THE EIGHTH SERMON.
I have put off my coat ; Jiow shall I put it on? I have washed my feet ; how shall I defile them? — Cant. V. 3.
We are now, by God's assistance, to speak of the remedies against the lazy distempers ue are prone unto in spiritual things ; where we left off the last day.
Quest. What course should we take, then, to come forth from this dis- tempered laziness ? That we may attain a spmtual taste and rehsh of heavenly things, so as not to loathe religious exercises ; or delay and put them off with excuses ?
Ans. 1. First of all, resolve not to consult with flesh and blood in anything. For it always counsels us for ease, as Peter counselled Christ, ' Master, pity thyself,' Mat. xvi. 22. So we have a nature in us like unto Peter, * Qu. ' so and so ?' — Ed.
92 BOWELS OPENED. ^SeEMON "VJJI.
Spare, favour, pity thyself. Like Eve, and Job's wife, we have a corrupt nature that is always soliciting from* God, and drawing us unto vanity, Gen. iii. 6 and Job ii. 10. Take heed of counselling with flesh and blood ; for if men were in a city environed round about with enemies, would they consult with them what they should do for defence of the city ? Were it not a mad part ? And is it not a greater madness when Christians wiU consult with flesh and blood what they should do in duties of obedience, which will always put us upon terms of ease, the favour of men, content, and the like, which, if a man jdeld to, he shall never enter into heaven ? Take heed therefore of consulting with our enemy, seeing Satan hath all the corres- pondency he hath by that enemy which we harbour in our bosom. In which case the hm-t he doth us by his sophistry comes by ourselves. We betray ourselves by our carnal reason, whereby Satan mingleth himself with our imaginations and conceits. Let us therefore beware we listen not to the counsel of flesh and blood, especially when the matter comes to sufiering once, for there of all other things flesh and blood doth draw back. Every one hath a Peter in himself that saith, * Spare thyself.' Thou art indiscreet to venture thyself upon this and that hazard. But where the judgment is convinced of the goodness of the cause, whether it be religion or justice (for the first or for the second table, that matters not), if the judgment be convinced of the thing, then consult not with flesh and blood, whatsoever the sufiering be. It is not necessary that we should live in riches, honoui-s, pleasures, and estimation with the world. But it is necessary we should live honest men and good Christians. Therefore, when flesh and blood objecteth in this kind, consult not with it. First, because it is an enemy, and therefore is to be suspected and neglected ; secondly, because it is said, ' flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven,' 1 Cor. xv. 50.
2. And therefoi-e we should practise that fii'st lesson in religion, heavenly wisdom. To aid us wherein, Christ, knowing what an enemy we are to ourselves in the ways of God, saith, ' Let a man deny himself, and take up his cross, and foUow me,' Mat. xvi. 24. There is no following of Christ, considering that our flesh is so fall of cavils and excuses, unless we practise that heavenly lesson of Christ, ' to deny ourselves,' our whole self, our wit and reason, in the matters of God : our will and affections. Say nay to aU the sluggishness of the flesh ; silence aU presently, as soon as ever they discourage thee from holy ways. Consider whence they come, which is enough ; fi-om God's and our enemy, and the worst enemy we have, that lieth in our own bosom. And to enable us the better, mark what Paul saith, ' We are no more debtors to the flesh,' &c., Rom. viii. 12. We owe nothing to it. I owe not such obedience, such subjection, to the flesh and carnal reason ; I have renounced it long since. What ! am I ob- noxious to a man unto whom I owe no service ? We owe the flesh no ser- vice or obedience. What ! shall we yield to that which we have long since renounced ?
3. And withal, in spiritual courses, ht tis aiin ourselves with resolution. First, conclude is it so or not so. Let our judgments be convinced. For resolution is a disposition arising from the will immediately ; but it is of the will, by sound judgment, convinced of the goodness of the thing, after which the will resolves. Get resolution from soundness of conviction that such things are good, and that they are best for us, and best for us at this .time, the sooner the better ; that there is an absolute necessity to have
* That is, ' away from.' — G,
Cant. V. 3.] * i have put off jnr coat.* 98
them, and that they are everlastingly good. Oh ! these considerations will put us on amain to obtain the same. It is our duty, and we shall sin against God, against our conscience, against the Spirit of God, and against others that take hke hberty by our examples, if we yield to our base lusts and suggestions in this kind.