Selected quad for the lemma: body_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
body_n part_n soul_n spirit_n 21,122 5 5.5913 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A10391 The description of fleshly lusts. Or a profitable and fruitfull sermon vpon the first Epistle of Saint Peter, Chap. 2. vers. 11. 12. Preached and penned by that famous, learned, iudicious, orthodoxall, holy, wise, and skilfull preacher and servant of God, now deceased, and with his God triumphing in Heaven, Iohn Randall, Batchelour of Divinitie, pastour of St. Andrewes Hubbart in little East cheape London, sometimes fellow of Lincolne Coledge in Oxford. And now published, to the glory of God, the edification of his church, and the honourable memoriall of the author, by William Holbrooke, preacher of the word of God in the church aforesaid Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Holbrooke, William. 1622 (1622) STC 20669; ESTC S102397 17,941 33

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

a dutie to be besought and crouched vnto by others but himselfe will beseech none It may be he succeedes him in place though that may be questioned too but in meeknesse of Spirit and the performance of his Ministeriall function he doth as farre degenerate from Peter as euer that Idolatrous King Manassah did degenerate from the steppes of his good Father Hezekiah And thus much of the Insinuations Now to the parts of the Exhortation and first of the former part contained in the 11. Verse the mortifying and subduing of the lusts of the Flesh First of the matter it selfe and secondly of the motiues whereby the Apostle enforces this Exhortation vpon them First of the matter To abstaine from fleshly lusts By lusts we are here to vnderstand the dispositions or inclinations that are within vs by the flesh wee are to vnderstand our whole nature and whatsoeuer in vs is not regenerate by the spirit of God all which must be abstained from they must be mortified and subdued within vs according to that Galatians the fift Chapter vers 24. They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof that is they haue crucified their nature and the dispositions of their nature Euery one of these words require a seuerall Discourse and therefore I will treate of them seuerally and first of the lusts secondly of the flesh thirdly of abstaining First of lusts God in the beginning created Man vpright in nature and without any blemish but because Man was but a creature and therefore could not haue all perfections in himselfe the Lord God furnished him with an holy appetite and desire whereby he might be carried to seeke after God in whom onely he might find and enioy all perfections This the Serpent perceiuing tooke occasion hereby to sollicite Eue not to desire to enioy God but to desire to become God abusing this affection that was giuen to Man to make him happie and turning it to his vtter bane and destruction The end which the Serpent proposed to her to be as God was a thing much to be desired and the Instrument which he vsed the Apple of the forbidden tree was very pleasant and much also to be desired as is sayd Gen. 3.6 and so the Serpent robbed the Woman and robbed her Husband and robbed all their Posteritie of that godly affection that holy appetite and desire which the Lord had furnished Mans nature withall Euer since which first peruerting of our will and desire partly by the propagation of this infection from our Parents into vs and partly by the Iustice of God which hath inflicted it vpon vs as a curse of that first sinne all the whole many of vs are peruerted in our wills and so corrupted in all our desires that now the inclinations of our nature are no longer desires as they were in the beginning but they are lusts and concupiscences nothing els but lewd and inordinate affections For as a little Leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe euen so this Lust hath infected our whole nature that now wee are but a masse and a heape of Lusts Looke into all our affections they are nothing but Lusts looke into all our actions they are nothing but Lusts looke into all our sinnes our originall sinne is nothing but Lust as S. Iames teaches Chapter 1. Vers 14. Euery man is tempted he is drawne away by his owne Lust and Chap. 4. vers 1. Whence are warres and contentions Are they not hence euen of your Lusts Our actuall sinnes are nothing but lusts as the Apostle shews Galat. 5.19 20. Where he calls the workes of the flesh the lusts of the flesh and the 1. Ioh. Chapter 2. vers 16. Whatsoeuer is in the world as the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and pride of life and this is a kind of lust too Looke into all the parts of our bodies and powers of our soules and you shall finde nothing but Lusts in them our eyes Lust after delightfull sights our eares Lust after pleasant sounds our stomackes after sweete meates our hearts Lust after foolish vanities and the very spirit that is within vs sayth the Apostle Lusteth after enuie Iam. 4.5 So then the Apostle here exhorting these Christians to abstaine from Lusts hath chosen a most significant and compendious word to expresse his meaning he bids them to abstaine from Lusts Wherein we may obserue first that this is a generall dehortation from all kindes of sinne for Lust is the generall name for them all not onely against Adultery and Wantonnesse which is the most naturall meaning of Lust but against Pride and Enuie and Othes and Blasphemies and euery other sinne For he would not haue the children of God be free from one sinne and defile themselues with another free from Adultery but defiled with Drunkennesse or free from Drunkennesse but defiled with Envie but he would haue them to be entirely holy and as in the first verse of this chapter he willed them to lay aside all dissimulation all maliciousnesse all euill speaking so here he willes them to abstaine from all sinne What is it vnto thy health if thou be free from one disease and thy body infected with another thou art still but a diseased man and what is it to the comelines of thy body to haue a faire face but to want the proportion of thy other limmes Thou art still but a deformed man and what is it to the gracing of thy Soule in the sight of God to be cleare from one sinne so long as another sinne raignes within thee but if thou canst sweepe away these lusts which the Apostle here speakes of then thou art cleansed of all thy diseases to bee a sound Christian and ridd of all thy deformities to be gratious and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. But wee may take this exhortation to be more particular as if the Apostle should counsell these Christians to abstaine especially from such lusts as the Gentiles amongst whom they liued were addicted vnto that if they were giuen to riot these should especially endeuour themselues to sobrietie if they were giuen to wantonnes these should especially labour to chastity if they were giuen to malice these should especially labour to be most kind and gentle that as it is in the 12. verse when they should see the good examples of these Christians they might learne by them to be drawne from their sins and so glorifie God in the day of their visitation Or els wee may take the exhortation to bee yet more particular as if the Apostle should here counsell them to enter into their owne hearts and there to make iust tryall what speciall sinne they did feele to rage most within them and thereof they should especially labour to purge themselues for commonly euery man even the best of vs all hath his proper sinne some one sinne and some another raging within vs aboue the rest and I know not whether this be that Malus Genius
extended to our whole nature both of soule and bodie except we be regenerate and borne anew so that whatsoeuer is in vs vnregenerate it is here called by the name of flesh For so it is taken Mat. 16.17 where Christ sayth vnto Peter flesh and bloud hath not revealed this vnto thee that is nothing that is in the nature of man hath taught thee this but it is the speciall worke of the spirit of God And in the 1. to the Corinthians Chap. 2. vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The naturall man he sayth not the carnall man but euen the whole nature of man soule and all is so darkened that it cannot perceiue the things that are of God and therefore the Apostle calls our whole man Corpus peccati The bodie of sinne Rom. 6.6 because sinne hath infected our whole man nay he calles it Corpus mortis Rom. 7.24 The body of death because it is in it selfe wholly cut off from the life of God wherewith we were quickened before our fall The Reasons why the vnregenerate man and in the best of vs the vnregenerate part is called by the name of flesh as here in this place are two First because either they proceed meerely of the flesh or at least are wrought by the flesh Some lusts proceed meerely of the flesh our originall sinne it is not to be thought to arise in our soule for that is created holy and infused holy from aboue into euery one of vs at our first quickening in our Mother but it is the materiall part the flesh which we draw from our Parents that is infected with sinne in it selfe and as soone as ever the soule is vnited and ioyned vnto it it infects the soule also As Cosbi the Midianitish Woman defiled Zimri the Israelite by lying with him as we reade Numbers 25. And as Salomons wiues strange women turned his heart after other Gods 1 King 11.4 And so the flesh which we receiue of our Parents as soone as it is married as it were vnto the soule as soone as they are knit into one nature the flesh by clipping and embracing the soule doth defile the soule and turne it after carnall lusts and when once this lust this originall infection hath seized vpon vs in body and soule too then our nature is become like a fiery Furnace that continually sends forth many flames of Concupiscence it still egges vs on and provokes vs vnto sinne as the wife of Putiphar did sollicite Ioseph day by day to commit wickednesse and to sinne against God Other lusts though they doe not arise out of the flesh yet they are wrought in vs by the flesh It is the olde pollicie of Satan to seeke first to overcome the weakest that afterward he may overcome the strongest he set first vpon Eue that so he might overcome Adam and so still he sets first vpon our flesh which is the weakest and most inclinable to sinne that afterward he may overcome the spirit which if it were not for the perswasions and allurements of the flesh would withstand sinne For the Devill could never doe any thing against vs but that he findes fit matter in our flesh to worke vpon As our Sauiour spake of himselfe Ioh. 14.30 The Prince of this world commeth and hee finds nothing in me so if we had not any corruption in our owne flesh Satan could even hardly fasten any temptation vpon vs. No Beloved here that is verified which our Saviour spake in another case Inimici hominis domestici eius The enemies of a man are they that are of his owne houshold and that also which our Saviour proved by his owne experience He that dippes his finger with me in the dish it is he that lifts vp his heele against me euen the same flesh which we nourish in our owne bosome lifts vp it selfe against vs to destroy vs. Here then let the children of God learne hereby to beware of their owne flesh and whensoever Satan tempts thee take heed that thy owne flesh doe not play the traytor with thee and deliver thee over into the will and power of thine enemies And let this kindle in every one of vs a serious desire to be dissolved out of this earthly Tabernacle which we beare about vs and to be ridde from this treacherous enemy of our owne flesh 2. A second Reason why the lusts of the vnregenerate are called after the name of flesh is because they tend to the cherishing of the flesh the carnall or naturall part For why doth the Epicure wallow vp and downe in all licentiousnesse and the Voluptuous man sell himselfe over to the pleasures of this life and the Covetous man obey his vnsatiable lust and desire of gaine but that all thinges seeme to tend to the cherishing of their owne flesh I say seeme to tend because it is but in appearance onely for indeede these things are so farre from cheririshing the flesh that contrariwise they are the very spoyle of our flesh and decay of our Nature Voluptuousnesse is called by the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.18 a sinne against a mans owne body Gluttony and Drunkennesse shorten mens liues and deforme their bodies and marre their constitutions and Covetousnesse wasts away a mans spirits and sokes vp the moisture of Nature Let this therefore teach vs to bee carefull and circumspect that wee be not deceived by the outward appearance of sinne though it make never such a goodly shew of cherishing our nature seeing indeede it is the very bane of our nature hurtfull to our bodies in this world and the vtter destruction both of Soule and Body in the world to come 3. Lastly wee are to speake in one word concerning Abstinence which is the third point here to bee spoken of Abstaine from fleshly lusts As a carefull Phisitian that is desirous to recover the health of his patient doth giue him speciall charge to abstaine from such meates and drinkes as are enemies to his health so the Apostle here wils this chosen people of God to abstaine from fleshly Lustes and to forbeare them as they loue their Soules health In the first Epistle to the Corint chap. 9. ver 25. The Apostles enforces this exhortation vpon vs by way of Comparison Every one that proveth Masteries sayth hee abstaines from all things that might bring his body out of temper and this he doth for a corruptible Crowne how much more ought wee to abstaine from all fleshly lustes which will bring our Soules out of temper especially considering that the Crowne which wee striue for is incorruptible and everlasting in Heaven And this is the true Abstinence which the Lord requireth at our hands to absteine from sinne to abstaine from lustes to abstaine from the workes of the flesh Though we should abstaine eyther from certaine meates never so precisely or from all meates so farre as it is possible yet if we doe not withall abstaine from sinne and from the lusts of the flesh it is no abstinence at all but rather fond superstition Wherefore beloved let vs hearken to this cousell of the Apostle and obserue it in our dayly practise to abstaine from fleshly lustes Doth our corrupt nature at any time aske any thing at our hands Let vs deny it and say it nay and forbeare such desires Doth our flesh sollicite vs to do or thinke any thing that is against our obedience to God Let vs deny our flesh and forbeare all such lusts Indeede if we were our owne then might wee iustly take our libertie to our selues and doe what wee list but the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.19 Tels vs plainely that wee are not our owne but are bought with a price even with the most precious blood of Iesus Christ and therefore wee must bee ruled by him that bought vs because wee are his and abstaine from our owne lusts and deny our owne Flesh and Nature because wee are not our owne Our Saviour tels vs wee must denie and forsake our selues or els wee are not to follow him Luke 9.23 Oh let vs follow him in the regeneration by abstaining from our fleshly lusts which fight against our Soules and so wee shall receiue at length the end of our Faith the salvation of our Soules even that vncorruptible Crowne that Crowne of righteousnesse spoken of by the Apostle Saint Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians chap 9. ver 25. and the second Epistle to Timothie chap 4. ver 8. which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue at that day to all them that loue that his appearing and is attaineable by and promised onely to those that thus abstayne from and overcome their fleshly lusts 1 Cor. 9.25 Rom 8.13 Revel 2.26 Revel 3.5 which that wee may so doe as wee are here exhorted let vs conclude with prayer calling vpon God for the spirit of power to enable vs thereunto and that through Iesus Christ to whom with God the Father and the blessed Spirit three distinct Persons and yet but one God bee all Honor and Glory both now and for ever Amen Amen
that evill Spirit which the Heathen say takes possession of euery man but sure I am that it is the proper lust of our owne Nature whether caused by the infection of our Parents or by the temperature of our complexions or by some celestiall influence in our conception or birth or rather indeed wrought in vs by the power of Sathan after wee are come into the world it is I say the proper lust of euery mans owne nature whereby he is inclined to one vice more then to another One hath a touch of Envie another hath a touch of Lying another hath a touch of evill speaking in one is a spice of pride in another a spice of wantonnes in another a spice of covetousnesse I speake euen of the best for in others it is more then a touch or spice it raignes in thē in euery one a speciall inclination to some one speciall sin and this is that lust which fights against euery ones Soule after a speciall maner as here is implyed and therefore hee would haue vs as to abstaine from all sinnes so to make speciall provision against that speciall Lust which is most rife and busie within vs. Aske thy owne Soule and examine thy selfe well whether thou art not more inclinable to one vice then to another search it out throughly in the bowels of thy Nature and when thou hast found what principall sinne thou feelest the power of Sathan and the desire of thy owne flesh most often moving thee vnto thou must consider that this is that fleshly lust which of all others fights most fiercely against thy Soule and thou must know that thou art bound to labour especially against that lust refraining from all occasions and meanes which may any way tend to the cherishing of that sinfull and wicked humour and lust in thee 2. Seeing he diswades vs here from lusts we may obserue that he would haue Christians not onely to abstaine from all sinnes but also from the lusts of sinnes that is the very first motions and inclinations to sinne for if we doe not stop and drie vp the fountaine of Sinne we shall hardly stay it in the Channels If we would kill a Serpent wee must crush him in the head and if wee would destroy Sinne wee must smother it in the very first conception As David when hee fought against Goliah did smite that vncircumcised Philistine in the forehead and so slue him euen so must wee deale with sinne wee must smite it in the forehead and destroy it in the first motion and the first lust that wee feele within vs. For so doe they that are Christs as the Apostles shewes Galat. 5.24 they crucifie the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof they crucifie the flesh there the Tree of sinne is taken downe they crucifie the flesh with the affections there both the sapp and the heart of sinne are perished they crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof there the roote and all is withered and quite dried vp In the first chapt of Exodus verse 16. Pharaoh tooke this course to destroy the Male Children of the Israelites hee commaunded that when their mothers had brought them forth death should bee their midwife they should presently bee killed and made away as soone as ever they began to liue Let vs learne Pharaoh his pollicy for a better practise seeing wee are to subdue sinne let the midwife of sinne bee the death of sinne as soone as ever wee feele it quicken within vs and begin to liue wee must presently stop the first breath that ever it takes and destroy it in the first motion Learne we this same lesson of our Saviour In the 4. chap. of Luke verse 5. the Devill came to him and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world in a twinckling of an eye it was onely a shew but our Saviour could not abide a shewe of sinne it was but in the twinckling of an eye but our Saviour could not abide one glimpse of sinne it was I say but a moment of time but our Saviour could not abide that temptatation should liue so much as one moment of time but so soone as ever it began to stirre and to moue presently hee destroyed it Now as here is matter of exhortation teaching vs to beware of the first motions of sinne so here is matter of reproofe of an errour in Popery that denies these first motions of sinne to bee any sinnes at all they acknowledge Lust or Concupiscene to bee the cause of sinne but that it should be a sinne of it selfe this they will in no wise acknowledge But if it be a sinne to transgresse the Law of God then lust must needs be sinne Now Saint Iohn telles vs 1 Epistle Chap. 3. vers 4. that sinne is nothing else but the transgression of the Law and it appeares plainely out of Rom. 7.7 that Lust is the transgression of the Law for the Law sayth Thou shalt not lust so that Lust must needs be sinne The Law requires that thou shouldest loue the Lord thy God with all thy thought Luke 10.27 therefore if euer thy thought be enclined to sinne as Lust takes her first hold in our thought thou hast transgressed the Law and sinned against God It was but a flying thought which the Devill suggested into the hearts of the Scribes that Christ blasphemed when he sayd to the sicke of the Palsie Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee for so wee reade Mark. 2.6 they onely reasoned so in their hearts as if they did not throughly consent vnto it but it was onely a conceit that runne in their heads and yet our Sauiour checkes them for it and calles it by the name of euill as appeares Mat. 9.4 Why thinke you euill in your hearts And if it be euill consequently it must needs be sinne How light soeuer these men make of Concupiscence or Lust I am sure that Paul felt by his owne experience and to his great griefe acknowledged it to be sinne as Rom. 7.20 Not I sayth he but sinne that dwelleth in me Their answere which here they alledge that Lust is indeed sinne yet not properly but onely after a kinde of improper sense if Salomon should heare it he would condemne them of foolishnesse The foole sayth he Prou. 14.9 makes a toy of sinne and surely it is great foolishnesse to make so small account of Lust and to esteeme so light of sinne and to vse such a toyish and frivolous distinction in such an earnest and serious matter 2. Now concerning the flesh which is the second thing here to be spoken of By the name of flesh we are here to vnderstand our whole nature for as Lust is most proper to one sinne aboue the rest as namely to Adultery yet is it rightly applied to all sinnes because euery sinne is a Lust so the flesh doth most properly signifie our matter our carnall and bodily part as it is opposed against our soule or spirituall part yet is it rightly