The flesh, as the term is usually employed in Scripture, means the lower and earthly part of our nature. It is that part of us to which almost all the pleasures of sense address themselves. St. Paul tells us that they who are in the flesh—they who live for it alone—cannot please God (Rom. viii. 8); and he gives the reason, because they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. The flesh, that is, as we have said, the lower part of our nature, has neither belief nor interest in anything but what can be seen and heard, and handled with hands. It cares for nothing but the things which belong to time, and must therefore perish with time. The invisible things which are eternal, and therefore the only real things, are as nothing to the man of the flesh, or at best but the idle dreams of enthusiasts. This being the case, it is easy to see why they who are in the flesh cannot please God. Now this earthly and carnal nature, which is here called the flesh, remains in every one of us. We are all more or less under its influence. We are all prone to let the seen and temporal hide from our thoughts the unseen and eternal. The wants of the body are imperative, and must be provided for, and with these needs are apt to come lusts. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life are all intimately connected with real needs, and take on their names and faces. Our bodies are useful servants, but bad and hard masters, and they are always striving to get the upper hand, and govern where they ought to obey. Therefore it is needful to rule them with a strong hand. St. Paul says, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection"; that is, literally, "I buffet it with blows, and treat it as a slave," and he gives us the reason for this conduct, "lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. ix. 27.) The Scriptures, especially the Epistles, are full of warnings on this subject. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. viii. 13.) The flesh is to be subdued to the spirit; to our own immortal spirit, and to the Holy Spirit. To our own spirit, because that is the part of us which is nearly related to God, capable of communion with Him, and even of being partaker of the Divine Nature (2 Pet. i. 4); to the Holy Spirit, because He is our Divine Guide and Comforter. The flesh is to be made thus subject, that it may know its place and be silent and quiet before its betters, that its voice may not hinder the voice of God. It must be taught to obey, that it may be the servant and not the master. And as soldiers are drilled in time of peace, when no enemy is at hand, that they may be ready and skillful in time of war, so our bodies may well be trained and brought under discipline, that in the time of trial they may be helps and not hindrances in running the race which is set before us.