The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 5
SERMON. V. At Lawrence Jury. London. Novemb. 17. 1650.
GEN. 6. verſe 3.
And the Lord ſaid, My Spirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man, &c.
I Proceed now to handle to you the withholdings of the Spirit in reference to good, that it ſhall not ſtirre up holy motions in the heart unto duty. But before I come particularly to ſpeak of this, I ſhall lay down a fourfold diſtinction about the Spirits motions to good.
1. There are exciting acts of the Spirit in ſtirring up holy affections in the heart, in blowing up thoſe coales of affection and grace within them; John 14.26.and this is that which was promiſed by Chriſt, that the holy Ghoſt ſhall bring all things to rememberance.
2. There is an aſſiſting act of the Spirit; Rom. 8.26. foreign.the Spirit in Scripture is ſaid to help our infirmities. You reade not onelyonly of an interceſſion of the Spirit in a way of acceptance, but of an interceſſion of the Spirit by way of aſſiſtance. As in a tree, though there be a ſeminal vertue in the tree, yet without the helping influence of heaven it beares no fruit: So the Spirit of God helps us to work, Col. 1.18.Pſal. 12.13. and Epheſ. 1.19.
3. There is a corroborating act of the Spirit; not onelyonly bare aſſiſtance, but ſtrength and increaſe of grace by the Spirit of God to the ſouls of men; and therefore you read of the ſupplies of the Spirit, Phil. 1.19. foreign.farther degrees and meaſures of the Spirit.
4. There is a comforting and a teſtifying act of the Spirit, when the Spirit of God ſhall back the teſtimony of thy conſcience, to evidence the ſincerity of thy heart; and thus you read of Paul, that his conſcience did beare him witneſſe in the holy Ghoſt; the Spirit of God did witneſſe with his ſpirit the truth and ſincerity of his heart.Rom. 9.1. 2 Cor. 1.12.—Now though I might handle all theſe particulars, and ſhew what a grievous judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in theſe regards: Yet I ſhall onelyonly ſpeak of the Spirit, and ſhew what a ſad judgement it is to have the Spirit withheld in its exciting acts, that it ſhall not ſtir up holy motions in the heart to good; in the handling of which I ſhall proceed after this method.
1. Shew you, wherein it appears to be a judgement to have the Spirit withheld in regard of holy motions to good.
2. When the Spirit doth vouchſafe ſuch motions; how you may know them, and difference them from thoſe motions to good which the Devil may ſtir a man up unto.
1. That man from whom the Spirit is withheld in its motions unto good, there are theſe three miſeries which will attend him.
1. There will be a vacuity or emptineſſe of holy thoughts in thy heart. The Spirit of God is like unto the ſpring in the Clock, if that lie ſtill, all lies ſtill; ſo if the Spirit of God lies ſtill within thee, Phil. 2.13.all thy affections which are the motions of thy ſoul, they cannot ſtirre. It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleaſure. If the Spirit of God be withheld, there cannot be ſo much as a will in thee to that which is truly good. Mans heart it is like that houſe in the Parable, Matth. 12.44.(when the Spirit is withheld from him) when the Devil came to poſſeſſe it, it is ſaid that he found it empty, ſwept and garniſhed; empty, that is, void of any holy thoughts, and gracious motions; and garniſhed, that is, not with the graces of Gods Spirit, but with the Devils furniture; and if you will ſee what that furniture is, read Matth. 15.19,20. There will be an emptineſſe in thy heart of good motions, when God withdrawes his Spirit.
2. Thy heart will he filled and peſtered with evill motions from the Devill. Mans heart it cannot lie long idle or empty; if it be not filled withe the Spirits motions, it will be by the Devils inſtigations. The heart if it be not Chriſts garden, it will be the Devils Seminary; if not Chriſts ſtore-houſe, it will be the Devils work-houſe; if it be not the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, it will be the Devils Chappel. Now this is that which makes the miſery the greater when evill motions do peſter and fill the heart; the Sripture expreſſes it by the Devils filling of the heart. If the gales of the holy Spirit do not fill the ſailes of thy heart to ſet thee forward to heaven, then the inſtigation and provocations of Satan will help to drive thee forward to hell; Epheſ. 5.18. 1 John 4.13.and it is worth your noting, as the Scripture ſpeaks of the indwelling of the Spirit, that is, by its motions in the hearts of the godly; as we ſay the Sunne is in the houſe, when only the beames thereof are there: So when evill motions ſhall fill our hearts, the Scripture expreſſes this by the Devils being there; thus the Apoſtle to Ananians, Why hath Satan filled thy heart? Acts 5.3.it is not to be underſtood of a bodily poſſeſſion, but the meaning is that the Devil put that covetous motion into his heart; the Devill was in that motion which was in his heart; and therefore men are to look upon evill motions, as having the Devill in them. When Judas had a motion to betray Chriſt, it's ſaid, Luke 22.3.Then entered Satan into him; the Devill entered with that motion, for immediately he went out and communed with the high Prieſts, and came to an agreement with them about the betraying of Chriſt, and they muſt needs go whom the Devill drives, as we ſay in the Proverb. What a miſery then is this? when the Spirit of God is withheld in its gracious motions, then will the Devill poſſeſſe thy heart by evill motions.
3. If the Spirit withdraw in its exciting acts, it will alſo be withheld in its aſſiſting acts, this is a farther miſery; if it never move you to act grace, it will never aſſiſt you therein. It is true, that ſometimes there may be motions to good in the heart which may not be backt with aſſiſtance. The reſolutions that many take to become reformed, are the common workings of the Spirit, which many times are never brought into act by any farther aſſiſtance of the Spirit; as ſometimes convictions are without converſion. But this is certain, that where the Spirit moves not to good, it will not aſſiſt in the doing thereof; water can riſe no higher then the ſpring from whence it flows; if thy motions are natural, there will be no more aſſiſtance then what comes from nature.
Now we may know the miſery of the Spirits withdrawing his exciting and aſſiſting power by the particulars following, viz. 1. Upon this withdrawing the ſoul is not ſo voluntarily put upon doing good, nor doth it ſet upon holy duties with ſo much liking delight and complacency, but rather doth them in a compulſory way, and we come to them as a Bear to the ſtake, or as a childe ſent to ſchoole.
2. Nor with ſo much frequency; once ſeven times a day with David, or three times a day with Daniel; now not ſeven times in a monethmonth, nor thrice aweek.
3. Nor with ſo much fervency, nor with ſuch warme working affections, as formerly; but men are lazie, lukewarme, liſtleſſe, and liveleſſe in all holy exerciſes.
4. Nor is there ſuch conſiſtency of holy motions, but they are gliding, tranſient and fleeting; not fixt, and abiding upon the heart.
But how may a man know the difference between the Spirits exciting to good, and the Devils motions in the heart to do good?—This is a practical and uſeful caſe, becauſe it is poſſible, yea common, that the Devill will move men to do good; the Devill in this caſe doth ſometimes appear as an Angel of light; therefore to anſwer the Queſtion, I ſhall lay down ſeveral particulars.
Anſw. 1 If thou haſt a motion to do good out of thy place and calling, this motion is from the devil, not from God: An example hereof you have in Saul when the Philiſtims were comming down againſt him, and ſayes he; I have not made ſupplication to the Lord, I forced my ſelfe therefore, and offered a burnt-offering. 1 Sam. 13.12,13.The matter of the thing he did was good, to offer a ſacrifice, and make ſupplication; but it was not Sauls office and place to do ſo, and therefore though the matter was good, yet the motion thereunto came from the devil; and hereupon you finde how much the Lord was diſp…eaſed with him for the doing of it, and Samuel reproved him for it, ver. 13. and ſaid, Thou haſt done fooliſhly, and haſt not kept the Commandment of the Lord. So you read of Ʋzziah, he would not intermit the worſhip of God, and therefore he himſelf would burne incenſe; 2 Chron. 26.18but for his fact you finde that he was ſmitten with a Leproſie. To offer ſacrifice, it was a good thing, but it was not good in Ʋzziah who had no call ſo to do. And as it is thus in Divine, ſo alſo in Political affairs; as for a private man to do the work of a Magiſtrate; it being out of his place and calling, it is from the devil, not from God. Abſolom undertakes to ſhew juſtice to the people, but what this? he was but an uſurper of the royal office; and as he had no right to the regal power, neither had he any call to adminiſter pulick juſtice. For private men upon a pretence of being gifted, to take upon them the publick Miniſtery, it cannot be from the Spirit of God; for the Spirit keeps men within their bounds: therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, Let every man wherein he is called, abide therein with God. 1 Cor. 7.20,24.The Spirit it puts men upon the doing of good in their place and calling, but the devil doth not. As fire in the Chimney, it is good, and is put there by your ſevants; but fire put in the roofe or rafters of your houſe, that is done by an enemy. Motions to good in your place and calling, they come from the Spirit of God, but motions to good out of your calling are ſuggeſted by the devil.
2. The devil he may move you to good, but then it may be it is, that he may hinder you in the doing of a greater good. It is very obſervable, when our Saviour began to ſhew his Diſciples, Mat. 16.21,22,23.how that he muſt go unto Jeruſalem, and ſuffer many things of the Elders, the chief Prieſts, and the Scribes, and be killed, and be raiſed again the third day: That Peter took him and began to rebuke him ſaying, Be it far from thee Lord, this ſhall not be unto thee. Now this came from the devil, that he might hinder the work of mans ſalvation; and therefore ſayes Chriſt, Get thee behinde me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me; for thou ſavoureſt not the things that be of God, but thoſe that be of men. There is much of Gods minde in theſe words. Indeed the Papiſts who pretend a fu ceſſion from Peter, they would excuſe Peter in this motion, and would make it a divine motion: But Proteſtants do generally concurre in this, that Peters motion was naturally good, he ſhewed in it a natural love to Chriſt, but yet the devil was in it too, and therefore Chriſt calls him Satan, Get thee behinde me, Satan; and then, Thou art an offence to me in that thou ſhouldeſt make ſuch a motion, to hinder me from going on to work out and accompliſh the ſalvation of my people; and then it could not be from the Spirit; for, ſayes he, Thou ſavoureſt not the things that be of God, but thoſe that are of man. At the firſt view you would deeme this a very loving motion, but the devil had a finger in it, he will move you to do good, ſo it may hinder you in the performance of a greater good. But the Spirit of God will ſo move you to the doing of one good thing, that it ſhall not juſtle out the performance of another.
3. The devil when he moves men to do good, it is to make them do it unſeaſonably, on p…rpoſe that one duty may juſtle out another; as ſuppoſe thou wouldeſt pray, and happily the devil he cannot diſtract thee by ſinful thoughts, yet he will labour to do it by good thoughts unſeaſonably remembred, as if thou art praying to have thy thoughts then taken up with what Sermons thou haſt heard, and of what parts of the Bible thou haſt read, this though in it ſelfe it is good, yet it comes from the devil; and therefore thoſe that now come to our aſſemblies, and will preſently fall upon private prayer in the time of publick worſhip, though the duty in it ſelf is good, yet it is unſeaſonably done and comes not from the holy Spirit, the God of order. There are ſeveral inſtances hereof. That man which came to Chriſt and deſired him to divide the inheritance between him and his brother; Luke 12.13.the motion though it was good, yet it was unſeaſonably made, becauſe it was when Chriſt was preaching; and therefore though good, yet it came from the devil that he might hinder a greater good. And thus thoſe people, When will the new Moone be over, that we may ſell corne? and the Sabbath, that we may ſet forth wheate? Amos 8.5.It was no evil thing to ſell wheat, but the motion was unſeaſonable, becauſe it was upon the Sabbath day. Good motions in ſeaſon they are a bleſſing, Deut. 28.12.even as rain in a dry ſeaſon is a comfort; but raine in harveſt is not ſo. Good motions coming into a mans minde unſeaſonably, as when a man is praying, then to think of what he hath heard in a Sermon; and when a man is hearing, then to think of praying, theſe come from the evil, not the good Spirit; as a Printer though his paper be good, and his letter faire, yet if he miſplace his letter, and put one letter for another he will make non-ſenſe: Even ſo are good thoughts out of ſeaſon.
4. When a man is moved ſo to do good, that the performance of it is a prejudice to bodily health; this comes not from Gods holy Spirit, but from the evil ſpirit. And herein young converts are very injudicious, at firſt they have ſtrong affections, and they think they muſt read ſo many Chapters, pray ſo many houres, and hear ſo many Sermons, otherwiſe their conſciences check them, and they think that all this comes from God, whereas rather they are put upon it by the impulſes of their own ſpirit. If thou art ſtrongly moved to a duty, and ſo moved to it that either the continuance or frequency in it doth impaire the ſtrength of nature, this is not commanded by God; for God had rather have mercy then ſacrifice in ſuch a caſe, God is not rigorous and cruel in commanding of duty. The Jews learnt of God to ſacrifice; their beaſts but they learnt of the devil to ſacrifice their children. God requires not that you ſhould faſt ſo often, and do duty ſo long, as to weaken health and ſtrength; he hath made no duty for the ſoul to be prejudicial to the body. God will have mercy, and not ſacrifice. Hoſea 6.6. God deals with young converts as Jacob did with the children and flocks, he will not out-drive them. Indeed it is the devils Religion to put men upon ſuch ſervices as are cruel to their own bodies, and thus the worſhippers of Baal they cut themſelves, till the blood guſhed out upon them; 1 Kin. 18.28.they were cruel to their own bodies, whereas the Lord never commanded any ſuch thing at their hands.—I mention not this, that it may be a plea for any one to pamper their bodies, or that they ſhould be negligent in the ſervice of God; but for the ſake of young converts, who think they can never do enough in duty, who do more then ever God required at their hands.
5. Motions from the devil to good, they are uſually when they may hinder, and cauſe a man to neglect his outward and neceſſary calling; this young converts are greatly faulty in; their endeavours are ſuch, and their proſecutions ſo earneſt to live holily, that they live idly. God did never ſo order Religion that it ſhould be a diſadvantage to our particular callings in the world. He is a good Chriſtian that knows how to pray, and hear, and how to labour in his calling too. I know that ſecular affaires and imployments, they robbe the ſoul of much time in that duty it ows to God. I plead not at all for this, but this is that which I would preſſe: I would neither have your particular callings rob time from your general callings and duties as Chriſtians, nor your generall callings rob time from your particular callings as men, who are to live here in the world. This was a corruption grown upon the firſt plantation of the Church; the Apoſtle tells you of ſome, who walked diſorderly, and did not worke at all. 2 Theſ. 3.11.Some imagine that under this pretence they would not follow a calling, becauſe they would wholly devote themſelves to the ſervice of God; of theſe the Apoſtle ſpeakes, and ſuch are they who lead a Monaſterial life, under a pretence to be more at leaſure to ſerve God, when indeed they but put their candle under a buſhel, and hide their talent in a napkin. This comes from the Devil, and not from God; for God never ordained that his ſervice ſhould make you negligent in your outward callings; but hath commanded that with quietneſs you work, and eat your own bread. 2 Theſ. 3.12. 1 Tim. 5.8.I ſpeak not this to make men worldly, and that they ſhould glut themſelves with worldly buſineſs. It is the fault of many, that they graſp too much worldly buſineſs, and are to their ſouls worſe then Egyptian task-maſters; but let not men rob time from God, and give it to the world; but I ſpeak this for the ſake of young converts, who will be every day faſting, and every day hearing, and in the mean time neglect their outward and neceſſary callings in the world.
6. Motions to good come from the Divel, in caſe our motions of duty to God make us neglect our duty to man. A notable text you have for this out of the Evangeliſt Matthew; the Scribes and Phariſees had taught this Doctrine, that if any man had been free and liberal in giving towards pious uſes, he ſhould be free from thoſe duties which he owed to his father and mother, therefore ſay they, Whoſoever ſhall ſay to his father or his mother, It is … gift, by whatſoever thou mighteſt be profited by me, and honour not his father or his mother, he ſhall be free. Mat. 15.5,6.This the Scripture condemnes for hypocriſie, when men out of a pretence of duty to God, ſhall neglect their duty to men, & therefore it comes from the Divel. The Spirit of God when it moves men to duty, it moves them with an equal motion, as wel duties to man, Mich. 6.7.as duties to God, duties of the ſecond, as wel as of the firſt table; unto duties of charity & equity, as wel as of pity towards God, if a man be never ſo pious towards God, and yet is neglective of his duty to man, this man is not led by the Spirit of God, for that leads a man to one duty as well as the other. A boat that's made onelyonly by one oare on one ſide, will not go right, no more will a man go right to Heaven that is partial in his obedience.
7. When the Devil moves you to do good, he ſo moves you to be eager in the doing of it, Gal. 5.4. compared with Verſe 8.that you may depend on the good you do. To this purpoſe ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, Whoſoever of you are juſtified by workes, ye are faln from grace; whoſoever ſhal depend upon the works he doth for juſtification, is not led thereunto by the Spirit of God; and therfore it followeth (ſaith he) This perſwaſion cometh not of him that calleth you, it cometh not from God; for the Spirit of God it quells and keeps down the thought of merit. In former times (though I could not contemne works of mercy, but wiſh there were more of them in this iron age of the world, when moſt men are guilty of hard-hearted uncharitableneſs.) What was the reaſon that men Popiſhly affected have left ſuch monuments of their liberality behinde them, doing many notable works of mercy. but only hope of merit by them? a worke of mercy it is good in it ſelf, but to be moved to it upon a hope of merit, this comes from the Devil, not from God.
8. When the Devil ſhall put thee upon the doing of good at that time, which is not thy own time. As ſuppoſe the life of any neer in relation unto t…e is in danger, and thou out of love to the Word of God, wilt go and hear it, and neglect thy ſick friend; in this caſe the Lord would have thee rather ſhew mercy then ſacrifice; every thing is moſt beautiful in its ſeaſon. Again, for ſervants when they are about their Maſters buſineſs, when the welfare of thy Maſter lies upon thy diligence, and thou ſhalt then have a motion to pray, or a motion to hear, and ſo fall upon the exerciſe of Religious duties, ſo as to neglect thy Maſters buſineſs; this is a ſin, and comes from the Devil. And the reaſon is this, becauſe God looks upon ſervants, their perſons and their time, as none of their own, and thou ſhalt at ſuch time pleaſe God more in the doing of thy Maſters buſineſs then if thou wert on thyknees at thy prayers.—Now I do not mention this to make men ſevere towards their ſervants, as to allow them more time for God and their ſouls; nor to quench any good motions which ſhall be in them to good, as many wretched and worldly Maſters do to their godly ſervants; but this is that I could adviſe them, that they ſhould not take time for holy duties from their neceſſary buſineſs, whereby their Maſters may be prejudiced, but rather from their ſleep, and thoſe vacant houres which are allowed them.
9. when you ſhall be moved to do a good thing which is above your growth, ann too high, and too hard for you, this motion comes not from the Spirit of God. When women and young men, whoſe educations do not require it, ſhall dive into queſtions, and darke controverſies in Religion, God requires not this at their hands, but rather that they ſhould ſtudy and follow plain ſundamental points. Chriſt he would not put his young diſciples upon duties above their ſtrength and growth, Mat. 9.16,17and young and weak Chriſtians they ſhould not put themſelves upon the doing of thoſe things which are too hard for them, and which God never commanded them; you have an excellent rule for this in Pſal. 131.1. Lord, my heart is not hau…hty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exerciſe my ſelf in great matters, nor in things that are too high for me.
10. The Devil will put men upon the doing of that which is good, that ſo he may the ſooner tire and weary them out in the wayes of Religion; and this is a great policy of the Divel, and hereupon the Divel will make a young convert at firſt converſion pray more in one day then in a monethmonth of after-time; and though there is much of God in theſe young affections, yet there is much ſin mingled with them too.—The divel hath a twofold end to make young converts do good.—Firſt, either to make them the ſooner weary of Religion; or elſe ſecondly, to make wicked men think the more hardly of Religion.—I do not mention this to quench and ſtifle good motions in any, I know where there is one man over-does, there are ten thouſand which do too little. But we muſt take heed leſt like the Church of Corinth, we be not too ſevere; for as they by too much auſterity had like to have ſwallowed up the penitent excommunicate perſon with too much grief: ſo the rigorous and over-much ſtrictneſs will diſcourage them from the wayes of Chriſt.
11. Motions to good come from the Divel, in caſe thou art moved to thoſe things which are ſubſervien and introductory to duty rather then to the duties of Religion themſelves. This is a great ſubtilty of the Devil, if he can keep men in the porch, they ſhall never come into the Temple. As conſideration it is apreparatory duty to prayer, meditation to hearing, and examination to the duty of receiving the Lords Supper; now if the Divel can keep thee ſo long in theſe preparitory duties, that thou canſt take no time for the maine duties themſelves, herein the Divel hath his end. Chriſtians are oftentimes very inconſiderate in this caſe; Simile 1 it is juſt as if a man ſhould have an houres time allotted him to play a melodious leſſon to a company, and he ſpends all his time in tuning his inſtrument: Thus it is with many Chriſtians, the preparation for duty is only in order to the furtherance of us in holy duty; he that is ſo long in preparation, as he neglects duty, deſtroyes the very end of preparation. I know there are ſome which never uſe preparation to duty, and others there are who by the ſubtilty of the Divel in their preparations, rob themſelves of much time which they ought to imploy in the maine duties themſelves; but the Spirit of God doth ſo gird up the loyns of our mind, 1 Per. 1.13.that it makes us ſuccinct in the diſpatch of his duties.
12. Motions to good come from the Divel, in caſe thou art moved to it, that ſo it may be a cloak to thee to do wickedly with the leſs ſuſpition, and with the more boldneſs. Thus it was with Abſolom, it was a good thing in him that he would do juſtice to all the people, and when they came for juſtice to his father, he would ſpeak friendly to them and kiſs them; 2 Sam. 15.3,4.but all this was meerly in a pretence, that ſo they might not entertain the ſuſpition of his uſurping his fathers Kingdome. And ſo alſo the Scribes and Phariſees, they devoured widows houſes, and for a pretence made long prayers. Mat. 23.14.It was good to make long prayers, but to do it for ſo wicked an end was moſt abominable. So that if a mans motions to good be for this end, that he may ſin with more freedome and leſs ſuſpition, they come from the Divel, not from God. The Devil cares not how good you ſeem, ſo you may but be really evil and ſinful.
vſe 1 Oh then do not conclude that you are in the ſtate of grace, becauſe ſometimes good motions come into your mindes, thou mayeſt have good motions, and yet thou mayeſt be a bad man; all fire is not the fire of the Sanctuary. Remember therefore that you may have a thouſand good motions, and yet you may go to hell. It was a good motion in Balaam, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and yet he was one who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſs. 2 Pet. 2.15.Though I would not diſcourage good motions; yet I ſay, ſuch you may have, and they may come rather from the Devil then the Spirit of God; therefore ſurvey your wayes and your motions to good, and ſee whether they come from the ſtrivings of the Spirit of God in you, or from the excitations of the evil Spirit which is againſt you.