Not with flefb and blood. '73 - man did Nicodeno put toaria? though Chrift to help him did wrap his fpeech in a carnal phrafe: If flefhly reafon can- not underftand fpiritual truths when thus accommodated, and the notions of the Golpel tranflated into its own language, what skill is it like to have of them, ifput to reade them in their original tongue ? I mean, if this garment-of carnal expreilion were taken off, and fpiritual truths in-their naked hue prefent- ed to its view. The motions ofthe natural will are carnal,, and therefore, Ram.8. 5. Ihey that are after the fleib, are faid to minde the things of the fief All its defires, delights, cares, feares, are in and of carnal things;. it favours fpiritual food' no more then an Angel flefhly. Oonnis vita gufluelticitur: What we can- not relifh we will hardly make our daily food. Every creature bath its proper diet, the Lion cats not graffe, nor the horfe fiefh ; what is food to the carnal heart, is potion to the gracious; and that which is pleafing to the gracious, is diftaftful to the carnal. Now according to this interpretation the fenfeof the Apoftle is not, as if the Chriftian had no combate with his cor- rupt nature, (for in another place it's laid, the Spirit lulls againft the &lb, and the flefhagainfl the Spirit, and this enemy is cal- led ae ap' Lparseicans,the fin that befets the Chriflian round) lieb.ra. but to aggravate his conflict with this enemyby the accent of a, forreign power, Satan who ftrikes in with this domellick ene my. As ifwhile a King is fighting with his own mutinous fub- jetls, tome out-landifh troops fhould joyne with them, now he may be faid not to fight with his fubjefts, but with a forrein pow- er. The Chriftian wreftles not with his naked corruption,but with Satan in.them; were there no devil., yet we fhoulcl have our hands full in refilling the corruptions of our own hearts, but the acceffe of this enemy makes the battel more terrible, becaufe. he heads themwhois a Captain fo skilful and experienced. Our fin is the engine, Satan is the Engineer ; lull the baicSatan the Angler; when a foule is enticed by his own lull, he is faid to- be tempted, lamer I. 1.4. becaufe both Satan and our own lull concur to the compleating the finne. Firfl, let this make thee, Chriflian, ply the workof mortifi- v cation dole; it is no policy to let thy lulls have armes, who are fure torife and declare againft thee when thine enemy comes. .eichi,p,hi&Nobles did but wifely, in that they would not truft. Z 3, '
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