524 Cháp.2. of Concupifcence, &c: Com:><o; Gal. 5.17. z.There is a loft or concupifcence of the fpirít,ofwhich the Apofile faith, that 2.0f the Merit. it' lufleth againft theflelb : this is holy and good:, for when our minds are entight- 1 Pet. 4' s. ned by the Spirit of God, it ftirs up in us good motions and delires ,- and cloth flrengthen us to bring the fameto effe&,and withal it arms us(as S,Peter fpeaks) again' the oppolìtion we meet with. By this Concupifcence, evil motions,when they arife in the heart,are check- Pfal,42.5,11..ed, as we fee in the Pfalmift; Whyart thoucall down Omyfoul, andwhy art thoudif quieted within me ? truft in the Lord,&c. This Concupifcence is not condemned Rom. S. here, but as it is in it felf acceptable foby helping our infirmities , it makes our prayers acceptable with God, and foprocuring audience; whereby we obtain our desires of God, it increafes in us love to God, and charity tomen. This is not therefore retrained by this Commandement, but the other, which ispropria Concupifceatia, our own Concupifcence. oar own can. Now this Concupifcence of our own is of two forts. i.gJos®s. 2.004s. The capifrenee is ,firft is natural, the fecond is from thecorruption of nature, which S. Peter calls tw.fotd. 3í3e9v;uia 0911;f, theConcupifcence ofcorruption, or Corrupt Concupifcence. The firft is in all menby nature, as todefire meat ,when one is hungry, or drink when he is From eor thirft and this is not forbidden,for it was in Chrift himfelf,whowas free from Pet. y: 2 r r, 4, all fin ; he wasfometimes hungry,and defired meat; and fometimes weary and CoIof3.5. defired ref[, &c.But it is the other, the corrupt lulls or delires which are forbid- Mattb.2i.18. den in thisplace.This Facultyof defiringor lullingwas at firft given to the foul, - Folic 4' 6, tomake it move towards thofeobjects which the mind propounds, as levity or lightnefs is in fome things,to make them move upwards,whereupon the Heathen called the mind ifacaacoir ,b4.v4-s, theeye of the foul and the .delire or appetite çorexsipotsu, conattem, the motion or endeavour of the foul after that which the eye dilcerns: but this delire or Concupifcence being corrupt,choaks the light of the 'mind,that it cannot dire to what is good ; for the faculties of the foul, being conjoyned, do corrupt and infeft cane another, as Ivy that cleaves to the oak, and draws away the fap,and makes it towither;and fo the mind beingblinded,the will cannot move towards that which is good, and thus our delires become cor- rupt. C.rrupt deferes Out of this corrupt concupifcence fpring up delires oftwo forts, as they are efewe forts. diftingtiifhed by S. Paul, fome aredrool.?, vainand foolifh, others are ßaáCefe., Tim. 6.9. noifome and hurtful. ,. rains The firlt we may fee in fuch men as the Apoflle calls earthly minded, who delire Co1.3,1. worldly things,not for natural ends only, but do tranfilire fines catare, pafs and leap overthe bounds of nature,defiringmore then is neceffary, for they 1till de: fire more and more,and as the Pfalmift fpeaks,whentheir riches increafe, dofet their hearts upon th'em,which as the precedent words imply,is folly and vanity, (Ogive Pfalm 62. 10. notyourfelves unto vanity)fuch then do think,fpeak and delight todifcourfe of no- thingbutcnaysie, earthly things, and thus at lengh they corrupt themfelves ; fo Efay 1.22. that as the Prophet speaks, theirftiver is become draft, and their, wine mixt with wa. ter, when they mingle their fouls withearthly things, which are ofan inferiour and baler condition then the foul. 2. auetfat. The otherdelires which he calls hurtfui,are thofeproperly,between whom and Gal, 5,17. theSpirit ofGod there is that oppofition which the Apoftle mentions. And thefe do firft hinder us from good things, which the Spirit fuggefts, be= caufe there is preputium cardis,a foreskin grown over the heart,which hiutsup and stoles the heart,when any good motion is offered, and leaves it open when any evil would enter; and alto prepiitiam aurium, a foreskin drawn over the ears (O Alb 7.5i. ye of uncircumcifed hearts and curs) whereby the like effefts are wrought, for it flints the ears againft any thing that is good, and draws the covering afide for corrupt, or unfavory communication toenter in; for which caufe God is Paid Job33, i6. in °ob, Revelare aurem, touncoverthe ear, when he reforms meneffectually. And 2. as they hinder us from receiving good, fo they corrupt that good ßccl, io,i, which is already in us, like the deadfly in the boxofointment. And 3.they provoke to evil,or which is all one,ad ea ad qua confeguitur ma'am, to Each things eu are net in themfelvesevil, but willenfnare ue in evil, If we follow after them (for malum, five in Ant ecedente, fivein cinfeguente, malum eft ; evil,whether
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