Ch 4 s, about the conflic,or combate between theflefh,andSpirit. graces in them, which though they fecal extinct, yet are they but in a fwoon, and therefore when the Lord blows upon them a am by his Spirit, then they re- cover their former ìfrength, and the Chritlian Champion bein: grieved, and afhamed for his former foile, with more then wonted valour affaults his enemies, and puts them to Hight, obtaining the victory, and ever after hold them un- der morebafe fub;eetion. Quell. What is the fuccefs of this canfiilt between the Fl.fh and the Spirit ? Anfw. The fuccefs is twofold, the firth whereofis the repulfes, and foils which the Spirit futf. rs through the malice, and fury of the flefh : the fecond is of th e vi&ory, and triumph of the fpirit over it. The firft is temporary, and lifts only for a time : The fecond is permanent and everlalling. Quell. what is confderable about thefirib ? Anf;,. That the Spirit is often foiled in this combate, whenas by the fubril- ty, or violenceof the deíh, its hindred in its courfe of godlinefs,& allured,orfor- cibly drawn todie committing offin : of which St. Paul co:nplains, Rom.7. zi,zz.and this happens either through theyveaknef ofthefpirit,or want of watch- fulnefs,and Spiritual care toget the whole Armour of(god dotebuckled to us : ofwhich foils there follow three notable erîe&s. j. Unfeigned and bitter forrow for our flips and falls. So 1fai. 63. 17. z. An earnelt defire to rife again, to be delivered from the bondage of the flefh, and having gotten the victory, tokeep it under for the time to come. So Rom.7.24. . Having obtained the vi&ory , an ufe ofall good means to be preferved from all fuch foiks for the time to come ; For which end he l-a. Keeps a narrow watch over all his wayes, cfpecially over his heart, I wherein the fleth hides his chiefeft ambufhments, not readily fa- tisfyin:; every delire of profit, and deli_,ht, but firli examining thein by the rule of Gods Word, whether they be to be embraced, or rele&ed. z. He will be molt carefull to comfort, and itren,then the fpirituall part, tokeep the Armour of mod clofe buckled to him, and to be wea provided of weapons before the confli&. 3. He will ihew the like care in weakning his enemy the flefh,by with- , drawing from it the chief&weapons, whereby it hath formerly pre- i vailed. 4. The reeenerate man after his falls will more zealoufly hate his fin then e- ver formerly, avoiding and flying from it : yea, the oftner he bath fallen into it, themore he hates it. 5. After his foils, and falls, he will carefully performall holy duties which are contrary to his former fins : Redeeming his loft time by his future dili- gence. Queft. Howfa-may thefiefhprevaile againfl the Spirit ? Anfw. For refolving of this doubt, we mull firft diflinguifhbetween the gifts of the Spirit, and the perfons in whom they are, the gifts may be confidered both in their kind, and in their quality. Firft, Concerning the former, the gifts and graces of the Spirit are either common to the regenerare,and unregenerate,or proper and peculiar to the eleét' alone. The common graces areefpecially chofe morrall virtues of Wifdom, Juflice, Fortitude, Temperance, Patience, &c. which may not only be loft, and quite extinguifhed in civill men, butalfo in the faithful', becaufe they are not effentiall to aChriltian , but rather ornaments, then part of the fpirituall man : So in Davidwhenhe feigned himfelf mad, and in the matter, of Bath- G g g z fhebag 411
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