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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mind_n	law_n	member_n	wretched_a	1,364	5	10.8021	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88580	The combate between the flesh and spirit. As also the wofull with-drawing of the Spirit of God, with the causes thereof: and walking in, and after the Spirit, together with the blessednesse thereof. Being the summe and substance of XXVII. sermons: preached a little before his death, by that faithfull servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of the Gospel at Lawrence Jury London. To which is added the Christians directory tending to direct him in the various conditions that God may cast him into. In XV. sermons.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.	1654 (1654)	Wing L3149; Wing L3145; Thomason E742_2; ESTC R202772	325,954	459

doctrine I shall premise a few particulars to be considered of 1. This conflict between the flesh and the Spirit it was not found in innocency then there was an harmony between the motions of Gods Spirit and all the powers and faculties both of soule and body God made man upright 2. This conflict it shall not be found in a state of glory for then thou shalt be all Spirit and no corrupt flesh for then the flesh shall be utterly abolished 3. This opposition it is not found in infancy it is true there is a corrupt nature in infants sinful motions in children but there is not that which we call actual opposition because they cannot exercise neither grace nor sin 4. This conflict it is not found in the state of unregeneracy while a man is wholly unregenerate he hath no saving motions in him and there cannot be an opposition but where there are two contraries 5. That the time of this life is the time how long this conflict shall last it cannot be ended untill this life be ended untill thou castest off the body of flesh thou shalt not be rid of the motions of sin 6. That even in the most holy that are there will be this conflict between the flesh and Spirit and those who have most grace are most sensible of the contest of the flesh against the Spirit 7. That even regenerate men do more often side with the motions of the flesh then close with the motions of the Spirit they are more in sin then in obedience more in imbracing sinfull motions then in entertaining divine motions some gather this from the Apostles vatiation of speech when he sayes The works of the flesh are manifest but he doth not say so of the fruits of the Spirit intimating that m●n are apt to close with the flesh rather then with the Spirit 7. These motions of corrupt nature they do not only reside in the inferiour part of man as the concupiscible faculty exciting to gluttony and lusts and irascible to envy and wrath but also in the superiour part though the Papists would make us believe otherwise The more noble and rational faculties of man are become corrupt thou art become vain in thy reason and in thy imagination thy understanding is tainted and thy will rebellious thy affections displaced thy superiour faculties are defiled Now having laid down these particulars I come to raise the Doctrine which is this Doctr. That the motions or inclinations in our natures to sin do ever conflict or warre against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing us to good I shall not dilate upon the proving of this point it is written legibly in the Word and engraven in every mans experience Therefore in the handling thereof there are several Queries I shall dispatch and then shall give you the use Querie 1 Wherein consists this conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 1 In stirring up in the heart motions to sinne when the Spirit disswades from sinne Thus the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.5 he speaks it in the name of the regenerate sayes he When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the law accidentally did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Not only in unregeneracy do motions arise from corrupt nature James 1.7,14 contrary to Gods Spirit but in a regenerate man Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed that is by original sinne and thus Paul he speakes of himself as converted Rom. 7.23 sayes he I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members the Apostle he calls sinne a law because it had a force over him and brought him into captivity the law of his members did warre against the law of his minde by provoking him to sin Answ 2 By quenching and stifling the good motions of the Spirit that presses us to good The Spirits office is not only to testifie to us our graces and to evidence to us our interest in Christ but also to excite and stir up holy motions in the heart Now the flesh it doth what it can to quench all these good motions Rom 7.19 hence it is that Paul complaines of himself that the good he would do he did not and the evil he would not do that he did and this arose from that corruption of nature which in the whole Chapter he complaines of and herein chiefly consists the opposition that is between the flesh and the Spirit Answ 3 By inturrupting you when you are about good duties if the flesh cannot prevaile with you to make you not do it will labour to make you misdo duty herein is the great sinfulnesse of it To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 saith Paul but how to performe that which is good I finde not as if he should say I have alwayes an evil nature within me which is interrupting me and debilitating me that I cannot do the good I would herein consists the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit Querie 2 How doth the flesh oppose the Spirit and provoke to sinne the Spirit disswades from sinne the flesh intices to sinne Now what way doth the flesh take to intice to sinne so as thereby to conflict with the Spirit Answ 1 In general the way and manner which the flesh takes to oppose the Spirit it is very sly and subtil Hence is that of Paul Rom. 7.11 sayes he Sinne taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me by sinne he means not actual but original sin the sin of nature is very subtil to deceive as will appear 1 By the names the Scripture gives to the sin of nature They are called deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 There is great deceitfulnesse in sin according to that exhortation of the Apostle Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 2. The sin of nature it is deceitful as appears by the experience of Gods people Rom. 7.11 Sinne taking occasion saith Paul by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 3. Because this sinne of nature it is that which makes the heart deceitful above all things and desparately wicked Jer. 17.9 Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale the heart is deceitful and is very subtill therein Answ 2 In particular there are seven wayes by which corrupt nature intices men to sin 1. By varnishing over sinne with the colour and paint of grace As a light woman may sometimes dress her self in modest attire that so she may not be suspected so thy heart may varnish over sinne that thereby it may the sooner deceive thee As it is usual that the beautiful face of grace by the corruption of our hearts may be smeared over with deformity as that tendernesse of

sinne but that you shall not act sinne with such a strong and full consent of the will nor with such deliberation as unregenerate men who want the Spirit of God Quest 4 How can this be true that if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh whereas experience tells us that set a man walk never so exactly and be never so spiritual yet that man he shall yield to and act the lusts of the flesh and those corruptions which are hid in his nature will break out in his life Answ I have two things to give you by way of answer hereto 1. Though it be true that a man walking in the Spirit shall have the lusts of the flesh yet it is as true that a godly man so walking shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and the reason is this There is a difference between the acting and between the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh a godly man when he sinnes he acts the lusts of the flesh yet he doth not fulfil it because when he sinnes he doth not sinne with such a full consent nor with such a deliberate and compleat act of the will as wicked men do Sinne carries wicked men with more force and violence and with a more deliberate act of the will so some Interpreters resolve this difficulty 2. Others answer it thus Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is say they eatenus whilest you imbrace the Spirits motions Musculus in locum sinnes motions shall not prevaile so farre as you hearken to the Spirits good motions you shall not be overcome with the sinful motions of your own corrupt nature or of the devil You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh so it is in the original and so it is translated in the singular number from whence Criticks shew that in that one sinne of nature there are many sinnes contained all the sinnes in the world being in the womb of original sin In the whole verse you have three parts 1. A duty injoyned Walk in the Spirit 2. A benefit annexed You shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh 3. The certainty of having this benefit This I say c. There are two observations I shall note from the words Doct. 1 That it ought to be the special care of Beleevers to walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Doct. 2 That those who walk after the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit they shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh In the opening of the first Doctrine there are several queries I shall dispatch Querie 1 Why must a beleever walk after the guidance of the Spirit of God and what are the reasons hereof Reas 1 Because it is a great part of the Spirits office after converting grace to excite and move the heart to more grace and to guide a man in the way wherein he should walk Thus it is expressed by the Prophet Isaiah Thine ears shall hear a word behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turne up to the right hand and when ye turne to the left Isa 30.21 As the starre was to the Shepherds Mat. 2.9 or as the fiery Pillar to the Israelites in their passage thorow the Wildernesse So is the Spirit to Beleevers to guide them in the way which is everlasting Therefore if thou walkest not after its motions and guidance thou doest as much as in thee lies to put the Spirit out of office Reas 2 Therefore oughtest thou to walk after the guidance of Gods Spirit because the devil he will be suggesting evil motions to thee he goes up and down compassing the earth not to do good but evil Job 1.7 1 Pet. 5.8 He walketh about seeking whom he may devour And not onely the devil but thine own spirit is a false spirit prompting and provoking thee to sinne that as the furnace casts out sparks and the Chimney smoak so doth thy spirit sinful motions therefore what causehast thou to follow the motions of the Spirit of God There are also many erroneous men Many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 Many seducing spirits and corrupt teachers are gon out into the world Believe not every spirit saith Saint John for many false Prophets are gone out into the world such which pretend they have the Spirit and are teachers of truth but indeed are broachers of errour A tempting devil without us an evil heart of unbelief within us and seducing teachers abroad in the world how should they make us to prize and to follow the motions and guidance of Gods Spirit Reas 3 Because the delusions and enthusiasmes of false teachers are so handed and suggested that they seeme like the motions of the Spirit And therefore is the Apostles caution to the Thessalonians Be not so soone shaken in minde neither by Spirit nor by Word nor by letter as from us that the day of Christ is at hand 2 Thes 2.2 Now if you ask what is meant here by the words Be not shaken in minde by any false spirit Learned Interpreters answer Sclater in Loc. by Spirit that is by revelations instincts and inspirirations that are pretended to come from the Spirit of Christ It was a wicked blasphemy in that wretched Impostor Mahomet to give out that those dead fits that came upon him by his falling sicknesse were raptures from the Spirit of God and that the Dove which he had taught to come feed at his eare was the holy Ghost which did from God reveal unto him the Laws which are set down in the Alchoran by which the pure Mahometans are deluded to this day And therefore seeing the devil hath helpt men in these dayes to such artificial dresses for their wicked errours and the devil himself seems so like an Angel of light we have the more need to walk after the guidance of the Spirit Reas 4 Another reason why you should walk after the motions of the Spirit is because that in so doing you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and this is the reason laid down in the text which because it will come pertinently to be handled in the second Doctrine I therefore wholly wave the handling of it here Querie 2 How we may know the Spirits motions from the natural motions of our own consciences Answ To resolve this point I shall lay down five markes or differences whereby we may know the one from the other 1. The Spirit when it moves a man to good it doth not onely excite him to it but doth also assist him in the doing of it Rom. 8.26 2 Tim. 1.7 Therefore the Spirit is said to help our infirmities making intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered The Spirit of God it is a Spirit of power to enable us in good duties as it excites so also it assists in what it moves to But though

insomuch that he was sick And how sick was Ahab for Naboths vineyard they were so intently bent upon their lusts But good men though they sinne yet they do not sinne so eagerly and therefore the Apostle he makes this a difference between godly and wicked men the wicked they commit all iniquity Eph. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezekiel 11.21 and all iniquity with greedinesse It is said of the wicked that their heart walketh after their detestable things 8. Godly men they do not sin so resolvedly as wicked men do wicked men are so resolved upon their lusts that there is no taking of them off When God bids the people leave their Idolatry they say No we have loved strangers and after them we will go Jer. 2.25 as if they should say we have done evil and we will do evil still Thus at another time when they had burned incense to the Queen of heaven and the Lord had commanded them to leave their Idolatry Jer. 44.16 and threatened to punish them yet say they As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee They were resolved to follow their wickednesse A wicked man is so set upon his sinne Prov. 4.16 that it takes away his sleep He sleeps not unlesse he hath done some mischief and his sleep is taken away unlesse he cause some to fall but godly men they do not sin so resolvedly It is true a godly man may have a purpose to act a sinne though he may know it to be a sinne but a little good counsel will take him off That of David is very remarkable how resolved was he to kill Nabal and all his family and what a bloody resolution was it nay he had bound himself under an oath and was going up to execute his bloody resolution but at last Abigail meets him and by her good counsel how soone was he brought off from his resolution And blessed be the Lord God of Israel 1 Sam. 15.32,33 sayes he which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood Godly men they are not so resolved upon wickednesse a little good advice will bring them off and they will blesse God for such preventing counsel and you for giving it them 9. They do not sinne so contentedly as wicked men Wicked men they sinne contentedly because they are in their proper element when they are sinning Nil gravitat in suo centro Now Philosophers say of the elements that the earth is not heavy in its proper place Wicked men they are as swine in the myre it pleases them to be there but for a sheep to be in the myre how doth it trouble it 't is their delight to be in the green Pastures Wicked men they not only walk and stand but sit down in sinne Psal 1.1 which argues their contentednesse therein But it is not so with the godly there is that difference between sinne in a good man and in a wicked man as there is between poyson being in a man and a toade poyson in the toade contents it because it is natural but poyson in a man how doth it offend him thus it is between sinne in the godly and the wicked Sinne in the wicked it contents him because it 's natural to him but sinne in the godly it is like poyson in a mans body it tortures and torments him 10. A godly man he doth not sinne so customarily as wicked men do A wicked man he makes it his custome to sinne it is his way wherein he walks and therefore sayes David Search me O God and know my heart and my thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me Psal 139.23,24 There may be a work of wickednesse in a godly man but there is not a way of wickednesse in him The wicked are accustomed to a way of wickednesse and as the Prophet speaks If the Leopard can cleanse his spots or the blackmore his skin then may they also who are accustomed to do evil Sinne in a wicked man it is like water in a river you saw it there yesterday and you may see it to day alwayes it is there when they are in a way of sinne they are in their proper course but sinne in a godly man it is like the water of a land-flood you see it to day but to morrow it is gone sin it is not a customary thing to them 11. They who walk after the Spirit they yield not to sinne so indulgently as wicked men the Prophet he brands wicked men with this Psal 58.2 that in heart they work wickednesse they sinne with their hearts and in another place he saith Psal 5.9 Their inward part is very wickednesse that is their sinne it comes from their hearts Hence also they are described to be such Jer. 11.21 Whose heart walketh after detestable things they sinne affectionately but a good mans heart it is not so taken up with sinne The wicked are said to hide sinne under their tongues as a sweet morsel but the godly though they may have sin in their mouths yet it is there as a bitter morsel it is unpleasant to them A wicked man is as indulgent to his sinne though he know it will be his ruine as David was to Absolom and he deals gently with it but it 's otherwise with the godly for though he be overtaken with a sinne yet he takes revenge of it 2 Cor. 7.11 Rom. 7.21,22 and therefore sayes Paul I finde a law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the law of God after the inward man My inward man is changed Vers 25. and therefore sayes be With the minde I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Godly men they do not delight in a course of sinne 12. And lastly they do not sinne so maliciously as wicked men The Psalmist hath a prophetical prayer against such Lord sayes he be not merciful to them that sinne of malicious wickednesse good men who walk after the Spirit they never sinne so as to despight the Spirit of grace they sinne inconsiderately but they never sinne maliciously Now summe up all these particulars and you will see the text is true that if ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is you shall not sinne after that manner and after that rate as wicked men sin Vse 1 You who have the Spirit of God blesse God that you have such a preservative to keep you from sinning so as wicked men sinne Why is it that the wicked sin so as they do but because they have not the Spirit of God Hast thou not the same sinful inclinations with the worst that are other mens abominable actions are but commentaries upon thy heart

the devil it is true the devil can disturb the fancy when there is no object but that is not so usual But we read of examples in Scripture of those that when occasions to sin have been present then they have been tempted thereunto Thus Eve when she saw that the tree was good for food Gen. 3.6 and pleasant to the eyes there was the object and then the devils temptation she took and did eat And thus it was with David when he fell into that sinne of uncleannesse when he went to the top of his house he had no thought then of being unclean but being on the top of his house seeing Bathsheba naked the devil tempted him the reto and then his nature closed with the temptation when the occasion was offered motions which come from corrupt nature are usually when there is no occasion offered and therefore when a man upon his bed shal have worldly and covetous thoughts when there is no occasion given this comes from the corruption of his heart and thus all those speculations and contemplations of the minde about evil they come meerly from thy own heart and I must tell you in occasions and temptations to sin though the devil may be first therein yet if after you yield to the occasion or temptation you are to blame your own heart more then the devil 5. Motions to sin that come from Satan they usually seize suddenly upon a man before that instant of time that such motions were suggested they were never thought of such motions as these come from the devil as Perkins sayes they flash like lightning into a house suddenly Thus you read in Luke 22.37 concerning Peter Simon Simon sayes Christ Satan hath desired to winnow thee now what is meant hereby why it was that temptation wherein the devil did tempt Peter to deny his Lord and Master now it is true that Peters heart was to be blamed for he had the seed of that sinne within him but yet the Scripture layes it upon the devil as being first in the temptation because that before that instant Peter had no forethought of such a thing but when he came to warm himself in the High-Priests Hall then did the devil tempt him thereunto and then was Peter overtaken therein so that those temptations which come into a mans minde which he never thought of before they come originally from the devil but motions to sinne which come from corrupt nature they are more deliberate and more lasting and come not with that violence and in such a hurry as temptations from the devill come and the reason is because they are more suitable to nature and so cause lesse violence in the mindes of men Vse 1 Of Caution Know that though there be these differences between motions to sin which come from the devill and those which come from corrupt nature yet know that there is no sin committed in the world but it might be committed though there were no devil to tempt though the devil should stand by as a looker on there is the seed of all sin in the heart of man and therefore sayes our Saviour Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies Mat. 15.19 Our Sa●iour speaks of them in the plural number to shew that there is all kindes of sin in the heart of man and all sinne in all its degrees and if God should but let loose natures raines how soon wouldst thou runne into all manner of evill Caut. 2 Know that in all evill actions there is usually a joynt concurrence between Satan and the flesh as suppose the flesh begins to tempt the devil he backs that temptation and if the devil tempts the flesh cherisheth and yieldeth to the temptation so that though there be a difference between the temptations yet usually there is a concurrence between the flesh and the devil so that if corrupt nature begins the devil will second the assault and if the devil begins corrupt nature will agree and comply Corruption is the tide and temptation is the winde to make drive down faster the stream of a sinful course Although it may be true upon thy examination Caut. 3 that many motions to sinne as to unnatural sinnes may arise primarily from the devil yet if thou dost yield to these motions thou art chiefly to blame It is observeable in David 1 Chron. 21.1 it is said that the devil tempted him to number the people yet when David comes to call to minde that fact he mentions not one word of the devil but sayes he I have sinned I have done wickedly and very foolishly And so also Peter he denies Christ and the Scripture tells you that the first motion to that denial came from the devil Luke 22.31 Satan hath desired to winnow thee sayes Christ Now Feter might have said 'T is true I have denied my Master but Satan is in the fault but we finde not one word of Peters against the devil but out he goes and weeps bitterly so that hereby it appears though motions to sinne arise primarily from the devil yet if thou yieldest unto those motions thou art to blame thy selfe and not the devil Vse 2 Of reproof If it be so that the flesh carries an opposition against the Spirit then this reproves that Popish opinion which holds concupiscence to be no sinne The Papists they deny that an inclination or natural tendency in a man to sin is any evil or if it be they say it is done away in Baptisme And thus the Pharisees they were ignorant that the motions of the flesh to sin were evil and it was a tenent among them that the law of God did only reach to outward acts and that the inward motions of the minde were not any way sinful But Christ when he opened the nature of the Commandments he taught another doctrine and therefore sayes he Mat. 5.27,28 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart here Christ shewes that not only outward acts but inward motions to sin were forbidden by the law of God Thus Paul while he continued a Pharisee he judged his life by the outward letter of the Law and so thought himselfe as to the Law blamelesse Paul never knew the Law was spiritual until he was converted Rom. 7.7 and therefore sayes he I had not known lust to be sin if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet take heed then not only to the outward actions of your life but to the inward motions and lustings of your hearts for the Law reacheth to these 2. It reproves those who when they have yielded to sinful motions are apt to lay the blame any where rather then upon their own hearts we are apt to transfer the guilt of sinne any where