ESSAY. 819 in themselves, but occasionally ; because the "soul- so often com- plies with them, and becomes guilty ; and thus these operations of the flesh are sad occasions of sin. Now in this present fallen state, wherein all the children of . Adam are found, these sinful motionsand ferments, appetites, and passions abound in our flesh and blood ; partly as we derive too much of them from our sinful parents, and partly as we have too much encouraged and strengthened them ourselves, by freL quent practice and indulgence. It isevident also, that the great= est part of the actions of our lives are ready to he influenced by appetite or affection ; and it is plain, that the outward, senses of the body, or the inward ferments, motions, and impressions of flesh ánd 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 comes 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 parti- cular actions, to determine precisely how far the influence 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 our- selves with more guilt than God charges us with, or lay hea- vier loads upon our own consciences than the divine law lays upon us. We shall find these enquiries also ofexcellent use to lead us to proper methods for the mortification of sin, and to shew us the justice and wisdom ofdivine conduct, and the holiness and beauty of the providence of God, in appointing our present state of trial, in order to a future judgment. I. Thefirst thing I shall discourse on here, is the unhappy influence that our fleshor animal nature, has to tempt us to sin, And then II. I shall shewwhat 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 thesehave a fatal and unhappy influenceto lead the soul or spirit into sin. I shall make this evident from the word of God, especially from the writings of theblessed apostles ; and shall confirm it bymany common observations and an easy train of reasoning. When those sacred writershive occasion to describe sin, in its principles or operations, they use the words flesh, fleshly, or
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