The Renewal of the Evangelical Spirit

...as much imprinted in one nature as in the other. And the Lion would sooner be tamed, and the Leopard would sooner change The original French deschireroit (tear) is likely a variation or printer's error for the biblical allusion to Jeremiah 13:23, "Can the leopard change his spots?" its skin, than a person would cease to do the evil to which they are accustomed: since doing evil is natural to them, Galatians 5:17 original: "p Gal. 5. v. 17." p and doing good is repugnant to this corrupted nature A theological term referring to the state of humanity after the Fall, believed to be inherently inclined toward sin.. In such a way that one must never believe or hope that the corrupted nature of man can do good, or embrace an Evangelical life A life lived in strict accordance with the teachings of the New Testament Gospels., which is the sworn enemy of its corruption, and which always seeks, loves, and desires what is contrary to the Evangelical Law.

XVI.

Thus a person, Luke 14:26 original: "q Luc. 14. v. 26." q who wishes to live according to the impulses of their nature, is right to say that it is impossible for them to embrace an Evangelical life—or rather, is right to believe that they do not wish to be saved, Deuteronomy 30:19 original: "r Deut. 30. v. 19." r since their salvation being in their power, they do not wish to take the means to reach it when they refuse to do violence to their corruption to take the Kingdom of Heaven by force, according to the Scripture, Matthew 11:12 original: "s Matth. 11. v. 12." s which says: That the violent take it by force. The author uses this famous biblical phrase to describe "spiritual violence"—the intense effort and self-discipline required to overcome one's sinful impulses. This is not to say that one must win this Kingdom by force of arms or combat, since it is given and prepared for us Matthew 25:34 original: "t Matth. 25. v. 34." t from the foundation of the world: but it means that one must necessarily fight with violence against all the inclinations of our corruption, and resist them with strength, to be able to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, since only the vehement Job 7:1 original: "u Job 7. v. 1." u take it by force. It is of this war against our corruption that the Scripture speaks...