THE POWERS AND CONTESTS OP FLESH AND SPIRIT. 305 lion may be determined to be lawful, sacred, or sinful, . if it be exercised toward different objects, or in different degrees. Thus it is lawful to be hungry and thirsty, and to desire- proper food, bread and wine ; and to desire, with faith and holy affections, to eat the bread and drink the wine at the. Lord's- supper- is a sacred action. But to covet that meat or drink, that bread, or that wine, which belongs to another man,. is sinful ; for it is a vio- lation of the tenth command, and becomes a transgres- sion. So to fear the great God, or to love him, is a sacred affection. To fear a robber or a roaring lion, or to love my house, or my servant, are very lawful affec- tions : But if my love or my fear of any creature exceeds my fear or my love of God my Creator, it becomes here- by sinful. It is lawful, or rather it is 'religious and holy, to be angry, to hate, and to be ashamed, when sin is the object of these passions ; but to be ashamed ofvirtue and religion, where I am called to profess them, or to hate my neighbours, or even mine enemy, or 'to be angry without a cause, or above a proper' degree, are all criminal pas- sions, and render a man guilty before God. The mere motions andferments of flesh and blood, or whatsoever share mere animal naturehas in these actions or affections of the man, can have no moral good or evil in them, considered apart from the soul; nor are they properly called lawful or sinful in themselves ; for they are the pure operations of brutal matter, till the soul or the will indulges them, or approves them, commands them, or complies with them. Yet if the objects of these fleshly motions be forbidden by the laws of God, or if the degree be excessive, or the time or place unlawful, then these motions and ferments of the flesh may be called sinful ; not formally in themselves, but occasion- ally; because the soul so often complies with them, and becomes guilty ; and thus these operations of the flesh are sad occasions of sin. Now in this present fallen state, wherein all the chil- dren of Adam are found, these sinful motions and fer-_ ments, appetites, and passions abound in our flesh and blood; partly as we derive too much of them from our sinful parents, and partly as we have too much encou- raged and strengthened themourselves, by frequent prac- tice and indulgence. VOL. III. X
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