25. But, say they, how is the
flesh by a certain likeness compared unto the Church? What! doth
the Church lust against Christ? whereas the same Apostle said,
“The Church is subject unto Christ.”1898
Clearly the
Church is subject unto
Christ; because the spirit therefore lusteth against the
flesh,
that on every side the
Church may be made subject to
Christ;
but the
flesh lusteth against the spirit, because not as yet hath
the
Church received that
peace which was
promised perfect. And for
this reason the
Church is made subject unto
Christ for the pledge
of
salvation, and the
flesh lusteth against the spirit from the
weakness of sickness. For neither were those other than members of
the
Church, unto whom he thus spake, “
Walk in the spirit, and
fulfill not the
lusts of the
flesh. For the
flesh lusteth against
the spirit, and the spirit against the
flesh; for these are opposed
the one to the other; that ye do not what we would.”
1899
These
things were assuredly spoken unto the
Church, which if it were not
made subject unto
Christ, the spirit would not in it
lust against
the
flesh through continence. By reason of which they were indeed
able not to
perfect the
lusts of the
flesh, but through the
flesh
lusting against the Spirit they were not able to do the things
which they would, that is, not even to have the very
lusts of the
flesh. Lastly, why should we not confess that in
spiritual men the
Church is subject unto
Christ, but in
carnal men yet lusteth
against
Christ? Did not they
lust against
Christ unto whom it was
said, “Is
Christ divided?”
1900
and, “I could not speak unto you
as unto
spiritual, but as unto
carnal. I have given unto you
milk
to drink as unto
babes in
Christ, not
meat, for ye were not as yet
able; but not even now are ye able: for ye are still
carnal. For
whereas there is among you emulation, and
strife, are ye not
carnal?”
1901
Against
whom doth emulation and
strife lust, but against
Christ? For these
lusts of the
flesh Christ healeth in His own, but loveth in none.
Whence the holy
Church, so long as it hath such members, is not yet
without spot or wrinkle. To these are added those other
sins also,
for which the
daily cry of the whole
Church is, “
Forgive us our
debts:”
1902
and, that
we should not think
spiritual persons exempt from these, not any
one soever of
carnal persons, nor any one soever of
spiritual
persons themselves, but he, who lay on the
breast of the
Lord,
1903
and whom
He
loved before others, saith, “If we shall say that we have not
sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us.”
1904
But in
every
sin, more in what is greater, less in what is less, there is
an act of
lust against
righteousness. And of
Christ it is written:
“Who was made unto us by
God,
Wisdom, and
Righteousness, and
Sanctification, and Redemption.”
1905
In every
sin therefore without
doubt there is an act of
lust against
Christ. But when He, Who
“healeth all our sicknesses,”
1906
shall have led His
Church unto the
promised healing of sickness, then in none of its members shall
there be any, even the very least spot or wrinkle. Then in no way
shall the
flesh lust against the spirit, and therefore there shall
be no cause why the spirit also
lust against the
flesh. Then all
this
conflict shall come to an end, then there shall be the highest
concord of both substances; then to such a degree shall no one
there be
carnal, that even the
flesh itself shall be
spiritual.
What therefore each one living after
Christ doth with his
flesh,
whereas he both
lusts against its
evil lust, which he restrains,
hereafter to be
healed, which he holds, not yet
healed; and yet
nourisheth and cherisheth its good
nature, since “no one ever
hated his own
flesh,”
1907
this also
Christ doth with the
Church, so
far as it is
lawful to compare lesser with greater
matters. For He both represses it with
rebukes, that it
burst not
being puffed up with impunity; and raises it up with consolations,
that it sink not being weighed down with
infirmity. Hence is that
of the
Apostle, “For if we would
judge ourselves, we should not
be judged; but when we are judged, we are
rebuked of the
Lord, that
we be not
condemned with this
world.”
1908
And that in the Psalm, “After
the multitude of my griefs in my
heart, Thy consolations have
gladdened my
soul.”
1909
We are therefore then to
hope for
perfect soundness of our
flesh without any opposition, when there
shall be sure security of the Church of Christ without any
fear.
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