A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

3. The Flesh doth not only make us flexible and yielding to Temptations, but is active and stirring in our Hearts, to force and impel us ⟨p. 429⟩thereunto. There's a Law in our Members, Rom. 7. 23. a powerful active Principle within us, that is always urging us to sin. We think, and speak too gently of our own corrupt Hearts, when we think the Corruption is sleepy, and works not until it be irritated by outward Objects, and Satan's Suggestions: No, there's an active stirring Principle within us, that poureth out Sin as a Fountain doth Waters, though no Body comes to drink of them; as Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart, is only evil continually. There is a Mint in Man's Heart that is always at work, coining evil Thoughts, evil Desires, evil Motions; and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, Gal. 5. 17. And Sin wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence, Rom. 7. 8. Though there were no other occasion to irritate, but God's Law, and the Motions of his Spirit, yet there's a continual Fermentation wrought by these corrupt Humours in our Hearts. Natural Concupiscence doth not lie idle in them, but is active, and warring; and the Objects that are in the World, and the Solicitations of the Devil make it more violent.

3. The Flesh doth not only make us flexible and yielding to Temptations, but is active and stirring in our Hearts, to force and impel us ⟨p. 429⟩thereunto. There's a Law in our Members, Rom. 7. 23. a powerful active Principle within us, that is always urging us to sin. We think, and speak too gently of our own corrupt Hearts, when we think the Corruption is sleepy, and works not untill it be irritated by outward Objects, and Satan's Suggestions: No, there's an active stirring Principle within us, that poureth out Sin as a Fountain doth Waters, though no Body comes to drink of them; as