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SEAM
IV.1
FLESH
AND
SPIRIT,
&C:-
75
season, be has
indulged unlawful
airs,
and
complied
toe
far
with
the
vices
of
company, when
.thou
observest
his
spirit
vexed and
pained
inwardly,
that
he has
indulged
any
criminal
appetite or
passion beyond
what has been
visible
in
thy
own
conduct;
do
not pride
thyself
in
thy
own purity,
nor disdain
thy
mourning brother,
but
say
within
thyself,
"
Perhaps
he has
watched
and laboured
more
than I
have done,
and yet
his
own
iniquity
was
too
strong for
him."
Think
with
thyself
that
he was
wrest
ling with
a
giant, and
fought hard, and
was
overcome;
but
thy
own
combat
was
but
as
it
were with a
dwarf or a
child, with some
feebler
vice
that
had
less
root
in
thy
constitution
;
and therefore though
thou
hast
laboured
less,
yet
thou hast gained the victory. And to
encou-
rage
such
mourning
christians,
let
me
add,
that
in
the
future
state,
it
is
probable, the saints
shall be
reward-
ed,
not
so
much according
to
their actual
success
and
victory,
as
according
to
the toil and
labour
of
the
combat.
Yet
take
this
caution
by
the
way
too
:
Such
persons
should
not think
themselves
innocent, because
they fight
harder
against
sin
than others
do;
let
them
not
think
all warnings
useless,
nor
be
angry with the gentle
ad-
monitions
of
their
friends,
as
though
they were
hard
censures
:
for
such
christians have more need
of
warn-
ing
than others, because
they
are
more
in
danger. They
ought
to
be
crying
out
on themselves
continually,
O
wretched creature
!
who shall deliver
me
?
They should
beg
reproofs,
and
say,
Let
the
righteous
smite
me,
it
shall
be
kindness
;
and
let
him
reprove
me,
it
shall
be
an excellent
oil
that
shall
not
break my head
;
Rom.
vii.
4.
Psal.
cxli. 5.
.
Let
my
brethren
watch over
me,
for
I
find
I
am
not
sufficient to be my own
keeper
;
and
let
them have compassion on
me,
plucking
me
out of
the
fire,
for I
hate,
as
well
as they,
the
garment spotted
with the
(flesh;
Jude,
ver.
2:3.
Thus the
flesh
must
be
brought under
by
constant
watchfulness,
prayer,
and resistance,
else
we
cannot
maintain
holiness and peace.
Take
heed therefore, O
feeble and
tempted christian,
while
thou
art
by
prayer
engaging the heavenly alliance on thy
side,
that
thou
let
not
thy
own
weapons drop,
but maintain
the
.war.
The