[3.] From the end of it. If it be done with a direct intention of hurting another's fame, it is worse than if out of a rash levity and loquacity. Some men have no direct intention of mischief, but are given to tattling. It is a great sin in them, and an unprofitable mis- pense of time ; but it is a greater in those that make it their business to disgrace others or sow discord. These are the bane of human society.
[4.] From the effect or great hurt that followeth, be it loss of estate, as in the case of Mephibosheth, or a general trouble and perse- cution on the people of God. When their good names are buried their persons cannot long subsist afterward with any degree of service. And all this may be the fruit of a deceitful tongue.
The use is, to show how good-natured Christianity is, and be- friendeth human societies ; it condcmneth not only sins against God, but sins against our neighbour. It bindeth its professors to the prac- tice of the apostle : Acts xxiv. 16, ' Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men ;' Phil. iv. 8, ' Whatsoever things are honest, just, good, and true ; if there be any virtue, or any praise, think of these things,' The world hath taken up this prejudice, that religion makes us ill-natured. Of itself there is nothing more benign ; it only condemneth those that are good-natured to others but not to God.
Use 2. Let us not speak evil of others behind their backs, but tell them their faults plainly in love and wisdom, nor encourage others in this sin : Prov. xxv. 23, ' As the north wind drives away the rain,
284 TUE ELEVENTH SERMON. [GaL. V. IG.
SO doth an angry conntonancc a backbiting tongne.' They that re- ceive tales and delight to hear other men's I'anlts, encourage others in their sin, and are accessory to or partakers of the guilt. It brings an evil habit and custom in our own souls. In short, let us keep up a humble sense of our own faulls, and looking at home, it will not only divert us from slandering of others, but make us compassionate towards them, and breed comfort in our own souls.
SEKMON XL
Tills I saij then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the Jlcsh. —Gal. Y. 16.
In these words observe — (1.) A duty enforced ; (2.) The consequent and fruit of it.
1. The duty is to loalh in the Spirit, \A\\c\\ is the sum of all Chris- tian piety.
2. The motive is taken from the consequent and fruit of it : and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Let us fix the sense.
1. For the duty, ' to walk in the Spirit.' Walking implieth the tenor and course of our actions, in all which we should follow the direction and inclination of the Spirit. But what is meant by the Spirit ? That it may be known, both the contrary principles must be exj)lained together.
[1.] Flesh is sometimes taken for the body : as Eph. v. 29, * For no man yet ever hated his own flesh ;' it is brought as a reason why hus- bands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, ver. 28, and sinrit is taken for the soul, Eccles. xii. 7. But this is not the sense here, for every man hath soul and body, not the regenerate only ; and a man is not only to look after the welfare of the soul, but his body also, it being the instrument which it uscth in its operations.
[2.] The spirit is sometimes put for reason, and the flesh for sensual appetite: as Eph. iv. 23, ' And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;' and 1 John ii. IG, 'The lusts of the flesh.' But this will not take in the whole sense of this place, for other faculties are corrupted besides the sensual appetite, and other faculties must be renewed as well as the understanding.
[3.] There is another acceptation of JlesJi and sjnrit; that is, that spirit signifieth the uncreated Spirit, who is the author of grace; as John iii. 5, ' Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit.' Where sjnrit is put for the Holy Ghost, who immediately worketh grace in us, called therefore ' the Spirit of sanctification,' as that saving grace which is the effect of his work is called 'the sanctification of the Spirit.' And the opposite principle, Jlcsh, signifieth the corrupt nature ()f man, as John iii. G, ' That which is born of the flesh is flesh;' cor- ru[)t,sinful, inclined tocarthly things. Nowthoughthiswouldbearagood sense to interpret llesli and spirit of the Holy Ghost, and concupiscence
Gal. V. IG.] the eleventh sermon. 285
or natural corruption (for no question he concurrcth to the mortifyincj of the old man, till sin be wholly expelled, Rom. viii. 23, and still doth quicken and excite the new man to action, Gal. iv. 25), yet here the apostle speaks of two inherent principles.
[4.] Therefore by flesh and spirit is meant the old mnn and the new, and so by spirit is meant the renewed part, or the new man of grace in the heart : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of the Spirit is spirit ;' that is, there is a work of saving grace wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God, wliich new nature hath its motions and inclina- tions which must be obeyed and followed by us. And by flesh, is meant inbred corruption, or the old man, which is ' corrupt, with his deceivable lusts,' Eph. \v. 22. Now, then, you see what it is to walk after the Spirit, to direct and order our actions according to the inclina- tions of the new nature.