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Aseimme
68
FLESH
AND
'SAIRIT,
&C.
(smug.
Iv.
flesh
warring
in
them.
I
would
say,
therefore, with
compassion
to
.
such humble
and doubting
souls,
.
while
you
are inhabitants
in
flesh,
and your sanctification is
imperfect, you
will
not
have perfect
peace,
there
will
ever
be some
enemies within,
for
you to conflict
with;
and
this
inward
:mar,
this
battle
with
flesh
and
blood,
with
self and
sin, will by
no
means prove
that
ye
are
utterly:
unsanctified
:
No
it
will
rather
give you
some
reasonsto
hope,
that there
may be a
principle
of
holi-
ness
wrought
in you,
because
you
find
a resistance
against the
flesh
:
especially
if
you
experience
also
a
zeal,and hatred against
every rising iniquity.
The
most
holy
soul
in
this
life,
can never
prevent
all the motions
of
irregular appetite: and
the
best
of
christians have
much ado
to
curb
and suppress
some sinful
affections
which spring from
this
mortal
body.
The. chiefest
of
saints had reason
to
complain,
that
he was
too often
led captive
by
the
law
of
sin in his
members;
Rom.
vii.
23.
It
is
true indeed,
if
we
were completely sanctified,
if
our
spirits
were entirely
holy,
they would
constantly
and
effectually resist
all evil
motions and
appetites
of
the
flesh,
so
that
they should
not
bring
forth
the
fruits
of
iniquity
and guilt
:
But where this
resistance
is
not
always effec-
tual, yet
if
it be
constant and
sincere,
and
flow
from
a
real hatred
of
sin,
there the
heart
is
renewed,
and
the
spiritual
life
begun.
Let
trembling christians therefore
be
encouraged, though
they
may
find many
vexing fer-
ments
of
the
flesh,
and disquieting passions sometimes
stirring
within
them;
let
them
not
cast
away
their
hope,
but let
them
rather rejoice
in
the promises
.of the cove-
nant, and
go
on daily to cleanse themselves, by
the
aids
of
divine grace,
from
all filthiness
of
flesh and
spirit,
and
to
perfect
holiness in
the
fear of
Göd,
2
Cor..
vii.
1.
Remark
III.
What
bold
and
impious
folly
are
those
guilty
of,
who
give
a
loose to
all
the
appetites
and lusts
of
the
flesh,
under
a
pretence
that it
is
their tempér
and
constitution
leads
them to
it
;
that
it
is
their
nature
in-
clines them
t©
riot
in all
luxury and wantonness
;
and
that
they do
but
follow
the leadings
of nature
?
I
would
reason
a
little
with
persons
of
such a profligate
character,
if
they have
not
renounced reason
as
well,
as
religion.
i.
Consider, sinners, whether
you
are not under.a
1