An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Thirdly, That we are made as the clay, shows our easiness to be ⟨p. 505⟩overcome by temptation, and our obnoxiousness to sin. Sin is (in its kind) as spiritual, as grace is, yet our sinful corruption is figuratively called, the flesh. ¹One reason (I conceive) of which may be this, because flesh, taken properly, is an occasion of sin. As the sensitive part is a servant, so a snare to the rational, much more to the spiritual. The flesh is at once the organ, and the burden of the spirit. The Apostle calling Saints to run the race of holiness with patience, gives a very suitable advice, Let us lay aside every weight, that is, all carnal cumber; he that would show himself light of foot, will not take a burden upon his back, he casts off his very garments; to which the next words of the Apostle seem to allude, Cast off every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us: So a garment doth, especially a long garment, which in running daggles and folds about our heels. The reason why our sinful corruption is compared to such a garment, is, because it is so much assisted by this body of clay, the flesh, which is as a long garment to the soul, hanging about it, and besetting it, on every side.

Thirdly, That we are made as the clay, shews our easinesse to be ⟨p. 505⟩overcome by temptation, and our obnoxiousnesse to sin. Sin is (in its kinde) as spirituall, as grace is, yet our sinfull corruption is figuratively called, the flesh. ¹One reason (I conceive) of which may be this, because flesh, taken properly, is an occasion of sin. As the sensitive part is a servant, so a snare to the rationall, much more to the spirituall. The flesh is at once the organ, and the burthen of the spirit. The Apostle calling Saints to run the race of holinesse with patience, gives a very sutable advice, Let us lay aside every weight, that is, all carnall comber; he that would shew himself light of foot, will not take a burden upon his back, he casts off his very garments; to which the next words of the Apostle seem to allude, Cast off every weight, and the sinne which doth so easily beset us: So a garment doth, especially a long garment, which in running daggles and folds about our heels. The reason why our sinfull corruption is compared to such a garment, is, because it is so much assisted by this body of clay, the flesh, which is as a long garment to the soul, hanging about it, and besetting it, on every side.