Ver. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

THE right spiritual knowledge that a christian hath of God and of himself, differenceth itself from whatsoever is likest to it, by the power and influence it hath upon the heart and life. And in this it hath the lively impression of that doctrine of the holy Scriptures that teaches it; wherein we still find throughout, that the high mysteries of religion are accompanied with practical truths, which not only agree with them, but are drawn out of them, and that not violently drawn, but naturally flowing from them, as pure streams from a pure spring. Thus in this epistle we find the Apostle intermixing his divine doctrine with most useful and practical exhortations, and in the beginning of this chapter again, and now in these words.

And upon this model ought both the ministers of the gospel to form their preaching, and the hearers their ear. Ministers are not to instruct only, or exhort only, but to do both. To exhort men to holiness and the duties of a christian life, without instructing men in the doctrine of faith, and bringing them to Jesus Christ, is to build a house without a foundation. And on the other side, to instruct the mind in the knowledge of divine things, and neglect the pressing of that practice and power of godliness, which is the undivided companion of true faith, is to forget the building that ought to be raised upon that foundation once laid, which is likewise a point of very great folly. Or if men laying that right foundation, do proceed to the superstructure of vain and empty speculations, it is but to build hay and stubble, instead of those solid truths that direct the soul in the way to happiness, which are of more solidity and worth than gold and silver, and precious stones'. Christ, and the doctrine that reveals him, d Chap. i. v. 13. 22. с e1 Cor. iii. 12. f 1 Tim. iii. 9.

285 is called the mystery of the faith, and v. 16. the mystery of godliness: as Christ is the object of faith, so is he the spring and fountain of godliness. The Apostle having, we see, in his foregoing discourse unfolded the excellency of Christ, and of christians in him, proceeds here to exhort them to that pure and spiritual temper of mind and course of life, that becomes them as christians.

A

These hearers are to blame, and do prejudice themselves, that are attentive only to such words and discourse as stir the affections for the present, and find no relish in the doctrine of faith, and the unfolding of those mysteries that bear the whole weight of religion, so as to be the ground both of all christian obedience, and all exhortations and persuasives to it. These temporary sudden stirrings of the affections, without a right informed mind, and some measure of due knowledge of God in Christ, do no good. It is the wind of a word of exhortation that stirs them for the time against their lusts, but the first wind of temptation that comes, carries them away; and thus the mind is but tossed to and fro like a wave of the sea with all kind of winds, not being rooted and grounded in the faith of Christ, as it is, and so in the love of Christ", which are the conquering graces that subdue his Justs and the world unto a christian. Love makes a man dead to himself and the world, and to live to Christ that died for him.

On the other part, they are no less, yea more to blame that are glad to have their minds instructed in the mysteries of the christian faith, and out of a mere natural desire to know, are curious to hear such things as inform them; but when it comes to the urging of holiness and mortifying their lusts, these are hard sayings, they had rather there were some way to receive Christ, and retain their lusts too, and to bring them to agreement. To hear of the mercies of God, and the dignities of his people in Christ, is very pleasing; but to have this follow upon

* Col. ii. 7.

Eph. iii. 17. i Joh. v. 4. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.

it, abstain from fleshly lusts, this is an importune troublesome discourse: But it must be so for all that, these that will share in that mercy and happiness must abstain from fleshly lusts, &c. Dearly beloved, I beseech you.] There is a faculty of reproving required in the ministry, and sometimes a necessity of very sharp rebukes, cutting ones. They that have much of the Spirit of meekness, may have a rod by them too, to use upon necessity: But sure the way of meekness is that they use most willingly, as the Apostle there implies. And out of all question, with ingenuous minds the mild way of sweet intreaties is very forcible; as oil that penetrates and sinks in insensibly, or, (to use that known resemblance) they prevail as the sun beams, that without any noise, made the traveller cast his cloak, which all the blustering of the wind could not do; but made him rather gather it closer, and bind it faster about him. We see the Apostles are frequent in this strain of intreaties, I beseech you*. Now this word of intreaty is strengthened much by the other, Dearly beloved. Scarce can the harshest reproofs, much less gentle reproofs, be thrown back, that have upon them the stamp of love. That which is known to come from love cannot readily but be so received too, and it is thus expressed, for that very purpose, that the request may be the more welcome, Beloved, it is the advice of a friend, one that truly loves you, and aims at nothing in it but your good. It is because I love you that I intreat you, and intreat you, as you love yourselves, to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against your souls. And what is our purpose when we exhort you to believe and repent, but that you may be happy in the forgiveness of your sins? Why do we desire you to embrace Christ? but that through him ye may have everlasting life.

Howsoever you take these things, it is our duty incessantly to put you in mind of them; and to do it with much love and tenderness of affection to your

* Rom. xii. 1.

souls; not only pressing you by frequent warnings, and exhortings, but also by frequent prayers and tears for your salvation.

Abstain.] It was a very wise abridgment that Epictetus made of philosophy, into those two words, bear and forbear. These are truly the two main duties that our Apostle recommends to his christian brethren, in this Epistle. It is one and the same strength of spirit that raises a man both above the troubles and pleasures of the world, and makes him despise and trample upon both.

We have first briefly to explain what these fleshly lusts mean; then to consider the exhortation of abstaining from them.

Unchaste desires are particularly called by this name indeed, but to take it for these only in this place, is doubtless too narrow. That which seems

to be the true sense of it here, takes in all undue desires and use of earthly things, and all the corrupt affections of our carnal minds.

Now in that sense, these fleshly lusts comprehend a great part of the body of sin: All those three, the world's accursed Trinity', are under this name here of fleshly lusts. A crew of base imperious masters they are, to which the natural man is a slave; serving divers lusts". Some are more addicted to the service of one kind of lust, some of another: But all are in this unhappy, that they are strangers, yea enemies to God; and as the brute creatures, servants to their flesh; either like the beasts of the field, as the covetous, still upon the earth; or voluptuous, in pleasures, as the fishes do in the fowls of the air, in vain ambition. that are raised about these things, all malice, and envyings, all bitterness and evil-speaking", which are works of the flesh, and tend to the satisfying of its wicked desires, we are here requested to abstain from.

with their eye and swimming sea, or like the All the All the strifes

To abstain from these lusts is to hate and fly from m Tit. iii. 3.

1 John ii. 16.

n

" Eph. iv. 31.

the very thoughts, and first motions of them; and if surprised by those, yet to kill them there, that they bring not forth: And to suspect ourselves even in those things that are not sinful, and to keep afar off from all inducements to those polluted ways of sin.

In a word, we are to abstain not only from the serving of our flesh in things forbidden, as unjust gain or unlawful pleasures, &c. but also from immoderate desire of, and delighting in any earthly thing, although it may be in itself lawfully, yea necessarily in some degree, desired and used; yea, to have any feverish pressing thirst after gain, even just gain, or after earthly delights, though lawful, is to be guilty of those fleshly lusts, and a thing very unbeseeming the dignity of a christian. To see them that are cloathed in scarlet embracing a dunghill, is a strange sight; therefore the Apostle having so cleared that immediately before, hath the better reason to require this of them, that they abstain from fleshly lusts.

Let their own slaves serve them; you are redeemed and delivered from them; a free people, yea kings, and suits it with royal dignity to obey vile lusts? You are priests consecrated to God, and will you tumble yourselves and your precious garments in the mire? It was a high speech of a heathen, That he was greater, and born to greater things, than to be a servant to his body; how much more ought he that is born again to say so? being born heir to a crown that fadeth not away".

Again, as the honour of a christian's estate is far above this baseness of serving his lusts, so the happiness and pleasantness of his estate, sets him above the need of the pleasures of sin. He said before, If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, desire the sincere milk of the word; desire that word wherein ye may taste more of his graciousness. And as that fitly urgeth the appetite's desire of the word, so it strongly persuades to this abstinence from fleshly

• Lament. iv. 4.

P 1 Pet. v. 4.