Sermon Preached October 1648, Text
A SERMON Preached at NEWPORT IN THE ISLE of WIGHT, October 1648. In the time of the TREATY. BY ROBERT SANDERSON, D. D. Chaplain to the late KING, and Regius-Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of OXON.
London Printed by T. M. for Andrew Crook, at the Green Dragon in S. Pauls Church-yard 1653.
A SERMON PREACHED In the Iſle of WIGHT, Before the late KING.
GALAT. 5. 22, 23.
Ver. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith,
Meekneſs, Temperance: againſt ſuch there is no Law.
HE that ſhall impartially look upon former and the preſent times, ſhall find that of Salomon exactly true, There is Eccleſ. 1. 9.no new thing under the ſun: Vetus fabula, novi Hiſtriones: The things we ſee done are but the ſame things that have been done, onelyonly acted over again by new Perſons, and with a few new circumſtances. It was in the Apoſtles times, and in the Churches of Galatia, even as it is with us in theſe dayes; Falſe Teachers had crept in among them, who by their Hypocriſie and pretenſions of the Spirit, had ſo corrupted their Faith, that they were removed (after Gal. 1. 6.a ſort) unto another Goſpel, and ſo extremely ſowred their Charity, that from provoking and envying, they were now 5. 26. 5. 15.grown to biting and devouring one another.
The Apoſtle wondering at this ſo unexpected a change, [I marvel you are ſo ſoon removed, Gal. 1. 6.] to ſee them ſo befooled in their underſtandings, and bewitched in their affections, as to ſuffer ſo ſore and ſudden a decay in the two moſt Eſſential parts of Chriſtian Religion, Faith, and Charity, thought it high time for him, after he had firſt ſchooled them [O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched you] to offer this advice towards the allaying of thoſe heats and Gal. 3. 1.diſtempers that were the cauſes of this ſo ſad and dangerous an alteration.
The Remedy he preſcribeth for that end [verſe 16.] is ſhort, but very ſure, if they will follow it, Walk in the ſpirit, and ye ſhall not fulfil the luſts of the fleſh. As if he had ſaid, You talk much of the Spirit, but you make it little appear in the fruit of your lives that you are led by the Spirit. The Spirit and the fleſh are contraries, and they luſt contrary things, verſe 17. If you were as careful to walk in the Spirit, as you are to boaſt of it, you would not be ſo forward as now you are, by the cheriſhing of unbrotherly contentions, and other wayes, to fulfil the Luſts of the fleſh.
An hard thing it is to bring an overweening Hypocrite to a true underſtanding of himſelf; for Pride and Hypocriſie are two ſuch things as few men are willing to own. That they might therefore with better certainty be able to diſcern whether they were indeed Spiritual, or but yet carnal, the Apoſtle proceedeth to deſcribe the fleſh and the Spirit, by ſundry their different effects. A Catalogue we have for that purpoſe, of the works of the fleſh, in ſeventeen particulars, in the three next verſes before the Text; and then another Catalogue of the fruit of the Spirit, in nine Particulars, in the Text it ſelf.
Wherein we may obſerve three things, Firſt, the Notion, or general Deſcription of ſpiritual graces as they are here propoſed: they go under this name, The fruit of the Spirit. Secondly, the particular ſpecies given in under that name or Notion; They are theſe nine, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, and Temperance. Thirdly, a ſpecial Priviledge belonging to all and every the aforeſaid particulars; to wit, exemption from the Law: Againſt ſuch there is no Law.
In the general Deſcription (which is like to be our onelyonly buſineſs at this time) the thing we are to take notice of, is, the difference that may be obſerved between the Titles under which Saint Paul hath entered the ſeveral particulars of both ſorts, as they are ſet down, the one in the beginning of verſe 19. [The works of the fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe; Adultery, &c.] The other in the beginning of verſe 22. [But the fruit of the ſpirit is Love, &c.] And theſe differences are four. Firſt, Thoſe effects of the former ſort proceed originally from the fleſh, theſe from the Spirit. Secondly, Thoſe are rather ſtyled by the name of Works, theſe by the name of Fruit; The Works of the fleſh, but the Fruit of the Spirit. Thirdly, Thoſe are ſet forth as many and apart, Works, in the Plural; theſe as many, but united into one Fruit, in the Singular. Fourthly, Thoſe are expreſly ſaid to be manifeſt; of theſe, no ſuch thing at all mentioned.
The firſt difference which ariſeth from the nature of the things themſelves as they relate to their ſeveral proper cauſes, is of the four, the moſt obvious and important; and it is this, That whereas the vicious habits and ſinful actions Catalogued in the former verſes are the productions of the fleſh; The graces and vertues ſpecified in the Text, are aſcribed to the Spirit, as to their proper and Original cauſe; they are not the Works of the fleſh, as the former, but the Fruit of the Spirit.
Where the firſt queſtion that every man will be ready to ask, is, What is here meant by the Spirit?
The neceſſity of expreſſing Supernatural and Divine things, by words taken from Natural or Humane affairs, hath produced another neceſſity of enlarging the ſignifications of ſundry of thoſe words to a very great latitude; which is one ſpecial cauſe of the obſcurity which is found in ſundry places of Holy Scripture, and conſequently of the difficulty of giving the proper and genuine ſenſe of ſuch places, and conſequently to that (amidſt ſo many interpretations of one and the ſame place, wh…lſt each contendeth for that ſenſe which himſelf hath pitched upon) of infinite Diſputes and Controverſies in point of Religion.
Among which words, three eſpecially I have obſerved, all of them of very frequent uſe in the New Teſtament; which, as they are ſubject to greater variety of ſignifications than moſt other words are, ſo have they ever yet been, and are like to be to the worlds end, the matter and fuel of very many and very fiery contentions in the Church. Theſe three are Faith, Grace, and Spirit. Truly I am perſwaded, if it were poſſible all men could agree in what ſignification each of theſe three words were to be underſtood in each place where any of them are found, three full parts, at leaſt of the four, of thoſe unhappy Controverſies that have been held up in the Chriſtian Church, would vaniſh.
And of the three, this of the Spirit hath yet the greateſt variety of ſignifications. God in his Eſſence, the Perſon of the Holy Ghoſt, good Angels, evil Angels, extraordinary Gifts, wherewith the Apoſtles and others in the Primitive times were endowed; the ſeveral faculties of the ſoul, as underſtanding, affections, and conſcience; the whole ſoul of man, Supernatural grace, beſides many others not needful now to be remembred, all come under the appellation of Spirit. Much of the ambiguity of the word (I confeſs) is cut off, when it is oppoſed to fleſh; yet even then alſo it wanteth no varietie. The literal and myſtical ſenſe, the Ordinances of the old and new Teſtament, the body and the ſoul, ſenſuality and reaſon; the corruption of nature, and the grace of God; all theſe may (according to the peculiar exigence of ſeveral places) be underſtood by the termes of Fleſh and Spirit.
Generally the word Spirit (in the common notion of it) importeth a thing of ſubtile parts, but of an operative qualitie; ſo that the leſs any thing hath of matter, and the more of vertue, the nearer it cometh to the nature of a Spirit; as the Wind, and the quint-eſſences of Vegetables or Minerals extracted by Chymical operations. We uſe to ſay of a man that is of a ſad, ſluggiſh, and flegmatick temper, that he hath no ſpirit; but if he be lively, active, quick, and vigorous, we then ſay, he hath a ſpirit in him. It is ſaid of the Queen of Sheba, when ſhe ſaw the Wiſdom and Royal ſtate of King Salomon, that there was no more ſpirit left in 1 Kin. 10. 5.her; that is, ſhe ſtood mute and amazed at it, as if ſhe had no life, ſpeech, ſenſe, or motion in her: the ſoul is therefore call'd a ſpirit, becauſe it being it ſelf no bodily ſubſtance, it yet actuateth and enliveneth the body, and is the inward Principle of life thereunto, called therefore, The ſpirit of life; And Saint James ſaith, The body without the ſpirit is dead; that Gen. …2. 7 Jam. 2▪ 26is, it is a liveleſs lump of fleſh without the ſoul. So that whatſoever is Principium agendi internum, may in that reſpect, and ſo far forth borrow the name of a ſpirit; inſomuch as the very fleſh it ſelf, (ſo far forth as it is the fountain of all thoſe evil works mentioned in the fore-going verſes) may in that reſpect be called a ſpirit, and ſo it is by Saint James, The ſpirit that is in us luſteth after envy, ſaith he; that is, in very deed, the fleſh that is in us; for among the luſts Jam. 4 5.and works of the fleſh, is envie reckoned, in the very next verſe before the Text.
To come up cloſe to the point, (for I fear I have kept off too long) as they ſtand here oppoſed, By Fleſh, I take to be clearly meant the natural corruption of man; And by Spirit, the Supernatural grace of God: even as the ſame words are alſo taken in ſome other places; as namely, in that ſaying of our Saviour, John 3. That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Which John 3. 6.words may ſerve as a good Commentary upon this part of the Text: for they do not only warrant the Interpretation, but afford us alſo the Reaſon of it, under the Analogie of a twofold Birth or Generation.
The Generation, whether of Plants, or living Creatures, is effectual by that prolifical vertue which is in the Seed; Anſwerable therefore unto the twofold Birth ſpoken of in the Scriptures, there is alſo a twofold Seed. The firſt Birth is that of the old man, by Natural Generation, whereby we are born the ſons of Adam. The ſecond Birth is that of the new man, by Spiritual Regeneration, by which we are born the ſons of God. Anſwerable whereunto, the firſt Seed is Semen Adae, the ſeed of Adam, derived unto us by carnal Propagation from our natural Parents, who are therefore called The fathers of our fleſh; together wherewith is alſo Heb. 12. 9.derived that uncleanneſs, or corruption, which upon our firſt Birth cleaveth ſo inſeparably to our nature, and is the inward Principle from which all the works of the fleſh have their emanation. But then there is another Seed; Semen Dei, (as S. John cals it) the ſeed of the ſecond Adam, Jeſus Chriſt, God bleſſed for ever, derived unto us by the communication 1 Ioh. 3. 9.of the Holy Spirit inwardly renewing us; together wherewith is alſo derived a meaſure of inherent, ſupernatural grace, as the inward Principle whence all theſe choyce fruits of the Spirit do flow.
So that upon the whole matter, theſe two points are clear: Firſt, clear it is, that all the wicked practices recited and condemned in the fore-going verſes, with all other of like quality, do proceed meerly from the corruption that is in us, from our own depraved minds and wils, without any the leaſt co-operation of the Holy Spirit of God therein. It cannot ſtand with the goodneſs of God to be the Principal, and neither with his goodneſs nor greatneſs to be an Acceſſory in any ſinful action. He cannot be either the Author, or the Abettor of any thing that is evil. Whoſo therefore hath committed any ſin, let him take heed he do not add another and a worſe to it, by charging God with it; rather let him give God and his Spirit the glory, by taking all the blame and ſhame of it to himſelf, and his own fleſh. All ſinful works, are works of the fleſh.
Secondly, It is clear alſo, that all the holy affections and performances here mentioned, with all other Chriſtian vertues and graces accompanying ſalvation, not here mentioned, (though wrought immediately by us, and with the free conſent of our wils) are yet the fruit of Gods Spirit working in us; that is to ſay, they do not proceed Originally from any ſtrength of nature, or any inherent power in mans free will; nor are they acquired by the culture of Philoſophy, the advantages of Education, or any improvement whatſoever of natural abilities by the helps of Art or Induſtry; but are in truth the proper effects of that ſupernatural grace, which is given unto us by the good pleaſure of God the Father, merited for us by the precious blood of God the Son, and conveyed into our hearts by the ſweet and ſecret inſpiration of God the Holy Ghoſt; Love, Joy, Peace, &c. are fruits not at all of the Fleſh, but meerly, and entirely of the Spirit.
All thoſe very many paſſages in the new Teſtament, which either ſet forth the unframableneſs of our nature, to the doing of any thing that is good, [Not that we are ſufficient of 2 Cor. 3. 5. Rom. 7. 18.our ſelves to think a good thought. In me, that is, in my fleſh, there dwelleth no good thing, and the like:] or elſe aſcribe our beſt performance to the glory of the grace of God, [Without me you can do nothing. All our ſufficiency is of God. John 15. 17. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Epheſ. 2. 8. Phil. 2. 13Not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God. It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed, and the like] are ſo many clear confirmations of this truth.
Upon the evidence of which truth it is, that our Mother the Church hath taught us in the Publick Service, to beg at the hands of Almighty God, that he would indue us with the grace of his Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to his holy Word: and again, [conſonantly to the matter we are now in hand with, almoſt in terminis] that he would give to all men increaſe of grace, to hear meekly his Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; as without which grace, it were not poſſible for us to amend our lives, or to bring forth ſuch fruits, according as God requireth in his holy Word.
And the Reaſon is clear, becauſe, as the Tree is, ſuch muſt the fruit be; Do men look to gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiſtles? Matth. 7. 16.or can they expect from a ſalt Fountain, other then brackiſh water? certainly, what is born of fleſh, can be no better then fleſh. Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? or how can any thing that good is, proceed from a heart, all the imaginations of the thoughts whereof, are onelyonly and continually evil? If we would have the fruit good, reaſon will (and our Saviour preſcribeth the ſame Method) that order be taken firſt to make the Tree Matth. 12. 23.good.
But you will ſay, it is as impoſſible ſo to alter the nature of the fleſh, as to make it bring forth good Spiritual fruit; as it is to alter the nature of a Crab or Thorn, ſo as to make it bring forth a pleaſant Apple. Truly and ſo it is: If you ſhall endeavor to mend the fruit, by altering the ſtock, you ſhall find your labour altogether fruitleſs. A Crab will be a Crab ſtill, when you have done what you can; and you may as well hope to waſh an Aethiopian white, as to purge the fleſh from ſinful pollution.
The work therefore muſt be done quite another way, not by alteration, but by addition; that is, leaving the old Principle to remain as it was, by ſuper-inducing (ab extra) a new Principle of a different and more kindly qualitie. We ſee the experiment daily in the grafting of Trees. A Crab-ſtock, if it have a cyon of ſome delicate Apple is artificially grafted in it, look what branches are ſuffered to grow out of the ſtock it ſelf, they will all follow the nature of the ſtock; and if they bring forth any fruit at all, it will be ſowr and ſtyptick; but the fruit that groweth from the graft, will be pleaſant to the taſte, becauſe it followeth to the nature of the graft. We read of foreign, An engrafted word, James 1. Our carnal hearts are the old ſtock, which before Jam. 1 20.the word of God be grafted in it, cannot bring forth any Spiritual fruit acceptable to God: but when by the powerful operation of his holy Spirit, the word which we hear with our outward ears, is inwardly grafted therein, it then bringeth forth the fruits of good living; ſo that all the bad fruits that appear in our lives, come from the old ſtock the fleſh; and if there be any good fruit of the Spirit in us, it is from the vertue of that word of grace that is grafted in us.
It ſhould be our care then, ſince the Scriptures call ſo hard upon us for fruits, [To be fruitful in good works, to bring Col. 1. 10. Mat. 3. 8, 10.forth fruits meet for repentance, &c.] and threaten us with exciſion and fire, if we do not bring forth fruit, and that good fruit too. It ſhould be our care (I ſay) to beſtow as much diligence about our hearts, as good husbands do about their fruit-trees: they will not Suffer any ſucker, or luxuriant branches to grow from the ſtock; but aſſoon as they begin to appear, or at leaſt before they come to any bigneſs, cut them off and caſt them away; by ſo doing, the graft thrives the better, and brings forth fruit both ſooner and fairer.
God hath intruſted us with the cuſtody and culture of our own hearts, as Adam was put into the Garden, to keep it, and to dreſs it; and beſides the charge given us in that behalf, Gen. 2 15.it behoveth us much for our own good, to keep them with all diligence: if we husband them well, the benefit Prov 4. 23will be ours; he looketh for no more but his Rent, (and that an eaſie Rent) the glory, and the thanks; the fruits wholly accrue to us, as uſu-fructuaries; but if we be ſuch ill huſbands, ſo careleſs and improvident, as to let them ſylveſcere, overgrow with wild and ſuperfluous branches, to hinder the thriving of the grafts, whereby they become ill-liking and unfruitful; we ſhall neither anſwer the truſt committed to us, nor be able to pay our Rent, (we ſhall bring him in no glory) nor do our ſelves any good, but run behind hand continually, and come to nought at laſt.
It will behove us therefore, if we will have our fruit in holineſs, and the end everlaſting life, to look to it betimes, leſt ſome root of bitterneſs ſpringing up, put us to more trouble Heb. 12. 15.then we are aware of for the preſent, or can be well able to deal withal afterwards. The fleſh will find us work enough to be ſure, it is ever and anon putting forth ſpurns of Avarice, Ambition, Envy, Revenge, Pride, Luxury, ſome noyſome luſt or other: Like a rotten Dunghil, that's rank of weeds, if we neglect them but a little, out of a thought that they can do no great harm yet, or that we ſhall have time enough to ſnub them hereafter, we do it to our own certain diſadvantage, if not utter undoing; we ſhal either never be able to overcome them, or not without very much more labour and difficulty, then we might have done it at the firſt.
In the mean time, whilſt theſe ſuperfluous excreſcencies foreign, (I know not how to call them) are ſuffered, they draw away the ſap to their own nouriſhment, and ſo pine and ſtarve the grafts, that they never come to good. foreign ▪ ſaith S. James: we'l tranſlate it, Wherefore Jam. 1. 21.laying aſide; perhaps it may import a little more: the whole verſe is worth the further conſidering, if we had time to inſiſt upon it; it ſeemeth to allude throughout to the lopping off all thoſe ſuckers or ſuperfluous branches that hinder the proſpering of Grafts; as if he had ſaid, If you deſire the holy word of God, which is to be grafted in your hearts, ſhould bring forth fruit to the ſaving of your ſouls, ſuffer not theſe filthy and naughty ſuperfluities of fleſhly luſts to hinder the growth thereof, but off with them, away with them; and the ſooner the better, that is, foreign.
I ſhould from this point, before I had left it, (but that I have other things to ſpeak to, and may not inſiſt) have preſſed two things more. Firſt, the neceſſity of our Prayers. It is true, our endeavors are neceſſary; God that doth our work for us, will not do it without us; but without the aſſiſtance of his holy Spirit, all our endeavors are bootleſs; and we have no reaſon to preſume of his aſſiſtance, if we think our ſelves too good to ask it. We may not think we have done all our part toward fruit-bearing, when we have planted and watered, until we have earneſtly ſollicited him to do his part too in giving theincreaſe, and Crowning our endeavors with ſucceſs.
Secondly, a duty of thankfulneſs; If by this good bleſſing upon our Prayers and endeavors, we have been enabled to bring forth any fruit, ſuch as he will graciouſly accept, take we heed we do not withdraw the leaſt part of the glory of it from him to derive it upon our ſelves or our own endeavors: Non nobis, Domine, non nobis: Not unto us, O Lord by no Pſal. 115. 1.means to us but to thy Name be the glory. Enough it is for us i… we have the comfort inward, and ſhall have an immeaſurable reward at the laſt, for the good we have done; (either of both which, is infinitely more then we deſerve) but far be it from us to claim any ſhare in the glory, let all that be to him alone. Whatſoever fruit therefore we bear, or how much ſoever, let us not be high minded thereupon, or take too much upon us; for we bear not the Root, but the Rom 11. 18.Root beareth us; and when we have done our outmoſt endeavors, the fruit we bear, is ſtill the fruit of the Spirit, and not the fruit of our endeavors.
I have dwelt long upon this firſt difference, not ſo much becauſe it was the firſt (though that ſometimes falleth out to be the beſt excuſe we are able to make for ſuch prolixities) as becauſe it is moſt material, as ariſing from the different nature of the things ſpoken of: whereas the three that follow are rather verbal, ariſing but from the different manner of the Apoſtles expreſſions in reſpect of the words.
The firſt whereof (the 2d of the whole four) is, That the evil effects proceeding from the fleſh, are called by the name of works; and the good effects proceeding from the Spirit, are called by the name of fruits. The Quere is, Why thoſe & theſe, being both effects alike, they are not either both alike called works, or both alike called fruits; but the one works, the other fruits? The works of the fleſh there, here the fruit of the Spirit?
For anſwer whereunto▪ I ſhall propoſe to your choyce two conjectures; the one more Theological, which is almoſt as new to me, as perhaps it will ſeem to you (for it came not into my thoughts till I was upon it;) the other more Moral and Popular. For the former, take it thus, Where the immediate Agent produceth a work or effect virtute propriâ, by his own power, and not in the vertue of a ſuperior Agent; both the work it ſelf produced, and the efficacy of the operation whereby it is produced, are to be aſcribed to him alone ſo as it may be ſaid properly & preciſely to be his work. But where the immediate Agent operateth virtute alienâ, in the ſtrength and vertue of ſome higher Agent, without wch he were not able to produce the effect; though the work done, may even there alſo be attributed (in ſome ſort) to the inferior and ſubordinate Agent, as the immediate cauſe; yet the efficacy wherby it was wrought cannot ſo properly be imputed to him; but ought rather to be aſcribed to that higher Agent, in whoſe vertue he did operate.
The Application will make it ſomewhat plainer. In all humane actions, whether good or bad, the will of man is the immediate Agent, ſo that whether we commit a ſin, or do a good work, inaſmuch as it proceedeth from our free wills, the work is ſtill our work howſoever. But herein is the difference between good and evil actions: The Will (which is naturally in this depraved eſtate corrupt and fleſhly) operateth by its own power alone, for the producing of a ſinful action, without any co-operation at all (as was ſaid already) of God or his Holy Spirit; and therefore the ſin ſo produced, is to be aſcribed to the fleſhly Will, as to the ſole and proper Cauſe thereof, and may therefore very rightly be ſaid to be the work of the fleſh: But in the producing any action that is ſpiritually good, the Will operateth onelyonly as a ſubordinate Agent to the grace of the Holy Spirit, and in the power and vertue thereof. And therefore, although the good work may in ſome ſort be ſaid to be our work, becauſe immediately produced by our Wills; yet it is in truth the fruit of the Spirit, and not of our Wills, becauſe it is wrought by the power of that, and not by any power of our own Wills. Nevertheleſs, not I, but the grace of God with me.1 Cor. 15. 10.
If this conjecture ſeem but a ſubtilty, and ſatisfie not, let it go; the other (I preſume) wil, being it is ſo plain and popular. The word fruit, moſt-what relateth to ſome labour going before. Hoc fructi ab labore pro his fero, in the old Poet: So in the Scriptures, Nevertheleſs, this is the fruit of my labour. The Husbandman that firſt laboureth, muſt be partaker Phil. 1. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 6.of the fruits. Labour firſt, and then fruits. That which David calleth the labour of the hands, (Thou ſhalt eat the labour of thy hands) Pſal. 128. Solomon calleth the fruit Pſal. 128. 2. Prov. 31. 31.of the hands, (Give her of the fruit of her hands) Prov. 31.
The reaſon is, becauſe no man would willingly undergo any toyl or labour to no end, he would have ſomething or other in his eye, that might in ſome meaſure recompence his pains; and that is called the fruit of his labour. Tully therefore joyneth Praemium and Fructum together, as importing the ſame thing. Who planteth a Vineyard, but in hope to eat of the fruit of it? Or what Husbandman would Plow, 1 Cor, 9. 7.and Sow, and Plant, and Prune, and Dig, and Dung, if he did not hope to find it all anſwered again when he cometh to Inne the fruits? Spe fructûs dura ferentes. The firſt queſtion in every mans thoughts, when he is importuned to any Hor. 2. Ep. 1.thing of labour and buſineſs, is, Ecquid erit pretii? will it be worth my labour? what benefit ſhal I reap by it? what wil be the fruit of my pains?
In all deliberations, where two wayes are offered to our choice, Wiſdom would, that we ſhould firſt weigh as adviſedly and exactly as we can, the labour, and the fruit of the one againſt the other, and as we find thoſe (rightly compared) to be more or leſs, to make our reſolutions accordingly. We are called on hard on both ſides; God commandeth us to ſerve him, Satan and the World ſollicite us to the ſervice of ſin: Promiſes there are, or intimations of fruit on both ſides; Salvation to our ſouls on the one ſide, Satisfaction to our luſts on the other. Here then is our buſineſs and our wiſdom, to compare what is required, and what is offered on both ſides; to examine on the one ſide firſt, and then on the other, whether the work exceed the fruit, or the fruit the work.
Now the Apoſtle, by the very choice of his words here, hath (after a ſort) done the buſineſs, and determined the controverſie to our hands. In the ſervice of ſin the toyl is ſo great, that in compariſon thereof, the benefit is as nothing; and in the ſervice of God the benefit ſo great, that in compariſon thereof, the pain is as nothing. Where the fleſh ruleth all, the work exceedeth the fruit; and therefore without ever mentioning the fruit, they are called the works of the fleſh: But where the Spirit of God ruleth, the fruit exceedeth the work; and therefore without ever mentioning the work, it is called the fruit of the Spirit.
If in this paſſage onelyonly, this different manner of ſpeaking had been uſed by the Apoſtle, it might perhaps have been taken for a caſual expreſſion, unſufficient to ground any Collection upon. But look into Epheſ. 5. and you cannot doubt but it was done of choice, and with this very meaning; ſpeaking there of the duties of Holineſs, even as here, without any mention of work, he calleth them by the name of fruits; (The fruit of the Spirit, is in all goodneſs, and righteouſneſs and truth, verſe 9.) But by and by, verſe 11. ſpeaking of ſinful actions, he doth not onelyonly call them works, but poſitively, and expreſly calleth them fruitleſs; Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of Darkneſſe: Works, but without fruit; unfruitfull works of darkneſſe.
This juſtifieth the Collection to be evident, and naturall and without enforcement: The waies of ſin are very toilſome, yet withall unfruitfull; but in all ſpirituall labour, there is profit; the fruit wil countervail the paines, and recompence it abundantly. We may not unfitly apply to theſe two his words in the Comedy; In his fructus eſt, in illis Opera luditur.Terent.
The paths of ſin ſeem indeed, at the firſt hand, and in the entrance, to be very pleaſant and even. The Divel, to draw men in, goeth before like a Leveller, and ſmootheth the way for them, but when they are in, he driveth them along, and on they muſt. Be the way never ſo dark and ſlippery, never ſo crooked and craggy, never ſo intricate or perplext, being once engaged, they muſt go through it, per ſaxa, per ignes, ſtick at nothing (be it never ſo contrary to the Laws of God or men, to all Natural, Civil, or Religious Obligations; yea even to the Principles of common humanity and reaſon) that Avarice, Ambition, Revenge, or any other vitious Luſt putteth them upon: Ambulavimus vias difficiles, they confeſs it at laſt, when it is too late, and befool themſelves for it: We have wearied our ſelves in the way of wickedneſs and deſtruction, we have gone through dangerous waies &c. Wiſd. 5. They have wearied themſelves to work iniquity, Wiſd. 5. 7. Jer. 9. 5. Hab. 2. 13.ſaith the Prophet Jeremiah. And the Prophet Habbacuk, The people labour in the very fire. The Greek word that ſignifieth wickedneſs, cometh of another that ſignifieth labour. foreign of foreign. And how often in the Scriptures do we meet with ſuch like Phraſes astheſe, to work wickedneſs, works of iniquity? Saint Chryſoſtomes eloquence inlargeth it ſelf, and triumpheth in this Argument more frequently, and with greater variety of invention and amplification, then in almoſt any other; and he cleareth it often, and beyond all exception both by Scripture, and Reaſon, that the life of a wicked or worldly man, is a very drudgery, infinitely more toylſome, vexatious, and unpleaſant, then a Godly life is.
Now, if after all this drayling, the fruits would (though but in a ſcant proportion) anſwer the pains, it were the more tolerable: but there is no ſuch matter; the ſinner hath but his Labour for his Pains. Nay, I may ſay, it were happy for him, if he had but his Labour for his Pains, and that there were not a worſe matter yet behind. The beſt they can hope in the mean time, is nothing but vanity, and vanity is nothing. Man walketh in a vain ſhadow, and diſquieteth himſelf in vain, ſaith David. The Pſal. 39. 6work diſquietneſs, the fruit vanity. The people labour in the very fire, you heard but now from the Prophet, his very next words are, They weary themſelves for very vanity. Saint Peter therefore Hab. 2. 13.calleth the converſation of a ſinner a vain converſation. And S. 1 Pet. 1. 18Paul putteth the queſtion home to their conſciences after a ſort, challenging them to anſwer directly to it, if they could, What Rom. 6. 21.fruit had ye then of thoſe things? &c. Rom. 6.
No great reaſon then, if we well conſider it, why we ſhould envy ſinners, though they proſper never ſo much in wicked deſignes, and ſeem to reap the fruit of their labours in the ſucceſs of their affairs. All temporal advantages of Wealth, Honour, Power, Pleaſure, and the like, which are the utmoſt fruit that a ſinner can fancy to himſelf of all his labours, have but the ſhew and ſemblance, not the truth and reality of fruit; both becauſe in the mean time they give not that ſatisfaction in the injoyment, which was deſired and expected from them in the purſuit, (as they write of the Apples of Sodom, that look very fair and full, and tempt the eye; but as ſoon as touched, Fathiſcunt in vagum Solinus.pulverem, like a Fuſsbal, reſolve all into duſt and ſmoak:) as alſo, becauſe they have a very ill farewel with them at the laſt; Honey in the mouth perhaps, and that but perhaps neither; but Gall certainly in the ſtomack, if not rather rank Poyſon. Know they not it will be bitterneſs in the end? Shame, Sorrow, and bitter repentance? and that is the beſt end imaginable of ſuch bad beginnings: but without repentance, eternal death and damnation not to be avoided: For the end of thoſe things (abuſed and continued in) is death.
Let us not therefore either envy their proſperity, or yet follow their example: Wherefore ſhould we lay out our money for that which is not bread, or our labour for that which ſatisfieth not? when Iſa. 55. 1.we drive a far eaſier trade, with far more profit another way; have leſs toyl, and yet reap more fruit; and that is, by walking in the holy wayes of God, and taking upon us the yoke of Chriſt, that (we are told) is an eaſie yoke, at leaſt in compariſon of the other, (that of Satan) and a light burden. And we have no reaſon to Mat. 11. 30disbelieve it, Truth it ſelf having told us ſo; eſpecially conſidering that he putteth under the ſhoulder himſelf alſo, and by helping to bear with us, beareth off, in a manner, the whole weight from us, leaving no more for us to carry, then by the ſtrength he giveth us he knoweth we are well able to bear, if we will but put to our good wils, and uſe that ſtrength. Nay, do but compare the works themſelves, and you muſt conclude, that his Commandments are more equitable, and leſs grievous then are the imperious commands of our own raging and exorbitant luſts. Will not any reaſonable man, upon the hearing of the names of the things onelyonly, 1 Joh. 5. 3.preſently yeild, that Love, and Joy, and Peace, and Gentleneſs, (for example which are fruits of the Spirit, are far more lovely and deſirable, more eaſie and delightful, fuller of ſweetneſs and calmneſs, leſs toylſom and vexatious, then are Hatreds, and Debates, and Emulations, and Seditions, and Murthers, and thoſe other works of the fleſh?
Now, if (as the task is eaſier, ſo the benefit be greater) what can excuſe our folly, if we do not give up our ſelves to be ordered by the guidance of the Spirit in every thing, rather then yield to ſatisfie the luſts of the fleſh in any thing? And the benefit is greater: A ſure reward (ſaith Solomon.) For God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of faith and love. A great reward, ſaith David; Prov. 11. 8. Heb. 6▪ 10. Pſal. 19. 11and that many times for a very little work done: the giving of a Cup of cold Water to refreſh a thirſty ſoul, ſhall not want its reward. It is our Apoſtles elſewhere, that we ſhould alwaies abound Mat. 10 42 1 Cor. 15. ult.in the work of the Lord, and that upon this very ground, foraſmuch as you know, (ſaith he) that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If we labour in his work, we ſhall find the fruit of it in time.
OnelyOnly let us be content to ſtay the time, and not be thruſting in the Sickle, before the Corn be half ripe. The Husbandman, when he hath done his work in earing and ſowing, doth not look to receive the precious fruits of the earth into his Garners again the next day, or the next month; but he hath long patience for it, Jam. 5 7.and whether it chance to be an early Harveſt, or a late Harveſt, he waiteth ſtill, and taketh the ſeaſon as it falleth: Even ſo have we need of Patience, that after we have done the will of God, and ſuffered according to the will of God, we may receive the promiſed reward; Heb. 10. 36 Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 10. 37.for in due time we ſhall reap, if we faint not. The final reward is ſure, veniens veniet, it will come at laſt, and not fail us; and it is ſo great withal (Copioſa nimis) that when it cometh, it will abundantly recompence all our Work yea and our Patience too.
Nay, let me ſay, if that reward were not, nor any other world to come, yet the fruits we reap in the mean time, even in this world, from a godly life, is incomparably greater then any that the works of the fleſh can yeild us; even in the judgment of Heathen men, Vertue ever carrieth its reward with it, as being Bonum propter ſe expetendum, a thing to be deſired and imbraced for its own worth, without reſpect to any further reward: and certainly, the evenneſs of the mind, and vacuity from thoſe ſecret laſhes, thoſe horrors and fears that haunt a guilty conſcience, and the ſweet comfort and complacency that a righteous ſoul findeth in the ſincere performance of his bounden duty to God and man, in eſchuing evil and doing good, is a fruit infinitely more valuable then all the pleaſures and ſenſualities of a wicked life. How happy then is he that truly ſerveth God; who both hath his Fruit in holineſs onward (that is, the hundred, fold Mark Rom. 6. 22 Mar. 10. 3010.)▪ and ſhall in the end, have everlaſting life to boot.
There are of the four Differences propoſed, two more yet behind, which I muſt diſpatch in few words. The 3d is, That the works of the fleſh, are ſpoken of as many, foreign, works, in the Plural; but the fruit of the Spirit is ſpoken of as one, foreign, Fruit, in the ſingular; many works, but one fruit.
There is ſuch a connexion of Vertues and Graces, that albeit they differ in their Objects and natures, yet they are inſeparable in the Subject. As when many links make up one chain, pull one, and pull all: So he that hath any one Spiritual Grace in any degree of truth and eminency, cannot be utterly deſtitute of any other. But as for ſin and Vices, it is not ſo with them; they are not only diſtinct in their kinds, natures, and definitions (for ſo are Vertues too) but they may alſo be divided from one another, and parted aſunder in reſpect of the Subject wherein they are. We are told Rom. 2. and if we were not told it, we could not but ſee reaſon enough otherwiſe to believe it; that a man may hate Idolatry, a work of the fleſh, and yet love Sacriledge Rom. 2. 22well enough, a work of the fleſh too. There is no neceſſity that a ſwearer ſhould be an Adulterer, or an Adulterer a ſlanderer, or a ſlanderer an oppeſſor, or an oppreſſor a drunkard, or a drunkard a ſeditious perſon, and ſo of many other.
The reaſon of the difference is, becauſe all ſpiritual graces look one way, they all runne to the ſame indiviſible point, wherein they concenter; to wit, Almighty God, who is Bonum Incommunicabile, unchangeable and one: even as all moral vertues concenter in the ſame common point of Right Reaſon: But ſins which turn from God to follow the Creature, and vices which are ſo many deviations from the rule of Right Reaſon, do not only neceſſarily run towards the ſame point, but may have their ſeveral tendencies different one from another. Becauſe though God be one, yet the creatures are manifold; and although the ſtrait way from one place to another can be but one, yet there may be many crooked turnings, by-paths, and deviations. Even as Truth is but one and certain, but Errors are manifold and endleſs.
The Spirit of God, whoſe fruits theſe are, is firſt a renewing Spirit: It createth a new heart in a man, wherby hee becometh a kind of new creature; it diſpoſeth him to obedience: Pſal. 51. 10And true obedience is copulative; it ſubmitteth to the Commanders wil entirely, it doth not pick and chooſe. The Spirit of God Gal. 6. 15.is (ſecondly) a holy Spirit, (The holy Spirit of Diſcipline:) And ſuch a holy Spirit wil not brook to dwel in a ſoul that is ſubject to Wiſd. 1. 4, 5.ſin, it wil endure no ſuch inmate: they can no more dwell together, then light can fellow with darkneſſe; but where any grace is wanting, there muſt needs be the contrary ſin to fill up the vacuity: And therefore, where that holy Spirit is, there cannot be a total defect of any holy grace. The ſpirit of God is alſo a loving Spirit, and ſheddeth abroad the love of God in every heart it taketh poſſeſſion of; and love is ſo comprehenſive a grace, that it includeth all the reſt, and ſo is, in effect, the fulfulling of the whole Rom. 13. 10.Law. There is a thred of love that runneth through all the particular duties and offices of Chriſtian life, and ſtringeth them like ſo many rich Pearles into one chain. See 1 Cor. 13. throughout.
A Confideration not unuſeful to quicken our care for the ſubduing of every ſinfull luſt, and our endeavour to have every grace of the Spirit habituated in us; knowing that ſo long as we allow our ſelves in any one ſin, ſuffer any one luſt of the fleſh to remain in us unſubdued (at leaſt in reſpect of deſire and endeavor) there cannot be any one true grace of God in us. There are certain common graces of Illumination, which are the effects alſo of Gods Spirit, and are therfore cal'd foreign, ſpiritual gifts; & theſe indeed 1 Cor. 12. 1. & 14. 1.are given by dole, (alius ſic, alius verò ſic) knowledg to one, to another tongues, to another healings, miracles, &c. All by the ſame ſpirit, manifeſting himſelf to ſundry perſons in ſundry kinds, and meaſures, and dividing to every one ſeverally as he will; but it is 1 Cor. 12. 8.-10.nothing ſo in the ſpecial graces of Sanctification; there is no diſtribution or diviſion here; either all or none. He that certainly wanteth any one (at leaſt in the deſire and endeavour) may juſtly ſuſpect, that all thoſe he ſeemeth to have, are but ſo many counterfeits; all this variety of graces maketh but one fruit.
The Laſt difference is, that the works of the fleſh are expreſly ſaid to be manifeſt, ver. 19. but no ſuch thing affirmed of the fruit of the Spirit. The moſt probable reaſons of which difference are to my ſeeming, one of theſe two following; Firſt, the commonneſs and frequency of thoſe above theſe, every where abroad in the world. The works of the fleſh, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanneſſe, Wantonneſſe, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatreds, Emulation, Debate, Wrath, Strifes, Seditions, Herefies, Envying, Murthers, Gluttony, Drunkenneſſe, and ſuch like, (I name them, becauſe the bare recitall of them will ſave me the labour of further proof) do ſo abound in all places, that you can ſcarce look beſide them; turn your eyes which way you will, you ſhall ſee curſed examples of ſome or other of theſe every day, and in every ſtreet and corner. Alas, the works of the fleſh are but too manifeſt.
But the fruits of the ſpirit are not ſo, Love, Peace, Gentleneſſe, Faith, Meekneſſe, Temperance, and the reſt: Theſe are very thin grown in the world, they are rarities, not every where to be met withall; inſomuch as David complaingly cryeth out, there is not one godly man left, Pſal. 12. and Pſal. 14. There is none that doth good, no not one: And the Prophet Jeremiah, when he had run to and fro in the ſtreets of Jeruſalem for the purpoſe to find out Jer. 51 &ca man that executed Judgement, and ſought after truth; when he had employed his legs, and his eyes, and his tongue in the ſearch, he could not yet find the man he looked for. Hippes and Haws grow in every hedge, when choicer fruits are but in ſome few gardens: And every ſoyle almoſt yeilds ſtones and rubbiſh; but gold and precious ſtones are found in very few places.
Secondly, the works of the fleſh may be ſaid to be manifeſt, and the fruits of the Spirit not ſo, with reſpect to our judgments of them, and the eaſineſſe of deſiring the one more then the other. The works of the fleſh are ſo manifeſtly evill, that no man of common ſenſe can lightly be miſtaken in them. Murder, ſedition, drunkenneſſe, adultery; it is not poſſible any man ſhould be of ſuch groſs underſtanding, as to imagine they ſhould be the fruits of Gods holy Spirit; they are undoubtedly and manifeſtly to every mans apprehenſion, the works of the fleſh; but as for the fruits of the Spirit, they are not ſo manifeſt, but that a man who hath not his ſenſes verie well exerciſed to the diſcerning of good and evil, may be eaſily deceived therein. Hypocriſie is ſpun oftentimes of a very fine thred, and the heart of man abounding with ſo much hypocriſy as it doth, and ſo much ſelflove, and uncharitableneſs withal, is the moſt deceitful thing (yea and the moſt deceivable too, actively and paſſively both) of any thing in the world. There are on the Jer. …7. 9.one ſide ſo many Mock-graces and ſpecious counterfeits, that carry a ſemblance of ſpiritual fruit, but are not the things they ſeem to be. And on the other ſide, inordinate love of our ſelves partly, & partly want of Charitie towards our brethren, have ſo diſpoſed us to a capacity of being deceived, that it is not a wonder, if in paſſing our judgments (eſpecially where our ſelves are concerned) we be very much and very often miſtaken. It might rather be a wonder if we ſhould not be ſometimes miſtaken.
As moſt errors claime to be a little a kin to ſome truths, ſo moſt vices challenge a kind of Affinity to ſome vertue. Not ſo much from any proper intrinſecall true reſemblance they have with ſuch vertues, as by reaſon of the common oppoſition they both have to one and the ſame contrary vice. As Prodigality hath ſome overly likeneſſe with liberalitie, and ſo may hap to be miſtaken for it; for no other cauſe but this only, that they are both contrary to covetuouſneſſe, foreign, ſaith Ariſtotle truely, fallacy and deception for the moſt part ariſe from the appearance of ſome likeneſſe or ſimilitude; when things that are like, but not the ſame, are taken to be the ſame, becauſe they are like. They that have given us marks of ſincerity for the trial of our graces, have not been able to give us any certain rules or infalliable Characters, whereby to try the ſincerity of thoſe marks; ſo as to remove all doubting and poſſibilitie of erring.
Whence I ſuppoſe, I may ſafely infer, that the certaintie of a mans preſent ſtanding in grace, but much more then of his eternall future Salvation (although I doubt not, but by the mercy of God, it may be attainable in this life, and that without extraordinary Revelation, in ſuch a meaſure as may ſuſtain the ſoul of an honeſt Chriſtian with cōfort) is not yet either ſo abſolutely neceſſary, nor ſo void of fears and doubtings, as ſome perhaps have imagined.
Not ſo neceſſary, but that a man may be ſaved without it. Many a good ſoul no doubt, there is in the world, that out of the experience of the falſeneſſe of his own heart, and the fear of ſelfdeceit, and the ſenſe of his own unworthineſſe could never yet attaine to be ſo well perſwaded of the ſincerity of his own repentance, Faith and Obedience, as to think that God would approve of it and accept it. The cenſure were very hard, and a great violation it would be of charitie, I am ſure, and I think of truth alſo, to pronounce ſuch a man to be out of the ſtate of Salvation, or to call ſuch his diſ-perſwaſion by the name of deſpair, and under that name to condemne it. There is a common, but a great miſtake in this matter: Deſpair is quite another manner of thing then many take it for. When a man thinketh himſelf ſo incapable of Gods pardon, that he growes thereupon regardleſſe of all duties, and neither careth what he doth, nor what ſhall become of him; when he is once come to this reſolution, over ſhoos, over boots, I know God will never forgive me, and therefore I will never trouble my ſelf to ſeek his favour in vain; this is to run a deſperate courſe indeed, this is properly the ſin of deſpair. But when the fear that God hath not yet pardoned him, prompteth him to better reſolutions, and exciteth him to a greater care of repentance, and newneſſe of life, and maketh him more diligent in the performance of all holy duties, that ſo he may be more capable of pardon: It is ſo far from being any way prejudicial to his eternal ſalvation, that it is in the readieſt way to ſecure it.
But where the greateſt certainty is, that can be attained to in this life by ordinary means, it is not ordinarily (unleſs perhaps to ſome few perſons at the very hour of death) ſo perfect as to exclude all doubtings. The fruits of the Spirit, where they are true and ſincere, being but imperfect in this life, and the truth and ſincerity of them being not always ſo manifeſt, but that a man may ſometimes be deceived in his judgment concerning the ſame; it can hardly be, what between the one and the other, (the imperfection of the thing, and the difficulty of judging) but that the Aſſurance, which is wholly grounded thereupon, and can therefore have no more ſtrength then they can give it, muſt be ſubject to fears, and jealouſies, and doubtings.
I ſpeak not this to ſhake any mans comfort (God forbid,) but to ſtir up every mans care to abound and increaſe ſo much the more in all godlineſſe, and in the fruits of the Spirit; giving all 2 Pet. 1. 5.diligence, by walking in the Spirit, and ſubduing the luſts of the fleſh, to make his calling and election ſure: Sure in it ſelf, that he fail not of ſalvation in the end; and ſure to him alſo, as far as he can, that his comfort may be the greater and ſounder in the mean time.
Now the God of all grace and glory, ſend the Spirit of his Son plentifully into our hearts, that we may abound in the fruits of godly living, to the praiſe of his grace, our preſent comfort in this life, and the eternall ſalvation of our ſouls in the day of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Sanderson, Sermon Preached October 1648 (1653)