a term of very ambiguous import in the Scriptures. An eminent
critic has enumerated no less than six different meanings which it bears
in the sacred writings, and for which, he affirms, there will not be
found a single authority in any profane writer: 1. It sometimes denotes
the whole body considered as animated, as in Matt. xxvi, 41, “The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 2. It sometimes means a human being,
as in Luke iii, 6, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 3.
Sometimes a person’s kindred collectively considered, as in Rom. xi, 14,
“If by any means I may provoke them which are my flesh.” 4. Sometimes
any thing of an external or ceremonial nature, as opposed to that which
is internal and moral, as in Gal. iii, 3, “Having begun in the Spirit,
are ye now made perfect in the flesh?” 5. The sensitive part of our
nature, or that which is the seat of appetite, as in 2 Cor. vii, 1, “Let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;” where
there can be no doubt that the pollutions of the flesh must be those of
the appetites, being opposed to the pollutions of the spirit, or those
of the passions. 6. It is employed to denote any principle of vice and
moral pravity of whatever kind. Thus among the works of the flesh, Gal.
v, 19–21, are numbered not only adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, drunkenness, and revellings, which all relate to
criminal indulgence of appetite, but idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, and
murders, which are manifestly vices of a different kind, and partake
more of the diabolical nature than of the beastly.
critic has enumerated no less than six different meanings which it bears
in the sacred writings, and for which, he affirms, there will not be
found a single authority in any profane writer: 1. It sometimes denotes
the whole body considered as animated, as in Matt. xxvi, 41, “The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 2. It sometimes means a human being,
as in Luke iii, 6, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 3.
Sometimes a person’s kindred collectively considered, as in Rom. xi, 14,
“If by any means I may provoke them which are my flesh.” 4. Sometimes
any thing of an external or ceremonial nature, as opposed to that which
is internal and moral, as in Gal. iii, 3, “Having begun in the Spirit,
are ye now made perfect in the flesh?” 5. The sensitive part of our
nature, or that which is the seat of appetite, as in 2 Cor. vii, 1, “Let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;” where
there can be no doubt that the pollutions of the flesh must be those of
the appetites, being opposed to the pollutions of the spirit, or those
of the passions. 6. It is employed to denote any principle of vice and
moral pravity of whatever kind. Thus among the works of the flesh, Gal.
v, 19–21, are numbered not only adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, drunkenness, and revellings, which all relate to
criminal indulgence of appetite, but idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, and
murders, which are manifestly vices of a different kind, and partake
more of the diabolical nature than of the beastly.