By way of confirmation. 1. That tliis threatening is every way consistent with the wisdom, and goodness of God. 2. The certainty of its being accomplished and fulfilled.
First. By way of explication.
1. What is meant by flesh.
[1.] The flesh is sometimes taken for the natural bodily substance, that corporal mass we carry about us : so it is said, ' No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth it, and cherisheth it : ' Eph. v. 29. The body is a part of us, and deserveth due care, that it might be an holy temple for the Spirit to dwell in, and sanctify, and make use of it for God.
[2.] For corruption of nature, which inclineth us wholly to things grateful to the body and bodily life, with the neglect of God and our precious immortal souls : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is flesh.' Now flesh in this latter sense is taken, —
(1.) Largely, For the whole dunghill of corruption, in whatever faculty it is seated, in the understanding, will, or rational appetite : so Gal. V. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit ; ' that is, corrupt nature.
(2.) Strictly, or in a limited sense, for the corruption of the sensual appetite : 1 John ii. 16, ' All that is in the world is eitlier the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or pride of life.' Sensuality is expressed by the lust of the flesh ; and Eph. ii. 3, ' Fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind.' As it is taken more generally for natural cor- ruption, both in will, mind, and aff'ections ; so more particularly for the disorder of the sensual appetite, which carrieth us to meats, drinks, riches, pleasures, honours ; therefore there are two branches, OeXi^ixara TTJ'i (TapKo<i KoX rSiv SiavoMv. Flesh must not be confined to this latter sense, but taken in the latitude of the former ; we read of (ppovrjua Trj<; aapKo<;, ' The wisdom of the flesh,' Kom. viii. 7 ; and of a ' fleshly mind,' Col. ii. 18. Man is a corrupt, carnal creature in all the faculties of the soul, even those which are more noble, the understanding and will ; and when the apostle reckoneth up the works of the flesh (Gal. v. 19), he doth not only reckon up fornication and adultery, unclean- ness, wantonness, which belong to the sensual appetite ; but idolatry and heresy, which are the fruits of blind and corrupt reason ; and witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, envy- ings, murder, which belong to the depraved will ; we must take flesh then in the largest sense.
2. What it is to live after the flesh. Living doth not note one single action, but the trade, course, and strain of our conversa- tions ; they are said to live after the flesh, where the flesh is their principle, their work, and their scope.
[1.] Where it is the governing principle, or that spring which sets
38 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XVI.
all the wheels a-going. Once it was thus with us all ; we were wholly actuated by the iucliuations and desires of the flesh, and did nothing but what tlie flesli moved us unto, and therefore natural men are said to be in tlie flesh : Eom. viii. 8 ; and after the flesh, v. 5 ; and to serve (livers lusts and pleasures : Tit. iii. 3. But when our cure is wrought, we are actuated by another principle, the spirit or new nature : Kom. viii. 1. ; and Gal. v. 16, Not that the old principle is quite abolished, it is in us still : Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit lusteth against the flesh.' And it is in us not as dead, but as working and operative, and there is a mixture of the respective influ- ence and efficacy of these two principles in every action ; yea, in some actions a prevalency of the one above the other. The worse part iu a jiarticular conflict may get the upper iiand ; yet there is a sensible difference between the people of God and others ; the better princij)le is habitual and constant, and in predominancy, and doth not only check and thwart the other, but overcome it ; and the interest of the flesh decreaseth, and that of the spirit prevaileth, and keepeth the carnal part in subjection ; but when the flesh is the chief principle that beareth rule in our hearts, and we are actuated and guided by it in our course of life, we live after the flesh.
[2.] Their work and trade, or the business of their lives. Men are said to live after the flesh, that wholly mind the things of the flesh : Eom. viii. 5 ; that take no other care, but to spend their time, wit, and estate upon the service of their own fleshly lusts ; their whole life, study, and labour is to please the flesh, and satisfy the flesh. If God gets any thing from them, it is but for fasliion's sake, and it is only the flesh's leavings : so Gal. v. 8, ' To sow to the flesh ; ' there is their business, to ' make provision for the flesh : ' Eom. xiii. 14. Neglecting God, and the eternal welfare of their precious and immoi'tal-souls, be it in the way of sensuality, or be it iu the way worldliness, all their toiling, and excessive care and pains, are for the worldly life ; in short, they follow after earthly things with greatest earnestness, and spiritual things in an overly, formal, and careless manner. A carnal man may do many things iu religion, which are good and worthy. Man that hath an appetite, hath also a conscience ; though the flesh is importu- nate to be pleased, and unwilling to be crossed, yet it giveth way to a little superficial duty, that conscience may be pacified, and so itself may be pleased with the less disturbance. Eeligion is but taken on as a matter by the by, as you give way to a servant to go upon his own errand. Nay, sometimes the flesh doth not only give leave, but it sets them a-work, to hide a lust, or feed a lust ; to hide a lust from the world, as in hypocrites ; as the Pharisees made their worship serve their rapine : Mat. xxiii. 14 ; or from their own consciences. Every man must have some religion ; therefore the flesh alloweth a few services, that it may the more securely possess the heart ; it is not for the interest of the flesh to have too much religion, or none at all ; the carnal life must have some devotion to cover it, that men may take courage in sin the more freely. Or feed a lust ; pride or vain-glory may put men on preaching or praying before others : Phil. i. 16. 17, ' The one preacheth Christ out of contention.' Or give alms : Mat. vi. 1, ' Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of men ; ' and a sacrifice