SERMON IV, 57 you, has actually appointed thematter of your probationor trial, to be a conflict of the spirit with flesh and blood, has he not a right to make this appointment? Anddoes not yourown reason and conscience tell you,, that you deserve his anger and severe punishment, if you abandon yourself to all the wildmotions and extravagances of bodily appetite, whichhe requires you toresist and subdue? Bethink yourselves, O sinners, how you will answer it to God another day ; that when he has given you a soul, a spirit, a conscience to fight against fleshly lusts, you should nourish and indulge themhourly ? Whenhé has offered his grace to change your corrupt natures, and has sent his only Son, and his eternal Spirit to purchase pardon for past sins, and to make new crea- tures of you ; when he has taught you your duty, and offers divine aids to fulfil it ; when he both entreats you as a friend, and commands you as a God, to resist these lusts of the flesh effect- tually, and be for ever holy and - happy; that you should neglect the laws and mercies of a great and condescending God, and still run riet in the pursuit of forbidden passions and pleasure? Can your hearts endure, or your hands be strong in the day that the God of vengeance shall appear in flamingfire, to make enquiry into such rebellion ? Canyou be so stupid as to hope, that thepoor pretences of fleshand nature, will screen you from just and almighty indignation? Awake, awake, O mistaken Creatures, and let the man within you resume its place, and reason and conscience do their office. Awake from this vainand dangerous dream, thisfatal security, andwilful blindness. Rouse the powers of your souls to arm, and fight in opposition to the sinful flesh ; arise and bestir yourselves ere the time of trial be ended, and the decisive sentence of an offended God, doom you to miseries that haveno end. Remark IV. In this description of theprinciples of sin and holiness, as seated in our flesh, or in our spirit, we may see the nature of the christian warfare ; that much of it consists in a fightof the spirit with flesh andblood. Little do some christi- ans consider how much of religion lies in watching over their appetites and senses, and setting aguard upon the sinful tenden- cies of the flesh ; little do they thinkhow much of their piety and theirholy peace depends on keeping down this flesh, and subdu- ing it to the best service of the soul. There maybe somepersons, who under pretence of serving God in the spirit, and the more exalted and refined notions and practices of Christianity, give a loose to the flesh, in eating, and drinking, and dressing, and all the luxuries of life. But can these christians imagine, that when they pamper and indulge that wherein sin is chiefly seated, their spirits should long main-
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