You see in Ps. ii. how the Psalmist there insults over those that threaten to do this and that. ' Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing, &c., against the Lord, and against his Anointed ?' As if they would swallow up the church, and Christ the anointed : why do they do this and that ? God that sits in heaven, he laughs them to scorn. You see the grounds of lightness, so far forth as is needful. I will name no more.
The way to prevent it may be in observing these grounds of constancy, especially this : —
1. Stablisk your thoughts icith counsel for the time to come ; consult, go not rashly and headlong about matters. It is not with our common Hfe
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as with those that run in a race ; for their swiftness gets all. But in matters of government in commonwealth, there the most staid get all ; those that weigh things, and then execute upon mature deliberation ; that ripen things first, and go not rawly, and indeliberately about it. This every man takes for granted, but it is not thought on.
2, Then again, labour to snjipmss jiassion in ani/tJtinfi that comes from us. Speak nothing in passion ; for one of these things will follow. If we exe- cute it, we are in danger for the things in passion, and inconsiderately spoken ; if not, we shall have the shame of being frustrate. Wo undergo the shame of lightness, that we speak that in our passion and heat that we retract after. One of these inconveniences will follow : either you will do it, and then it will be dangerous ; or you will not do it, and then you 'will be ashamed, a fit reward of rashness.
God gives us passions to be guided and ruled, and not to rule us. They are good servants and only servants, that should be raised up, and stirred up, only when reason and judgment raiseth them, and not otherwise. But to go on.
3. Another cure of this rashness is holy dependence on God bij p^rnjer, and by faith, to commit our u-ays to Jiim, our tlionylds to Jiim for the time to come. Leave all to him, entertain nothing wherein we cannot expect his gracious assistance. The best Chi'istian is the most dependent Christian. That is the first thing the apostle declines.
What is the second thing ?
' Or the things that I purpose, do I pwpose according to the flesh?* They thought he was a politician ; as this is the lot of God's children sometimes. If so be that God hath given them parts, either of nature or breeding, car- nal, devilish men that are led altogether by plots themselves, esteem them by themselves. ' The things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh ?' He propounds this interrogatory to their conscience, not idly ; but he knew that they had a prejudice in them, by his co-rivals, false apostles. There he labours to wipe away that imputation likewise, that he did not purpose and consult of things according to the flesh. What is flesh here ?
* Flesh' is the unregenerate part of man, whereof fleshly wisdom is the chief; for that guides the ' old man,' that is the eye of old Adam. Carnal •wisdom, it is the flesh's counsellor in all things ; therefore especially he means that.
But why is it called flesh ?
For many reasons. Among many this is one, that the soul, so far as it is sinful, it is led with things that are fleshly, that are outward ; and thereupon a man is called flesh. 'And the soul itself is called flesh, because it cleaves in its aftections and desires to earthly things ; and because the poor understanding now, which ruled all, and should rule all, is become an un- derling to the carnal will and carnal lusts. Therefore itself is called flesh likewise, ' The wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God.' For now it is swayed even which way carnal fancy, and opinion, and the flesh, lead it.
The reason is, it is betwixt God and heavenly things, and betwixt earthly things. And if it were in its right original as it came out of God's hands, being a Spirit, it should be led by God, and by God's Spirit, and God's truth, by better things than itself (as every infirm thing is guided by that which is better than itself; as brute creatures are guided by men, and weaker persons by magistrates, that are, or should be, better); but now since
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the fall, without grace renew a man, the understanding part of man's soul, instead of lighting its candle from heaven, it often lights it from hell, and is ruled by Satan himself, and takes advices even from things meaner than itself, and plots, and projects altogether for things worse than itself. It was not given for that end, God knows that gave it, this soul of ours, to prowl for earthly things ; for the ease, and honour, and profits, and pleasures of the world. That excellent jewel that all the world is not worth, it was not given for that end. No ! it was given to attain a higher end than this world, to attain communion with God. But now since the fall it is thus with it, that it is a slave. Carnal wit is a slave to carnal will, and that car- nal will is drawn by carnal afi'ections. Affections draw the will, and the will draws the wit, and makes it plot and devise for that which it stands for ; for carnal lusts and affections which whet the wit that way. Therefore the whole soul is called flesh, even reason itself.