You have cause to blesse God because otherwise you would commit more sinnes then you do and those which you do commit after a worse manner more willingly more eagerly more wilfully blesse God therefore in this regard for his holy Spirit Vse 2 You may learne the happinesse of a godly man and the misery of a wicked man The happinesse of a godly man that thou hast the Spirit to keep thee from sinning so as other men sinne 1 John 3.9 Non homines sed monstra Hominum sunt Pelagiani Cathari Caelestiani Donatistae A nabaptistae Libertini qui ex hoc loco perfectionem illam somniant à qua absunt ipsi emnium hon inum longissimi Beza Chap. 2.1 Job 1.22 Job 5.24 and the Scripture speaks of a godly man in this regard as if he had no sinne at all Whosoever is borne of God sayes the Apostle doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God It is not to be taken absolutely as if we had no sinne but comparatively he cannot sinne so as wicked men These things write I unto you that ye sinne not saith the Apostle And as it is said of Job that in all this he sinned not These expressions are not to be taken absolutely but comparatively not that godly men sinne not at all but that they sinne not after that manâ—er wicked men do Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne saith Job What an honour then is this put upon the godly that because they sinne not as the wicked therefore the Scripture makes mention of them as if they did not sin at all But farther see the misery of the wicked what a case are they in who have not the Spirit of God to lay a controule upon their sinful natures what servants to sin are they what vassals to their own lusts when the devil tempts from without and their own lusts from within they have no Spirit of God to withhold them Wicked men they sin so as no godly men can and therefore saith the Lord Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves and their spot is not the spot of my children It is true I confesse there may be a spice of those particulars I mentioned in thy practice there may be something of the will in sin some delectation some deliberation yet do not be discouraged if thy heart yield not fully if there be not such a strong bent of will to sin as is found in wicked men SERMON XII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 15. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving treated in several Sermons upon the Verse foregoing concerning walking in the Spirit I come now to handle this Verse which containes in it the combate between the flesh and the Spirit I shall only open the first clause of the Text at this time and dispatch the other in order The first onset given in this spiritual combate is by the flesh The flesh lusts against the Spirit to open which two things must be unfolded Quest 1 1. What is meant by flesh 2. What is meant by the Spirit and then what by the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit Answ By flesh is to be understood the corruption of mans nature by original sinne which corruption may be understood either as an habâ—t or as an act If you consider the flesh as an habit then it notes that primitive radical and original indisposition in mans nature to good But if it be taken as an act then it notes our corrupt motions against grace and so I take it in this place The flesh lusteth against the Spirit that is when the Spirit of God doth by divine pulsations beat upon the heart in holy motions then there is a contrariety in the flesh against these motions suppressing them and carrying the heart to evill The corruption of nature may be called flesh for these reasons 1. Because the soul was defiled with corruption immediately upon its union and conjunction with the body It is true there is a contest among Divines when the soul comes to be corrupted seeing it is infused by creation and is therefore pure But the generality of Authors conclude upon this that immediately upon the conjunction of the soul with the body the creature is said to have natural corruption and for this reason some think that corrupt nature is called flesh because man is naturally corrupted assoon as soule and body joyne together 2. Corrupt nature is called flesh because this corruption of nature remaines as long as we carry flesh and blood about with us as long as you have flesh you shall have sin The body of death is not destroyed but by the death of the body and therefore corruption may be called flesh 3. Because the motions of corrupt nature are naturally as deare to a man Ephes 5.29 as his own flesh No man yet ever hated his own flesh and this is the reason why the Scripture calls it a right hand Math. 5.29,30 and a right eye corruption of nature it is closely joyned to a man Quest 2 What is meant by the spirit Answ By spirit some understand the soul of a regenerate man but this seems to be incoherent the scope of the place carrying it to something else though this also may be included Therefore by spirit is to be understood the holy motions and workings of Gods Spirit and there the flesh is said to lust against Gal. 3.2,14 Gal 4.6,29 Gal. 5.5,16,17 18,22,25 and it is apparent that it is thus to be understood because spirit is so taken in the foregoing Verse and also in the Verse following my Text so that by spirit I understand the motions and workings of Gods Spirit in the soule And in this sense is the word spirit taken in most places of this Epistle Quest 3 What is meant here by lust Answ When it is said to lust against the Spirit you may observe that it is not said to work against the Spirit nor act against the Spirit though sin be of an active nature yet it is not alwayes in the act but though it be not alwayes acting yet it is alwayes lusting there is an opposite disposition in nature to the work of Gods Spirit upon the heart In the words you may observe three parts 1. A double conflict The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh 2. A double cause These are contrary the one to the other the flesh contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit contrary to the flesh 3. Here is a double consequent So that ye cannot do the things ye would the flesh lusts against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the good ye would and the Spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot do the evil ye would Before I raise the
how far the Spirit of God may be withheld before and then secondly after the commission of sin The Spirit of God in a fivefold respect may be said to be withdrawn from a godly man before the commission of sinne 1. That it shall not enlighten thee to make thee know it is a sinne thou art tempted unto and thus we read of the Patriarchs that married divers wives The Spirit of God in that dark age of the world the Patriarchs was so withheld that it did not enlighten them no not till their dying day that we read of that Poligamy was a sinne and therefore they lived and died in it 2. Though thou mayest be enlightened to know that it is a sinne thou art tempted unto yet thou mayest be so left of the Spirit that through the impetuousnesse of thy lust and the violence of the tempâ—…tion thou mayest be carried to commit that sin and thus we find plainin the case of David David he could not but know that Adultery was a sin and yet being left of the Spirit of God the strength of his lust and the violence of his temptation was such that he was carried to commit it 3. A godly man may be so farre left by the Spirit that when he is tempted to a sinne he may rather consult with flesh and blood then with the Spirit of God whether he should commit the sinne yea or no And thus a godly man when life liberty and estate lie at stake doth often consult his own safety rather then inward peace and this is very much 2. Sam. 11. and yet thus it was with David in the matter of Vriah 4. Godly men may be so left that they may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne before they commit it Divines do usually give it as a difference between godly and wicked men that the one sinnes deliberately the other not yet there are instances in Scripture that shew that godly men may contrive and deliberate how to commit a sinne now this as Divines shew is at the threshold of hell there is but a little between them and damnation and thus David it is true the sinne of adultery it was not so deliberate as the murther of Vriah for there David did contrive the meanes whereby he should be killed and the time when with the manner how and the instrument by whom now this was a very deliberate act of sinne yet thus farre may agodly man be left therefore what cause have they to blesse and magnifie the free grace of God that come so near hell and yet never come there you may have your garments smell of hell-fire yet you may never come into burning Deliberate acts of sinne tend unto that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost which is of malice therefore take heed of such sins 5. The Spirit of God may so leave thee though a godly man that thou mayest fall into those sinnes that are contrary to those graces wherein thou art most eminent For a man that is chaste to keep from those sinnes which are not so contrary to his native disposition is not so much but for a chaste man to be so left of God as to fall into adultery for a meek man to fall into passion this is a great evill I shall lay down severall instances hereof of godly men that have been thus left by the Spirit of God Abraham you finde him in Scripture recorded to be the father of the faithful Rom. 4. what a large encomium doth the Apostle make of Abrahams faith and God did so leave him that he fell into unbelief and distrust of God Gen. 12.11,12 by denying his own wife which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was so eminent You finde also of Noah that in the Scripture he is commended for a very sober man and that when all the world were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage it was a very drunken excessive and luxurious age and Noah he was commended by God for his sobriety Gen. 9.21 but yet through drunkennesse was the sinne most contrary to that excellent grace of sobriety he was so eminent in yet was he overtaken therewith Likewise Lot he is commended by the holy Ghost for disliking the filthy conversation of the Sodomites and it is strange that Lot himself should be overtaken with the sinne of uncleannesse and that he should fall into the abominable sinne of Incest for so you finde it related of him Gen. 19.33,35 he lay with his two daughters So also Moses the Scripture tells you of him that he was the meekest man upon the earth Num. 12.3 Now of all sinnes you would least suspect that he should fall into passion but yet you finde Moses his meeknesse turned into passionatenesse insomuch that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 Num. 11.15 and thus speaks unto God If thou deale thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand David the book of Psalms tels you how eminent he was for patience 2 Sam. 16.10 how quietly he bore Gods afflicting hand how patient was he when Shimei did so curse and revile him And yet meeting but with a churlish carriage from Nabal his Spirit was all in a rage insomuch that he went with a purposed revenge to kill Nabal and all his family 1 Sam. 25.13 Job you know the Scripture tells of him that he was the most eminently and exemplarily patient would you think that ever he should fall into impatiency why yes he falls into that sinne which was most contrary to that grace wherein he was most eminent how doth he curse the day of his birth Job 3.3 Let the day perish saith he wherein I was borne and the night in which it was said There is a man-childe conceived and so he prayes earnestly for the day of his death Job 6.8,9 Oh saies he that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Here you see the impatiency of Jobs spirit this I mention to you to let you see what a poor thing man is if Gods Spirit leave him that he shall not onely fall into those sinnes which are pleasing unto nature but into those sinnes which are most contrary to his nature thus you see how farre the Spirit may leave a man before the commission of sinne Quest 2 How farre may the Spirit of God leave a man after the commission of sinne Answ 1 The Spirit it may not convince thee that it is a sinne thou hast done after thou hast committed it and thus it was with the Patriarchs in the first age of the world they were given to marry many wives and it was as in doubtlesse because it did crosse the first institution of marriage which was between one man and one woman now the Spirit of God was
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 mâ—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
set on work to suppresse this enemy no lesse then the power of an Almighty God can suppresse these corrupt motions and therefore sayes the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 It is a weapon edged with the power of a Deity which must pull down these strong holds 3. Corrupt nature is strong because it is set on by a powerful spirit the Devil he provokes thee to sin and that makes the corruption of thy heart so potent The Sea will move of it self being a fleeting body but when a tempestuous storme arises then it rages and roares So is it with thy corrupt nature if there were no Devil yet thou wouldst be a Devil to thy self and wouldst commit sin but when the Devil shall set on this Sea of thy corrupt nature then how doth it rage and swell He is that Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 4. It argues the flesh is potent because it often prevailes over the Spirit The Apostle tells you that not only in wicked men but even in the regenerate the flesh doth many times carry a prevalence over the Spirit The Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 sayes he but I am carnal sold under sin He speaks of himself as a regenerate man he doth not say he sold himself that was the property of wicked Ahab but it is meant that corrupt nature did carry him away captive to sinne just as a conquerour carries away his prisoner 5. The flesh is a potent enemy because there is a greater measure of the flesh in regenerate men then there is of the Spirit thou hast more sin in thee then grace more of a corrupted nature then of a renewed nature In the best of Gods children there is more ignorance then knowledge more pride then humility and generally more sin then obedience and this may be hinted from the catalogue here enumerated of the works of the flesh and of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.19,20 There are seventeen sins as the fruit of the flesh and but seven graces as the fruit of the Spirit to note that there is more of the old nature in thy heart then of the new more of the old leaven then of the new lump more drosse then gold and this God suffers in his children to keep them humble and in a continual dependance upon him the spirits of just men are never made perfect till they come to heaven Heb. 12.21 and in the mean time it is the admirable power of Christ to keep alive a sparke of grace in the midst of a sea of corruption 2. As the flesh is a potent enemy so it is a malicious enemy against the Spirit Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God and its maliciousnesse against the Spirit appeares two wayes 1. It suffers no good to be left in it I know in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing saith the Apostle Rom. 7.18 Caâ—o à carendo though there may be good in the man yet there is no good in the flesh that is in his sinful nature 2. It is content with nothing but with the death of the creature in whom it is and this is a very pernicious enemie it not only kills the Spirits motions but is malicious against the man Rom. 7.11 Chap. 8,13 and therefore sayes the Apostle Paul Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slâ—w me And again If ye live after the flesh ye shall die nothing lesse then death and eternal damnation of the soul will content it this argues the maliciousnesse of the flesh â—o be great indeed 3. Corrupt nature it is an universal enemy against the Spirit and its universality appeares in three regards 1. The flesh it is seated in the whole man in all the parts of thy body and in all the powers of thy soul The flesh is in the soul just as the soul is in the body And Philosophers say that the soul is in the body the whole soul is in the whole body Anima est tota â—n toto corpâ—re tota in qualibet parte and the whole soul in every part of the body just so is corruption and sin in thy soul the whole corruption of nature is in the whole soul and in every part of it in thy body eyes eares hands in all the parts of it not only in the concupiscible and irrascible part but also in the more noble parts as in the will understanding reason it is universal in every part of man 2. It containes in it virtually all sin Nothing doth virtually containe all evil but corrupt nature As we may say of the first man Primus homo fuit omnis homo Rom. 7.8 Primum peccatum fwt omne peccatum that he was every man So we may say of sin the first sinne had every sin that is every sin virtually Sinne taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me saies the Apostle all manner of concupiscence Corrupt nature it is an inclination to all actual evil in the world I may illustrate this by an egge An egge hath in it potentially and seminally all the parts of the bird only it wants the warmth of the hen to hatch and produce it So our corrupt flesh hath in it all sin the seed and spawne of all sin and as the hen produceth the chicken so doth the devil hatch sin 3. It opposes all the graces of Gods Spirit other sins take what sin you will it opposes but the contrary grace particular sins do carry but a particular opposition as for instance the sin of pride opposes humility lust opposeth charity drunkennesse sobriety in justice opposes righteousnesse wrath opposes meeknesse hatred opposes love and so of all other sins they carry but a particular opposition to particular graces but thy flesh it carries an universal opposition to all grace 4. The flesh it is an insatiable enemy insatiable in two regards 1. In regard of sin because if we yield to the motions of sinne to day corrupt nature will not be satisfied if thou yieldest to sin to day thou must to morrow yea all thy dayes Prov. 30.16 Corrupt nature is like those four things which Solomon speaks of which are never satisfied and as he elsewhere speaks Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of man are never satisfied Prov. 27.20 that is corrupt nature in the eye sinful concupiscence in the heart causes an adulterous eye never to be satisfied 2. In regard of punishment as well as sin Suppose sin doth bring diseases upon thy body or poverty on thy estate yet thou wilt not leave it it aimes at no lesse then the damnation of thy soul 5. Corrupt nature it is an indefatigable enemy against the Spirit Suppose the flesh to have all the foregoing properties yet
watchfulnesse hereby he kept under the sinful workings of corrupt nature and a little care will not serve the turn but we must be as vigilant as wrestlers or fencers who are very ready to beat down their adversaries before them 6. And lastly be skilful in the Word of righteousnesse and this will be a great means to keep the flesh from prevailing over the Spirit As Christ did to the devil so must thou do to the devil of thy flesh It is written sayes he do thou come with a written Word against the devil and thy own heart be so skilful in the Word of God that there may no temptation offer it selfe to thee but thou mayest draw arguments out of the Word against it we ought to be very careful to use the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and sheath it in the bowels of sinful flesh And if this course were taken in this particular you would be lesse pester'd with a tempting devil and corrupt heart then you are Vse Vse he use which I shall make from what you have heard shall be of comfort to dejected consciences me thinks I hear many a godly man say Wo is me I have a sensible experience in my own soul that my evil heart hath all those evil properties you named and my soul bears me witnesse I use those means you prescribed I do keep off from occasions of sin I watch and pray against sin and yet God knowes I cannot keep under a naughty heart To any man that in the sincerity of his heart and sense of his sinnes doth make this complaint I have four words of comfort 1. Thou must never expect a total extirpation of the corruption of thy nature whilest thou livest here only a partial suppression Corrupt nature will be in thee That as those beasts mentioned by Daniel their dominion was taken aâ—cay yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Dan. 7.12 so the dominion of sin is taken away sin shall not reign over you but yet the life of sin remaines the body of death will live in us as long as we live in the body Corrupt nature it will live in thee though it shall not reign like unto that tree mentioned by Daniel whose branches were cut off Dan. 4.15 yet the stump remained in the earth thou mayest lop off actual evils yet remember the root will remain that as it is with Ivie which growes on a wall it cannot be rooted up untill the wall be pulled down so untill thy body be pulled down sin in thy nature which is as Ivie gotten into the wall cannot be gotten out We have a promise made to Gods children that sin shall not have dominion in them but no where it is said that sin shall have no being in them while they are in being here 2. There is great difference between yeelding to the corrupt motions of thy nature to sin and between fulfiling the lusts of the flesh I know there is none of us all but do in some things yeeld to the motions of the flesh but yet all do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh thou mayest imbrace the motion thy sinful heart stirres thee up unto yet thou mayest not fulfill the motions of sin the Scripture gives you this difference Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof godly men may commit the lusts of the flesh but they do not make provision for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou doest not provide for sin as a man for his family because he would have them live thou art not a Caterer for sin therefore bear up thy heart with comfort though sin be in thee yet thou shalt not perish for it Thou who hast used all means and yet findest the flesh prevailing against the Spirit consider that strong and potent motions to sin do not alwayes argue sinnes strength but sins weaknesse rather that sin is decaying then in its full strength It is observed that dying things they strive and struggle with most strength a bird a weak creature yet if you pull off its head with what strength will it flutter this doth not argue that the bird is gathering strength but that its strength is departing it may be thus with thee thou hast strong motions to sin and thou discernest it it may be sinne is now playing its last game Lusts in the Scriptures are said to be crucified now it is with sin crucified as it was with the wicked and impenitent thief he was bound and nailed hand and foot and yet he raved and raged so it is when lust is dying yet it may be raging and as we see in the taking of Physick when it is first taken it will make a man more sick then the disease made him not that a man is indeed worse but only from the Physick searching his body thus it may be with thee sins struglings is Gods giving of thee Physick and though it be strong yet in the end God will make it tend to the purging out of evil humours out of thy soule 4. If corrupt motions be strong in thy soule then bend the strength of thy heart in prayer to God for the subduing of these corruptions If a Virgin that was ravished did not cry out by the law she was accounted guilty and consenting the more the devil and thy corruptions do attempt thee the more earnestly must thou pray and cry to God for help Complain upon those frequent incursions which corrupt nature and the devil makes upon thee and flying unto God for help and succour thy soul shall never perish for thy iniquity Sermon XV. At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to the last Question and that is How you may know when motions to sin do arise from the flesh or when they come meerly from the devil and so are purely diabolical Before I answer the Question I shall first shew of what use it is Secondly premise some positions about it and then give you the resolution to this Question There is a threefold use of this Question 1. It is needful to know it because unregenerate men when they are tempted to sin they lay all the fault upon the devil and none upon their own hearts These men when they put all their sins upon the score of Satan they do not give the devil his due Thus Eve she laid all the fault upon the Serpent Gen. 3.13 The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat Though David was of another mind for he when he was tempted and stirred up to sin in his numbering of the people and that by Satan yet he doth acknowledge 2 Sam. 24.17 I have sinned and I have done wickedly It is natural to men when they are tempted to
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 Saâ—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
corruption yet if you do not oppose it you will not only have it in your hearts but also visible in your lives 2. Though you cannot remove and destroy this contrariety of nature yet you may be able to suppresse it it is true destroy it you cannot but weaken it you may remove it you cannot but represse it you may You may do with it as Joshua did by the Gibeonites he saved their lives but made them hewers of wood and drawers of water and as the Israelites did with the Canaanites they did not throw them out but made them tributaries so though thou canst not drive out corruption of nature yet thou mayest keep it under and the more thou dost contest with thy corrupt heart the more thou wilt be able to keep iâ— under Lev. 14.41,46 It is an observable Law which the Lord gave the Jews touching an house that was infected with the pâ—aguâ— of Leprosie God bid the people do this that if the Leprosie were in the house they should scrape every stone in this house and if it could not be clean by scraping afterwards they were to pull the house down Thy nature it is this leprous house the plague of leprosie hath defiled thy nature and the Lord bids thee do with thy nature as the Jewes were to do with their houses they were to scrape every stone so do you labour to cleanse your hearts sweep thy heart with the beesom of sanctification and if all will not do when this house of thine shall be pulled down by death then it shall be cleansed But as long as thou livest in the world be contesting against the workings of corrupt nature and though thou canst not expell it yet thou mayest subdue it Though our grace in this life will never be so strong as to expell and utterly subdue our corruption yet by our striving and labouring to keep up this contest thou wilt keep thy corruption at such an under as it shall never extinguish grace 3. Consider that not to conflict with thy corrupt nature it is an argument that thou hast no grace in thee Between one there is no opposition opposition must be betweeen two These are contaary the one to the other as corrupt nature is contrary to grace so grace is contrary to corrupt nature and therefore if thou doest lie still and not conflict with corruption it is an evident argument thou hast no grace Vse 1 Let this contrariety that is in our hearts against grace Libera me Domine à meipso Aug. make us ever watchful and jealous over our own hearts you know not how farre the contrariety and corruption of your hearts may carry you before you die do not think surely I shall never fall into such a sin and such a sin be not secure thou hast a nature in thee that may prompt thee to the worst sin that ever was commited upon the earth I told you of an observation of Mr. Capels that a Christian before he died should be tempted to break every Commandment of the Law and to doubt of every Article in the Creed thou hast a contrariety against all grace and therefore an inclination to all sin carry therefore a jealous eye over thy selfe Peter he was not suspicious enough of himselfe when he told Christ That though all should forsake him yet he would not Nay sayes he though I die with thee yet I will not deny thee and yet Peter he did both he forsook him and denied him Matth. 26.35 and that with a curse and an oath Had Peter known his own heart he would never have said so Good men know not to what the corruption of their natures may carry them it may be thou art a holy and a gracious Christian thou walkest unblameably in the place where thou livest but consider if God should let thy nature loose with what impetuous violence wilt thou be drawne to sin Hazael as I noted before thought not that there was that wickednesse in his heart which the Prophet foretold him of 2 Kings 8.13 and therefore sayes he Is thy servant a dog that he should do this wickednesse Nay Christ himselfe forewarnes his disciples Luke 21.34 That they should beware of surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of this world a strange exhortation one would think to such as they were one would think it had been a uselesse caution to such good men the disciples they were not at that time hunger-bitten and that they should be guilty of surfetting and they who had not a house to put their heads in that they should be overtaken with drunkennesse that they who had not the things of this life should be careful about them this was very strange yet Christ he knew that they had the feeds of these sinnes in their natures and as they so also have all we and therefore we ought to have a suspicious eye over our own hearts As in the first creation all creatures were seminally in the Chaos and there wanted onely the motion of the Spirit to bring them forth so in our natures there is the seed of all evil and there wants but occasion and temptation to draw it forth Remember Direction 2 though there be this contrariety in thy heart against grace yet be not discouraged though thou discernest this corruption in thy nature more then ever thou didst in all thy life-time past yet be not disheartened there are many godly soules in this case who never saw more corruption nor more violence then now they do they thought sin was dead but now they see it alive they thought the power of it was weakened but now they see the edge of it sharpened There are these considerations why such should not be discouraged 1. Because it may proceed not from an increase of sin in thy nature but from a clearer discovery of sinne not that the object is multiplied and greatened but because thy sight is cleared a godly man he sees more corruption in his nature then ever he saw before this proceeds not because there is more corruption then indeed was before but because the Lord hath given him a clearer inspection into his own heart I may illustrate it by this comparison In a dark and gloomy day you see no dust nor motes flying up and down your chamber but let the bright beames of the Sunne shine in there and then you see abundance of dust now the dust was there before but you saw it not because the Sunne made it not appear to you thus it is with men Before conversion they have an abundance of lusts in their hearts but they see them not because the Sunne of righteousnesse hath not shined into them You have a notable passage of Paul in Rom. 7.13 Rom. 7.13 But sin sayes he that it might appear to be sin wrought death in me sin was sin before but sin did not appear to be sin untill he was converted and now sayes he I perceive the workings
have a seed of grace remaining in them 3. Wicked men they do not so clearly discerne and sensibly bewaile the interruptions of the flesh as those who are godly do 4. The wicked they shall never be rid of the evil workings of the flesh neither in this world nor in that which is to come Sinne in this life shall hinder duty and in the world to come they will cast off duty But the godly though pestered with the flesh yet they shall one day be rid of the flesh And thus I have finished the first part of the double consequent Sermon XXV At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Am now to proceed to the second reference of these words and that is the Spirits conflicts against the flesh so that men cannot do the evil they would And the observation is this Doct. That the Spirit of God keeps regenerate men oftentimes that they shall not do the evil they would In the handling of which Point there are three particulars in the doctrinal part that I shall insist on 1. I shall shew you how the Spirit doth keep a man from doing the evil he would do 2. Wherein consists this work of the Spirit 3. How you may know the difference between the restraining grace of the Spirit in keeping a wicked man from sinne and the renewing grace of the Spirit in keeping regenerate men from evil 1. How doth the Spirit keep a man from doing the evil that he would do To this question I shall give you five particulars by way of answer 1. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by enlightening his judgement and making him to see the evil of sinne in its nature and the danger of sinne in its event Thus you read in Job 36.9 Job 36.9 He sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded here is the inlightening of their judgements and then it followes in the tenth verse He openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity verse 10. vers 12. and in the twelfth verse If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and shall die without knowledge The sinne of nature it is described by a state of ignorance to note that a man without the Spirit is blinde and cannot see those evils which he commits the Spirit therefore enlightens a man and hence you read Acts 26.18 that the Apostle Paul was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God See 2 King 6.15 intimating that there must be first the opening of the eyes and the enlightening of the judgement before there can be a rescuing from sinne 2. The Spirit keeps a man from sinne by setting conscience on work to check and rebuke a man when he is tempted thereunto Conscience is Gods Officer and mans Overseer and were it not for a natural conscience a wicked man would commit all imaginable evills every wicked man would commit every sinne that he had opportunity to act Now as sinne wounds the conscience after commission so conscience checks for sinne before commission It is conscience which is as an iron gate and as a brazen wall to keep thee from many evills which otherwise thou wouldst run into And therefore Ioseph consults with his conscience How can I do this great wickednesse and this kept him from committing folly with his Mistresse 3. Another way whereby the Spirit keeps a man from sinne is by infusing into a man a principle of grace and holinesse repugnant to that principle of sinne which is in the nature and thus the Apostle John tells you that Whosoever iâ— born of God doth not commit sinne for the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is born of God hath a renewed nature and a new principle put into him contrary to the sin of his nature 4. The Spirit keeps a man from evil by calling to his remembrance some particular passage out of Sctipture against that sinne unto which he is tempted To this purpose David speakes that he had hid the Word of the Lord in his heart Psal 119.11 that he might not sinne against him This is the way whereby the Spirit fortifies the heart against sin you have it often mentioned in particular cases Solomon gives this counsel to his sonne that he should keep his words Prov. 7.1,5 and lay up his commandments and that to this end that they may keep thee from the strange woman and thus David Psal 17.4 saies he By the Word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Thus Augustine reports of a young man who was given to wantonnesse and it pleased God by bringing this passage to his remembrance Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse it pleased God to make this a meanes whereby he left off his dalliance and wantonnesse ever after 5. The Spirit keeps a man from doing the evil he would by possessing the heart with an awe and dread of the presence of God when he is tempted to evil Fear the Lord and depart from evil Prov. 37. the wise man joynes them both together to let you know that when the heart is possessed with the fear of God it keeps a man from evil And thus Solomon in a parallell place speaks to the same purpose Prov. 16.6 Prov. 14.16 that By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil An awefull fear of the great God is a good preservative gainst sin Quest 2 The next question is Wherein this worke of the Spirit in keeping a man from sinne consists And for answer hereto in the general it consists in three things 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne 2. In regard of the time and place where sinne would be committed 3. In regard of the manner of sin 1. In regard of the kindes of sinne so the Spirit keeps a regenerate man that he shall never commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost not but that there is the seed of that sinne in the godly as well as others this you have fully proved by John in 1 Joh. 5.18 1 Joh. 5.18 After he had been telling that there was a sinne unto death and saies he I do not say ye shall pray for it he tells you after in the eighteenth verse We know saith he that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not That is shall not prevaile over a godly man to sinne this sinne unto death grace in the hearr will keep a man that the wicked one shall not so touch
the Scripture which forbids that we should do evil Rom. 3.8 Job 13.7 that good may come thereon Will ye talk wickedly for God and deal deceitfully for him and if upon pretence of good we may commit evil by the same rule Judas his treason may be excused because of the great good coming by Christs death But let me tell you farther that if you sin that good may come thereby it is the way to lose the good you aime at It is very remarkable concerning Saul being to pursue the Philistines he gave out a very cruell and harsh command 1 Sam. 14.24 he commanded the people and bound them under an oath that they should not eat a bit of meat untill evening that he might be avenged of his enemies Sauls pretence was good but using an unlawful means the people became feeble and faint for food who otherwise might have obtained afar more glorious victory When men therefore shall use sinfull means for the obtaining of good it is just with God to disappoint them of the good they aime at 7. And lastly thy corrupt heart will tell thee though thou may'st not boldly act sin yet thou may'st safely venture on the occasion of sinne and yet be preserved Thus Peters heart deceived him he would go into the high Priests Hall venture upon the occasion of sin thinking that he should not be taken in it And thus the Israelites they would marry strange wives and this was an occasion whereby at last they fell to worship strange gods keep off therefore from the occasion of sin Solomon hath a good saying Can a man tread upon fire and not be burned his meaning is that a man cannot keep company with a harlot and be chast running upon the occasions of sinne brings to the acting of sin you will not venture upon ice or slippery places because of the occasion of falling and if you desire to be freed of the one be not bold to venter upon the other Vse 1 You that carry flesh and blood about with you and sinfull natures and do perceive the conflicts of the flesh against the Spirit weigh with your selves what it is the flesh conflicts with you for it is no lesse then for your immortall soules as the Apostle Peter tells you 1 Peter 2.11 I beseech you sayes he as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul The flesh aimes to damne the soul It is in this conflict as Cesar said in the battel he had once in Africa with the children and partakers of Pompey that in other battels he was wont to fight for glory but there and then he was faine to fight for his life remember thy precious soul lyes at stake in this combate therefore I beseech you take part with Gods Spirit against the flesh and not with the flesh against the Spirit Vse 2 When thou art overtaken with sinne blame none but thy own heart blame neither God nor the Devil 1. Not God for he made man upright Eccles 7.29 he gave a pure and unspotted soul to man but they have sought out many inventions therefore blame thy own self James 1.13,14 Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his owne lust and inticed 2. Blame not the Devil it is naturall to men to take off the blame from their own vicious natures when they fall into sin and to lay all upon the Devill but if you observe the Scripture you shall never finde that a godly man did ever lay the blame upon the Devil after he fell into sin It is true Adam and Eve did but there was some reason for that because they had no sinful nature to tempt them but after being fallen their sinful nature did tempt them not the Devil It is said of David that Satan stood up and provoked him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 but David he doth not say so himself Vers 8. but sayes he I have sinned greatly and I have done very foolishly David he charges his own heart and the reason is because the heart of man hath a greater stroak in provoking a man to sin then the Devil hath alas what could the Devil do if we had not a sinful inclination within The Devil when he came to tempt Christ he found no matter in him to fasten upon him and therefore he could not prevaile The Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me said Christ But 't is otherwise with us temptations meet with corruptions that do suit them The Devil when he comes to thee thy heart it is as flax among fire or as gunpowder which having a spark of fire in it is suddenly blown up therefore blame not the Devil but thine own heart neither the Devil nor the world could hate thee were it not for thine own heart which like a false Trayter lodgeth within thy breast and betrayes the soul to the snares and temptations of the Devil Sermon XIII At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 22. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to give you the properties of this enmity and of this conflict and there are nine or ten qualities of this enemy corrupt nature 1. The flesh it is a potent enemy against the Spirit it is no weak enemy but it 's strong and therefore sayes the Apostle Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reigne in your mortal bodies In the unregenerate the flesh is as a mighty Monarch which rules without controule the flesh the power or a Law over them And in the regenerate sin is an usurping tyrant which gets a great deal of the Beleevers soul into his hands Rom. 7.14 Paul complaines that he was sold under sin though after his regeneration he did not sell himself to work wickednesse yet he was taken captive by the flesh as by a powerful and prevailing adversary and as conquerors sell their prisoners so was Paul Divines do usually compare corrupt nature to great Goliah and grace to little David Goliah had more strength yet David gets the victory though corruption be potent yet grace in the end will get the victory The potency of the flesh may appear by these demonstrations 1. By the names which in Scripture are attributed to corrupt nature 2 Cor 10.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is called a strong hold a man may easily win an ordinary dwelling house but it is hard taking a strong hold Rom. 7.23 It is called a Law The Law of sin it hath that power over the soul as the Law hath over the subjects of a Kingdome it is said to reigne having the power that a Prince hath over his people 2. It appeares to be potent by that mighty power which must be
wanting this there would be hope that it would be tyred and wearied out at last but this is the nature of corruption it is unweariedly an enemy against the Spirit Things that act naturally act unweariedly the fire is never weary of burning nor the water of ebbing and flowing because it is natural to those creatures the Sun is never weary of going its course because its motion is natural sin it is a thing natural to thee thou wast borne in in it and bred up in it and therefore it acts unweariedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This war between the flesh and Spirit is a truceless war 6. Corrupt nature it is an inward enemy it dwells not only with us but in us and therefore sayes Paul It is not I but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.20 An enemy without to assault a City cannot do much hurt if the walls be strong and well mann'd but if there be traytors within as well as assailants without it will indanger that City Remember thou hast not only the Devil without but corrupt nature within a sin within which ever seeks to betray thee A little thief once gotten in there is more danger of him then of all the robbers without Corrupt nature is this little thief which alwayes will seek to betray thee to the Devil 7. This corruption of nature it is a continual enemy against the Spirit There is nothing which acts continually but corrupt nature the eye is not alwayes seeing the Sea not alwayes flowing the Sun not alwayes shining but corrupt nature it is alwayes working the Spirit cannot send forth a good motion but the flesh labours to send it back again and to quenâ—h it The Devil is not always tempting nor the world alwayes vexing but the flesh is alwayes resisting the Spirit 8. The flesh it is a politick enemy against the Spirit it works more by flattery James 1.14 then by force Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed It is a Metaphor taken from fisher-men which shew the baite but hide the hook it works slyly and subtilly 9. It is an outragious enemy against the Spirit The Apostle exhorting the Thessalonians to holinesse and sanctification 1 Thes 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids them not to walk in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which knew not God Not in the passion of concupiscence as the original hath it corrupt nature it is inveterate against a man and therefore it is called a burning in lust Rom. 1.27 and what is more fierce and outragious then fire burning Corrupt nature it puts the soul on fire so also it is compared to a horse rushing into the battell It is called a drawing of sin with cart-ropes to note the eagernesse of a sinner it is fierce out ragious and violent 10. It is an equal enemy in all men it is not in one man more and in another lesse but in all alike all are equally tainted with it and there is this reason for it because all men are equally alike in Adam otherwise some men should be more in Adams sin then others which is impossible We are all sons of Adam and therefore are all equally polluted yet this is true that actuall corruption is more drawn out in some men then in others some are more profane some more incontinent some more passionate then others because in some there are strong natural inclinations and more prevalent corruptions then in others to some sins yet no man is more corrupted in his nature then another and therefore thou which art regenerate thou hast as much cause to bewaile a corrupt and sinful nature as any Devil in hell hath And these are the properties of this enemy which wars against the soul Vse 1 Let the consideration of this stirre you up to thankfulnesse that notwithstanding corrupting nature hath all these properties to wit that it is so powerfull so malicious so universal unsatiable indefatigable inward subtile and outragious an enemy yet that it could not hinder converting grace blesse God that converting grace hath conquered this enemy and notwithstanding all its potency malice and subtilty yet hath brought it into subjection 2. Blesse God for establishing grace This is one of the wonders of the world that a childe of God should have so much corruption in him and that that corruption should not destroy grace the wonder appeares in this Adam who had no sinful nature seeing only he was a mutable creature left to the liberty of his own will yet being tempted by the Devil fell And the Angels in heaven who neither had an evil nature within nor a tempting Devil without yet rhey fell also But thou who hast both a tempting Devil without and a corrupt nature within yet thou shalt not fall Oh blesse the Lord for this It comes from this thy being interessed in an unchangeable Covenant because thou art chosen by an unchangeable decree and kept by an unchangeable God therefore being once in the Covenant of Grace thon art alwayes kept therein Jude vers 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.5 blesse God for this unchangeable grace of his towards thy poor soul whereby thou art kept unto salvation whereby the people of God are kept from falling Vse 2 Let this also stirre you up to watchfulnesse against the motions of sin in your corrupt natures If the flesh hath all these properties have you not cause to keep watch and ward in your own hearts There is this reason why thou should'st be watchful because thy corrupt nature hath a manifold advantage against grace 1. It hath been longer in thee then grace hath been Therefore in the first place it is said The flesh lusteth against the Spirit which is a great advantage As we may observe in military affaires when a pitcht battel hath been fought that Army which first takes the field will be sure to chuse ground for their own advantage Thy corrupt nature which warres with the Spirit it was first in the field and so hath got wind and ground thou waft borne a sinner with an evil nature but not with a divine nature therefore here in the Text the flesh begins the conflict watch therefore against the flesh having this advantage against you 2. The flesh hath not only the advantage of time but of number there is more of flesh in thee then there is of the Spirit more kindes of sin then of grace there are more weeds then flowers in the best garden more corruptions then graces in the best soul I may appeal to your experience whether ever you have acted so many graces as sins in the Chapter wherein my Text is there are seventeen sins mentioned in the catalogue but there are but seven graces to shew that the flesh is more in us then the Spirit there are swarmes of lusts and vain thoughts but alas how few good thoughts and holy motions of the Spirit of God are there in
the best 3. In regard of constitution the flesh hath a great advantage corruption is more suitable to thy nature then grace grace it is above nature but sin it is in nature and with nature the way of grace is all up the hill the way to heaven is against both wind and tyde so is not corruption for that is favoured by both therefore watch your hearts upon this consideration Vse 3 Break out in the praise of God that being corrupt nature hath so many evil properties yet that thou hast no more evil practices It is a mercy that from such a mischievous root there should come no more poysonful fruit if God should let alone the Devil and thy own heart and leave thee to thy own inclinations there would be no sin committed by any man which thou also wouldst not commit thou wouldst be an incarnate devil blesse God therefore that thy practices do not carry correspondence with thy disposition and that thy life is not as bad as thy heart 2. Blesse God for other men It is a wonder that wicked men having no new nature to oppose the old nature that they do no more evil in the world it is God which layes a curbe upon and restraines their wicked natures If God did not restraine the wickednesse of the wicked the world had long ago been overwhelmed in confusion through the exorbitancy of their wicked practices Vse 4 If it be so that corrupt nature hath all these properties then be humbled in the sense of thy corrupt nature notwithstanding thou may'st be endowed with many excellent gifts and graces yet be humbled on this ground that though thou hast a divine nature yet thou hast also a corrupt nature which is alwayes opposing it As it is with the Peacock though it hath the finest feathers of any bird on earth yet it hath foule feet and as the Swan though it is of the whitest colour yet it hath a black skin and black feet So thou who art white or innocent in thy life yet remember thou hast a black skin and foule feet sinful affections and vicious motions which arise from a corrupted nature There are these considerations to provoke us to remember and to be watchful against corrupt nature in us 1. It is a sad consideration to provoke us to humility and watchfulness that thou hast as much evil in thy heart as the worst man living upon earth 2. It is ancient in us it was in us before we were borne before thou waft in the world sin was in thy nature for assoon as ever thou hadst life thou hadst sin 3. This corruption of nature it will be continually with us while we live in the world Our bodies are compared to earthen vessels and the Scripture tells you that the leprosie of a vessel of earth if any unclean thing were put into it all the washing and scouring that could be should not make it clean Levit. 11.35 Chap. 15.12 but it must be broken so it is with thee the vessel of thy body must be broken before thy corruption can be done away 4. This corruption it is that which doth easily beset thee Motions of sin in thy nature they are like sparkes of fire in a heap of flax Heb. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they easily take with thy nature and put thee upon the acting of evil and therefore from hence be perswaded to a strict and diligent watchfulnesse over thy own heart Sermon XIV At Lawrence Jury London Decemb. 24. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Proceed now to a fourth Quere and that is why or for what reason is it that in regenerate men God should suffer corrupt nature thus to war with the Spirit Why doth not God deal with us in our regeneration as he did in creation make us perfect This is a question worth discussing God loves no sinne and yet he suffers all the sinnes that are and this Masse of sinne this one sinne which vertually is every sinne For answer hereto I shall lay down five Reasons First Corruption of nature is left remaining even in regenerate men to humble them even as it was with the Israelites in the wildernesse when they were stung with fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15,16 it was to humble them So we whil'st we are in the wildernesse of this world have a corrupt nature alwayes cleaving to us wherewith we are stung and this fiery Serpent of sinne should humble us before the Lord. God hath so ordered it in nature that creatures of the greatest excellency should have some manifest deformity if we look either among birds or beasts Among birds the Peacock a bird of the finest feathers yet it hath the foulest seet the Swan a bird of the whitest feathers yet of the blackest skin The Eagle a bird of the quickest sight and of the highest flight yet the most ravenous among birds Among beasts the Lion the most goodliest of all beasts yet the most fierce and cruel The Fox it is most subtile yet is a creature of the foulest smell Thus God hath ordained even in nature and thus it is with his own people in respect of grace though they may have many excellent endowments and gifts yet he leaves this corruption in them to humble them James 4.8,10 That of the Apostle James is observable Chap. 4. having spoken in the eight Verse of corrupt nature in the next Verse but one he exhorts men to be humbled to note that the consideration of a corrupt heart should be an incitement to humiliation It was a saying of Master Fax that his graces hurt him more then his sinnes which riddle he expounded thus that many times he was proud of his gifts and graces but humbled by reason of sinne The Apostle Paul after he had those extraordinary Revelations There was given him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.7 It is true this Text is variously expounded Some expounding this thorne in the flesh to be the sinne of lust and incontinency But this cannot be because he affirmes of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morbus acutus that he had the gift of continency Others say that it was a bodily disease and that it was the Sciatica or Gowt or some exquisite paine in his body but the current of Interpreters vary from all these expounding it to be corrupt nature and the thorne in the flesh to be some sharp temptation and motion to sin which did arise from the corruption of his nature and the remainders of lust But then it will be objected how can corrupt nature be called the messenger of Satan To this Divines answer that it is called so not as if it were a temptation from the devil
but it is called so because the devil is an instrument to set on our sinful nature to sin this thorn in the flesh was left in Paul to humble him and this is the true and proper reason why God will not have regeneration to be as perfect as Creation because he would keep us humble So it is that humility the best of graces comes from the worst root our sin and pride the worst of sins comes from the best root our graces How wise and how good is God that by this thorn in the flesh he doth prick thereby let out the impostumation of pride out of our hearts 2. To make the regenerate put a difference between earth and heaven between being in a course of pilgrimage and in their fathers house Heb. 12.22 In heaven the spirits of just men are made perfect but they are not so on earth if the spirit were made perfect we should have all spirit and no flesh In the wildernesse there were scorpions and fiery serpents but in Canaan there were none this world is a wildernesse and whilest we live here the fiery serpents of sin will sting us but when we come to heaven we shall be above sin Corruption now dwells in the soul as the body in a house and so long as the soul dwells in the body sin will dwell there in the soul but when we come to heaven then corruption shall put on incorruption And we shall be freed not onely from the natural corruption of the body but also from the moral corruption of the soul by sin 3. Which is the chief reason of all God suffers it that so you may the more prize a Mediator if you had no sinne you would prize God only as a Creator and not Christ as a Mediator Sin makes you to prize a Saviour thus it was with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.24 as if he should say if I had been perfect I should have thanked God as a Creator as Adam in Paradise but now having a sinful nature it makes me to prize Christ as a Mediator delivering me from sin I may exemplify this by an Elephant which as some say if it once falls to the earth cannot rise again and therefore Naturalists say that the Elephant doth not lie down to sleep but doth sleep leaning to a tree now the story is this An Elephant being fallen to the earth and a man having helped him to rise the Elephant like Andronicus his grateful Lion followed his Benefactor whereever he went so it is with us we were fallen and no help but Christs could raise us up how should we then be lift up with humble thankfulnesse to God who hath therefore suffered us to fall that we might thereby learn to prize the help we have and hope to have by Jesus Christ 4. God suffers corruption in nature to try his people which side they will take in this conflict here are two Camps pitcht army against army and the Lord leaves the flesh in thee to try which side thou wilt take wilt thou cleave to the strongest side wilt thou worship the rising Sun why then thou wilt side with the flesh for many times and for the present that conquers though indeed the final issue and conquest will be on the Spirits side Now will you war against the flesh and side with the Spirit in opposing the motions of sin hereby will the Lord make a trial of you Deut. 8.2 The Canaanites and Jebusites were left in the land on purpose to try whether the Israelites would cleave unto the true worship of God so God suffers corruption to bein us to try the truth of our grace 5. The Lord suffers motions to sin to be in the hearts of his own people that so he might make use of the motions of sin to keep men from the acting of sin and this is a mysterious consideration God so disposes of it that those sins which we most are frequently tempted unto we shall be most watchful against A man that is suddenly tempted may yield but a man often haunted with motions to sin God in his wisdome makes use of these motions to prevent the action Had David been often haunted with motions to those great and abominable sins of adultery and murder he might happily had time to have bethought himselfe and so prevented the acting of them and the like of Peters denial of Christ but both these servants of God were suddenly surprized And these are the reasons why God leaves regeneration so imperfect The next Quere is to shew what rules you should follow that so the motions of the flesh exciting to sin may not prevaile against the Spirit 1 If you would not have the flesh in its sinful motions prevaile over you then resist them whilest they are but bare motions before they break forth into actions Crush the Cockatrice in the egge tread out sin which is the fire of Hell while it is in the spark the suggestion and motion As we say It is easier to keep out an enemy then to beat him out being once gotten in so it is easier to keep out sin then to beat out sin sin in the motion it is like an enemy in the suburbs not got into the city and if thou wouldst not yeeld to these motions resist them whilest they are so quench them while they are motions A disease if it be taken in time Principiis obsta serò meâ—icina paratur Cùm mala per longas invaluêre moras before the humours be gathered together may easily be cured Do to thy sins as Pharaoh gave command should be done to the Israelites children he would not stay till the children were grown up to yeares but commanded the Midwives to kill them assoon as they were born this was a cruel act in him but thus do thou to thy sins and it will be a merciful act in thee to thy soul what Pharaoh did most cruelly do thou do prudently against thy sins kill them when they are in the birth and there are three cogent reasons why you should take this course 1. Because if you resist motions whilest they are motions you shall be sure not to find the devils suggestions to joyn against you with the fleshes motions take but this experiment if thou hast a motion in thy nature to sin and doest act that motion the devil will then joyn with thy corruption to make thee act that sin again The devil he knowes not the motions to sin that are in thy heart but as thou actest such motions as suppose thou art tempted to lust and thou yeeldest to it hereby the devil knowes what motion there was in thy heart and thy love to that sin and so will be ready to tempt thee to the committing of that sin again therefore resist motions while they are so and by this meanes you will
the difference between that conflict which arises from natural conscience and that opposition against sin which comes from the Spirit of God This Question is handled by many late Authours Perkins in his Treatise concerning the flesh and the Spirit and so Downam and many others Vide Amesium de conscientiâ lib. 2. cap. 11. therefore I would refer you to read them but yet I would not leave the point wholly and that you may know the difference I shall lay it down in these particulars There is a difference 1. In the manner of this conflict 2. In the extent of it 3. In regard of the principles from whence this conflict arises 4. In the time of duration And 5. In regard of the issue and end of this conflict First in regard of the manner of this conflict there is a threefold difference about the manner 1. That opposition which is in the unregenerate it is an involuntary opposition if conscience did not trouble him he would never trouble sin he comes to this battel not as a voluntier but rather as one imprest to this service by the impressions of a natural conscience he comes not to the field like a stout Champion but is dragged thither Conscience is Gods spie and mans overseer and therefore whether a man will or no it will fly in his face so that the opposition from natural conscience it is an involuntary opposition the commission of sin is voluntary but the opposition is involuntary Conscience in a wicked man is like the light of a candle to a thief it is still shining in his face whilest he is in the act of stealing But in the godly it is quite contrary the commission of sin is unvoluntary Rom. 7.19 the opposition in them it is a voluntary opposition they rejoyce when the Spirit does its office when grace in the renewed part doth suppresse the corruption of their hearts Wicked men are said to be willingly ignorant Heb. 13.18 but the Apostle tells you that the godly are willing in all things to live honestly Indeed a wicked man is loath to conflict with corruption his heart would alwayes be in the house of mirth as the wise man tells you Eccles 7.4 he is loath that his conscience should trouble him he would fain strangle conscience he is unwilling to conflict with the flesh but a godly man is most willing therefore you read that they groan to be unburthened for sin is the greatest burthen they lie under sin as a burthen 2 Cor. 5.4 and would fain cast it off 2. The conflict which is in the wicked it is but a jesting conflict it is like childrens playing together who will wrastle and strive but it is only for sport not to hurt one another or as Fencers who will make many flourishes and give one another some slight hurts but intend not to kill it is not like that of the warriour who comes into the field with an intent to kill his enemy but thus it is with the regenerate in their conflict with sin they indeavor in good earnest to kill it as the Apostle Paul sayes So fight I sayes he not as one that beateth the aire but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.26,27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dicuntur Pugiles cùm pugnis aut coestibus antagonistam obtundunt Pareus Gal. 5.24 Rom. 8.13 The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very emphatical it is a metaphor drawne from wrastlers wherein the Champions did strive for life the word imports the beating of an enemy black and blue to do him all the hurt I can therefore sayes Paul I do not beat the aire but do beat down my body in good earnest They which are Christs have crucified the flesh saith the same Apostle unto which also we have a promise That if we through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live 3. The conflict proceeding from natural conscience it is a disorderly opposition just like men fighting in a tumult but the regenerate fight against sin as men in an Army Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor Sen. Med. The disorderlinesse of the unregenerates conflict appears in this because it is found in different faculties a wicked man hath a will and desire to commit such or such a sin now there is no regenerate part in their will there is nothing in the will against the will but there may be something in the understanding and oftentimes there is and therefore wicked men though they desire to do such or such an act of wickednesse yet their understandings tell them that sin will not only disgrace them here but will damne them hereafter Thus the conflict in the wicked is in several faculties and so is disorderly but in the regene rate the combate it is an orderly combate in the same faculty not the will against the understanding and the understanding against the will but the will against the will and the understanding against the understanding and the affections against the affections the renewed part of these do warre against the unrenewed part So the memory as farre as it is converted it labours to retain holy truths and to justle out the retention of evill the regenerate part opposes the unregenerate in the affections the warre is in the same faculty the love that we bear to God and heavenly things warres against selfe-love the love of the world and love to sin These are the differences between that conflict found in the regenerate unregenerate against sin in reference to this manner of the combat 2. In regard of the extent of this conflict the difference appears in these three particulars 1. The conflict of a natural conscience against sin reaches onely to the opposing of sins of life to outward sins but extends not to the sin of nature inward sins and the reason is this because natural conscience doth not know natural corruption to be a sin and if nature wants an eye to discover sin Rom. 7.12 it will also want a hand to oppose it Paul while he was unregenerate knew not that lust was a sin therefore original sin falls not under the cognizance of a natural conscience We read of wicked men that natural conscience hath gone so far as to check them for sins of life as Cain for his murder Ahab for his idolatry Saul for his cruelty and Judas for his treachery but nature cannot oppose nature it may oppose the branch but not the root but it is otherwise with a conscience enlightened by the Spirit of God it warres with the inward motions and workings of sin Paul after he was converted complains of a law of sin which was in his members and of a body of death and therefore you have him crying out Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me therefrom natural conscience may check a man for sin of life but onely a renewed conscience will
rebuke a man for sin of nature 2. Natural conscience as it doth not reach to sin of nature so neither to the nature of sin My meaning is this natural conscience it never conflicts against the nature of sin but only against the punishment of sin it rebukes not a man for sin under this consideration that it is against a holy God and contrary to a holy and pure Law it is the punishment of sin and not the nature of sin which natural conscience relucts at not because sin defiles the soul but because sin destroyes the soul not because sin blots out the image of God but because sin keeps men that they shall not see the face of God not because God hates sin but because God punisheth sin But the regenerate they do not only through the Spirit conflict with the sin of their nature but with the nature of their sin with their sin not as destroying their soules but as defiling their soules not as tormenting the conscience but as polluting the conscience not as damning the soul but polluting the heart A natural man may be afraid of sin as a childe is afraid of a fire-stick not that it feares to handle it because it will colly his hands but because it will scorch his fingers It is a main difference for a childe of God would abstain from sin because of God not only because of hell The godly would not offend against the purity holinesse authority and goodnesse of God and therefore abstaines from sin The natural man as Augustine saith metuit ardere non metuit peccare is afraid to burn in hell but is not afraid to sin 3. Natural conscience may conflict with sinne yet it comes farre short of the Spirits conflict because it reaches only to open and grosse sins not to secret and small evils Cursing it is so execrable an evill that a mans own heart wil tel him of it Eccles 7.22 as the wise man sayes Oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast cursed others natural conscience will not so often check thee for secret and bosome-sins as spiritual pride wandring thoughts in holy duties and emptinesse of minde but a renewed conscience when the Spirit of God comes by it to convince of sin it reaches to secret sins it reaches to the very motions is well as to actions and thus it was with the Apostle Paul sayes he Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 whilest original sin did work but in its motions before they were acted the Apostle was sensible of them And so Hezekiah a good man it is said that he humbled himself for the pride of his heart for the lifting up of his heart as in that no man could accuse him of These are the differences between the conflict which natural conscience hath against sin and that conflict which the Spirit hath against corruption Vse 1 If this be so that the Spirit doth as well lust against the flesh as the flesh against the Spirit in regenerate men Then first see the reason why regenerate men do not live so sinfully as the wicked do It is not as if good men had better natures then bad men for the best man on earth yea the most glorious Saint in heaven had as bad a nature as the worst man on earth The true reason is this because a godly man hath the Spirit to warre against the flesh he hath the Spirit to conflict with corruption Gal 5.16 and therefore he acts not sin as wicked men do If ye walk in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 1 John 3.9 and according to this is that of the Apostle John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is born of God He cannot sin it is not to be taken absolutely but comparatively he shall not sin after that manner and in that measure with those circumstances as the wicked do because they are born of God have a seed of grace remaining in them this is the reason why godly men live not as the wicked do The godly have another kinde of spirit in them then the meer natural man hath he hath the Spirit of Christ whereas the other hath only the spirit of the world Vse 2 Learn to blesse God seeing thou hast so bad a nature that thou hast the Spirit within thee which is able to suppresse the workings of corrupt nature All you that are begotten again by the immortal seed of the Word that have the Spirit to keep under your corruption what evill would you not do and what good would you not leave undone if the Spirit were but withheld from you what will that man be that wants the Spirit will he not be an habitation for swarms of lusts and a cage for every unclean bird if thy heart be not a storehouse for the Spirit it will be a workhouse for the devil if it be not Christs garden wherein he sowes the seed of grace it will be the devils seminary wherein nothing but sin will thrive and grow oh therefore blesse God seeing thou hast such an evill heart that thou hast the motions of the Spirit to warre against the motions of the flesh 3. Pray unto God that his Spirit may do its office in thee thou needest not pray thy heart to tempt thee to sin but the Spirit needs intreaty to do its office in thy heart do thou every day put up that request of David Lord withhold not thy Spirit from me seeing every day I have sinful motions let me every day have the motions of thy Spirit seeing every day Satan perswades me to sin let thy Spirit every day perswade me to good Sermon XVI At Lawrence Jewry London Decemb. 29. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would I Come now to the third difference touching this conflict A third difference Of this conflict in an unregenerate and a regenerate person and that is in regard of time concerning which there are these particulars to be handled 1. The time when this conflict begins 2. The time of its continuance 3. The time how often this conflict comes 1. The conflict between natural conscience and sinne may begin assoon as ever a man hath light of nature whilst a man is in an unregenerate estate Rom. 2.14 The Apostle tells you that the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law that is natural conscience it carries the force of a Law with it and hath power over them so that they shall not break out into many evils contrary to natures light so that the time when a natural conscience may conflict against sin may be whilest a man is in the
manner in every part of the body as it is in the whole body it is more eminently in the whole then in part but corrupt nature it is more in man then the soule is in the body for though the soule be in the body yet it is but in the members of the body for particular uses it is in the eye to see not to work and in the hand to work and not to see it is in the ear to hear and not to go and in the foot to walk and not to hear but sinne is in the soul not for particular acts but it is in every man and in every part of man provoking and enticing to all kinde of evil this the universality of that corruption found in mans nature for which we have great cause to be humbled Sermon XIX At Lawrence Jewry London Januar. 19. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would HAving opened the enmity and contrariety that is between the flesh and the Spirit I come now to answer two cases of conscience relating to this Doctrine and the first is this 1. If the flesh doth carry such a contrariety to grace what are the reasons why God is pleased to leave such contrary principles in the hearts of regenerate men 2. If there be such a contrariety which can never be reconciled then to what end is it for a man to oppose the flesh Quest 1 What are the reasons why even in regenerate men God suffers such a contrariety against grace Answ 1 I shall answer the question by these four particulars 1. God doth it for the clearer illustration of his mercy God would have shewed his goodnesse if man had never fallen but being fallen Rom. 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God shewes his mercy to him The end of our redemption is that Gods grace and mercy might reign And herein you may see a manifest signal thereof that God should work grace in thee when thou hadst such a contrariety in thy heart against it this is great mercy though thou hast a contrary principle in thy nature to grace yet converting grace will overcome and though it do not remove yet it will subdue corruption and grace though it be opposed yet it shall never be expelled grace shall be conquerer at last though it be alwayes fighting whilest we are in this life 2. God is pleased to leave such a contrariety against grace even in the hearts of regenerate men that they might put a higher estimation on Jesus Christ If you had not had a contrary principle to grace you would onely have admired God as a Creator but now having a principle of sinne within you you come to see the need you stand in of a Mediator Adam in innocency needed not a Saviour but now thou being fallen by sin and having a principle of enmity in thy nature nothing but the power of a Saviour can take away this enmity by the work of sanctification and nothing but a Saviour can free thee from the guilt of this enmity even Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks Rom. 7.24,25 I thank God through Jesus Christ that hath delivered me from this body of death it is he by whom thou art delivered from this guilt and enmity 3. The Lord leaves this corruption of nature in the hearts of his people to stirre up in them a greater and deeper measure of humiliation Humiliation it had not been a duty in us if the Lord had not left the remainers of original corruption in the hearts of his chosen indeed thou shouldest have delighted in God to all eternity but thou shouldest not have had this ground of humiliation if sinne had been totally extirpated This was Pauls case 2 Cor. 12.7 an eminent Apostle There was given him a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure There are foure interpretations given of these words some referre this thorn in the flesh to be meant of Hymeneus and Alexander which did vex Paul so but this is groundlesse Others referre it to some exquisite bodily disease but that can harldy be proved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cypr. Others referre it to the particular sinne of lust of uncleannesse but that cannot be admitted because Paul had the gift of continency and wished that all men were as himself as to that particular But here by the thorne in the flesh the most inquisitive and exquisite Interpreters understand it to be the sin of nature and it is called a messenger of Satan because the devil doth joyn with mans nature and doth set on the corruption of mans heart Now why was this thorn in the flesh left in Paul was it not to humble him lest he should be exalted above measure Deut. 8.15,16 Thus the Lord left the fiery scorpions in the wildernesse to humble the Israelites and the Lord leaves corruption in thy nature to humble thee that thou mightest not be puffed up in thy selfe but that when thou perceivest the corrupt workings of thy nature thou mayest be the more vile and base in thine own eyes 4. The Lord leaves this corrupt nature in thee for the exercise of thy grace Grace is never more exercised then when it is opposed hereby God will try the truth of thy grace and the honesty of thy heart whether thou wilt fall in with the Spirit and side with it against the flesh Thus the Lord left the Canaanites in the land to try whether the Israelites would joyn with them there is a contrary principle to grace left in us to try whether we will joyn with the flesh or follow the motions and dictates of the Lords Spirit Quest 2 The next Question is To what purpose is it for a man to contest with the corruption of his heart seeing that we shall carry this corruption to our grave we have heard that contraries can never be reconciled therefore to what end is it to strive against corruption when there will be no end of the combate I shall name three reasons that though it be true you cannot remove the contrariety that is in your hearts against grace yet there is just reason why you should maintain a contest against it 1. If you will not oppose corruption of nature it will break forth with greater rage and violence in your lives thou hast now an unclean nature but if thou dost not oppose it thou wilt have a vicious life let but thy nature alone and it will be like a field unmanured over-runne with briars and thornes Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornication thefts false witnesse blasphemies Matth. 15.19 if we stifle not evil thoughts in the heart they will break out you see into evill and inordinate practices of life so that herein though you cannot remove original
of my corrupt nature whilest I was a Pharisee I did not then see nor know my selfe to be so vile and sinful as now I do and so when light breaks into the soul those sins appeared which lay hid and those which seemed but as motes now appeare beames and those which seemed as little as gnats now appeare as bigge as Camels 2. It may proceed from a more gracious and tender sincerity in thy conscience then there was in times past In former time thy conscience was hard seared and senselesse fighting against the sense of sinne but now God hath melted and mollified it God hath made thy conscience to be not as seared but as raw flesh godly men may complain of corruption and think they have more then ever they had but it is because they are more tender and more sensible When a man hath hurt his finger he thinks he doth never so much touch it as then and this ariseth from the tendernesse of the part so God having made thy heart a broken and a soft heart therefore the corruption of thy heart is more felt then before Prov. 7 2◠Sin to a wicked man is as a blow on the back but sin to a godly man is as a blow upon the eye 3. Consider this though you discern the corruptions of your nature and see more of it then ever you saw before yet be confidently assured of this that thou shalt have the final victory To this purpose I may accommodate that passage concerning Rebecca who having conceived the children strugled together within her and she said Lord Why am I thus And the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy womb that is the rise of two Nations Gen. 25.22,23 Esau and Jacob two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the ether and the elder shall serve the younger Whence mark 1. It is said There was two manner of people in her womb and these separated Thus is Sin and Grace 2. The one is said to be stronger then the other that is the posterity of Esau they shall be stronger fot a while then the Israelites Numb 22.18 for they did defeat them once but now what is the comfort Why The elder shall serve the younger and so it came to passe that the Edomites did serve the Israelites 2 Sam. 8.14 1 Kings 22 47. Obad. 8.17,18 Thus I may say as of Esau and Jacob Corruption of nature is stronger then Grace in many good men and it is elder then grace but here is your comfort The elder shall serve the younger Grace shall get the final victory Direction 3 I inferre hence that though you are not to be discouraged considering this corruption yet you are greatly to be humbled in the sense of this contrariety that is in your natures against grace If you had onely a disability as to grace it were matter of humiliation for you if you had onely an opposition against grace that would be cause of more humiliation but having an utter contrariety against grace here is greater cause for you to be humbled A carnal minde is not onely an enemy to God but enmity it selfe What the Spirit perswades to that the flesh disswades from Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what the Spirit wills that the flesh wills and therefore you have great cause of humiliation 4. Learn to reduce all actual sins that have broke out in your lives to their original that is to this contrariety of nature Thou dost not sin because the devill tempts thee nor because thou art in bad company but because thou hast a corrupt nature It is a saying of a learned Divine that a Christian hath many enemies to fight withall but he hath onely one which overcomes grace and that is the flesh Were it not for corruption within all temptations would be no other to thee then they were unto Christ the Tempter came to him but he found nothing in him his temptations were but as a spark of fire cast into the sea but the devil comes to thee and the world comes to thee and they find fit matter in thee a suitablenes in thy nature to fall into and close with the temptation and therefore reduce actual sin to its original thus Paul did It is no more I that sins sayes he but who doth he blame Rom 7.20 not the devil nor the world but sin that dwelleth in me that is an evill and corrupt nature it is my corrrupt nature which drawes me to evill and hinders me from good and if you would thus reduce your sinne to its original what cause of sorrow and debasement would it give unto you It is said of David that the devil moved him to number the people but he doth not charge it upon the devil 1 Chr. 21.1 2 Sam. 24.10 but upon himself and sayes he I have sinned and I have done foolishly we are all transgressours from the womb Complain not of the evill that is in thy life but charge it upon thy corrupt nature and thus also David in another place Isai 48.8 he duces those two great evils of murther and adultery to the corruption of his nature and sayes he I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me And thus Augustine in his Confessions Psal 51.5 when he confesseth how he robbed an Orchard he saith neither hunger nor want of the fruit he stole for he had better at home but it was meerly to gratifie corrupt nature 5. If there be contrariety in thy nature against grace oh then do not joyn in with this contrariety against the Spirit wouldst thou joyn with an enemy this contrariety why is it in thee is it not to damne and destroy thy soule 1 Pet. 2.11 therefore sayes the Apostle Abstain from fleshly lusts because they warre against the soule the flesh strives to damne you but the Spirit strives to save you therefore do not take part with thy enemy Yet how many men are there that joyn with the corrupt motions of their hearts when they prompt them to evill and how unreasonable is this the Apostle tells us that We are not debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh Rom. 8.12 as if he should say You owe nothing to corrupt nature and why will you yield thereunto It is honesty in every man to pay his debts But you owe nothing to corrupt nature but you are Debtors to the Spirit and if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live Therefore indulge not the flesh or as the same Apostle speakes Make no provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14 If an enemy come into your houses will you victual his camp will you send in Armes to an enemy to destroy you this is that which men do when they joyn with the flesh against the Spirit By how much any man makes provision for the flesh by
are as a bulwark and fence to guard the heart against sinne The Spirit it is as the sluce of a pond if the flood-gate be down it keeps the water within its bounds but if you pull up the sluce what an inundation of water will there be 2. If thou wouldst have the Spirit to keep thee from evil thou must labour to keep thy selfe the Spirits keeping of a man doth not exclude his holy care to keep himselfe Psal 18.23 this was Davids practice He kept himselfe from his iniquity he would not make Gods care to keep him an occasion for him to be idle Remember and take this for a rule that if you do not take care to keep your selves from the occasions of sinne the Spirit will never keep you from the execution thereof and therefore you reade 1 Joh. 5.18 that he that is begotten of God he keepeth himselfe that the evil one toucheth him not and so speaks Jude Keep your selves in the love of God Jude 23. 3. What cause have regenerate men to blesse God both in reference to themselves and in reference to wicked men 1. In reference to themselves to what evil would not the flesh have drawn you had it not been for the contrary working of the Spirit in you I appeale to your own conscience how often have you resolved to do wickedly nay how farre have you gone in it insomuch that you have resolved on the time when on the place where and the manner how to bring your intended evil about and yet God hath kept you from your intended purpose so that ye could not do the evil ye would what cause have you to blesse God for positive grace and not only so but for preventing grace that you have been restrained from sin It was thus with David with a full resolution he did resolve to kill Nabal and all his family but the Spirit of God prevented it by setting home the counsell of a poor woman and therefore here upon see what cause you have to blesse God for preventing grace and that you may be provoked hereunto I would leave with you some considerations upon a twofold account 1. If you consider the universality of that corruption that is in your natures 2. If you consider the strength of it 1. If you consider the universality of corruption in the universality of persons all the children of Adam are infected with this common contagion all having sinned in him and so are guilty of the punishment so are they obnoxious to the contagion of Adams sinne Rom. 5.12 2. If you consider the universality of parts there is never a part of man but it is defiled with sinne even regenerate men as there is something in every part sanctified so there is something in each part unsanctified as there is grace in every part so there is sinne in every part 3. In regard of the object a mans nature it is averse to all good and prone to all evil Corruption of nature it is set out by Divines by comparing it to that rude Chaos which was before the creation in which rude heap there was vertualiy all creatures which afterwards the Lord created So it is with corruption of nature it hath vertually in it all the sinnes acted in the world 4. There is an universality in respect of the time this corruption of nature it was not only in one age of the world and not in another but in all ages of the world It reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 even over those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression Now put all these together that all persons and all parts of men are corrupted and that in all times and that this corruption prompts you to all sinne consider but all this and have you not great cause to admire that there is no more wickednesse committed in the world 2. Consider not only the universality of corruption but the strength of it If it were but a weak enemy it were not so much but there is great strength and potency in it and therefore it is called sometimes an enticing and sometimes a drawing enemy and if it cannot entice by policy it will draw by power 2. We are to magnifie Gods grace in reference to wicked men that are enemies to the Church of God if the restraining grace of Gods Spirit did not withhold wicked men from doing the evil they would there would be no living in the world if it were not thus every wicked man would murther every man that angred him and he would deceive every man that dealed with him we should have all humane societies overturned the Church of God rooted out from under Heaven did not God by the common workings of his Spirit restrain men Psalme 76.10 God he will turne the wrath of man to his praise and the remainder of wrath wilt thou restraine It is spoken of Gods enemies and God will restraine their wrath by the common workings of his Spirit and it shall evidentially turne to his praise and shall be conducible to the glory of God and the good of his people You have a famous instance in Laban and Jacob Laban came with a mischievous intent against Jacob but God meets with him Gen. 31.29 and gives him a charge that he should not meddle with Jacob no not so much as to speak against him God laid a mighty restraint upon Labans spirit so that he could not do the mischief he intended Gen. 33.4 So likewise in the case of Esau and Jacob Esau he pursued his brother with a deadly hatred insomuch as he resolved when the dayes of his fathers mourning were over to kill his brother but God did so alter his disposition and restrain his bloody intent that when he met with his brother he fell on his neck and kissed him To this purpose the Psalmist hath an expression that the Lord shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 In other translations it is The Lord shall restraine the spirit of Princes and it was so in all ages and it is so in this age Men that hate religion though they have much power in their hands yet the power of their hands shall not come into act and because there is no wicked man in the world which shall do the evill he would therefore you have much cause to blesse God Pharaoh though he had much power in his hands yet God delivered his people out of his hands and thus the Lord would not suffer Balaam to curse his people Num. 23. Psal 105.14,15 he will suffer no man to do them harme as David speaks yea He reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harme Sermon XXVI At Lawrence Jewry London Februar 9. 1650. GAL. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the
hinder the devil that he shall not joyn his suggestions to the sinful motions of your own hearts 2. If you do not resist motions while they are motions there will be a more eager vehement pronenesse to sin in your natures then was before acting of sin is not the way to cease and quell a sinful motion but to increase it it is as it were a casâ—ing oile into the fire to make it burn the more the way therefore to quell sinful motions is to withstand whilest they are so In Philosophy we say that acts do strengthen habits Habitus acquiritur actibus actus confirmant habitum if a man hath a habit of any grace acting of that grace makes the habit more strong thus it is in sin acting of sin begets a greater pronenesse thereunto and therefore it behoves you to keep under sins motions lest they lead you farther to sinful actions For sinful suggestions when they meet with our sinful inclinations the inclination begets consent consent acting acting continuance of act then delight then security and then scornful contempt of all reproof and means of amendment If you keep not under sin in its motion it will be more difficult for thee to suppresse corruption if a house be on fire and you can keep the fire within there is no danger of a great conflagration but if it break out into the aire and the winde take hold on it then it will burn exceedingly thus it will be with thee in regard of thy sin if thou keepest it not under in the motion it will be hard for thee to suppresse it afterwards We take physick by way of prevention health of body and soul too is more easily preserved then restored A sore neglected growes a gangrene one part being infected after another till there be no soundnesse in the flesh 2. Keep off from all external occasions of that sin which thou hast a motion to commit whatever thy sin be suppose it be pride wear not that apparel which may minister an occasion of pride suppose drunkennesse keep from bad company if it be uncleannesse Prov. 5.8 keep off from the dore of the harlot carefully avoid occasions of sin This is very imitable in Joseph Gen 39.10 it is said that as his Mistresse spake to him day by day that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her he kept out of her company as much as might be And this is the counsel and command of the Lord Keep thee far from a false matter Exod. 23.7 the occasions of sin are as it were the awakening of corrupt nature what else should be the reason that a man not thinking of sin when he hath an occasion hath a motion to commit it therefore be not ventrous to run upon occasions of sin and whensoever thou art moved to any sin keep off from the external occasion thereof A Divine sets out men ventring upon occasions of sin to be like those who pray to God they may not be burned and yet will thrust their fingers into the fire thou which prayest against sins motions have a care also to keep from sinnes occasions 2 Thess 5.27 Gods children are bound to abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.17 and to hate the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 25. Jude 25. The Nazarite was not only to abstain from wine but also from touching the very husk of the grape Numb 6.3,4 Numb 6 3,4 3. Labour to unarm the flesh As the godly have armour and the peeces thereof are registred in the 6 Chap. to the Ephes So the flesh hath armour to fortify it self it is armed with power labour to conquer it with malice with an insatiable desire of thy ruine with manifold solicitations to sin Now labour to disarm it of all its pretences of all its policies You must do with sinne in this case as the Philistines with the Israelites they fearing that the Israelites would wage warre against them used this stratagem they would suffer no iron weapon to be found among them nor no Smith in Israel to make these weapons Do you as the Philistines did unarm sin take away any occasion which corrupt nature may have to act transgression in you you must do as the Rechabites did they were commanded not to drink wine and they would not yeeld to any temptation or solicitation to break that Commandment disarm sinne by taking away its occasions 4. Do not so much dispute with evil motions as resist them It is the folly of many that they will dispute with sins temptations whereas there is no man that hath ever consulted with flesh and blood but at last hath been overcome by it Count the flesh as thy enemy but never let it be thy Counsellor the flesh is a great dissembler it hath such subtile insinuations such slie evasions that it will cheat a man into sin and therefore do not dispute with it you will do with disputing with flesh as our first parents with the devil after disputing they fall to eating the flesh will tell thee this sin is profitable for thee and the other sin is pleasurable and suitable and therefore beware of sin and be more in resisting then in disputing with the flesh 5. Give thy selfe much to the exercises of mortification and the exercises of those duties which tend thereunto and this will be an especial means to preserve thee There are three duties I shall commend to you for this end Spiritual watchfulnesse prayer and fasting You have two of these duties prescribed by our Saviour together Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray sayes he that ye enter not into temptation The flesh will be still assaulting thee and Satan by thy flesh and therefore we had need to be still watching and praying the warre between the flesh and Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be much in watchfulnesse against the occasions of sin Watch over the outward senses of thy body and over the inward faculties of thy minde be much in prayer that sinful motions may be suppressed and subdued Do not pray as Austin Metuebam nè me exaudiret Deus Aug. who confessed that before his conversion through the light of a natural conscience he prayed against the lust of incontinence and the sins of his youth but was afraid that God should hear his prayer do not you so pray And joyn fasting with the duty of prayer it was Pauls custom 1 Cor. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox à pugi ibus derivata qui propriè di cuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. cum pugnis aut coestibus An tagomstam obtundere sayes he I keep under my body and bring it into subjection that is corrupt nature By the body cannot be meant the body in a natural sense who hereupon do excruciate and torment their body by whippings fastings and pilgrimage but the body here is termed the body of death by fasting prayer and