$(413 THE POWERS AND CONTESTS OF FLESH AND SPIRIT. It is evident also, that the greatest part of the actions of our, lives area ready to be influenced by appetite or affectjon.;. and it is plain, that the outward senses of the body, or the inward ferments, motions, and impressions of flesh and blood have. so large a share in them, that they are called the deeds of the body, the desires, lusts, and affections of the flesh, in many places of scripture ; thence it conies to pass that our flesh becomes the chief Cause and occasion of sin to the soul. Now though it be difficult, as I have hinted, in many particular actions, to determine precisely how far the in- fluence of the flesh reaches, and how far it is the act of the mind or spirit, yet it is of great use in the Christian life to search into these matters, in order to find how far our actions are criminal and guilty, that we may abase our souls before God, and take shame to ourselves so far as we are culpable ; and on the other hand, that from a melancholy or superstitious mistake, we may not charge .ourselves with more guilt than God charges us with, or lay heavier loads upon our own consciences than the divine law. lays upon us. We shall find these enquiries also of excellent use to lead us to proper methods for the mortification of sin, and to shew us the justice and wisdom of divine conduct, and the holiness and beauty of the providence of God, in appointing our present state of trial, in order to a fu- ture judgment.; I. The first thing I shall discourse on here, is the un- happy influence that our flesh or animal nature, has to tempt us to sin. And then II. I shall shewwhat powers the soul is furnishedwith to resist the sinful motions of the flesh, and to maintain the sacred warfare. This is the proposition therefore that I shall first lay down in my discourse ; viz. That the principles, springs, and occasions of our sinful actions lie very much in the flesh; and thesehave a fatal and unhappy influence to lead the soul or spirit into sin. I shall make this evident from the word of God, espe- cially from the writings of the blessed apostles and shall confirm it by many common observations and an easy vain of reasoning.. When those sacred writers have occasion to describe,
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