Í2 lh@NATURE afZIIPOWER [a.] Its particular way of contending, It fights or wars Rom. vii. 23. yainer iv. I. I Pet. ii. 11; [3.] Its fuccefs in this conteft, It brings the foul into captivity to the law offin, Rom. Vii. 23. [4.] Itsgrowth and rage upon fuccefs, it conies up to niadnefs, as an enra- ged enemy will do Ecclef. ix. 3. All which we mull fpeak to in order. [l.] In general it is ;aid to tuft, Theflefh lufieth againfi the ffiirit, Gal. v. 07. This word exprefletlt the general nature of that oppolition which the law offin maketh againft God, and the rule of his fpirit or grace in them that believe. And therefore the leaft degree of that oppofition is expreffed hereby. Wheif it doth. any thing, it lutterh. As becaufe burning is the general afting of fire, whatever it loth elfe, it Both alto burn. When fire doth any thing, it burns ; and when the law of fin loth any thing, it lufls. Hence all the aftings of this law of fin are called the lufls of the flefh Gal. v. 16. TefhaU not fulfil the lufis of the flefh, Rom. xiii. 54. Make noprovifion for the fiefs, to fùlfl the hilts there- of, Not are thefe lulls of the flail t ofe only whereby men aft their fenfuality, in riot, drunkennefs, uncleanefs, and the like, but they com- prehend all the aftings ofthe law of fin whatever, in all the faculties and affeftions of the foul. Thus Ephef. ii. 3. We have mention of the delires, or wills, or lulls of themind, as well as of the flefh. The mind the molt fpirituaLpart of the foul hath its tufts, no lefsthan the fenfualappetite, which feenis fometimes snore properly to be called theflefh. And in the produfts of thefe Tufts, there are defilements of the fpirit, as well as of the Alb, u Core vii. t. that is, of the mind and underfianding, as well as of the appetite and affechions, and the body that attends their fervice. And in the blamelefnefs of all thefe confifts our hotinefs, 2 Theft. v. 23. The God ofpeace, fantiifyyou wholly, and Ipray God your whole fpirit and foul, and body be preferved blamelefr unto the coming of our Lord Jefas Chref. Yea, by the flefh in this matter the whole old man, or the lawof tin is intended, John iii. 6. That which is born of the flefh is flefh; that is, it is all fo, and nothing elfe. And whatever remains of the old nature in the new man is fleth frill. And this fleth lufteth; this law of fin doth fo, which is the general bottom and foundation of all its oppofition unto God. And this it loth two ways. 1.) In an hidden dole propenfity unto all evil. This lies in it habitual- ly. Whilft a man is in the Efate of nature, fully under the power and dominion of this lawof fin, it is Paid, that everyfigment ofhis heart is evil, and that continually, Gen. vi. 5. It can frame, fafhion, produce, or all nothing but what is evil; becaufe this habitual propenfity unto evil, that is in the law of fin, is abfolutely predominant in fuchi a one. It is in the heart like poifon, that hath nothing to allay its venemous qualities and - fo infelts whatever it touches. And where the power and dominion of it is broken, yet in its own nature it bath Rill an habitual propenfity unto that which is evil, wherein its lulling doth confi/h. But here we mull diftinguifh between the habitual frame of the heart, and the natural propenfity or habitual inclination of the law of fin in the heart. The habitual inclination of the heart is denomnated from the principle that bears cheif or fovereign rule in it; and therefore in believers it is unto good, unto God, unto hotinefs, unto obedience. The heart is not habitually inclined unto evil by the remainders of indwelling fin, but this fin in the heart bath a confront habitual propenfity unto evil in its felf, or its own nature, This the apóftle intends by its being prefent with us; it is prefent with me, that is, always, and for its own end whirls is to tuft unto fin.
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