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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
shew
what powers the
soul
is
furnished
with
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
these
have 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,