formerly spoken of will be to little purpose if they make no further progresse in the wayes of God Then the flesh vseth more refined and subtill pollicies and condemning as much as any others carnall Gospellers ciuill iusticiaries and grosse hypocrites it perswadeth them to be like Agryppa almost and but almost Christians and to rest in some shadowes and meere counterfaits of sauing graces and Christian obedience which are so like vnto them that vnlesse they bee brought to the all discouering light of Gods word and diligently examined by this touch stone of trueth they can hardly be discerned I will not say by others which is meerely impossible but euen by those that haue them And this is the estate of temporarie beleeuers in whom there is almost nothing wanting which is in sound Christians but sinceritie and trueth For they are allowed by their sinnefull flesh to bee as like Christians as possibly may be so they be not so indeed and to runne before many true beleeuers in outward duties and euen to knocke at heauen gates so that they will there rest but for a time and neuer enter They haue knowledge often times in farre greater measure then many of Gods deare children faith repentance obedience and that in such a degree that in outward appearance many true Christians come farre short of them And therefore seeing aboue all deceipts this is most deceitfull we are to bend all our care and study that we may discouer and defeate it §. Sect. 2. That we must labour to haue all spirituall graces in sincerity and truth and first our knowledg To which purpose wee must not onely labour to haue all sauing graces and to be enabled vnto the performance of all Christian duties but also after assurance that they are in vs and done by vs in sinceritie and trueth And to this purpose wee are often to examine and waigh them in the ballance of the sanctuary and to obserue the infallible markes and signes whereby our true graces and vertuous actions may be discerned not onely from vices and grosse corruptions but also from these neere counterfaits and shadowes of them which are insubtill hypocrites and temporary beleeuers For there wee shall finde that though the knowledge of temporaries bee in respect of the measure very great yet it faileth in the qualitie and effects for it is barely learned by hearing and reading and not taught by the spirituall annoynting whereof the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 2. 20. which the faithfull onely receiue it is much inspeculation and theorie and little in practise spirituall power feeling and repentance and they know the things of God appertaining to saluation as a man knoweth a strange land by reading which he neuer trauailed whereby hee is enabled to discourse of it and of the fruites and benefits contained in it though hee neuer tasted them nor hath any hope euer to enioy them whereas the true beleeuer though he be in his pilgrimage yet knoweth heauen and heauenly things as his owne countrey and the blessings contained in it of which he hath already tasted and had feeling experience and is assured after a while when hee hath finished his iourney to haue the full fruition of them And hereof it is that the knowledge of the hypocrite bringeth small ioy and comfort with it and though it exceede in measure yet it cheareth not the heart like the least knowledge of a sound Christian euen as the knowledge of the Lawyer in the euidences of a mans lands may be greater then the owners but yet hee cannot reade them with like comfort because he hath no right vnto them §. Sect. 3. How wee may discerne a true iustifing faith from that which is temporarie So also hypocrites and temporaries haue faith whereby they not onely know and beleeue the whole word of God and the promises of the Gospell to be true but also giue their assent vnto them yea make some kind of application of them vnto themselues And yet there are diuers essentiall differences betweene this faith of hypocrites and of true beleeuers For first they differ in their causes the one being wrought by the ministery of the Gospell made effectuall by the inward cooperation of Gods Spirit the other by Sathan carnal corruption abusing and misapplying of these promises in Christ Secondly in their grounds for a liuely faith is grounded vpon Gods reuealed trueth but the faith of hypocrites vpon no other ground then the false suggestions of Sathan vnwarranted conceipts carnall securitie and fond presumption which cause the hypocrite to apply vnto himselfe the mercies of God merits of Christ and the sweete promises of the Gospell when as he is in no sort qualified and fitted according to the word to receiue or haue any interest in them For before we can beleeue with a true faith we must be humbled in the sight and sense of our sinnes wee must deny our selues and become vile in our own eyes and haue an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse and an high valuation and esteeme of them aboue all things in the world all which are wanting in the saith of hypocrites Thirdly true faith is ioyned with vnfained loue of God for he that is assured that much is forgiuen him he loueth much not only God himselfe but his neighbours yea euen his enemies for Gods sake and those aboue all the rest in whom he discerneth the image of God mâ—st clearely shining But the faith of hypocrites being alwayes accompanied with selfe-loue maketh a man to value himselfe aboue all things yea God himselfe the chiefe goodnesse Fourthly where there is true faith there is alwayes a sore combate and conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene faith purifying the heart and vnbeliefe labouring to retaine the pleasures of sinne and all our â—nbred corruptions which are pleasing or profitable but the faith of hypocrites is still quiet and peaceable because it is nothing but carnall presumption which being corrupt and sinnefull agreeth well with other corruptions neither doeth Sathan moue or as much as in him lyeth suffer to be moued of any questions because hee would possesse all things in peace and not haue his kingdome diuided in it selfe Secondly true faith is the instrument of a mutuall donation for as it receiueth Christ who is giuen vs of God so it offereth and consecrateth our bodies and soules vnto Christ who by the gift of God hath as much right vnto vs as we vnto him But the faith of hypocrites would haue part in Christ and all his benefits but Christ must haue no part in them or if any at all hee must be contented with their tongue onely whereas the world and the diuell must haue their hearts Secondly true faith is not easily daunted or dismayed but commonly shineth most clearely in the darke night of afflictions and manifesteth it selfe in it chiefe strength when carnall reason will minister no comfort but the faith of hypocrites resteth
Gods mercy truth prouidence securitie impenitency and hardnesse of heart Now of what are they thus tempted but as the Apostle telleth vs of their owne concupiscence and therefore this concupiscence extendeth as well to the superiour as the inferiour faculties of the soule Yea not onely are they tempted but often are foyled by yeelding to the tentation of which I neede no other proofe but that experience which euery Christian may haue in himselfe if without partialitie he will examine his owne conscience for who is so inlightned that doth not finde in his minde much darknesse who so sanctified that doth not acknowledge many errours whereby he hath been ouertaken in his iudgement and much vanity in his cogitations Who is so humbled and hath so denied himselfe that doth not feele in his will much peruersenesse and rebellion against the will of God Finally who hath his remembrance so confirmed and strengthned in grace that doth not see his forgetfulnesse of God and of holy duties And who is so strong in his faith that doth not finde many assaults of doubting and infidelitie All which doth plainely proue that euen in the regenerate the reliques of carnall corruption doe remaine not onely in the inferiour and sensitiue faculties of the soule but also in the superiour and intellectuall CHAP. VI. Testimonies of Fathers to prooue that the body alone is not our enemy the flesh §. Sect. 1. Testimonies to proue that the bodie is not our sinfull flesh VNto these reasons we may adde diuers testimonies for the better clearing of this August de ciuit Dei lib. 14. cap. 3. tit 5. col 7â—5 point And first Saint Augustine telleth vs that the corruption of the body which ouerburtheneth the soule is not the cause of the first sinne but the punishment Neither doeth the corruptible flesh make the soule sinfull but the sinfull soule maketh the flesh corruptible From which corruption of the flesh although there arise many prouocations of vices and vicious desires yet not all the vices of a wicked life are to be imputed to the flesh that is the body least hereby wee acquite the diuell of them who hath no flesh Againe he that magnifieth the nature of the soule as though it were the chiefe goodnesse and accuseth the nature of the flesh as euill without doubt hee doeth August de ciuit dei lib. 14. cap. 5. tit 5. col 758 carnally affect the soule and after a fleshly manner shun the flesh because he so iudgeth out of humaine vanitie and not out of diuine trueth So in another place the soule is not better then August in psal 145. the body in merit but in nature for the soule is sinfull and stained with many corruptioÌ„s of concupiscence But yet impure gold is better then the most purified lead And else where he saith The flesh therefore is not euill if it want euill that is sinne wherewith August de continent cap. 8. Tit. 4. col 998. man is corrupted neither is he euill made but doeth euill for in both parts soule and body he was made good of our good God but he doeth euill whereby he is made euill Now as by all these testimonies he sheweth what the flesh is not namely not the nature or substaÌ„ce of the body so in many other places he sheweth what it is namely the lawe of sinne and corruption of nature which hath ouerspread and defiled the soule and body To name one or two for all In his booke of retractations he saith that the Apostle by the names of flesh and blood vnderstandeth the corruption of them both And againe Carnis et Sanguinis nomine ipsam corruptionem carnis et sanguinis intelligendus est apostolus nuncupasse August retract Lib. 2. cap. 3. August de fide et Symb. c. 10. Chrysost in Gal. 6. Chry. in Gen. 6. Homil. 24. Gregor moral lib. 3. c. 11. Moral lib. 14. cap. 29. the soule when as it affecteth those things which are carnally good is named the flesh With him agreeth Chrysostome for writing on the words of the Apostle they haue crucified the flesh with the lustes of it he saith that he here calleth their euill deedes the flesh for if they should haue crucified their bodies how then could they haue liued And againe it is the manner of the Scriptures to call by the name of flesh those who onely minde carnall things and neuer thinke on that which is heauenly Thus also Gregorie saith that the Scriptures are accustomed to signifie by the names of flesh and blood the sinnes of the flesh And in another place It is written saith he that flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen and how then shall I beleue that in truth the flesh shall arise at the last day I answere in the holy Scriptures the flesh is sometime taken according to nature and sometime according to fault and corruption in the former sense this now is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh and againe the word was made flesh In the other sense is it to be taken my spirit shall not striue in these men because they are flesh and the speach of the Apostle but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit not that they were not in the flesh to whom the Apostle wrote but because they had ouercome the passions of their carnall desires c. So Hierome on the Hieron in Rom 8. eight of the Romanes saith It is to be noted that the Apostle there accuseth the workes of the flesh and not the substance And thus also Basill vnderstandeth it for saith he he that is called the olde man signifieth together all sinnes and Basil de baptis lib. 1. Theod. in Gal. 5. 17. Ibidem defilements particularly as it were in his parts So Theoderet The Apostle calleth flesh the inclination of the minde vnto those things which are euill and the spirit grace which inhabiteth and guideth the minde vnto those things which are good And againe it is manifest that idolatry witchcraft and such like sinnes are not proper to the flesh that is the body but to the soule and therefore he doth not accuse the flesh but the wicked and slothfull cogitation §. Sect. 2. That Sathan hath assaulted not onely the body affections but the minde and vnderstanstanding And thus haue I shewed by the Scriptures and fathers that by the flesh we are not to vnderstand the body and the sensitiue part of the soule alone but the sinfull corruption of our nature and that this hath ouerspread and infected not the flesh or affections alone but euen the minde and will For Sathan hauing a desire to conquer vs and to hold vs for euer vnder his subiection did not onely by assault take in the body and sensitiue faculties as it were the out-sconces but hath also skaled and surprised the reason and vnderstanding which is the strong tower and castle of our soule through the strength whereof
nature of man as it is born in corruption polluted with originall sin And thus our Sauiour saith that that which is born of the flesh is flesh that is if Iohn 3. 6. the parents be defiled with sin then needs must the childrē be polluted with their corruption for a stinking fountaine cannot bring forth sweet waters and who as Iob saith can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse And thus the Apostle Iob 14. 4. saith that they who are in the flesh that is remaine in that Rom. 8. 8. corrupt and sinfull condition in which they were borne cannot please God But in none of these senses are we to conceiue the flesh to be our enemie for neither may wee Timon-like be at enmitie with mankinde nor like mad men make warre and offer violence against our owne persons nor ought we with the Baalites and Papists to fight against our owne bodies neither is there any warre in the naturall man borne in corruption seeing he is wholly flesh and vnder Sathans gouernment who like the strong man whilest he keepeth the house possesseth all in peace sauing that now and then there is some ciuill dissension and small iarres betweene the will and conscience and one passion with another which are quickly taken vp as wee shall shew hereafter §. Sect. 3. Diuers significations of the word flesh taken for accidents and qualities But we are further to consider that the flesh is not onely thus substantially taken for things really and materially by themselues subsisting but also for accidents and qualities In which sense it is taken two wayes in the Scriptures First for that qualitie of corruption frailetie and infirmitie of the humane nature which is not sinne but rather the effect and punishment which attendeth and waiteth vpon it and in this sense it is said of the Israelites that he turned away his wrath from them because hee remembred that they were but 1. Cor. 15. 50. flesh and a winde that passeth away and commeth not againe Thus also it is said that flesh and bloud cannot inherite the Kingdome of God and what this flesh and bloud is hee expoundeth in the next words neither doth corruption in herit 2. Cor. 10. 2 3 4 corruption And thus the Apostle saith that though hee walked in the flesh yet he did not warre after the flesh not with weake and carnall but with strong and mighty weapons which were able to cast downe all that opposed against them and in this sense as I take it are wee to vnderstand the speech of our Sauiour to his Apostles The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weake And in this signification Mat. 26. 41. the flesh is not to be taken for a malicious enemie but rather a weake and feeble friend which is not to be opposed in hostile manner as it were with a sword and speare but rather to be strengthned with the cordials of comfort after that the corruption of sinne which is the cause thereof by the physicke of the Word is purged away §. Sect. 4. The flesh taken for the corruption of nature Secondly the flesh is taken for the whole corruption of nature or for that originall sinne whereby the whole nature of man with all the powers and faculties of his soule and body ate wholly defiled the image of God vtterly defaced and he quite disabled vnto all good and made prone vnto all manner of euill the which as it is the child and off-spring of our first parents sinne so is it the mother and nurse of all actuall transgressions and of all our rebellion against God and his will And this carnall corruption possesseth and ouer-spreadeth the whole man before regeneration defiling and disabling his body and soule with all the members parts and faculties of them raigning and ruling in him in his full strength as a King and soueraigne and making him obedient to the sinfull lusts thereof and after regeneration it still remaineth and dwelleth in him although wounded and weakned like a wicked enemie and false traitor rebelling against the Spirit and resisting the good motions thereof and though it be deposed from the regencie and expelled as it were out of the heart of the Kingdome yet like the cursed Cananites it still keepeth residence in the borders of the land and after it is beaten out of the Citie doth still dwell in the Suburbs whence it much molesteth the spirituall part and is to the regenerate man a snare to intangle him and a trap to catch him a scourge to his Ios 23. 13. sides and a thorne in his eyes sometime assaulting him by open violence and sometime indangering him by secret ambushments and hidden vnderminings In which sence the flesh is taken either for the whole nature of man as it commeth into the world corrupted and defiled with sinne seeing he is nothing but a masse of corruption and a sinke of all filthinesse till he be regenerate by the Spirit of God or else for that part of a Christian which remaineth still vnregenerate after his effectuall calling and sound conuersion vnto God In the former signification we are to vnderstand all those places where vnregenerate and wicked men are called flesh as where our Sauiour saith that that which is Ioh. 3. 6. Rom. 7. 5. borne of the flesh is flesh and the Apostle Paul that when we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the Law did worke in our members to bring forth fruit vnto death and that they who are in the flesh cannot please God In the later Rom. 8. 8. we are to vnderstand it when it is applied vnto the faithfull who are but in part regenerate to signifie the reliques of naturall corruption and the vicious qualitie of sinne which still dwell and remaine in them vnmortified and vnsubdued So the Apostle complaineth that there was giuen him a pricke in the flesh that in his flesh dwelled 2. Cor. 12. 7. Rom. 7. 18. 25. no good thing and that in the flesh hee serued the Law of sinne And thus he would haue the incestuous person deliuered to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit 1. Cor. 5. 5. that is the regenerate man might bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus But most plainely and distinctly doth hee speake of it where he saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and that these are contrarie Gal. 5. 17. the one to the other bringing forth in the same man diuers and contrarie fruits as hee there at large describeth them §. Sect. 5. That the flesh in this discourse signifieth the part vnregenerate in a christian or the reliques of corruption remaining after sanctification Now in this last sense we are to take the word flesh in the following discourse vnderstanding thereby those reliques of corruption which after regeneration doe still remaine in vs the corrupt qualitie of sinne
contrariwise nothing more intituleth vs to honour and dignitie then to be cleansed from this naturall filth and to be adorned with holinesse whereof it is that the Apostle matcheth these two together for hauing exhorted vs to purge our selues from the sinne of vncleannesse he wisheth vs in the 1. Thes 4. 3. 4. next place to possesse our vessels in sanctification honour § Sect 8. That the flesh bringeth vs into a most base condition Secondly but this will better appeare if we further consider into what a base condition we are brought if the flesh and the lusts thereof doe get the dominion ouer vs for whereas there is no estate so vile and abiect as the estate of a bondslaue because he is in all things subiect to the command of his maister there being no place left vnto expostulation nor so much as any liberty to demand a reason nor no bondage comparable to the bondage of Sathan and our owne sinfull lusts because there is no masters so vniust and cruell the flesh subiecteth vs to this miserable thraldome For if Sathan command these abiect vassals they must obey though it directly tend to the dishonour of God the hurt of their neighbours and the vtter destruction of their owne bodies and soules And in the like or greater slauerie they are to their owne sinfull lusts If vniust anger prouoke them to reuenge they must kill and slay if filthy lust impose vpon them neuer so hard a taske they must vndertake it though it be to the ruine of their states the stayning of their fame yea the hazard of their liues and damnation of their soules If couetousnesse command the compassing of some wealth they must make no question of right not wrong of hurting other men or their owne persons If ambition would haue them to aspire to preferment they must not sticke to tread all vnder foote that stand in the way they must lye and dissemble sweare and forsweare and climbe vp the craggie rocke of honour with intollerable toyle though they are in danger by falling to breake their neckes either when they are in the midway or when they be come to the top of their hopes If voluptuousnesse and sensualitie will haue their appetite satisfied they must toyle and moyle and indure many dayes labour for an houres delight In a word they who are in subiection to the sinfull flesh they are aboue all men in the world in the greatest slauerie being like vnto Cham who was a seruant of seruants not so much in respect of outward subiection as in that they are embondaged to their owne carnall lusts for as there is no seruant or slaue so base and vile so there is no tyrant in the world so proud and cruell § Sect 9. That whilst we liue in the flesh we cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. A third fruit and effect which springeth and proceedeth from this sinfull flesh is that whilest we liue in it and it in vs we cannot please God nor doe any thing which is acceptable in his sight so the Apostle plainely telleth vs that they who are in the flesh cannot please God and the reason hereof is cleare and euident because to be in the flesh is to be the seruant of sinne and the vassall of Sathan and to doe nothing but what they like and command and therefore seeing nothing in the world can bee imagined so opposite and contrarie vnto God as they nor any thing so odious and abominable in his sight and seeing their friends bee Gods enemies and those things which please them be most displeasing in the sight of God needs must all those actions which are done in the flesh be odious vnto him and make the agents obnoxious to his wrath Now what a miserable condition is this into which man is brought by his sinfull flesh that both his person and all his actions his words workes and secret cogitations should bee vtterly misliked and disallowed of him who is the supreame King and iudge of heauen and earth who hath all power in his hand to reward infinitely those whom hee liketh and alloweth and to punish in like proportion those whom he disalloweth and misliketh § Sect 10. The flesh setteth man at emnitie against God Rom. 8. 7. Fourthly the flesh nourisheth perpetuall emnitie betweene God and the carnall man for so the Apostle saith that the wisedome of the flesh or the carnall minde is emnitie against God for the flesh and carnall lusts are in great league and amitie with the Diuel and the world and they all three vnite all their forces to fight against God all his friends and howsoeuer they are often vanquished by his almighty power yet like malicious enemies the stand continually against him in open rebellion rather to testifie their malice and hatred then out of any hope of preuailing against him And therefore they who will bee friends vnto these fleshly lusts the wicked world and the arch-traytor Sathan must needs hereby make themselues enemies vnto God according to that of the Apostle Know ye not that the amitie of the world is emnitie with God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the Iam. 4 4. world is the enemie of God And againe if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the reason which he rendreth is this because the world and the flesh with the sinfull lusts thereof are combined together for saith he all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world For this carnall lusting after earthly things breedes 1 Ioh. 2. 16. a neglect and loathing of things spirituall and euen of God himselfe for their appetite being filled and glutted with the sweet poison of fleshly delights they haue no tast nor rellish of those heauenly excellencies and they who haue their senses filled with the seeing of worldly pleasures haue their spiritual sense so dulled and deadded that they cannot smell Gods odiferous sweetnesse in his Word and holy ordinances But as the Beetle chuseth rather to be in the dung then among the sweetest flowers and the filthy hogge is more delighted with rooting in the dunghill then to walke about in the most pleasant garden so those who are carnally minded are best pleased when as by any meanes they may satisfie their sensuall and fleshly appetite and take no pleasure in spirituall or heauenly things yea so contrarie and opposite are they vnto God in all goodnesse and such emnitie there is betweene them that nothing giueth vnto them greater distaste and discontentment And as these fleshly lusts enrage men against God so also do they Eph. 2. 3. prouoke Gods wrath against them and therefore the Apostle saith that whilest they had their conuersation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires thereof they were also the children of wrath and in that respect in danger daily