truth.
2. If other men get good by his Miniſtery, and not thou, the fault is thine, not his; If at a feaſt others are fed, & thou famiſht, the fault is in thy ſtomach, not meat.
3. In caſe you have formerly got good by a Miniſter, but now you get none, formerly your affections were ſtirred up, your deſires were increaſed, your love inflamed, but now no ſuch effect, the fault is thine own; It was the fault of the hearers of John Baptiſt, the fault was not in John's Doctrine, that they rejoyced onelyonly for a ſeaſon; this alſo was the fault of the Galatians that they profited not by Pauls Miniſtery as before, Gal. 4.16. Gal. 4.16.This cometh not from the ſeed it ſelf, but from the badneſſe of the ground into which it is caſt. If thou profiteſt not by the Word thou heareſt, thou art to blame thine own naughty heart, not the Word, or the diſpenſer thereof.
4. Though there is much dignity and excellency to be aſcribed to the Word of God nakedly conſidered, yet there is no efficacy in it to convert a ſoul without the Spirits' concurrence; As it was in the Pool of Betheſda, not the water, nor ſtepping into it healed, but the Angels moving therein, John 5.4. So alſo, not the Word alone, nor hearing of it, 2 Cor. 3.6.but the Spirit healeth; The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life, (ſaies the Apoſtle) that is, the Word without the Spirit, it is only the Spirit which can give life: The Spirit without the Word will not ordinarily convert, and the Word without the Spirit cannot. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace; Iſa. 57.19.by the fruit of the lips the Prophet underſtands a Goſpel-Miniſtery, but ſayes God I muſt not create peace by the fruit of the lips. it is the working of the Spirit with the Word, which makes the Word to become effectual; and therefore the Goſpel is called the Miniſtery of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8,9.
5. It is a worſe judgement to have the Spirit withheld from the Word, then to be without the Word; and the reaſon is this, becauſe the Spirit can convert a man without the Word, but the Word can never convert a man without the Spirit; and therefore it is a worſe judgement for thee to hear Sermons every day, and to have the Spirits concurrent efficacy withheld from thoſe Sermons, then if thou ſhouldeſt never learn a Sermon in all thy life-time; therefore pray unto God that his own Spirit may accompany his own Word and Ordinances to make them effectuall for the good of thy ſoul.
6. The Spirit of God may be for a time withheld from Gods own people, that it ſhall not attend an outward Miniſtery, and this is a very ſad judgement; it may be withheld from Gods elect in a converting way. As the man lay 38. yeers at the poole of Betheſda before he was healed; ſo an elect veſſell of God may lie twenty, thirty, or fourty yeers in a ſtate of unregeneracy before he is converted. Nay, after converſion the Spirit of God may be withheld from the Miniſtery of the Word, which Gods own people attend upon, and that in theſe two wayes.
1. In its Comforting work, and thus it was with David, Lord, ſaies he, take not thy holy Spirit from me; Reſtore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation, and stabliſh me with thy free Spirit; Pſal. 51.11.12.thus was the Spirit withdrawn from David in its comforting work. I do not tell you the graces of Gods children can be taken away, but the comfort of their graces, and of the Spirit of God may be taken away from them.
2. God may withhold his Spirit in its quickening work, thou mayeſt come to an Ordinance with a hard heart, and it may not ſoften thee; though the preſence of God is never utterly taken away from a godly man, yet the influences and quickenings of Gods Spirit may be withdrawn; the Spirit may be withdrawn in a quickening way, ſo as in grace thou mayeſt decay, and in duty thou mayeſt grow cold and dull, but yet the preſence of God ſhall never be taken away from a godly man. There is the ſame Sun in the firmament in winter as in ſummer, but not the warme working and quickening influence.
7. And laſtly, The Spirit of God may be given to men waiting on a publike Miniſtery in its common workings, and yet it may be withheld from them in its ſaving and effectuall operations; and thus it was with the Corinthians, many of them had the Spirit to attend Pauls Miniſtery in the common workings of it, but yet not in its ſaving effects, and therefore ſaies Paul, Though you come behinde in no gifts, yet I must ſpeak unto you as carnal; look to your ſelves therefore, the Spirit in its common workings may attend the Miniſtery to fill you with notions, yet it may be withheld in regard of its ſaving operations.