In profecuting this fubject, through fupernatural af fiftance, we fhall obferve the following method and order.

I. We would explain what is to be underflood by. flesh and blood; and not conferring with it.

II. We would confirm the truth of the doctrine by fcripture-examples.

III. Give the reafons why we ought not to confult with flesh and blood.

IV. Make application of the whole fubject, in feveral ufes.

I. We would explain the doctrine, by enquiring, 1. What we are to understand by flesh and blood. 2. What it is not to confer with flesh and blood.

ift, We are to enquire what is understood by flesh and blood. In general, MAN, who is flesh and blood, is here principally intended; men, whether good or bad: the apoftle confulted not with men, but gave himfelf up to God. More particularly, by flesh and blood we may understand carnal eafe, carnal reafon, carnal friends, and carnal counfels of fpiritual friends.

1. By flesh and blood is meant carnal eafe and intereft. Maiter, fpare thyself; what need all this toiland trouble? is the language of eafy nature. Paul, being now converted, and fo in a happy ftate, having his falvation fecured, carnal eafe might fay, What need you go and effay thefe travails, and encounter fuch hardships, in propagating the gofpel of Chrift, and fpreading the knowledge of his name? Nay, but Paul, having got Chrift revealed in him, he would not confult with carnal eafe: he would now fpend and be frent for Christ.

2. By flesh and blood is underflood carnal reafon. Paul was now divinely taught, as Peter was, of whom Chrift fays, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed thefe things unto thee:" So Christ was revealed in Paul, not by flesh; and blood; that is, not by carnal reafon, or natural understandinge and therefore he would not confer with

fiefh and blood. We ought not to confult with carnal reafon, in the matters of religion.

3. By flesh and blood is meant carnal friends: and by thefe I underftand not only natural relations, as father, mother, brother and fifter, who, when loved and followed more than Chrift, it is a confulting with flesh and blood; and graceless relations, with whom our conference and consultation cannot but be a conferring with flesh and blood; but alfo all ungodly neighbours and acquaintances, whether blood-relations or not: to confult with them, or put any confidence in them, is to confult with flesh and blood.

4. By flesh and blood, is meant even the carnal counfels, and carnal arguments of fpiritual friends: for godly and pious friends may offer ungodly and impious counfels; fuch as Peter to his master, when he would dif fuade him from going up to Jerufalem to fuffer: and Job's wife to her husband, when she said to him, "Curfe God and die;" or, if it may be rendered, "Blefs God and die," it was an impious intention wherewith it was given. They that would not confult with blood, must not reft in the counfel of godly flesh and friends, or truft thereunto.

5. In a word, by flesh and blood we may understand all carnal confidence whatsoever, whether from without or from within; in others, or in ourfelves: for, while we have any confidencce in the flesh, in our own or others natural wifdom, righteoufnefs, or ftrength, we fo far confult with flesh and blood. But this leads me to confider,

2dly, What is to be understood by not conferring with flesh and blood. We fhall lay down what we take to be the import thereof, in the following particu

lars.

1. Not conferring with flesh and blood, imports a fhunning their company, in a manner. When we would not confer with a man, then we fhun his company; we refufe to converfe with him: fo, when we confer not with flesh and blood, we refufe, in a manner, the company of fuch ill guefts. The man that confers not with flesh and blood, in the matters of God, he lets in

to

to his company the wonderful Counfellor for his gueft, to converfe withal; and fhuts all carnal counfellors to the door. The man that will not confer with flesh and blood, he avoids the falutations thereof, and fhuns converfation therewith.

2. Not conferring with flesh and blood, imports a not giving ear thereunto. When a perfon will not confer with one, if he cannot get his company altogether avoided, yet he will ftop his ear, that he may not hear what he fays fo, if flesh and blood will be in to our company, not to confer therewith is to give a deaf ear to the fuggeftions of carnal reafon, in the matters of God, and religion, and confcience. Shut the door againít all carnal counfel.

3. Not conferring with flesh and blood, imports, not taking their advice, nor regarding their folicitations, but rejecting their motions. If flesh and blood will be in with a word, and that we cannot get our ear stopt fo faft but that we must hear what it fays; then, if it will be heard, yet it must not be regarded. It is vaftly dangerous to hear, and much more to join with carnal counfellors, as Jacob of Simeon and Levi; "O my foul, come not thou into their fecret; unto their affembly, mine honour, be not thou united," Gen. xlix. 6.

4. Not conferring with fleth and blood, imports, a not following the dictates thereof. It may be, that, through the prevalence of corruption, even in the godly, flesh and blood, and carnal counsellors, are let in to their company; and, when once admitted, they are heard; and, when heard, they are too much regarded but here, at least, they are to flop; in regard they have gone too far; for, there wants nothing, in that cafe, but a putting the carnal counfel into execution and therefore, they are to go back all the fteps, by which they have gone forward, in this course; and to beware of walking in the counfel of flesh and blood, or practising according to the advice thereof. If we walk in the counfel of the ungodly, we are in danger of ftanding in the way of finners if we stand in the way of finners, we are next in danger of fitting in the feat of the fcornful, as you have it, Pfal. i. 1. If

flefh

flesh and blood will be in with its word, yet it must not be heard; if heard, yet it must not be regarded; if regarded, its advice mult not be followed, otherwise we confer with flesh and blood.

5. In a word, not to confer with flesh and blood, is not only to reject conference and confultation therewith, but to receive other counfellors, and embrace better counfel than flesh and blood can give; and particularly, to confult with the oracles of the living God, and follow the conduct of his word and Spirit.

II. We are next to confirm the truth of the doctrine, by a few fcripture-examples, that we are not to confalt with feth and blood, in the matters of God and confcience. You may obferve thefe four excellent examples in this matter.

1. To begin with the example of CHRIST, the great pattern of our imitation, in all his imitable perfections. When Peter came in with his carnal counfel, after Christ had been fortelling his death and fufferings, Peter began, forfooth, to rebuke him, faying, "Be it far from thee, Lord; this fhall not be unto thee," Matthew xvi. 22. What! wilt thou fuffer fuch indignity? There was the language of flefh and blood. But, how doth Chrift entertain it? He turneth himself to Peter, faying, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me: for thou favoureft not the things that be of God, but thofe that be of men."--So, when flesh and blood 'comes in with its folicitations, we ought to banish the fame with a Get thee behind me, Satan.

2. We have the example of Abraham, when he went out of his own country at the commandment of God, not knowing whither he went, Heb. xi. 8. and fo not confulting with flesh and blood: yea, when God called him to offer up his fon, his only fon Ifaac, flesh and blood might have objected a thou and things: that he was the child of the promife: nay, that his offering Ifaac would contradict the command of God; "Thou fhalt not kill:" and contradict the promife of God, That in Ifaac fhould his feed be called: that it would contradict the rule of natural affection. Yea, but Abraham confulted

fulted not with flesh and blood; but by faith offered up Ifaac, as it is faid, Heb. xi. 17. As little did he confult with flesh and blood, when he took God's word, and trulted in him, with relation to his having Ifaac, when both his body and Sarah's was dead.

3. We have the example of Mofes, of whom it is faid, Heb. xi. 24,-27. "By faith Mofes refufed to be called the fon of Pharaoh's daughter; choofing rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of fin for a feafon," &c. If he had conferred with flesh and blood, he had rather chofen to dwell at eafe in Pharaoh's court, and enjoy all the pleasures and treasures thereof: but he had learned, not to confer with flesh and blood.

4. We have the example of Daniel, chap. iii. 15, 16, 17. when commanded to worship Nebuchadnezzar's gold image: if Daniel had confulted with flesh and blood, he would eafily have complied with the courses of the times, and rather have worshipped the golden image, than have been caft into the fiery furnace : for, flesh and blood would have told him, that it was better to be wife than too precife. Yea, but he and his companions could not be perfuaded to a little outward obedience; for, they confulted not with flesh and blood, but confulted with God, faying, "We are not careful to answer thee, O king, in this matter; for, the God whom we ferve, is able to fave us." Yea, fo far from confulting with flesh and blood was he and they, that they would not defile themselves with a portion of the king's meat, Dan. i. 8.; nor with the wine which he drank. Flefh and blood would have told him, that there was no harm in meat; that it was a thing indifferent but they were under another influence and conduct, than that of flesh and blood. Yea, fo obftinate was Daniel from confulting with flesh and blood, that notwithstanding the confpiracy of the nobles against him, because of his devotion towards his God, and their obtaining a decree of cafting all into the lion's den that fhould, for thirty days, worship any other, or ask any petition of another, except of Darius, Daniel went more openly and worshipped his God than VOL. II, IN

ever,