Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 1 · Verse 14
VERSE 14. — And make not prouiſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſts thereof.
THe exhortation to put on Chriſt, in the former part of the verſe, is here amplified from the Effect of ſuch putting on; which is that we doate not on the things of this life; and that our care for worldly things abates: He that putteth on Chriſt is rid of a great deale of care and thought for the fleſh.
This Effect is brought in by an Occupation: of which after the expoſition of the words.
Theſe words containe two parts: a Prohibition, Make not prouiſion for the fleſh: and a Limitation, to fulfill the luſts thereof: which limitation is added, becauſe that which is forbidden is not ſimply euill.
Fleſh: This word is of diuers ſignifications; here it either ſignifies our corrupt nature, or the body.
If you take it for nature corrupt; then the ſecond part is an expoſition of the firſt.
But it is beſt to take it for the body, as the very words muſt needs import.
Make not prouiſion: that is, with care, as it was ſormerly tranſlated, which muſt alſo be here vnderſtood, according, to that of our Sauiour, Mat. 6.25.Take no thought for your life, what you ſhall eate, &c.
To fulfill the lusts. To fulfill, is added, to fill the ſenſe.
Luſts: Luſt or concupiſcence, is a naturall faculty of the ſoule, deſiring obiects conuenient to nature, and abhorring the contrary.
That which foreign is in inſenſible things, in ſenſible and reaſonable creatures is foreign.
This concupiſcence or luſt, in entire and pure nature was eueryevery way ordinate.
In corrupt nature, the faculty it ſelfe, as it is naturall, is to be reckoned among naturall good things put into vsus by God; and the motions of it vntounto things naturall, as deſiring of meat drink, ſleepe, apparell, &c. are indifferent: but by prauity adherent they are euill three waies.
1 In regard of the obiect, when that is deſired and coueted which is forbidden; as in the tenth commandement that which is our neighbours.
2 In regard of the meaſure, as when we immoderately deſire that which is lawfull to bee deſired: when there is no meaſure of our ſtudy for riches, meat and drinke, houſe and land, &c. as indeed it is very hard to bound our concupiſcence in ſuch things.
3 In regard of the end, when wee deſire ſuch things, to wrong ends, and not to the glory of God. in the preſeruation of nature, for the ſeruice of God and of our neighbour, and the furthering of our owne ſaluation.
This exorbitant and inordinate concupiſcence or luſt is vnderſtood in this place.
The meaning then is, Prouide not ſo for the body, that thereby the luſts thereof ſhould be fulfilled and ſatisfied.
This is brought in by way of preuenting an Obiection.
Some might ſay, from the prohibition of drunkenneſſe, and wantonneſſe, &c. What? muſt we caſt away the care of bodies? is nothing to be granted to our fragility and infirmity? may we not eate and drinke, and be merry?
Paul anſwereth: you may make prouiſion for the body, but with limitation, that you fulfill not the luſts of the body, which will eaſily vponupon a ſmall occaſion grow vnruly; as wee may diſcerne in our ſelues, how ſoone, in the putting on of a new garment, &c. Corruption will diſcouer it ſelfe.
There ought to be a care had of health, and ſtate; of wholſome meat, competent medicines, comely apparell; but exceſſe is to be taken heed of.
Eate and drinke, but not to enflame thy luſts: A little is enough for nature, but nothing for our luſts.
Make not prouiſion for the body. If Paul had ſtayed here, he had writ no good diuinity: therefore he addeth, to fulfill the luſts thereof; warning vsus to keep downe concupiſcence, and not to ſet her on cockhorſe, as they ſay.
The body is not ſo to bee tended and prouided for that the luſts thereof ſhould be fulfilled, or ſtrengthned. Mat. 6.25. Doctr. Take no thought for your life, what you ſhall eate, &c. We muſt not hauehave an immoderate care for neceſſaries, much leſſe for ſuperfluities, to the fulfilling of our luſts, Galathians 5.13. Ʋſe not liberty for an occaſion to the fleſh, Saint Paul there ſpake of Legall ceremonies, and it is true, in all matters of like nature, God hath giuen vsus liberty to eate and drinke, &c. this liberty is not to bee vſed, to nouriſh luſt. 1 Peter 2.11. As Pilgrimes abstaine from fleſhly lusts which fight against the ſoule. Pilgrimes comber not themſelues with vnneceſſary things.
Here wee may diſcerne whether wee hauehave put on Chriſt or no: Ʋſe 1 namely if wee prouide not for the body ſo as to fulfill our luſts: this is to follow Chriſts example.
Chriſt did eate and drinke, but his fare was meane, and moderate; after forty dayes faſt, hee being hungry, would not turne ſtones into bread, the moſt ordinary refection, to retaine nature, but ſtayed for an ordinary prouiſion.
When he was weary how did he prouide for his body? Iohn 4.6, 7.did he take vp his Inne, call for dainty cheere, and a ſoft bed? no; but reſted himſelfe vponupon a Well, and asked a little water, though there was a good towne hard by.
For his ſleepe: his body had need of it as well as ours: and beſides, his nature was moſt pure, and without the danger of inordinate luſting: and yet he would not follow innocent nature herein, but broke himſelf of his ſleep, to ſpend whole nights in prayer to his Father. Luke 6.12.It may be thou wilt ſleepe at a Sermon ordinarily and at prayer. This is not to be like Chriſt to put him on.
It is not vnlawfull to prouide for the body: Ʋſe 2 Religion requireth not that a man ſhould not giuegive nature her due; or cleere his forehead as they ſay, and be merry; in which moroſities hypocrites faine perfection. Yea to neglect the body is a ſinne; if it bee not prouided for and nouriſhed, how ſhall it be a fit inſtrument of the ſoule for good? To deny food and raiment conuenient to the neceſſity of nature, to our callings and eſtate, is ostentation and rigidity, rather then true vertue. Our Sauiour furniſhed the feaſt, Ioh. 2 10. Pſal. 104.13.with excellent and neate wine, which God created to make the heart of man glad: and S. Paul reproues ſuch neglecting of the body. Coloſſ. 2.23.
Saint Augustine writing to Proba a rich Widow, Aug. Probae. ep. 121.who had a great retinue, and prouiſion for her body, and for her table ſutable; willeth her not to ceaſe to be ſo attended, and ſerued as was fit for her eſtate and place; but that ſhee ſhould temper and moderate her ſelfe in the vſe of them, and to ſeeke nothing therein, but integram valetudinem, quae non contemnenda propter neceſſarios vſus huius vitae, good health which is not to be contemned, for the neceſſary vſes of this life; and he alledgeth this place.
Alſo hee alledgeth Pauls aduice to Timothy, 1 Tim. 5.23. Drinke no longer water but vſe a little wine: It was ſo that Timothy to giuegive an example of ſobriety to the riotous and diſſolute Epheſians ouer whom hee was Biſhop; did ſo take downe his body with vnreaſonable abſtinence from wine, and continuall drinking of water; that Paul was faine to write to him, and charge him for his ſtomacke ſake and often infirmities, to drinke wine. For ſuch abſtaining Saint Auguſtine giueth the holy Biſhop this cenſure, that he was nimius corporis caſtigator; too great a chaſtiſer of his body; for his very ſtudying and contemplation, with his continuall preaching, were ſufficient to weaken his body, though hee had not vſed ſuch abſtinence; and for this is wine neceſſary for Timothy, for the preſeruation of his health.
Philoſophers affirme that there is but one ſoule in man, which is both vegetatiue, ſenfitiue, and rationall, which together intendeth to vegetation, ſenſation, and vnderſtanding: when therefore the ſoule is wholly buſie in the braine about contemplation, it muſt needs follow that ſhee cannot attend in the ſtomacke at the ſame time to concoction; and ſo the ſtomack being deſtitute of conuenient heate and ſpirit and the influence of the ſoule, muſt needs abound with crudities: and for this cauſe Phyſitians giuegive this rule, to be merry at meate, that through ſuch remiſſion of ſtudy, the ſoule may attend vntounto neceſſary nutrition; and hence alſo it commeth ordinarily, that great ſtudents hauehave weake ſtomacks. Hee therefore who is weary with labour or ſtudy, the ſpirits languiſhing thereby, may with a good conſcience drinke wine, and vſe other comforts of Nature, eſpecially if he beleeue and repent; for God hath created ſuch good things principally for ſuch. That therefore which Saint Bernard ſaith of Timothy, Serm. 30. in Cant.we may ſay of eueryevery Saint: GiueGive mee a Biſhop or Preacher like to Timothy, or a holy man like him, and hee ſhall eate gold, and drinke Ypocras.
Though we may ſerue the neceſſitie of the body, Ʋſe 3 yet wee may not the luſts: Deus prudenter vult ſibi ſeruiri; An broſius.God will hauehave vsus prudent in ſeruing him: nor by nimity of faſting, nor of feeding, ſo to oppreſſe the body, that we muſt alwayes hauehave a Phyſitian at our elbow.
We muſt doe wiſely: The body is to bee ſerued, not the Concupiſcence. This is difficult: if you neglect the body, you weaken it to the exerciſes of godlineſſe; if you cheriſh it, you maintaine your enemy, which is luſt.
The body is a garment, the luſts are Moaths: kill the Moaths, and ſaue the garment.
The body is a Caſtle, the luſts an enemy or rebell within the caſtle: it were eaſie to blow vp caſtle and rebell and all: but thou haſt no authority to raze the caſtle; thou muſt ſaue the Caſtle, and deſtroy the Rebell.
They are to be reproued, which either ſo nouriſh the body that they withall maintaine their luſts; or ſo extinguiſh the prouocations to ſinne, that withall they deſtroy the body.
Be content with that which is ſufficient, and vnderunder a pretence of neceſſity runne not to exceſſe.
As he is a foole which will hauehave no fire in his houſe, becauſe his neighbours houſe was conſumed with fire; ſo is he a foole, who becauſe fire is neceſſary, will make ſo great a fire, as which may burne downe his houſe.
Too much ballaſt, or too little, are alike hurtfull to a ſhip; ſo too much or too little prouender for thy beaſt: too much or too little ſtraining of the ſtring of thy inſtrument.
There is vſe of Hagar the bondmaid; but cocker her a little, and ſhe will grow inſolent toward her dame Sara.
Ama tanquam oſurus; louelove thy body, but ſo, that if need require, thou canſt hate it: for the compaſſion of nature, it is to be loued, but for the reſtraining of vice, it is to be hated: keepe it from the fire, and yet in ſome caſes yeeld it to bee burnt in the fire.Seneca.
Be not thy bodies ſlave. Ʋiuendum non propter corpus, ſed tanquam non ſine corpore: We muſt liue, not for the body, but as not without the body.
Dauid is a notable example herein; 2 Sam. 23.13.14.15.16.hee longs for water which the Philiſtines had in their poſſeſſion; His Worthies breake through and fetch him ſome of it; when he had it, he would not pleaſe his luſts, but poures it out as an offering to God. See how he curbed his luſts: The three Worthies did a great exploit, but Dauid a greater in conquering his concupiſcence.
Concupiſcence is not fulfilled without a great deale of care in prouiding here, Vſe 4 and a great deale of torment hereafter.
Eſau is weary in following his pleaſure, and to ſatisfie his luſt with red pottage, he ſells the richeſt thing in the world, euen his birth-right.
Doſt thou luſt after daintie faire? It is not gotten without great charge, nor made readie without great labour, nor deuoured without great diſcommoditie.
But if Chriſt be thy meat, hee refreſheth without ſatietie, filleth without loathing, coſts thee no money, breeds no diſeaſes, but healeth thy infirmities.
Doeſt thou deſire gorgeous apparell? It coſteth thee deare, it requireth much care in the wearing, and occaſioneth much danger; but if thou put on Chriſt, it coſteth thee not deare: great care indeed muſt be in the wearing, but then it diſchargeth vsus of all other vnneceſſary cares, and it ſo becommeth vsus, and ſetteth vsus forth, that God himſelfe taketh pleaſure in vsus.
It requireth labour and eare to ſerue our luſts, and afterwards commeth damnation: but though it require care to ſerue God, yet afterwards it bringeth euerlaſting life.
Moſt men are ouer carefull for their bodies, Ʋſe 5 and careleſſe for their ſoules: Nimia corporis cura, nimia animae incuria: where there is ſo much ſtudie for daintie fare, and gay apparell, for houſe and land, &c. there is little ſtudy and care for grace, and a better life; and ſo on the contrary.
When Peter ſaw the heauenly ſights in the Mount at Chriſts transfiguration, hee forgot his nets; ſo they which ſet their mind too much vponupon their nets, forget the heauenly things in the mountaine.
Abate the care for thy body, and encreaſe thy care for thy ſoule. Doe here as thou doſt in a paire of skales: If the bodie weigh downe thy ſoule; take from the body, and adde to the ſoule, and then ſhall it come to paſſe, that thy ſoule ſhall lift vp thy body to heauen, otherwiſe, thy body will ſinke thy ſoule to hell.
God hath committed to our keeping, a body and a ſoule; the ſoule as a ſonne, to bee delicately brought vp, to bee fed with the daintieſt, and to be clothed with the richeſt: the body as a ſlaue, to be brought vp to labour, and to bee fed with bread and water, to be chaſtiſed alſo, and kept vnderunder: but wee contrarily cocker the ſlaue till he rebell; and make the ſonne a ſlaue.
But let our bodies ſerue, leſt our concupiſcence grow ſtrong to our condemnation, and whatſoeuer befall the bodie, let vsus take care for ſaluation of our ſoules.