THE POWERS AND CONTESTS OP FLESH AND SPIRIT. 331 3. If the whole race of creatures, which were so dege- nerate, had been put under the most difficult tests of obe- dience, in a state of trial appointed in order to their re- covery from ruin, not one of them had any just reason to complain or murmur against their sovereign Ruler in the methods of his wisdom working toward their re- covery. 4. Ifsome of these fallen and degenerate beings have therefore some easier circumstances of trial appointed to them, such ought to be very thankful indeed, but others ought by no means to quarrel with their Maker, or treat their fellow-creatures with envy. " Is thine eye evil because he is good ;" Mat., xx. 15. 5. Perhaps many of those who have less inward temp- tations in the flesh, are, in the course of providence, exposed to greater outward temptations in the world ; and in this case, the state of trial for both of them may be equally difficult ; the one is balanced with the other. 6. How great soever the difficulties appear which any soul is exposed to by the unhappy circumstances of flesh and blood, to which it is united, there is sufficient relief provided in the covenant of grace ; there is sufficient atonement and pardon in the blood of Christ to remove the deepest guilt, and sufficient aids of the blessed Spirit promised in the gospel, to mortify the most violent ap- petites, and perverse affections of the flesh ; and there are many souls now in heaven, who wrestled hard with as vile constitutions of body here on earth as you are vexed with, but have been made conquerors by the power of this gospel. 7. Consider also, that the harder the fight is, the brighter shall be the crown, and the most laborious com- bat shall be attended with the fairest prize. Maintain your conflict with flesh and blood, though the strife may be ever so sharp and painful ; hold out till you are called up to the world of spirits, and you shall find that your labour was not in vain. Have a care then, O man, of contending with God thy Maker; nor let the earthen vessel say to the potter, " why hast thou formed me thus ?" If thou givest a loose to thy corruptions because they are strong, thou prac- tisest the same folly as if the keeper should give a loose to a bon, because it is a very' wild and large one, and VOL. 1I1. 7.
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