And hereupon wicked men are called ' the world.' Why the world ? Be- cause they are led with the things of the world, with the guise and fashion of the world.
A man, in the language of the Scripture, is termed by that which he cleaves to ; therefore if the heart and soul cleave to the flesh, and the things of the flesh, it is flesh ; if it be led with the world, and the things of the world, it is called the world. Wicked men are the world, because the best thing in them is the love of worldly things, and their wit is for worldly things. All the inward parts of their soul are spent upon worldly things ■; therefore they are called flesh, and the world. And sometimes ' Satan' him- self. A man, as far as he is carnal, is called Satan, yea, good men ; ' Go after me, Satan,' saith Christ to Peter, Mat. xvi. 23.
A man as far as he yields to anything, he is named from that which he yields to. When fleshly things rule a man, he is called ' flesh ;' when worldly things rule him, profits and pleasures, a man is the 'world;' when a man yields to Satan, he is ' Satan.'
Use. This should make us take heed by ivhmn ive are Jed, under whose government we come. Saith St Paul, ' Do I purpose according to the flesh ?' That is, according to the profits, and pleasures, and honom-s which the flesh looks after. Are those my advisers, my intelhgencers, my counsellors in the things I take in hand ? what may make for my honour, my pleasure, my estate, my worldly ease here ? No ! saith he, ' I purpose not according to the flesh.' The rule from hence is this, that,
Obs. A Christian man owjht by all means to avoid the imputation of carnal policy.
Every Christian, much more a Christian man in authority and place, a minister, or magistrate, ought by all means to avoid it? St Paul here declines it, ' Did I pm-pose things according to the Besh ?' Was I politic ? I had just occasion to speak largely of it in the former verse concerning fleshly wisdom, therefore I will speak the less of it now. We ought by all means to decline the imputation of it, and much more the conscience of it, than the report of it ; to be holily wise, and to be accounted so too.
lieason. The reason is, it is God's enemy, and our enemy. Should a Christian consult and deliberate with his enemy ? to take his enemy to be his judge, and his friend, and counsellor ? A man that hath his enemy to guide him to a place, that hath a pirate to guide him in a ship, how can he come to good '? He that is led by the flesh he consults with his enemy, when he looks what is for his profit, or his pleasure, &c. These things we should renounce as we promised in baptism, when we gave our names to
848 COMMENTARY ON
Christ. If we live and deliberate ' according to the flesh, we shall die,' saith the apostle peremptorily. It is a danj^crous enemy ; death is the issue of all the counsel of the ilcsh, Rom. viii. 2, srq.
Again, it is a secret enenn/, a doiiirslic eiieinij. It is in all the powers of the soul. We cannot be too jealous against it. It is a perpetual enemy that accompanies us continually, in all our consultations, in all places ; in prosperity, in adversity. It hinders us from all good, it keeps us from the reformation of anything that is ill.
If a magistrate be suggested by any other, or by a good motion of his own, do this, reform this, Oh ! I shall run myself into danger, I shall incur censure ! So ill is done, and is unreformcd, only by consulting with the flesh ; and good is neglected, — I shall be accounted an hypocrite, if I do this.
So there is flesh and blood to hinder in every good thing. The flesh will be foisting bad ends, or bad moving causes, and the flesh will be ready to keep us from reforming ill from fear of danger. And if we do ill, and be in ill, it will be ready to keep us in ill. Oh ! it is time enough to repent, &c. A thousand such policies the flesh hath to keep us in ill till we be in hell itself. Wlio would be advised, and take counsel by such an enem}^ ?
Use. Therefore, let us take heed. We have it in us, hut let it live in us only, and not rule in ks. Although it w'ill be in us as long as we live, j'et let us not be ruled by it ; let us not admit it to counsel, but suppress it, and keep it under. Especially those that are magistrates, that are called to public business, let ^ them not bring private respects to public business, but bring public hearts to intend the good of religion, and of their country, before any private interest whatsoever. And not consult according to the flesh : If I do this, I shall displease such and such. That is no matter. If it were not for religion, if a man have a public mind, such as the very heathens had, he would lay aside base respects in public business. There- fore, I humbly desire such to examine deeply their intentions and purposes, what they aim at ; whether to serve God, and the church, and their country, or to serve themselves ; that if so be they may be safe, they care not what befall their country, or religion, or whatsoever. That is it that moves God to indignation, to cross their intentions ; for when God sees they set earth above heaven, the world present before the world to come ; and the dirt of the world, base respects before those that are greater, that they invert the order of things, he crosseth them in that they aim at, because they cross him in neglecting their duty. Therefore, as we would have things succeed well, let us labour to consult, not according to the flesh, for our private advantage ; but for what may make most fii'st for religion, and then for the public good.