THE DESCRIPTION OF FLESHLY LUSTS.  
OR A PROFITABLE AND FRVITFULL SERMON Upon the first Epistle of Saint Peter, Chap. 2. vers. 11.12. Preached and Penned by that famous, learned, judicious, Orthodoxal, holy, wise, and skilful Preacher and servant of God, now deceased, and with his God triumphing in Heaven, JOHN RANDALL, Bachelor of Divinity, Pastor of St Andrew's Hubbart in little Eastcheap LONDON, Sometimes Fellow of Lincoln College in OXFORD.  
And now published, to the glory of God, the edification of his Church, and the honourable Memorial of the Author, by WILLIAM HOLBROOKE, Preacher of the Word of God in the Church aforesaid.  
LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nathaniel Newberry and William Sheffard, and are to be sold at their Shops in Popes-head Alley. 1622.   

TO THE WORTHY AND TRULY RELIGIOUS LADY, THE LADY WELD, ALL BLESSINGS internal, and external, spiritual and bodily in this life, and eternal Glory in the world to come, be multiplied.  
WORTHY LADY,  
IT is the promise and word of the Almighty, 
1 Sam. 2.30.  that he will honour them that honour him, which extendeth itself not only to the time of this life, but to the time of death and after also: this promise it is our part and duty to verify and make good to, and upon the heads of all the people of God, both in the time of their life, death, and afterwards, that so God may be found true in his promise, and to do what he hath said; This is done of us, as by many ways, so by keeping and being means of preserving an honourable memorial of them, that therein they may for ever be blessed and honourable, according to that of Solomon, 
Pro. 10.7.  The memorial of the just shall be blessed, 
Psal. 112.6.  and that of the Prophet David, The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, The consideration whereof moved me to think and consider with myself, how I might perform this duty to the Author of this following Sermon, which whilst I thought upon, I saw no better means to perform it by, then by publishing some of his worthy labours, that so (by, 
Heb. 11.4.  and in them) he might live and speak, though he be dead, as it is said of Abel, and be had in everlasting and honourable remembrance to the end of the world. For which end, next to God's glory, and the good of his Church, I have published (for the present) two Sermons given me, by his Executors, which I found in his Study, perfected, and written with his own hand fair and legible, above any thing which yet I find of his, as if he had purposed them for the Press, and had fitted them thereunto: one of which Sermons is this following, which I make bold to offer to the view of the World, under the protection of your Ladyship. It needeth not a Letter or Epistle of Recommendation from me or any other, it is able enough, and will speak for itself, both for Method and Matter, wherein, I dare say, as the Text is Methodically, genuinely, and naturally handled, so the matter is worthy and excellent, and diverse passages therein not ordinary, and no wonder, seeing it is the work of a skilful Workman, who was more than ordinarily gifted from God, and fitted for the Work of the Ministry, which the Lord appointed him unto. The reason why I attempt the performance of this Duty first to him, is this, because he was one that loved me dear in his life time, yea, honoured me much by his high esteem, & reverend speech to all, of me, and his countenancing and encouraging me in the work of my Ministry, for the space of nine year's last passed; during all which time, I exercised my Ministry in his charge, with great approbation from him, and comfort to him, as he often confessed; so that I had reason to be first in this work, and (lege talionis) to honour him that honoured me I have made bold, and been moved to Dedicate this Sermon to your Ladyship for two reasons especially, first, because of that honourable esteem and respect, which, I know, is seated in your religious heart, to all the faithful Ministers of God, and was to the Author of this Sermon in particular and special, whereupon I persuade myself, that you will esteem and respect a Fatherless child of his, now tendered unto you, by me, (a friend to the dead and the living) and afford it all the countenance you can, by kind receiving of it, and other ways, as you would have done to the Author of it, whom you oft desired to have been familiarly acquainted with, and to have entertained, as you long have done, and still do, many of God's faithful Ministers and Servants. The second reason is, that I might take occasion hereby, publicly to acknowledge my unfeigned thankfulness to your Ladyship, for all the kindnesses, you have showed and done to me and mine.  
This I thought to have acknowledged long before this time, by publishing some work of my own, and dedicating it to your Ladyship, but have hitherto kept back, for diverse reasons known to myself, notwithstanding, continuing my resolution so to do, if God will and permit life and opportunity. Having thus rendered my reasons why I dedicate this little work to your Ladyship, I beseech you accept them for excuse of my boldness in so doing, and accept this work as the labour, yea the child of a faithful servant of God, and one that put up many a hearty prayer to God for you, especially considering, it will requite all the countenance you can show it, by the good which (through God's blessing) it will do to your Soul, which I hearty wish to your Ladyship, and all that shall read it, from him that is able with the showers of his grace to make it fruitful to you and them. 
Pro. 10.22.  His blessing only maketh rich both for Soul and Body; without his blessing we Preach, and Print, and the people hear and read, in vain. To him that is the only true God, one in Essence, three in Person, I do, and daily will, commend your Ladyship, in my daily prayers, for attainment of all needful blessings for Soul and body in this life, and eternal Glory in the world to come, through our Lord jesus Christ; In whom  
I am, and ever will be at Your Ladyships Command in the work of the Lord, WILLIAM HOLBROOKE.   

THE DESCRIPTION OF FLESHLY LUSTS.  1 PETER, CHAP. 2. ver. 11. and 12. 
Dear beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the Soul: And have your conversation honest, etc.  
THe Church of God, having suffered a great Eclipse of her glory, having been exceedingly diminished by the falling away of the whole Nation of the jews, a people which the LORD had chosen peculiar to himself, was soon after supplied, partly, through the preaching of john the Baptist, and partly, through the teaching and miracles of Christ himself, and partly, through the ministry of his Apostles and Disciples, together with the happy success that God gave thereunto; was, (I say) soon after supplied, and her breaches repaired and filled up again, by the conversion and calling of the Gentiles. And because the Gentiles should not fall away as the jews had done before, (for it is the Apostles reason, Rom. 11.21. If God spared not the natural branches, much less will he spare the wild;) therefore the Apostles used all diligence to confirm them in that faith which they had subscribed unto. For so it behoved the Lords husbandmen, not only to plant, and so give over, but also to water that which they had planted; not only to sow the seed of the Word in the hearts of men, and so leave off, but also to carry a watchful eye over it, still cherishing it up, and preserving it from being over-runne with weeds, or pestered with other annoyances.  
Hence it was, that Paul having taken pains in preaching to many particular Churches, did not so leave them, but in a godly jealousy over them writes Epistle after Epistle, sometimes to the Romans, sometimes to the Corinthians, sometimes to the Thessalonians, etc. earnestly soliciting them to stand fast in that faith which they had received. Hence it was that james having instructed the remnant of the twelve Tribes in the faith of Christ, did not so leave them, but seconds his preaching with an Epistle written to them for their confirmation in the faith. And hence it was that our Apostle Peter, being the minister of the Circumcision, as we read, Galathians 2.7. having preached Christ to those Gentiles that first had been converted to the profession of the jews, and afterward from the jews profession to the faith of Christ, did not so leave them; but writes this and his other Epistle general to them all, as they were dispersed in diverse places of the world; exhorting them hereby to walk worthy of that vocation and holy profession which they had taken upon them: and having first showed, Chapter 1 verse 2. the great mercy of God towards them in electing them to salvation through jesus Christ, he doth thence enforce an exhortation, verse 13.14.15. of that Chapter, that they must be holy, because God who is their father and hath chosen them, is holy: And having showed them secondty their Redemption, verse 18.19. that it was not made with gold nor silver, but with the precious blood of that immaculate Lamb Christ jesus; he doth thence infer another exhortation in the beginning of this 2. chap. that seeing they are so preciously bought, therefore they must lay aside all maliciousness, and dissimulation, and envy, and evil speaking, and as new borne babes etc. And thirdly having amplified the great bountifulness of God towards them, partly by comparing them with others ver. 7.8.9. that whereas Christ was made to others a stone to stumble at, and a rock of offence, yet unto these he was an elect and precious stone, whereby they were knit together in the Lord's building: and partly by comparing their present estate of grace with their former estate of nature, verse 9.10. that whereas before, they had lain in darkness, now they were called to a marvellous light; whereas in times past they were no people, now they are the people of God; in times past they were not under mercy, but now they have obtained mercy; he doth thence infer, as it were by force of consequence this third exhortation which I have now read unto you: The Sum whereof is briefly this, to persuade those Christians to holiness of life: and as holiness of life hath two parts, so this exhortation consists of two branches answerable thereunto. The first part of an holy life is The Mortifying and subduing of the lusts of the flesh; and to this he exhorts us in the first branch of this Scripture, verse 11. I beseech you Brethren abstain from etc. The second part of an holy life is the honest conversation and carriage of ourselves in the world, and to this he exhorts us in the second branch of of this Scripture, verse 12. Having your conversation honest, etc. In the first branch, that is, verse 11. we may observe first the matter itself, Abstinence from fleshly lusts; and secondly the Apostles enforcing of this matter upon them, using two motives or inducements to persuade them to it: The first motive is drawn a conditione fidelium, from the estate and condition of God's Children in this life, they are Strangers and Pilgrims; the second motive is drawn à naturâ concupiscentiae, from the nature of these lusts they fight against the Soul. But yet to fasten the whole body of this exhortation upon them the rather, he useth here two covert Insinuations: first, he closes with them by a term of love and kindness, he calls them his dear beloved: secondly, that he may the better prevail with them, he deals by humble entreaty, he beseeches them; Dear beloved, I beseech you. But before I come to handle either the parts or the Insinuations, I must observe out of the coherence or agreement of this with that which went before, one profitable note for our Instruction.  
Seeing the Apostle doth here infer this exhortation upon the rehearsal of God's blessings bestowed upon his people, as if, because God had so loved them, therefore they were bound to perform this duty towards him, hence I note unto you, that every blessing and mercy that God vouchsafeth unto us, doth effectually call upon us to live in the fear and obedience of God.  
For as Isaac dealt with his Son jacob Gen. 28.1. he blessed him, and he charged him, saith the Text, he bestowed a blessing upon him, and withal he charged him to perform a duty: even so doth the Lord with his Children; he gives them blessings, he bestows mercies upon them, but so, that every blessing and favour which the Lord bestows upon them, doth exact and call for a duty that they must perform towards him.  
In the 5. chap. of Esay, verse 1.2. the Lord had done much for his Vineyard; it was planted on a very fruitful hill, he hedged it, he gathered out the stones of it, he planted it with the best plants, he built a Tower in the midst of it, and made a winepress therein: and what then? did he all this for nothing? No; the Text saith Then he looked that it should bring forth grapes; as if the Prophet should say, because the Lord had done so much for his Vineyard; therefore he expected, and great cause there was that it should bring forth good store of good grapes. And this the Lord himself would teach us by the words of his own mouth: For in Exod. 20.2. The Lord being to deliver his Law to his people, tells them first, that he is the Lord their God, which brought them out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; using the rehearsal of his goodness towards them, as a most effectual bond and persuasion to tie them to the obedience of his Law. For thus it was even from the first blessing that ever God bestowed upon man, there ensued a Commandment upon it, as we read, Gen. 2.15.16. that the Lord placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, and withal gave him Commandment, that he should abstain from the forbidden fruit. Here than we see (beloved) the right and true use of the blessings of God upon us; so many mercies as he shows unto us, we must esteem to be so many spurs, to prick us forward to well doing; and to be so many Messengers sent unto us from God, to call upon us for the due performance of all such Christian Duties, as belong to our several callings. Satan himself, though a malicious depraver and abuser of all God's blessings towards us, yet doth acknowledge to Gods own face, that his blessings do exact a duty at our hands, Doth job serve God for nought? saith he, job 1.9. As if Satan should have said; It is true indeed, that job is an upright and just man, one that fears God, and eschews evil; but doth he so for nought? No, he hath great reason for it; For thou hast made an hedge about him, and about all that he hath on every side. Now (Beloved) if Satan thought it reason that job should serve God, because God had blessed job; oh, how wicked is our ingratitude, if, when we have received favours and blessings at God's hands, (as we do receive daily) we do not in lieu and requital thereof apply ourselves to God's service? The Apostle in the twelfth to the Romans, ver. 1. hath given us an excellent Precedent in this case: I beseech you, saith he, by the mercies of God, that you give up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God: He hath no better means to adjure us, as it were, and to bind us to offer up ourselves a living sacrifice unto God, than the mercies and favours which he hath bestowed upon us.  
To apply this present case more particularly to ourselves, consider aright, I beseech you, the case of these faithful, to whom the Apostle makes this Exhortation; and when you have compared their case with your own case, then tell me, if this same Exhortation may not as justly, nay, much more justly be enforced upon us. These were Gentiles, and so are we; these had sitten in darkness, and so did we; these were aliens from the covenant, and so were we; but God had chosen them a peculiar people to himself, and so he hath chosen us; he brought them into a marvellous light, and so he hath done by us; he called them to the knowledge of his truth, and so he hath called us; he redeemed them with the precious blood of jesus Christ, and so he hath redeemed us; he regenerated them by his spirit, and so he hath done us; therefore this Duty lies as hard upon us as upon them, and this same Exhortation is to be pressed as forcibly upon us as upon them; wherefore, Dear Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul. Nay, to go a little further in this application, because God hath gone a great deal further in blessing us: they were but young Novices in the Faith, as it seems to be implied in the second verse of this Chapter, New borne babes; but we have been long trained up in the knowledge, his blessed Gospel having had free passage amongst us above these forty years: they were dispersed abroad in the world, as appears Chapter 1. vers. 1. and scattered here and there, but we enjoy the Communion of the Word & Sacraments in the unity of this one particular Church; they were strangers where they lived, but we sit at home under our Vine, and under our Figtree, as the Prophet speaks, and Gods holy name be everlastingly praised for it. We need not to gee beg the bread of life in foreign Nations, for we have it brought home even to our doors: much more justly therefore do these extraordinary blessings of God bind us to this Duty, then theirs did them, and much more earnestly must this Exhortation be enforced upon us then upon them; wherefore, Dear beloved, I beseech you; you that have received this full measure of love and mercy at God's hands, I beseech you to abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soul. If we had given to him first, than these his blessings had been but requitals of our former kindness; but now seeing he hath loved us when we did not love him, seeing he hath thus blessed us of his own free good will, oh, how straight do these undeserved favours of God exact this Christian duty at our hands, even our holiness of life; wherefore I beseech you, nay, you must know that the love of God doth beseech you, or rather impose it upon you as a necessary Duty, to abstain from fleshly lusts, etc. And let this suffice to be observed concerning this point. Now I come to the Insinuations; and first of the first.  
Dear Beloved, I call it an Insinuation, because the Apostle by this term of Kindness, doth artificially close with them, and wind both himself, and his Exhortation into their hearts. For commonly the nature of Man, when it is counselled and advised by others, is wont strait ways to look into the heart of his Counsellor, to search out with what affection he speaks it, and accordingly as he finds the affection of his Counsellor, so will he esteem of his Counsel. If a man wills us to amend our manners, thereby upbraiding us with our faults, or bewraying any bitterness against us, we will reject his counsel, though never so good: If a man advise us to any good course, for his own profit, or for some advantage that himself may get by it, we refuse his advice, though never so profitable: but if once we be persuaded, that he love's us, and that for love and good will he advises us to any courses, presently we harken to him, and embrace his counsel, and are willing and ready to put it in practice. Wherefore our Apostle deals very skilfully here with these Christians, first, protesting his dear and tender love towards them, that he doth not counsel them to this for any shame he would bring upon them, or for any vantage that he should procure to himself, but merely for his hearty love and affection that he bears unto them, therefore they are in no case, either to contemn it, or suspect it, but rather to embrace it with all willingness. And here is an excellent Rule for us, to frame our counsels by; that whensoever any of us reproves his brother for any sin, as for drunkenness, swearing, uncleanness, or any such profane carriage, and counsels him to amend it, we must take heed, that it come not from any gall or bitterness in our hearts, for than it mars our Exhortation, and hardens him more in his sin; but it must come from love within us, and that from a tender and dear love towards him, if ever we desire that our counsel should take effect with him in his heart, to the reformation of his life, and saving of his soul.  
Again, in that he calls them here his Dear beloved, here is another observation offered unto us. He had showed in the former Verses, that they were the dear beloved of God, and therefore here in this Verse he is bold to call them his Dear beloved; for, seeing that Christ did love them dear, his Apostle must needs love them dearly too. For the Lord never bestows his love upon any, but withal he bestows many amiable Graces upon them, such as may procure them love and favour amongst men; I say not, amongst carnal men, that cannot look any farther than upon flesh and blood, nor yet amongst worldly men, that only love those that are like themselves, but amongst spiritual men, such as can discern the lovely gifts and graces of God, shining in a man's soul. We read, Genesis 39.3, 4. of joseph, that the Lord was with him; Putiphar seeing the love of God upon him, did set his love upon him too: and in the 21. verse of that Chapter, the Master of the Prison saw that the Lord loved joseph, and then he loved joseph too; and in the 41. Chapter, the 39 Verse, even Pharaoh himself saw that the spirit of God was in joseph, and therefore he favoured him, and preferred him exceedingly. Thus was it also with Christ himself, of whom we read, Luk. 2.52. that he grew in love and favour with God and with men; first, in favour with God, and then with men; for men loved him because God loved him first. Here is then a perfect Rule, whereby to frame our love towards men; if first we behold and descry in them certain testimonies of the love of God, then may we be bold also to set our dearest love and affection upon them. We must take heed that we be not too light of our love, in bestowing it upon every one; for our Christian love is, and aught to be a well settled affection, proceeding from a good ground, and therefore we must bestow it especially upon those whom we see the Lord hath peculiarly endued with his sanctifying and saving grace: neither yet on the other side must we be too sparing of our love, in bestowing it only upon some few, that fit our own humour best, but as many as the Lord hath vouchsafed to admit into the bosom of his Church, and to call to the profession of our Christian Faith, (except we see in them some evident cause to the contrary, as that they are hypocrites, or yield any other manifest signs of impiety) those we must love, as presuming and well hoping, that God doth love them.  
But howsoever the Apostle had many respects to draw his dearest love to these faithful ones, partly, because they were his brethren in the flesh, but much rather, because they were his brethren in the Lord, embracing the same faith, worshipping the same God, regenerate by the same spirit, and living in the communion of one and the same mystical body; yet there was one reason further than all these, that inflamed his heart with most fervent love towards them above all other; and this was the charge which was given to him over them, that he should be their Instructor, to Preach the Doctrine of salvation unto them. For the Ministerial charge, which was assigned unto Peter over the Circumcision, Gal. 2.7. did knit his heart unto them, faster than ever the heart of jonathan was knit unto the heart of David; so that in this respect he might well call them his dear beloved. Wherein he gives an example to the Ministers of God, teaching them how they ought to esteem the flock of Christ, whereof the holy Ghost hath made them overseers; that they must carry a love and affection towards them, and that not any common love, but such as proceeds from the dearest and the deepest seat of their hearts. Dear is that love which must prevail with us so fare as to make us to lay down our lives for those whom we do love; It is so dear, and such a great love, as that our Saviour, joh. 15.13. tells us, there can be no greater. Greater love can no man show then this, when a man bestows his life for his friends; and yet such must be the love of a Pastor toward his flock, even to lay down his life for them, as joh. 10.11. A good Shepherd, etc. Thus it was with Moses; that would rather be blotted out of the Book of life himself, then that the wrath of the Lord should be poured out upon the Children of Israel, Exod. 32.32. And thus it was with Paul; that would wish himself to be separated from Christ for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. 9.3. And thus it was with the great Shepherd of our souls, Christ himself, who did lay down his life for his Sheep, and expose himself to all those dangers, which by our sins we had incurred: and thus it ought to be with all the Ministers of God; they must love their several Charges, even unto death, embracing them with their dearest affection.  
The second Insinuation is in these words, I beseech you. For although by that Apostolic authority which he had received, he might command them, yet he had rather to deal with them by entreaty, to beseech them. For this was a course fit for him, and fit for them also. Fit for him, as being a Minister of the Word; it is for a Magistrate to command, it is for a Minister to beseech: and fit for them: the young tenderlings of a Vine are to be handled gently and charily; and so these being but young Christians, as hath been already showed out of the second Verse, were to be mildly dealt withal.  
In matters of Religion, though sometimes men may be compelled by strong hand, and by force, to obedience, yet the readiest way, either to win those that are without, or to contain those that are already won, in the bond of obedience, is (for the most part) by fair means, and by kind persuasions: Suadenda potius est pietas quàm cogenda, saith a learned Father, Sooner is godliness fastened upon us by persuasion then by compulsion. And the very Heathen man Seneca could tell us, that in good causes, Faciliùs ducimur quam trahimur, It is easier to lead us on by kind entreaty, then to draw us on by constraining means. Here then is controlled that imperious Spirit which reigns in the Chair of the Romish Sea, that takes upon him to command all the world. He challengeth himself to be Christ's Vicar, and Peter's successor; but whither he be either of them, let his commanding courses testify. Christ said, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly: What meekness is there in him, that sends forth his Mandamus, nothing but commands and threatenings to the people of God? And Peter, as you see here, beseeches these Christians to be advised by him: but he that challenges himself to be Peter's successor, looks for it as a duty, to be besought and crouched unto by others, but himself will beseech none. It may be, he succeeds him in place, though that may be questioned too; but in meekness of Spirit, and the performance of his Ministerial function, he doth as fare degenerate from Peter, as ever that Idolatrous King Manassah did degenerate from the steps of his good Father Hezekiah. And thus much of the Insinuations.  
Now to the parts of the Exhortation; and first, of the former part, contained in the 11. Verse, the mortifying and subduing of the lusts of the Flesh. First, of the matter itself, and secondly, of the motives, whereby the Apostle enforces this Exhortation upon them. First, of the matter, To abstain from fleshly lusts. By lusts we are here to understand, the dispositions, or inclinations that are within us: by the flesh, we are to understand, our whole nature, and whatsoever in us is not regenerate by the spirit of God; all which must be abstained from, they must be mortified and subdued within us; according to that, Galatians the fift Chapter, vers. 24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof; that is, they have crucified their nature, and the dispositions of their nature. Every one of these words require a several Discourse; and therefore I will treat of them severally, and first, of the lusts, secondly, of the flesh, thirdly, of abstaining. First, of lusts.  
God in the beginning created Man upright in nature, and without any blemish: but because Man was but a creature, and therefore could not have all perfections in himself, the Lord God furnished him with an holy appetite and desire, whereby he might be carried to seek after God, in whom only he might find and enjoy all perfections. This the Serpent perceiving, took occasion hereby to solicit Eve, not to desire to enjoy God, but to desire to become God; abusing this affection that was given to Man to make him happy, and turning it to his utter bane and destruction. The end which the Serpent proposed to her, to be as God, was a thing much to be desired; and the Instrument which he used, the Apple of the forbidden tree, was very pleasant, and much also to be desired, as is said, Gen. 3.6. and so the Serpent rob the Woman, and rob her Husband, and rob all their Posterity, of that godly affection, that holy appetite and desire, which the Lord had furnished Man's nature withal. Ever since which first perverting of our will and desire, partly, by the propagation of this infection from our Parents into us, and partly, by the justice of God, which hath inflicted it upon us as a curse of that first sin, all the whole many of us are perverted in our wills, and so corrupted in all our desires, that now the inclinations of our nature are no longer desires, as they were in the beginning, but they are lusts and concupiscences, nothing else but lewd and inordinate affections. For as a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump, even so this Lust hath infected our whole nature, that now we are but a mass, and a heap of Lusts. Look into all our affections, they are nothing but Lusts: look into all our actions, they are nothing but Lusts: look into all our sins, our original sin is nothing but Lust, as S. james teaches, Chapter 1. Vers. 14. Every man is tempted, he is drawn away by his own Lust: and Chap. 4. vers. 1. Whence are wars and contentions? Are they not hence, even of your Lusts? Our actual sins are nothing but lusts, as the Apostle shows, Galat. 5.19, 20. Where he calls the works of the flesh, the lusts of the flesh; and the 1. joh. Chapter 2. vers. 16. Whatsoever is in the world, as the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life, and this is a kind of lust too. Look into all the parts of our bodies, and powers of our souls; and you shall find nothing but Lusts in them: our eyes Lust after delightful sights, our ears Lust after pleasant sounds, our stomaches after sweet meats, our heart's Lust after foolish vanities, and the very spirit that is within us, saith the Apostle, Lusteth after envy, jam. 4.5. So then the Apostle here exhorting these Christians to abstain from Lusts, hath chosen a most significant and compendious word, to express his meaning, he bids them to abstain from Lusts.  
Wherein we may observe, first, that this is a general dehortation from all kinds of sin, for Lust is the general name for them all; not only against Adultery and Wantonness, which is the most natural meaning of Lust, but against Pride, and Envy, and Oaths, and Blasphemies, and every other sin. For he would not have the children of God be free from one sin, and defile themselves with another, free from Adultery, but defiled with Drunkenness, or free from Drunkenness, but defiled with Envy, but he would have them to be entirely holy: and as in the first verse of this chapter, he willed them to lay aside all dissimulation, all maliciousness, all evil speaking; so here he wills them to abstain from all sin. What is it unto thy health, if thou be free from one disease, and thy body infected with another? thou art still but a diseased man: and what is it to the comeliness of thy body, to have a fair face, but to want the proportion of thy other limbs? Thou art still but a deformed man: and what is it to the gracing of thy Soul in the sight of God, to be clear from one sin, so long as another sin reigns within thee? but if thou canst sweep away these lusts which the Apostle here speaks of, than thou art cleansed of all thy diseases to be a sound Christian, and rid of all thy deformities, to be gracious and acceptable in the sight of the Lord.  
But we may take this exhortation to be more particular; as if the Apostle should counsel these Christians to abstain especially from such lusts, as the Gentiles amongst whom they lived, were addicted unto, that if they were given to riot, these should especially endeavour themselves to sobriety; if they were given to wantonness, these should especially labour to chastity; if they were given to malice, these should especially labour to be most kind and gentle; that, as it is in the 12. verse, when they should see the good examples of these Christians, they might learn by them to be drawn from their sins, and so glorify God in the day of their visitation. Or else we may take the exhortation to be yet more particular; as if the Apostle should here counsel them to enter into their own hearts, and there to make just trial what special sin they did feel to rage's most within them, and thereof they should especially labour to purge themselves; for commonly every man, even the best of us all, hath his proper sin, some one sin, and some another, raging within us above the rest; and I know not, whether this be that Malus Genius that evil Spirit, which, the Heathen say, takes possession of every man; but sure I am, that it is the proper lust of our own Nature, whether caused by the infection of our Parents, or by the temperature of our complexions, or by some celestial influence in our conception or birth, or rather indeed wrought in us by the power of Satan, after we are come into the world; it is, I say, the proper lust of every man's own nature, whereby he is inclined to one vice more than to another. One hath a touch of Envy, another hath a touch of Lying, another hath a touch of evil speaking; in one is a spice of pride, in another a spice of wantonness, in another a spice of covetousness, (I speak even of the best; for in others it is more than a touch or spice, it reigns in them:) in every one a special inclination to some one special sin; and this is that lust which fights against every one's Soul, after a special manner, as here is employed; and therefore he would have us, as to abstain from all sins, so to make special provision against that special Lust which is most rife and busy within us. Ask thy own Soul, and examine thyself well, whether thou art not more inclinable to one vice then to another; search it out throughly in the bowels of thy Nature; and when thou hast found what principal sin thou feelest the power of Satan and the desire of thy own flesh most often moving thee unto, thou must consider that this is that fleshly lust, which of all others fights most fiercely against thy Soul, and thou must know, that thou art bound to labour especially against that lust, refraining from all occasions and means, which may any way tend to the cherishing of that sinful and wicked humour and lust in thee.  
2. Seeing he dissuades us here from lusts, we may observe that he would have Christians not only to abstain from all sins, but also from the lusts of sins, that is, the very first motions and inclinations to sin, for if we do not stop and dry up the fountain of Sin, we shall hardly stay it in the Channels; If we would kill a Serpent, we must crush him in the head: and if we would destroy Sin, we must smother it in the very first conception. As David, when he fought against Goliath, did smite that uncircumcised Philistine in the forehead, and so slew him: even so must we deal with sin, we must smite it in the forehead, and destroy it in the first motion, and the first lust that we feel within us. For so do they that are Christ's; as the Apostles shows, Galat. 5.24. they crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof: they crucify the flesh; there the Tree of sin is taken down: they crucify the flesh with the affections: there both the sap and the heart of sin are perished: they crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof; there the root and all is withered and quite dried up. In the first chapped. of Exodus verse 16. Pharaoh took this course to destroy the Male Children of the Israelites; he commanded, that when their mothers had brought them forth, death should be their midwife, they should presently be killed and made away as soon as ever they began to live. Let us learn Pharaoh his policy for a better practice; seeing we are to subdue sin, let the midwife of sin be the death of sin, as soon as ever we feel it quicken within us, and begin to live, we must presently stop the first breath that ever it takes, and destroy it in the first motion. Learn we this same lesson of our Saviour, In the 4. chap. of Luke, verse 5. the Devil came to him, and shown him all the Kingdoms of the world in a twinkling of an eye: it was only a show; but our Saviour could not abide a show of sin; it was but in the twinkling of an eye; but our Saviour could not abide one glimpse of sin; it was (I say) but a moment of time; but our Saviour could not abide that temptatation should live so much as one moment of time, but so soon as ever it began to stir and to move, presently he destroyed it.  
Now as here is matter of exhortation, teaching us to beware of the first motions of sin, so here is matter of reproof of an error in Popery, that denies these first motions of sin to be any sins at all: they acknowledge Lust or Concupiscene to be the cause of sin, but that it should be a sin of itself, this they will in no wise acknowledge.  
But if it be a sin to transgress the Law of God, than lust must needs be sin: Now Saint john tells us, 1 Epistle, Chap. 3. vers. 4. that sin is nothing else but the transgression of the Law; and it appears plainly out of Rom. 7.7. that Lust is the transgression of the Law, for the Law saith, Thou shalt not lust; so that Lust must needs be sin. The Law requires that thou shouldest love the Lord thy God with all thy thought, Luke 10.27. therefore if ever thy thought be inclined to sin, (as Lust takes her first hold in our thought) thou hast transgressed the Law, and sinned against God. It was but a flying thought which the Devil suggested into the hearts of the Scribes, that Christ blasphemed when he said to the sick of the Palsy, Thy sins are forgiven thee: for so we read Mark. 2.6. they only reasoned so in their hearts, as if they did not throughly consent unto it, but it was only a conceit that run in their heads; and yet our Saviour checks them for it, and calls it by the name of evil, as appears Mat. 9.4. Why think you evil in your hearts? And if it be evil, consequently it must needs be sin. How light soever these men make of Concupiscence, or Lust, I am sure that Paul felt by his own experience, and to his great grief acknowledged it to be sin, as Rom. 7.20. Not I, saith he, but sin that dwelleth in me. Their answer which here they allege, that Lust is indeed sin, yet not properly, but only after a kind of improper sense; if Solomon should hear it, he would condemn them of foolishness; The fool, saith he, Prou. 14.9. makes a toy of sin: and surely, it is great foolishness, to make so small account of Lust, and to esteem so light of sin, and to use such a toyish and frivolous distinction in such an earnest and serious matter.  
2. Now concerning the flesh, which is the second thing here to be spoken of. By the name of flesh, we are here to understand our whole nature: for as Lust is most proper to one sin above the rest, as namely, to Adultery, yet is it rightly applied to all sins, because every sin is a Lust; so the flesh doth most properly signify our matter, our carnal and bodily part, as it is opposed against our soul, or spiritual part, yet is it rightly extended to our whole nature, both of soul and body, except we be regenerate and borne anew; so that whatsoever is in us unregenerate, it is here called by the name of flesh. For so it is taken, Mat. 16.17. where Christ saith unto Peter, flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee; that is, nothing that is in the nature of man, hath taught thee this, but it is the special work of the spirit of God. And in the 1. to the Corinthians, Chap. 2. vers. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The natural man; he saith not, the carnal man, but even the whole nature of man, soul and all, is so darkened, that it cannot perceive the things that are of God: and therefore the Apostle calls our whole man, Corpus peccati, The body of sin, Rom. 6.6. because sin hath infected our whole man; nay, he calls it Corpus mortis, Rom. 7.24. The body of death, because it is in itself wholly cut off from the life of God, wherewith we were quickened before our fall. The Reasons why the unregenerate man, and in the best of us the unregenerate part is called by the name of flesh, as here in this place, are two.  
First, because either they proceed merely of the flesh, or at least are wrought by the flesh. Some lusts proceed merely of the flesh: our original sin, it is not to be thought to arise in our soul, for that is created holy, and infused holy from above into every one of us at our first quickening in our Mother; but it is the material part, the flesh which we draw from our Parents, that is infected with sin in itself, and as soon as ever the soul is united and joined unto it, it infects the soul also. As Cosbi the Midianitish Woman defiled Zimri the Israelite, by lying with him, as we read Numbers 25. And as Salomons wives, strange women, turned his heart after other Gods, 1 King. 11.4. And so the flesh which we receive of our Parents, as soon as it is married, as it were, unto the soul, as soon as they are knit into one nature, the flesh by clipping and embracing the soul, doth defile the soul, and turn it after carnal lusts: and when once this lust, this original infection hath seized upon us in body and soul too, than our nature is become like a fiery Furnace, that continually sends forth many flames of Concupiscence: it still eggs us on and provokes us unto sin, as the wife of Putiphar did solicit joseph, day by day to commit wickedness, and to sin against God. Other lusts, though they do not arise out of the flesh, yet they are wrought in us by the flesh: It is the old policy of Satan, to seek first to overcome the weakest, that afterward he may overcome the strongest; he set first upon Eve, that so he might overcome Adam; and so still he sets first upon our flesh, which is the weakest and most inclinable to sin, that afterward he may overcome the spirit; which, if it were not for the persuasions and allurements of the flesh, would withstand sin. For the Devil could never do any thing against us, but that he finds fit matter in our flesh to work upon. As our Saviour spoke of himself, joh. 14.30. The Prince of this world cometh, and he finds nothing in me; so if we had not any corruption in our own flesh, Satan could even hardly fasten any temptation upon us. No, Beloved, here that is verified which our Saviour spoke in another case, Inimici hominis domestici eius; The enemies of a man are they that are of his own household: and that also which our Saviour proved by his own experience; He that dips his finger with me in the dish, it is he that lifts up his heel against me; even the same flesh which we nourish in our own bosom, lifts up itself against us to destroy us. Here then let the children of God learn hereby to beware of their own flesh; and whensoever Satan tempts thee, take heed, that thy own flesh do not play the traitor with thee, and deliver thee over into the will and power of thine enemies. And let this kindle in every one of us, a serious desire to be dissolved out of this earthly Tabernacle which we bear about us; and to be rid from this treacherous enemy of our own flesh.  
2. A second Reason, why the lusts of the unregenerate are called after the name of flesh, is, because they tend to the cherishing of the flesh, the carnal or natural part. For, why doth the Epicure wallow up and down in all licentiousness, and the Voluptuous man sell himself over to the pleasures of this life, and the Covetous man obey his unsatiable lust and desire of gain, but that all things seem to tend to the cherishing of their own flesh? I say, seem to tend, because it is but in appearance only: for indeed, these things are so fare from cheririshing the flesh, that contrariwise they are the very spoil of our flesh and decay of our Nature. Voluptuousness, is called by the Holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 6.18. a sin against a man's own body: Gluttony and Drunkenness shorten men's lives and deform their bodies, and mar their constitutions: and Covetousness wastes away a man's spirits, and soaks up the moisture of Nature. Let this therefore teach us to be careful and circumspect that we be not deceived by the outward appearance of sin, though it make never such a goodly show of cherishing our nature; seeing indeed it is the very bane of our nature, hurtful to our bodies in this world, and the utter destruction both of Soul and Body in the world to come.  
3. Lastly, we are to speak in one word concerning Abstinence, which is the third point here to be spoken of; Abstain from fleshly lusts. As a careful Physician that is desirous to recover the health of his patient, doth give him special charge to abstain from such meats and drinks as are enemies to his health; so the Apostle here wils this chosen people of God to abstain from fleshly Lusts, and to forbear them as they love their Souls health. In the first Epistle to the corinth. chap. 9 ver. 25. The Apostles enforces this exhortation upon us by way of Comparison: Every one that proveth Masteries, (saith he) abstaines from all things that might bring his body out of temper; and this he doth for a corruptible Crown; how much more ought we to abstain from all fleshly lusts which will bring our Souls out of temper; especially considering that the Crown which we strive for, is incorruptible and everlasting in Heaven. And this is the true Abstinence which the Lord requireth at our hands, to abstain from sin, to abstain from lusts, to abstain from the works of the flesh. Though we should abstain either from certain meats never so precisely, or from all meats so fare as it is possible, yet if we do not withal abstain from sin and from the lusts of the flesh, it is no abstinence at all, but rather fond superstition.  
Wherefore beloved, let us hearken to this cousel of the Apostle, and observe it in our daily practice, to abstain from fleshly lusts. Doth our corrupt nature at any time ask any thing at our hands? Let us deny it, and say it nay, and forbear such desires. Doth our flesh solicit us to do or think any thing that is against our obedience to God? Let us deny our flesh, and forbear all such lusts: Indeed if we were our own, then might we justly take our liberty to ourselves, and do what we list; but the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.19. Tells us plainly, that we are not our own, but are bought with a price, even with the most precious blood of jesus Christ, and therefore we must be ruled by him that bought us because we are his, and abstain from our own lusts, and deny our own Flesh and Nature, because we are not our own. Our Saviour tells us, we must deny and forsake ourselves, or else we are not to follow him, Luke 9.23.  
Oh let us follow him in the regeneration, by abstaining from our fleshly lusts which fight against our Souls, and so we shall receive at length the end of our Faith, the salvation of our Souls, even that uncorruptible Crown, that Crown of righteousness, spoken of by the Apostle Saint Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians chap 9 ver. 25. and the second Epistle to Timothy chap 4. ver. 8. which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give at that day, to all them that love that his appearing, and is attaineable by, and promised only to those that thus abstain from and overcome their fleshly lusts; 
1 Cor. 9.25. Rom 8.13. Revel. 2.26. Revel. 3.5.  which that we may so do as we are here exhorted, let us conclude with prayer, calling upon God for the spirit of power to enable us thereunto, and that through jesus Christ, to whom with God the Father, and the blessed Spirit, three distinct Persons, and yet but one God, be all Honour and Glory, both now and for ever Amen, Amen.