SERMON IV.

THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. VERSE 41.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

PART I.

FROM the beginning of days man hath been so cross to the divine commandments, that in many cases there can be no reason given, why a person should choose some ways, or do some actions, but only because they are forbidden. Instance of the Israelites and Canaanites. The whole life of man is a perpetual contradiction. Instance of the absurdity of man's will in refusing the injunction to be temperate; and the evils of intemperance dilated on. Whereas our body itself is but a servant to our soul, we strive to make it master, or heir of all things: hence proceed the vices of the worst, and the imperfections of the best men: the spirit is in slavery, and when the body is not strong to mischief, it is weak to goodness. Even to the Apostles themselves our Lord addressed the words of the text.

The spirit, or inward man, especially as helped by the Spirit of grace, that is willing; for it is the principle of all good actions: but the flesh is a dull instrument; so weak, that, in Scripture, to be in the flesh signifies a state of weakness and infirmity.

The old and the new man cannot dwell together; and therefore here, where the spirit inclining to good and holy counsels associates with the flesh, it means only a weak and unapt nature, or a state of infant grace for in this only is the text verified. Four distinct heads of the following discourse enumerated.

I. We are to consider the infirmities of the flesh naturally. Our nature is too weak for our duty and final interest; so that at first it cannot move one step towards God, unless God, by his preventing grace, puts into it a new capability. Primary object of man's creation. State of man after the fall. By nature we are the sons of wrath, that is, born heirs of death, which came on us through God's anger against sin. There is nothing in us that can bring us to felicity; nothing that can sanctify us; and so it is necessary that God should make us a new creation, if he means to save us this enlarged on. And thus God does teach and invite us; lends us helps, and guides our hands and feet; constraining us, yet as reasonable beings and as this is a great glorification of his free grace, so does it declare our manner of cooperation, and show the weakness, ignorance, and aversion of our nature from goodness: this enlarged Particulars instanced, in the temptations of pleasure and of pain, wherein the flesh will most certainly fall, unless assisted by a mighty grace.

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1. In pleasure we see it by the public miseries and follies of the world. Instances given and dilated on, in the love of money; in carnal lust; and in drunkenness. Men are so in love with pleasure that they cannot think of mortifying their appetites: we do violence to what we hate, not to what we love.' Even amidst the glories of

Christianity, there are so many persons covetous, intemperate, and lustful, even now when the spirit of God is given to render us liberal, temperate, and chaste, that we may well imagine, since all men have flesh, and all men have not the Spirit, that the flesh is the parent of sin and death.

2. And it is no otherwise when we are tempted with pain. So impatient are we of pain, that nothing can reconcile us to it; not the laws of God, the necessities of nature, the interests of virtue, or the hopes of heaven: we will submit to pain on no terms, but the basest; for if sin brings us to pain, we choose that, so it be in the retinue of a lust or a base desire: but we accuse God, and murmur, if pain be sent to us from him who ought to send it, and who intends it as a mercy sad instance of human infirmity, in one of the forty martyrs of Cappadocia. Infirmity of the flesh in time of sickness dilated on. In these considerations we find our nature under great disadvantages: but it is no better in any thing else; it is weak in all its actions and passions this enlarged on.

To sum up all the evils that can be spoken of the infirmities of the flesh, the proper nature and habitudes of men are so foolish and impotent, so peevish and averse to all good, that a man's will is of itself only free to choose evils: so that it is scarcely a contradiction to mention liberty, and yet suppose it determined to one object only: because that object is the thing we choose: this topic enlarged on. Till we are newly created, we are, as it were, wolves and serpents ; free and delighted in the choice of evil, but stones and iron to all excellent things and purposes.

II. Second general consideration: Weakness of the flesh in the beginning even of the state of grace.

1. In some dispositions that are forward, busy, and unquiet, when the grace of God has begun to take possession of them, it seems to their undiscerning spirits so pleasant to be delivered from the sottishness of lust, and the follies of intemperance, that, reflecting on the change, they begin to love themselves too well, and despise those who are below them having mortified corporal vices, they keep the spiritual for this our Saviour censured the Pharisees.

2. Sometimes the passions of the flesh spoil the changes of the spirit, by natural excesses, &c.: it mingles violence with industry, fury with zeal, uncharitableness with reproof, censure with discipline, &c. this topic enlarged on.

3. In the first changes and progresses of our spiritual life, we find a weakness on us, because we are long before we begin, and the flesh is powerful, and its habits strong, and it will mingle indirect pretences with all the actions of the spirit: this illustrated.

4. Some men are wise and know their weaknesses, and make strong resolutions, &c.; and what then? This shows that the spirit is

willing; but the storm arises, and the winds blow, and the rain descends, and presently the whole fabric is thrown into disorder and ruin.

5. But some, when they have felt their follies, back their resolutions with vows, to fortify the spirit: but a vow will not secure our duty, because it is not stronger than our appetites.

6. Moreover, some choose excellent guides, and stand within their restraints; the young adopting that of modesty, the more aged that of reputation, the more noble that of honor, and all that of conscience. These shown to be weak defences; from the inclosure of which our nature is apt to break loose.

7. When the spirit is made willing by the grace of God, the flesh interposes in deceptions and false principles. If you tempt a man openly to some notorious sin, he steadily refuses: but if you put it civilly to him, and disguise it with little excuses and fair pretences, &c, the spirit instantly yields.

8. The flesh is so mingled with the spirit, that we are forced to make distinctions in our appetite, to reconcile our affections to God and religion, lest it be impossible to do our duty: we weep for our sins, but we weep more for the death of our dearest friends, or other temporal evils we had rather die than lose our faith, and yet we do not live according to it, &c.

9. The spirit is abated and interrupted by the flesh, because the flesh pretends that it is not able to do those ministries which are appointed in order to religion: it is not able to fast, to watch, to exercise charity, to suffer pain, &c. : here the flesh betrays its weakness, for it complains too soon; and the spirit of some men, like Adam who was too fond of his wife, attends to all its murmurs and temptations. Yet the flesh is well able to endure much more than is required of it in its usual duties: this shown.

The remedies of

The foregoing complaints are not without cause. the evil next to be considered. Concluding exhortations.

PART II.

III. Third general consideration: Inquiry into the remedies of this mischief, if it be possible to cure an evil nature.

In order to this it is considered, 1. That since it is our flesh and blood that is the principle of mischief, we must not think to have it cured by washings and light medicaments, &c. but we must have a new nature put into us, which must be the principle of new counsels, and better purposes, of holy actions and great devotion; and this nature is derived from God, is a grace and favor of heaven: this topic enlarged on. 2. Our life and all our discourses, observations, reason, &c., are too little to cure a peevish spirit, silly principles, bad habits, and perverse affections: art and use, experience and reason, may be something, but cannot do enough: there must be something else, and this is the Spirit of grace: therefore the proper

cure is to be wrought by those general means of inviting and cherishing God's holy Spirit, &c.

1. The first great instrument of changing our nature into the state of grace, and flesh into the spirit, is a firm belief in, a perfect assent to, and a hearty entertainment of the promises of the gospel: for holy Scripture speaks great words concerning faith: this topic enlarged on and illustrated.

2. The second great remedy of our evil nature is devotion, or a state of prayer and intercourse with God: for the gift of his spirit is properly and expressly promised to prayer. (Luke xi. 13. &c.) The pleasures of this holy communion with God dilated on, and contrasted with the feverish, vain, and transient pleasures of the world.

3. As this cure is to be wrought by the Spirit of God, we must endeavor to abstain from those things which by a special malignity are directly opposite to the spirit of reason, and the spirit of grace; from drunkenness and lust: evils and dangers of these defiling sins. descanted on.

4. We must also avoid all flatterers and evil company: flattery does but bribe an evil nature, and corrupt a good one.

5. He that would cure his evil nature, must attend diligently to subdue his chief lust; which when he has overcome, the lesser enemies will more readily yield.

6. In all actions of choice he should deliberate and consider, that may never do that for which he must ask a pardon, or suffer smart and shame.

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7. In all the contingencies of chance and varieties of action, we must remember that we are the makers of our own fortune, and of our own sin: we must not charge God with it, nor consider the violence of our passions as any superinduced necessity from him.

8. We must avoid all delay in the counsels of religion; since every day of indulgence increases the evil.

9. We must learn to despise the world, or rather learn truly to understand it. Our nature is a disease, and the world nourishes it: but if we omit such unwholesome diet, our nature will revert to its first purities, and to the entertainment of God's grace.

IV. Fourth general consideration; How far the infirmities of the flesh can be innocent, and consist with the spirit of grace; for all these counsels are to be entertained by a willing and active spirit, &c.

1. If the flesh then hinders us in our duty, it is our enemy; and our misery is, not that the flesh is weak, but that it is too strong. 2. When it abates the degrees of duty and stops its growth, or prevents its passing on to action and effect, then it is weak, but not directly nor always criminal. But to speak particularly,

1. If our flesh hinders us in any thing that is a direct duty, and prevails on the spirit to make it do an evil action, or contract an evil habit, the man is in a state of bondage to sin; his flesh is the mother of corruption and an enemy to God. Nothing which God exacts from us is made impossible to us the willing is the doing; and he

who says he is willing to do his duty, but cannot, does not understand what he says, &c.

2. If the spirit and the heart be willing, it will pass on to outward actions in all things, where it ought or can.

3. With regard to those things which are not in our power, those in which the flesh is inculpably weak, or naturally or politically disabled, the will does the work of the outward, as well as of the inner man this explained.

4. No man however is to be esteemed of a willing spirit, but he who endeavors to do the outward work, or to make all the supplies he can. And as our desires are great, and our spirits willing, so shall we find ways to supply our want of utility and express liberality, &c.

SERMON V.

OF LUKEWARMNESS AND ZEAL; OR, SPIRITUAL FERVOR.

JEREMIAH, CHAP. XLVIII. VERSE 10.

Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully.

PART I.

CHRIST'S kingdom, being in order to the kingdom of his Father, must therefore be spiritual, because then it is that all things must become spiritual, not only by way of eminency, but by intire constitution and change of natures. The changed faculties, employments, and enjoyments of men, &c. in this state, dilated on. Contrast between our desires in this world and in the next.

Between these two states of natural flesh and heavenly spirit, the miseries of the world and the happiness of heaven, there is a middle state, the kingdom of grace, wrought for us by our mediator Jesus Christ, who came to reform our nature, &c. The religion which he taught is a spiritual religion; it designs to make us spiritual, serving God not only with our hearts and affections, but with fervent, active zeal, according to the nature of things spiritual. Now though God always perfectly intended it, yet because he less perfectly required it in the law given to the Jews, they fell short in both these respects. For, 1. they rested in the outward action, thinking themselves chaste if they were not actual adulterers; and, 2. They had no holy zeal for God's glory, nor any quickness of action, excepting a few zealots, who were inflamed rather than fervent: their character dilated All this Christ came to mend: to teach us to do our duty, both sincerely and fervently for if we fail in either of these respects, we do the Lord's work deceitfully.

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Here then is the duty of all. 1. God requires of us to serve him