TILE POWERS AND CONTESTS OF FLESH AND SPIRIT. n9! your peace, the i9esh has ever been an accomplice with them, and helped onward the fatal design; besides the many guilty practices into which it has drawn you, with- out the assistance either of the world or the devil. Not all the deceitful vanitieson the earth, nor all the armies of hell, could lead your souls astray fromGod, and your own happiness, in half 'so many instances as they have done, if yoii'h.ad not such a secret traitor so near, you, that is in league with them for your ruin. And shall this enemy be your counsellor and your guide ? Shall this flesh be your chief darling, which has been ever warring against your soul Would you not distrust a man that has dwelt with you from your childhood, and every day of your life has led you into some mischief ?' Would you not be watchful and jealous of all his motions, who has betrayed you into some snare almost every hour ? Would you not guard against his perverse practices, if; whenever he took a walk with you, he had thrown yod into a pit, and defiled your garments? Such a dangerous attendant is this flesh of yours in the present degenerate state. Why then will ye be so fond of this 'tempter, this de- ceitful companion ? Whywill you spend your best mo- ments, the prime ofyouth, and the very flower of life, to -dress and adorn, to flatter, and please, and gratify, such a wretched traitor to your soul, such a foe to your eternal welfare ? The very best of men have already given too much respect to it. But when a person is sanctified by divine grace, the flesh begins then to be subdued to some useful services to God : Then the eye by reading, and the ear by hearing, and the feet by going to attend upon the divine word, are made to help forward his spiritual and heavenly interest ; and many a hundred services of this kind must the members of the body do, in order to make the soul any tolerable recompence for all the inju- ries that the soul has received from its corrupt appetite and passions. Well therefore might the apostle say, we are by no means debtors to the flesh, to live after the flesh:" Rom. viii. 12. Nor do we owe, any more of our strength, time, thought, or contrivance, to gratify its vain or sinful inclinations ; for they that are Christ's have so far crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts of it, as to keep it under, and hold it in subjection. VOL. III. Y
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