A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 132 (Question 35 cont.)
SERMON CXXXII.
III. WE proceed now to take notice of the gradual Progreſs of this principle of Sanctification in us. The things we are empowered to by it, are Mortification and Vivification, the killing of Sin, and quickening of Grace. But theſe are not begun and perfected at once, but carried on ſucceſſively. We are enabled to theſe more and more. And whether we aſcribe this to the Ability itſelf, or to the effect flowing from it, it will hold in both. The principle of Sanctification in us is a growing thing, and the fruits or operations of it are anſwerable. We may take the account of this matter in the following Concluſions.
1. THAT the Image of God, and the image of Sin, are two contrary Principles in their own Nature. This will be evident by conſidering what they are in Scripture ſenſe. The Image of God conſiſts in the whole body of ſanctifying Graces, as hath already been made to appear by the Premiſes; whereas the Image of S…n is conſtituted of all corrupt Luſts, whereby the man is defiled: One is called the, Spirit, the other the Fleſh, and ſaid to be contrary, Gal. 5.17. They ſerve two contrary Laws, Rom. 7.25. With the mind I …y ſelf ſerve the law of God: but with the fleſh the law of ſin. And we have this contrariety further declared, Rom. 8.5, 6, 7. For they that are after the fleſh, do mind the things of the fleſh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded, is death: but to be ſpiritually minded, is life and peace. Becauſe the carnal mind is enmity againſt God: for it is not ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. There is not a greater oppoſition between Light and Darkneſs, Heaven and Hell, then between theſe.
2. THAT theſe are ſuppoſed to be in men as Qualities in…d Subject. True, ſuch is their cloſeneſs, that ſometimes they have the denomination of the Subject put upon them; but the man is the Subject of them, and theſe are moral habits or diſpoſitions in him, and hence, being ſeparable from the Subject, they may be loſt, and though contraries, yet may be in the ſame Subject in lower degrees. Some indeed count Original Sin to be a privation, or only a loſs of the Image of God, but it is certain, there is that which is poſitive in it; man is not only by it indiſpoſed to good, but inclined to evil. Eccl. 3.1…. And Paul compares it to a Law in the man, which gives its Edicts, Rom 7.23. But I ſ…e another law in my members, warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of ſin, which is in my members. The Underſtanding, Will, Affections, Senſes, and Members, are influenced and acted by them.
3. THAT the Apoſtacy hath utterly rooted out the Image of God, and introduced the image of Sin. That man came out of God's hands in his Creation, furniſhed with the divine Image, we are aſſured, Gen. 1.27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created be him. But that he hath loſt it by Sin, is wofully true. Were it not ſo there would be no need of having it reſtored again Eph. 4.23. This is that which hath made man become unprofitable, Rom. 3.12. And that it is wholly gone is evident, becauſe there is nothing good remaining in the man, Rom. 7 18. And that the image of fin is come in the room of it appears, becauſe the whole man is ſet upon that which is evil; according to the deſcription given of a natural man, Rom. 3.10. &c.
4. THAT though the image of God is reſ…d in Sanctification, yet the image of Sin is not totally removed. That the thing done is Sanctification is the renewing as after the Image of God, we have already obſerved. This is the new Creature which is produced in regeneration. The man is no ſooner new-bo…s, but he hath all Sanctifying Graces in hi…: but yet ſo as, altho' carnal concupiſcence be crucifyed in him, yet it remains, and is ali… and active in him. Paul had not only a new law in his mind, but alſo another law in his members, Rom. 7.23. Nor is there any l… of the fleſh but a Child of God is peſtered with it as long as he liveth. Whence elſe is it that God's Children have been drawt away by Temptation to the commiſſion of theſe and thoſe Sin? It is Luſt within which is the fuel in which the ſparks of a Temptation do kindle. Chriſt who had none, could ſay, as Joh. 14.13. The prince of this world c…th, and bath nothing in me.
5. THAT the Image of God is renewed … a deſign for perfection, and the image of Sin it ſubdued in order to total ſubverſion. The new man in us, is at firſt but a babe, but is cre…d for a perfect man in Chriſt, and the means of Grace are appointed for that end, Eph 4.11, 12, 13. Chriſt reſolves to preſent his Church to himſelf without ſpot, Eph. 5.27. And though Sin abide in us for the preſent, yet Chriſt came to take it away, Job. 1 29. And he will leave nothing of it in us before he hath done with us. The Apoſtle therefore tells us of ſuch a time, 1 Cor. 13.10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ſhall be done a…y.
6. THAT hence the dying to Sin and living to Righteouſneſs, are in the Children of God progreſſive. They are not begun & compl…d at once, but are carried on by degrees: f… which reaſon the Children of God are …des the obligation of a conſtant duty to be … …ying of Sin, and growing in Grace, 2 Cor. 7.1. 2 P…t. 3.18. God catrieth on this work by ſteps, now a little, and then a little. So that the work of Repentance, which is nothing elſe but the exerciſe of Sanctification, is that which God's Children ought always to be at, till Sin in them be no more, and their Grace be arrived at its full ſtature.
7. FROM the conſideration of the prog… neſs of Sanctification in both parts of it, we … led to the Contemplation of the Spiritual Warfare in a Child of God. The word of God gives us the account of a War raiſed and maintained in the Chriſtian between Grace & Corruption, Rom. 7.23. But I ſee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bring in… me into captivity to the law of ſin, which is i… my members. Gal. 5.17. For the fleſh … againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the ſ…h, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, and elſewhere. Now this War is to be conſidered either in the riſe and grounds of it, or in the management of it. In this latter reſpect … properly belongs to the Doctrine of Re… tance; in the former it refers to the … Sanctification, l…n…ay not then he am…ls to take it together here, where the occaſſion of it is diſcovered, that there may be no need to return to it afrerwards. We may take a brief account of this Affair in the following Pariculars,
1. THE Subject of this Warfare is a Child of God, or true believer. It is only the new born Chriſtian that is capable of it. It is managed within the man, and ſuppoſeth two contrary jarring parties, between which it muſt be maintained. Now before Converſion, or the renewing of the Im…e of God in the man, there are no parties in him: Sin in an unregenerate man holds poſſeſſion, and whiles it hath the whole government it keeps quiet. it is the ſtrong man of whom our Saviour ſpeaks, Luk. 11.21. When a ſtrong man armed …peth the pa…ace, his goods are in peace. It is by the new Birth that we are born men of …ation, Jer. 15.10. There are indeed ſome …es in an unregenerate man, which for the preſent make a noiſe: Sometimes between Conſcience and Concupiſcence, Luſt is i…iable till gratifyed, and Conſcience is …ched, and forced to threaten him. Such a …at there was in Ba…cam, Numb. 22. Sometimes between one Luſt and another. The man cannot gratify them all, and whiles …e is provided for, the ſupply of the other is withdrawn. It Pride and Voluptuouſneſs be fed, Coveteouſneſs is diſoblig'd: and to of others. Sometimes between the principles of Morality, and the violence of carnal Affections: Reaſon in the man faiths, this is folly, and will bring thee to ſhame; but Luſt faith, I … have, I cannot abſtain. But theſe feuds are quickly compoſed, and do not break out … a War, becauſe all the powers in the …al man are Servants of Original Sin, and that doth all it can to quiet them, knowing … if its Kingdom be divided it cannot ſtand.
2. THE reaſon of this Warfare is, becauſe he hath both Grace and Corruption in him. In all War there muſt be two parties, how elſe ſhould there be a diſagreement, which is the very …ound of it? As if the man had no thing but Corruption in him, there would be none; ſo, if he had nothing but Grace, all would go on without moleſtation. When therefore Sin ſhall be done away, and Grace be perfected, it will be at an end. In Heaven therefore there will be none of this …ance. There doth Paul enjoy that glotions deliverance which he ſo earneſtly cries for, …. 7.24. But becauſe here he hath … law in his members, therefore he is … a Warriour, ver. 23.
3. HENCE the Parties that are engaged in the …ſore are Sin and Grace in the man. The … himſelf is the Field of this War, but the Combirants are theſe two Champions, the old and the New man: Theſe are called … Spirit. And we have them ſet forth … contrariety, Gal. 5.17. For the fleſh … againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt …, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, The word contrary, is a martial phraſe, and ſignifies to he in leaget, a … …m an Army that is en…e…ched againſt a… g…ves S…ege to a holineſs: And they a…e … …o, i. e. Original Sin, with all the …ſts … belong to it which we are told … againſt the ou…. 1 Pet. 2 11. This is the …ſt …d Sanctitying Grace, with all the … Graces of God that are in us, which with… d… the other, this is the Spirit. So that all that …s in this War, is to be reduced to and conſidered under one or other of theſe two parties.
4. THAT therefore which maketh this War, is the deadly Antipath there is between theſe two. And the more fixt and eager that is, the more furious it muſt …eed, be. The Apoſtle then g…ves us the reaſon why they are contrary, or carry it hoſtily one toward another, Gal. 5. 17. becauſe they luſt one againtſt another. This word luſt, ſignifieth not only to deſire, but vehemently ſo to do, being derived of a word that ſignifieth to born; and it is uſed equivocally both in a good & bad ſenſe, as the Text it ſelt aſſures us, and implies a fixt and unalierable quality. T… luſt against a thing, notes an antipathy in it: ſuch there is between theſe; and thence the War breaks out. And no wonder if we conſider what an Antipathy it is.
(1.) IT is a natural Antipathy. It is roofed in the very nature of theſe principles. I call it natural, in oppoſition to that which is adventitious. Two Perſons may be intimate Friends, and yet occaſionally fall out; and ſuch 2 feud we obſerved may be between the ſuperiour and inſeriour faculaies in an unregenerate man. But this under conſideration, is inſeperable from the being o… the thin… it is of the very form of it. As ſoon as there is Fleſh and Spirit, ſo ſoon is this diſpoſition in them, and ſo they cannot but have o… another, becauſe they tend to overthrow each others nature. The antipathy is ſuch as is between Fire and Water; it fl…ws from contrary principles in them, the one is from the Earth, and is Earthly, the other from Heaven, and is Heavenly. They have contrary Objects, they look two contrary ways, one is fixt upon God, the other ſet upon the Creature, one is for Heavenly, the other for Farthly things. They have contraty deſigns, which they naturally proſecute, one is bound for the Glory of God, and the Heavenly Inheritance. the other looks no farther than Senſe, and the gratifying of his earthly deſires. So that they neither judge, nor approve, nor purſue the ſame, but things directly contrary: ſo that what ones likes, the other diſlikes, and it is enough to make it abominable to the one, that it pleaſeth the other.
(2.) IT is a mutual and equal Antipathy on both ſides. The Fleſh is as much ſet againſt the Spirit, &c. & contra. Both luſt, which leads us to the natural reaſon of their oppoſition; becauſe theſe are both principles of Action; and contrary principles, and ſeated in the ſame Subject,; and hence diſpoſed to preſerve their own being, and deſtroy each other. Each knows it cannot be ſafe, as long as the other is capable of doing any thing. This Paul repreſents in Rom. 7.15. &c.
3. IT is a mortai feud that is between them. They are not only at variance, but hate each other; they are two mortal Enemies; the one cannot endure to ſee the other alive, and can be content with nothing leſs then its Death; One world cannot hold them peaceably. Hence the Fleſh is called Enmity in the abſtract, Rom. 8.7. becauſe the carnal mind is enmity againſt God: for it is …ot ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. They know that if the one lives, the other muſt die, and ſo one is reſtleſly diſcontent till is ſees the other dead. Corruption knows that the life of Grace muſt be its bane, and Grace is equally ſatisfied, that it can never be ſecure, till Luſt lie dead at its foot.
4. HENCE it is an irreconcible Antipathy, which is alſo implied in the word laſting. A natural difference cannot be removed, without deſtroying the nature of the thing. If the Fleſh & Spirit be ever reconciled, either the Fleſh muſt ceaſe to be Fleſh, or the Spirit ceaſe to be Spirit. For this reaſon alſo called Enmity in the abſtract; an Enemy may be atoned, but Enmity never. Fire and Water may as well ſhake hands and agree. Hence Grace is compared to a Spark, & Concupiſcence to Water, Cant. 8.7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. And indeed, how ſhould they be reconciled? For they cannot be brought to any terms of Treaty: if oppoſite agree, it muſt be in a third, but they cannot endure the ſight one of another, and ſo can make no propoſals. And indeed, both will do their utmoſt to have the whole Sovereignty in the man. One Thone cannot hold two Kings: they are both reſolved either to conquer or die. If Grace reign, Sin ſhall die before it hath done, Rom. 6.12. And it Sin be alive, Grace ſhall not live quietly; and no wonder, for they ſerve two contrary Maſters: The Fleſh is a Vaſſal of, and hath ſworn fealty to Satan, whereas the Spirit is engaged for the Glory of God, and what fellowſhip, &c. 2 Cor. 6.14.
5. THIS War is in every Faculty and Power of the Man. This is like the Battle between the forces of David and Abſalom, 2 Sam. 18.8. The whole man is the ſubject and ſeat of it. And the reaſon is, becauſe both of theſe principles, do influence the whole. Curruption remains in all, though dethroned, and Sanctification is throughout, 1 Theſ. 5.23. In the Underſtanding Grace is a Principle of Divine Light, Col. 3.10. The new man hath a Spiritual Diſcerning, 1 Cor. 2.14. but it is but in part, 1 Cor. 13.9. with which the man is not content, but reacheth after more, Phil. 3.13. in which it fights againſt remaining Ignorance. Corruption is a Principle of Ignorance and Error about Divine things, Rom 3.12, 13. Eph. 4.18. It miſcalls things, Iſai. 5.20. We unto them that and evil good, and good evil; that put darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs; that put … for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter. By it the minds of the Regenerate are obſcared, de… ned, perplexed. And hence he is forced … wreſtle hard for a ſettlement on the T…, and reſiſting of his carnal Reaſonings. In the W…il, there is a ſore fight between Faith and Unbelief; ſuch was in him, Mark 9.24 Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief, G… engageth the Soul to truſt in God through Chriſt for Bleſſedneſs, to eſtabliſh it in a … Reliance on Chriſt. Whereas Corruption perſwades him to Unbelief, to doubt and deſpair of the Love of God. fills him with demurs; or it ſeeks to lead him into Preſumption, and truſt in his own Righteouſneſs. A grievous Combat alſo, between Obidience, and Diſobedience; Grace faith this is a Duty, and thou muſt do it; Concupiſcence relucts againſt it, and doth all it … to diſſwade from it. Grace commends and graſps after Holineſs, Concupiſcence do… after Sin. In the Affections, Sin draws ca… ly one way, and Grace another. Grace … them on things above, and Luſt pulls then a hard after things below; what the one … the other hates. Grace wings the Affections to mount up to Heaven, but Luſt is … heavy weight on them, that drags th… down to the Earth. In the Bodily Me…, Luſt endeavours to keep them in its ſarvi… ſlavery, to do its drudgery, but Grace ob… them to be the Servants of Righteouſneſs, and employed in the glorifying of God. … in them, would have them rebel againſt the ſanctifyed Underſtanding and Will, w… Grace is engaged to hold them in Obedience, ſo that there is no part or power in … that is at reſt, ſo long as this War continueth.
6. THIS War hath its Abettors on both parts. Both Grace & Luſt are aided and ſeconded in their withſtanding of each other. Theſe is the acceſs of Foreign force, which are … iliary to theſe two Enemies. And here,
(1.) THE Fleſh, or Concupiſcence is …ſſ…ed by the Devil and the World. the Devil is the great Goliah, Sin's Champion; his great deſign is to maintain a trade of Sin, in the Soul, and defend the life of it; and this makes the War ſo formidable, Eph. 6.12. For …s wrestle not with fleſh and blood, but againſt principalities, againſt powers, againſt the … of the darkneſs of this world, againſt ſpiri… wickedneſs in high places. i. e. not al… And in ſome ſenſe, not chiefly, becauſe … is now General, and leads up Luſt againſt Grace, whoſe inveterate Malice carries … forth moſt ſedulouſly to ſeek our ruin, 1 P… 5.8. Your adverſary the devil, is as a … lion walking about ſeeking whom be may … Whoſe Stratagems are many, and very … ning, 2 Cor. 2.11. Lest Satan ſhould get advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Whoſe Inviſibility, Immora… Vigilancy and Unwearied neſs, Advantage him greatly: The World is an l…ſtrument improved by Satan. to ſupply the Fleſh and irritate its …: The men of the World, who are temp…rs and encouragers of us to and in ſi…, and not a little inſinuate; and the things of the world, which are Objects ſuited to pleaſe the …al part in us, and allure us to …in. Hence thoſe titles given them, I Job. 2.16. For all th… is in the world, the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride ſ…ſe.
(2) THE Spirit, or Grace, is …ided by God himſelf, and the …le ſpiritual Ar…our given us by God. It is by Grace that we reſiſt ſin, and as God is the Author of it, ſo by the exerciſe of it, he enabl…th us to reſiſt Sin and Satan. … Hope is compared to an helmet, Righte…ſ…ſs to a breaſt plate, Faith to a ſh…eld, &c. But the great thing is, in all this, God takes … with Grace in his. It is the Lord's bat… which is here fought, they are the ban…s of Chriſt under which the Believer march… of the word is, for Chriſt: He is Cap… of the Saints Army, his Honour is con…ed in the ſucceſs, and therefore He is our near to help them, and hath ſaid, Heb. 23.5. I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee.
7. THIS War is managed …ith v…r…us ſucceſs. Th… are many particular skirmiſhes between theſe, yet indeed, they are always contrary. … in theſe, ſometimes Corruption gets the …-…and, ſometimes Grace hath the better of it. A Believer is too often drawn into the …ſi…ion of ſin, gets many a ſore fall, and …, and wound: Abraham, Lot, David, Jo… …, Peter, and many other Worthies, … as inſtances of this. Paul complains, … 7.23. But I ſee another law in my mem…, waring againſt the law of my mind, and …ing me into captivity to the law of ſin, … is in my members. This is by divine …ion, and God hath holy deſigns in it. … …er times Grace hath the better, and … it always iſſueth here: but many … it maintains its poſt, and is not ſhaken. Joſeph holds his own, &c. Gea. 39 begin. … and Satan are driven back with diſgrace. … iſ it be born down, yet it is helped, and gets … again, and tho' it falleth, yet it riſeth again by Repentance. So did it in David and ….
8. It is ſo managed in the whole, that Grace … believer gains, and Concupiſcence loſeth. in the tract of his courſe and warfare, Grace … upon Corruption, and its Kingdom is … …bliſhed. It is with this, as in 2 Sam. … N… there wa… long war between the houſe …, and the houſe of David: but the houſe … …axed ſtronger and ſtronger, and the houſe … …axed weaker and weaker. Grace is … into the Child of God for increaſe, and …der the promiſe and means of growth. … 22.12, 13. And the growth of Grace is … creaſe of Corruption; theſe being con… qualities in us, the prevalency of the … muſt needs be the decay of the other. … two contraries are in the ſame ſubject, in remiſs degrees, the more degr… ga…s. the other l…ſeth proportionably. Grace gains by its Victories; every time the Spirit prevails, the Fleſh muſt needs be weakned; yea, and it gets by its …oils. Tho' it be wounded and for the preſent weakned, yet infinite Wiſdom ſo orders it, that when he is overtaken with ſin, he is rouſed by it, and Grace will not cry Quarter, but cries to God in Chriſt for help, and by Repent…ce and Faith he riſeth again, and rallying, h…lreſh aff…ults his corrupt part, and is ſo re…ed and is thus more eſtabliſhed, and is ma… …re vigilant and reſolute, 2 Cor. 7.11.
9. THIS War la is, as long as the Believer liveth. This life, and that which is to … me, are the proper boundaries between … Church militant and triumphant. Paul …eth his fight and his courſe together, 2 Tim 4.7. There will he ſin in us as long as we dwell here, and if there he Grace too, they will reſiſt each other. Let the fleſh be never ſo much vanquiſhed, and mortifyed, yet whiles it can breath, it will be giving moleſtation, and the more oppreſſed it is, the more if is enraged, and grows more deſperate. As long as there are theſe two irreconcileable Enemies within, the poor Believer muſt be a field of War, and till. that happy day c…mes, wherein Corruption ſhall be ſwallowed up of Incorruption, a Believer cannot expect a Ceſſation of Arms, or a Truce, but a conſtant Fighting.
USE I. LEARN hence, That a natural man, can contribute nothing to his own Converſion: Becauſe he hath nothing but Corruption in him, and therefore all he can do, is to withſtand and hinder it.
USE. II. HENCE we ſee, That be that doth Duty without reluctancy, doth it not ſpiritually nor acceptably. A literal performance may go off eaſily, but that which is truly gracious, will not be without great wreſtlings. And hence the imperfection of our O…edience.
USE. III. HENCE a Chriſtians real Il'ork begins, when he is Converted. Now he is entred the liſts; now muſt he run and fight for the prize, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14.
USE. IV. HENCE Perſeverence is neceſſary for every one that hopes to obtain a Crown of Glory. Rev. 2.10. Hence that rebuke, Gal. 5.7. He that will have the Crown, muſt keep the ſaith. 2 Tim. 4.6, 7.
USE. V. HENCE, of all the men in the World, the true Chriſtian hath need of Reſolution and Hardineſs. Of all the Battels that ever were fought, there is no…e ſo ſore, ſo furious, ſo durable, as that between Grace and Corruption. The Seat of the Battle is within the man, the Opponents are deadly & irreconcilable Enemies; the War is through the whole man, and carried on without intermiſſion. The War laſt all his Life, and he muſt never lay down his Arms, till Chriſt calls him out of the Field to triumph in Heaven: And the conſequence of the War is of i…ite Concernment, I Cor. 9.26. What need then of that advice, 2 Tim. 2.3.
[MAY 9. 1699.]