diuers other reasons may be added For first this corruption of nature is called the flesh because the body is the instrument of the soule to execute and put in practise the lusts and desires of sinfull concupiscence according to that Rom. 6. 13. Neither yeeld ye your members as instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne And the soule lusteth Rom. 6. 13 by the body whereof it is that the sinne of euill concupiscence is attributed to the body as the instrument though the minde be the chiefe egent euen as the eye is said to see when as the soule rather seeth by the eye and the sword is said to kill when as it is the man rather that killeth with the sword Secondly because the sinfull corruption of our natures doth discouer and manifest it selfe rather by the outward actions of the body and concupiscence of the flesh then by the secret cogitations and desires of the minde and will For whilest this poison lurketh in the minde and will it is secret and hidden alwaies to others and oftentimes euen to our selues but then it commeth to be known when as it swelleth in our carnall concupiscence and breaketh out in the sores of wicked actions And as it fareth in the naturall birth so in this hellish broode of sinne after that the Diuell or our corrupt flesh haue cast into the minde the cursed seede of sin the concupiscence warmeth fashioneth and nourisheth it and so though in the first conception it was vnknowne euen to the parents themselues that bred it in the further growth thereof by lust and in the birth by the outward action it is made manifest both to them and others Whereof it is that the holy Ghost calleth this sin and corruption concupiscence of the flesh not because it gaue vnto it the first beeing in nature but did onely first discouer it and as it were brought it forth into the world Thirdly because the baites and allurements wherewith the Diuell and the world intice vs to sinne are offered most vsually vnto our mindes and vnderstandings by the mediation of the bodie and the outward senses as riches honours and voluptuous pleasures for these obiects beeing tendred to the senses they present them to the vnderstanding wil which approue and chuse them not caring to swallow the hook of sinne so they may feed on the bewitching bait But what is the cause hereof Not for that the senses and carnall concupiscence doe first infect the superiour faculties but because being already corrupted they are ready to entertaine al such wicked motions And as inferiour seruants doe not nor dare not perswade their soueraignes to such sinfull actions as are contrarie to their liking and odious vnto them as those who are royally munificent and bountifull to base bribing and vnconscionable pilling of their people those who ate chaste and temperate to wantonnesse and excesse but onely vnto such vices as they are by nature somewhat inclinable vnto so is it in this little kingdome and common-wealth of man for the vnderstanding and reason are first corrupted and fallen from that integritie spirituall wisedome and excellencie in which they were created wherewith they were inlightned with the knowledge of God and of spirituall and heauenly things in which originally they tooke all their delight and sweet contentment and now being blinded with ignorance and not able to discerne or rellish these diuine delicates they cease to liue this spirituall life and can take no pleasure in heauenly things and therefore giue themselues ouer to all sensuality and willingly entertaine all corrupt motions of the flesh which by the mediation of the body and carnall appetite may conueigh vnto them any earthly delight And thus the soule is said to lust by the flesh when as it desireth those things which are delightfull and pleasant according to the flesh euen as contrariwise the concupiscence of the soule in it created puritie Quid est secunduÌ„ carnem ambulateâ— carnalibus concupiscentiâ—s consentire c. August serm 7. T. 10. was when it delighted it selfe in those things which were spirituall and heauenly To which the speech of Austine fitteth well What saith hee is it to walke according to the flesh Nothing else but when we consent to carnall lust And what is it to walke according to the spirit It is to be so assisted with Gods holy Spirit in our mindes as that we doe not obey this fleshly concupiscence §. Sect. 3. An other reason why this our spirituall enemie is called the flesh Fourthly the whole corrupt man body and soule is called flesh because the soule as well as the body being giuen ouer to all sensualitie doth only desire and ioy in fleshly delights and the vaine pleasures of sinne whereof it fitly hath it name from the obiects and actions about which it is wholly exercised And this reason Austine giueth the soule saith hee is therefore called flesh because it onely desireth Anima vero cum carnalia bona adhuc appetit câ—â—o nominatur August de fide et Sym. cap. 10. those things which are carnally good Yea will some say but their remaine yet in corrupteth nature some reliques of diuine light and some sparkes of created wisedome which condemne fleshly pleasures and oppose against carnall and sensuall lusts I answere that there are indeed euen in meere naturall men some conflicts betweene their reason and affections their conscience and concupiscence but seeing that commonly the issue of this skirmish is the victorie of the lusts and passions and the base yeelding of the minde and reason to subiect themselues to their lawes in the members and to agree to the carnall conclusion of these inferior parts they are fitly with the sensuall faculties intituled with the same denomination of flesh sinful coÌ„cupiscence the rest Fiftly the corruption of nature as well in the soule as the bodie is called flesh because by the flesh and carnall seede in our generation sinne is propagated vnto the whole man soule and body And finally because the soule reason and vnderstanding forgetting their created excellencie supremacie and authoritie ouer the other inferiour parts doe basely subiect themselues to become seruants and slaues vnto the flesh for the contemptible wages of sinfull pleasure And whereas they were made to rule the body now they spend all their study and paines in doing seruice vnto it in pampering of the belly and decking and adorning of the backe and in deuising all meanes for the pleasing of the fleshly appetite and satisfying of the lust and carnall concupiscence And therefore iustly with their rule and gouernement they loose also the honour of their titles and whereas whilest they remained Lords Kings they gaue names to the body inferiour parts which were called after them reasonable and spirituall now becomming their seruants they loose their owne names are called after their Lords and maisters whom they haue chosen to serue fleshly and carnall And this reason Austine giueth As the
time present For whilest it is called to day and Psal 95. 7. 2 Cor. 6 2. the Lord calleth vpon vs to performe holy duties it is the acceptable time and day of saluation which being once past will neuer returne againe That those duties which are first in excellency should be first also in time and that no wise man putteth off matters of greatest waight but giueth them prioritie and precedencie both in respect of time and place Let vs remember that our liues are short and momentanie and that it were but all too little though they should be wholly spent in Gods seruice and that this short time is so vncertaine that we haue no assurance of liuing another day or houre in regard whereof it is great madnesse to put off those duties for the doing whereof we chiefely came into the world and vpon the performance of them our saluation dependeth and to prefer before them trifles which for the present are of small value and will not profit vs any whit at the day of death and iudgement That we cannot by our owne naturall strength doe any good dutie but as we are assisted by Gods Spirit and that if we from day to day quench the good motions therof and will not open when he knocketh so hard and often at the dore of our hearts we shall moue him to depart from vs leaue vs to our impenitencie securitie and hardnes of heart Finally let vs know that if it be now troublesome and tedious to performe holy duties and vertuous actions how much more will it be so when our vices are growne habituall and by long custome are turned into another nature Furthermore whereas the flesh pretendeth many occasions of present distraction and multitude of businesse and telleth vs that we may more conueniently performe Christian duties and betake our selues to a godly life when these troubles are a little ouer as for example that we may better serue God when as we haue setled our worldly estate and are freed from distractions which for want hereof doe now disturbe vs when we haue gotten such a summe of money such a farme or Lordship attained to such honour and preferment or haue had the fruition of this or that pleasure vpon which we haue set our hearts let vs know that all these are but friuolous excuses like vnto theirs who being inuited to the marriage supper of the Kings Sonne Mat. 22. refused to come which will in no case be accepted of God as sufficient when he calleth vs to account seeing they only discouer our doting loue on worldly vanities and our vtter neglect of spirituall and heauenly things Let vs consider that it is a great indignitie to consecrate vnto the world our chiefe strength and prime seruice and to destinate vnto God the after leauings of which also we are vncertaine whether we shall performe them or no that it is great folly and want of iudgement to prouide first temporarie necessaries yea superfluities for our bodies and leane to a second vncertaine care the eternall saluation of our soules That we haue no assurance to liue till we haue attained earthly things and afterwards to prouide for heauenly and therefore if we thinke heauen better then earth and those euerlasting ioyes better then these momentany trifles it were our wisedome to preferre and seeke them in the first place seeing we cannot be assured of them both and leauing of which Martha to be incumbred with worldly businesse to choose with Mary the better part For though many things might be conuenient and worth Luk. 10 41. our seeking if we had a lease of life and leysure inough to looke after them yet this one thing is necessary that by fearing and seruing the Lord which was the maine end for which we came into the world we may glorifie him and so gather assurance of our owne saluation § Sect. 4. The fourth policie of the flesh in mouing vs to rest in faire promises and faint purposes Fourthly when a◠the flesh cannot intice to vse meere dela es and doe iust nothing then it will perswade vs to rest in that which is as good as nothing namely fayre promises and faint and false purposes and resolutions that we will become new men out of hand Especially if we haue our desire in some things which we presently hope for as deliuerance from some affliction freedome from some danger or recouery from some sicknes But when we haue gone thus farre there it maketh vs to stay by offering vnto vs if we will continue in our old courses some accesse of worldly wealth or the fruition of sinfull pleasures and hauing preuailed so much with vs it stayeth not here but maketh vs soone after more carnall and wicked more slothfull and negligent in the performance of all good duties then euer we were before With which deceipt if we would not be ouertaken let vs know that it were better not to promise at all then hauing promised not to performe and pay for what is this to mocke God who will not be mocked What is it but to dally and to play childes play with him seeking to please him with complementall promises and fayre words That the Lord is not pleased by our making vowes and promises if wee doe not also pay them seeing we doe hereby but multiply our sinnes adding to our former euill courses couenant-breaking and falsifying of our promises euen with God himselfe Finally that we doe but quench the good motions of the Spirit when as we doe not nourish and cherish those good purposes and resolutions which he suggesteth vnto vs but suffer our selues to be carried away by the contrary motions of our sinfull corruption And therefore the Psalmist biddeth vs vow and pay vnto the Lord our God the which the Prophet Esay maketh a note of the Psal 76. 11. Pro. 20. 25. Esa 19. 21. faithfull and the contrary by the wise man is said to be a property of a foole When saith he thou vowest a vow vnto God deferre not to pay it for hee hath no pleasure in fooles Eccl. 5. 4. pay that which thou hast vowed § Sect. 5. The fift policy is to withdraw vs from more excellent duties by occasion of doing of some lesser good But if it cannot by all the former deuises and deceipts perswade vs to neglect such duties as are truely good then will it by the occasion of doing some lesser good withdraw vs from that which is greater and more excellent in which regard that good which is of a meane and inferiour nature becommeth vnto vs euill because it is abused by our flesh to shoulder and thrust out that which is of greater worth and waight And thus it perswadeth men to reade the Scriptures at home on the Lords day and in the meane time to neglect the publique assemblies the ministerie of the word and Prayer with the congregation yea sometime to pray priuately in the Church or to
that is in his flesh dwelled no good thing where the flesh cannot signifie the body as it is distinguished from the soule for so it is not true which the Apostle speaketh seeing his body was not onely the habitation of his soule but also the Temple of the holy Ghost Neither was it here the Apostles purpose to distinguish betweene his soule and his body but betweene grace and naturall corruption which had ouerspread the whole man so farre forth as he remained vnregenerate as contrariwise by spirit he vnderstandeth the whole man as he is regenerate and sanctified And this is the reason why he correcteth himselfe saying in me that is in my flesh because he would not be iniurious to Gods spirit dwelling in his body which maketh him thus to explicate his speech of his flesh or part vnregenerate in which the holy spirit dwelleth not So Chrysostome telleth vs that the Apostle calleth 1 Cor. 6. 19. Chrysost in Cal. 5. Flesh not the natural body but the depraued will as when he saith you are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit And againe those who are in the flesh cannot please God What then is the flesh to be destroyed Why he who spake these things was not hee compassed with flesh c. By flesh therefore hee meaneth earthly sluggish and retchlesse thoughts So that this is not the accusation of the body but the fault of the negligent soule § Sect. 7. The seuenth Reason because the body is not absolutely euill as the flesh â—â— Eighthly that which is called the flesh is in other places called the euill concupiscence the euill which encloseth vs and the law of sinne but the body is not euill absolutely for it is the good creature of God as well as the soule but respectiuely as together with the soule it is tainted defiled with corruption So Austine telleth vs that our flesh that is Aug. de ecclesiast dogmat Cap. 76. our body is good yea very good as beeing the workmanship of our onely good God and it is not euill as Sethianus Ophianus and Patricianus would haue it nor the cause of euill as Florianus hath taught nor yet compacted of euill and good as Manichaeus blasphemeth but whereas it is good by creation it is at the choise of the minde made vnto vs either good or euill not by the change of the substance but by the wages of execution With whom Chrysostome agreeth saying that the Apostle doth Chrysost in Rom. 7. Serm. 13. nor call the flesh that is the body sinne but it is the worke of God which if we wisely vse it is exceeding fit for the pursuing of vertue Neither is the body our enemy in this spirituall conflict but our friend which assisteth vs in the fight and taketh our part against the flesh with the rest of our spirituall enemies namely as it is imployed by the soule in praying fasting watching hearing the word holy conferences giuing of almes and such like religious and Christian duties So Hierome testifieth that this life to mortall men is a place Hieron ad Licinium of Combate here wee fight that elsewhere wee may be crowned and no man can goe securely among serpents and scorpions Wee are compassed about with great troupes of enemies the whole world is full of them the fraile flesh which within a while will become dust fighteth alone against many c. For as the bodie partaketh with the soule in the state of corruption so also in the state of regeneration the one beeing sanctified as well as the other For whereas the Apostle speaking to the faithfull telleth them that they were washed and sanctified hee excludeth not their body but vnderstandeth it of the whole person body and soule And this he plainely testifieth saying that the vnmarried woman careth for the things 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 34. of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit And therefore he exhorteth the Corinthians to the washing and purging of the whole person Hauing saith he these gracious promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from 2. Cor. 7. 1. all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God So whereas he affirmeth that our bodies are temples of the holy Ghost hee implyeth that they are regenerate and sanctified for what communion can there bee betweene light and darknesse God and Belial the holy spirit and a polluted cage of vncleane spirits And therefore as our soules are not in this life perfectly regenerate but haue remaining in them many reliques of corruptions so our bodies are not quite without regeneration but are in part washed and purged by Gods holy Spirit that they may bee fit habitations for himselfe to dwell in To which purpose Hierome saith that the Apostle doth not praise the spirit and Hieron in Rom. 8. dispraise the flesh because that is good and this is euill Seeing himselfe saith that the Virgin careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy in body and in spirit and contrariwise doth accuse the spirit saying men corrupted in their mindes c. So Chrysostome saith that Christ hath destroyed the kingdome of sinne and hath made the flesh more able and spirituall for all good duties not by changing the substance of it but by raising and inciting it hereunto For as fire beeing ioyned with yron Chrys in Ro. 8. doth make the iron like vnto fire though it remaine the same in it owne nature so the flesh of the faithfull who are indued with the holy Ghost is chaâ—ged by vertue of the spirit and beeing made spirituall and loftie is lifted vpon high together with the soule And as the body is thus in part sanctified so also the affections and inferiour faculties of the soule as loue hope desire hatred and the â—est and are made seruiceable to the soule for holy and religious duties and whereas whilest we were in the state of vnbeliefe they fought on the diuels side and prouoked vs to the committing of all wickednes now they forsake his campe and take part with the armie of Iesus Christ inciting vs both in our soules and bodies to the ready performance of all holy duties And as the Apostle numbreth idolatry witchcraft and heresie which are more properly belonging to the superiour faculties of the soule among the workes of the flesh so contrariwise he reckoneth loue ioy and peace among the workes of the spirit which Gal. 5. 22 are affections belonging to the inferiour part § Sect. 8. The eight reason Because the faithfull are tempted to such sinnes as properly belong to the vnderstanding and will Lastly euen the faithfull and regenerate are tempted not onely to sinnes wherwith the inferiour faculties of the soule are delighted as lust wantonnes intemperance and the like Iam. 1. 14. but also vnto such sinnes as properly belong to the vnderderstanding and will as errours heresies infidelitie doubting of
time haue beene inured to stealing And therefore let vs not continue in sin because we haue sinned thinking that we can be excused by pleading custome but because we haue long and often committed these sinnes let vs be so much more earnest in the exercise of repentance For as the Apostle telleth vs Christ hath 1 Pet. 4. 2. 3. suffered in the flesh that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God For the time past of our life may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasoiuiousnesse lusts excesse Rom. 6. 19. of wine reuellings banquettings and abominable idolatries So the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs that as we haue yeelded our members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie vnto iniquitie so now we should yeeld our members seruants to righteousnesse vnto holinesse § Sect. 4. The third deceipt is to pretend pouertie Thirdly the flesh deceiueth vs by pretending the pouerty and necessity of our estate as a sufficient cause and reasonable excuse why we should continue in our sinnes and maketh vs beleeue that though we neglect all meanes of knowledge faith and all sauing grace and all duties of Gods seruice we may be dispensed with because our whole time is little inough to be imployed for the obtaining of worldly necessaries yea that we may vse wicked and vnlawfull meanes for the supplying of our wants as all manner of fraude and deceiptfull dealing in our trades and occupations which is no better then theft it selfe in the sight of God But let vs know that though we be neuer so poore this is no excuse why we should neglect any religious dutie or commit any sinne For one thing is necessarie and happy are we if with Mary we quite our selues of worldly incumbrances and choose the better part That if we be poore in earthly things we haue greater cause to labour after sauing graces and heauenly treasures which alone without the other are all-sufficient to make vs rich That when we haue carked and cared toyled and moyled to prouide earthly things yet all is in vaine except Gods Psal 127. 1. blessing be vpon our labours and we cannot expect it either by neglecting holy duties which he hath commanded or by committing such sinnes as he hath forbidden and Mat. 6. 33. condemned That we haue Gods gracious promise of earthly necessaries if we first and chiefely seeke his kingdome and righteousnes That pouerty if we vse it well is no hinderance to grace in this life nor glory in the life to come as we see in the example of the Disciples yea Christ himselfe who being most poore in worldly things were Psal 34. 10. most rich in spirituall and heauenly treasures Finally let vs know that if we serue and seeke the Lord he will take care for vs and not suffer vs to want any thing which is good and that they of all others are best prouided for who haue his prouidence to watch ouer them Or though we should be pinched in respect of earthly things yet it is much better with Lazarus to goe poore to heauen then with Diues hauing abundance to be cast into hell §. Sect. 5. The fourth policie is to pretend a necessitie of liuing in our sins by reason of our calling A like conceipt vnto this is when as the flesh perswadeth vs that we may neglect good duties or commit and liue in diuers sinnes because we liue in such callings as doe force vs to take these courses without which we could not maintaine our charge Thus it perswadeth shopkeepers that they should not be able to liue in their trades if they should not vse lying and deceipt and other tradesmen as Cookes Taylors Shoomakers Vintners Butchers Carriers and such like that they may be dispensed with though they neglect the seruice of God and labour in the workes of their callings on the Lords Sabbaths because otherwise they should loose their custome together with those gaines by which they are inabled to maintaine themselues and theirs Yea and thus it perswadeth others to liue in vnlawfull callings because they haue no other meanes as Players and Playmakers ganâ—esters and those who keepe gaming houses and such like But let the former know that no particular calling should withdraw vs from performing the duties which belong to the generall calling of a Christian that they shall in the end finde those gaines the greatest losses when to keepe a market for our body and staâ—â— we neglect the spirituall market of our soules the meanes whereby we might attaine vnto the riches of sauing graces and heauenly happinesse That those who seek to compasse riches by vnlawfull meanes they either faile of their end and so labour in vaine or together with them get a curse which will make them moulder and consume away or if they continue will bring to the possessors but small comfort when they must leaue their riches behinde them and carry their sinne with them before their iudge Let them know that no man in any lawfull calling is brought into such streights but that if there be prudence prouidence and wise forecast ioyned with it he may finde some time and opportunity for the seruice of God and the feeding of his soule and though he doe not vse the meanes of thriuing in his calling as others doe who so earnestly follow their worldly businesse that they neglect all holy duties yet may they expect from God vpon their weaker indeauours a greater blessing which may make their state become Dan. 1. 15 as fat and in as good liking as those children were in their bodies who fed onely vpon pulse water or though God seeth it good to scant them in worldly things yet they shall enioy the little they haue with aboundant comfort seeing they are vnto them little pledges of Gods great loue and in the meane time haue their bodily wants exceedingly recompenced with the peace of a good conscience the ioy in the holy Ghost and the spirituall riches of all sauing graces As for those whose callings are vnlawfull their best course were to exchange them for those that are lawfull seeing they haue no better excuse of their liuing in them because they haue no other meanes to maintaine themselues then Harlots Theeues and Pick-purses who are alike ready to alleadge that therefore they vse these courses because they haue no other meanes whereby they may liue For better it were for them not to liue at all then to liue in sinne to the dishonour of God and hurt of their brethren better it were that their bodies should pine and famish in this world then that their bodies and soules should eternally be tormented in the fire of hell §. Sect. 6. The fift policie of the flesh perswading vs to continue in our sins in regard of the corruption of the times Fiftly the flesh deceiueth vs whilest it
I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laide vp for mee a crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 8. § Sect. 9. Tâ—â—â— conflict is suitable for the time and place wherein wee liue Lastly as it is profitable that these reliques of sin should remaine in vs and also sutable and seasonable to the time and place wherein we liue For it is appointed by God that we should not in this life attaine vnto perfection but that we should onely labour after it and attaine vnto it in the life to come that we should whilest we be heere be in our nonage and come to our perfect age in Christ and our heauenly inheritance after wee are dissolued and bee with Christ This world is appointed for our painfull pilgrimage wherein we must toyle and trauell indure many miseries and be indaungered to the malice and furious assaults of our spirituall enemies and it is not seasonable to expect our rest and ioyes vntill we be ariued saufe in our owne countrey Finally it is appoynted of God to the place of our warrfare and therefore we must not looke to haue our enemies quite expelled or vanquished but here wee must fight dayly and approue our faith and Christian valure to our cheif soueraigne and then afterwardes when by death we haue gotten a full and finall conquest we shall be crowned with the crowne of victory Finally it is not Gods pleasure that wee should in this life attaine to our full stature and perfect measure of sanctification and holinesse but that wee should bee still growing from one measure of grace to another and by peecemeale consume the body of sinne which hindreth our growth vntill by death it be sully abolished CHAP. III. Of the formall and essentiall causes of this conflict § Sect. 1. That there was no conflict in man in the time of innocencie WEe haue shewed the chiefe efficient causes of this conflict let vs now consider of those causes which are formall and essentiall and because contraries are best illustrated by their contraries as heate by colde darknes by light and the miseries of a daungerous warre by the blessings and benefits of an happy peace let vs consider that wee may reduce this discourse ab ouo euen the first principles and grounds how that there was a time when this conflict and ciuil broyles were not to be found in the little world of man The which was two-fold the one was that truely golden age in which man created according to Gods own image liued in the state of innocency when as there was a blessed peace and heauenly harmony betweene the body and soule and all the faculties powers and parts of them both For the vnderstanding being inlightened from God with heauenly wisedome did both knowe and obserue the lawe of nature written in the heart the which serued as a iust rule whereby it was directed in the knowledge of good and euill trueth and falsehood right and wrong Wherein the iudgement being throughly informed the minde gaue vnto the will true euidence and information concerning all things presented vnto it the which it readily receiued cheerefully embracing what it approued and refusing and auoyding what it disalowed The affections also quietly and ioyfully obeyed reason as their Lord and Soueraigne like souldiars following their Captaine and as blinde men doe their guides and the body was both a fit and ready instrument vnto the soule for the executing of all good designes and in all things like a faithfull seruant was ready at commaund And thus whilest the vnderstanding and reason placed as Gods vice-ioy in vs obeyed him as the supreame Soueraigne the will was also ruled by reason and the affections with all the parts of the body were subiect vnto them both and all conspiring and agreeing together made a sweete harmony and like louing and wel-agreeing subiects in a well ruled common-wealth they all stood firme in their vnited forces § Sect 2. How the causes and occasions of this conflict were begun in vs. But when Sathan the arch-enemy of mankinde and chiefe authour of all discord and dissention saw and seeing enuied our happy estate and condition hee plotted all meanes whereby he might worke our ruine And perceiuing that though our estate were strong yet it was mutable wee being left of God to our owne free will either to stand or fall to retaine the good or to choose the euill he mustreth together all his forces and layeth siedge to this wel-walled and strong manred Citie against which hee could no more preuaile then the Grecians at the siedge of Troy by powerfull violence and fierce assault till with his Sinon-like or rather serpentine subtilties he had perswaded vs vnder shewe of loue and peace to put of our armour of created graces and to pull downe with our owne hands the walles of our defence And then seeing vs thus weakened and disarmed and yet lying in the drunken and drowsie sleepe of retchlesse securitie he entreth in vpon vs accompanied with a crewe of hellish souldiars the first and chiefe whereof were disobedience vnbeliefe in God and credulitie to the Diuell damnable pride enuie discontent aspiring ambition and vnthankefulnesse All which being let in by that breach which our free will abusing it libertie had made in our soules presently they all fell to burning sacking and spoyling vs of all Gods rich graces our created wisedome and holinesse and surprised all our strong holds making themselues conquerours of all our powers and parts and euery one of this hellish crewe and sinnefull vices chusing for their dwelling and possession those places and parts which they thought most fitting for them As for example ignorance errour curiositie and many thousands of sinfull vices choosing for their dwelling and possession those places and parts which they thought most fitting for them As for example ignorance errour curiosity and many thousands of sinnefull imaginations like the Iebuzites surprize and keepe the chiefe tower of the minde worldlinesse and prophanesse subdue and hold reason in subiection peruersnesse and rebellion surprize the will but in the heart there are encamped as it were in the chiefe market place of the citie such a multitude of our hellish enemies as cannot either be named or numbred euen many legions of vnlawfull lustes infidelitie wicked hopes hellish dispaire hatred of God loue of the world pride disobedience deceipt cruelty ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse with the rest All which with innumerable others of this hellish army being entred did not vtterly race downe this goodly built Citie but onely killing and casting out Gods graces which were the naturall inhabitants they kept their holds and places for their owne vse and dwelling Neither were the substance of the soule or body or the essentials the powers parts and faculties of them lost annihilated or vtterly destroyed by the fall of our first parents although their energy and vertue was greatly impaired their edge blunted and vigour deaded but onely
most woefull and miserable conditions if wee doe not fight against it it will fight against and ouercome vs if we delicately bring vp this slaue from his youth hee will not onely be as a son but as a tyrannous Lord and maister at the length if wee hold it not strictly vnder in base subiection it will leade vs captiue vnto sinne and inthrall both our soules and bodies in most wretched bondage so that much better it were for vs to be miserable Galley-slaues to the merciles Turkes then to be held in this cruell bondage although a generous and noble death were much to bee preferred to either of them Better it were with the Prodigall sonne to become swineheards and feede filthy hogges then to become seruants and slaues to these sensuall and more filthy lustes which make vs to take delight in nothing but in wallowing in the myre and sinke of sinne Now how vnworthy is it our beeing and breeding that wee who were by our creation the sonnes and children of the glorious creatour of heauen and earth should by yeelding our selues to our carnall and sinful lusts become slaues to such cruel tyrants who will make vs imploy our bodies minds which were created for the seruice of the great God in the miserable Maior sum et ad maiora genitus quam vt mancipium sim mei corporis Seneca bondage of sinne and Sathan The heathen man could say that hee was more noble and borne to more excellent ends then that he should become a slaue to his owne body and should not we who far exceede him in spirituall nobilitie as hauing God for our father and Iesus Cbrist for our elder brother fight rather in this warfare vnto blood and death then to become captiues thrals to a far worse master euen the body of sin and death which dwelleth in our members But as the flesh is hatefull for it base and carnall tyranny so is it in respect of the pollution and filthinesse thereof most odious and loathsome for there is no filthy sincke no stincking carrion to be compared vnto it Now which of vs as one saith especially ennobled by birth and liberally Bernard lib. de dilig Deum brought vp that being clothed with loathsome ragges spawled on with filthy spittle and in most beastly maner defiled with noysome excrements and filth that would not exceedingly loath and abhorre them hastily strippe them off and with indignation cast them away And therefore he who findeth not his garment but himselfe within vnder his garment to bee such an one it becommeth him to grieue so much the more and to be astonished in his mind because he beareth and is faine to carry about with him that which being much more neare is also much more loathsome abhominable § Sect. 3. The 3 reason taken from â—â—e manifold euills which aâ—câ—â—ent vnto vs by the flesh Thirdly let the manifold euils which are done vnto vs by the flesh make vs to vndertake this combate against this malitious and pestilent enemy with all courage and resolution For it is more mischieuous vnto vs then the diuell himselfe who as hath beene shewed could neuer hurt vs if we were not first betrayed by this inbred enemy Yea it is worse then hell and damnation as being the cause of them both and without it hell were no hell neither could condemnation fosten vpon vs vnlesse wee walked after these carnall lustes It is the roote of all sinne and the wel-head and fountaine of all other wickednesse from which idolatry blasphemy murther adultry and all impietie and vnrighteousnesse growe and spring Consequently it is such an enemy as maketh God himselfe our enemy exposing vs to the hot flames of his fiery wrath and would innumerable times cast vs headlong into the euerlasting torments of hell fire if the infinite mercies of God did not stay vs in the way It is the prouoker and inticer to all wickednesse and all the outrages and horrible crimes which are committed in the world may challenge the flesh as their chiefe cause and authour From it came Caines murther Lots incest Dauids adultry the malice of the Iewes and Priestes which moued them to slander apprehend accuse condemne whip crowne with thornes and crucifie the Lord of life It was it that pearced our Sauiours hands and feete that thrust the speare into his side that made him to bee in that agony and perplexity in the garden and vpon the crosse and which moueth men daily to crucifie him afresh and to trample his precious blood vnder their filthy feete as though it were an vnholy thing and can wee finde in our hearts to haue any peace or truce with such a malitious enemy to our blessed Sauiour And shall wee not rather with implacable anger and constant resolution assault persue wound and kill it which offred all these indignities to our dearest Lord Moreouer as it is the cause of all sinne so also of all punishment in this life of all our miseries of sicknesse and diseases of the body trouble of conscience and terrours of minde of pouertie and penury in estate losse of our good names shame and reproach and all other the deserued punishments of sinne and for conclusion of all of death in the ende of our liues and of euerlasting condemnation and destruction in the world to come For if we liue after the flesh wee shall dye the death of body and soule and not onely bee depriued of Gods fauour of the eternall fruition of his heauenly kingdome and those vnspeakeable ioyes which shal neuer haue ende but for euer bee plunged into the lake of perdition whereas is weeping and gnashing of teeth Now what can iustly more incense our anger to take sharpe reuenge vpon such an enemy then to consider that it is vnto vs the authour of all mischiefe and plungeth vs into all euill both of sinne and punishment § Sect 4. The 4 reason is taken from the assurance of victorie Lastly let this encourage vs to the fight in that if wee make warre against our flesh and the lustes thereof wee shall be sure to obtaine the victory and not onely ouercome them but with them the world the diuell and all other enemies of our saluation To which purpose Augustine Ibi ergo vincuntur enimicae nobis invisibiles potestates vbi vincuÌ„tur invisibiles cupiditates etc. August de Agon Christ lib. cap. 2. Tom. 3. col 762. excellently speaketh There saith he the inuisible powers which are at enmitie with vs are ouercome where the inuisible lusts are conquered and subdued And therefore we who ouercome the desires of worldly things in our selues it is necessary that we should also ouercome him who by these desires raigneth in man c. For within vs we ouercome those who assault vs without whilest we ouercome our lustes by which they raigne and rule in vs as on the other side those whom they find like vnto themselues them they drawe with
God who is displeased with them So Austine There is no sinne so little which being neglected doth not increase and we must not consider what we haue done Nullum enim peccatum adeo paruum quod non creseat neglectum Non enim considerandum quid fecerit led quem offenderit August de peniten vera et falsa cap. 8. T. 4. Col. 1042. Aug. de contrit cordis Cap. 4. T. 9. col 837. but how great he is whom we haue offended Let vs consider further that the eternall Sonne of God suffered the bitter death of the crosse as well for the least as the greatest sinnes and can wee thinke any sinne small which could not otherwise bee purged away but by the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ Perhaps saith Augustine thou esteemest some sinne to bee but small but alas doth not euery sinne by preuarication dishonour the person of our Lord how dare then a sinner call any sinne small when as the Sonne of God gaue his life for it aboue which nothing in the world can be esteemed § Sect. 2. The greate euills which come of the least sins Secondly let vs consider the great euils which come of the least sinnes For first euen our smallest sinnes defile our persons and leaue such blots and staines behinde them as make vs vgly and loathsome in the sight of God especially when as we giue vnto them voluntarie entertainment and willingly liue in them against knowledge and conscience Now how ill doth it become vs who are the temples of the Holy Ghost to haue in vs such sluttish corners and noysome filth as is odious and abominable to this blessed guest How ill beseemeth it vs who are espoused vnto Christ to come into his presence spotted and blemished with loathsome defilements We will not as neere as we can suffer our faces to bee sprinckled with the least speckes of stinking channell dirt nor to haue our apparell bespotted with noysome excrements and shall wee make more esteeme of our apparell then of our persons and take more care for our corruptible faces then for our immortall soules to present them to our bridegroome without spot or wrinckle holy and vnblameable that hee may present vs such to his heauenly Father Againe the least sinnes doe wound and beeing often committed doe seare the conscience euen as slight labours being continuall doe brawne and bring an hard thicke skin vpon the hands many little drops doe dint the hardest stone and many small blowes cut downe the strongest Oake and as they seare the conscience so they harden the forehead make the countenance to become impudent and take away all shame fastnesse Chrysost in Act 19. Homil. 41. T. 3. c. 716. and blushing According to that of Chrysostome by often sinning the soule is made impudent for euery sinne when it is committed and is come to his perfection doth leaue behinde it Cum per leuiâ— delicta deflectimus vsu cuncta leuigante non timemus postea grauiora committere Gregor in morall lib. 10. cap. 14. a poison in the soule And so being fleshed in wickednesse we are make more bold to venter vpon the committing of those which are more haynous For as one saith when we bend from the right course by lighter faults wee afterwards feare not to commit those which are greater vse and custome smoothing the way that leadeth vnto it And the Heathen Satyrist could say Who hath made an end of sinning when as they haue giuen ouer their blushing Of whom hast thou Nam quis peccandi finem posuit sibi quando recepit eiectum semel attrita de fronte ruborem quisnam hominum est quem tu contentum videtis vno flagitio Iuuenal Satyr 13. in fine obserued of these men to rest contented with one crime Furthermore if we would know how much euen those sins which in the world and according to the iudgement of the flesh are esteemed small doe prouoke the Lords wrath against vs wee may easily discerne it by those seuere and grieuous punishments which hee hath inflicted on offenders in this kinde Nadab and Abihu because they did offer strange fire in stead of that which was continually to haue beene preserued in the temple were presently deuoured with fire sent from God Because Vzzah put out his hand to stay the Arke in the cart which he with the rest of Leuit. 10. 1. 2. his Brethren should haue carried vpon his shoulders vvas smitten with present death Because Achan tooke of the 2 Sam. 6. 6. spoile of his enemies a Babylonish garment a wedge of gold and two hundred shekels of siluer which in it selfe had beene lawfull inough had not God forbidden it diuers of the people were slaine with the sword of their enemies Ios 7. and hee with all his were stoned to death and burnt with fire Because the sonne of the Israelitish woman in contempt of Gods commandement gathered sticks on the Sabbath day he likewise by expresse order from God was put to death Because Ananias and Sapphira in the hypocrisie Act. 5. of their hearts kept backe part of the price of their owne possessions after it was dedicated to the common vse of the Church they both dyed for it in a fearefull manner But aboue all most dreadfull and terrible is the example of our first parents who by eating of the forbidden fruite a sin very light and small in the estimate of worldly men although in truth it were not so all circumstances beeing rightly considered brought death the curse depriuation of Gods image and their owne happinesse all the miseries and punishments of this life and eternall condemnation in the world to come So that no small euils and mischiefes doe come of those which seeme to the world but small sins but although our sinnes when they are repented of become Haec peccata etsi parua sint per dei misericordiam fiunt magna peccatoribus negligentia August de paenit vera et falsa cap. 8. T. 4. Col. 1042. Mat. 5. 22. small veniall and nothing through Gods infinite mercie yet they are made great vnto sinners through their negligence and impenitencie What lighter offence and lighter esteemed then to bee vnaduisedly angry with our brother and in our heate to call him Racha and Foole and yet this alone as our Sauiour teacheth vs will in danger vs to iudgement and our bodies and soules to be cast into hell What seemeth to the iudgement of flesh and bloud more slight and veniall then to vtter now and then some idle words and yet euen of these we shall giue an account at the day of Mat. 12 36. iudgement and those that are accountants are sure to bee cast into the prison of vtter darknes if our Sauiour Christ Si paruum tibi videtur aut modicum fratri dicere faâ—ue vel geheona ignis videatuâ— tibi magna c. August in psal 129. T. 8. c. 1â—07 who hath forewarned vs of
hiding from our sight his fatherly countenance and the bright beames of his fauourable countenance in the apprehension whereof the life of our life consisteth and depriueth vs of the peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost by which wee are in the spirituall man made strong and couragious in the day of tentation after that wee haue receiued wounds of the flesh in the spirituall fight it hindreth their cure and causeth them to fester and ranckle and to growe euery day more dangerous and incurable then other And after wee haue beene allured to drinke the sweet poisons of the fleshes bewitching cup this impanitencie doth cause vs to retayne them in the stomacke vntill working they doe make vs sicke vnto death where as they would not be hurtfull and pernicious if as soone as they were swallowed they vvere cast vp againe by vnfained repentance The fourth sin that weakeneth the spirit is carnall security and hardnes of heart whereby wee blesse our selues when our estate is dangerous and haue no sense and feeling neither of Gods mercie and loue nor of his anger and displeasure by the one whereof the spirit is strengthened vnto Gods seruice and by the other preserued from sinning against him So also the strength of the spirit is by this carnall securitie much impayred because it maketh vs to put the euill day far from vs and vtterly to neglect our spirituall enemies as though we had a secure peace and all cause of danger were farre remoued it causeth vs to neglect our Christian watch and so to lye open to the malicious and secret assaults of our spirituall enemies and to neglect the meanes of our safety and defence our spirituall foode and prouision our weapons and munition our fortifications and all other prepararations which should be any meanes of defence in the day of battell whereby the spiritual part is betrayed suddenly surprized before it expecteth any danger The last speciall sin wherby the spirit is weakened and all the good motions thereof quenched is the loue of the world which like birdlime so besmeareth the spirituall part and the wings of the soule that it cannot flee aloft but is intangled and catched fixed and fastened to the earth and worldly vanities More especially the loue of honours and the glory of the world doth make the spirituall man slacke and sluggish in the pursuite of eternall glory and heauenly happinesse The loue of riches hindreth him from seeking with all earnestnesse spirituall graces and those incomparable treasures which are laide vp for vs in Gods Kingdome it choaketh the seede of the Word so as it cannot take roote and beare fruit frustrateth all the good motions of the spirit so as they cannot take effect it exposeth vs to many tentations and snares and causeth vs to fall into many foolish hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition And so also the loue of earthly pleasures doth much enfeeble 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10 the spirituall part in the pursuit of those eternall pleasures and fulnesse of ioy which are at Gods right hand for euermore and as they weaken the body and effeminate the minde so as they are made vnfit euen for any warlike imployments in the world so much more doe they disable the soule and spirit for this warfare against the enemies of our saluation For when the flesh is pampered with these carnall delights the soule is starued and pined when it is distended and growne fat grosse with gluttony and belly-cheare the spirit is made leane and infeebled when it reuelleth in fleshly ioy the regenerate part droopeth and mourneth beeing spoyled and robbed of the ioyes of the holy Ghost When it is filled and euen glutted with excesse the spirit is straitened of roome and hath no place where it may reside and therefore the Apostle requireth first emptinesse of wine and then that wee should be filled Eph. 5. 18. with the spirit to note vnto vs that fulnesse of both will not stand together § Sect. 2. We must not prouide for the spirit poyson instead of holesome foode nor carnall weapons instead of spirituall A second meanes of weakening and disabling the spirit which is to be auoided respecteth our prouision which we are to make for the armie of Gods graces as first that we doe not prouide for their nourishment poyson in steade of holesome foode as for example in stead of the pure word of God the spirituall Manna the sincere milke of the Gospell and Sacraments instituted by our Sauiour Christ humane traditions and inuentions will-worship and our owne superstitious deuotions which haue no ground or warrant out of the scriptures nor scarce any resemblance of that holy and holesome foode which is by God appointed for our nourishment Of which meate the more liberally we feede the more leane and lanke we waxe in our spirituall strength and stature the more feeble and faint we growe in all sauing graces because howsoeuer it be sweet to our naturall and carnall appetite yet it is of a quite contrarie qualitie to the spirit and the graces and gifts thereof and it is no better then the Diuels most artificiall poysons which cause them that taste and feede of them to waste and weare away in a continuall consumption of all pietie and true godlinesse Secondly we must beware that we doe not prouide for this spiritual Warfare carnall weapons and munition For as the Apostle saith the weapons of our warfare 2 Cor. 10. 4. are not carnall but sutable vnto the Spirit it selfe and mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds As for example we must not fight against the flesh with fleshly anger and carnall reuenge for here especially the saying Iam. 1. 20. of the Apostle is verified The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God we must not fight against and indeauour to subdue it with spirituall watchings as resting in the deed done and not destinating it to a superiour end namely in the imploying of our time in prayer with it Watch and pray and the watching ouer our hearts that wee doe not sinne rather then ouer our eyes that we doe not sleep Wee must not seeke to subdue it by popish fasting which is nothing else but like all other their deuotions a bodily exercise consisting in their superstitious abstinence from certaine meates contrary to the Word of God which calleth it a doctrine of Diuels and teacheth vs that all the creatures 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3. 1 of God are cleane if they be sanctified by the Word and Prayer and allowing the vse of all the daintiest fish and delicatest wines and fruits which pamper the flesh more then the moderate vse of ordinarie dyet But as occasion serueth we must vse totall abstinence when we would tame the flesh and humble our selues before God yet not like them resting in the deede done much lesse esteeming it satisfactorie and meritorious but onely vsing it as
thou hast beene faithfull ouer a few things I will make thee ruler ouer many things Enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. Your Honours in all humble seruice to be commanded IOHN DOWNAME The Contents of the First booke of this Christian Warfare betweene the spirit and the flesh CHAP. 1. Contayning an Introduction into the following discourse wherein is shewed that our spirituall enemies are many mightie and dangerous especially our owne flesh with the lusts thereof § 1 THat we are to expect no peace in this life but to fight against the enemies of our salvation § 2 That we are daily assaulted with forraigne forces the deuill and the world § 3 That our outward enemyes are not so dangerous as our owne flesh and fleshly lusts § 4 That Sathan and the world could not hurt vs were they not ayded by our owne flesh CHAP. 2. Of the flesh and the divers significations of it and what we are to vnderstand by it in the following discourse § 1 That there is in every Christian this fight betweene the spirit and the flesh § 2 Of the divers significations of the word flesh and first as it is taken for thinges materially subsisting § 3 Of the divers significations of the word flesh taken for accidents and qualities § 4 That the flesh is taken for the corruption of nature § 5 That the flesh in this discourse signifieth the vnregenerate part in a Christian CHAP. 3. What we are to vnderstand by the spirit in this discourse § 1 That the word spirit is diuersty taken in the scriptures § 2 That the spirit in this discourse signifieth the part regenerate § 3 That this combate is not maintained by bare qualities alone but as they are backed by the holy spirit and Sathan the wicked spirit § 4 The former point proued by diuers reasons § 5 That the spirit doeth not dwell in us essentially more then in other creatures § 6 That the faithfull haue speciall right even vnto the very essence of the spirit and that he dwelleth in them in respect of efficacie CHAP. IIII. Of the erroneous conceipt of the Papists who by the flesh vnderstand the body and the sensuall faculties only § 1 That the Papists propound vnto us a freind to fight against in steede of our enemy § 2 That the cheife doctors of the Papists by flesh vnderstand the body § 3 That the Papists in their purest doctrine vnderstand by the flesh our bodyes and the inferiour and sensitiue faculties onely § 4 That the practise of popish mortification plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vnderstand the body only § 5 That the Popish Doctors are to be iustly taxed for teaching this doctrine and the people for putting it in practise § 6 That our opposition against the Papists in this doctrine is very necessarie CHAP. V. That the body and sensitiue faculties only are not the flesh proued by testimonies and reasons § 1. 2 The poynt proued by testimonies of scriptures § 3 Reasons prouing that the body only is not the flesh The 1 taken from the names and the 2 from the actions and the 3 from the sins which are attributed vnto it § 4 The 4 reason because originall sin hath ouerspread the whole man § 5 The 5 reason because the body and soule are freinds and not enemies § 6 The 6 reason taken from the words of the Apost Rom. 7. 18 § 7 The 7 reason because the body is not absolutely euill as the flesh is § 8 The 8 reason because the faithfull are tempted to such sinnes as properly belonge to the vnderstanding and will CHAP. VI. Testimonies of fathers prouing that the body alone is not our enemie the fleshe § 1 The poynt proued by testimonies of Augustine Chrysostome Gregorie Hierome Basill and Theoderet § 2 That Sathan hath assaulted not only the body and affections but allso the minde and vnderstanding § 3 That no part is more corrupted than the minde and vnderstanding § 4. 5 That the soule cheifly sinneth and in it the minde and vnderstanding § 6 That the body is but the seruant of the soule in acting of sin § 7 That the soule only properly sinneth § 8. 9 That the body is not the flesh proued by the testimonies of the aduersaries themselues CHAP. VII Obiections of the aduersaries answered whereby they indeauour to proue that the body and sensitiue faculties are the flesh § 1 first obiection because this our enemie is vsually called the flesh § 2. 3 The reasons why the corruption of nature is called the flesh § 4 The second obiection grounded on 1 Cor. 9. 27. answered § 5 The third obiection grounded on Rom 12. 6. answered § 6 The fourth obiection because the cheife poyson of corruption is to be discerned in the sensitiue faculties answered § 7 The last obiection because certaine sins are proper to the body and sensitiue faculties answered CHAP. VIII That the flesh is a most daungerous enemie First because it is exceeding malitious § 1 That by the flesh alone we are exposed to all daunger § 2 That in the flesh dwelleth nothing that is good § 3 That all manner of euill is in the flesh § 4 That the flesh is the author of all wickednesse § 5 That the flesh is more malitions then the diuill or the world § 6 That the flesh is the author of all our sins § 7 That the flesh is the cause of the depriuation of our nature and of the defacing of Gods image in vs. § 8 That the flesh bringeth vs into a most base condition § 9 That whilest we liue in the flesh we cannot please God § 10 That the flesh setteth man at emnitie against God § 11 That the flesh is the cause of all our punishments § 12 That the malice of the flesh is the more daungerous because it is masked vnder the coullor of freindship § 13 How we may defeate the malitious treasons of the flesh CHAP. IX That the flesh is an enemy exceeding powerful mightie § 1 The flesh is to the vnregenerate a mightie Kinge and to the regenerate a powerfull Tyrant § 2 Of the strength of the flesh being considered in it selfe § 3 That the flesh is mightie being compared with the spirit § 4 Of the multitude of our fleshly lusts § 5 That the power of our enemies should make vs shake off all securitie § 6 That the might of our enemie should not discourage vs from the fight but make vs the more couragious CHAP. X. Of the pollicie of the flesh and that it is more daungerous and pernicious then it power and strength § 1 That the pollicie of the flesh in it owne nature is exceeding pernicious § 2 That the pollicy of the flesh is most pernicious vnto vs. § 3 That the pollicy of the flesh should make vs more watchfull and vigilant CHAP. XI Of certaine particular deceipt of the flesh respecting our persons § 1 The first deceipt that we are nothing so euill as
dangerous as those in bred enemies which we nourish in our owne bosomes who like secret traitors disarme vs of our chiefe weapons and munition when as we are assaulted with those professed enemies and lay vs open and naked to be spoiled by their inuasions and wounded by their blowes For so were we in our creation through Gods infinite goodnes furnished with such impenetrable Armour of innocencie and righteousnesse that Sathan with all his hellish armie could not hurt vs and therefore not being able to preuaile by force and violence hee entertained with our first parentâ— a treacherous parley wherein he perswaded them to put of their armes and to entertaine into their soules a troupe of his tentations which were no sooner entred but presently they vanquished all their forces ransackt their soules of all spirituall graces and brought them into â— miserable subiection through his hellish tyrannie And that he might the better keepe them in perpetuall obedience hee did not onely kill and spoile the naturall inhabitants Gods sauing graces but placed euen in the chiefe Castle of their soules a strong garrison of carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which should reserue this like a conquered citie for his owne vse and as it were open the gates vnto him and his tentations when as he pleased to make an entrance §. Sect. 4. That Sathan and the world could not hurt vs were they not ayded by our owne flesh And this was the fountaine of all our miserie and the chiefe cause and meanes of Sathans tyrannous soueraigntie and of our base thraldome and slauerie yea this is the cause why he still preuaileth and holdeth vs captiue to doe his will For those forraigne forces led vnder the conduct of Sathan and the world could neuer vanquish vs vnlesse the flesh and the lusts thereof did betray vs into their hands their wisedome could not circumuent vs vnlesse these secret traytors gaue them continuall intelligence of all aduantages their malice and power could not hurt vs if they had not a strong partie to assist them in our owne bosomes who by their mâ—â—â—nous sedition and ciuill warres weaken vs and strengthen them neither could they euer conquer vs if these intestine rebels did not open the gates and let in the troupes of their tentations And therefore as I haue indeauoured to arme and strengthen the weake Christian against the forces of those forraigne enemies so it now remaineth that I should adde to the former this last part of the Christian warfare describing this conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit and teaching the Christian with what aydes and supplies he must support his weakenesse in these dangerous encounters how hee must keepe vnder these wicked traitors and so carry himselfe and menadge his weapons as that he may be assured to obtaine the victorie CHAP. II. Of the flesh and the diuers significations of it and what we are to vnderstand by it in the following discourse §. Sect. 1. That there is in a christian this fight betweene the flesh and spirit WHere first we will speake of the enemies which fight one against another in this Warfare and then of their conflict In the former wee will consider first what these enemies are and then how dangerous and pernicious vnto vs if they be not subdued kept in subiection to them which fight on our side against them The enemies which thus fight with one another are the Flesh and the Spirit with an innumerable armie of their motions and lusts Both which with all their forces dwell in euery true Christian making mutuall opposition the one nilling what the other willeth and hindring and destroying that which the other furthereth and aduanceth This plainely appeareth by the Scriptures which both discouer this hostile dissension and contrarie faction in the same man and the opposition and conflict which ariseth from their emnitie and cohabitation their natural diuision and locall vnion So the Apostle speaketh plainely of this conflict in all Christians Gal. 5. 17. Ioh. 3. 6. Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to another and particularly in himselfe where he thus complaineth But I see another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7. 25. law in my members rebelling or warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captiuitie to the law of sinne which is in my members And againe I my selfe in my minde serue the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne And hence it is that the Apostle Peter exhorteth vs to fight valiantly against these lusts because they doe continually make warre against vs. Dearely beloued saith he I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which 1. Pet. 2. 11. fight against the soule 1. Pet. 2. 11. §. Sect. 2. The divers significations of the word flesh taken for things materially subsisting Now that we may like Christs faithfull souldiers after a lawfull and laudable manner thus fight against them wee must in the first place labour to know what they are least we mistake our enemies for our friends to which end we are to vnderstand that the flesh is diuersly taken in the scriptures As to omit many acceptations of it which are farre off and nothing pertinent to our present purpose sometime it is taken for all mankinde In which sense it is said that all a Gen. 6. 12. flesh had corrupted his way vpon the earth that is all mankinde that all flesh is b Esa 40. 6. grasse that is all mankinde is fraile and momentany and that God would c Ioel 2. 28. poure out his spirit vpon all flesh that is vpon men of all sorts and conditions Sometimes it is taken for the whole man d 1. Pet. 3. 18. consisting of soule and body And thus our Sauiour Christ is said to haue beene put to death concerning the flesh that is his humane nature his body being seuered from his soule and his soule in his present sense and feeling from his God when as vpon the crosse hee bore his wrath for our sinnes and the Psalmist hauing said that he would not feare Psal 56. 4. what flesh could doe vnto him Psal 56. 4. expoundeth himselfe in the eleuenth verse In God saith he haue I put my trust I will not be affraide what man can doe vnto me Sometimes it is taken for the body of man alone consisting of many members And so the Apostle exhorteth vs to cleanse 2. Cor. 7. 1. our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that is body and soule and the Psalmist saith that the enemies Psal 79. 2. of the Church had cruelly giuen the flesh of Gods Saints to the beasts of the earth that is the dead bodies of Gods seruants which also as he saith in the same place were giuen to be meate to the fowles of the heauen Sometime this word flesh signifieth the whole
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
adhering to all the parts and faculties of our soules and bodies vnmortified and vncrucified or that part of a Christian which is vnregenerate and continually fighteth and striueth against the spirit And this is the malicions enemie that assisteth Sathan and the world to worke our vtter ouerthrow vnto which the Scriptures haue giuen many names whereby the nature and qualities there of are implyed that we may the better know it and arme our selues to fight against it For it is called the a Rom. 6. 6. Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3. 9. old man not onely because in age and antiquitie it almost matcheth humane nature but rather to imply vnto vs that like those who by reason of their old age haue had much experience it is very subtle and politique and so full of sleights and stratagems that if wee be not exceeding wary and watchfull it will easily circumuent vs. It is called also the b 1. Cor. 2. 14. naturall man because this corruption ouerspreadeth the whole nature of all men who are vnregenerate for howsoeuer in the first creation we were good free from sinne yet after the fall of our first parents wee were so degenerate and infected in our natures with the poison of their corruption that it is as naturall familiar and easie to sin and offend God as for a man to eate drink and sleepe for a fish to swim a bird to flie or for a stone to descend downwards It is called the old Adam to leade vs vnto the fountaine from which it sprung that is not God who made all things good but our first parents who as they lost the image of God by their fall and were wholly corrupted in their owne natures so they deriued their corruption vnto all their posteritie and hauing first defiled themselues with this spirituall Leprosie did also infect therewith all that numerous of-spring which descended of them It is called the c 2. Cor. 9. 17. Rom. 8. 10. body because this corruption dwelleth in the bodie and exerciseth it selfe in it by it as by it instrument in the committing and perpetrating of all the workes of darknes and that we may the more clearely discerne what body the Apostle meaneth he calleth it the d Rom. 6. 6. body of sinne and the e Col. 2. 11. body of the sinnes of the flesh because the flesh by the bodie committeth all manner of sinne and wickednesse It is called the body of death because it is the cause of death and f Rom. 7. 24. condemnation in which sense Elizaus his Disciples said that death was in the pot that is deadly poysonous hearbs which would cause them to dye who had tasted of them It is called also g Rom. 7. 8. 11 sinne not onely because it selfe is sinne but also the roote and fountaine of all other wickednesse and the h Rom. 7. 17. sinne that dwelleth in vs because like the strong man it keepeth sure possession till a stronger commeth and dispossesseth it euen the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. It is called i Iam. 1. 13. 14. euill concupiscence because it filleth vs with sinfull lusts and maketh vs to to stand in opposition against the will of God desiring and willing that which he nilleth and condemneth It is called k Heb. 12. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin which encloseth or besetteth vs about because this hellish Captaine with a whole armie of sinfull lusts enuiron vs on euery side so as wee cannot possibly of our selues escape out of their ambushments Finally it is called the law of sinne the l Rom. 7. 23. law of the members and the m Rom 8. 2. law of death because it is the rule of all the naturall mans actions guiding him into all wickednesse the commander of all his parts and members vnto whose iniunctions they doe like subiects yeeld free and willing obedience the which their seruice and subiection is in the end rewarded with euerlasting death of bodie and soule CHAP. III. What wee are to vnderstand by the Spirit in this discourse §. Sect. 1. That the word Spirit is diuersly taken in the Scriptures AND thus wee haue shewed what the flesh is which is one of the champions in this spirituall combate now wee are to consider of the other which is the Spirit and that wee may the more distinctly know what it is wee must vnderstand that the word Spirit is diuersly taken in the Scriptures and to omit many acceptations which are altogether impertinent to our present purpose we may obserue that it is sometimes taken generally for all spirituall and incorporeall substances and sometimes more specially for some one of them And thus it sometime signifieth the whole a Ioh. 4. 24. deitie and sometime euery one of the persons the Father the b Ioh. 6. 63. Sonne in respect of his diuine nature and the c 1. Ioh. 5. 6. 7. holy Ghost who hath this name of spirit after a vsuall and peculiar manner giuen vnto him But howsoeuer God and euery of these holy and diuine persons doe fight in vs and for vs against the flesh seeing it is their grace that supporteth vs and their strength whereby wee ouercome yet we are not to vnderstand by spirit in the following discourse this diuine nature who being omnipotent none is able to resist Sometime it signifieth the d Eccles 12. 7. Act. 7. 59. 2. Cor. 7. 1. soule of man euen as the flesh is taken for the bodie but these are not opposites and enemies but deare friends who so entirely loue that they feare nothing more then to be separated and to part company Sometime it signifieth that chiefe and excellent facultie of the soule called e 1. Cor. 2. 11. Rom. 12. 2. Luke 1. 47. reason and vnderstanding but neither can it here be taken in this sense because this spirit it selfe is corrupt and sinfull and this naturall reason and wisedome is enmitie against God and against this spirit whereof we speake which opposeth and fighteth against it as against his chiefest enemie Sometime it is taken for the vigour and efficacie of the vnderstanding and reason it selfe as where the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians to be renued in the spirit of their minde Sometime by spirit we vnderstand the f Luke 1. 15. Gal. 3. 2. Act. 2. 18. gifts and graces of the spirit as Faith Loue Hope Ioy and the rest which being fruits of the Spirit do stand in opposition to the lusts of the flesh and in some sort doe fight against them they being contrarie the one to the other Finally the Spirit sometime signifieth a new qualitie of holinesse created and wrought in all the Elect by the Spirit of God whereby all the powers and faculties of his soule and body are renewed according to the image of God in wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse In which sense wee are to vnderstand it in this place §. Sect. 2. What wee are
called the spirit which hee substituteth as his vicegerent and chiefe deputie in the regenerate man And though he doth not quite expell the flesh Sathans lieutenant out of vs yet at the first entrance he giueth him a mortall wound of which he neuer recouereth and deposeth him from his vice-gerencie so that howsoeuer it still dwelleth yet it reigneth not in our mortall bodies as in former times Onely Rom. 6. 12. Gods spirit suffereth this enemy to inhabite still with vs that by the opposition which it maketh it might exercise the spirituall part in the Christian Warfare that hereby it might bee made more vigilant and diligent more strong and actiue and in the end obtaining victory might bee crowned with the greater glory In which combate and conflict he leaueth not the spirituall man to himselfe but continually sendeth vnto him fresh aydes of renewed graces whereby he is inabled to ouercome Euen as on the other side Sathan the prince of darknesse though hee bee thrust out of his possession and regency yet he leaueth and forsaketh not his wounded and weakned deputy the flesh but laboureth continually to recure his wound ministreth vnto him new strength by his hellish tentations and suggestions and by breathing and infusing into him the poyson of enmity and malice against God and all goodnesse stirreth him vp to rebellion against his holy spirit and to make warre against that garrison of his graces which hee hath placed in vs. §. Sect. 4. The former poynt proued by diuers reasons So that not onely the qualitie of holinesse but the holy spirit not onely the gifts and graces of the spirit but the holy Ghost himselfe dwelleth and raigneth in the man regenerate keeping still possession after that Sathan is driuen out and strengthening the regenerate part against all the assaults of the flesh and the lustes thereof The which may appeare by these reasons first because we are called the habitation 1 Cor. 3. 16 6. 19. of God and the temples of the holy Ghost which cannot be vnderstood of his giftes and graces onely which are improperly saide to dwell in Temples seeing this belongeth rather to persons then vnto things and qualities but of the holy spirit himselfe Secondly the spirit of God and not his gifts and graces onely are the bond of the spirituall vnion which wee haue with Christ for dwelling in Christ our head and in vs likewise who are his members it maketh vs to become one mysticall body with him euen as the head and diuers members make one naturall body being animated quickned by the same soule Thirdly the actiōs which in the Scriptures are attributed to the spirit dwelling in vs cānot fitly be applied to bare qualities but properly belong to the spirit it selfe For this spirit dwelling in vs is said to rule and gouerne vs to guide direct teach and instruct vs to sanctifie and purifie vs to conuince vs of sinne and to replenish vs with all sauing graces Now the qualitie of holinesse and the author by whom it is created the graces themselues and he that infuseth them and worketh them in vs are diuers Fourthly as Sathan keepeth his residence in wicked men working them vnto all maner of sinne and holding them so captiue that they doe his will for so the Apostle saith that the Ephesians walked in time past according Eph. 2. 2. to the prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience c. So the spirit of God comming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in vs leading vs into all trueth replenishing vs with all grace and enclining vs to all holy obedience and to the performance of all good and Christian duties Lastly the spirit dwelling in vs and the new man are plainely distinguished in the Scriptures For so the Apostle saith yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. dwell in you now if any man haue not the spirit of Christ that is the same holy spirit which dwelleth in our head and Sauiour Christ he is none of his And else where he prayeth that God would grant vnto the Ephesians according to the riches Eph. 3. 16. of his grace to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man By all which it appeareth that not onely the qualitie of holinesse wrought in vs by the spirit and the sauing graces thereof but also the spirit it selfe dwelleth in vs assisting and strengthening vs in this christian warfare against the diuell and the flesh with the lusts thereof §. Sect. 5. That the spirit-doth not dwell in vs essentially more then in other creatures Notwithstanding I doe not nor dare affirme that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs essentially more then in any other creature communicating his essence with vs as an essentiall part of vs. For his nature and essence being most simple and indiuisible in comprehensible and omnipresent filling all places without repletion and containing all it selfe being infinite and contained of nothing cannot be saide thus to dwell in man for this were to deifie and make a God of him much lesse doe I say that the spirit assumeth our nature as the second person assumed the nature of Christ to subsist in him by personall vnion and to become one with him and he with vs for thus also we should fall into the same errour of deifying man and besides then the third person in Trinity should be incarnate as well as the second Yea contrariwise we are to knowe that the spirit is said to be giuen vs in the same sense as he is said to be sent forth vnto vs Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit Gal. 4. 6. of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father Now by this phrase of sending forth the holy Ghost teacheth vs that the spirit is in one maner in Christ in another maner in vs for he is in him most properly substantially essentially as being his spirit coessentiall with him coeternall in which respect the Apostle maketh him and the spirit all one 2. Cor. 3. 17. The Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Col. 2. 9. he saith that in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily but in vs not primarily and originally but as he is sent forth of Christ vnto vs by whom Col. 2. 9. we haue speciall right vnto him since his resurrection by Iohn 16. 7 vertue of his promise Iohn 16. 7. If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And by his mediation and intercession now sitting at the right hand of his father according to that I will pray the father and he will giue you another comforter that he Iohn 14. 16. may abide with you for euer So that the spirit is in
ambushments and our friendes through their malice mustred against vs as though they were our enemies that so whileft we bend all our forces against them who oppose vs in this seeming hostilitie these may suddenly set vpon vs and assault vs at vnawares giuing vs deadly wounds when wee feare no danger For the plotting and contriuing of which stratagem they vse the vassals of Antichrist the cleargie of Rome as their chieftaines and especiall instruments who hiding our true enemy the corruption of nature which hath ouerspread all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies vnder the close couert of their cunning sophistrie doe in stead thereof offer to our view seeming foes of their owne fancying For by the flesh they would haue vs to vnderstand not the reliques of corruption which keepe their chiefe residence in the soule minde and will but the body it selfe and the flesh thereof and at most the inferiour bruite and sensitiue faculties of the soule and by the spirit they vnderstand the intellectuall faculties the minde reason and vnderstanding and so affirme this to be the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit when as the body and sensitiue parts doe rebell and stand in opposition against the vnderstanding reason and contrariwise when these striue to maintaine their regency by keeping them vnder and subduing them to their lawes and orders And although being sometime conuinced with the euidence of trueth they giue together with vs the same verduite affirming that not the body it selfe is meant by the flesh but the corruption of it that it is onely the instrument of the soule in wicked actions and the soule it selfe the chiefe cause of sinne and that the minde vnderstanding and reason are poysoned and tainted with naturall corruption yet by and by they are ready againe to make voyde their euidence and to reuerse this sentence and relapsing into their olde absurdity they either vnderstand grossely by the flesh the body alone or when they please to deale more liberally with vs they also grant that the Inferiour parts of the soule the animall and sensitiue faculties are thereby included and comprehended and so imagining that therefore our regeneration is in the Scriptures saide to be imperfect because howsoeuer the minde and vnderstanding are truely and perfectly regenerate yet the body remaineth in the state of corruption they here hence conclude that in the soule remaineth no part of this originall corruption but onely in the body All which doth euidently appeare not only by their grosse practise for if they did not imagine that the body were the chiefe cause of all sinne why doe they so miserably and superstitiously afflict it placing their mortification onely in a bodily exercise and corporall punishments and if they did not thinke that the soule and intellectuall faculties were pure and free from this corruption why doe they so much magnifie and extoll it ascribing all our fals and faylings either to the body alone or to the reaand mind only through the corruption and default therof §. Sect. 2. That the cheife Doctors of the Papists by flesh vnderstand the body But this also may appeare by their doctrine For not to produce many testimonies out of a multitude of Authours but onely to name two or three of the chiefe and most refined Thomas Aquinas himselfe howsoeuer sometime he agreeth with vs holding that the flesh is the a Aquin. in RoÌ„ 7. lect 4. corruption of nature and orginall sinne as appeareth in his readings vpon the Romanes yet in other places hee confoundeth the flesh b Aquin. in Eph 5. lect 9. and the body and maketh the body sinne and death and the naturall body to bee all one although in these places by body and flesh he vnderstandeth the vices and corruptions of them as he expoundeth himselfe in other c in Rom. 7. lect 4. et cap. 8. lect 2. places So likewise hee holdeth that by the spirit part regenerate or inerman we are to vnderstand the d ibidem minde and reason which as he saith is called the inner man because that is said to be man which is principall and chiefe in him And thus he opposeth the flesh and the heart or the minde and reason where speaking of the Apostles e in Rom. 7. lect 3. words I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing he saith that this is not to be vnderstood of his reason for in me that is in my heart good dwelleth according to that Ephesians the 3. where the Apostle saith Eph. 3. 17. De perfect Amoris Dei Cap. 5. that Christ himself dwelleth in our harts by faith So also Lewis Granada a chiefe Doctor of their superstitious deuotion and mortification ioyning with the famous heathen Philosopher Mercurius Trismegistus inuâ—igheth against the body as though it alone were this corrupt flesh which is the author and fountaine of all our sinne and euill Vnlesse saith he O sonne thou hate thy body thou canst not loue thy selfe for it is impossible seriously to intend both vnto things mortall and diuine But first of all of necessitie thou must put of this garment which thou cariest about thee being the couering of ignorance the foundation of wickednesse the bond of corruption the darke vaile the liuing death the carcase of the senses the moouing sepulcher the household thiefe which hateth whilest it flattereth and enuieth whilest it hateth c. which speech of the heathen man he iudgeth so full of light and trueth that for it alone he well deserued the name of Mercurius Trismegistus the thrice great or excellent And in the same Chapter hauing demaunded how it can possibly be that any man can hate himselfe that is his owne body vnto which naturally he is so obliged in the bond of friendship that the Apostle saith No man yet euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it answereth that this is an argument properly of Eph. 5. flesh and blood and that Gods spirit and grace aske rather and with better reason how it can possible be that they should not hate it For wheras the most pernitious enemies vnto man are hell the diuel the world the flesh and sinne this last is the greatest but the next vnto it is our flesh which is the mother and seede of all sinne Thus also Bellarmine although in many places he speaketh as much for vs De paeniten lib 4. ca. 6. Tom. 3. in this question as we would haue him yet hee commendeth whipping and tormenting of the body as a worke satisfactory tending to the mortifying of the flesh alleadging for it these absurde and ridiculous reasons first the Apostles example who saith that he did chastise his body for so the vulgar lattine readeth it that so hee might bring it into subiection Whereby body he grossely vnderstandeth the very body of the Apostle whereas it heere rather signifieth the body of sinne and corruption which else where he
calleth the body of death and by chastizing whipping whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth to suppresse or keepe vnder And although hee granteth that the Apostle heere vseth a borrowed speech from those who according to ancient custome fought for a maistery and saith that he did euill intreate and keepe vnder his body like those champions who either with their sistes or with bags of sand did beate and bruise their aduersarie till they were blacke and blewe yet he saith and onely saith it without any shewe of reason that it is very probable that Paul vsed to whip his owne body both because the Greeke word signifieth so much which is vtterly false and because this kind of punishment was vsuall among the ancients which also wee must take vpon his word seeing he neither alleadgeth nor in trueth is able to alleadge any authoritie for it His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the body are the Publicans smiting of his breast whereby hee shewed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sinnes some testimonies of Hierome which speake of fasting sackcloath and beating of the breast Gods approouing and commaunding the paying of voluntary vowes the which he childishly restraineth Numb 30. to fastings and other afflictions of the body and among the rest to whipping though there be no collour for it in the place which he alledgeth And finally he produceth the example of Iohn the Baptist whose garment was Cammels hayre his meate locusts his bed as he saith but proueth not the ground his house the desart All which reasons and examples being farre vnfitting the wit of such a subtill sophister and in trueth nothing to the purpose I will passe ouer supposing that the bare repeating of them is a sufficient confutation and that like abortiue birthes they will presently dye as soone as they come to light § Sect. 3. That the papistes in their purest doctrine vnderstand by the flesh our bodies the inferiour sensitiue faculties only And thus doe they as it were in their dreame or dotage by the flesh vnderstand the body alone but when they are most awake and in the best strength of their memory and vnderstanding they doe by the flesh vnderstand the inferiour parts of the soule the sensitiue faculties the appetite and imagination as they are corrupted which also according to the doctrine of the last councell of Trent they hold not to be sinne but onely the punishment of it though the Apostle maketh the flesh not onely to be the cause of all other sinne but also with a certaine emphasis calleth it sinne it Rom. 7. 17. selfe So on the other side by the spirit they vnderstand the superior part of the soule the reason vnderstanding and wil which they magnifie and extoll as though it were free in it selfe from al corruption the cause of all good a professed enemy to the flesh fighting against it continually with all the lusts thereof And thus Thomas Aquinas saith that the flesh is said to fight against the spirit in as much as the sensitiue appetite Aquin in Rom. 7. lect 3. tendeth to the contrary of that which reason desireth according to that of the Apostle Gal. 5. the flesh lusteth against the spirit So Lewis de Granada saith that there are in our soule two principall parts which of Diuines are called the superiour and inferiour parts And that in the superiour L. Grenâ—t de perfect amoâ—is Dei cap. 7. which is called the spirit and the minde is the will and vnderstanding which ruleth the will and is as it were it eye and guide In the inferiour is the sensitiue appetite with the imagination which also is the eye of the appetite of which it is moued and these parts he maketh to be as it were two common wealthes in man the one of beastes the other of Dulcis precator lib. 1. par 2. Cap. 19. Angels That he calleth else where the flesh concupiscence sensualitie or the sensitiue appetite whence all the perturbations of the minde doe arise as it is corrupt and made inordinate through sinne And in the same place hee compareth the superiour part to a wife of so great beautie nobilitie and wisedome as is possibly incident to that sex making the man happy who is married vnto her and the inferiour part he compareth to a seruant a witch and sorceresse vpon whose loue this man is so besotted that putting away his wife hee maketh himselfe a pray to his slaue c. §. Sect. 4. That the practise of popish mortification plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vnderstand the body onely their mortification being nothing else but a bodily exercise And this is their purest conceit concerning the flesh and the spirit which being wholly corrupt how great is the corruption For in their practise they manifestly shewe that by the flesh they vnderstand the body seeing for the mortification thereof they appoint onely bodily exercises which tend to the vexing tormenting and weakening thereof as penance pilgrimages watchings whippings rough cloathing hard lodging and such like supposing that they fight against the flesh when they make warre against their owne bodies by afflicting and punishing it Wherein that I may not seeme to slaunder them I will insert an history of Memor lib. 2 in tract de satisfact Cap. 1. monkish mortification as it is recorded by their famous S. Clematus in his Booke called the Ladder of Paradise and in the fifth staffe of his ladder Which story for the worthinesse of it is related by Lewis of Granada in his Booke intitled the memoriall of a Christian life as a perfect patterne of mortification and is most vnfaithfully translated into english by one Hopkins a Priest for the practise and exercise of the english Catholickes And not to alter his methode though most confused because it is well enough sorted and suited to the matter nor to tire the reader with viewing ouer euery particular in that heape of trash briefely he telleth vs that himselfe comming into a much admired monastery he saw among the Monkes in their practise of penitence such wonderfull things as the eye of the negligent hath not seene the eare of the slothfull hath not heard neither hath entred into the heart of the dull and sluggish To wit such things and wordes as might ouercome with violence even God himselfe and such fashions and endeauours as would speedily encline him to shewe mercy For saith he I sawe some of the penitents stand abroad in the open ayre watching there whole nights vntill the morning neuer mouing their feete out of the same place and when they were grieuously vexed with drowsinesse comming vpon them they offered force to nature and would not take any rest but reuiled themselues and with disgraces and contumelies offered against their owne persons they rowsed vp their spirits Others I sawe standing in prayer and hauing their handes bound
if there were no spectators who might encourage them with their applause Secondly their pride appeareth in the acting and suffering of this voluntary penance in respect of the ende which is not so much to mortifie the flesh as to make satisfaction to Gods iustice for their sinnes or to merrit his fauour and the ioyes of heauen wherein as they derogate much from Gods mercy and the all sufficient merits satisfaction of Iesus Christ so also they manifest their hellish pride which will not suffer them wholly to deny themselues and ascribe the glory of their iustification and saluation onely to Gods free grace and Christs sufferings and obedience but needs will they share with them in the praise in part at least pay their owne debt and giue something towards the purchase of our heauenly inheritance In which respect it may truely be said that the leaner they make their bodies with penance and punishment the more their hearts are fatned with pride and vaine-glory and the more they subdue and keepe vnder their fleshly carkase the more their mindes are lifted vp with opinion of their merit and deseruing Thirdly we may in this regard iustly taxe them to bee those imposters and deceiuers of whom the Apostle speaketh who seeke to deceiue men of their heauenly reward seeing they hold not the head Christ but in part rest vpon Col 2. 18. 19. 20. 22. 23. their owne superstitious deuices being as the Apostle there speaketh vainely past vp in their fleshly mindes and placing the chiefe of their Religion in a voluntary humilitie and worshipping of Angels in subiecting themselues to humaine ordinances after the commaundements doctrines of men which things haue at the most but a shewe of wisedome in wil-worship and humilitie and not sparing or punishing of the body Lastly herein we may well charge them with grosse hypocrisie and false treachery seeing they betray the poore Christian who asketh their counsell and aduise in this spirituall warfare whilest they pretend his strengthening and defence For as they professe Christ in shewe but oppose him in trueth being those limmes of Antichrist who make warre against him and his members so they outwardly proclaime warre against the world and the flesh when as in truth none are greater friendes vnto them for that the flesh our true enemy may escape vntouched and vnhurt in the christian conflict they disguise and hide it least it should be known and craftily substitute into the place thereof our bodies which are our friends to receiue deadly wounds and blowes by the sword of mortification and whilest they afflict and persecute them as though they were the onely troublers of this our Israel they as Iesabell Baalls Priestes cherish and nourish the corruption of nature the flesh and the whole army of carnall lustes as it were at their proper charges giuing them meate and drinke at their owne table §. Sect. 6. That our opposition against the Papists in this doctrine is very necessarie And thus haue I spent more paines and paper vpon this base subiect then it deserueth and both by their doctrine and practise shewed what the Church of Rome and her fauorites thinke of the flesh and of the meanes whereby it may be mortified and subdued partly that all might take heede of the bewitching cups of the whoore of Babylons fornications seeing those who haue drunke thereof haue beene so intoxicated and made drunk with these inchanted potions that like mad men and inraged bedlems they haue not onely wrastled with God himselfe to spoile him of his glory murthered his holy Martyrs and caused the streets to runne with riuers of their bloud but also frantiquely haue offered violence to their owne persons grieuously tormented their owne bodies and sought to satisfie their insatiable cruelty by drinking deepe draughts in their owne bloud Partly also to preserue all who loue the truth from these superstitious cruelties in the practise of their mortification seeing corrupted nature and blinde superstition with as strong a streame of violence carrieth men headlong into these inhumane and vnnaturall practises against their own persons as the pleasures of the flesh transporteth others who are licentious and prophane to the imbracing of them The which we may plainely see in the practise of the Baalitish priests who with kniues launched their owne bodies and in the experience of all ages among the heathens and infidels yea euen of our owne times not onely among the Sauadges and Barbarians but aboue all others among the Papists who are all ready rather to torment their bodies then to crosse their carnall wils to torture the flesh rather then to subdue their fleshly lusts yea euen to mortifie with voluntary penance their naturall parts and members rather then to labour in the crucifying of the old man and to forsake any of their darling sinnes But especially my maine drift herein is to discouer our true enemy that wee discerne it from our friends and to shew what in truth the flesh is that so we may labour to subdue and mortifie it seeing it is ready in craft and subtiltie to hide or disguise it selfe and to substitute another in it place that so wee may spend our strength in vaine and being spent and tyred in fighting against those who are friends vnto vs may be the more easily ouercome at the first incounter of our spirituall enemies CHAP. V. That the body and sensitiue faculties onely are not the flesh proued by the Scriptures and diuers reasons §. Sect. 1. That the body and sensitiue faculties onely are not the flesh proued by testimonies of the Scripture AND therefore hauing shewed what is the erroneous conceipt of the Papists concerning the flesh in the next place wee will confute it and proue that by flesh we are to vnderstand not the body and inferiour and sensitiue faculties of the soule nor yet onely the corruption of them both but also the corruption of the whole man and principally of the reason and wil which they magnifie with so many praises And this will appeare by the cleare euidence of the holy Scriptures by strong and demonstratiue reasons grounded vpon them by the testimony of the Fathers yea euen of the Aduersaries themselues And first in the whole course and current of the Scriptures we may obserue that there is much more spoken of the sinfull corruption of the soule then of the body and in the soule not onely of the inferiour sensitiue and animall faculties but also of the superiour and intellectuall as of the corruption and deprauation of the minde vnderstanding reason wisedome and will The Apostle ioyneth them both together 2. Cor. 7. 1. Hauing therefore saith he these promises dearely 2 Cor. 7. 1. beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Where he necessarily implyeth that both in himselfe in those beloued Saints to whom he writeth there was remaining corruption and filthinesse
of nature which was to bee purged away not onely in the body which here is signified by flesh but also in the soule which is here vnderstood by the Spirit So Ephe. 2. 3. Among whom saith he also wee all had our Ephes 2. 3. conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde And Rom. 8. 8. hee telleth Chrysost in Rom. 8. Ser. 13. Rom. 8. 8. vs that they who are in the flesh cannot please God Where by flesh we cannot vnderstand the body for then the seruants of God could not please him in this life but the corruption of nature with which our bodies and soules are defiled till they be renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth this place What then saith he shall we destroy our owne bodies and so goe out of the flesh that wee may please God Doest thou command vs to bee murtherers when as thou pretendest to draw vs vnto vertue Ye see what absurdities doe hence arise if these things be simply and literally vnderstood But by flesh here he meaneth not the body or bodily essence but a worldly and carnall life addicted to wantonnesse and voluptuous pleasures which make the whole man to become flesh For as they who are led by Gods spirit haue also their bodies made spirituall so they who are led by the flesh and are addicted to carnall delights they make their soules to become fleshly and carnall not by changing the essence and substance but by spoiling it of true nobilitie And this manner of speaking is vsed in the Old Testament where the flesh signifieth that grosse and earthy life which is filthily intangled in all absurd pleasures For God saith to Noah my spirit shall not stay with these men because they are flesh And yet Noah himselfe was clothed and encompassed with the garment of flesh but this was not the fault that offended God to be compassed with flesh because this was the worke of nature but in that they had made choise of a carnall and sensuall life And therefore Paul saith They who are in the flesh cannot please God and also addeth But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit not vnderstanding simply the substance of the flesh for so they were in it to whom hee writeth but such a flesh which is drawne and oppressed with lusts and passions Euen as the like speech of our Sauiour is to be vnderstood but you are not of the world not because they had not their habitation in the world but because they were not defiled with worldly malitiousnesse And afterwards more fully expounding those words You are not in the flesh but in the spirit What then saith he were they not in the flesh and did they goe about without bodies What sense or reason were in such a speech And therefore you see that he meaneth by flesh a Ambros de fide resurect To. 3. fleshly life And thus also Ambrose expoundeth this place The Apostle saith he by denying those to be in the flesh whom it is manifest to haue been in the flesh did not condemne in them the substance of flesh but their sinnes and sinfull corruptions that is the workes of the flesh §. Sect. 2. Other testimonies to proue the former poynt And vnto these testimonies of Scripture many more might be added As Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled So the Apostle saith that the wisedome or a Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minding of the flesh is emnitie against God and that the b Col. 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minde as well as the bodie is fleshly And thus he exhorteth the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of their mindes thereby implying that not onely the body and sensitiue faculties are naturally corrupted but c Eph. 4. 23 also the minde the chiefe part of man and hereof the spirit that is the prime vigour and chiefe faculty of the minde For what needeth any renouation if there were not in them the taynture of their old corruption So Rom. 12. 2. And be Rom. 12. 2. not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minde that you may proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Whereby hee implyeth that naturally they were corrupted euen in the vnderstanding part and ignorant of the will of God till they were renewed and inlightned by the Spirit of God which renouation is not finished at once but by little and little euen to the end of life according to that 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Againe where the Apostle prayeth vnto God that the mindes of the faithfull might be renewed he plainely intimateth that they were by nature corrupt and sinfull And thus he prayeth that the faithfull Thessalonians might be sanctified 1 Thes 5. 23. wholly and that their whole spirit and soule and body might be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And that the Ephesians might haue the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him and that the eyes of their vnderstanding being in lightned they might know what was the hope of their Calling c. Of which prayers they had great neede seeing as the Apostle testifieth of them they together with the rest of the Gentiles had their vnderstandings Eph. 4. 18. darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Ephes 4. 18. Finally the Apostle plainely determineth this question whereas hee saith that the enemies with whom wee wrastle in this Christian Warfare are not flesh and bloud but spirituall wickednesses euen the wicked spirit the world and our owne corruption §. Sect. 3. Reasons to proue that the body only is not the flesh The first taken from the names that are giuen vnto it Vnto these testimonies of Scripture wee may adde many reasons to proue that by the flesh wee are not onely to vnderstand the bodie and the sensitiue faculties or the corruption of them both but the sinne and pollution which hath ouerspread the whole man soule and body First because the names in the scriptures which are giuen to the flesh doe intimate thus much for it is called the old Adam and the old man which consist as well of a reasonable soule as of a Omne peccatum Caro dicitur Ambr in Eph. ◠Ezech. 18. 4. naturall body It is called sinne according to that of Ambrose All sinne is called the flesh and the soule sinneth as well as the body as the Prophet implyeth where hee saith that the soule that sinneth shall dye It is called the euill concupiscence and the act of lusting belongeth to the
soule and not to the bodie It is called the euill which encloseth vs namely all the whole man body and soule and finally it is called the law of sinne and law of death and lawes are giuen by the chiefe commaunder and supreame soueraigne which as all confesse is not the body but the soule and herein the reason and vnderstanding Secondly the actions Reason 2 which are attributed to the flesh doe proue this for it is said to couet desire or lust Gal. 5. 17. which is an act of the soule and not of the body and therefore Chrysostome Gal. 5. 17 Non hic carneÌ„ apellat corpus alioquin quomodo concupiscit quandoquidem concupiscentia non caâ—nâ— est sed animae Chrysost in Gal. 5. concludeth that the Apostle meaneth not the body but the soule for otherwise saith he how can the flesh be said to lust seeing lusting belongeth not to the body but the soule for the bodie is to be reckoned among those things which are moued and not which moue as being not â—ragent but a patient Thirdly the sinnes which are attributed to the flesh shew plainely that wee are thereby to vnderstand the corruption of the soule as well as of the body So the Apostle reckoning vp Reason 3 diuers fruits of the flesh nameth not onely Adultery vncleannesse Cal. 5. 9. 20. murthers drunkennesse and such like But also Idolatrie Witchcraft Heresie which are the sinnes of soule and minde and not properly and immediately of the body And this Austine obserued Who knoweth not saith he that Idol-seruice emnitie contention aemulation stomaching August de ciuit Dei lib. 14 cap. 2. dissension heresie enuy are rather the vices of the mind then of the flesh seeing it may be that for idolatrie or some errour of heresie a man may abstaine from the pleasures of the flesh Where further it is to bee noted that these workes of the flesh are not onely in the wicked and vnregenerate but also in the godly and sanctified in respect of their flesh or part vnregenerate for of such the Apostle speaketh seeing they onely are exercised in the spirituall conflict and they and none but they haue the spirit in them lusting against the flesh §. Sect. 4. Reason 4. Original corruption hath ouerspread the whole man body and soule Fourthly the corruption of originall sinne which in the man regenerate is all one with the flesh hath ouerspread not the body alone but also the whole man body soule for the image of God was thereby defaced which principally consisted in wisdome originall righteousnes and holines and these were cheifely and immeadiately seated not in the body but in the soule and in this regard the whole man the soule as well as the body needed to be washed in the blood of Christ and in the lauer of regeneration because all his powers and parts were defiled and corrupted The which will better appeare if wee consider of some particulars For in the minde and vnderstanding are seated as in their proper place the sinnes of ignorance not onely in the vnregenerate according to that of the Apostle the naturall 1 Cor. 2. 14. man perceiueth not the things which are of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can bee know them because they are spiritually discerued but also the reliques therof remaine in the regenerate for we know but in part and we see but as through a glasse darkely in which regard Christ telleth 1 Cor. 13 38. Peter that flesh and bloud had not reuealed vnto him that our Sauiour was the Sonne of God meaning by flesh and bloud humaine reason and vnderstanding And vnto this we may adde the sinnes of infidelity and doubting errours and heresies In the conscience also there is stupiditie and terrours whereby it is either asleepe and obserueth not our actions to approue that which is good and to accuse vs for euill or being awakened doth with horrible fury pursue and terrifie vs admitting of no pacification In the cogitation and imagination vanity and much wickednesse according to that Gen. 6. 5. Where it is said that God saw that Gen. 6. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. euery imagination of the thoughts of mans heart were onely euill continually Finally in the will remaineth much auersnesse to good and pronenesse to euill great rebellion and stubbornnesse against God whereby we resist his holy Ier. 17. 10. wil. in respect wherof the Prophet saith that the heart of man is wicked aboue all things and the Apostle telleth vs that in our wils there is no inclination vnto any thing which is good vnlesse God first worketh it in vs. By all which it appeareth that by the flesh we are to vnderstand the corruption Philip. 2. 12. Bernard de Aduentu domini Serm. 5. of soule body according to that of Bernard As saith he the old Adam was spread ouer the whole man and professed him wholly so now let Christ haue all who hath created all and redeemed all and will also glorifie all §. Sect. 5. Reason 5. Because the Body and spirit are not enemies but louing friends Fiftly the Flesh and the Spirit are as the Apostle telleth vs contrarie one to the other and like mortall enemies in hostile manner they fight together seeking one anothers ruine and destruction but such emnitie is not betweene the soule Gal. 5. 17. and body for then they would seeke one anothers ouerthrow whereas contrariwise they mutually loue and cherish the one the other and are much grieued when they must part asunder so the Apostle telleth vs that no man Eph. 5. 28. 29. euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it euen as the Lord the Church and in this regard hee willeth the husband to loue his wife as his owne body And this argument Chrysostome vseth Whereas saith hee the Apostle telleth vs that the flesh lusteth against the spirit he speaketh of a Chrysost in Gal. 5. twofold knowledge whereof the one is contrary to the other to wit not the soule and body but vertue and maliciousnesse for if they should be so opposed they would destroy one another as water fire and light darknesse c. Now whereas the opposition and fight is not betweene the body and the soule but the flesh and the Spirit hereof it will clearely follow that wee are not by flesh to vnderstand the substance of the body but the quality of corruption in soule and body for these enemies are of like nature and therefore as by the spirit we vnderstand not the substance or essence of the holy spirit but a created qualitie of holinesse and righteousnesse in the whole man so contrariwise wee are by the flesh to vnderstand not our bodily substance but the sinfull quality of corruption which hath defiled soule and body § Sect. 6. The sixt reason taken from the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 7. 18. Sixtly the Apostle saith that in him
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
he commandeth all the rest And hauing gotten possession of it he hath placed in it a strong garrison of his hellish armie to kepe it for his vse knowing that if he can hold the minde vnder his gouernment he may by the helpe thereof keepe all the rest And this maketh him to vse all his skill and diligence in darkening and deluding the reason and vnderstanding and to this purpose he doeth sometimes possesse it with a spirit of slumber by making it drunke with the intoxicating cuppes of ignorance and errour sometimes he dazeleth and darkeneth it with the smoake and vapors of hellish temptations that it may see no more nor in other manner then he will haue it and somtime he abuseth and deceiueth it by casting betweene the things presented vnto it and the eye of reason false colours and then as a man looking through a greene glasse thinketh a christiall streame and filthy puddle all alike so the eye of our iudgement being deluded with Sathans false glasses or glosses which hee casteth before it can put no difference betweene right and wrong good and euill §. Sect. 3. No part more corrupted then the man i◠and vnderstanding And by reason of this the diuels diligence and politique care it commeth to passe that no part or facultie of man is more infected and corrupted with the poyson of sinne then the minde and vnderstanding It cannot be denied but that the minde and reason of man doe in their naturall endowments as farre exceede the body and sensitiue faculties as the Sunne in his chiefest brightnesse doth the smallest and and dimmest Starre It is true also that by those reliques of light which remaine in the vnderstanding a man is excellently guided in naturall ciuill and meere morrall actions and by vertue thereof is able to atchieue great and difficult matters but as in physicall bodies the best substance hath the worst corruption so is it also true in Diuinitie that the more excellent the faculties of the soule be the worse they be in the state of corruption For the reason and vnderstanding in man is the chiefe rebell which leadeth and ruleth the body and inferiour faculties as it were the baser sort of the common people and therefore the more politique eloquent and potent this rebel is the more dangerous also and pernitious seeing hee holdeth the more powerfully all his subiects and inferiours in their emnitie and opposition against their supreame soueraigne And in this regard the soule is much more worthy blame then the body and in the soule the reason minde and vnderstanding then the will because it is the chiefe ring-leader in this rebellion and the archtraitor which giueth lawes and gouerneth all the rest for as the iudgement alloweth or disalloweth esteemeth or vilifieth so the will chuseth or refuseth and the affection loueth or abhorreth Euen as contrariwise the chiefe praise belongeth vnto it in our conuersion vnto God because with it selfe it causeth all other parts which it commandeth to returne vnto him and to submit themselues in all obedience to his rule and gouernment whereof it is that true repentance is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the changing of the mind because this being the first and principall act in our conuersion doth giue denomination to all the rest And this chiefe faultinesse of the soule in the state of rebellion and corruption as it appeareth by the former reasons so doth antiquity giue testimony vnto it So Chrysostome saith that the soule here is more to bee blamed and accused then the body because Chrysost in Eph. 2. Serm. 6. the body designeth no euill without direction from the soule but contrariwise the soule committeth much wickednesse without the vse and assistance of the body So Austine saith that the flesh that is the body without the soule cannot couet And Aug. de Gen. ad literam lib. 10. cap. 12. although the cause of carnall concupiscence bee not in the soule alone yet much lesse is it in the body alone And therefore it ariseth from both to wit from the soule because no delight is felt without it and also from the body because neither without it is there any sense of carnall pleasure § Sect. 4 That the soule cheifely sinneth and in it the minde and vnderstanding But the chiefe faultinesse of the soule will better appeare if we consider that in the acting of this sinnefull tragedy the soule and in it chiefely the minde and vnderstanding playeth the chiefest part for it is the Graund Captaine in this sinnefull army which leadeth the body and inferiour faculties and appointeth them to the accomplishing of its particular designes it is naturally the diuels steward which receiuing immediately instructions from this hellish maister doth appoint to euery inferior part their taske as common seruants It is the diuels forge wherein he first hammereth and fashioneth his sinful temptations It is the master workman in the shop of our sinfull nature which setteth on work all the other parts as vnder prentizes for first the mind thinketh on mischiefe or entertaineth the diuels temptatiōs then the iudgement alloweth it if not simply yet in respect of some circumstance if not as an hellish hooke yet as it is couered with the baites of worldly vanities either esteeming the sinne for it owne sake or at least for the wages and reward and so then the will chuseth it and the heart affecteth it the concupiscence desireth it and the body accomplisheth it So that if the minde were bound to the good behauiour and either would not thinke on wickednes or at least would vilifie and contemne it our peace with God and our owne consciences would be kept and wee should haue no sinnefull seditions and tumultuous vproares in the inferiour parts and members In a word the minde and vnderstanding is the spring head from which all the streames of sinne doe runne and flow and therefore the diuell first poysoneth and corrupteth it that so it may taint and infect all the other parts as we may see in the example of our first parents whose iudgement he first corrupted and then with case infected their will and affections Wherein he dealeth with vs as Elisha with the Aramites first blinding vs and then misleading vs at his pleasure For whereas God in the little world of man hath appointed the reason and vnderstanding to be as the Sunne to giue light and directions vnto all the other parts and faculties that so they may orderly exercise their functions and operations Sathan knoweth right well that if he can ecclipse this light by the opposition of changeable trifles or vtterly darken it by the interposition of earthly vanities there can thereupon nothing follow but sinfull disorder and dangerous confusion in all our actions And thus the Apostle liuely describing mans misery and sinne first pointeth at this as the chiefe fountaine that there is none that vnderstandeth nor seeketh after God and Rom. 3. 11. 12. Eph. 6. 12.
Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet 1. 14. Rom. 13. 12 then that they are all gone out of the way and become vnprofitable And this is the cause why the kingdome of sinne is called the kingdome of darkenesse and sinfull lustes are called the lustes of ignorance and sinfull workes the workes of darknesse because ignorance is the scepter of the diuels kingdome by which hee raigneth and ruleth in the children of disobedience all carnall lustes spring from the blindnesse of the minde the darkenes of ignoraÌ„ce is the vayle which hideth all wicked workes not onely from others but also from their owne eyes who committ them and so encourageth them to goe in these sinfull actions §. Sect. 5. That the soule is the cheife actor of sinne proued by testimonies And vnto this truth the ancients haue giuen their suffrage and testimony Chrysostome saith that in euery sinne the soule Chry. in 〈…〉 Hom 21. Chrys in Rom. 7. Serm. 10. first sinneth and afterwards the flesh and vnlesse the soule were first ouercome the flesh could neuer sin And expouÌ„ding those wordes of the Apostle when we were in the flesh that is saith he in euill actions or in a carnal life Neither would he say that before times they were in the flesh and that now they walked about without bodies c. Moreouer least any man should accuse the body he doth not say which euill actions the members themselues haue wrought and done but which were wrought in our members that he might shewe how that the first beginnings of wickednes were deriued else-where namely from our thoughts working them and not from the members which were driuen by their motion For the soule holdeth the place of the artizan or musition the flesh of the instrument giuing that kind of sound or musicke which the musition maketh it and therefore it is not to be ascribed to the flesh if there be discord in the musicke but rather to the soule by which â—â— is ruled So writing on those words of the Apostle that as the Gentiles did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gaue them ouer to a reprobate mind to doe those things that are not conuenient he saith that the Apostle hereby discouereth that our sinnes doe not arise primarily from our bodies as certaine heretiques would haue it but from the minde to wit from the euill concupiscence as it were from the fouÌ„taine froÌ„ which all euils flow For the minde being reprobate all other parts are so too as the coachman being disordered which driueth the coach all that is vnder his rule must needes be disordred and out Ambros in Rom. 7. Fulgent de myster mediat ad Trusim lib. 1. of frame So Ambrose demanding what it is to be subiect vnto sinne answereth nothing else but to haue the body corrupted through the sin of the soule into which sinne chuseth it selfe to driue man as a captiue vnto it that he may doe its will And Fulgentius likewise saith that although sinne seemeth to be committed Mat. 15. 19. of a man corporally yet it taketh it beginning from the heart neither is any thing done outwardly vnlesse it be first inwardly concluded by the iudgement of the minde the trueth whereof trueth it selfe hath shewed vs saying that out of the heart proceede euill thoughts murthers adulteries c. So Austine August quaest super Exod. li. 2. c. 2. saith that not in the body or inferiour faculties but in the will of man is the originall of all vices § Sect. 6. That the body is but the seruant of the soule in acting sinne So likewise they teach that the body is but the seruant of the soule which can or dare doe nothing but by the masters August in psal 145. Serm. 27. T. 10. Chrysost in Rom. 6. Ser. 11. appointment So Augustine saith that the flesh is an obedient seruant to the soule this ruleth the other is ruled the one commandeth the other obeyeth In which regard hee would haue the Manachees derided who imputed all sin vnto the flesh the which hee would haue to Gods glory duely praised and all the fault to be attributed to the will Chrysostome likewise compareth the body to armes and weapons which are to be esteemed according to their vse The souldier vseth them whilest he fighteth in defence of his countrie and the thiefe against common friends who are of the same countrey the which is not the fault of the weapons but of those who abuse them vnto euill And so saith he the body is either this or that not in it owne nature but by the predominant direction of the minde And in another place the soule so vseth the body as the Smith the hammer and the anuile vpon which it forgeth and fashioneth the idols of all corruption and filthinesse and frameth the images of all carnall pleasures Nor is the flesh the prompter and teacher of sinne nor the inuenter of all maliciousnesse or the framer and disposer of the things which are done but it is the shop of the soule which worketh and accomplisheth in it and by it whatsoeuer it effecteth Thus Ambros de Paeniten lib. 1. c. 14. Nihil pâ—câ—aâ—t oculi si non oculis animus imperet Seneca also Ambrose concludeth You see then that the minde is the author of our fault and that the flesh is innocent sauing that it is often the instrument of sinne Yea euen the heathen man by the light of nature could discerne this truth affirming that our eyes offended not if they were not ruled and commanded by an euill minde § Sect. 7. That the soule only properly sinneth Yea so far is it off that our bodies should be chiefely corrupted and the principall authors of sinne that if we speake properly the soule onely sinneth and the corruption of the soule alone is sinfull and as for the corruption of the bodie it is rather the punishment of sinne then sinne it selfe So August de ciuit dei lib. 14. c. 3. Austine saith that the corruption of the body which cloggeth the soule is not the cause of the first sinne but the punishment So Chrysost in mat 5. hom 17. Chrysostom speaking of our Sauiours speech concerning the cutting of the right hand and pulling out the right eye he saith that hee intendeth not the disturbing much lesse the destroying of the frame of the body Farre be it from vs so to conceiue for hee doth no where shew that there is any fault in the bodie but euery where conuinceth the will of the euill for not so much the eyes as by the eyes the minde and reason doe see whereof it is that sometimes the eyes doe not discerne those who are present before them the minde and cogitation being otherwise occupied And elsewhere hee plainely affirmeth that the In. gen 12. hom 32. peruerse will is the cause of all euill And againe our mortall body is not the cause of sinne but our wicked will is
the roote of Io. 1. cor 6. hom 18. all euill For why did not Abels body make him vniust And why doth not the want of bodies benefit the Diuell Will you know the cause because the mortall body bringeth to men not onely no detriment but much profit and benefit And therefore he concludeth that it is the worke of the Diuell to make foolish men rather to accuse their body God himselfe or their neighbour then their corrupt minde least finding the cause of their sinning they should plucke vp the roote of all their euils § Sect. 8. That the body is not the flesh proued by the testimonies of the aduersaries themselues and 1. out of Tho. Aquin. And thus haue wee proued by testimonies of Scripture Reasons Fathers that by flesh in the spirituall conflict we are not to vnderstand the body and inferiour faculties of the soule or the corruption of them both but the corruption of the whole man in euery part and facultie and especially in the minde vnderstanding and will which aboue all the rest are chiefly taynted and defiled Now let vs also produce the testimony of the aduersaries themselues who howsoeuer in their doctrine they commonly confound the bodie and the flesh as being all one and in their whole practise of mortification doe bend all their strength against the bodie to subdue and keepe it vnder yea euen to torment consume and destroy it as though it were their mortall enemy yet hauing sometime their eyes dazeled with the light of truth they acknowledge euen the same veritie of doctrine which we teach and defend against them Thus Thomas Aquinas their great schoole Doctor extendeth the flesh and corruption of nature to the whole man the soule as well as the body for writing on the wordes of the Apostle Aquin. in Rom. 7. lect 3. In me that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing he saith that in man as he is a sinner dwelleth no good thing neither in his body nor minde Now this is spoken by the Apostle of himselfe and that as he was in the state of grace and regeneration as Aquinas a little before acknowledgeth and therefore must necessarily be referred to the part vnregenerate both soule and body And commenting on these words of the Apostle The flesh lusteth against the spirit hee saith that Aquin. in gal 5. 17. here is a doubt to be cleared namely that seeing to lust or couet is an act proper to the soule therefore as it may seeme it cannot agree with the flesh vnto which we are to say with Austine that the flesh is saide to couet or lust in regard that the soule doth lust or desire according to the flesh as the eye is said to see when as rather the soule seeth by the eye And therefore the soule then lusteth by the flesh when as it desireth those things which are pleasant according to the flesh But the soule lusteth or desireth by it selfe when as it is delighted in those things which are according to the spirit as workes of vertue and diuine contemplation Yea but if the flesh lusteth by the spirit how is it saide that it lusteth against it namely in this respect as the concupiscence of the flesh hindereth the concupiscence of the spirit But this answere is not sufficient for if both kinds of concupiscence come from the soule the one immediately the other mediately according to the flesh this maketh no contrarietie betweene the spirit and the flesh as he vnderstands it but onely in the same acte of concupiscence which is in the soule alone in respect of the diuers maner of lusting the one kinde by the body the other by it selfe And therefore this answere would better fitte the obiection and agree with Austines speech that there is in the soule a double concupiscence the one in the part regenerate which is spirituall the other in the part vnregenerate which is carnall the which are directly contrary the one to the other And thus he might answere another obiection which himselfe maketh against his owne wordes for whereas the Apostle saith that the spirit lusteth against the flesh hee obiecteth that if we here take the spirit for the holy spirit and grant that spirituall concupiscence is onely against that which is euill it will follow that the flesh or body against which the spirit lusteth is euill which was the errour of the Manachees To which he answereth that the spirit lusteth not against the nature of the flesh but against it desires onely as they extend to superfluitie But this answere crosseth his former speech whereby he affirmed that the flesh or body had no concupiscence at all but that it was an acte proper to the soule alone And therefore the obiection were better satisfied if we say that there is not onely in the regenerate part of the soule the concupiscence of the spirit but also the reliques of carnall concupiscence in the part vnregenerate which fight as contraries and enemies the one against the other But as Aquinas affirmeth that concupiscence Aquin. in Ro. 7. lect 3. Lect. 4. is onely an acte of the soule and consequently euill and carnall concupiscence as well as holy and spirituall wherein he agreeth with vs so also bee granteth in some places that the flesh is the corruption of nature or originall sinne which is deriued vnto vs from our first parents So he saith that the carnalitie which importeth or signifieth the rebellion of the flesh against the spirit proceeded from the sinne of our first parents because it belongeth to that fuell of corruption deriued from that sinne So hee expoundeth the lawe of the members to be that fuell and of sinne and corruption which moueth vs to sinne and is the punishment of the sinne of our first parents in vs who are their posteritie And yet more plainly Aquin. in Rom. 8. lect 2. speaking of those words of the Apostle But you are not in the flesh he saith that it is euident that this is not to be vnderstood of the substance of the flesh seeing the Romanes were mortall men cloathed therewith but he taketh the flesh for the vices and corruptions of the fleshe according to that 1. Cor. 6. 9. Flesh and blood shall not inherite the kingdome of God So that when he saith ye are not in the flesh the meaning is ye are not in the vices and corruptions of the flesh liuing as i◠were according to the flesh §. Sect. 9. Testimonies out of Bellarmine to proue the former poynte But much more clearely doeth the arch-champion of the Papists Cardinall Bellarmine assent vnto this truth the flesh saith he in the Scriptures almost euery where is opposed to the Bellarm. de Sacramen eucharist lib. 1. c. 14. spirit or some thing else more high and heauenly For it doth not signifie the substance of the flesh but the infirmitie or corruption or humane and fleshly cogitation all which are to the same effect seeing
it ariseth from our corruption that a man will take vpon him to iudge of diuine matters after an humane sense And in another place hee saith that sinne taken properly Bellar. de amiss gratiae stat peccati lib. 5. c. 10. cannot be in the body but in the minde For sinne is vnrighteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse truely so called can there onely haue place where true righteousnesse hath it place Now who ouer hath placed righteousnesse truely and properly taken in the members of the body But why doth he affirme this truth Surely to confirme an vntruth for hence hee concludeth that whereas the Apostle saith that concupiscence is sinne and that it dwelleth in the flesh and not in the minde hereby he plainly sheweth that it is not sinne properly but figuratiuely But the Apostle speaketh properly when hee calleth concupiscence sinne neither doth Bellarmines argument proue the contrarie seeing the Apostle doth not like the Iesuite by flesh vnderstand the body but the part vnregenerate and the corruption of nature which is as well yea much more in the soule as in the body the which I haue fully proued and Bellarmine himselfe will presently confesse For in another place hauing said that Austine by the name of concupiscence De Amissione grat statu peccati l. 5. c. 15. vnderstandeth the corruption of the inferiour part of the soule which rebelleth against the superiour he presently addeth But it must not bee denied that the like sinne and corruption is to be found in the superiour part for euen this part of the soule also is proue to lust after honours vaine-glory and other vanities and although it be against our wils it doth sometimes bring forth such desires And therefore S. Paul numbreth among the lusts of the flesh not onely whoredome and drunkennesse but idolatrie emnitie heresie as Augustine hath diligently obserued lib. 14. de ciuit dei cap. 2 3. 4. Where he sheweth that the flesh is sometimes taken for the whole man as hee is without the grace of God after the fall of Adam and that hee is said to be carnall who liueth according to himselfe and not according vnto God So elsewhere answering Caluins and Beza Bell. de amissi gratâ—ae et stat peccat lib. 5. c. 7 his obiection who say that the flesh in the seuenth of the Romans is to be taken for the whole man as hee is in the state of corruption because S. Paul numbreth the minde among the parts most corrupted 1. Tim. 6. and commandeth vsto be renued in the spirit of our mindes to this he answereth that in many places of the holy Scripture wee are without doubt Eph. 4. 23. by the flesh to vnderstand as well all the superiour as the inferiour faculties corrupted with sinne Neither doe wee deny but that with this sinne the minde also of 〈◊〉 is corrupted c. No maruell therefore if the workes of Bellarmine are not suffered to bee reade without speciall licence nor scarce to bee found in common shops throughout Spaine and Italy seeing in this and innumerable other points of Poperie hee differeth from the most of their other Writers and generally from the whole course of their practise both in those and all other places as hath in this particular beene before sufficiently proued CHAP. VII Obiections of the Aduersaries answered whereby they indeauour to proue that the body and sensitiue faculties are the flesh 1 Obiection because this our enemie is vsually called the flesh NOw in the last place it remaineth that wee answere some obiections whereby they endeauour to proue that by the flesh wee are to vnderstand our bodies and sensitiue faculties only with their corruption and not the soule and superiour faculties And first they reason that this spirituall enemie of our saluation is the body and inferiour faculties of the soule seeing it is vsually called by the name of flesh and carnall concupiscence To which I answere that this manner of speech is not proper but tropicall and figuratiue and to bee vnderstood by a metonymie of the subiect for the adiunct or qualitie flesh for the fleshly qualitie of corruption which hath defiled soule and body the which is vsuall with the Hebrewes who in their ordinarie phrase put the abstract for the concrete and the subiect for the qualitie that belongeth vnto it the which also the Greekes and Latines doe sometimes imitate as when they called a wicked fellow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scelus But it may further bee demaunded why this spirituall enemie should by this metonymie be called the flesh rather then sinne and corruption if it were not chiefely seated in the body I answere that it is thus called to shew how deepely our nature is tainted and infected with the poison of sinne in that it is as it were incorporated into our flesh and one of our essentiall parts turned and as it were transformed into corruption and iâ— into them so as there is nothing naturally remaining but euen a masse of corruption and lumpe of sinne And secondly to intimate vnto vs the dangerousnesse of this enemie in that it is not onely domesticall dwelling in vs but after a sort essentiall and inherent so as it is not possible to auoyde it but we must deny our selues nor to kill it vnlesse we crucifie our owne flesh nor to vanquish and subdue it vnlesse we ouercome our selues Yea but why is this corruption of nature called carnall and fleshly rather then animall and spirituall if it were not seated in the bodie rather then in the soule I answere that this corruption hauing defiled both the speciall partes of man the body as well as the soule it was indifferent by a synecdoche to vnderstand the whole corruption of nature by the name of either part But if this answere will not satisfie but that they will further obiect that the soule is the principall part and therefore the name or denomination should follow it especially if it be cheifly taynted and corrupted and the archauthor of all sinne I answere that notwithstanding all this our enemie in this spirituall conflict is called the flesh rather then the soule or spirit to note vnto vs the greate contrariety and vnreconciliable emnity that are betweene the combatants in this warfare for as opposite are these the one to the other as light and darkenes heauen and hell God and the Diuell good and euill And therefore to expresse this contrarietie which is betweene them names were chosen which were most extreamely opposite and it is not called after the soule because there is some agreement betweene the soule and the body and some resemblance betweene the spirit and the soule but after the body which beeing the grosest and most earthy part of man is most opposite and Eph. 4. 23. different to the spirit which is the purest part of the minde and reason § Sect. 2 The reasons why the corruption of nature is called the flesh And vnto these
spirit saith he seruing the flesh is not vnfitly called fleshly so the flesh seruing August de ciuit dei lib. 13. c. 20. the spirit is fitly called spirituall not because it is turned into spirit but because by an admirable facilitie and readinesse to obey it is subiected to the gouernment and rule of the spirit §. Sect. 4 The second Obiection grounded â—n 1. Cor. 9. 27. The second reason obiected is grounded vpon the Apostles words 1. Cor. 9. 27. But I keepe vnder or as the vulgar Latine hath it chastise my body least by any meanes when I my selfe haue preached to others I my selfe should bee a cast-away Where the Apostle maketh the body as they thinke 1 Cor. 9. 27. the enemy against which he fighteth and the chiefe obiect of mortification To which I answere first that we doe not deny but that the body is corrupted as well as the soule Rom. 7. 23. and that sin holdeth part of his residence euen in our earthly members in which regard this naturall corruption is to be subdued euen in the body by those exercises of mortification which the Scriptures haue prescribed as fastings watchings laborious exercises in the duties of Christianitie and of our spirituall callings And to this hee exhorteth vs. Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are vpon Col. 3. 5. the earth whereby he meaneth those sinnes which dwell in our earthly members to wit fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection euill concupiscence as hee expoundeth himselfe in the next words But all this doth not exempt the soule from being the seate also of naturall corruption yea euen the chiefe palace where sinne dwelleth Secondly I answere that by body in this place is not meant the substance Rom. 7. 14. of the flesh but the whole corrupt man or part vnregenerate both soule and body In which sense the Apostle elsewhere calleth himselfe carnall extending this fleshly corruption to his whole person euen as by members wee are to vnderstand those speciall sinnes which dwel in the members as the Apostle in that place of the Collosians explaineth it And this he calleth this a Rom. 7. 23. 24. body of sinne the law of sin which was in his members and the body of death and saith that the old man is b Rom. 6. 6. crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed and that in Christ we are circumcised with circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh And finally that if Christ bee in vs c Col. 2. 11. 6. namely by his spirit the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse where by death of the body we are to vnderstand the mortification of the flesh in respect of sinne as appeareth by the Antithesis whereby d Rom. 8. 10. wee are to vnderstand the quickening of the inner man to newnesse and holinesse of life § Sect. 5. The third obiection grounded â—n the apâ—st wordes Rom. 12. 6. Thirdly they obiect the words of the Apostle Rom. 12. 6. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body from whence they conclude that the seate of sinne is in the body and not in the soule and reason To which the answere is easie namely that by the name of body here we are not simply to vnderstand the body alone but by a Synechdoche of the part for the whole the person of man consisting of soule and body And this is vsuall in the Scriptures by one part to signifie the whole person and as by the body to include the soule so in other places by the soule to include the bodie As the soule that sinneth shall die and all the soules that came with Iacob into Egypt which came out of his loynes were Ezech. 18. 4. Gen. 46. 26. threescore and sixe And thus Ambrose expoundeth this place The Apostle saith he calling it mortall body vnderstandeth Mortale ergo corpus diceâ—s totum homiâ—eÌ„ significauit Ambro â—n huâ—c locum the whole man because they who obey sinne are called mortall For the soule saith he that sinneth shall die that is the whole man for none shall bee iudged without their bodies And that the Apostle by naming the body did not exclude the soule it appeareth in the next words that you should obey it in the lusts thereof whereby he sheweth that sinne is not onely in the body but first and principally in the powers and faculties of the soule 〈…〉 Fourthly it is obiected that the chiefe poyson of corruption is in the sensitiue and inferiour faculties seeing experience teacheth vs that the minde reason and vnderstanding is infected by them and so blinded and mis 〈…〉 sion and carnall concupiscence that men giue t 〈…〉 ouer to all sensualitie and become like vnto 〈…〉 which I answere that indeede the poyson of 〈…〉 ceedingly taynted the concupiscence appetite affections and all the sensitiue faculties and that they beeing infected doe infuse their poyson into the superiour faculties and like filthy sinkes of sinne doe send vp noysome sents into the vpper parts the minde and reason for the obiects moue the senses and the sense the will and vnderstanding and it is true that in this little common wealth of man the lusts and passions like rebels rise against reason their king and soueraigne Finally wee deny not but that the minde is drawne to thinke on that euill which the heart affecteth and is corrupted by giuing way to these sinfull lusts and by plotting deuising the meanes whereby they may be satisfied but yet all this proueth not that the fountaine of corruption is in the body and sensitiue parts for the poyson is first sent from the minde to the heart which being infected and corrupted returnes it backe againe to the minde euen as the liuer sendeth grosse blacke blood to the spleen which regurgitating and ouerflowing sends it backe againe to the liuer and so the fountaine of blood being corrupted it corrupteth the whole body Neither doeth this intestine rebellion arise first from the inferiour and subiect parts but from the sinfull corruption of their superiours whereby they are misgouerned either through loose negligence or desperate malitiousnesse for why doeth the heart affect that which is euill but because the minde esteemeth it the iudgement approueth it the will chooseth it if not simply yet as it is bayted with some worldly profit preferment or voluptuous pleasure But it may be further vrged that there are many who haue great knowledge and deepe iudgements that notwithstanding are much corrupted in their hearts passions and affections To which I answere that though they haue some knowledge yet not sauing knowledge and though they haue great illumination yet no spirituall wisedome and prudence to apply this light after an holy maner to particular actions For this christian prudence in doing any thing first propoundeth the end of the action which moueth vs to
vndertake it and then first it rightly councelleth secondly rightly deliberateth and iudgeth of the counsell and lastly rightly and constantly commaundeth that which is counselled and determined Now the naturall man though he hath wit to counsell yet no true iudgement and consideration to approue of that which is best but like Absalon heareth diuers counsels and in conclusion chuseth the worst And therefore the Apostle prayeth for the Collossians Col. 1. 9. 10. not onely that they might bee filled with the knowledge of Gods will but also with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding that they might walke worthy of the Lord c. § Sect. 7. The fifte Obiection is that there are certaine sinnes proper to the body and sensitiue faculties Lastly it is obiected that whoredome surfetting and drunkennesse proceede from the body and sensuall appetite and are sinnes proper vnto them and therefore the minde and reason is not alwayes the chiefe authour and fountaine of sinne To which I answere that though these actions of eating drinking lusting and committing vncleannesse are immediately from the sensual concupiscence and the body yet the corruption and sinfulnesse of these actions is from the minde and reason Either because it bridleth not the appetite or pricketh it forward to excesse because it taketh delight in these voluptuous pleasures for not the body it selfe but the soule by the body taketh pleasure in eating drinking and satisfying of the lustes Neither are these actions in themselues sins but the immoderation and excesse or the misapplying of them to wrong obiects as we may see in lust it selfe which in it owne nature is not euill for then Corpus concupiscit at neque fornicationem nec adulterium sed simplicitur commixtionem c. Chrysost in Eph. 3. Serm. 6. it could in no case be lawfull but when a man lusteth after strange flesh So Chrysostome saith that the body lusteth and desireth but neither formication nor adulterie but commixtion the body coueteth yet not dainties but meate not drunkennesse but drinke And elsewhere the body saith hee is made to doe this or that not out of it owne nature but out of the ouer-ruling iudgement of the minde The eye indeede when as it curiously beholdeth anothers beautie becommeth an instrument of Chrysost in Rom. 6. Ser. 11. vnrighteousnesse but not out of it naturall action for the naturall office thereof is to see and not to see euilly but out of the cogitation infusing malitiousnesse Whereas if it were thereby restrained as with a bridle it would become an instrument of righteousnesse And the same is to be saide of the tongue hands and all other members And in another place Thou wilt saith he obiect that the body draweth thee into fornication To which I answere not the body but the incontinency of the minde c. CHAP. VIII That the flesh is a most dangerous enemy First because it is exceeding malitious §. Sect. 1. That through the flesh alone we are exposed to all daunger BY this which hath beene saide it appeareth sufficiently what our enemy is and now in the next place we are to consider that it is not an enemy to be contemned but exceeding dangerous and pernitious for howsoeuer it may seeme at the first sight to be weake and of small strength yet is it the mightiest and chiefest Captaine vnder the prince of darkenesse by whose aide and assistance he getteth the victory and without whose helpe he could doe nothing For though he should assault vs with a huge army of his temptations and haue his strength reenforced and euen twise doubled with the aides of all our worldly enemies yet they could neuer preuaile against vs but should bee sure of a shamefull ouerthrow vnlesse these inbred enemies did betray vs into their hands and secretly open the gates of our soule to let in the troupes of their temptations The which is apparent in the example of our Sauiour Christ who being free from the inward corruption of the flesh was not at all endaungered with the outward temptations of the diuel And whereas the hellish sparks of his suggestions fall into our corrupt hearts as it were into tinder or gunpowder by which they are nourished and much encreased in their strength and violence they did no more worke vpon our blessed Sauiour whose pure nature was no iot tainted with carnall corruption then a weake dart that lighteth vpon an impenetrable armour or a small sparke of fire that should fall into a sea of water Needes then must the flesh bee a daungerous enemy seeing all daunger is by and through it needes must it aboue all be most pernitious seeing it exposes vs to all mischiefe and nothing without it were able to hurt vs. The which should perswade vs to bend all our strength against it seeing if we subdue our carnall corruptions we shall easily put to flight the diuel and the world whereas in vaine shall we fight and striue against these forraigne forces if we doe not first kill and crucifie these secret traytors for no more busie can we be in building forts and bulworkes to strengthen vs against their strong assaults then they will be in rasing and ruinating them that they may giue an easie entrance to these outward enemies And this was the practise of the Apostle Paul who did not beate 1 Cor. 9. 27. the ayre and spend his strength in vaine by fighting against a shadowe or phantasie but like a pollitique souldier discouers and singles out his most dangerous enemy euen this body of corruption which dwelled in him and though hee could not quite kill or thrust him out into perpetuall banishment yet hee employes all his strength to subdue and keepe him vnder and vses him like a base bondslaue beating him blacke and blewe and giuing him daily deadly wounds that so he might neuer gather strength nor be able to stand out in rebellion against the part regenerate § Sect. 2 That in the flesh dwelleth nothing that is good But the daungerousnesse of this enemy will the better appeare if we consider both how daungerous it is in respect of it owne nature and in regard also of diuers aduantages which it hath against vs in the conflict The daungerousnes of it in respect of it owne nature will appeare if we consider that as on the one side it is most malitious so on the other very mighty and powerfull The wicked malitiousnesse of it may be considered both in it selfe and in it owne nature and as it is exercised towards vs that is the true Christian or the part regenerate For the former the flesh is so wicked and malitious that no good thing remaineth in it for so the Apo plainly confesseth I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing From which absence of algood Rom. 7. 18. one of the anciēts giueth the notatiō of the latin name Thou flesh saith he art naked and vtterly destitute of all vertues
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
to bee consumed with the fire of his displeasure Now what a fearefull condition is this to be at emnitie mortall opposition and in hostile tearmes against God himselfe For as the Apostle saith doe we prouoke God vnto anger Are 1 Cor. 10. 22. we stronger then he Can it be well with the earthen pitcher when it dasheth it selfe against the strong rorke Or can the seely Mouse escape destruction when he prouoketh and encountreth the fierce Lyon And how much more may they bee assured of vtter ruine and destruction who are at emnity with God himselfe who is not onely able to arme all the creatures against them but with a word of his mouth to cast them into hell § Sect 11. That the flesh is the cause of all our punishments Finally as the flesh is the cause of all sinne so also of all punishment and therefore because it were infinite to stand vpon the particular euils and mischiefes which this malicious enemy causes vnto vs looke how many plagues and punishments are inflicted vpon mankinde either in state or name soule or body and impute them all to the flesh as the fountaine of these bitter waters from which they spring and flowe And yet all these beeing put together are not comparable to those fearefull punishments which it causeth to carnall men in the life to come For it excludeth them out of Gods kingdome and cutteth off all hope of hauing any part in the heauenly inheritance For they that are in the flesh are vnregenerate and vnsanctified and without holinesse they can neuer see God and out of this heauenly citie are excluded dogges and sorcerers and whore mongers and Heb. 12. 14. murtherers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lye And more plainely the Apostle hauing reckoned vp Apoc. 22. 15. the fruits of the flesh directly affirmeth that they who doe Gal. 5. 21. such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God And lastly the maliciousnesse of this wicked enemy and the sinfull lusts thereof herein appeareth in that nothing will satisfie them but our death and destruction For they are those mortall weapons which kill and murther vs and the edge and point of them is not onely directed against the body but against our soules which are much more precious And this argument the Apostle vseth to perswade vs to shun and auoide them Dearely beloued saith hee I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule The end of which warre is not onely to get 1 Pet. 2. 11. the victory and to keepe vs in subiection but to cast all that are conquered into the prison of hell and to plunge them into euerlasting condemnation of body and soule So the Apostle saith that when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth Rom. 7. 5. Rom. 8. 6. 13. fruit vnto death that to bee carnally minded is death and yet more plainly that if we liue after the flesh we shall die that he who soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption whereby is meant eternall death and destruction as appeareth by the antithesis following but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting And the Apostle Gal. 6. 8. Peter likewise telleth vs that the Lord reserueth the vniust vnto the day of iudgemen to be punished but chiefely them that 2 Pet. 2. 10. walke after the flesh in the lust of vncleannesse §. Sect. 12. That the malice of the flesh is the more dangerous because it is masked vnder the coulor of friendshippe Now this malitiousnes of the flesh is so much the more dangerous because it is masked disguised vnder the colour coueâ—ture of the nearest friendship for whilest in outward shewe it seemeth a nearer friend then a kinsman or dearest brother and like another selfe appeareth most carefull of aduancing our present and future good it doeth most malitiously vndermine our safetie and betraieth vs into the hands of our professed enemies neither can Sathan and the world be more ready to besiege and assault vs with the forces and troupes of their temptations then the flesh to yeelde vs into their handes by giuing free entrance to these assaylants Yea it doth not onely open the gates of our soules to let in these mortal enemies but being entred it ioineth with them assisteth these hellish forces with a strong army of carnall lustes and sighteth against our soules robbing and ransacking them of all spirituall graces and wounding them euen to the death with the wounds of sinne if they were not recured with the precious balsum of Christs blood So that we haue iust cause to complaine with our Sauior that it is not a stranger or professed enemy but a wicked Disciple and false Iudas that continually followeth vs waiting all opportunities whereby he may betray vs and that he who eateth bread with vs hath lift vp his heele against vs. And as Dauid complaineth of Achitophel It is not a professed foe that doeth vs this mischiefe but it is thou a man mine equall my guide and Iohn 13. 18. Psal 55. 13. 14. mine acquaintance our councellour and companion that walketh with vs to the house of God It is one who was borne and bred liueth and dyeth eateth drinketh sleepeth walketh and talketh with vs which notwithstanding watcheth all occasions of bringing vs to destruction for like tinder receiuing the sparkes of Sathans temptations it nourisheth and encreaseth them till at length our soules be inflamed with a world of wickednesse Whereby it appeareth that the flesh with the lustes thereof are enemies aboue all others most daungerous and pernitious for being secret traytors they are much more malicious then professed enemies malice and hatred being of such a nature that the more they are smothered and concealed the more they are inwardly increased and inraged They haue also the fittest opportunities to worke our ouerthrowe in that lying and liuing with vs they can easily take the best aduantages and then set vpon vs when as wee are most weake or secure and least prouided to make resistance Moreouer being secret traytors they are so much the more able to doe vs mischiefe because suspecting no hurt from them wee doe not arme our selues against them nor fortifie our soules against their assaults whereof it commeth to passe that wee are often ouercome and led captiue vnto sinne before we discouered the enemy or did discerne that we were encountred Finally they fight with vs not by marching against vs in the open field but out of secret ambushments when we feare no danger and so oftentimes put vs to flight before wee haue any time to recollect and marshall in order the forces of our minde or to make any head against their fury Now what can bee more dangerous then to haue alwayes in our company such a treacherous
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
by the sanctifying grace of Gods holy spirit that our hearts so farre forth as they are vnregenerate are a sincke of sinne and a sea and gulfe of wickednesse wherein the diuell câ—sting the spawne of his temptations begetteth vgly monsters of all sorts both small and great And that as our bodies when they are at the purest haue in them sufficient matter for all maner of diseases so our soules being much more corrupted are aptly disposed to any sinne Secondly knowing and remembring that through this corruption we are prone to all sinne let this humble vs in the sight of our frailtie and weakenesse and cause vs with more earnestnesse to craue Gods assistance and denying our selues to rest on his strength which alone is able to preserue vs from falling Thirdly let this moue vs to shake off all carnall securitie and presumption of our owne graces and to keepe continually a narrow watch ouer our hearts that we be not at vnawares ouertaken through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Let it make vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling as the Apostle exhorteth and whilest we thinke we stand take heede of falling Phil. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let vs be perswaded hereby to labour and endeauour daily to purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God Finally let 2 Cor. 7. 1. vs remember that the man is blessed that feareth alwayes But as for those who harden their hearts through securitie and Pro. 28. 12. presumption they are of all others most ready to fall into all euill and mischiefe § Sect. 5. The fift policie iâ— to perswade vs that we may safely vse the meanes and occasions of sinne A fifth pollicy which the flesh vseth to draw vs vnto sinne is to perswade vs that we may safely vse the meanes and occasions of sinne and yet be preserued from the sinne it selfe And thus Lot was allured to drinke excessiuely neuer suspecting his falling into that brutish drunkennesse and much lesse that abhominable incest with his owne daughters Thus Dauid securely liued in idlenesse and wantonnesse neuer thinking that these would bee the meanes to bring him to whoredome Thus Salomon gaue his strength vnto woemen and defiled himselfe with vnlawfull lustes neuer imagining that this corporall whoredome would bee the occasion and meanes to make him commit also spirituall whoredome with Idols and strange Gods Thus Iehosaphat lincked himselfe with wicked Ahab by marrying his daughter and yet supposed that he should no way bee tainted with his impieties and Peter presumed that hee should be constant in his loue to his maister and the profession of the trueth and yet consorteth himselfe with the high Priests seruants And thus in our times many thinke that they may be safely present at the Masse and idolatrous seruice yea themselues haue about them many meanes and occasions of idolatry and yet not fall into the sinne it selfe many think they may ordinarily sweare and yet neuer commit the sinne of periury that they may nourish couetousnesse and yet neuer commit theft fraude oppression or any vniustice that they may drinke pamper the belly and vse all maner of wanton dalliance and yet be farre enough off from fornication and adultery Now that wee may not be abused with this deceipt let vs consider that where the Lord forbiddeth any sinne there he also forbiddeth the occasions and meanes therof because those who doe not carefully auoide these they cannot possibly escape the other That they who goe in the way wil though the neuer thinke of it come thereby to the towne or place to which it leadeth That if wee alwayes walke vpon the yce or slipperie places we shall euer be in daunger of falling and often fall though we be neuer so weary and therefore the Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who hath not walked in the way of sinners That as they who vse surfetting and drunkennesse yea drinke daungerous poysons cannot looke to enioy Psal 1. 1. their health because they vse the meanes which bring men ordinarily to sicknesse and death so they who vse the meanes of falling into sinne which is the sicknesse of their soules cannot looke to enioy the life of grace but will quickly fall into spirituall diseases which in the ende will bring them to vtter destruction Finally that they who vse the meanes and occasions of euill doe desperately runne into temptations presume of their owne strength and so are Eccle. 3. 26. giuen ouer of God and being abandoned of his assistance must needes fall and come to ruine for he that loueth danger shall perish therein § Sect 6. The sixt policie iâ— to draw vs by degres to commit hainous sins Sixtly the flesh oftentimes deceiueth vs by drawing and intycing vs by degrees to the committing of those sins which are most great and haynous as first to looke and cast wanton glaunces then to lust then to consent to the committing of the fact then to plot and deuise of the meanes how it may be effected then to the acte it selfe and lastly to the often reiterating of the same sinne Thus first it defileth the heart with couetousnesse then causeth it to bee discontented with our state and portion then to couet other mens goods and finally to deuise and put in practise the meanes whereby they may bee gotten from them as fraude deceipt extorsion oppression and such like vnlawfull courses And thus it draweth vs into all kindes of wickednesse by alluring vs to keepe company with those that loue and liue in it then for carnal and by-respects to wincke at and tollerate their sinnes whose persons we affect then to thinke them light and veniall then for company sake to commit them least wee should be thought more precise and scrupulous then the rest of our consorts and finally to defend our wickednesse yea to boast and bragge of it as though it were some vertuous action and much for our credit to liue in it And thus it bringeth vs to the highest step of the ladder of wickednesse vnto which it could neuer haue mounted vs vnlesse it had caried vs by these degrees and maketh vs embrace the most haynous sinnes as it were our choysest friends which before wee tooke for our greatest enemies and therefore hated and auoided them by bringing vs first acquainted with all the allies friends and attendants which waite vpon them For the preuenting of which deceit our best course is to keepe a narrow watch ouer our selues that we be not thus ouertaken specially ouer our owne hearts that we may withstand the first motions vnto sinne and euen crush it in the shell that it may neuer come to hatched Secondly to take notice of our least sinnes that wee may not securely liue in them but hauing fallen may recouer our selues by vnfained repentance And lastly that seeing our selues are too too retchlesse and secure we doe often and vnfainedly desire the Lord
to perswade vs that our common sins are no sins our haynous sins small veniall WE haue spoken of some speciall and notable deceipts which the flesh vseth to allure vs to the committing of sinne and now we are briefly to consider of some other which it vseth to make vs being fallen to continue in our sinnes without repentance The first whereof is to blinde or hinder the eyes of our vnderstandings and to corrupt and delude our iudgements that we may thinke our common sinnes to be no sinnes and our great and haynous ones to be small and veniall with which deceipt we are the more easily abused if we thriue and prosper in our euill courses and haue not our eyes cleared by the sharpe waters of afflictions For when God suffereth vs to goe on in our euill wayes without checke we either thinke that he approueth or not much misliketh them or else continue securely in them and neuer call them to examination For the defeating of which pollicy the best meanes are first diligent studying and meditating in the booke of God which is that al-sufficient light whereby we may discouer these workes of darkenesse and that most vpright iudge which not onely adiudgeth what is good and euill but also in what measure and degree Secondly that we often pray vnto God that our eyes may be annointed with the eye-salue of his grace and holy spirit that being cured o◠their naturall blindnesse they may be able to discerne betweene euill and good darkenesse and light Finally that we doe not liue in carnall securitie but often examine our workes and wayes by the rule and square of Gods word and especially those wherein we thriue and prosper and so wee shall perceiue plainely which are iust and straight and which are crooked and also in what measure and degree § Sect. 2. The second policie is to extenuate couer our sins with vaine excuses as first corruption of nature Secondly if it cannot perswade vs that our sinnes are no sinnes then it will extenuate and couer them with vaine excuses and make them so little light and veniall that as it will make vs beleeue wee may without daunger continue in them And first it pretendeth corruption of nature and humaine frailtie which is so great in all men that doe what they can they must needs be guiltie of many sinnes But in this wee may vanquish our flesh with it owne weapon for therefore we should not giue willing entertainement vnto any sinne because through our infirmitie and the strength of naturall corruption many will thrust in vpon vs whether we will or no therefore we should fight the more couragiously against these enemies because they are so instant to presse vpon vs. Yea in truth this should double our repentance seeing there doth not onely some streames of wickednesse flow from vs but also we haue the fountaine in our selues especially considering we were not thus by creation but through our owne default whereby we haue defaced Gods image and brought our selues into this state of corruption § Sect 3. Secondly the flesh teacheth vs to pretend custome Secondly men excuse themselues for liuing impenitently in their sinnes by pretending custome which hath taken such fast hold vpon them that they can by no meanes shake it off Thus the swearer pretendeth that he would willingly leaue vaine and blasphemous oathes but that he is so inured vnto them that he often sweareth at vnawares Thus the voluptuous man saith that he would be content to leaue his carnall delights as drinking gaming rioting whoring but that hee hath so accustomed himselfe vnto them that he cannot forsake them nor giue them euer But let such know that it is high time for them to come out of their sinnes by repentance seeing they haue brought themselues into a most miserable and fearefull condition for sinne is turned into another nature and by pleading custome holdeth them in subiection as it were by vertue of a law And Sathan who through their naturall corruption held them in the vilest and basest slauerie hath his possession confirmed by their customable seruice of him in their actuall transgressions and now the strong man holdeth the house with some shew of right hauing so long possessed it that he can pleade prescript on Of these men I would demaund if euer they meane to come out of their sinnes by vnfained repentance or no. If not what appearance of hope is there but that they must be eternally miserable in the fire of hell But if they doe as all will pretend why doe they it not presently For if custome be too strong for them already how much more vnresistable will it be when it is more and more confirmed by much practise and continuance But I am so fettered in sin by an ill custome that I cannot shake it off Yet know that though it be hard yet vpon the necessity of thy saluation it must be done and therefore in stead of breaking these cords with a Sampson like resolution let not time and vse double them and make them stronger Yea rather vntwist them by little and little if thou canst not at once breake them and by a contrary custome of piety and righteousnesse disuse thee from thy sinnes by degrees indeauouring first to set thy heart at liberty For if the heart being deliuered out of the bondage of sinne begin now to hate it then neither will the tongue delight to speake it nor the hand to act it And therefore pretend not custome seeing it is not this but our malicious wils that imbrace it and our hearts that affect it which make vs continue in our sinne without repentance neither can custome hold vs vnto any thing which is in our owne power to alter if our wils with any resolution doe breake away from it For tell me thou who pretendest this excuse if this custome should be punished in euery particular act with some forfeiture whereby thy estate would be impouerished or some punishment inflicted on the body which would bring vnto thee more damage and smart then thy sinne doth pleasure and delight wouldest thou not leaue thy sinne and hate it if not for it selfe yet for the penalty sake inflicted on thee for it And wilt thou not regard thy precious soule as well as thy corruptible body and be as carefull to auoide eternall damnation as well as some worldly losse Finally know that it will proue but a miserable excuse at the day of iudgement when God and our owne consciences shall accuse vs for our sinnes to say that we committed and could not leaue them because we were accustomed vnto them and all one as if the man-slayer should excuse his murther by telling the iudge that he could doe no otherwise because he had for a long time beene accustomed thereto by killing of many other Or as if the thiefe should excuse his theft by saying that he could not choose but doe it because his hands for a long
perswadeth vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance by alleadging that the times wherein we liue and the persons among we dwell are so euill and wholly corrupted with sinne that there is a necessitie laide vpon vs of conforming our courses to the example of others seeing if we purge our selues from the sinnes which commonly raigne and make conscience of those vices which others commit we shall not onely expose our selues to the scorne and obliquie of all that obserue vs as being more strickt and precise in our courses then we neede but also as the Prophet speaketh make our selues a common prey For the defeating of which Esa 59. 15. deceipt let vs know that we must be of the little flocke of Christ if euer we meane to be in their number vnto whom his fathers pleasure is to giue a Kingdome that we must not Luke 12. 32. follow a multitude in doing euill vnlesse we thinke also to be partakers in their punishments that we must not fashion Exod. 23. 2 our selues to the example of the world if we would not perish Rom. 12. 2. Ioh. 15. 19. with it but must be transformed by the renewing of our mindes and be seuered from the world and culled out of it if we would be in the number of Christs Disciples or become true members and subiects of his kingdome That it is better to goe into heauen alone then to goe into hell and haue all the world to beare vs company Let vs remember that we must through good report and euill report goe on in 2 Cor. 6. 8. our Christian course with the blessed Apostle if we euer meane to accompany him in heauen That it is no great matter to suffer ascoffe for Christ who hath for our sakes suffered the bitter death of the crosse that we must not refuse to be the sheepe of Christ nor alter our nature to a woluish condition because wee would not be iniured by wolues and goates vnlesse we would with them be set at Christs left hand and heare that dreadfull sentence of condemnation denounced against vs. That wee shall in the Mat. 25. end ouercome by suffering and receiue a crowne of our patience which without all comparison will exceede our paines Let vs further consider that no man is carelesse of the health of his body because the ayre is infected and the country full of contagious sicknes but doth so much the more carefully vse all good preseruatiues to keepe him from these Epedemical diseases and the like care we would haue of our soules if we loued them as well as we doe our bodies In regard whereof the Apostle vseth this as an argument to make vs more watchfull and diligent in redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Finally let vs know Eph. 5. 16. that neither time nor place in which we liue will excuse vs before God if we liue in our sinnes seeing as the best time or place will not priuiledge vs from falling into sinne no not Paradise it selfe and the society of the Angels as we see in Adam so neither will those times and places which most abound with euill poison vs with the contagion of sinne if wee haue about vs the preseruatiue of a good conscience and haue sincere and vpright hearts which make vs with Enoch in the middest of worldly destructions to walke with our God Yea rather when wee are Gen. 5. on all sides compassed about with wicked men the heate and zeale of our godlinesse as it were by an antiperistasis will be intended and increased As we see in the example of Noah who continued iust when all the world were wicked Of Abraham who was vpright in his wayes among the wicked Cananites of Lot whose soule was righteous though he liued among the filthy Sodomites Of Ioseph and Moses in the Court of Pharaoh Dauid in the Court of Saul and of Nehemiah Daniel the three children and many others who feared and serued the Lord though they liued yea bore office in the Court of the Kings of Babylon §. Sect. 7. The sixt policie of the flesh in perswading vs to continue in our sins because god is mercifull A sixt pollicy which the flesh vse h to perswade vs to continue in our sinnes without repentance is to tell vs of Gods mercy which is so endlesse and infinite that notwithstanding we goe on in our owne courses yet we shall be saued With which that we may not be ouertaken let vs consider that it is an horrible abuse of Gods mercy when we take occasion thereby to continue in our sinnes which in the Scriptures is offered vnto vs as the maine argument whereby wee are inuited vnto repentance So the Psalmist saith that there is mercy with the Lord that hee may Psal 130. 4. Rom. 2. 4. be feared and the Apostle telleth vs that the riches of Gods goodnes his patience and long-suffering doe inuite vs to repentance It is a notable motiue to perswade a rebell to yeelde and submit himselfe to his Prince because hee is gratious and mercifull but if any will goe out or continue in his rebellion vpon this ground his presumption alone would make him worthy to bee hanged because the grace and goodnesse of his Prince should worke in him loue and obedience and make him loath and euen ashamed to offend and displease so gracious a soueraigne Secondly let vs knowe that howsoeuer Gods mercy in it selfe is infinit and incomprehensible yet in respect of the obiect and exercise of it it is limitted by his truth which appropriateth it only to repentant sinners because such onely doe lay hold of it and apply it vnto themselues by a liuely faith without which application the mercy of God can doe vs no more good then a soueraigne salue can cure a wound which is cast behind the doore and neuer applied vnto it Lastly let vs know that as God is infinite in mercy so also in iustice yea in trueth these are all one in God his mercy being a iust mercy and his iustice a mercifull iustice onely they seeme to differ in respect of the obiect and diuers maner of exercising them towards his creatures In which regard notwithstanding it may truely be saide that hee is iust in iustifying a sinner because beleeuing in Christ his sinnes Rom. 3. 26. are satisfied for by his merits and obedience and that he is mercifull towards the wicked in bearing with them so long and affording vnto them so many meanes to bring them to repentance But if these meanes be contemned then the acceptable time and day of saluation being past there is no more place for mercy but onely for iustice in the manifestation whereof towards the wicked and reprobate God is no lesse glorified then in the declaring of his mercy and trueth towards the faithfull and Elect. Neither must we thinke it any disparagement to Gods mercy that it is not effectuall for the saluation of all
The which danger is much aggrauated in that he doth not professe his emnity but is in outward shew a familiar friend vvho eateth drinketh and sleepeth with vs it maketh shew of loue but indeede mortally hateth vs it is like an helper but is in truth our greatest Aduersarie and like Sanballat and Tobiah it offereth his paines in building the wals of our Citie which may repulse forraigne forces when as it intendeth nothing but our ruine and to betray vs into the power of outward enemies For no sooner doth Sathan and the world besiege and assault vs with their tentations but presently it ioyneth with them and being acquainted with all our counsailes it reuealeth vnto them our secrets euen our hidden thoughts and vnknowne desires and like a wicked Dalilah hauing by treacherous flattery vndermined vs it discouereth to these cursed Philistims where our chiefe strength lyeth yea it secretly openeth the gates of our hearts and not onely letteth in all their forces but as soone as they are entred ioyneth with them and laying violent hands on the spirituall man it laboureth all it may to captiuate and destroy him And therfore the wilye red Dragon neuer maketh warre against vs vntill he be assured first of these inbred traytors and carnall Hic est qui manus nostras proprio cuigulo alligat et baculo nostro nos caedit Bernard ibid. aydes And as one saith it is his policie to binde vs alwaies with our owne girdle and to ouercome and beat vs with our owne staffe Yea not onely doth the flesh dwell and co-inhabite with vs but it also adhereth and inseparably cleaueth vnto vs as being a part and the greater part of our selues Whereby the dangerousnes of this enemy appeareth for the warre which it maketh against the new and spirituall man is not onely ciuill and domesticall which notwithstanding is much more perilous and terrible then that which is forraigne but without any metaphor properly and truely intestine and as it were in our owne bowels Besides this combate betweene them is fought in a place of great disaduantage namely this world where the worser Brande quidem periculum est et grauis lucta adusus domesticum hostem c Bernard de Quadri serm 5. parts hath many friends and strong aydes euen millions of wicked men and whole legions of Diuels and contrariwise the better part hath few friends and many enemies Great surely saith one is the danger and the conflict sore and grieuous against an enemie so domestique especially seeing wee are strangers and he a citizen hee inhabiteth his owne countrey and we here are exiles and strangers Yea in truth this warre is more intestiue then that vvhich was betweene Rebecca her twins For not onely doth here one person fight against another nor as some would haue it the body against the soule of the same man nor yet one faculty alone against another of a different nature the sensitiue against the reasonable and the will affections against the iudgement and conscience but also the selfe-same faculties against themselues reason against reason will against will the same affection against the same loue against loue feare against feare and hope against hope In which respect this fight with our flesh is much more dangerous then our fight with Sathan himselfe for though hee be sometime yea often neere vs yet not alwaies and when he is neerest hee is not alike neere as our owne flesh which adhereth to euery part and faculty of body and soule Though he casteth into our hearts and mindes the fiery darts of his tentations yet if we catch them vpon and quench them with the shield of faith they will not hurt vs. Yea though he buckle and close with vs yet if the Spirit of God dwelling in vs resist this foule spirit he will flie away at least for a season and wee Luk. 4. 13. shall be rid of his noysome company but our flesh and carnall corruptions inseparably cleaue vnto vs and though they be neuer so often ouercome by fasting prayer watchings and such like spirituall exercises yet as long as we liue we cannot be quite rid of them nor wholly subdue them and an hilate their strength but after they seeme to be withered they will againe flourish after they are weakened they will recouer strength after they seeme to languish with age they will regaine their youthfull vigour yea when in outward shew they appeare mortified and quite dead they will againe reuiue and standing stoutly in their strength they will re enforce the fight against vs. § Sect 2. That the daungerousnes of this enemie is much increased by reason of this cohabitation From whence it may plainely appeare how exceeding dangerous the flesh with the lusts thereof are vnto vs seeing they are enemies not onely strong and subtle but alwayes hard at hand not onely besieging and besetting vs but euen dwelling with and in vs. Whereby they haue no small aduantage against vs for neuer leauing but adhering and cleauing vnto vs in all places and at all times they are ready to vvatch all occasions and to take all opportunities of doing vs mischiefe laying traps and snares for vs in all our enterprises For doe vve vndertake the performance of holy and religious duties Why then they dogge and follow vs to the exercises and distract vs with vvorldly cogitations and wandring thoughts and oppresse our mindes with dulnesse drowsinesse and carnall wearinesse Are vve imployed in the duties of our callings They vvill make vs negligent and lazie and carrie vs away vvith carnall pleasures or so wholly and earnestly intent on them that vve shall spare no time for Gods seruice nor for the inriching of our soules vvith spirituall treasures Doe vve eate and drink to relieue and sustaine our bodies They are ready to make our tables snares turning sufficiencie into superfluitie and necessary foode into excesse and belly-cheare surfetting and drunkennesse where the soule and spirits are so oppressed that they are vtterly vnfit for any Christian duties Doe we intend to refresh our selues vvith honest recreations They doe attend and waite on vs mouing vs to consume a great part of our time in them which should be allotted to better exercises and euen to spend our strength and spirits in the immoderate vse of them whereby instead of being refreshed and cheared vve are disabled and made vtterly vnfit for the duties of Christianitie and of our callings and are so vvholly taken vp in the meanes that vve neglect the maine ends for vvhich we vse them Yea doe we after our labours betake our selues to our rest When vve locke our chamber doores vve cannot shut out these enemies but vvhether we vvill or no they vvill be our bedfellowes and are alwayes ready at our lying downe to distract vs from any good meditations or serious examination of vvhat we haue done or omitted the day past to fill our mindes with vaine dreames and vvicked imaginations and to
we may not slip nor slide or being fallen that we may speedily rise againe by vnfained repentance nor yet let vs thinke any paines too much that wee may shake off this waight of corruption and this sinne that doeth so easily beset vs that wee may runne with patience the race that is set before vs. To which end let vs first consider that if we will Heb. 12. 1. take this paines we shall in the ende be assured of victory the which may well put courage into vs and make vs hold out in this conflict for if the flesh is not wearied in this fight after many wounds and foyles though in the ende it be sure of a shamefull ouerthrowe much lesse let vs faint who are assured in the ende to obtaine a ioyfull victory Secondly 1 Cor. 15. 58. let vs meditate of the riches of the crown of the gloriousnesse of the triumph which we shall enioy after we haue suffred a litle while the paines of this spirituall warfare and when vve are vveary in running the Christian race let vs comfort and refresh our selues by hauing continually in Heb. 12. 2. our eye the goale and garland imitating and looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him despised all the toyle and trouble which hee found in the way And finally let vs being weake and faint in our selues pray continually vnto God for the assistance of his holy spirit to strengthen vs in this conflict and to renew and repaire our wearied fainting and decayed graces that so receiuing new life vigour and strength from him we may thereby be enabled to hold out vnto the ende let vs when wee are tyred craue this holy annoynting which will so supple and soften our stiffe ioints and weary limmes that we shall be able to continue in the Christian race till being come to the goale we shall obtaine the garland Neither let this discourage vs that the more sharpely we deale with the flesh the more it is inraged for it is but like the fury of an enemy who hath receiued a mortall wound vvhich if for the present it bee resisted the blaze of the choller quickly goeth out and fainting in his strength hee will fall at our feete it is but like the reluctation and resistance of a base minded slaue vvho by a fewe and small stripes is so inraged that he is ready to catch his maister by the throate but if he bee throughly hampred and soundly beaten hee vvill fall downe at his feete and beare what stripes he pleaseth to giue him without resistance And therefore let vs make this vse of the rage of the flesh to be moued thereby to vnite our forces and redouble our blowes and then though it make neuer so many gallant brauadoes it will quickly yeelde and we shall be sure of an happy victory THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE BETWEENE THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT INTRE Ating of the conflict it selfe and of the meanes whereby we may get the victory CHAP. I. That there is a combate in euery true Christian betweene the Flesh and the Spirit § Sect 1. Testimonies of scripture to proue that there is this conflict in euerie man that is regenerate NOw hauing shewed the nature of our enemie how daungerous he is and how wee may bee armed and prepared to withstand his assaults and obtaine the victory we are to intreate of the combate and conflict it selfe And first we will shew that there is in the faithfull such a combate and conflict indeede and trueth although worldly and carnall men who neuer found it in themselues are ready to thinke it to bee but a meere conceipt The which will appeare by plaine testimonies of Scripture for the Apostle telleth vs that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and that these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot doe the things we would Where by flesh and spirit as I haue proued we cannot vnderstand the body and soule but the part Gal. 5. 17. regenerate and vnregenerate the corruption of nature and the qualitie of holinesse in euery faculty and power of them both So in his owne example hee sheweth the practique and experience of this trueth in the seauenth chapter of the Romaines for he professeth that he could not doe the good hee Rom. 7. 19. 22. 23. would nor leaue vndone the euill hee would not that he was delighted in the lawe of God in the inner man but at the same time found another lawe in his members rebelling and making warre against the lawe of his minde and bringing him into captiuitie to the lawe of sinne which was in his members and plainly saith that when he was thus led captiue vnto sinne it was no more he that did it but the sinne that is the sinnefull corruption that dwelled in him § Sect 2. That the Apostle in the seuenth of the Romans speaketh of this conflict in himself as he was regenerate Now that the Apostle did not speake this of himselfe as he was vnregenerate as some would haue it nor as he was vnder the lawe as others would haue it in his state of humiliation and preparation to his conuersion and so consequently not of the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit but betweene the conscience and the corrupt will it may easily appeare by the Scripture it selfe for the Apostle doeth not write in the preterperfect-tense what hee had Arminius in Rom. 7. beene in time past but in the present-tense as his state was when he wrote this Epistle And besides the things which he speaketh of himselfe doe plainely euince this which cannot be truely attributed to a man vnregenerate or vnder the lawe and onely in his preparation to his regeneration but are proper vnto them who are conuerted and in part sanctified For first hee alloweth not the euill hee doeth and consenteth vnto the lawe that it vvas good and therfore his conscience and iudgement vvere in part inlightened and rectified hee willeth the good he did not and the euill which he did that hee nilleth and therefore his vvill vvas in part regenerate he hateth the euill he doeth and delighteth in the lawe of God after the inner man and therefore his affections vvere in part sanctified hee did not the euill which was committed but sinne that dwelled in him and there is a sore conflict betweene the lawe of his minde and of his members which was nothing else but the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit and therefore in respect of his whole man he was in part regenerate Finally he desireth earnestly to bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption and professeth that with his minde hee serued the lawe of God though his flesh serued the lawe of sinne and therefore he was not the slaue of sinne and Sathan as all are who are vnregenerate and vnder the lawe but the
resurrection § Sect. 6. Sanctification begun and not perfected is the formall cause of this conflict first because of the greate contrariety betweene grace corruption But this as I haue before shewed is onely begunne and not perfected and accomplished in this life not for want of sufficient vertue in Christs death and resurrection but through the weakenesse of our faith we being but partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate in part spirituall and in part carnall And that I may follow the similitude though the great tyrant Sathan be thrust from his throne so as hee cannot any longer rule vs as a King yet hee is not quite expelled out of our quarters but still he molesteth vs as an enemy and though the legions of his lustes are beaten from the strong holds and driuen out of the market place and chiefe gate of the City yet they lye lurking in the suburbs and secret corners and no sooner giue wee them through our retchlesnes the least aduantage but they steale through our sleepy watch and guard or cunningly thrust in at some posterne gate and so assault vs with all violence and malice So that there may be two maine and essentiall causes giuen of this conflict betweene the spirit accompanied with Gods graces and the flesh attended with many sinnefull lustes the one is the antipathy and contrarietie which is betweene them which is exceeding hostile and full of al emnity and opposition as it may appeare if we consider the contrariety of their natures for what is the spirit I meane the created spirit infused into vs but the qualitie of holines and righteousnes renewed according to Gods image And what is the flesh but the defacing of this image the depriuation of this originall righteousnesse and the staine of naturall corruption which hath ouerspread and defiled all the powers and parts of our soules and body so that the flesh resisteth the spirit in a double opposition both as it is a priuation and want of righteousnesse and as it is a corruption making vs prone to all vnrighteousnes And therefore the contrarietie which is betweene them is as great and vnreconcilable as betweene light and darkenes health and sicknesse heate and colde good euil so that the prospering of the one is the ruine of the other the encreasing of the one is the decreasing of the other and the ones preuayling and victory is the others weakening and vtter ourthrow The other is their cohabitation and dwelling together in the same place and subiect which ministreth vnto them mutually occasion and imposeth a necessity of their continuall opposition euen as when fire and water heate and colde meete together there can neuer bee any agreement or so much as a truce till the one of them haue gotten the vpper hand and the other as much as lyeth in the power of the contrary quality be subdued and abolished §. Sect. 6. Secondly because these enemies so contrarie and opposite dwell togeather Neither are we so to conceiue it as though these enemies so opposite dwelled in the same City but in diuers holds or in the same man in respect of his diuers parts but euen as it were in the same house and chamber in the same faculties and parts More plainely the flesh doeth not onely dwell in the body or inferiour and sensuall parts and the spirit in the soule alone or the intellectuall and reasonable faculties for so they might part their bounds dominions shut the doore against one another and sometime enioy a peace or truce without the others molestation but in the same vnderstanding will body and affections so that the whole soule in respect of it diuers faculties is partly flesh and partly spirit and cannot bee deuided but onely distinguished the vnderstanding will affections and body being partly regenerate partly vnregenerate partly sanctified by Gods spirit and partly sinnefull and corrupted with those reliques of sinne remaining in them For example the image of God is in part renewed and the image of sinne and Sathan in part remaineth As in the vnderstanding ignorance is inchoatiuely dispelled driuen away and the light of knowledge shineth in it not perfectly but still the fogge and mists of ignorance remaining obserue this light being wholly mingled with it So the peruersenesse and rebellion of the will is changed into loyaltie and obedience but yet imperfectly and therefore the reliques of corruption remaining the same will obeyeth and rebelleth willeth and nilleth both good and euill the affections which were corrupted and disordered are by the spirit sanctified and reduced to order yeelding their obedience to their soueraigne holy reason but this sanctification being but begunne and imperfect the reliques of corruption doe still remaine so that the same man both loueth and loatheth both spirituall and carnall things trusteth and distrusteth God and contrariwise distrusteth and trusteth in the creatures hopeth and dispaireth in Gods mercy feareth God and immoderately feareth man humbleth himselfe before God ascribing vnto him the whole glory and is puffed vp with pride arrogating some part of that which is due vnto God onely vnto himselfe So the same appetite being but in part sanctified is partly temperate and partly intemperate partly sober and partly addicted to excesse and the same body in the like respect is partly the instrument of righteousnesse vnto holinesse and partly the instrument of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne In which respect the new man and regenerate part may fitly be compared to a childe which is perfect in all the parts of a man in the first hower he is borne but yet litle and weake in respect of his strength and stature notwithstanding still increasing and growing till â—ee come to be a man of ripe and perfect age And contrariwise the part vnregenerate is as fitly resembled to an olde man worne out with age decrepite who also hath in him all the parts of a man but yet weakened and enfeebled Who though hee hath a greater stature yet is not much stronger then a childe and though hee bee yet herein is his disaduantage that whereas the other encreaseth daily and waxeth stronger he decreaseth and decayeth waxing euery day more feeble then other till at last by death all his strength is wholly abolished so as now the weake childe being growne to mans age may triumph ouer him and trample on his graue § Sect. 7 How such contraries can dwell togeather and not abolish one an other Yea but how can such mortall enemies and contraries so opposite dwell together without the abolition and vtter destruction of the one party seeing they doe not onely like the Canaanits and Israelits dwell in the same land or the Israelits and Iebusits in the same City but in the same man and which is more not in diuers but euen in the very same part and faculty To this I answere that though these contraries cannot dwell together in their prime vigour and full strength therfore in the state
of perfection there could be no conflict because there could be no flesh nor yet in the state of corruption because there could bee no spirit yet they may when their degrees are abated and their vigour and full strength is somewhat blunted and deadded In which respect this residence of the flesh and spirit is fitly compared to the residence of the light and darkenesse in the ayre in the twilight or dawning of the day when as there is not one part of the ayre darke and another light but the whole ayre partly light and partly darke he darkenesse and light being mingled together or of heate and colde in the same luke-warme water where they are not diuided in place but the whole water is partly cold and partly hot or of water and wine in the same vessell in which there is not one part wine and another water but the whole mixture is partly water and partly wine or of sicknes and health in those which we call weake and sickly through some spice or reliques of an Ague or Feauer of whom it cannot be saide that hee is sicke in one part and sound in another but that he is partly healthy in his whole body so far forth as he is recoured and partly sicke so farre forth as the reliques of his sicknes remaine in him In all which these contrary qualities doe not friendly conioyne themselues nor agree one with another neither doe they communicate their properties vertues and contrary qualities to produce this mixture but both of them stand still in hostile tearmes in the same subiect labouring continually to get the victory and wholly abolish his enemy opposite CHAP. IIII. Of the Combate it selfe and the manner how it is fought in vs. § Sect. 1. When wee are called by God to this conflict WEe haue shewed what are the causes of this conflict and now we are in the next place to speake of the combate it selfe of the manner how it is fought in vs. To which purpose we are to know that the acceptable time and day of saluation being come when as the Lord is purposed to deliuer vs eternally out of the hands and power of sinne and Sathan raigning and ruling in our hearts as Kings yea Gods as the Scripture speaketh holding the Rom. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 26. whole man with all the powers and faculties of his soule and body in subiection to doe their will that for the time which remaineth we may be his seruants and souldiars to obey him in all things and to make warre vnder his standard against the spirituall enemies of our saluation it pleaseth him by the ministry of his word made effectuall by the operation of his spirit to open our blinde eyes that we may see and plainly discerne that wretched bondage vnder sinne and Sathan in which we liue the innumerable miseries into which it plungeth vs for this present life and that hellish condemnation and euerlasting torments which if we liue die in this thraldome doe attend vs in the life to come Thereby is discouered vnto vs the tyranny of the diuell whereby he raigneth and rageth in vs working our hearts to his will and inclyning vs to drudge in his seruice for no other reward but the vncertaine pay of worldly vanities which shall be accompanied with endlesse destruction the vglinesse and intollerable waight of sinne which as an heauy burthen presseth vs downe to hell the terrible wrath of God inflamed against vs by our sinnes and the curse of the lawe ready to attach vs. Finally that our liues be momentary and vncertaine and therefore also the pleasures of sinne can bee but alike vnsure and of short continuance but the life to come and both the pleasures and ioyes and the paines and torments of it are euerlasting and there is no hope to enioy the one and escape the other if wee liue and dye in our present condition And thus when by the ministery of the word wee are brought to a sight and sense our damnable and wretched estate our sleeping consciences are awakened our hard and flintie hearts are throughly humbled and softned bruised and made contrite so as our former carnall securitie being shaken of we relent and mourne in the sight of our sinne and misery Being thus cast downe and humbled the Lord by the preaching of the Gospell maketh knowne vnto vs his loue in Christ the infinitenesse of his mercy and goodnesse together with that singular pledge there of his deare and onely sonne giuen to the death for our redemption the sweete promises of the Gospel assuring all of the mercy forgiuenesse of their sins deliuerance out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies whom Christ by his death hath vanquished and subdued and of eternall life and saluation of body and soule if wee will lay hold vpon Christ and his righteousnesse by a liuing faith and bring forth the fruits thereof by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto God by vnfained repentance Which meanes of comming out of our present misery and of attaining to a better estate being made knowne vnto vs we begin to conceiue that there is some possibilitie of comming out of the thraldome of sinne and Sathan and of attaining to saluation the which inflameth our hearts with an earnest to come out of our bondage and to this ende to be made partakers of Christ and his righteousnesse who alone can helpe vs and a firme resolution to deny our selues and all other meanes as vaine and vnprofitable and to cast our selues wholly vpon our Sauiour Christ for our iustification and saluation From hence ariseth a constant endeauour in the vse of all good meanes to attaine vnto faith whereby we may be assured of Christ and his benefits and particularly apply them vnto our selues for our owne vse which being likewise wrought in vs by the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell and we thereby perswaded of the pardon of our sinnes of Gods loue and our owne saluation in the next place we desire to haue our assurance confirmed more and more by a liuely sâ—nâ—e and feeling and an experimentall knowledge Phil. 3. that wee are by Christ our redeemer deliuered out of the hands of our spirituall enemies To which ende we desire the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit by which wee may be actually deliuered out of the bondage of sinne and Sathan that they may no longer haue dominion ouer vs and to finde and feele the vertue and power of Christ Iesus his death as effectuall or our sanctification as our iustification for the inriching vs with sauing grace as for the assuring vs of eternall glory for the mortifying and subduing of the corruption of sinne as for the fâ—â—â—ng of vs from the guilt and punishment § Sect. 2. The second summons to this conflict Which desires are no sooner wrought in vs by the ministery of the word made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods
and at the same time was willing to die that he might yeelde obedience to his fathers will and perfect the worke of our redemption and yet as one saith Vtrobique Christus neutrobique peccatum Christ in both but sinne in neither § Sect. 2. That this conflict is not in the vnregenerate Secondly this conflict is not at all in those who are vnregenerate and vnsanctified for in these one of the combatants which is the spirit is wanting they are wholy ruled by the flesh vnder their chiefe cōmander Sathan whose kingdom is not deuided in the carnall man but he quietly raigneth without any resistance and possesseth all in peace Neither is there in him any power of opposition for he is not onely sicke but starke dead in trespasses and sinnes and Eph. 2. 1. there is not any sparke of spirituall life and grace which is wholly from the spirit according to that of the Apostle to be carnally minded is death but to bee spiritually minded is 2. Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 2. life and peace Sathans throne is set vp in them and hee raigneth not onely like a King but also like a God in the children of vnbeliefe hauing not onely their bodies and outward man but euen their hearts soules their wils and affections at his commaund so as they are neither able nor willing to make any resistance but yeeld vnto him chearful obedience The flesh as Sathans Vice-roy also ruleth in them and they willingly obey it in the lustes thereof It raigneth in their mortall bodies as the Apostle speaketh yea in the most excellent parts of their soules the minde Rom. 6. 12. and vnderstanding for their wisedome is earthly carnall Iam. 3. 15. and diuellish standing in direct emnitie against God being in the flesh they doe only mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 7 and therefore the Apostle ioyneth both these together as Eph. 2. 3. being all one fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde And as they are wholly flesh so all their actions are fleshly Ioh. 3. 6. and carnall for as our Sauiour saith that which i◠borne of Rom. 7. 5. the flesh is flesh and as the Apostle telleth vs when wee were in the flesh the motions of sinnes which were by the lawe did Rom. 6 17. 19. worke in our members to bring forth fruite vnto death and being the seruants of sinne they yeelded their members as seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie vnto iniquitie And therefore in those who are meerely naturall and vnregenerate there can be no such conflict because they are onely flesh and no spirit neither can it rightly be saide as Augustine affirmeth August Contra Iulian pelagian l. 6. cap. 11. Tit. 7. Col. 1136. that the spirit of any man can lust against his flesh vnlesse the spirit of Christ doe dwell in him § Sect. 3. That the conflict that is in the regenerate that which is in the vnregenerate differ much and first in their grounds causes from which they arise Howbeit we are to knowe that there is euen in the carnall man another fight and skirmish which hauing some seeming shewe and similitude of the spirituall conflict is by worldly and ciuill men mistaken for it in which respect it wil not be amisse to distinguish them one from another First then they differ in their ground and cause from which they arise for whereas as hath beene shewed the spirituall conflict ariseth from the grace of regeneration and sanctification whereby the gifts and graces of Gods spirit being infused into all our powers and faculties doe make warre against our carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts the conflict which is in the vnregenerate ariseth from those reliques of Gods image defaced in vs opposing the image of Sathan and our sinnefull corruption For the minde retaineth some small sparkes of the light of nature and certaine common notions which receiue some litle strength and luster from the view and study in the booke of the creatures and yet a larger increase of illumination from the word of God which illighteneth the minde euen of a meere naturall man with speculatiue and litterall knowledge whereby hee is in some sortenabled to discerne betweene good and euill trueth and falsehood right and wrong With which light of the vnderstanding the conscience being directed it retaineth also a power to excuse vs when we doe well and to accuse condemne terrifie and torment vs when we doe euill So the Apostle saith that the Gentiles who had not the lawe did shewe the worke of the lawe Rom. 2 15. written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another The will likewise retaineth a kinde of freedome not onely about things materially euill but also such as are natural ciuill meerely morall though herein also it be very weake corrupt and defectiue And these reliques are common to all men and in some are much encreased and rise to a farre higher pitch and degree by the common guifts of the spirit and meere ciuill graces which in a farre greater measure are conferred vpon some men then vpon others But there being mingled in all these faculties a sea of corruption with some small droppes of those created reliques ioyned with a world of wickednesse in the inferiour and sensuall faculties of the soule and many of these carnal corruptions being in their speciall kindes contrary one to another although they generally agree in being all sinfull and euill from hence ariseth this warre and discord betweene them like vnto theeues and robbers who all agree together in robbing and spoyling of a true man but fall out among themselues when they come to deuide the prey Thus the vnderstanding by the light of nature or common grace discerning in particular actions what is good to be embraced and what is euil to be shunned informeth the conscience accordingly and leaueth it to it◠censure and determination either to approue vs for the doing of good forsaking of euil or to condemne vs for the doing of euill and neglecting of good Vpon which censure sometimes the will is excited and moued to embrace that which the conscience alloweth to refuse that which it condemneth sometime being transported by it owne sinnefull corruption and sometime ouerswayed with the violence of the inferiour will carnall appetite and vnruly passions it harkeneth vnto them and stoppeth the eares to reason and conscience For example the vnderstanding discerning that it is grounded on reason and equirie that we should serue God who created vs doeth continually preserue vs according to that of the Apostle For we are his Eph. 2. 10. workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them propoundeth this to the conscience that by the law of creation we are all bound to serue him the which
true iustifying faith maketh vs to reioyce when as wee thinke of the appearing of our Sauiour Christ vnto iudgement and euen to long for this time as being the day of our full redemption when both in body and soule wee shall be freed from all sinne and misery and enioy all glory and endlesse happinesse according to that of our Sauiour When these things beginne to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nigh And so the Apostle saith that we which haue receiued the first fruites Luk. 21. 28. Rom. 8. 23. of the spirit euen we our selues groane within our selues waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body The which ioy in thinking on this day and mourning because it is deferred commeth through our assurance of faith and confidence of hope For therefore doe we desire to leaue 2 Cor. 5. 1. 7. Gal. 5. 5. this world and to be dissolued because we knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God a house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens and because through the spirit wee waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith But no such ioy or longing accompanieth the faith of temporaries because they haue no such assurance of this happinesse and are besides so besotted with the loue of worldly things that they cannot without terrour and amazement thinke of that day which when it commeth will wholly depriue them of all their earthly ioy § Sect. 19. The 3 effect is the spirit of adoption A third effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is to perswade and assure vs that we are the children of God and to entitle vs as heyres to our heauenly inheritance the which is a priuiledge and prerogatiue that belongeth to all the faithfull and to them alone according to that of the Euangelist But as many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to Ioh. 1. 12. become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And this is an vndoubted fruit of the spirit as the apostle witnesseth For yee haue not saith hee receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee haue receiued the spirit Rom. 8. 15. 16. Gal. 4. 6. of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirit that wee are the children of God and if children then heyres heyres of God and ioynt heyres with Christ And againe Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father In which regard the spirit of God dwelling in vs 2 Cor. 5. 5. is called the spirit of adoption which doeth not giue vnto vs a doubtfull testimony of this inestimable priuiledge but certainely assureth vs that it doeth belong vnto vs. In which regard it is called an earnest which God therefore Eph. 1. 14. giueth vs to put vs out of all doubt that he wil make good this heauenly bargaine which hee hath promised vnto vs. Which is saith the Apostle the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession And in the same respect it is called a seale which by the powerfull impression that it imprinteth in vs assureth vs that God will make good vnto vs the promise of grace and saluation in Iesus Christ So the Apostle saith In whom also after ye beleeued yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise And Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. grieue not the holy spirit of God whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of redemption If therefore by this earnest and seale we haue attained vnto this assurance of our adoption and right vnto our heauenly inheritance we may be assured also that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs for the cause and the effect cannot be seuered and our assurance of our heauenly bargaine doeth plainely argue that we haue receiued this earnest and seale by which alone it is confirmed vnto vs. But that we may not be deceiued with a false and counterfeite seale let vs remember that this seale onely is annexed vnto the couenant of grace which requireth on our part the condition of faith and repentance and as it is Gods priuy seale according to that the Lord knoweth them that are his so there is a broade seale ioyned with it let euery 2 Tim. 2. 19. one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity and therefore those who liue in their infidelity and impenitency haue not receiued this seale for what haue they to doe with the seale to whom the couenant doeth not appertaine § Sect 20. The fourth effect is the spirit of supplication A fourth effect of the spirit is to enable vs vnto prayer and to powre forth our soules vnto God in such an acceptable manner as that our suites and petitions are hard and graunted by him whereof it is called by the Prophet Zachary the spirit of grace and supplication which the Lord promiseth to power vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants Zach. 12. 10. of Ierusalam that is all the true members of the inuisible Church militant here on earth So the Apostle plainly Rom. 8. 26. telleth vs that we know not for what to pray as we ought but it is the spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession Iud. ver 20. for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered And therefore the Apostle Iude knowing our insufficiencie in our selues to performe this duty doeth exhort vs to pray in the holy Ghost Whereby it appeareth that the spirit of God dwelleth in all those who in the sight and sense of their owne spirituall wants doe powre foorth their hearts and soules vnto God in prayer with faith and feruency of spirit which properties I require in that prayer which assureth vs that the spirit dwelleth in vs and not ability on the sudden vpon euery occasion to conceiue a prayer and to vtter it in eloquence of words choyse phrases or a continued ready discourse of speach For it is not saide that the spirit teacheth vs wordes and fluent phrases but to pray in the heart and spirit with sighes and groanes which cannot bee vttered which language God that searcheth the heart vnderstandeth and accepteth as the Apostle speaketh yea being a spirit and requiring to be worshipped in spirit and Rom. 8. 27. Ioh. 4. 24 trueth hee esteemeth not the most eloquent prayers conceiued and vttered without this sight of our wants zeale and feruency of spirit and contrariwise where these are he heareth and granteth our fuites supplications though with Ezechias we are not able to expresse them but chatter like a Crawe or Swallow or with Hannah onely moue our Esa 38. 14. lippes yea in trueth though wee should not so much as moue them so that with her wee speake vnto him in our 1 Sam. 1. 13. hearts Neither hath the Lord promised that he
similitude betweene them yet there are many great and essentiall differences whereby wee may know the one from the other For the regenerate man mortifieth and forsaketh his sinnes out of loue and obedience to God but the vnregenerate out of selfe-loue for the obtaining some temporall good or the auoiding of some euill Hee renounceth all sinne and laboureth most in the mortification of those corruptions vnto which hee is naturally most inclined as wee may see in the example of Dauid who shewed his vprightnesse before God by keeping himselfe from all his iniquities by hating euery false way and esteeming all Gods precepts So that his repentance and mortification is without restraint Ioh. 6. 63. or limitation and extendeth to the subduing and rooting Tit. 3. 5. out of all sinne without exception But the other in his fained repentance renounceth onley some sinnes which Eph. 2. 1. he can best spare as being least pleasant or profitable but as for those which are most aduantageable and delightfull he keepeth them like sugar vnder his tongue and will rather part with any thing euen the first borne of his body Iob. 20. 12 Mic. 6. 6. as the Prophet speaketh yea loose his owne soule then leaue and forsake it As we see in Herode and many others The man regenerate is constant in his repentance and casteth away his sinnes with detestation like filthy rags with a purpose neuer againe to returne vnto them but the hypocrite Esa 58. 5 Heb. 12. 1. onely leaueth them for a time and then returneth vnto them againe he layeth them aside like his apparell with a purpose to resume them when hee hath fit opportunitie and there is not a through diuorce betweene him and them but onely a temporarie separation as it were by mutuall consent Hee leaueth his sinnes willingly and chearefully and because they so beset him and clinge about his necke that he cannot in such hast flie from them as he desireth therefore he is content that the Lord should pull him out of this sinfull Sodome with some violence burne away his drosse with the fire of tribulation and cut the throate of those which he hath esteemed his darling sins with the sword or razor of afflictions but the other vnwillingly forsaketh his darling sinnes and when he is dragged from them by the feare of Gods approaching iudgements he doth with Lots wise looke backe vpon them as being loath to part with them vnlesse he were constrained by meere necessitie From whence another maine difference plainely ariseth betweene them For the sound Christian by his repentance hath his minde and affections changed and whereas in the dayes of his ignorance he allowed and approued loued and liked his sinnes now hee condemneth loatheth and disliketh them so that hee is freed not onely from the outward act of sinne but also from the inward loue yea more from the corrupt affection then from the sinfull action as wee see in the example of the Apostle Paul who did the euill which hee hated and Rom. 7. 15. 23. was delighted in the law of God in the inner man when by the Law of his members he was led captiue of sinne But the vnregenerate doe onely leaue their sinnes in respect of the outward act when as in the meane while their hearts and affections doe cleaue vnto it As we see in the example of Balaam Num. 23. 20. 26 who rendereth this as the reason why hee would not curse the people of Israel not because hee loued them as being the Church of God and his peculiar and chosen people but because the Lord would not giue him leaue wherby he implyeth that hee would very gladly haue done it that by gratifying Balaacke hee might haue receiued the wages of iniquitie but was restrained by the terrours of the Almightie so as he durst not for his life presume to doe it In which respect it may be truely said that Pauls sinning through infirmitie and in some sort vnwillingly was lesse sinfull then Balaams not committing of that act of sinne in cursing the people yea then his blessing of them seeing all hee did was through feare and constraint which made him to blesse them whom hee cursed in his heart as appeareth by that his cursed counsaile which he gaue vnto Balaacke namely that he should by alluring the people to Num. 24. 14. 24. 1. 2. commit first carnall and then spirituall fornication vtterly disarme them of Gods protection and leaue them naked to their enemies And the Lord doth not so much regard the hand as the heart nor the outward action as the minde and inward affection § Sect 6. That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickning of vs in the inner man Secondly as the spirit mortifieth and crucifieth the olde man with the lusts thereof so it quickeneth vs in the inner man and reneweth in vs all sanctifying and sauing graces as it maketh vs to flye all euill so to imbrace that which is good as it causeth vs to forsake our old sinful workes and corrupt conuersation so it inableth vs by our new obedience to serue the liuing God Thus our Sauiour ascribeth to the spirit this spirituall life and quickening It is saith he the spirit that quickeneth And the Apostle telleth vs that Iohn 6. 63. God according to his mercie hath saud vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost If therefore the Tit. 3. 5. Spirit of God dwelleth in vs then are we who were dead in trespasses and sinne quickened with sauing grace and raised Eph. 2. 1. and inabled vnto new obedience our vnderstanding which were darkened with ignorance are inlightened with the knowledge of Gods truth the worke of redemption and mysteries of godlinesse Our iudgements are informed so as we can discerne betweene truth and falsehood good and euill Our mindes which onely minded earthly vanities are now set not on things beneath but vpon those Col. 3. 2. Heb 9. 14. that are aboue our consciences which were loaded with dead workes doe now serue the liuing God performing that dutie for which they were created in excusing vs when we doe well and accusing vs when we doe euill Our wils which were stubborne and rebellious are now obedient plyable and subiect to the will of God Our hearts of stone are Psal 51. 17. made hearts of flesh and becomming broken and contrite are fit sacrifices which God accepteth Our corrupt affections are now sanctified and brought in order our loue of the world is changed into the loue of God spirituall and heauenly things our confidence in the creature into affiance and trust in God Our feare of men into a godly feare which restraineth vs from sinne and inciteth vs to all good duties Our carnall ioy into spirituall reioycing our corrupt anger into godly zeale which setteth it self against all the impediments of Gods glory especially our owne sinnes And finally being freed from the
the flesh for though it be often weakened and wearied yet it can neuer be vtterly vanquished but still recouereth strength and courage whereby againe it preuaileth and putteth the flesh to flight though it receiue many wounds foiles and fals in the combate yet the wounds are recured by applying of the precious balsum of Christs bloud by the hand of faith and it recouereth of the soiles and fals through the power and promises of God apprehended by the same meanes and through the gracious assistance of Gods spirit which supporteth our weakenesse and when wee are ready to faint and sinke sendeth fresh supplies of renewed graces which re-enforcing our decayed bands encourageth vs to giue fierce assaults against the flesh and the lusts thereof and enableth vs to obtaine the victorie Neither is it possible that the flesh or the Diuell himselfe should finally preuaile against the man regenerate not because he is mightier then they or is superiour in power or policie for herein euen the stoutest champion commeth farre short of our spirituall enemies but because God hath in many places of holy scripture promised vnto them victorie and that if they will resist and fight their enemies shall flee and be discomfited and therefore the issue of the battell resteth not vpon their strength but vpon the infallible Eph 6. 10. 12 truth of God which can neuer faile Secondly because we sight not with our owne weapons but with the sword of the spirit which nothing can withstand we stand in the field not in our owne armour but in the compleat armour of God which being o◠his making must needs bee high proofe and will not by its weakenesse and insufficiencie discredit the workeman we goe not on warfare in our own priuate quarrell but like Dauid against Goliah wee goe out against them in the name of the Lord of Hosts the God of 1 Sam 17. 45 the armies of Israel whom they defie and his battailes we fight who is all-sufficient by his sole word to giue vs victorie and therefore wee are sure to preuaile in so good a quarrell neither will our Grand-captaine let his mightiest enemies destroy the weakest of his souldiers who beare his colours and fight vnder his standard seeing it is his owne cause and he is able alone without other helpe euen with a word of his mouth to vanquish them all and put them to shamefull flight Thirdly because it is the spirituall conflict wherein the spirit of God with the royall armie of his graces fighteth against the Diuell and his chiefetaine the flesh with the lusts thereof and therefore wee cannot doubt of victory vnlesse wee should in againe that the holy Spirit should want power to preuaile against the wicked spirit or hauing it would in his wisedome suffer himselfe to bee so much dishonoured as to be vanquished in the conflict Finally we are sure of victory and that the enemies of our saluation shal neuer be able to preuaile against vs because our victorious Eleazar Iesus Christ hath already ouercom them all and onely putteth vs to fight against conquered enemies yea and that wee may receiue no mortall hurt in this conflict hee holdeth vs by the right hand and biddeth vs to fight without feare yea himselfe holdeth vs in his right Esa 41. 10. 11. 12. 42. 6. hand and as he is powerfull to keepe vs so he hath bound himselfe by his gracious promise that none of our enemies shall pull vs from him Yea which is most of all hee hath inseparably vnited vs vnto himselfe by his holy spirit and made vs liuely members of his body and therefore being Ioh. 10. 28. powerfull to defend vs he will neuer suffer vs to perish for so should his owne blessed body receiue no mayme § Sect. 13. An obiection against the former truth answered Now whereas it may bee obiected that there are many Christians who by themselues and others are reputed members of Christ that yet quite fall away from him and become limmes of Sathan to this I answere that the members of Christ generally so called are of two sorts First such liuely members as are inseparably vnited vnto him by his holy spirit and a liuely faith the which neither the Diuell nor the flesh nor all the power of hell can plucke away from him Secondly such as are improperly called Christs members being dead and fruitlesse and onely so in their outward profession the which they making onely for worldly respects must necessarily fayle when they fayle and bee quite seuered from Christ when their outward profession which is the onely bond of their vnion is taken away euen as a woodden legge which is tyed to a liuing body with strings and points must needs fall from it when they are cut in sunder the which separation doth not proue that the true members of Christ may perish but rather that these who haue thus perished were neuer the true members of his body As for the liuely members of Christs body they can neuer be parted from him in respect of their spirituall vnion because the spirit of God which is the chiefe band of it can neuer faile It is true that there may be a temporary separation betweene our bridegroome Christ and the Christian soule espoused vnto him but not Hos 21. 9. in respect of their spirituall vnion for he betrotheth her vnto himselfe for euer in righteousnes iudgement louing kindnesse mercie and faithfulnesse as the Prophet speaketh and not sinne it selfe can separate them for it is one branch of the mariage couenant that he wil forgiue her sins and remember Ier. 31. 34. them no more nor death for they are both immortall Only they may be parted for a time in respect of cōmunion and fellowship of that sweet influence of his spirituall graces at least in her feeling apprehension Euen as the wise and louing husband may for the hainous faults of his wife cease for a time to communicate vnto her his person in respect of sweet societie delightfull familiarity and yet the vnion of marriage remaining firme he may receiue her againe vpon her repentance into his wonted fauour and communicate vnto her himselfe with all testimonies of his loue But this chaste spouse the Christian soule can neuer sleepe in securitie nor rest contented in this estate but with the Church in the Canticles she lamenteth the absence of her dearest loue Cant. 3. 1 shee neuer ceaseth seeking of him in his holy ordinances and in the exercises of faith and repentance till shee haue found him and haue the sensible fruition of his sweet society where by shee approueth her selfe to bee vnited vnto Christ in coniugall affection seeing it is as vndoubted a signe of it to mourne for the absence of our bridegroome as to reioyce in his presence and our fruition of his loue § Sect 14. That there are 2 degrees of the spirits victory 1 in this life Now being thus vnited vnto
but strengthen his enemy for his owne ruine and ouerthrow What doth hee but cocker a slaue and famish a sonne There are saith one two by God committed to thy custody a noble man and a slaue on this condition that thou shouldest feede the slaue like a captiue with bread and water and entertaine the Noble man with all prouision befitting his dignity But thou contrariwise consumest and killest the Noble man with hunger thirst and many iniuries but nourishest the slaue with all dainties and delicacies whereby making him insolent he becommeth a rebell against his Lord and rising against him in armes hurteth woundeth and at last killeth him What then wilt thou answere vnto him who hath committed both vnto thee Thou hast shewed thy selfe cruel who hast not refreshed the noble man the spirit with the dainties of vertue with the fat and marrow of deuotion but hast nourished the contumarious slaue delicately and pampered the flesh with gluttony drunkennesse and the sinfull pleasures of this life And so it rebelleth against the spirit wounding killing and constraining it to become a seruant vnto sinne §. Sect 4. We must stop all the passages to keepe back prouision for the flesh But what is the prouision of the victuals which must bee withheld from this our enemy And from what places and parts is it to be kept backe that it may receiue no benefit by it To the later I answere first that the flesh is resident in all the parts and faculties of our bodies and soules and therefore our care must bee generally and particularly to keepe it from all and euery of them Now the prouision it selfe which we are to withhold from it are all the meanes whereby it may be nourished and strengthened and so enabled to resist the spirit As for example wee must vse our best indeauour to keepe from our corrupt mindes all sinful cogitations and from our phantasies all vaine imaginations we must not entertaine wicked deliberations and vngodly counsailes pernicious errours and false doctrine but cut them off when they are approaching or cast them out as soone as they are entred And contrraiwise let vs furnish our mindes in the regenerate part vvith holy thoughts diuine meditations with religious counsailes holesome instructions and pure doctrine concerning God and his will according as in his word hee hath reuealed it vnto vs following herein the Apostles counsaile Set your minde on things aboue not on things on the earth So let vs keepe out of our consciences all manner of sinne and Col. 33. Heb. 9. 14. and purge them dayly from all dead workes that we may serue the liuing God Let vs as much as in vs lyeth preserue them from the hote searing yron of knowne voluntary and presumptuous sinnes from vaine excuses of that which is euil and false accusations for doing good from the deepe lethargie of carnall securitie and from the tormenting corrasiues of terrours and feares and let vs labour to keepe them pure peaceable and tender Let vs keep or blot out of our Col. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 20. memory the remembrance of sinfull pleasures vnlesse it be to repent of those that are past and to loath flee from those which are present and to come of ribald speeches Pet. 5. 8. 9. obscaene lests iniuries receiued with a purpose of reuenge with all other lessons of impiety imprinted in them by Sathan the world or our owne corruption and let vs write and euen engraue in them all holy documents which out of the word haue beene imparted vnto vs. Let vs preserue our hearts from all vnlawfull lusts wicked desires vnruly passions and vngodly affections especially from couetousnes ambition and carnall voluptuousnes and labour to haue them fixed and fastened on spirituall and heauenly things and to be wholly taken vp and constantly possessed with sanctified affections and holy desires Let vs keepe out from our appetite intemperance all desire of excesse and nourish in it temperance sobrietie modesty and chastitie Let vs preserue our tongues from all corrupt communication our cares from vngodly and dishonest discourses our eyes from wanton and wicked obiects and finally our bodies from sloth and idlenesse effeminate delicacie excessiue sleepe and all manner of carnall and sinfull pleasures and contrariwise let vs entertaine watchfulnes sobrietie man-like exercises befitting our spirituall Warfare when being too well fed it beginneth to be wanton let vs keepe it vnder with fasting watching and painfull labours § Sect. 5. We must take heeed especially of some principall sins which most strengthen the flesh More especially wee must take heede of such principall sinnes as are the chiefe prouision whereby the flesh is nourished and strengthned against the spirit as ignorance of God and his will whereby the eyes of our vnderstanding being hood-winckt or quite blinded wee may easily be misled into al the by-waies of sin infidelity and vnbeliefe which nourisheth the flesh in all impiety whilest neither beleeuing Gods promises nor threatnings we neither care to please him hauing no assurance of reward nor to offend and displease him because we doe not feare his iudgments security impenitencie and hardnes of heart then the which nothing more confirmeth the flesh in all wickednesse because hereby it goeth quietly on in sinne without checke or remorse and putteth the euill day farre out of sight But especially wee are to take heede of the loue of the world and of setting our hearts affections vpon earthly things Iam. 4. 4. 1 Ioh. 2. 15. For this will easily weaken the spirit and quench all the good motions which crosse and hinder vs from the fruition of those moment any and mutable vanities honours 2 Tim. 6. 9. 10. riches and pleasures it will roote out of our hearts the loue of God from which springeth all true obedience and and thrust vs headlong into noysome tentations and all manner of sinne which promise vnto vs the satisfying of our earthly desires And therefore he who wil be a good 2 Tim. 2. 4. souldiour in this spirituall Warfare must not intangle himselfe with the affaires of this life but labour chiefely to please and approue himselfe to him who hath chosen him to be a souldiour He that will haue heauen for his Citie and countrey Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1. 2. must haue his conuersation there euen whilest he liueth in the world and if we be risen with Christ wee must seeke and set our affections on things aboue and not on things on the earth but chiefely let vs flee couetousnesse an◠voluptuousnesse 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. For they that wil be rich fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition For the loue of money is the roote of all euill So also wee must take heede of voluptuous pleasures as surfetting and drunkennes chambering and wantonnes lust vncleannes sloth and idlenes For the more we pamper
the body the more wee pine and starue the soule and no more effectuall are these meanes for the fatning of the naturall flesh then for the strengthening and increasing of sinnefull corrupt on and the weakening and wasting of the spirituall part And this we see in the example of Noah who giuing libertie to his voluptuous appetite was ouertaken with drunkennesse of rightous Lot who by the same meanes became not onely drunken but incestuous and of holy Dauid who neglecting the duties of his kingly calling and giuing way to drowsie sloth and idlenesse was further foyled by his flesh and drawne to the committing of those shamefull sinnes of adultery and murther And this is the cause why the Lord so stricktly restraineth vs from the immoderate vse of these fleshly pleasures and so much and earnestly vrgeth temperance and sobrietie fasting and abstinence modestie sobrietie and painefull labour in our honest callings because they are notable meanes to mortifie and subdue our carnall corruptions and to strengthen the spirit vnto all holy and Christian-duties Euen as with like earnestnesse he forbiddeth the contrary because there by the spirit is weakened and disabled and the flesh nourished and strengthened vnto all maner of wickednesse To this purpose one saith that as the flesh inioying quiet rest the spirit failteth and faileth so contrariwise the Sicut enim câ—â—ne quiescente spiritus deficit ita ea laborante conualescit c. Gregot in 7 psal paeuiten expla 32. psal flesh being sicke the spirit inioyeth health As soft and delicate things nourish the flesh so those which are high and hard doe aduance the spirit That is fed with delights this strengthened made more vigorous with bitter diet That is cherished with such things as are tender and effeminate but this exercised and strengthened with such as are seuere and rough And againe as harsh vsage woundeth the flesh so ouer tender handling doeth weaken the spirit and as that is wasted and consumed with laborious exercises so this is pinched with voluptuous delicacy And this is the reason why when God seeth our impotency in ruling our sensual appetite he tieth our hands and maketh temperance which is so profitable to become a so necessary by withdrawing from vs that worldly plentie in which he suffereth wicked worldlings to abound and to fatte and pamper themselues to their perdition Finally this is the cause why he teacheth vs temperance not onely by his word but also by his example for being to feede his beloued Prophet in stead of seruing men to attend his table he sent him his meate by 〈…〉 and surely they were no great dainties that were of their dressing and prouiding And 1 King 17. 6. when he would more 〈…〉 ely feast him by his owne hand that he might goe forward in his iourney with more strength and chearefulnesse he that could haue prouided for him all manner of 〈◊〉 doth onely set before him 1 King 19. 6. a cake baked on the co 〈…〉 a poâ— of water not regarding the pleasing of his appetite but hauing respect onely to the necessitie of nature And thus when our Sauiour Christ would by miracle feast the multitude he prouided onely bread and fish for their 〈◊〉 the ground both for their stooles and table and the grasse for their cloth and carpet whereas he was as able if he had seene it as fit to Mat. 14. 19. haue furnished this feast with all maner of dainties which either water or land could haue yeelded vnto him because hee well knewe that the satisfying of our fleshly appetite doeth not for the present bring so much pleasure and contentment to the body as it doeth afterwards griefe and vexation to the spirit § Sect. 6. We must moderate our selues in the vse of things lawfull and indifferent It is not then enough that we restraine the flesh froÌ„ things wicked and vnlawfull whereby it is nourished and strengthened but wee must also moderate and diet our selues in the vse of those things which in their owne nature are lawfull yea there must not onely be a sober and moderate vse of meates and drinke and worldly pleasure but sometimes also as occasion serueth totall abstinence for the better Solus in illicitis non cadit qui se aliquando eta licitis caute restringit Gregor in moral taming and subduing of the flesh So one saith that hee onely falleth not in things vnlawfull who sometimes wisely and warily restraineth himselfe from those which are lawfull And Austine telleth vs that the best way to restraine the flesh from vnlawfull pleasure is to refraine sometimes from those which are lawfull delights for he who abstaineth from no delights Qui enim a nullis refrenat illicitis vicinus est et illicitis August de vtilitate ieiunij tract T 9. Col. â—â—67 that are lawfull is in the next neighbour-hood to those that are vnlawfull Mariage is lawfull and adultery vnlawfull and yet temperate men that they may be far off froÌ„ vnlawfull adultery doe moderate themselues in the vse of lawfull mariage Sufficiency in dyet and drinking is lawfull and drunkennesse vnlawfull and yet modest mâ—n that they may be farre of from the beastly filthinesse of drunkennesse doe somewhat restraine Sed saepe dum incanti necessitati condescendimus desidetijs desâ—ruâ—mus Gregor moral lib 30. cap. 14. themselues of the libertie of 〈◊〉 And this is needfull for vs to doe because as another Father saith Whilest we giue free libertie for our refreshing wee are often deceiued and caried beyond our bounds and whilest the minde flattereth it selfe with a conceipt of necessitie it is allured and deceiued with the will and appetite c. And whilest wee doe vnwarily In eodem capite condiscand to necessitie we become slaues to our lusts and appetite And againe wee are to knowe saith he that voluptuousnesse doeth so cloake it selfe vnder necessitie that the most perfect man can scarcely discerne it For whilest necessitie calleth vpon vs to pay our debt to nature voluptuousnesse doeth satisfie it lust and appetite and so much the more securely doeth gluttony carry vs away with headlong violence by how much the more cunningly it couereth it selfe with the honest name of supplying necessitie And oftentimes in the way of eating pleasure stealingly followeth after and sometime impudently taketh the way and goeth before now it is easie to see when pleasure goeth before necessitie but very hard to discerne when in our eating it followeth after § Sect 7. That we are to auoide the other extreame of hurting our bodies whilest we go about to tame the flesh Yet heere wee are also to take heede of the contrary extreame namely that wee doe not destroy the body whilest we indeauour to tame the flesh nor kill or hurt our friend whilest we intend war against our enemy as wheÌ„ by watching fasting such strict exercises we so weaken our bodies that they are disabled vnto all good duties
this world is no place or safetie and therefore let there be no time for securitie Wee shall be onely safe in heauen when as we shall haue a full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and therefore let vs not bee retchlesse on earth Phil. 2. 12. but let circumspection and watchfulnesse accompany vs euen vnto heauen gates not onely beginning but working out our saluation with feare and trembling § Sect. 2 That we must keepe this watch in all things Now this watch as it must be kept at all times so also in all things for euen one gate of the Citie vnguarded is sufficient to let in an whole army of enemies though all the rest be carefully watched and therefore following the Apostles exhortation vnto Timothy wee must watch in all 2 Tim. 4. 5. things For it is not enough that wee keepe this watch about things simply and in their owne nature euill that we may auoide them but euen in things indifferent that wee doe not abuse our Christian libertie vnto sinne yea in those actions which are in their owne nature good that we may doe them in a good manner and to a right ende least otherwise they be turned into sinne For example we must keepe this watch ouer our selues when we heare the word according to that of our Sauiour Take heede how Luk. 8. 18. you heare least through our secure retchlesnesse wee heare without reuerence and attention without care to treasure it vp in our hearts or to practise it in our liues So we must keepe this watch ouer our selues when wee pray least our mindes being caried away with wandring thoughts wee call vpon God with deceiptfull lippes our bodies being present but our hearts in the meane time farre from him So likewise our Sauiour warneth vs to take heede when we giue almes because wee are in daunger to bee tainted with pride and to ayme at the applause and praise of men Now if there be such neede of watchfulnesse when as wee Mat. 6. 1. ◠are exercised in the duties of Gods seruice and in the best actions which we performe then how much more in the vse of things indifferent which become sinfull if they bee not vsed with much caution and moderation how much more when wee intermeddle with worldly affaires and earthly things which like birdlime are apt to defile and intrap vs and are commonly vsed by Sathan the world and our owne corruption as snares and nets to intangle and catch vs and as baites to couer the hookes of sinne which will mortally choake vs if we swallow them downe vnlesse we cast them vp againe by vnfained repentance § Sect. 3. That we must keepe this watch ouer all the faculties and parts of our soules bodyes And as wee must keepe this watch in all things so ouer all the parts and faculties of our bodies and soules especially ouer our senses which being the gates of our soules doe either let in or keepe out both our friends and enemies and therefore these gates must bee well watched and strongly guarded seeing wee haue so many forraigne enemies who besiedging vs doe watch all opportunities of getting entrance and so many secret traytors within vs which are daily and hourely ready to open these gates to betray vs into their hands Thus wee must watch ouer our eyes that they doe not wander after wanton and wicked obiects and with Iob keepe them vnder couenant that they do not by lustful glances betray vs into the hands of our enemies Iob. 31. 1. And before we walke abroad and looke into the world we are to forecast the daungers which may come by giuing them their full liberty to wander after vanities that we may preuent them And because our owne prouidence is not sufficient without Gods assistance we are to pray with Dauid Psall 119. 37. that hee will turne away our eyes from beholding vanities Neither are wee to take lesse care in watching ouer our eares because they beeing the instruments of the most learnedsense the conduit pipes to conueigh vnto our minds all notions and instructions either good or euill therefore we must take heede how we heare and what we heare whether the language of Canaan for our edification and instruct on or the voice of the Serpent Dragon or bewitching Syren tending to corrupt poyson and destroy vs whether it be sauoury communication powdred with the salt of spirituall wisedome which ministreth grace vnto the hearers or wanton iestes scurrilous speeches vvicked Col. 4. 6. blasphemies backbiting and slandering vvith such 1 Cor. 15. 33. like euill words which if wee giue them admittance will as the Apostle telleth vs corrupt good manners We must hauing gotten the victory ouer our enemies like the Giliadites take all the passages and strongly guard them Iud. 12. 6. against them and if those who goe by giue vs the watch word wee may giue them entrance and if they speake plainely the language of our spirituall and heauenly countrey and pronounce Shibboleth let them passe as friends but Pro. 23. 2. if they say Sibboleth and by their lisping language appeare to be our enemies let vs not onely stay them from entring but wound and slay them Thus also must wee set a straight watch ouer our taste and appetite least giuing liberty vnto it our spirituall enemies preuaile against vs and drawe vs to intemperance and excesse in dyet And this counsell the wise man giueth vs Put saith hee a knife to thy throate sitting to eate with a ruler if thou be a man giuen to appetite Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceiptfull meate Which temperance if we vse it will be vnto vs a wall of defence to preserue vs against the assaults of our spirituall enemies Whereas contrariwise if we doe not rule our taste and bridle our appetite we shal be like vnto a Citie whose wals being broken downe is made an easie Pro. 25. 28. prey lyeth open to the spoyle as the wise man speaketh § Sect. 4 That we must keepe a speciall watch ouer our tongues With no lesse diligence are wee to set a carefull watch ouer our tongues which the flesh abuseth as a notable instrument of all euill and as a razour and sharpe two edged sword not onely to wound our neighbours but also our owne soules and consciences Whereof we haue an example in Dauid who resolued with himselfe to take heede vnto his wayes that hee might not sinne with his tongue and to Psal 39. 1. psal 108. 1. keepe his mouth as with a bridle that his tongue might not passe it bounds and take vnto it selfe licentious liberty Which if Dauid had neede to doe whose tongue and heart were continually prepared to praise the Lord how much more had wee who are apt to vtter so much vanity and lyes If he found it necessary who cals his tongue his glory because it was such a notable instrument
possible that we should in this way stand at a stay but if we goe not forward we shall goe backward if we doe not rowe continually against the tide of our corruptions they will carry vs downe the streame into the dead sea and gulfe of perdition CHAP. XIX Of the first meanes to strengthen the spirit which is to auoide the meanes whereby it is weakned § Sect. 1. That our sins are the cheife 〈◊〉 whereby the spirit is weakened WEE haue shewed how necessary it is if wee would get the victory against our spirituall enemies fleshly lusts that we should first vse our best endeauour to weaken them and then set vpon them with all our forces But this is not enough but as wee are to weaken and disarme our enemy the flesh so on the other side wee must with like earnestnesse and diligence strengthen and arme the spirit it being no lesse necessary for the obtaining of victory to nourish our friends thtn to famish our enemies and to furnish them with all prouision armour and munition then to withdrawe and keepe backe from the other all these warlike helpes Although in trueth in this spirituall warre both these concurre and meete in the same actions for the famishing of the flesh is the nourishing of the spirit the weakning of the one is the strengthening of the other and whilest wee disarme and disfurnish our spirituall enemies of their prouision and munition we furnish our regenerate part with all necessaries So Basill saith Looke how much thou detractest from the flesh and so much thou makest thy spirituall part to prosper and flourish in good health and liking Quantum carni detrabes tantum facies animam spiritali bona habitudine relucere Basil de ieiunio Conc. 2. And therefore I shall be the more briefe in this argument howsoeuer I thinke it fit that something should bee added And first wee will consider this point negatiuely shewing that all meanes are to bee shunned whereby the spirit is weakened and quenched and then affirmatiuely shewing that wee are to vse all the meanes whereby it may be cheared and strengthened Concerning the former The chiefe meanes whereby the spirit is weakened and quenched are our sinnes which doe vexe and grieue the good spirit of God dwelling in vs and make him weary of his lodging and habitation For no stinking filth can bee so noysome vnto vs as sinne is vnto this holy guest and therefore he cannot indure to continue in our bodies and soules as his temples if they be profaned and defiled with it But aboue other sins we weaken the spirit with sins commited against knowledge and conscience wilfully and presumptuously for such sinnes doe most oppositely crosse and thwart the good motions of it and doe as plainely contradict it as if they should say in plaine tearmes though wee take notice of thy will wee will not doe it but the cleane contrary With which kinde of obstinate rebellion the spiritis so wearied and tired that it will no longer contend with vs to bring vs vnto goodnesse but will leaue vs to our owne vile lustes and a reprobate minde to goe on in sinne with greedinesse to our perdition So the Lord professeth that when the olde world resisted the motions of his spirit in the preaching of iust Noah it should no longer Gen. 6. 3. contend with them but seeing this pure water of his spirit would not quench their fiery lusts he would quench them by other meanes euen the vniuersall flood which drowned the whole earth Thus he complaineth that hee was pressed vnder Amos. 2. 13. their sinnes as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues and therefore threatneth that hee will presse them downe with his heauy iudgements And thus because the Gentiles sinned against the common gift and illumination of the spirit and so against knowledge and conscience therefore the Lord gaue them vp to their owne vile affections and to a reprobate Rom. 1. minde to commit with greedinesse all manner of abominable wickednesse And therefore if wee would not haue the spirit to be so weakened and wearied that it will leaue and forsake vs wee must not as the Apostle exhorteth vs 1 Thes 5. 19. quench it and the good motions thereof by continuing in those sinnes from which it disswadeth vs nor by making his lodging loathsome with the noysome filth of sin grieue the good spirit of God whereby wee are sealed vnto the Eph. 4. 30. day of redemption To which ende let vs consider that if we giue good entertainment to this holy guest he wil sup with vs and with his company make all our cheare comfortable yea rather he will feast vs and make vs a most pleasant banquet of all spirituall delicacies he will beare part with vs in all our griefes and as the Prophet speaketh he will by sympathy and compassion be afflicted in our afflictions Yea he will comfort vs in all our sorrowes and therefore let vs Esa 63. 9. take heede of vexing him for if grieuing our comforter wee make him to leaue vs who shall cheare and refresh vs in all our miseries § Sect. 2 Of some speciall sins whereby the spirit i◠most weakened But howsoeuer all sinnes generally wound and weaken the spirit yet there are some speciall sinnes aboue the rest which doe infeeble it and quench all the good motions of it the first wherof is ignorance and blindnes of minde the which pulleth as it were out of the hand of the spirit his chiefe weapon the two edged sword of Gods Word whereby it defendeth it selfe and offendeth his spirituall enemies and like a blacke foggie mist dazeleth and blindeth the eyes of the vnderstanding so as it cannot discerne the sleights and subtilties the wiles and strong delusions of our spirituall enemies nor on which side they strike vs nor how to ward off their blowes nor withstand the malice and fury of their tentations The second is infidelitie which disableth the Spirit whilest it depriueth it of the chiefe comforts and encouragements whereby it is strengthened against the assaults of the flesh namely Gods sweet promises of grace in this life and glory in the life to come to all those who walk in the spirit and mortifie the flesh with the lusts thereof Yea it weakeneth and looseneth the spirituall bond of our vnion with Christ which is our faith by which alone he is applyed and so stoppeth and hindreth the influences of his graces and the vertue and vigour the iuice and sap which from this roote of Iesse is deriued vnto vs by which alone we are strengthened against the flesh and enabled to withstand all the assaults of our spirituall enemies The third is impenitencie the which is most pernicious to the health and vigour of the spirit for besides that it hindereth all the operations of our faith the application of Christ and all the promises made in him our communion and sweet fellowship with God
an exercise of mortification and as an helpe for the increasing of our repentance and for our better fitting and inabling to call vpon God more earnestly by feruent prayers wherof it is that these are vsually ioyned together in the Scriptures Fast and pray the one being the end the other the meanes in abling vs therevnto Much lesse must wee vse those carnall weapons of whippes to torment our body which onely offend in yeelding themselues as instruments to our sinfull soules or of popish pennances and pilgrimages which are the meere inuentions of men and haue no warrant out of the Word of God and beeing carnall weapons doe as ill fit the spirit as the armour of Saul did fit Dauid and therefore doe but cumber and hinder it in the spirituall warfare Yea like Achilles launce doe cure the flesh in stead of killing it and make it more strong and full of courage by filling it with spirituall pride and a glorious opinion of our owne merits and well deseruing §. Sect 4. We must not remitt any thinge of our first zeale in holy duties The third meanes of weakening the spirit which we are to auoide is to remit any thing of our former zeale in the duties of Gods seruice and to giue way vnto any declination in grace and Christian duties For we may much more firmely stand in the highest pitch of our sinceritie as it were on the top of the mountaine then in our declinations discent from that measure of perfection vnto which wee had attained as it were on the side of the hill wee may more easily preserue the health and strength of the spirit whilest it is in the best plight then recouer it when it is impeached and in some degrees of declination Wee may liue much more comfortably and plentifully when our stocke is whole and dayly increasing then when it decayeth and is in some part spent and wasted wee may better defend our selues against our spirituall enemies when as wee are in our compleate armour then when we haue put off some pieces of it And wee shall much more easily discourage them and weaken their sury by taking away all hope of victory when wee haue remitted nothing of our Christian valour and fortitude but stand couragiously vpon hostile tearmes and at open defiance with them and when wee keepe them out from entring into our borders then when we growe to â— parley and yeeld a little to their conditions or when we haue suffered them to iâ—â—ade some part of our countrey and haue receiued some foyles in the spirituall conflict Againe the more resolutely we stand in the strength of grace receiued the more willing the Lord is to assist vs in fighting his battailes the more carefull wee are to increase his spirituall talents the more ready hee is to re-double them whereas it is iust with our great commander to leaue vs to our selues to deliuer vs into the hands of our enemies when we begin cowardly to leaue his standard and somewhat to incline to the enemies part by our remisnesse in fighting or faintnesse in yeelding it is a righteous thing with our Lord and Master when we waste his rich talents and spend ryotously some part of the stock to take that which remaineth from vs and giue it to another who wil be more carefull and faithfull in imploying of it Finally that we may not decline no not in the least degrees let vs consider that it is most dangerous for who can be assured if he begin once to slip that he can preserue himselfe from catching a fall or that hauing begun to runne downe the hill he can stay himselfe before he come to the bottome And therefore if wee would stand surely let vs stand in our sinceritie if wee would not weaken the spirit nor haue the gifts thereof to perish in vs let vs preserue them euen in their least degrees from vvasting and consuming § Sect. 5. That we must auoyde fleshly sloth and negligence The last meanes of weakening the spirit which wee are to take heede of is fleshly sloth and negligence when as hauing receiued Gods graces and gifts of the Spirit wee doe not imploy and exercise them in holy and Christian duties to the glory of him that gaue them and the edification of our neighbours for whose sake also wee haue receiued them For as the strength of the body is much weakened and impayred when as wee liue in sloth and idlenesse and neuer imploy it in any good exercise so is it also with our spirituall strength Our knowledge must be then exercised in the holy practise of that wee know our faith in good workes our loue towards God and our neighbours in performing all duties which wee owe vnto them our zeale in aduancing all meanes of Gods glory and in remouing all impediments wherby it is hindred and impeached And if we thus imploy Gods spirituall graces which are his talents committed vnto vs then will our Lord and Master increase and multiply them and we shall haue abundance but if with the slothfull and vnprofitable seruant wee hide them in a napkin neuer imploying our graces receiued to the glory of our Master nor the good of our fellowes in the same family he wil take these talents from vs and cast vs into outer darknes Finally though it were possible that we could abound in the graces of the spirit yet if we did not vse them for our owne defence and discomforting and indamaging of our enemies wee should be neuer the neerer the obtaining victory If wee haue the sword of the spirit and neuer smite with it nor draw it out but suffer it to rust in the scabbard if wee haue all the seuerall parts of the Christian Armour and neuer put it on and girt it to vs but suffer it as it were to hang rusting vpon the walles without vse if we haue powder and good peeces of Ordnance but neuer charge nor discharge them against the enemy wee shall neuer ouercome and put them to flight but notwithstanding our furniture and munition we shal be vanquished in the first assault and become an easie prey vnto them but if hauing these warlike preparations we doe imploy them in the spirituall Warfare with all care and diligence we shall be sure to obtaine the victory CHAP. XX. Of the meanes for the comforting choaring and strengthening of the spirit vnto the Conflict § Sect. 1. Earnest and longing desires after spirituall streÌ„gth THE second thing required is that wee vse all meanes for the comforting and cheering the strengthening and inabling of the spirit vnto this spirituall Conflict And first wee must earnestly desire to haue the spirit more strengthened and the gifts and graces thereof inlarged and and multiplyed in vs For as we haue Gods promise that if wanting the spitit we doe desire and pray for it he will giue him vnto vs so also when hauing it we desire to haue it and Luk. 11. 13.
§ Sect 5. The 5 meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pellution The fifth meanes to nourish and cherish the spirit in vs is to preserue our bodies and soules which are his temples in their cleannesse and puritie from all pollution of sinne and wickednesse for as a good ayre and sweete habitation doeth much refresh and strengthen our naturall and vitall spirits and preserue our bodies in health so no lesse doeth it comfort our comforter and cheare and cherish the spirit of God in vs if wee prouide for him a holesome and pleasant lodging cleansed and purged from all noisome filth of sinfull impuritie and sweetned and adorned with the incense and odours of our prayers and the flowers and fruits of our good workes and holy obedience § Sect. 6 The 6 meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise The sixth meanes to preserue and strenthen the spirit and to increase in vs the graces and giftes thereof is to keepe them in continuall exercise and to cause these habits to shew themselues in their functions and operations For no more necessary is breathing and mouing for the preseruing the life of our bodies then fruitfull working and holy walking in all Christian duties is for the preseruing and cherishing the life of the spirit according to that of the Apostle If wee liue in the spirit let vs also walke in the Gal. 5. 25. spirit And as in naturall things the causes are preserued by producing their effects and habits and qualities confirmed and strengthened by their functions and operations so is it also in the spirit and spirituall graces We finde by experience that the sight is bettred by seeing and much weakened when it is depriued of fit obiects The habituall memory is much strengthened by the practical and made feeble and vnfaithfull when as it hath no exercise or imployment the vnderstanding becommeth more intelligent by minding and conceiuing and iâ— much impaired when it is not vsed the strength of the arme hand legge and the whole body is much strengthened and increased by action and exercise and decaieth and is greatly enfeebled by sloth and idlenesse And thus it is also with the spirit and spirituall graces let vs vse them and we shall haue them let these rootes of holinesse bring forth their boughes and branches their leaues of profession and their fruits of practise and they will liue and prosper spread inwardly and spring and sproute outwardly but if wee hinder them from bearing their leaues and rootes and bee still cutting and lopping of their boughes and branches they will in a while dye and perish Let this fire of the spirit haue fit vent to send out its flames of holy and righteous actions and it will still liue burne and blaze but if once wee beginne to stop this vent it will presently dye and turne to cold embers Let faith exercise it selfe in apprehending the promises in waiting for the performance in fighting against doubting and in bearing the fruits of good workes and from a graine of mustardseede it will growe to a great tree from smoking flaxe to a burning flame and from a feeble assent to a firme and full perswasion So let loue be exercised in doing and suffring for Gods sake in performing vnto him all holy seruice and Christian duties and in the workes of mercy and charitie towards our neighbours and of a litle sparke it will increase to a great fire let the shoulders of patience be inured to bearing of the Crosse and suffering afflictions in putting vp wrongs and ouercomming euill with good though they bee weake and tender at the first they will in a litle while become hard strong and so it is in all other graces by exercise they are increased by sloth and ease they are weakned and wasted And therefore Dauid no sooner thinketh of receiuing grace and strength from God then he resolueth to exercise them to the vttermost I will runne saith he the way of thy Commaundements when thou shalt inlarge my heart And againe teach me O Lord the way of thy Psal 119. 32. 33. 34. statutes and I will keepe them vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart § Sect. 7 The last meanes is frequent and feruent prayer The last principall meanes of strengthening and cherishing the spirit is earnest and effectual prayer vnto God that he will strengthen our weaknesse and quicken our dulnesse and support our faintnesse by continuall renewing his spirit in vs and sending fresh supplies of his sauing graces to re-enforce and refresh our decaied bands that by these new aides wee may be enabled to stand in the day of battell and to get the victory ouer all our spirituall enemies for it is this holy fire descended from heauen which kindleth this spirituall fire in vs whereby wee offer incense sacrifices and oblations acceptable vnto God the smoake whereof driueth away the enemies of our saluation His eternall spirit is the liuing fountaine of these cleare cristalline waters whereby our thirsty soules are refreshed in the spirituall conflict and our hands and eyes all other parts when they are wearied and tired doe receiue renewed Psal 144. 1. strength It is he that teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight and giueth vnto vs full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory And therfore when we see the battell hot against vs 1 King 22. and ourselues weary and weake to make resistance let vs imitate the good King Iehosaphat and crie aloude vnto the Lord to succour and strengthen vs when wee see our graces spent and our spirituall strength wasted and weakened in making resistance let vs call vnto him for fresh aides and renewed strength whereby wee may bee enabled to hold oâ—t and ouercome § Sect. 8. The conclusion of the booke And thus haue I through Gods mighty and most mercifull assistance finished also this last part of the Christian Warfare a worke so much the more difficult because the flesh which is the enemy against whom I intend it holdeth a strong party in my selfe darkening my vnderstanding that I might not discouer its slights and subtilties malice and might nor discerne the best meanes for the defeating of its pollicies and subduing of it power The Lord make me euer truely thankefull vnto his holy Maiesty for this mercie and giue me grace alwayes to esteeme it as one of his his chiefest benefits in this life that hee hath vsed mee the weakest and vnworthiest of many hundreds of my brethren as his poore instrument in so good an imployment and stirre vp in his good time some other of his choysest and chiefest Worthies for the further perfecting of that which I in my mediocritie haue begun hitting the marke at which I haue but aymed and training exactly the Christian Souldiour in the feates of spirituall armes whom I as I was able haue but in some little measure acquainted with the knowledge of the Christian Warfare And the Lord giue his grace vnto vs all both strongest weakest that we may not onely instruct others in this spirituall art of fighting against the enemies of our saluation but that wee our selues muy put on the spirituall armour and fight continually with courage and resolution vnder the standard of the Lord of Hoasts and because we are vnskilfull and knowe not how to fight and exceeding weake and feeble in our strength and vnable to stand in the incounter and beare the brunt of the battell that hee will teach our hands or rather our hearts to warre and our fingers or rather our affections to fight and that hee will continually renew our strength and send vs dayly fresh supplyes of his spirituall and sauing graces whereby wee may be enabled vvith constancy and perseuerance to maintaine the fight vntill hauing gotten a full and finall victory wee be like conquerours crowned with glory and immortalitie the which he vouchsafe vnto vs euen for his Christs sake the Sonne of his loue and the author continuer and finisher of our saluation to whom with the blessed Father and holy Spirit be ascribed of vs and his whole Church all praise and glory power and dominion from this time forth and for euermore Amen FINIS
those excellent qualities and rich ornaments of heauenly wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse wherewith they were beautified after Gods owne image were quite taken away The which being as it were the strong garrison which kept the Citie were no sooner expelled but the sinnefull lusts triumphing in their victory held all vnder their subiection to the diuels vse as their chiefe Soueraigne § Sect. 3. No conflict betweene the Flesh and the Spirit in the state of corruption Now there was not in eitheir of these estates this combate and conflict in vs betweene the flesh and the spirit whereof we intreate not in the state of innocency for then was there in vs a sweete harmony and consent betweene all our powers and parts of soule and body and there being no sinfull lust or vnruly passion in vs but a great multitude of well-agreeing graces wee enioyed a blessed peace Nor in the state of corruption was there any such conflict because the strong man Sathan possessing all all that hee possessed was in peace onely as it happeneth often among soldiars of the same band who striue one with another about the booty and prey there was some contention betweene the will and the conscience and betweene one vnruly passion and another but it was onely like those hot contentions betweene the Iesuits and the Priests who much disagreeing about profit and soueraigntie one with another yet all agreed and ioyned together as one man like true vassals to doe all seruice to their Lord God the Pope yea as it may probably be suspected euen their quarrels and contentions were part of his seruice and in their disagreeing they yeelded obedience to their holy father for so in like manner in the hottest contention betweene our sinnefull lusts they yeelded their obedience to the diuell as their chiefe soueraigne who if he sawe by this strife any disaduantage arising to his hellish kingdome through this hot contention was both able and ready to accord their differences as the Pope did those betweene the Priests and Iesuites and so to ioyne them together like friends in doing him seruice §. Sect. 4. The peace of the vnregenerate more pernicious then the most daungerous warre But this hellish peace was ten thousand times more dangerous pernitious to our poore soules and bodies then the most cruell and perillous war to the weakest enemy and so much the rather because we had no apprehensioÌ„ of the danger nor feeling of our own misery Because we were borne the bondslaues of the diuell and so still brought vp in doing him seruice in the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse for which wee had onely the present pay of worldly vanities though when wee had laboured most in his toylesome workes we were oftentimes cozened of our wages Herein like vnto the Israelits vnder the Egyptian Pharaoh who when they were best vsed had but their onions garlicke and flesh pottes wherby onely they were but better enabled to doe their drudgery and worke in their bricke-kils and somtime in stead of these poore comforts they had for all their labour sore beatings and cruell blowes and yet being bred in this seruitude and knowing no better they rather chuse to returne vnto it againe then to take any paines in going to the land of promise So and much worse was our miserable bondage to the Pharaoh of hell for at the best we had for all our drudgery but the stincking garlicke and onyons of worldly vanitie which he gaue not for loue to vs but in loue to himselfe giuing vs this food as the rider giueth prouender to his horse that wee might bee the more hartened to doe him seruice And out of his hellish hatred and cruelty towards vs he often withheld from those who did him most faithfull seruice this pay of earthly prosperitie and in stead thereof afflicted and misused them with the blowes and stripes of misery and afflictioon Neuerthelesse being borne and inured to this hellish thraldome such was the height of our misery wee desired still to liue and dye in it taking our whole delight and placing our chiefe happinesse in pleasing our tyrannicall maister by seruing him in the workes of darkenesse and doing all abhominable wickednesse although wee were sure after that wee had beene toyled in his seruice and scorched in his bricke-killes we should for the accomplishment of our reward be cast into the fire of hell § Sect 5. Gods infinite loue in sending his only soone to redeeme vs made waâ— for this spirituall conflict But when we were in this desperate condition and now come to this height of misery that we desired still to liue in it and like the Israelits with Moses would haue beene angry with any who should haue offered vnto vs meanes of deliuerance because not onely our other parts and faculties but also our willes and hearts our loue and liking with all other our affections were enthralled in this seruice and voluntarily leauing their Lord and creatour wholly adhaered to Sathan and delighted to doe his will euen then our gracious God infinite in all mercy and goodnesse of his meere grace and free good will sent his onely sonne into world to redeeme vs with his precious death to vanquish and subdue all the enemies of our saluation and to set vs at liberty who were embondaged and were so in loue with our thraldome that wee did not so much as desire to bee freed from it Who hauing thus paide the price of our redemption and prouided a soueraigne salue for all our sores of sinne doeth not so leaue vs for then wee should haue ben neuer the better but applyeth the power and efficacy of his merits vnto vs and as it were with his owne hand â—ayeth the plaister vpon our mortall wounds whilest by his word made effectuall by his spirit he maketh knowne vnto vs this excellent worke of our redemption and the promises of grace and saluation made to all beleeuing and repentant sinners by which he begetteth this faith in vs wherewith as with an hand we lay hold on and apply vnto vs his righteousnesse death and obedience for our iustification and redemption and so in respect of right we are freed from our sinnes so as they cannot condemne vs because God in Christ hath forgiuen them and also from the tyranny and thraldome of Sathan death hell and condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3â— so as they shal be neuer able to hurt vs or lay any thing to our charge And not resting here our powerfull Sauiour sendeth his spirit with many legions of his graces into our hearts who pul vs out of the dominion of sinne and Sathan so as they cannot rule and raigne in vs as in times past regenerate and purifie vs from the filth and corruption of sin by power of the same death which deliuered vs from the guilt and punishment due vnto it and enable vs to serue God in newnesse of life by applying likewise vnto vs the vertue of his