.

. III. } in Connection with other Texts. 247 Death. Agreeable to this are those Reprefentations in the 7th and 8th Chapters of Romans: There Flesh is figuratively reprefented as a Perfon, according to the Apoftle's Manner, obferved by Mr. Locke, and after him by Dr. T-r, who takes Notice, that the Apoftle, in the 6th and 7th of Romans, reprefents Sin as a Perfon; and that he figuratively diftinguishes in himself two Perfons, speaking of Flesh as his Perfon. For I know that in ME, that is in my Flesh, dwelleth no good Thing. And it may be obferved, that in the 8th Chapter he ftill continues this Reprefentation, fpeaking of the Flesh as a Perfon: And accordingly in the 6th and 7th Verfes, fpeaks of the Mind of the Flefh, gornja σagn, and of the Mind of the Spirit, Šçovýμa @veuμatC; as if the Flesh and Spirit were two oppofite Perfons, each having a Mind contrary to the Mind of the other. Dr. T. interprets this Mind of the Flefb, and Mind of the Spirit, as tho' the Flesh and the Spirit were here spoken of as the different Objects, about which the Mind spoken of is converfant. Which is plainly befide the Apostle's Senfe; who fpeaks of the Flesh and Spirit as the Subjects and Agents, in which the Mind fpoken of is; and not the Objects about which it acts. We have the fame Phrafe again, ver. 27. He that fearcheth the Hearts, knoweth what is the MIND OF THE SPIRIT, goua vevpar; the Mind of the fpiritual Nature in the Saints being the fame with the Mind of the Spirit of God himself, who imparts and actuates that spiritual Nature; here the Spirit is the Subject and Agent, and not the Object. The fame Apoftie in like Manner ufes the Word, ver, in Col. ii. 18. Vainly puffed up by his fleshly Mind, a by the Mind of his Flesh. called Flefb, reprefented

Tv The car

And this

by the R 4

Agent fo often Apoftle, as al

together

together evil, without any good Thing dwelling in it, or belonging to it; yea perfectly contrary to God and his Law, and tending only to Death and Ruin, and directly oppofite to the Spirit, is what Chrift fpeaks of to Nicodemus as born in the first Birth, as giving a Reafon why there is a Neceffity of a New-birth, in order to a better Production.

One Thing is particularly obfervable in that Difcourfe of the Apoftle, in the 7th and 8th of Romans, in which he fo often ufes the Term Flefh, as oppofite to Spirit, which, as well as many other Things in his Difcourfe, makes it plain, that by Flesh he means fomething in itself corrupt and finful, and that is, that he exprefly calls it finful Flesh, Rom. viii. 3. It is manifeft, that by finful Flesh he means the fame Thing with that Flesh fpoken of in the immediately foregoing and following Words, and in all the Context: And that when it is faid, Chrift was made in the Likenefs of finful Flesh, the Expreffion is equipollent with those that speak of Chrift as made Sin, and made a Curfe for us.

Flesh and Spirit are oppofed to one another in Gal. v. in the fame Manner as in the 8th of Romans: And there, by Flesh cannot be meant only the human Nature of Body and Soul, or the mere Constitution and Powers of a Man, as in its natural State, innocent and right. In the 16th ver. the Apostle fays, Walk in the Spirit, and ye fhall not fulfil the Lufts of the Flefh: Where the Flesh is spoken of as a Thing of an evil Inclination, Defire, or Luft. But this is more strongly fignified in the next Words; For the Flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh;

and

Sect. I.

and thefe are contrary the one to the other. What could have been faid more plainly, to fhew that what the Apostle means by Flesh, is fomething very evil in its Nature, and an irreconcileable Enemy to all Goodnefs? And it may be observed, that in these Words, and thofe that follow, the Apostle ftill figuratively represents the Flesh as a Perfon or Agent, defiring, acting, having Lufts, and performing Works. And by Works of the Flefb, and Fruits of the Spirit, which are oppofed to each other, from ver. 19. to the End, are plainly meant the fame as Works of a finful Nature, and Fruits of a holy renewed Nature. Now the Works of the Fleth are manifeft, which are thefe: Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lafciviousnefs, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Herefies, &c.-But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, &c. The Apoftle, by Flesh, does not mean any Thing that is innocent and good in itself, that only needs to be reftrained, and kept in proper Bounds; but fomething altogether Evil, which is to be destroyed, and not merely restrained. 1 Cor. v. 5. To deliver fuch an One to Satan, for the Destruction of the Flesh. We must have no Mercy on it; we cannot be too cruel to it; it muft even be crucified, Gal. v. 24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the Flefh, with the Affections and Lufts.

The Apostle John, the fame Apostle that writes the Account of what Chrift faid to Nicodemus, by the Spirit means the fame Thing as a new, divine, and holy Nature, exerting itself in a Principle of divine Love, which is the Sum of all Christian Holinefs. 1 John iii. 23, 24. And that we should love one another, as he gave us Commandment; and

be

be that keepeth his Commandments, dwelleth in him, and be in him: And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit that he hath given us. With Chap. iv. 12, 13. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and bis Love is perfected in us: Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his Spirit. The fpiritual Principle in us being as it were a Communication of the Spirit of God to us.

And as by veva is meant a holy Nature, fo by the Epithet, veparin, Spiritual, is meant the fame as truly virtuous and holy, Gal. vi. 1. Ye that are fpiritual, restore fuch an one in the Spirit of Meekness. The Apostle refers to what he had juft faid, in the End of the foregoing Chapter, where he had mentioned Meekness, as a Fruit of the Spirit. And fo by carnal, or fleshly, casun, is meant the fame as finful. Rom. vii. 14. The Law is fpiritual, (i. e. holy) but I am carnal, fold under Sin

And it is evident, that by Flesh, as the Word is used in the New Teftament, and oppofed to Spirit, when fpeaking of the Qualifications for eternal Salvation, is not meant only what is now vulgarly called the Sins of the Flefb, confifting in inordinate Appetites of the Body, and their Indulgence; but the whole Body of Sin implying those Lufts that are most fubtil, and furtheft from any Relation to the Body; fuch as Pride, Malice, Envy, &c. When the Works of the Flesh are enumerated, Gal. v. 19, 20, 21. they are Vices of the latter Kind chiefly, that are mentioned; Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Herefies, Envyings. So, Pride of Heart is the Effect or Operation of the

Flefb.

Flefb. Col. ii. 18. Vainly puffed up by his fleshly Mind: In the Greek, by the Mind of the Flesh. So, Pride, Envying, Strife, and Divifion, are spoken of as Works of the Flesh, 1 Cor. iii. 3, 4. For ye are yet carnal (agninor, fleshly.) For whereas there is Envying, and Strife, and Divifion, are ye not carnal, and walk as Men? For while one faith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Such Kind of Lufis do not depend on the Body, or external Senfes; for the Devil himfelf has them in the highest Degree, who has not, nor ever had, any Body or external Senfes to gratify.

Here, if it fhould be inquired, how Corruption or Depravity in general, or the Nature of Man as corrupt and finful, came to be called Flesh; and not only that Corruption which confifts in inordinate bodily Appetites? I think, what the Apoftle fays in the last cited Place, Are ye not carnal, and walk AS MEN? leads us to the true Reafon. It is becaufe a corrupt and finful Nature is what properly belongs to Mankind, or the Race of Adam, as they are in themfelves, and as they are by Nature. The Word Flefb is often ufed in both Old Teftament and New, to fignify Mankind in their prefent State. To enumerate all the Places, would be very tedious; I fhall therefore only mention a few Places in the New Teftament. Matth. xxiv. 22. Except thofe Days fhould be Shortened, no Flefh fhould be faved. Luke iii. 6. All Flefh fhall fee the Salvation of God. John xvii. 2. Thou haft given him Power over all Flefh. See alfo Acts ii. 17. Rom. iii. 20. 1 Cor. i. 29. Gal. ii. 16. Man's Nature, being left to itself, forfaken of the Spirit of God, as it was when Man fell, and confequently forfaken of divine and holy Prin

ciples,