The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 1
I Have choſen this place of Scripture, intending through Gods aſſiſtance, to make many Sermons upon it, being a Text that affords us ſo much variety of matter; but I ſhall not ſtand long upon any one particular Doctrine, becauſe I would gladly end it, in ſome convenient time.
This Text may well be called A Chriſtians Directory, to guide and direct him, in his ordinary courſe, and walking through all the various mutations, viciſſitudes & alterations, he may meet withall here in the world, whatſoever his condition be, here is matter of advice and Counſel for him. If he meets with croſſes, troubles and afflictions, then his duty is to weep as if he wept not; if he meet with a gale of proſperity, with an affluence and confluence of all outward happineſs, then his duty is to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not. If he be a Tradeſman, and by buying and ſelling, and trading in the world, he gets a great eſtate: then his duty is, to uſe his wealth ſo as if he poſſeſſed it not.
And leaſt theſe particular caſes and directions ſhould not reach every mans particular condition: therefore the Apoſtle gives this generall rule to all that have any thing to do in the world, whether in one kind or other, that they that uſe this world, muſt uſe it, as not abuſing of it, becauſe the faſhion of this world paſſeth away.
Here you ſee what work I have cut out to you, which will afford abundance of matter, I ſhall only at preſent, make a ſhort entrance into the firſt direction the Apoſtle here gives to thoſe that meet with croſſes and afflictions in the world, namely, that they that weep be as if they wept not. There is ſome diſagreement in opinion amongſt interpreters, touching the ſcope of theſe words. Pareus thinks this Text hath a ſpecial reference to mariage, though it be intenſive alſo to all ſorts and conditions of people in the world, yet he thinks it carries a nearer relation to men in a conjugall condition. A man in a maried eſtate muſt look to meet with cares and croſſes, and troubles, as the Apoſtle intimates in the next verſe but one to my Text, Verſ. 3.and therefore he gives this advice; you that are in a maried eſtate, and do meet with troubles and afflictions in the ſame, why, you muſt weep as if you wept not, you muſt mourn regularly and moderately; ſuppoſe you meet with troubles and afflictions, as a froward wife; or if you have a good wife, yet no Children by her, or if you have, they are bad Children; or if they be good; they die, God takes them away from you; or if they live, they take pernitious courſes, and are a grief and ſorrow, and vexation to you: why in all theſe or the like conditions, you ſhould ſo moderate your ſorrows, as to weep as if you wept not.
And (truly beloved) the ſcope of the Chapter caries the ſence this way; and from hence I might note to you.
Doct. 1 1. That a maried life expoſeth a man to a great many croſſes and troubles; either unſutableneſs of temper and conſtitution between man and wife, the having of bad Children or no Children; or Children, or wife die: theſe and many more afflictions do ſometimes happen in a maried eſtate.
2. From hence I note, that people ought to take heed, what ever troubles they meet with in this condition, that they be not caſt down with over much ſorrow and grief: but I only hint theſe things by the way. And though I believe, this Text caries a great reference to people in a conjugall eſtate, yet becauſe the Scripture is large, and ſpeaks in generall terms, that he that weeps, ſhould be as if he wept not, &c. therefore I ſhall rather chuſe to handle it in this ſence, that whatſoever croſſes, troubles, loſſes, or afflictions, befalls any men here below, they ſhould mourn and w…ep as if they wept not, that is, ſo regulate and moderate their ſorrows, that they ſhould not be inordinate or exceſſive in the ſame; and the Doctrine I ſhall obſerve from hence is this.
Doct. That Chriſtians ſhould take a great deal of heed, that they be not immoderate or exceſſive in worldly ſorrows, either for the meeting with any croſſes, undergoing any troubles, or the loſing of any comforts here in the world.
Whatſoever afflictions you meet with, or whatſoever comforts you part with, you ſhould take care your ſorrows be not immoderate and inordinate.
In the handling of this, it may be I may come near the boſoms of many of you, ſome of you (it may be) are troubled for want of trading, that you are not able to buy bread to put in your mouths: others troubled for loſſes, ſome for croſſes and afflictions, ſome for outward, others for inward troubles: why, in all theſe conditions, you muſt weep as if you wept not, you muſt have a care of immoderateneſs, and exceſſiveneſs in all your ſorrows.
Before I ſhall diſcuſs thoſe quaeries I intend about this Doctrine, I ſhall firſt lay down three concluſions concerning it.
Con. 1 That this Doctrine doth not deny a naturall ſenſibleneſs of any croſſes or afflictions you meet with. (Beloved) God would not have you ſtupid and inſenſible under his hand: this Doctrine of weeping as if you wept not, doth allow of naturall ſenſibleneſs of any croſſe or affliction that befalls us, God would have none to be ſtoically inſenſible of heart.
Con. 2 2. Take this Concluſion, that the people of God are more able to bear afflictions and croſſes, at one time, then they are at another. It was the caſe of David, at one time when Abſalom was dead, he cryed out with great impatiency in the 2 Sam. 18.33. Oh Abſalom my Son, my Son, oh Abſalom, would to God I had died for thee my Son, my Son.
And yet at another time when his Child was dead, in the 2 Sam. 12.20. He riſeth up and anoints his face, and eats bread, and takes patiently the hand of God upon him; the people of God are more able to bear afflictions at one time then at another.
Con. 3 3. Inordinate and immoderate ſorrow for any affliction doth many times provoke God to lay on greater and heavier afflictions upon a people; it is the way to provoke the Lord to double his ſtroaks upon you, to make your burdens heavier, and your bondage greater. God deals with us, as a Father deals with his Child; if the Father ſees that the Child beares his corrections kindly, he will give him the leſſe; but if he be ſtubborn, and frets and takes on, it will not make the Father leſſen his ſtroaks, but to give him more and more: ſo if we do patiently bear the indignation of the Lord in theſe afflictions he layes upon us, it is the way to have them alleviated; but if we repine and murmure againſt God, and are immoderate in our ſorrows, this is the way to have them increaſed.
Queries. I come now to the Queries which I promiſed to handle, and they are theſe three.
1. When peoples ſorrows are immoderate and exceſſive for worldly afflictions.
2. Why a Chriſtian ſhould take heed, that his ſorrows be not ſo.
3. I ſhall give you ſome conſiderations to allay exceſſiveneſs, and immoderateneſs in ſorrowing what ever befalls you here in this world. For the firſt.
Queſt. 1 Firſt, When may a Chriſtians ſorrow, (either for the meeting with any croſſes or afflictions, Signes of immoderate ſorrowing for worldly afflictionsor the loſing of any comforts here in this world,) be ſaid to be immoderate?
Anſw. I ſhall lay it down to you in theſe five particulars.
1. Then is your ſorrow inordinate and exceſſive, when it laies you under great indiſpoſition of heart, to the performance of religious duties; when it makes you unfit and indiſpoſed to holy duties; and eſpecially theſe two, hearing the word and private prayer.
Firſt, When it indiſpoſeth you for hearing the word of God, as in Exod. 6.9. Moſes ſpake unto the Children of Iſrael, but they hearkened not unto him, for anguiſh of ſpirit, and for cruel bondage. The people were ſo grieved and over-preſſed with ſorrow, that what Moſes ſpake to them from the Lord, they did not regard it, becauſe of their afflictions and great bondage: Now if ever any ſorrow or croſſe went ſo near thy heart, as to diſturb thee, and indiſpoſe thee to the hearing of Gods word, that hath been an immoderate ſorrow. And therefore it is a great ſin, and greatly to be reproved in thoſe that when any of their neareſt relations are dead, they are ſo dejected with ſorrow, as not to come to Church, in 3. or 4. Sabbath-dayes afterward, which is very uſuall with a great many. In Levit. the 21.1,2,3,4. The Lord commanded there, that there ſhould none be defiled for the dead amongſt his people. There was a cuſtom amongſt the Heathen, when any of their friends were dead, in token of lamentation and ſorrow, they would make their heads bald, and ſhave the corners of their beards, cut their fleſh, and the like; but God prohibits his people, the doing of theſe things, as ſhaving their heads, cutting the corners of their beards, and the like. When the duties of Religion, as hearing the word, is interrupted by your ſorrows for any worldly croſs, then look upon it, as an irregular ſorrow.
Secondly, When your ſorrow indiſpoſeth and keeps you from private prayer, then it is inordinate: as in Pſal. 77.3,4. my ſpirit (ſaith Aſaph) is over-whelmed within me, and I am ſo troubled that I cannot ſpeak. When troubles do ſo ſtop mens mouths that they cannot pray, or make known their wants to God, then it is an inordinate ſorrow: and you women eſpecially, that are naturally more tender, and apt to grieve then men, do you look to it, if your ſorrows have been never ſo ſmall, yet if they have interrupted and kept you from hearing the word of God, and from private duties, they have been exceſſive and immoderate. So Mal. 2.13.14. We read of women that covered the Altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with crying out, &c. 'tis not meant of godly, but of worldly ſorrow, women ſo grieved for the churliſhneſs and unkindneſs of their Husbands to them, that they covered the Altar with teares, &c. Now God regarded not ſuch ſervices, becauſe when ſorrow is exceſſive for affliction, there is then little or no ſorrow for ſin.
2. Your ſorrows are then inordinate, when they ſwallow up your comforts in the preſent mercies of God which you do injoy. Thus it was with Ahabs ſorrow in the 1. Kings 21.4. you read there that Ahab was grieved and ſore diſpleaſed, becauſe he could not have Naboths Vineyard; and the Text ſaith, he went home, and laid him down upon his bed, turned away his face, and would eat no bread; though Ahab was a King, had a goodly Palace, and had Vineyards enough of his own, yet becauſe he could not enjoy Naboths, he could take no pleaſure nor comfort in thoſe he had. Thus good old Jacob did ſo exceſſively mourn for Joſeph, who in his thoughts was dead, that though all his Sonnes and Daughters came to comfort him, yet he refuſed to be comforted; but ſaid, he would go mourning to his grave. The loſſe of one Child did ſwallow up the comfort of all the other eleven Sonnes. Gen. 37.35. If the ſenſe of the preſent ſorrows and afflictions you lie under, be ſo great, that they ſwallow up all the mercies, and preſent comforts you injoy, then are your ſorrows inordinate. Some people are ſo over-whelmed with a few light afflictions, that they forget the many great mercies they injoy: many men that are worth ten thouſand pound, if they ſhould loſe but one thouſand pound, it would ſo trouble them, that they would take no comfort in all the reſt.
3. When your ſorrows for worldly loſſes or croſſes, put you upon ſinfull ſhifts and wicked courſes, to make up and repair your loſſe again, then look upon it as an immoderate ſorrow. 1 Sam. 28.6,7,8.Thus Saul when he was in great trouble and perplexity of mind, and could not tell what to do, then he went to the witch at Endor for help, which did declare his ſorrow to be immoderate. Look to it, you that have met with great loſſes in the world, and undergone great afflictions and croſſes, if theſe have made you run to ſinfull courſes, to repair your loſſes, or lighten your afflictions, then your ſorrow hath been exceſſive: as it may be you are in debt, and not able to maintain your ſelf and Family by your Trade: and therefore you will betake your ſelf to ſinfull ſhifts and deceits, as falſe weights, falſe lights, falſe meaſures, or the like, to repair your loſſes; if it be ſo, your ſorrows are immoderate.
4. Then your ſorrows are immoderate, when you do ſo grieve for your own trouble and afflictions, as to carry no compaſſion in your breaſt towards the afflictions of others, when thy Family loſſes do ſo afflict thee, that all the publick loſſes of Church and State do not at all affect thee, when thy own private and perſonall afflictions do ſo trouble thee, that come what will to the Church or Kingdom wherein thou liveſt, thou careſt not: when thou canſt ſhed a flood of tears for thine own miſery, but not a drop for the miſery of the Church of God, then are thy ſorrows inordinate and irregular.
5. When you are ſo ſenſible of your own afflictions, as to think no bodies afflictions are ſo great as yours, then are your ſorrows irregular. When you are like theſe in Lament. 1.12. that ſay, come and ſee if there be any ſorrow, any affliction like unto mine wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me. When you ſhall ſay, never did any man loſe ſuch an Eſtate as I have done, or ſuch a loving Husband, or Wife, or Children as I have done; never did any undergoe ſuch troubles and croſſes as I have done, then are your ſorrows immoderate. But I ſhall ſhew you hereafter, that there are others that have loſt more, and ſuffered more, and undergone greater afflictions, and have greater cauſe to complain then you; but thus much ſhall ſerve for the firſt Query.
Queſt 2 I come now to the 2d, why Chriſtians ſhould take heed of this diſtemper, of being immoderate and exceſſive in their ſorrows for any affliction.
Anſw. 1. Becauſe immoderate ſorrow for the things of the world does proceed from evill cauſes. And 2dly does produce evill effects.
Firſt, It proceeds from evill cauſes, and thoſe are,
1. From an immoderate love to the things of the world; that, in the want, and for the loſſe whereof, you do too much grieve, it is a ſign you did too much love in the enjoyment of it, Gen. 37.35. When Jacob ſuppoſed that his Joſeph was ſlain, he ſo exceedingly mourned for him, that though all his Sonnes and Daughters roſe up to comfort him, yet he refuſed to be comforted, and ſaid, I will go down into the grave unto my Sonne mourning. And why did Jacob thus mourn for him, but becauſe he loved him more then all the reſt, it was his immoderate love to him, that made him ſorrow ſo immoderately. If your hearts be glued to the things of the world, you cannot part with them, but with a great deal of vexation and ſorrow. If thy ſorrow be exceſſive for the loſs of any thing, thy love was immoderate towards it in the injoyment of it. John 11.35.36. when Chriſt came to Lazarus, and he being dead, Chriſt wept: then ſaid the Jews, behold how he loved him, his weeping for him did manifeſt the greatneſs of his love to him: not that his love was exceſſive, I do not ſay ſo: yet this we may ſee from hence, that grief in the want of mercies proceeds from love in the enjoyment of them.
2. This immoderate ſorrow proceeds from a murmuring diſcontent at the dealing of Gods providence towards you; there is a claſhing between Gods will and yours, as if God did not ſo well know how to deal with you, as you do with your ſelves; elſe you would quietly ſubmit to his will.
3. Another evill cauſe from whence this immoderate ſorrow ariſeth is ignorance, both of the vanity of temporall things, and the reality of ſpirituall things: we diſcover thereby, that we think temporall things to have more worth in them, then indeed they have, and ſpirituall things leſſe.
But 2dly, As it proceeds from evill cauſes, ſo it produceth evill effects: there are theſe five evill effects that immoderate ſorrow produceth, as
1. It prejudiceth your naturall health, 2 Cor. 7.10. godly ſorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of; but worldly ſorrow cauſeth death. And Solomon tells us, a ſorrowfull ſpirit drieth up the bones, Prov. 17.22. ſo ſaies David in Pſal. 31.10. my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing, my bones are conſumed.
2. It is a blemiſh to Religion for a Chriſtian to be exceſſive in his ſorrows, for the joy of the Lord ſhould be his ſtrength. A godly Chriſtian hath alwayes cauſe of joy unſpeakable, and full of glory: therefore it is a blemiſh to Chriſtianity, to ſee a godly man overpreſſed with worldly ſorrow; it is an aſperſion upon Religion, for a godly man to hang down his head, for the loſſe of any outward things, as if he had no greater concernments to look after, no joy, nor comfort, nor happineſs to look after but here in this life.
3. It exceedingly indiſpoſeth the heart to holy and ſpirituall duties, it hinders and interrupts you in hearing the word, and prayer, Exod. 6.9. They hearkened not unto Moſes for anguiſh of ſpirit and cruel bondage, &c. Pſal. 77.4. I am ſo troubled that I cannot ſpeak.
4. Exceſſive ſorrow, imbitters thoſe ſweet and comfortable mercies you do injoy, a thouſand mercies are buried under the exceſſive ſorrow for one affliction: as in Gen. 37.35. the place before quoted, Jacob did ſo extreamly mourn for Joſeph his youngeſt Sonne, which he ſuppoſed to be dead, that though he had eleven Sonnes, and many Daughters, and all of them came to comfort him, yet he could take no comfort in any of them; but reſolved that his gray hairs ſhould go down to the grave in mourning for him: this one exceſſive ſorrow for Joſeph, did imbitter many mercies and comforts which he did injoy. So Eſther 5.13. though Haman was admitted to the greateſt intimacy & familiarity with the King, yet all this availed him nothing, ſo long as he ſaw Mordecai ſitting at the Kings Gate: in this regard many men diſcover a temper much like the Hedg-hog, which as naturaliſts tell us hath this property, it will gather a great many apples, or ſuch like fruit, upon his briſtles, and then go to a Hedge and eat them; but it is ſo mournfull a Creature, that if it chance but to let fall one of his apples by the way, it will ſo vex and trouble him, that he will throw down all the reſt. So many men, if they meet but with one croſs or affliction, it will make them throw away all the other mercies they enjoy, and take no comfort in any of them.
5. Exceſſive ſorrow for worldly croſſes, provokes God many times to ſend heavier and greater afflictions then ever yet you ſuffered. As I told you before, a ſtubborn Child, that blubbers and cries, and murmurs under the Fathers corrections, will fare the worſe, and have the more blowes for it; ſo the more we repine and immoderately grieve for any worldly afflictions, the more croſſes and troubles we are like to have. And thus I have done with the ſecond queſtion, why Chriſtians ſhould take heed of immoderacie and exceſſiveneſs in worldly ſorrows. We come now to lay down ſome conſiderations whereby to allay your ſorrows; but I muſt leave that till the afternoon, I ſhall onelyonly for the preſent, make a ſhort application of what hath been ſaid, and ſo have done.
Ʋſe. Ʋſe. Is it ſo, that Chriſtians ſhould not be exceſſive in worldly ſorrows, but weep as if they wept not: then this reproves thoſe that can mourn for every croſſe that befalls them; but yet cannot ſhed a teare for any ſin they commit. Many men complain of ſmall inconſiderable troubles and affliction; but yet never complain of their ſins and corruptions: theſe never trouble them, nor come near their hearts, they can mourn for that which can but at moſt prejudice the body, and yet never grieve for that which can prejudice and deſtroy their ſoules.
2. I beſeech you beloved, take heed of being laviſh of your teares for worldly croſſes or afflictions, it is pitty to waſh a foul Room with ſweet water. I muſt needs tell you teares are too pretious to ſh…d for every trifle: it were a great deal better you would keep this pretious water to waſh away your ſins; for though it is Chriſts blood alone that can waſh away the guilt of ſin, yet your teares may much conduce to waſh away the filth and power of ſin. When you mourn for worldly croſſes, then weep as if you wept not; but when you mourn for ſin, mourn as much as you can. Be like yee before the Sun, that will ſoon melt and convert into water: you that are the Children of God know, that you have greater things, and of higher concernment to beſtow your teares upon, then any outward troubles; you have daily failings, and many ſins and corruptions unmortified and unſubdued, and the loſſe of the light of Gods countenance to mourn for, your ſorrows never run aright, but when they run in this Channel, when your tears run into the Mill-pond, to grind your luſts and corruptions, to conſume and weaken them, then are your ſorrows right and regular.
Laſtly, Let me intreat and adviſe you not to miſtake in reference to your ſorrows, to think you do mourn and grieve for ſin, when it is only for outward afflictions. Many men when their Neighbours aske them why they are ſo ſad and mournfull, and weep ſo much, will be ready to ſay, it is for their ſins and failings, and corruptions that are too ſtrong for them, or the like, when indeed it is only for ſome croſſe or outward trouble they have met with: therefore do not miſtake that ſorrow to be for your ſins, which is onelyonly or eſpecially for ſome outward affliction you have met with.