Edwards - BX7230 .E4 1746

PART III, of gracious 4feelions. 93 the like Manner, in the Continuation of the fame Difcourfe, in the next Verfe but one, fpiritual Men are oppofed to carnal Men ; which the Connection plainly (hews mean the fame, as fpiritual Men and natural Men, in the foregoing Verfes ; And I, Brethren,could not (peak unto you, as unto fpiritual, but as unto carnal ; i. e. as in a great Mea- lure unfanbtified. That by carnal the Apoflle means corrupt and un- fanaified, is abundantly evident, by Rom. 7. 25. and 8. 1, 4, 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13. Gal. 5. 16, to the End, Col. 2. 18. Now there- fore, if by natural and carnal, in thefeTexts, he intended unjanitifeed ; then doubtlefs by fpiritual, which is oppofed thereto, is meant fanai- fied and gracious. And as the Saints are called fpiritual in Scripture, fo we alto find that there are certain Properties, Qualities, and Principles, that have the fame Epithet given them. So we read of a fpiritual Mind, Rom. 8. 6, 7. and of fpiritual Wifdom, Col. I. 9. and of fpiritual Blefngs, Eph., 1. 3. Now it may be obferved that the Epithet fpiritual, in thefe and other parallel Texts of the new Teftament, is not ufed to fignify any Relation of Perfons or Things to the Spirit or Soul of Man, as the fpi- ritual Part of Man, in Oppofition to the Body, which is the material Part : Qualities are not faid to be fpiritual, becaufe they have their Seat in the S >ul, and not in the Body : For there, are fome Proper- ties that the Scripture calls carnal or flejhly, which have their Seat as much in the Soul, as thofe Properties that are called fpiritual. Thus it is with Pride and Self-righteoufnefs, and a Man's uniting to his own Wifdom, which the Apoftle calls flefhly ; Col. 2. i8. Nor are Things called fpiritual, becaufe they are converfant about thofe Things that are immaterial, and not corporeal. For fo was the Wifdom of the wife Men, and Princes of this World, converfant about Spirits, and immaterial Beings ; which yet the Apoftle fpeaks of as natural Men, totally ignorant of thofe Things that are fpiritual, r Cor. chap. 2. But it is with Relation to the Holy Ghofl, or Spirit of God, that Perfons or Things are termed fpiritual, in the New-Tef- tament. Spirit, as the Word is ufed to fignify the third Perfon in the Trinity, is the Subftantive, of which is formed the Adjeaive fpiritual, in the holy Scriptures. Thus Chriftians are called fp-- ritual Perfons, becaufe they are born of the Spirit, and becaufe of the In- dwelling and holy Influences of the Spirit of God in them. And Things are called fpiritual as related to the Spirit of God ; i Cor. 2. I3, 14. Which 'Things alfo we (peak, not in the Words which Man's Wifdom teacheth, but which the Holy Gho/i teacheth, comparing fpiritual Things with fpiritual. But the natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God. Here the Aponte himfelf exprefly fignifies, that by fpiritual Things, he means the Things of the Spirit of God, and Things which the Holy Ghofi teacheth. The fame is yet more abundantly ap paren

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