02.01. Chapter 1 - Verse 14

James 1:14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Here he cometh to show the true and proper cause of sin. having removed the false pretended cause, namely, God’s providence and decree. The true procreating cause of sin is in every man’s soul; it is his lust; he carrieth that which is fons et fomes, the food and fuel of it in his own bosom. Now this lust worketh two ways, by force and fraud, drawing away and enticing, as in the explication will more fully appear. But every man is tempted.—He speaketh so universally, because none is free but Christ. When by his own lust.—He saith his own, because though we have all a corrupt nature in common, yet every one hath a particular several inclination to this or that sin rooted in his nature. Or rather own, to exclude foreign force, and all violence from without: there is not a greater enemy than our own nature. His own lust.—That I may show you what is meant by lust, I must premise something:—(1.) The soul of man is chiefly and mainly made up of desires; like a sponge, it is always thirsting, and sucking of something to fill itself. All its actings, even the first actings of the understanding, come out of some will and some desire; as the apostle speaketh of ‘the wills of the mind,’ Ephesians 2:3, a place I shall touch upon again by and by. (2.) At least this will be granted, that the bent of the soul, the most vigorous, commanding, swaying faculty of the soul, is desire; that δύναμις ἐπιθυμητικὴ is, I say, the most vigorous bent of the soul. (3.) Since the fall, man rather consulteth with his desires than with anything else, and there all action and pursuit beginneth. So that this faculty is eminently corrupted, and corrupteth and swayeth all the rest; and therefore gross lusts, the lower and baser desires, are called, ‘the law of the members,’ Romans 7:23; desires or lusts giving law to the whole soul. Upon these reasons I suppose it is that all sin is expressed by lust, which, if taken in a proper and restrained sense, would not reach the obliquities of the whole nature of man, but only of one faculty; but because there seemeth to be in the creature a secret will and desire, by which every act is drawn out, and desire is the most vigorous faculty, bending and engaging the soul to action, the Spirit of God chooseth to express sin by lust, and such words as are most proper to the desires of the creatures. It is true, that in the Old Testament I find it expressed by a word proper to the understanding, by ‘inventions,’ or ‘imaginations,’ or ‘counsels,’ whence those phrases, ‘walking according to their own imaginations,’ and ‘walking in their own counsels.’ But the New Testament delighteth rather in the other expressions of ‘concupiscence’ and ‘lust,’ words proper to the desires; the reason of which difference I conceive to be, partly the manner of the Hebrews, who frequently use words of the understanding to note suitable affections; partly the state of the world, who at first were brutish in their conceits, and prone to idols, and therefore the Old Testament runneth in that strain, ‘imaginations,’ ‘counsels,’ &c.; and at length were brutish in their desires, and more prone to gross sins; and therefore in the New, it is ‘lusts,’ ‘concupiscence,’ &c. However, this I observe, that in the Old Testament there is some word belonging to the will and desires adjoined to those words of the understanding, as the ‘imaginations of their own hearts,’ ‘the counsels of their own hearts,’ that is, such imaginations as were stirred up and provoked by their own hearts and desires. All this is premised to show you why the scripture chooseth to express sin by lust and concupiscence.

Now, lust may be considered two ways: (1.) As a power; (2.) As an act.

1. As a power, and so it noteth that habitual, primitive, and radical indisposition to good, and a disposition to evil, that is in all the faculties—the whole dunghill of corruption, which reeketh sometimes in the understanding by evil thoughts, sometimes in the will by lusts and corrupt desires, and is the mother out of whose womb all sin cometh; and as it is called lust or concupiscence, so it is called flesh, the opposite contrary principle to spirit: Galatians 5:17, ‘The flesh lusteth against the spirit:’ there it is called flesh, and its radical act lusting.

2. Look upon it as an act, and actual lust or concupiscence, and it is nothing else but the risings and first motions of this fleshly nature that is in us. These lustings are of two sorts—those of the lower and those of the upper soul. The apostle calleth them, Ephesians 2:3, ‘the wills of the flesh, and of the mind.’

[1.] The wills of the flesh are those lower and more brutish appetites which are the rise of lust, wantonness, drunkenness, gluttony, called by way of emphasis, ‘the lusts of the flesh:’ 1 John 2:16, ‘Whatever is in the world is the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life.’ By the lusts of the flesh are meant the neighings of the soul after outward pleasures, and all manner of sensual and carnal delights. Now these, when they are improved into gross and irregular actions, stink in the nostrils of nature. In Aristotle¹ they are called ἐπιθυμίαι θηριώδεις, brutish and belluine, not only because we have them in common with the beasts, but because they degenerate into a brutish excess. Thus you see what lusts of the flesh are. I confess they are sometimes taken more largely for any risings of corrupt nature, it being most natural to us to be enslaved by sensual and fleshly objects; the part is put for the whole.

¹ Arist. Ethic., lib. 7. cap. 6.

[2.] The wills of the mind are the first risings of the corruption that is in the upper soul, as fleshly reasonings, thoughts, and desires, covetousness, ambition, pride, envy, malice, &c. These are rooted in the corrupt risings or stirrings of the mind, will, &c. These things I thought good to hint, to show you what the scripture intendeth by lust, the vicious inclinations of our own spirits, chiefly those impetus primo primi, the first risings of original sin.

He is drawn away and enticed.—There is some variety among interpreters in opening these two words. Some conceive that in these two words the apostle giveth out two causes of sin, one internal, which is lust, as if that were hinted in the former word: ‘drawn away by his lust;’ and the other external, to wit, the pleasure that adhereth to the object, which is as the bait to entice the soul, for the word signifieth enticed as with a bait; and (as Plato saith) ἡδονὴ δέλεαρ κακῶν, pleasure is the bait of sin. Thus Piscator and our translators seem to favour it, in putting the words thus: ‘When he is drawn by his own lust, and enticed;’ as if they would intimate to us this sense, drawn away by his own lust, and enticed by the object; whereas, the posture of the words in the original referreth both to lust; thus, ‘When he is drawn away and enticed by his lust.’ Others make these words to hint several degrees in the admission of sin. Thus, first drawn away from God, then enticed by sin; then, in the next verse, ‘sin conceiveth,’ then ‘bringeth forth,’ &c. Others, as Pareus, Grotius, &c., make these to be the two parts of sin, and by drawing away, say they, is meant the departure from the true good, and by enticed, the cleaving to evil. For look, as in grace there is something privative and something positive, a departure from evil and a cleaving to good so, on the contrary, there is in sin a withdrawing from that which is good, and an ensnaring by that which is evil. I cannot altogether disallow this sense, though I rather incline to think that neither the object nor the parts of evil are here hinted, but only the several ways which lust taketh to undo us; partly by force, and so that word cometh in, ἐξελκόμενος, he is ‘drawn aside,’ or haled with the rage and impetuous violence of his desires; partly by blandishment and allurements; and so the other word is used, δελεαζόμενος, ‘he is enticed,’ and beguiled with the promise and appearance of pleasure and satisfaction to the soul. From this verse observe:—

Obs. 1. That the cause of evil is in a man’s self, in his own lusts, ἠ ἰδία ἐπιθυμία, the Eve in our own bosoms. Corrupt nature is not capable of an excuse. Sin knoweth no mother but your own hearts. Every man’s heart may say to him, as the heart of Apollodorus in the kettle, ²ἔγω σοὶ τούτων αἰτία—it is I have been the cause of this. Other things may concur, but the root of all is in yourselves. A man is never truly humbled till he ‘smite upon his own thigh,’ and doth express most indignation against himself. Do not say it was God. He gave a pure soul, only it met with viciously disposed matter. It is not the light, but the putrid matter that made the torch stink, though, it is true, it did not stink till it was lighted. You cannot altogether blame the devil: ‘Suggestion can do nothing without lust.’³ I remember Nazianzen saith, τὸ πῦρ παρʼ ἡμῶν, ἡδε φλὸξ τοῦ πνεύματος—the fire is in our wood, though it be the devil’s flame. You cannot blame the world; there are allurements abroad, but it is your fault to swallow the bait. If you would have resisted embraces, as Tamar did Amnon’s, the world could not force you. Do not cry out of examples; there is somewhat in thee that made thee close with the evil before thee. Examples provoke abhorrency from the sin, if there be nothing in the man to suit with it. Lot was the more righteous for living in Sodom, and Anacharsis the more temperate for living in Scythia; ungodly examples are permitted to increase detestation, not to encourage imitation. Do not cry out of occasions. David saw Bathsheba naked; but he saith, ‘I have sinned and done this evil,’ Psalms 51:4. Do not cast all the blame upon the iniquity of the times; good men are best in worst times, most glorious when the generation is most crooked, Php 2:15; most careful of duty when the age is most dissolute, ‘redeeming the time, for the days are evil,’ Ephesians 5:16; like fire that scorcheth most in the sharpest frost, or stars that shine brightest in the darkest nights. Do not blame the pleasantness of the creatures. You may as well say you will rebel against the prince because he hath bestowed power upon you, and by his bounty you are able to make war against him. It is true, there is much in these things; but there is more in your hearts. It is your venomous nature that turneth all to poison.

² Plut. de Sera Num. Vindict.

³ ‘Diaboli decipientis calliditas, et hominis consentientis voluntas.’—Aug. de Peccat. Orig. lib. 2. cap. 37.

Obs. 2. That, above all things, a man should look to his desires. All sin is called ἐπιθυμία, lust or desire. God calleth for the heart: ‘My son, give me thy heart;’ which is the seat of desires. The children of God, when they plead their innocency, urge their desires, they fail in duty; but their ‘desires are to the remembrance of his name.’ Nehemiah 1:11; Isaiah 26:8. The first thing by which sin discovereth itself is by lust or desire. All actions have their rise from some inclination and tendency of the desire towards the object. Before there is any thought or consultation in the soul, there is ὄρεξις, a general tendency or bent in the soul. Well, then, look to your lusts or desires; the whole man is swayed by them: men are worldly or heavenly as their desires are; appetite followeth life; the spirit hath its lustings as well as the flesh. See how it is with you.

Obs. 3. The way that lust taketh to ensnare the soul is by force and flattery, either ‘drawn away ’ or ‘enticed.’

First, By violence, ἐξελκόμενος, drawn away, haled with it. One way of knowing desires to be irregular is, if they are violent and overpleasing to the flesh. When affections are impetuous, you have just cause to suspect them, not to satisfy them. David would not touch the waters of Bethlehem when he longed for them, 2 Samuel 23:17. Rage of desire can never be lawful. Greediness is a note of uncleanness, Ephesians 4:19. When the heart boileth or panteth, it is not love, but lust. When you find any such force upon your spirits towards carnal objects, if you would be innocent, complain and cry out as the ravished virgin under the law; if she cried out she was guiltless. It is a sign that sin hath not gained your consent, but committeth a rape upon your souls. When you cry out to God, Romans 7:24, ‘O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?’ you may discern this force upon your souls.

1. When your desires will not endure consultation, or the consideration of reason, but you are carried on by a brutish rage; as Jeremiah 5:8, ‘They were as fed horses; every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife.’ They had no more command of themselves than a fed horse. So Jeremiah 8:6, ‘Every one turneth into his course, as the horse into the battle.’ The rage of the horse is stirred up by a warlike noise, and then they confront danger, and press on upon the pikes and the heat of the battle. So they go on with an unbridled license against all reason and restraints, without any counsel and recollection. Your lusts will not allow you the pause of reason and discourse.

2. When they grow more outrageous by opposition, and that little check that you give to them is like the sprinkling of water upon the coals, the fire burneth the more fiercely. This is that which the apostle calleth πάθος ἐπιθυμίας, ‘the passionateness of lust.’ We translate it a little too flatly, ‘the lust of concupiscence,’ 1 Thessalonians 4:5. It noteth a raging earnestness. This violence is most discerned in the irregular motions of the sensual appetite, which are most sensible because they disturb reason, vex the soul, oppress the body. But it is also in other sins. The apostle speaketh of it elsewhere: Romans 1:27, ‘They burned in their lust one towards another.’ It is when reason is so disturbed and oppressed, that there can be no resistance; yea, grace itself is overborne.

3. When they urge and vex the soul till fulfilled, which is often expressed in scripture by a languor and sickness. Now this is such an height and excess of affection as is only due to objects that are most excellent and spiritual; otherwise it is a note of the power of lust. To be sick for Christ is but a duty, Song of Solomon 2:5; so worthy an object will warrant the highest affection. But to be sick for any outward and carnal object noteth the impetuousness and violence of sin in the soul. Thus Amnon was sick for Tamar, 2 Samuel 13:2; that was a sickness to death, the sickness of lust and uncleanness. Ahab was sick of covetousness, 1 Kings 21:4; and Haman for honour, Esther 5:1-14. All violent affections urge the soul, and make it impatient; and because affections are the nails and pins that the body and soul together, leave a faintness and weakness in the body. This violence of lust may inform us,—

1. Why wicked men are so mad upon sin, and give themselves over to it to their own disadvantage: ‘They draw iniquity with cart ropes,’ Isaiah 5:18. As beasts that are under the yoke put out all their strength to draw the load that is behind them, so these draw on wickedness to their disadvantage, commit it though it be difficult and inconvenient. So it is said, Jeremiah 9:5, that they ‘weary them selves to commit iniquity.’ What is the reason of all this? There is a violence in sin which they cannot withstand.

2. Why the children of God cannot do as they would—withstand a temptation so resolutely, perform duties so acceptably. Lusts may be strong upon them also. It is observable that James saith, ‘Every man is tempted,’ taking in the godly too. A wicked man doth nothing but sin—his works are merely evil; but a godly man’s are not purely good: Romans 7:19, ‘The good that I would I do not do; but the evil that I would not, that I do.’ Though they do not resolve and harden their faces in a way of sin, yet they may be discouraged in a way of grace. So Galatians 5:17, ‘Ye cannot do the things that ye would.’ Their resolutions are broken by this violence and potent opposition.

Secondly, Observe, the next way of lust is by flattery, δελεαζόμενος, enticed. It cometh lapped up in the bait of pleasure, and that mightily prevaileth with men: Titus 3:3, ‘Serving divers lusts and pleasures.’ That is one of the impediments of conversion lust promiseth delight and pleasure; so Job 20:12, ‘Wickedness is sweet in his mouth, and he hideth it under his tongue,’ It is an allusion to children, that hide a sweet morsel under their tongue, lest they should let it go too soon. Neither is this only meant of sensual wickedness, such as is conversant about meats, drinks, and carnal comforts; but spiritual, as envy, malice, griping plots to undo and oppress others: Proverbs 2:14, ‘They rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked.’ Revenge is sweet, oppression is sweet, to a carnal heart; so Proverbs 10:23, ‘It is a sport to a fool to do mischief.’ They are enticed with a kind of pleasure of that which is mischievous to another. Well, then:—

1. Learn to suspect things that are too delightful. Carnal objects tickle much, and beget an evil delight, and so fasten upon the soul. It is time to ‘put a knife to the throat’ when you begin to be tickled with the sweets of the world. Your foot is in the snare when the world cometh in upon you with too much delight. That which you should look after in the creatures is their usefulness, not their pleasantness—that is the bait of lust. The philosopher could say, that natural desires are properly πρὸς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, to what is necessary.⁴ Solomon saith, Proverbs 23:31, ‘Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself right.’ You need not create allurements to your fancy, and by the eye invite the taste. There are stories of heathens that would not look upon excellent beauties lest they should be ensnared. Pleasures are but enticements, baits that have hooks under them. The harlot’s lips drop honey in the greeting, and wormwood in the parting, Prov. 7; like John’s book, honey in the mouth, and wormwood in the bowels. God hath made man of such a nature that all carnal delights leave impressions of sorrow at their departure.

⁴ Arist. Eth., lib. 7. cap 6.

2. Learn what need there is of great care. Pleasure is one of the baits of lust. The truth is, all sins are rooted in love of pleasure. Therefore be watchful. Noonday devils are most dangerous, and such things do us most mischief as betray us with smiles and kisses. Heathens were out that advised to pleasures, that by experience we might be weaned from them; as Tully⁵ saith of youth, voluptates experiendo contemnat—by use of pleasures let us learn to disdain them, as the desires are deadened and flattened to an accustomed object. But, alas! this is the bait of lust rather than the cure. Poor souls! they did not know a more excellent way. It is true, some curiosity is satisfied by experience: but, however, the spirit groweth more sottish and sensual. Wicked men, when once they are taken in that snare, are in a most sad condition, and think that they can never have enough of sensual pleasures; all delight seemeth to them too short; as one wished for a crane’s neck, that he might have the longer relish of meats and drinks. And Tacitus speaketh of another glutton that, though he could satisfy his stomach, yet not his fancy or lust; quod edere non potuit, oculo devoravit—his womb was sooner filled than his eye.

⁵ M. T. Cicero in Orat. pro Rege Deiot.