You are not in the Flesh... Romans 8:9

Use 1. is information. 

1. How much this is for the glory of God, that he can maintain grace in the hearts of his people; that whilst they live in the flesh, they do not live after the flesh. Take living in the flesh in the softest sense, for the natural life, it is a state of great frailty and weakness. The natural life only seeketh what is good for itself. Christians have the same bodies, and the same affections that other men have, yet they live quite after another manner; their natural inclination is overruled; while they are in the flesh, they are humbled with many wants, afflictions, and weaknesses, hut God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9. The word made perfect is notable; excellent things suffer a kind of imperfection till there be an occasion to discover them. Now our many infirmities give an occasion to show forth the perfection that is in the power of grace, which can maintain us in life and comfort, notwithstanding reproaches, pain, sufferings. Were it not for the animal life, there would be no place for temptations and the exercise of grace; but all that are in the flesh have all these things accomplished in them: 1 Peter 5:19. During our worldly state, we must expect hardships; there goeth more grace to preserve a man in his duty, than goeth to preserve the good angels in their estate; they are out of gunshot and harm’s way. To glorify God upon earth is the greater difficulty: John 17:4, 5, ‘I have glorified thee on earth, and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory I had with thee before the world was.’ Christ pleadeth that now for the saints, in the midst of so many afflictions; to maintain their integrity and delight in God is the great glory of grace; for surely we stand not by our own strength. But besides the natural life which exposeth us to these difficulties, the carnal life is not wholly extinguished; there is flesh in us, though we be not in the flesh: Galatians 5:17, ‘For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other.’ Now not only to maintain the combat, but to obtain conquest and victory, is the great wonder of grace, when there are not only temptations without, but mixed principles within. Surely not only in this frail, but this mixed estate, it is as great a wonder to maintain grace in the soul as to maintain a spark of fire in wet wood. The world hath usually an advantage of us in matter of principle; but we have the advantage of them in matter of motive and assisting power, to whom the glory of the conquest alone is to be ascribed. We have, indeed, a principle which directeth and inclineth us to higher ends than the children of this world look after; but their principles are more entire and unbroken, for they are altogether flesh: Genesis 6:5, ‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ But ours are mixed, flesh and spirit They pour out their whole heart in their sinful and worldly courses. Jude 11, ‘They run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward; ἐξεχύθησαν, ‘they were poured forth, as water out of an open vessel; and Luke 16:8, ‘The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light’ The reasen is manifest; grace, though it be forcible, [[@Page:490]] it is weak, like a keen sword in the hand of a child. But we have the advantage in matter of motive; the flesh cannot propound such excellent rewards as faith propoundeth, eternal happiness in the vision and fruition of God; but now general motives do little prevail against inclination, and our great motives lie in an unseen world; therefore our best security lieth in the assisting power, which is the mighty Spirit of God dwelling in us, who cherisheth and strengtheneth the new creature not only to keep up the combat, but to get a victory, and to overcome the carnal inclination more and more. Therefore thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord; not only over external temptations, but our indwelling flesh: Romans 7:25, ‘I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ By the Spirit of Christ we have strength to overcome the oppositions of the flesh, and have grace to perform what God will accept, and so far accept, that notwithstanding weaknesses we shall be reckoned rather to be in the spirit, than in the flesh, and obtain the privileges of the justified. 

2. It showeth us the reason why carnal men think so meanly of the people of God, and the spirit that dwelleth in them. They think Christians are but.as other men, and that there is no such great matter to be found in those that profess strictness in religion, no such spirit of God and glory, but what others have. I answer, no wonder that they who are blinded with prejudice and malice, and are loath to see the excellency of others whom they hate, lest it disturb their own carnal quiet, will not see what else would plainly discover itself. But some reason there is for it. This life is a hidden life: Colossians 3:3. It is hidden, partly under the veil of the natural life. It is a life within a life; they live in the flesh as others do, but they do not live after the flesh; they eat, drink, sleep, trade, marry, and give in marriage, as the rest of the world do, but all these things are governed by grace, and carried on to high and eternal ends. The spirit and life are not seen and felt by others, but only discovered in the effects; as these things are carried on holily and with a sincere respect to God’s glory: 1 Corinthians 10:31. Besides, the effects are imperfect, and clouded with a mixture of remaining infirmities; the best Christians show forth too much of the flesh, and do not act as those that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them; now this is a great hindrance to the converting of the world, and a means of hardening to prying atheists, who think all strictness is but a pretence: 1 Corinthians 3:3, ‘While there is yet strife, envying’s, and divisions among you, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?’ Matthew 18:7, ‘Woe to the world because of offences: for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to the man by whom the offence cometh.’ It is dangerous to scandalise the world; but the chief cause is their secret enmity to holiness; they censure and traduce good men by reproaches and base misprisions, and cannot endure that those that take a contrary course should have au excellency owned that might alarm their consciences to reverence: 1 Peter 4:6, ‘Judged according to men. in the flesh, but live to God in the spirit; as deceivers, and yet true’ So reputed in the world as a company of dissemblers; the world’s malice will not give them leave to see any good in those whom they dislike. 

3. It showeth how much it becometh Christians to five such a [[@Page:491]] demonstration and proof of the Spirit’s dwelling in them, that others may be able to say they are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. So did these Romans to Paul; they gave ground for his charity to think them justified; so should all that are sincere do. Now these others may be either the godly or the carnal world. First, For the godly, who are best able to judge, they have cause to think so, when you are companions with them in the faith, holiness, and patience of the gospel; the men in the world are tied to one another, like Samson’s foxes by their tails, though their heads look several ways, by their mutual interests and common agreement in mischief and enmity to the godly; but the godly themselves should be joined together in the communion of the spirit, loving one another with a Christ-like love, and seeking each other’s good as their own, and being affected with mutual sympathy towards each other’s condition, as if it were their own case, and with one mind and mouth glorifying God, and promoting the interests of his kingdom; and by their personal holiness bringing his honour in request in the world. Surely whoever do so, we are to judge them heirs with us of the same grace of life, and to bless God for them. Secondly, For the carnal world; you must keep up the majesty of your profession, that they may see there is a generation of men whose life is not spent in carnal pleasures and delights, who are not as other men, nor as themselves once were, and do things which can be accomplished in them by no other means or agent than the Spirit of God; who in their common business act upon reasons and principles of religion, and turn all duties of the second table into duties of the first, discharging all their respects to men out of the love of God, and fear of God; and are led by conscience rather than interest; and begin and end with God in all they do, and cast their whole lives into a holy and heavenly mould, making straight steps to their feet, and walk with a temper becoming religion, in all the inequality of conditions they pass through in the world, looking for no great matters here, but fetching their main supports and comforts from the world to come. 

[1.] Those that do so, will in time overcome malice and prejudice, and convince the world that God is in them of a truth, and they are a heavenly and holy people, and have a spirit and a presence that others have not: Proverbs 12:26, ‘The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.’ 

[2.] They will reprove the world: Hebrews 11:7. Noah condemned the world by his ready obedience to God’s warning. 

[3.] They will make the world wonder: 1 Peter 4:4, ‘They think it strange you run not into the same excess of riot with them.’ It is no wonder to see men proud, covetous, revengeful, carnal, self-seeking: corrupt nature will sufficiently prove this. As it is no wonder to see the sun move, though it was a wonder in Joshua’s time when the sun stood still; so it is no wonder to see men loose and wicked; but it is a wonder to see men holy, heavenly, mortified, self-denying. 

[4.] You will justify the ways of God against the cavils of atheists and profane carnal men: Matthew 11:19, ‘Wisdom is justified of her children;’ and Israel justified Sodom, Ezekiel 16. 

Use 2 is to exhort us to get this Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts, that he may work in us a divine nature, or that spiritual and divine [[@Page:492]] temper which will teach us to live above and against the inclinations of the flesh. 

The means of infusing the divine nature into us is the doctrine and example of Christ. First, His doctrine, which discovereth higher things than the flesh inclineth us unto, and is the only cure of the carnal spirit. This word was indited by the Holy Spirit: ‘For holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost:’ 2 Peter 2:21. He inspired the holy apostles, first to speak, and then to write, the doctrine of Christ; he ‘led them into all truth:’ John 16:13. The same Spirit attested this doctrine by miraculous gifts: Hebrews 2:4; is conveyed by it: Galatians 3:2, ‘Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or the hearing of faith?’ He prepareth and assisteth the ordinary ministry, that they maybe fitted to convey this great gift: Acts 20:28, ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers;’ and 2 Corinthians 3:6, ‘Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter but of the spirit.’ He writeth this doctrine upon the heart: Hebrews 10:8, and 2 Corinthians 3:3. Doth so renew and sanctify our souls, that we may live unto God. Secondly, The example of Christ, for he had the days of his flesh: John 1:14; and Hebrews 5:7; lived in the world, as men do, but not after the flesh: and God in our nature is the fit pattern for us to imitate, that we may be in the world as he was in the world, and not please the flesh, as he pleased not himself. To this example we are to be conformed; but it doth not barely work as an example, but as sanctified and accompanied by the Spirit; for it is said, 2 Corinthians 3:18, ‘Beholding the glory of the Lord, as in a glass, we are changed into his image and likeness;’ and so we are made partakers of this new and divine nature. 

When the Spirit cometh to work it in us, we must not neglect and refuse his help, but give place to his motions; as when the waters were stirred, they presently put in for cure. To smother convictions breedeth atheism and hardness of heart. When he reproveth, you must hearken and observe: Proverbs 1:23, when he knocketh you must open: Revelation 3:20; when he draweth, you must run: Solomon’s Song 1:4. The smarter the reproof, the louder the knock, the stronger the drawing, the more you are bound to improve it, or else you are left in worse condition than before, by resisting or quenching the Spirit. It will be your advantage to obey him speedily, before the heart cool again: Isaiah 54:6. It is a time of finding which God may not give you again; delaying and shifting is a sign the help offered is rather looked upon as a trouble than a favour; and it is but a deceit of heart to elude the importunity of the present conviction: Matthew 27:24, 25, ‘Pilate took water and washed his hands, saying before the multitude, I am innocent of the blood of this man.’ His conscience boggles, and he makes use of this shift to put off the conviction. Surely God demandeth a present obedience: Hebrews 3:7, 8, ‘To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;’ and all serious people will take the advantage: Galatians 1:16, ‘Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood;’ Psalm 119:60, ‘I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.’ 

2. Obey him thoroughly. Many will yield to him in some things, but reserve others. He must be obeyed in all things, even in renouncing [[@Page:493]] our sweetest and dearest lusts: Matthew 5:29, 30. Nothing must be spared; every way of pleasing the flesh must be renounced; a partial obedience is rather a following our own humour and inclination than an obeying the Spirit, for he is contrary to all sin; and one sin let alone and allowed, is Satan’s nest-egg in our hearts, that he may come thither again and lay more. 

3. Obey him constantly, for he is still your guide and monitor, to put you in remembrance of your snares and duties: Ephesians 4:30. ‘Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption.’ When he hath sealed you, and stamped God’s image and impress upon your hearts, he must not be grieved by your folly and disobedience. The children of God, that are first regenerated by the Spirit, are still guided and led by him: Romans 8:14, ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit, are the sons of God.’ You are not only to obey at first, but obey still. Jesus Christ, that was at first conceived by the Holy Ghost, was led by him: Luke 1:4, 14. So Christians are always under his conduct. Yon interrupt the course of his love when you are deaf to his motions. 

Use 3 is to put us upon serious reflections. Are we in the flesh, or in the spirit? We are never Christians indeed, till we are in the spirit; you will have flesh in you, but which principle is the most predominant? Surely, that principle is predominant whose object is our chiefest good, or esteemed as our felicity. Objects of the flesh, are contentments of the present world; the objects of the spirit are God and heaven; what do you count your happiness? Psalm 144:15, ‘Happy is the people that is in such a case.’ Many judge them happy that have much of the world; ‘Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord.’ There is the natural happiness, and the spiritual happiness; which is most valuable, or most prized by you? Secondly, That principle is most predominant, which doth most employ us. What do we most industriously pursue? the pleasure and prosperity of the body, or the happiness of the soul? All the care of some is about the body and the bodily life, but their neglected soul may complain of hard usage; what have you done to get the soul furnished and adorned with grace, or established in the comfort and hope of the gospel? Matthew 6:33, ‘First seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added;’ John 6:27, ‘Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but the meat that endureth to everlasting life.’ Thirdly, When, to the hurt of the soul and displeasure of God, you frequently gratify the flesh, this is such a constant disobedience to the Spirit’s discipline that you cannot be said to be influenced by him.