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FLES#
ANb
SPIRIT, Str.
SERM.Iv.3
ble;
for
that
which
is
born
of
the
flesh
is
flesh
;
Psalm
li.
5.
Job
xv.
14.
John
iii.
6.
Irregular
tendencies towards
lawful
delights,
and
strong
propensities towards
unlaw+
fa!
ones,
a
neglect
of
God, and aversion
to all
that
is
holy
or heavenly,
with an
inclination towards
fleshly
and
sinful objects,
are
conveyed to us
all,
even from
our
first
parents.
Sinful Adam
begat
his
sons
in his
own
likeness, Gen.
v.
3.
and
therefore
sin
is
described by
flesh,
because it
cá.tne
from
the father
of
our
flesh.
Illdly.
Another
reason
why
sin
is
called
flesh,
is
be-
cause the chief
'springs
of
sin
lie
mostly
in
our
fleshly
na-
tures;
all the while
we
continue here
in
this world, the
occasions
of
sin lie
much
in
our
body, in
our
blood, in
our natural
constitution,
in this
mortal frame and
con-
texture;
fancy and passion, in all
their
wild
irregula-
ties,
are
much influenced
by
the
flesh
and blood.
Our
bodily
senses,
our natural
appetites,
are
continually
tempting
us
away
from
our
duty;
and leading or enticing
us
to
the commission
of
sin or,
at
least, immediately
falling
in
with
temptation;
insomuch,
that
sin
is
said
to
work
in
our
members, Rom.
vii. 5.
to reign
in
our
mortal
body,
vi.
12.
Sinful
actions are called the
deeds
of
the
body,
viii.
13.
Our
sins
are
called
our
members,
Col. iii.
5.
Mortify
by
the spirit the
deeds
of
the
body,
saith the apostle
in
one
place;
mortify
your
members
which
are upon
the earth, saith
he in
the
other
place
;
in
both
which
he
means the mortification
of
sin.
He
borrows
wo; ds
from the
human
body to
describe
sin.
Here let
it be
noted,
that
we
do
not
suppose
that
mere
flesh
and
blood,
distinct
from the soul,
are capable
of
sin,
properly
speaking,
or
can become guilty
in a
proper
sense
;
for these
are but mere matter,
and,
separate
from the mind,
cannot
be
under a
moral
law,
any more
than
brute
creatures: Therefore
we say, sin is
not
for
rally
in
the body
of
man,
but
it
is
occasionally
there
because the
senses
and appetites,
the
parts and
powers
of
the body become very often an
unhappy
occasion
of
sin to
the
soul; and upon
this
account the apostle often
describes
sin by
the word
flesh.
I
proceed
now
to the second thing proposed, and
that
is,
to
shew
the
grounds
of
this
metaphorical
use
of
the
word
spirit
:
And
there are the
same
sorts
of
reasons to
.
be given
why
this word
is
used
to
represent
the
prinei-