Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the LifeBrown, John
Religion
Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Brown, John
Bible. John XIV, 6 -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Jesus Christ; Justification (Christian theology); Sanctification
2. It would be carried on, without partiality, against all and every
one of the lusts and motions of the old man. For if there be a
compliance with and a sparing of any one known lust, the whole work may
be marred; they may meet with a disappointment as to the particular lust
they are desiring victory over;--and the lust they are harbouring,
though it may seem little, may open a door to many stronger, and so
occasion sad days to the man, ere he be aware.
3. As they would bring the particular lust, or lusts, unto Christ, as
chief Lord Justice; so they would always lay the axe to the root of the
tree, and crave justice against the main body, that yet lieth within the
soul; and these particular corruptions and affections, that are as
members of that body of sin, should put them in mind of the old man, for
they should "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof,"
Gal. v. 24; the body and the members. These lusts are the lusts of sin,
or of that head-sin, which hath a law, or the force and impulse of a law
in the soul; and therefore their main design would be against this root,
where lieth the strength and body of the enemy, and which acteth in
those members; this is the capital enmity, and should be mainly opposed.
And the following of this course would prove more successful than that
which many time we take: our nibbling at, or wrestling against this or
that member of the body of death, is but of little advantage, so long as
the main body of sin, the bitter root of wickedness, the carnal mind,
this innate enmity is miskent, and not opposed; but on the contrary,
strike at this, we strike at all.
4. This would be the believer's constant work, to be "crucifying the
flesh, with the lusts thereof; to be mortifying their members," wherein
the members of the old man quarter and lodge, Col. iii. 5; "to be
spiritually minded, and to mind the things of the Spirit," Rom. viii. 5,
6. "For the carnal mind is enmity, against God," Rom. viii. 7; "and so
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." It is not only
an enemy which may be reconciled, but enmity in the abstract, which
never can be reconciled. And this enmity will never be idle; for it
cannot till it be fully and finally destroyed; "the flesh is always
lusting against the spirit,'" Gal. v. 17; "for they are contrary one to
the other." So that though, to our sense, it may sometimes appear as
sleeping, in regard that it doth not by some particular lust so molest
and perplex the soul as formerly it did: yet it is restless, and may be
more active in another lust, and so by changing weapons on us, deceive
us. Here then is much spiritual wisdom and vigilancy required. When they
think they have gotten one lust subdued, they must not think the war is
at an end; but after all their particular victories, watch and pray,
that they enter not into temptation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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