A Christian Directory

The Methods of Christ against the Tempter.

§. 59. Before I proceed to Satan's particular Temptations, I will show you the contrary Methods of Christ in the conduct of his Army and opposing Satan.

I. Christ's Ends are ultimately, the Glory and Pleasing of his Father, and himself, and the saving of his Church; and the destroying the Kingdom of the Devil; and next the purifying his peculiar people, and calling home all that are ordained to eternal life.

§. 60. But more particularly he looketh principally at the heart to plant there. 1. Holy Knowledge. 2. Faith. 3. Godliness or holy devotedness to God and Love to him above all. 4. Thankfulness. 5. Obedience. 6. Humility. 7. Heavenly-mindedness. 8. Love to others. 9. Self-denial and Mortification, and contentment. 10. Patience. And in all these, 1. sincerity, 2. tenderness of heart, 3. • eal, and holy strength and resolution. And withal to make us actually serviceable, and diligent in our masters work, for our own and others salvation.

§. 61. II. Christ's order in working is direct, and not backward as the Devils is: He first revealeth saving truth to the understanding, and affecteth the will •• showing the Goodness of the things revealed: And these employ the Thoughts, and Passions, and Senses, and the whole body, reducing the inferior faculties to obedience, and casting out by degrees those images which had deceived and prepossessed them.

§. 62. The matter which Christ presenteth to the Soul, is 1. Certain Truth from the Father of Lights, set up against the Prince and Kingdom of darkness, ignorance, error, and deceit. 2. Spiritual and everlasting Good, even God himself to be seen, and Loved, and Enjoyed forever, against the Tempters temporal, corporal and seeming good. Christ's Kingdom and work are advanced by Light: He is for the promoting of all useful knowledge: and therefore for clear and convincing Preaching, for reading the Scriptures in a known tongue, and meditating in them day and night, and for exhorting one another daily; which Satan is against.

§. 63. III. The Means by which he worketh against Satan, are such as these. 1. Sometime he maketh use of the very temper of the body as a preparative; and (being Lord of all) he giveth such a temperature as will be most serviceable to the soul: As a sober, deliberate, meek, quiet and patient disposition. But sometime he honoreth his Grace by the conquest of such sins; as even bodily disposition doth entertain and cherish.

§. 64. 2. Sometimes by his providence he withdraweth the matter of temptations: that they shall not be too strong for feeble souls: But sometimes his Grace doth make advantage of them all, and leave them for the magnifying of its frequent victories.

§. 65. 3. Sometimes he giveth his cause the major vote among the people, so that it shall be a matter of dishonorable singularity not to be a professed Christian: and sometime, but exceeding rarely, it is so with the life of Godliness and practice of Christianity also. But ordinarily in the most places of the world, Custom and the Multitude are against him, and his grace is honored by prevailing against these bands of Satan.

§. 66. 4. He maketh his Ministers his principal Instruments, qualifying, disposing and calling them to his work, and helping them in it, and prospering it in their hands.

§. 67. 5. He maketh it the duty of every Christian to do his part to carry on the work; and furnisheth them with Love, and Compassion, and Knowledge, and Zeal in their several measures.

§. 68. 6. He giveth a very strict charge to Parents to devote their Children with themselves to God; encouraging them with the promise of his accepting and blessing them; and commandeth them to teach them the word of God with greatest diligence, and to bring them up in the nurture and fear of God.

§. 69. 7. He giveth Princes and Magistrates their power, to promote his Kingdom, and protect his servants, and encourage the good, and suppress iniquity, and further the obedience of his Laws: Though in most of the world they turn his enemies, and he carrieth on his work without them, and against their cruel persecuting opposition.

§. 70. 8. His Light detecteth the nakedness of the Devils cause, and among the Sons of Light, it is odious, and a common shame: And as wisdom is justified of her children, so the judgment of holy men condemning sin, doth much to keep it under in the world.

§. 71. 9. His providence usually casteth the sinner that he will do good to, into the bosom and communion of his holy Church, and the familiar company and acquaintance of the Godly, who may help him by instruction, affection and example.

§. 72. 10. His providence fitteth all conditions to their good: but especially helpeth them by seasonable quickening afflictions. These are the means which ordinarily he useth. But the powerful inward operations of his Spirit, give efficacy to them all.

Tit. 2. Temptations to particular sins; with Directions for preservation and Remedy.

IN Chapter 1. Part 2. I have opened the Temptations which hinder sinners from Conversion to God: I shall now proceed to those which draw men to particular sins. Here Satan's Art is exercised 1. In fitting his baits to his particular use: 2. In applying them thereto.

§. 1. Tempt. 1. The Devil fitteth his Temptations to the sinners age: The same bait is not suitable to all. Children he tempteth to excess of playfullness, lying, disobedience, unwillingness to learn the things that belong to their salvation, and a senselessness of the great concernments of their souls. He tempteth youth to wantonness, rudeness, gulosity, unruliness, and foolish inconsiderateness. In the beginning of manhood he tempteth to lust, voluptuousness and luxury; or if these take not, to designs of worldliness and ambition: The aged he tempteth to covetousness, and unmoveableness in their error, and unteachableness and obstinacy in their ignorance and sin: Thus every age hath its peculiar snare.

§. 2. Direct. 1. The Remedy against this is, 1. To be distinctly acquainted with the Temptations of your own age: and watch against them with a special heedfullness and fear. 2. To know the special duties and advantages of your own age, and turn your thoughts wholly unto those. Scripture hath various precepts for the various ages: study your own part. The young have more time to learn their duty, and less care and business to divert them: Let them therefore be taken up in obedient learning. The middle age hath most vigor of body and mind, and therefore should do their masters work, with the greatest vigor, activity and zeal. The Aged should have most judgment▪ and experience, and acquaintedness with Death and Heaven: and therefore should teach the younger both by word and holy life.

§. 3. Tempt. 2. The Tempter also fitteth his Temptations to men's several bodily tempers, (as I shown §. 22.) The hot and strong he tempteth to lust: The sad and fearful to discouragement and continual self-vexations; and to the Fear of Men and Devils: Those that have strong appetites, to Gluttony and Drunkenness: Children, and Women, and weak-headed people, to Pride of Apparel and trifling Complement: And masculine wicked-unbelievers, to Pride of Honor, Parts and Grandeur, and to an ambitious seeking of Rule and Greatness. The meek and gentle he tempteth to a yieldingness unto the persuasions and will of erroneous and tempting persons: And those that are more stiff, to a stubborn resistance of all that should do them good. He found it most suitable to tempt a Saul to malice, David by a surprise to lust, Absalom to ambition▪ Peter to fearfulness, and after to compliance and dissimulation to avoid the offense and displeasure of the weak: Luther to rashness, Melancthon to fearfulness; Carolostadius to nnsetledness: Illiricus to inordinate zeal, Osiander to self-esteem; ( if Historians have given them their due): One Sh •• e fitteth not every foot.

§. 4. Direct. 2. Let your strictest watch be upon the sins of your temperature: Far greater diligence and resolution is here necessary, than against other sins. And withdraw the fuel, and strive against the bodily distempers themselves. Fasting and labor will do much against lust, which Idleness, and fullness continually • eed. And so the rest have their several cures. Know also what good your temper doth give you special advantage for: and let it be turned unto that, and still employed in it.

§. 5. Tempt. 3. The Temptor suiteth his Temptations to your Estates, of Poverty or Riches: The p •• r he tempteth to murmur and be impatient under their wants, and distress themselves more with griefs and cares: and to think that their sufferings may save them without holiness, and that necessary labor for their bodies, may excuse them from much minding the concernments of their souls: And either to censure and hate the Rich through envy, or to flatter them for gain. The Rich he tempteth to an idle, time-wasting, voluptuous, fleshly, brutish life. To excess in sleep, and meat, and drink, and sport, and apparel, and costly ways of pride, and idle disc • urse, and visits, and complements; to love the wealth and honors of the world, and live in continual pleasing of the flesh, to fare deliciously every day, and to waste their time in unprofitableness without a con • taunt Calling; and to be unmerciful to the poor, and to tyrannize over their inferiors. Prov. 30. 8, 9. Luke 16.

§. 6. Direct. 3. Here also observe regardfully where your danger lieth, and there keep a continual watch. L • t the poor remember, that if they be not Rich in grace, it is long of themselves; and if they be, they have the chiefest Riches, and have learnt in all estates to be content: And have great cause to be thankful to God that thus helpeth them against the love and pleasures of the world. Let the Rich remember, that they have not less to do than the poor, because they have more committed to their trust, nor may they ever the more satisfy the inordinate desires of the flesh: But they have more to d • , and more dangers to fear and watch against, as they have more of their Masters Talents to employ, and give account for at the last.

§. 7. Tempt. 4. The Devil suiteth his Temptations to men's daily work and business. If it be low, to be ashamed of it through Pride; If it be high, to be Proud of it: If it be hard, to be weary and unfaithful in it; or to make it take up all their minds and time: If it be about worldly things, he tempteth them to be tainted by it with a worldly mind: If they labor for themselves, he tempteth them to ever-do: If for others, he tempteth them to deceitful unfaithful negligence and sloth. If they are Ministers, he tempteth them to be idle, and unfaithful, and senseless of the weight of truth, the worth of souls, the brevity of time, that so their sin may be the ruin or the loss of many. If Rulers, the Devil useth his utmost skill, to cause them to espouse an interest contrary to the interest of truth and holiness, and to cast some quarrel against Christ into their minds, and to persuade them that his interest is against theirs, and that his servants are their enemies.

§. 8. Direct. 4. See that your work be lawful, and that God have called you to it, and then take it as the service which he himself assigneth to you, and do it as in his sight, and as passing to his judgment, in obedience to his will: And mind not so much whether it be hard or easy, low or high, as whether you are faithful in it. And if it be sanctified to you, by your intending all to the pleasing of God, remember that he loveth and rewardeth that servant that stoopeth to the l • west woe • k at his command, as much as him that is employed in the highest: Do all for God, and walk in Holiness with him, and keep out selfishness (the poison of your Callings) and observe the proper danger of your places, and keep a constant watch against them.

§. 9. Tempt. 5. The Devil suiteth his Temptations to our several Relations: Parents he tempteth to be cold and regardless of the great work of a wise and holy education of their Children: Children he tempteth to be disobedient, unthankful, void of natural affection, irreverent dishonourers of their Parents: Husbands he tempteth to be unloving, unkind, impatient with the weaknesses of their Wives, and Wives to be peevish, self-willed, proud, clamorous, passionate and disobedient: Masters he tempteth to use their servants only as their Beasts, for their own commodity, without any care of their salvation and God's service: And servants he tempteth to be carnal, untrusty, false, slothful, eye-servants, that take more care to hide a fault, than not to commit it. Ministers and Magistrates he tempteth to seek themselves, and neglect their charge, and set up their own Ends, instead of the common good▪ or to mistake the common good, or the means that tendeth to it. Subjects and People be tempteth to dishonor and murmur against their Governors, and to censure them unjustly, and to disobey them, and rebel; or else to honor, and fear, and serve them more than God and against God.

§. 10. Direct. 5. Here learn well the duties and dangers of your own Relations; and remember that it is much of your work to be faithful and excellent in your Relations. And mind not so much what other men owe to you, as what you owe to God and them. Let Masters, and Ministers, and Magistrates first study and carefully practice their own duties, and yet they must next see that their Inferiors do their duties, because that is their office: But they must be more desirous that God be first served, and more careful to procure obedience to him, than that they be honored, or obeyed themselves. Children, Servants and Subjects must be taken up in the well doing of their proper work: remembering that their good or hurt lieth far more upon that, than upon their superiors dealings with them, or usage of them. As it is your own Body, and not your superiors which your soul doth animate, nourish and use, and which you have the continual sense and charge of; so it is your own duty, and not your superiors, which you have to do, and to answer for, and therefore most to mind and talk of.

§. 11. Tempt. 6. The Tempter also suiteth his Temptations, to our advantages and hopes of rising or thriving in the world: He seeth which is our rising or thriving way; and there he layeth his snares, accommodate to our designs and ends; making some sinful omission or commission seem necessary thereto: Either Balaam must prophesy against the people of God, or else God must keep him from honor, by keeping him from sin: Numb. 24. 11. If once Judas be set on, What will you give me? The Devil will teach him the way to gain: His way is necessary to such sinful ends.

§. 12. Direct. 6. Take heed therefore of overvaluing the world, and being taken with its honor, pleasure or prosperity: Take heed lest the Love of earthly things, engage you in eager desires and designs, to grow great or rich. For if once your heart have such a design, you are gone from God: The heart is gone, and then all will follow as occasion calls for it. Understand these Scriptures, Prov. 23. 4. Labor not to be rich: Prov. 28. 20, 22. He that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent: He that hasteth to be rich, hath an evil eye: 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich, fall into Temptations and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition: For the love of money, is the root of all evil. But godliness with contentment, is great gain: Seek not great matters for yourselves: Jer. 45. 5. Be dead to the world: Fear more the Rising, than the falling way. Love that condition best, which fitteth thee for communion with God, or maketh thee the most profitable servant to him: and hate that most, which is thy greatest hindrance from these, and would most enslave thee to the world.

§. 13. Tempt. 7. The Tempter suiteth his Temptations to our company: If they have any error, or sin • r are engaged in any carnal enterprise, he will make them snares to us, and restless till they have ensnared us: If they love us not, he will make them continual provocations, and set before us all their wrongs, and provoke us to uncharitableness and revenge. If they love us, he will endeavor to make their Love to us, to be the Shooing-horn or Harbinger of their errors and evil ways, to draw us to their imitation. He findeth something in all our company to make the matter of some Temptation.

§. 14. Direct. 7. Converse most with God: Let faith make Christ and Angels your most regarded and observed company; that their mind, and presence may more affect you, than the mind and presence of mortal men. Look not at any man's Mind, or Will, or Actions without respect to God who governeth, and to the Rule by which they should all be suited, and to the Judgment which will open and reward them as they are. Never see man without seeing God: see man only as a creature dependant on his Makers will. And then you will lament and not imitate him, when he sinneth; and you will oppose (and Christ saith Hate, Luke 14. 26.) and not be seduced by him, when he would draw you with him to sin and Hell: Had Adam more observed God, than Eve, he had not been seduced by his helper. Then you will look on the proud, and worldly, and sensual, as Solomon on the slothful man's Vineyard, Prov. 24. 30, 31, 32. I saw and considered it well; I looked on it, and received instruction. You would not long for the Plague or Leprosy, because it is your friends disease.

§. 15. Tempt. 8. The Tempter maketh advantage of other men's Opinions or Speeches of you, or dealings by you; and by everyone of them would ensnare you in some sin: If they have mean thoughts of you, or speak despising or dishonoring words of you, he tempteth you by it to hate them, or love them less, or to speak contemptuously of them. If they applaud you, he tempteth you by it to be proud: If they wrong you, he tempteth you to revenge: If they enrich you, or are your benefactors, he would make their benefits a price to hire you to some sin, and make you pay as • e •• r for them, as your salvation cometh to. If they scorn you for Religion, he would make you ashamed of Christ and his Cause: If they admire you, he would draw you by it to hypocrisy. If they threaten you, he would draw you to sin by fear, as he did Peter: If they deal rudely with you, he tempteth you to passion, and to requite them with the like: And even to distaste Religion itself, if men professing Religion be against you, or seem to do you any wrong. Thus is every man a danger to his brother.

§. 16. Direct. 8. Discern in all men what there is of God, to be your help, and that make use of; and what there is of Satan, sin and self, and that take heed of. Look upon every man as a Helper and a Tempter; and be prepared still, to draw forth his Help, and resist his Temptation. And remember, that man is but the Instrument: It is Satan that Tempteth you, and God that trieth you by that man! Saith David of Shimei, The Lord hath bidden him: that is, He is but God's Rod to scourge me for my sin, as my Son himself is: As Satan was his instrument in trying Job, not by God's effecting, but permitting the sin: Observe God and Satan in it, more than men.

§. 17. Tempt. 9. His Temptations also are suited, to our fore-received opinions and thoughts: If you have but let in one lustful thought, or one malicious thought, he can make great advantage of that Nest-Egg, to gather in more: as a little leaven to leaven the whole lump: He can roll it up and down, and do much to hatch it into a multitude. If you are but tainted with any false opinion, or prejudice against your Teacher, your Ruler, or your Brother, he can improve it to such increase, and raise such conclusions from it, and more from them, and reduce them all to practice, as shall make observers with astonishment say, Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.

§. 18. Direct. 9. Take heed what Thoughts you first admit into your mind: And especially cherish and approve none but upon very good trial and examination. And if they prove corrupt, sweep clean your fantasie and memory of them, that they prove not inhabitants, and take not up their lodgings in you, or have not time to spawn and breed. And fill up the room with contrary thoughts, and useful Truth▪ and cherish them daily, that they may increase and multiply: And then your Hearts will be like a well-peopled Kingdom, able to keep their possession against all enemies.

§. 19. Tempt. 10. Also he fitteth his Temptations to your natural and acquired parts: That if you are weak, he may either discourage you; or (which is more usual and dangerous) make you think better of them than they are, and to think you know much, when its next to nothing; and to make you wise in your own eyes, and easily to receive an error, and then to be confident in it: not to discern between things that differ; but to be deceived into false zeal, and false ways by the specious pretences and shows of truth, and then to be zealous for the deceiving of others: Also that you may be a dishonor to truth and godliness, by your weakness and ill management of good causes; and may give them away through your unskillfulness to the adversary. If you are of stronger wits and parts, the Tempter will draw you to despise the weak, to take common gifts for special grace; or to undervalue holiness and humility, and overvalue learning and acuteness: He will tempt you (dangerously) to loath the simplicity of Christianity and • f the Scriptures, as to style and method; and to be offended at the Cross of Christ. So that such persons are usually in greater danger of Infidelity, Heresy, Pride, and insolent domineering over the flock of Christ, than vulgar Christians that have lower parts.

§. 20. Direct. 10. Labor to be well acquainted with yourselves: If you are weak, know your weakness, that you may be humble, and fearful, and seek for strength and help: If you are comparatively strong, remember how weak the strongest are: and how little it is that the wisest know! And study well the Ends and use of knowledge; that all that you know may be con •• cted into Love and Holiness; and use it as remembering that you have much to give account of.

§. 21. Tempt. 11. Moreover the Tempter will fetch advantage against you from your former life and actions. If you have gone out of the way to Heaven, he would harden you by custom, and make you think it such a disgrace or trouble to return, as that its as good go on, and put it to the venture: If you have done any work materially good, while your heart and course of life is carnal and worldly, he would quiet you in your sinful miserable state, by applauding the little good that you have done. If a good man have erred or done ill, he will engage his honor in it, and make him study to defend it, or excuse it, left it prove his shame; and tempt men as he did David, to hide one sin with another: If he g • t h • ld of one link, he will draw on all the chain of sin.

§. 22. Direct. 11. Take heed therefore what you do; and foresee the end: Let not the Devil get in one foot: Try your way, before you enter it. But if you have erred, come off, and that thoroughly and betime, whatever it cost; for be sure it will cost more to go on. And if he would make a snare of the good that you have done, remember that this is to turn it into the greatest evil: And that there must be a concurrence and integrity of good to make you acceptable, and to save you: Heart and life must be good to the End.

§. 23. Tempt. 12. Lastly, He fitteth his Temptations to the season. He will take the season just when an evil thought is likest to take with you; and when the Winds and Tide d • serve him: that will take at one time, (when a man hath his wits and heart to seek) which would be abhorred at another: In afflicting Times he will draw you to deny Christ with Peter, or shift for yourselves by sinful means: In prosperous Times he will tempt you to security, worldliness and forgetfulness of the night and Winter which approacheth: The Timing his Temptations is his great advantage.

§. 24. Direct. 12. Dwell as with God, and you dwell as in Eternity, and will see still that as Time, so all the pleasure, and advantages, and dangers, and sufferings of Time, are things in themselves of little moment: Keep your eye upon Judgment and Eternity, where all the errors of Time will be rectified, and all the inequalities of Time will be levelled, and the sorrows and joys that are transitory will be no more: And then no reasons from the frowns or flatteries of the Times will seem of any force to you. And be still employed for God, and still armed and on your watch, that Satan may never find you disposed to take the bait.

The Tempters Method in applying his prepared baits.

§. 25. Tempt. 1. The Devils first work, is to present the Tempting bait in all its alluring deceiving properties: To make it seem as true as may be to the understanding; and as good and amiable as may be to the will. To say as much as can be said for an evil cause; He maketh his Image of Truth and Goodness as beautiful as he can: Sin shall be sugared, and its pleasure shall be its strength, Heb. 11. 25. Sin shall have its wages paid down in hand, 2 Pet. 2. 15. He will set it out with full mouthed praises: O what a fine thing it is to be rich, and please the flesh continually! to have command, and honor, and lusts, and sports, and what you desire! Who would refuse such a condition that may have it? All this will I give thee, was the Temptation which he thought fit to assault Christ himself with. And he will corrupt the History of Time past, and tell you that it went well with those that took his way, Jer. 44. 17. And for the future, he will promise them, that they shall be gainers by it (as he did Eve) and shall have peace, though they please their flesh in sinning: See Deut. 29. 19.

§. 26. Direct. 1. In this case, first inquire what God saith of that which Satan so commendeth. The commendations and motions of an enemy are to be suspected. God is most to be believed. 2. Then consider not only whether it be good, but how long it will be good; and what it will prove at the end; and how we shall judge of it at the parting: And withal consider what it tendeth to; whether it tend to good or evil: and whether it be the greatest good that we are capable of: And then you will see, that if there were no good, or appearance of good in it, it could do a voluntary agent no hurt, and were not fit to be the matter of a Temptation: And you will see that it is temporal good set up to deceive you of the Eternal Good, and to entice you into the greatest evil, and misery. Doth the Devil sh • w thee the world, and say All this will I give thee? Look to Christ who showeth thee the glory of the world to come, with all things good for thee in this world, and saith more truly, All this will I give thee: The world and Hell are in one end of the balance, and Pardon, Holiness, and Heaven are in the other. Which now wilt thou prefer? If the Devil have more to give thee and bid •• r thee than Christ, let him take thee.

§. 27. Tempt. 2▪ The Tempter laboreth to keep God, and Christ, and Heaven out of sight, that they 〈…〉 t the splendor of his bait; and to hide those potent reasons from them, by which they might ea •• lie r • p • l the temptation: so that though they are well known and sure, and Scripture be full of them, they shall n • ne of them be ready at hand to use, when the temptation cometh; so that to them they shall be all as nothing: and this he doth by unbelief and inconsiderateness.

§. 28. Direct. 2. Live by faith: see that God the Father, the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit, dwell within you, and take up your hearts, and your hopes be placed all on Heaven, and that these be • our very Life and business; and then you will always have that at hand, which may ref • l the Tempter. A heart taken up with God and Christ, conversing in Heaven, is always fortified, and prepared to meet every Temptation with abhorrence. Let your souls be still possessed with as constant apprehensions of the evil of sin, the danger of sinning, the presence, authority and holiness of God, the wrong that sin doth him, the hurt it doth ourselves and others, and what it did to Jesus Christ, as you have of the danger of fire, and water, and poison; and then the Tempter will not speed.

§. 29. Tempt. 3. It is the great care of the Devil to keep out of sight, that he be not seen himself in the Temptation: As the Angler keepeth himself behind the bush, and the Fowler hideth himself from the birds, or else they would fear, and fly, and escape: so doth the Devil use all his art, to hide himself from the sinners observation; that the deluded soul shall little think that the Devil is so near him, and hath so great a hand in the business. If the ambitious or Covetous worlding saw the Devil offer him the bait, and heard him say▪ All this will I give thee; he would have the smaller list to take the bait. If the Devil appeared to the Whoremonger, and brought him his Whore, and encouraged him to his filthiness, it would cool his lust: Or if he appeared to the drunkard, and presented him the cup, he would have but little list to drink: If the proud and the malicious saw the Devil at their backs, rejoicing in their sin, and putting them on, it might affright them half into their wits. Therefore the great endeavor of the Devil is, to persuade men that it is not he that makes the motion to them: It is such a friend, or such a neighbor, or gentleman, or minister, or wise man; it is not the Devil! Till the Fish is catched, and the bird is in the net; and then the author of all appeareth, to kill them, and carry them away, without any concealment.

§. 30. Direct. 3. Mark but the tendency and the manner of the Temptations, and you may perceive the Author: Who else is it that is so much against God, and against your everlasting happiness? Who else is it that would so abuse your Reason, to prefer things temporal, before things eternal, and the brutish pleasures of a corruptible flesh, before the interest of immortal souls? Who else so contradicteth all the word of God? Read God's warnings, and he will tell you who it is. Take every Temptation then (whoever be the messenger) as if thou sawest the Devil standing by, and making the motion to thee, and heardest himself exhort thee to the sin, suppose you saw him conducting you to the Whore-house, the Play-house, the ALE-house, and making you entertainment as the Master of the game! How then would you take it? And what would you do? Would you go, and be angry at the precise Preacher that would hinder you? And would you take the Devils part? No, nature hath possessed you with a fear of him and an enmity to him: use it for your safety: It cannot be good for you that comes from him! He hath a fouler face to appear to you in, than ever yet you saw, when you have done his work and are where he would have you. O know with whom you have to do.

§. 31. Tempt. 4. The Tempter is most careful also to hide from men the nature and tendency of the Temptation itself; that they shall not know that it is a Temptation when they are tempted, but shall have nothing in sight but the bait which they desire. The Angler doth not only hide himself from the fish, but also his rod, and line, and hook as much as he can: The Fowler covereth his nets; so that either the fish and bird shall not see the snare, or shall not know what it is, and what it is there laid for: so when the bait of pleasure, and honor, and wealth is presented by the Devil, to the fornicator, gamester, proud or covetous, they shall not see what the Devil is doing now, and what a game he is playing for their souls! They shall not perceive the connection that there is between the pleasure and the sin, and the sin and the threatening, and the threatening and the judgment, and the judgment and the everlasting punishment; when Judas was bargaining with the Pharisees, he knew not that the Devil was in him driving on the match.

§. 32. Direct, 4. Be wise and suspicious: Blindness or fool-hardiness will lead you into the snare. Be wise that you may know the tendency of everything that is presented to your thoughts, and may be able to perceive a danger: Be suspicious and cautelous, that you may make a sufficient trial, and go upon sure grounds, and avoid the very appearance of evil: when it is Hell that you fear, come not too near. Play not as the fly about the Candle: salvation is necessary; but preferment, or wealth, or liberty, or credit, or life itself are not necessary to you! Prove all things: Flatter not yourselves into the snares by foolish hopes, and judging of things as the flesh would have them to be, rather than as they are. It no danger appear, turn up all coverings, and search and see that none be hidden. The Devil hath his gun-powder-plots, and mines, which may blow you up before you are aware. Not only Lawfullness and Indifferency, but great Good is the pretence for greatest evil.

§. 33. Tempt. 5. It is the Tempters care to bring the tempting object near enough, or draw the •• nner near enough to it: The net must come to the fish, or the fish to the net: The distant fire will not burn the w •• d. The Devils chief confidence is in the sensitive appetite, which worketh strongliest at hand. If he get the drunkard into the ALE-house and show him the cup, he hath half conquered him already: But if he • e scrupulous and modest, someone shall drink a health or importune him, and put the cup into his hand. The thief with Achan shall see the bait, and the sight will work a Coveteous desire. The glutton shall have the Tempting dishes before him, and be at a Table which by variety of delicious food, is fitted to become his snare, whereas if he had nothing set before him, but the poor man's simple food which hath nothing in it fit to tempt him, he might easily have escaped. The fornicator shall have his beautiful dirt brought near him, and presented to him in a tempting dress; for at a sufficient distance there had been little danger. The ambitious person shall have preferment offered him, or brought so fair to his hand that with a little seeking it may be attained. The fearful coward shall be threatened with the loss of estate or life, and hear the report of the Cannons, Guns and Drums of Satan. Peter is half conquered when he is got among questioning company in the High-Priests Hall. Thus David, thus Lot, thus ordinarily sinners are drawn into the snare.

§. 34. Direct. 5. As ever you would preserve your innocence and your souls, fly as far from tempting objects as you can: I say as you can without distrusting God in the neglect of a certain duty: A Wife, or a servant that are bound cannot fly: nor must we leave undone our certain duty upon an uncertain danger, which may otherwise be avoided: But keep off from the Temptation at as great a distance as you can: The safest course is the best when your souls lie at the stake: If it be not Necessary, plead not the Lawfulness of what you do, when it is a Temptation to that which is unlawful. You say, It is lawful to wear such curious ornaments, and set out yourselves in the neatest dress: But is it lawful to be Prowd or Lustful, or to consume your time unprofitably? If not, tempt not yourselves or others to it. Keep away from the place where the snare is laid. Look first to the end before thou meddle with the beginning. Why should I eat that which I know I cannot digest, but must cast it up again? And why should I taste that which I must not eat? And why should I desire to have that set before me, and to look upon it which I must not taste? Come not near if thou wouldst not be taken? What dost thou at the ALE-house with a cup before thee, if thou wouldst not be drawn to excess of drink? If thou be subject to excess in eating, make not thy own table thy Temptation. Fly from the Temptation as thou wouldst do from Hell, or from the Devil himself. See not the bait of lust, or come not near, if thou be inclinable to lust, saith Solomon, Rem •• e thy way far from her, and come not near the door of her house, Prov. 5. 8. For her end is bi • er as wormwo • d, sharp as a two edged sword▪ Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on Hell, verse 4, 5. Her house inclineth to death and her paths unto the dead: None that go to her return again, neither take they • old of the paths of Life. Prov. 2. 18, 19. Her house is the way to Hell, going down to the chambers of Death, Prov. 7. 27. Whoso is simple let him turn in hither, and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant: But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of Hell: Prov. 9. 16, 17, 18. Lust not after her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye-lids:—Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burnt? Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be hurt? Prov. 6. 25, 27, 28. Remember that you pray daily Lead us not into Temptation: And if you will run into it yourselves, are not your prayers hypocritical and an abuse of God? If you would be saved from sin, you must be saved in God's way: and that is by flying from Temptations; and not drawing near, and gazing on forbidden objects, and tempting yourselves: Even as God's holy means must be used by all that would come to holiness and Heaven; so the Devils must be avoided by him that would would scape sin and Hell. 2. But if you cannot remove far enough from the snare, then double your f •• r, and watchfulness, and resolution: Fly with Joseph from the sin, if you cannot go out of the house. How carefully should every foot be placed, when we know that every step we tread is among snar • s? Rule your senses if you cannot remove the bait: Make Job's covenant with your eyes, that you look not on that which would allure? Job 31. 1. Let every sense have a constant watch.

§. 35. Tempt. 6. The next great work of the Tempter is, to give us the fairest opportunities to sin, and to remove all impediments, and show men encouraging hopes and invitations. He will show the thief which way he may steal; and show the covetous man which way he may thrive, and deceive, and over-reach: and the ambitious man which way he may rise; and the fornicator how he may obtain his desire, and sin unknown: and then he tells them how easy it is; now no one seeth you; you may do it without fear or shame. It is the Devils great care to take all things out of the way that would affright, or hinder sinners: That they may have full opportunity to invite them. Therefore he is very desirous that public impediments should be all removed; especially a godly Magistrate and Minister, and that the common disgrace of sinning may be taken off, and if it may be, turned against Religion, or fall on them that are the greatest adversaries to sin.

§. 36. Direct. 6. It is therefore a principal part of your wisdom and watchfulness, to avoid the opportunities of sinning, and keep out as many impediments as may be in your own way. It is a most foolish and sinful thing in some men, who think it a brave thing to have power to do hurt, though they pretend that they abhor the doing of it: He that saith he hateth oppression, yet would have a Power to oppress: To have all men at his will and mercy he thinks is brave: so they that would not be gluttonous would have a tempting table still before them, presuming that their own will is a sufficient preservative against the sin: so they that would not be ensnared with lust, have yet a desire to appear as comely, and lovely, and desirable as may be, and to be as much beloved, that they may have others affections at command; and also to have opportunity offered them, that they may sin if they will. And is thy will so well established, mortified and unchangeable, as to be so far trusted? O foolish sinner that no better knowest thyself; nor observest thy danger? Nor perceivest that this very desire to have the Power to do evil showeth a degree of the evil in thy heart, and that thou art not yet s • t so far from it as thou must be, if thou wouldst be safe. Contrive thyself, (if thou be wise and love thyself) into the greatest difficulties of sinning that thou canst: Make it Impossible if it may be done. The Power is for the act. Desire not to be able to sin, if thou wouldst not sin. Not that Natural power to do go • d should be destroyed because it is also a power to do evil, but cast as many bl • cks in the way of thy sinning as thou canst, till it amount to a moral impossibility. Desire the strictest Laws and G • vern • rs, and to be still in the eye of others; and contrive it that thou mayest have no hope of secrecy: Contrive it so that it may be utter shame and l • ss to thee if thou sin: If thou be tempted to fornication, never be private with h • r or him that is thy snare: If thou be tempted to deceive and rob those that trust thee, avoid the trust, or if ever thou have done it, restore and confess that shame may preserve thee.

§. 37. Tempt. 7. Next the Tempter importunately soliciteth ou • Thoughts or fantasies to feed upon the tempting thing: That the lustful person may be thinking on the objects of his lusts, and the ambitious man thinking on his desired honor, and the covetous man of his desired wealth, his house, or lands or gainful bargains; and the malicious man be thinking of all the real or imaginary wrongs, which kindle malice.

§. 38. Direct. 7. Keep a continual watch upon your thoughts: Remember that this is the common entrance of the greatest sins: And if they go no further, the searcher of hearts will judge thee for the adultery, murder, and other sins of thy heart, But especially see that your thoughts be so employed on better things, that sin may never find them vacant.

§. 39. Tempt. 8. The Tempter also is diligent to keep the end from the sinners eye, and to persuade him, that there is no danger in it, and that it will be as good at last as at first: He cannot endure a thought, a word of death or judgment, unless he can first fortify the sinner by some presumptuous hope, that his sons are pardoned, and his case is good: either he will make them believe him that there is no such danger to the soul as should deter them; or else he keepeth them from thinking of that danger. He is loath a sinner should so much as look into a grave, or go to the house of m • urning, and see the end of all the living, lest he should lay it to heart, and thence perceive what worldly pleasure, wealth and greatness is, by seeing where it leaveth sinners. If one do but talk of death or judgment, and the life to come, the Devil will stir up some scorn, or weariness, or opposition against such d • scourse: If a sinner do but bethink himself in secret, what will become of him after death, the Devil will either allure him, or trouble him, and never let him rest, till he have cast away all such thoughts as tend to his salvation. He cannot endure when you see the pomp and pleasure of the world, that you should think or ask▪ How long will this endure? And what will it prove in the latter end?

§. 40. Direct. 8. Go to the holy Scriptures, and see what they foretell concerning the end of Godliness and sin: God knoweth better than the Devil, and is more to be believed. You may see in the word of God, what will come of Saints and sinners, Godly and ungodly at the last, and what they will think and say when they review their present life; and what Christ will say to them, and how he will judge them, and what will be their reward forever. This is the infallible Prognostication, where you may foresee your endless state. In this glass continually foresee the end. Never judge of anything by the present gust alone. Ask not only how it tasteth, but how it worketh, and what will be the effects: Remember that God's Law hath inseparably conjoined Holiness, and Heaven, and sin▪ unrepented of, and Hell; and seeing these cannot be separated indeed, let them never be separated from each other in your thoughts. Otherwise you will never understand Christ or Satan: When Christ saith, wilt thou deny thyself and take up the Cross and follow me; his meaning is, shall I • eal thy carnal worldly heart and life, and bring thee by grace to the sight of God in endless Glory! You will never understand what prayer, and obedience, and holy living mean, if you see not the End, even Heaven conjoined to them. When the Devil saith, to the Glutton, eat also of this pleasant dish; and to the Drunkard, take the other cup, and to the Fornicator, take thy pleasure in the dark, and to the Voluptuous, go to the Play-house, or the Gaming-house; come play at Cards or Dice▪ his meaning is, Come, venture upon sin, and fear not God's threatenings, and refuse his word, and spirit, and grace, that I may have thy company among the Damned, in the fire which never shall be quenched. This is the true English of every temptation. Open thy ears then, and when ever the Devil or any sinner tempteth thee to sin, hear him as if he said, I pray thee leap into the flames of Hell.

§. 41. Tempt. 9. If the Tempter cannot quickly draw men to the sin, he will move them at least to abate their resolution against it, and to deliberate about it, and hear what can be said, and enter into a dispute with Satan or some of his instruments; telling them that it is a sign of falsehood which will not endure the trial, and that we must prove all things. And while the sinner is deliberating and disputing, the v •••• me is working itself into his veins, and sense is secretly undermining and betraying him, and deceiving his mind, br • bing his reason, and seducing his will: Just as an enemy will treat with those that keep a Garrison, that during the treaty, he may send in spies, and find out their weakness, and corrupt the soldiers: So doth the Devil with the sinner.

§. 42. Direct. 9. Remember that it is Christ and not Satan that you are to hear. Truth is strong and can bear the trial, before any competent judge: but you are weak, and not so able to judge as you may imagine. Ignorant, unskillful and unsettled persons are easily deceived be the cause never so clear. If it be a cause untryed by you, it is not untryed by all the godly, nor unknown to him that gave you the holy Scriptures: If it be fit to be called in questim and disputed, take the help of able godly Teachers or friends, and hear what they can say: Matters of endless life or death, are not rashly to be ventured on▪ But if it be a thing past dispute, in which you have been already convinced and resolved, reject the Tempter, and tell him, that you owe him not so much service, as to dispute with him whether you should care for your salvation? Else there will be no end, till you are betrayed and undone: Innocent Eve is deceived when once it comes to a dispute. Be not like Balaam that tempted God, and would not be satisfied with his answer.

§. 4 • . Tempt. 10. Also the Tempter overcometh very many, by making them presumptuously confident of their own strength: saying, Thou art not so weak as not to be able to bear a greater temptation than this? Canst thou not gaze on beauty, or go among vain and tempting company, and yet choose whether thou wilt sin: It's a child indeed that hath no more government of themselves! Cannot thy Table, thy Cup, thy House, thy Lands, be pleasing and delectable, but thou must needs over-love them, and turn them to sin?

§. 44 Direct. 10. O know thy own weakness! the treacherous enemy which thou still carriest about thee, who is ready to open the back-door to the Devil: Remember that flesh is on the Tempters •••• e, and how much it can do with thee before thou art aware. Remember what an unsettled wretch thou art, and how many a good purpose formerly hath come to nothing; and how oft thou hast •••• ned by as small a temptation: Remember that without the Spirit of Christ, thou canst do nothing nor stand against any assault of Satan: And that Christ giveth his Spirit and help in his own way, and not to those that tempt him to forsake them, by thrusting themselves into temptations. Shall ever mortal man presume upon his own strength, after the falls of an Adam, a Noah, a Lot, a David, a Solomon, a Hezekiah, a Josiah, a Peter? and after such ruins of multitudes of professors as our eyes have seen? All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition on whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed l •• t he fall, 1 Cor. 10. 11, 12.

§. 45. Tempt. 11. It is a great project of the Devil, and successful with many, to draw them to venture on the s • n, by showing them first the effectual Remedy, the abundant Mercy of God, the sufficient satisfaction made by Christ, the full, and free, and universal promise; that these are sufficient to cleanse the soul of any s • n: therefore you need not fear.

§. 46. Direct. 11. But God is just, as well as merciful; and there are vessels of wrath, as well as vessels of mercy: Judge how God will use his mercy, and who shall have it, by his own word: For he knoweth better than you, to whom, and how far to show mercy. Is the Tempter himself saved, for all God is merciful? And the Gospel hath far sorer punishment than the Law, to the abusers of grace: Christ is the most dreadful Judge to the wicked, as well as the tenderest Savior to his own. There is enough in his grace to save the penitent; but if you will sin upon presumption that grace will save you, you have small reason to think that you are penitent, or ever will be, without a very merciful change: How many can you name that ever were converted and forgiven, that lived willfully in sin, because the Remedy was sufficient? I doubt not but many such have been recalled; but this is not the way to hope: It's a terrible thing to sin deliberately and willfully, because of the greatness of mercy, or the sufficiency of the death of Christ! No man but the Penitent Convert is saved by Christ; and this is clean contrary to penitence and conversion. Christ doth not as Mountebanks, that wound a man to show people how quickly their balsoms can cure him; or make a man drink a Toad, to show the power of their Antidotes: But he cureth the Diseases which he findeth (in believers) but causeth none.

§. 47. Tempt. 12. Also the Tempter telieth the sinner, how certain, and easy, and speedy a remedy he hath in his own power: It is but R • penting, and all sin is pardoned.

§. 48. Direct. 12. 1. Is it in thy power? If so, the greater is thy sin that sinnest more when thou shouldst repent: If it be cas • e, what an inexcusable wretch art thou that wilt not do it, but go on. 2. But Repentance is the gift of God, 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. And is he like to give it to them that willfully abuse him in expectation of it? 3. As easy as it is, it is but a few that truly repent and are forgiven, in comparison of those that go on and perish. 4. The easiest Repentance is so bitter, that its far easier to forbear the sin: Its better not wound yourselves, than have the best salve if you were sure of it. 5. The Repentance which is caused by mere fears of death and Hell, without the power of Heavenly Love to God and holiness, is but the Repentance of the damned, and never procureth pardon of sin: The Devil hath such a Repentance, as well as such a faith, which will not save him.

§. 49. Tempt. 13. Satan also emboldeneth the sinner, by telling him how many have Repented and sped well, that sinned as bad or worse than this: He tells him of Noah, and Lot, and David, and Peter, and the Thief on the Cross, and Paul a Persecutor, yea, and Manasseh, &c.

§. 50. Direct. 13. But consider whether any of those did thus sin, because that others had scapt that sinned before them. And think of the millions that never repented, and are condemned, as well as of the few that have repented. Is Repentance better than sin? Why then will you sin? Is sin better than Repentance? Why then do you purpose to repent? Is it not base ingratitude, to offend God willfully, because he hath pardoned many offenders; and is ready to forgive the penitent? And should a man of reason willfully make work for his own Repentance; and do that which he knoweth he shall wish with grief that he had never done? If some have been saved that fell into the Sea, or that fell from the top of Steeples, or that drunk poison, or were dangerously wounded, will you therefore cast yourself into the same case, in hope of being saved?

§. 51. Tempt. 14. The Tempter persuadeth the sinner, that it cannot be that God should make so great a matter of sin: because the thoughts of a man's heart, or his words or deeds are matters of no great moment, when man himself is so poor a worm; and whatever he doth, it is no hurt to God: Therefore you need not make such a matter of it.

§. 52. Direct. 14. If God so much regard us as to make us, and preserve us continually, and to become our Governor, and make a Law for us, and judge us, and Reward his servants with no less than Heaven; than you may easily see that he so much regardeth us, as to observe whether we obey or break his Laws: He that so far careth for a Clock or Watch, as to make it and wind it up, doth care whether it go true or false. What do these men make of God, who think he cares not what men do? Then he cares not if men beat you, or r • b you, or kill you, for none of this hurteth God? And the King may say, if any murder your friends or children; why should I punish him? he hurt not me. But Justice is to keep order in the world, and not only to preserve the Governor from hurt: God may be wronged, though he be not hurt. And he will make you pay for it, if you hurt others; and smart for it, if you hurt yourself.

§. 53. Tempt. 15. The Tempter laboreth to extenuate the sin, and make it seem a little one; and if every little sin must be made such a matter of, you will never be quiet.

§. 54. Direct. 15. But still remember, 1. There is deadly poison in the very nature of sin, as there is in a Serpent, be he never so small: The least sin is worse than the greatest pain that ever man selt; and would you choose that and say, its little? The least sin is odious to God, and had a hand in the death of Christ, and will damn you if it be not pardoned: and should such a thing be made light of? And many sins counted small, may have great aggravations, such as the knowing, deliberate, willful committing of them is. To love a small sin, is a great sin: specially to love it so well, that the remembrance of God's Will and Love, of Christ, and Heaven, and Hell, will not suffice to resolve you against it. Besides, a small sin is the common way to greater: James 1. 14, 15. When lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished, brings forth death. James 3. 5. Beh • ld how great a matter a little fire kindleth? The horrid sins of David and Peter had small beginnings? Mortal sicknesses seem little matters at the first: Many a thousand have sinned themselves to Hell, that began with that which is accounted small.

§. 55. Tempt. 16. Also the Devil draweth on the sinner, by promising him that he shall sin but once, or but a very few times, and then do so no more: He tells the Thief, and the Fornicator, that if they will do it but this once, they shall be quiet.

§. 56. Direct. 16. But O consider, 1. That one stab at the heart may prove uncurable. God may deny thee time or grace to repent. 2. That it is easier to forbear the first time than the second: For one sin disposeth the heart unto another: If you cannot deny the first temptation, how will you deny the next? When you have lost your strength, and grieved your helper, and strengthened your enemy and your snare, will you then resist better wounded, then now when you are whole?

§. 57. Tempt. 17. But when the Devil hath prevailed for once with the sinner, he makes that an argument for a second: He saith to the Thief, and Drunkard, and Fornicator, It is but the same thing that thou hast done once already: and if once may be pardoned, twice may be pardoned; and if twice, why not thrice, and so on?

§. 58. Direct. 17. This it is, to let the Devil get in a foot: A spark is easier quenched than a flame but yet remember that the longer, the worse: the oftener you sin, the greater is the abuse of the Spirit, of God, and the contempt of grace, and the wrong to Christ, and the harder is repentance; and the sharper if you do repent, because the deeper is your wound: Repent therefore speedily, and go no further unless you would have the Devil tell you next, It's now too late.

§. 59. Tempt. 18. The Tempter maketh use of the greater sins of others to persuade men to venture upon less: Thou hearest other men curse, and swear, and rail, and dost thou stick at idle talk? How many in the world are enemies to Christ, and persecute his Ministers and Servants, and dost thou make so great a matter of omitting a Sermon, or a prayer, or other holy duty?

§. 60. Direct. 18. As there are degrees of sin, so there are degrees of punishment: And wilt thou rather choose the easiest place in Hell, than Heaven? How small soever the matter of sin be, thy willfulness and sinning against conscience, and mercies, and warnings may make it great to thee? Are great sinners so happy in thy eyes, that thou wouldst be as like them as thou darest.

§. 61. Tempt. 19. Also he would embolden the sinner, because of the Commonness of the sin, and the multitude that commit either that or worse, as if it were not therefore so bad or dangerous.

§. 62. Direct. 19. But remember, that the more examples you have to take warning by, the more inexcusable is your fall. It was not the number of Angels that fell, that could keep them from being Devils and damned for their sin: God will do Justice on many, as well as on one. The sin is the greater, and therefore the punishment shall not be the less. Make the case your own: Will you think it a good reason for any one to abuse you, beat you, rob you, because that many have done so before? He should rather think, that you are abused too much already, and therefore he should not add to your wrongs: If when many had spit in Christ's face or bufletted him, someone should have given him another spit or blow, as if he had not enough before, would you not have taken him to be the worst and cruellest of them all: If you do as the most, you will speed as the most.

§. 63. Tempt. 2 • . •• is a dangerous Temptation when the Devil prop • seth some very good end, and m • k • t • 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 , or the necessary means to accomplish it: when he blind • th men s • far as t • •••• k t •••• it is necessary t • their salvation, or to other men's, or to the welfare of the Church, or pro 〈…〉 , o • the pleasing of God, then s • n will be committed without regret, and continued in •••• •• 〈…〉 ▪ O • this account it is that •• re •• e, and will-worship, and superstition are kept up •••• . 2. 18, 21, 22, 23. Having a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting the body. It is for God that much of the wickedness of the world is done against God: Its for the Church a •• Truth, that Papists have murdered and persecuted so many.

§. 64. Direct. 20. Remember that God needeth no sinful means to attain his ends: He will not be beholden to the Devil to do his work: He would not have forbad it, if he would have had you done it. He is never at such a loss, but he can find right means enough to perform his work by: It is a great p •• t of our wisdom which our salvation lieth on, to choose and use right means, when we are resolved on a right end. It's a horrible injury against God, to entitle him to sin, and make it seem necessary to his ends and honor. Good ends will not justify evil actions. What sin so odiou • that hath not had good ends pretended for it? Even Christ was murdered as a malefactor 〈…〉 ds, at least pretended; even to vindicate God's honor from blasphemy, and Caesar from •••••• , and the nation from calamity▪ And his disciples were killed that God might be served by it, •• d ••••• ent troublers of the world taken away.

§. 65. Tempt. 21. He would make us presume because we are God's children, and special grace • a •••• t be wholly l •• t, and we have found that once we had grace; therefore we may venture as being safe.

§. 66. Direct. 21. But many a thousand shall be damned that once thought they had the truth of Grace: It is a hard controversy among learned and godly men, whether some in a state of saving grace do not fall from it and perish: But it is past controversy that they shall perish that live and d •• imp • nitently in willful sin. To plead truth of grace, for encouragement in sin, is so much against the nature and use of grace, as may make you question the truth of it. You can be no su •• r that you have true grace, than you are sure that you hate all known sin, and desire to be free from it. Christ teacheth you how to answer such a horrid temptation, Mat. 4. 6▪ 7. I • th •• • e the Son of God cast thyself down: For it is written, • e shall give his Angels charge over th •• —Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God: Son-ship, and promises, and truth of grace, are incongruous arguments to draw you to sin: and heinous aggravations of sin so committed.

§. 67. Tempt. 22. The Devil • ft most dangerously imitateth the Holy Ghost, and comes in the shape of • n Angel of light: He will be for knowledge in the Gnostics; for Unity and Government in the Papists; for Mortifcation in the Friars; for free grace and tenderness of our Brethren's Consciences in the Liberti •• s▪ for Peace and Mutual forbearance in the Socinians; for Zeal, Self-den • all, and fearfulness of men, and pretended revelations and spirituality in the Quakers; He will be against heresy, schism, error, disobedience, hypocrisy, pretendedly, in haters and persecutors of holiness and reformation. And when he will seem religious, he will be superstitious, and seem to out-go Christ himself.

§. 68. Direct. 22. Kerp close to Christ, that you may know his voice from the voice of strangers: And get • o • y wisdom to try the spirits, and to discern between things that di •••• r: Let the whole frame of Truth and Godliness be in your Head and Heart, that you may perceive when any would make a breach in any part of it. The Devil setteth up no good but in order to some evil. Therefore examine whither it tendeth; and not only what it is, but what use he would have you make of it. And love no evil, because of any Go • d that is pretended for it: and dislike or reject no good because of any evil use that is by others made of it. And whatever doctrine is brought you, try it thus. 1. Receive none that is against the certain Nature, Attributes and honor of God. 2. Nor any that is against the Light or Law of nature. 3. Nor any that is against the Scripture: 4. Nor any that is against Holiness of heart and life, 5. Nor any against Charity and Justice to men. 6. Nor any (about matters to be ordered by men) that is against order; nor any against Government and the peace of Church and State. 7. Nor any that is against the true Unity, Peace and Communion of Saints. 8. N • r any that is certainly inconsistent with great and certain truths. Thus try the spirits whether they be of God.

§. 69. Tempt. 23. The Tempter usually dra • eth men to one extreme, under p • etense of avoiding another▪ causing men to be so fearful of the danger on one side, as to take no heed of that on the other s • de.

§. 70. Direct. 23, Understand all your danger; and mark the latitude or extent of God's commands: and watch on every side: And you must know in what duties you are in danger of extremes and in what not: In th • se acts of the soul that are purely rational about your ultimate end, you cannot do too much: as in knowing God, and Loving him, and being willing and resolved to please him: But passions may possibly go too far, even about God; especially fear and grief; for they may be such as nature cannot bear without distraction, death or hindrance of duty: But few are guilty of this: But towards the creature passions may easily exceed: And in external actions towards God or man there may be excess. But especially in point of Judgment, its easy to slide from extreme into extreme. 2. And you must know in every duty you do, and every sin which you avoid, and every truth you receive, what is the contrary or extreme to that particular truth, or sin, or duty: and keep it in your eye. If you do not thus watch, you will r •• l like a drunken man from side to side, and never walk uprightly with God. You will turn from Prodigality to Covetousness▪ from cruel persecution to Libertinism, or from Libertinism to persecuting cruelty; from hypocritical formality to hypocritical pretended spirituality; or from enthusiasms, and faction to dead formality: But of this I have spoke at large Chap. 5. Part. 2. Dir. to Students.

§. 71. Tempt. 24. On the contrary, the Tempter usually pleadeth Moderation and Prudence against a holy life, and accurate zealous obedience to God: and would make you believe that to be so diligent in duty and s • rupulously afraid of sin, is to run into an extreme, and to be righteous over much, and to make Religion a vexatious or distracting thing, and that its more a do than needs.

§▪ 72. Direct. 24. This I have answered so oft, that I shall here say but this: that God cannot be too much loved: nor Heaven too much valued, nor too diligently sought or obeyed: nor sin and Hell be too much avoided: nor doth any man need to fear doing too much, where he is sure when he hath done his best to do too little: Hearken what men say of this at death.

§. 73. Tempt. 25. The Tempter would persuade us that one sin is necessary to avoid another; and that of two evils you must choose the l • ss: as if there were no other way: Thus James and John did by sinful unch • ritable zeal desire to punish sin, Luke 9. 54. Peter would sinfully fight against the sinful Jews, Mat. 26. 52. Thus he bids men lie to avoid some dishonor to God and Religion; and persecute to preserve the unity of the Church, and keep out sin; and commit a lesser sin themselves to escape a greater.

§. 74. Direct. 25. This is to abuse God, as if he had made that necessary which he forbids, and had not provided you lawful means enough to use against every sin! This is willfully to do that which you pretend you are unwilling to do, even to sin: Of two evils avoid both, but be sure you consent to neither.

§. 75. Tempt. 26. He pleadeth Christian Liberty to entice to sin: especially to sensuality: Hath not Christ purchased you Liberty to use the Creatures? all things are yours. No men but the godly have just title to them.

§. 76. Direct. 26. He never purchased us Liberty to abuse the Creature, as poison to hurt our selves; to hinder Mortification, and strengthen our enemy, and our snare, and to steal away our hearts from God: It's a Liberty from sin, and not a Liberty to sin that Christ hath purchased us.

§. 77. Tempt. 27. He pleadeth the Necessity of Wife, Children, Estate, Life, &c. Necessity makes it Lawful.

§. 78. Direct. 27. There is no Necessity of sinning. He cannot be Christ's Disciple, that thinks it more necessary to save his life, or provide for Wife, and Children than to obey his Lord, Luke 14. 26, 33. God must be Trusted with these.

§. 79. Tempt. 28. But, saith the Tempter, it's Natural to Lust, to love Honor, Ease, Pleasure, &c. Therefore it's no sin.

§. 80. Direct. 28. Nature is corrupted and sinful: And it's Natural to you to be Rational, and to rule your sense and appetite by Reason, and not to do what lust or appetite desireth. Else man is but a beast.

§. 81. Tempt. 29. But, saith the Tempter, Authority commandeth it: It is your Parents, or Masters will, and you must obey.

§. 82. Direct. 29. There is no power but from God: Therefore none against him or above him: They must be obeyed in all things lawful, but not in sin: They cannot save you nor themselves from the wrath of God.

§. 83. Tempt. 30. But, saith the Tempter, you have promised or vowed that you will do it, and are not at liberty.

§. 84. Direct. 30. The vow of a lawful thing must be kept: but if you vow to sin, it's another sin to perform it, and to wrong God or man because you have vowed to wrong him.

§. 85. Tempt. 31. But, saith the Tempter, it is a controversy, and many learned and good men think it is no sin.

§. 86. Direct. 31. You have the more reason to be fearful and cautelous, when you see that the case is so obsure, and the snare so subtle, and are sure that many learned and good men on one side or other are deceived before you: Remember God is your King and Judge; who will not take it for an excuse for sin, that learned or good men did it, or defended it. Consult not with flesh and blood, but with God.

§. 87. Tempt. 32. But, saith the Tempter, will you be singular, and be p • inted or hooted at by all?

§. 88. Direct. 32. In doctrine I will not be singular from the Holy Catholic Church of God: In worship I will not in singularity or schism separate from the Communion of Saints: But in doctrine I will be singular from Infidels and Heretics: and in a holy life I will be singular from the ungodly, and profane, and sensual; lest if I do as they, to avoid their scorns, I speed as they.

§. 89. Tempt. 33. But you are weak, and you cannot help it, till God will give you grace to do it?

§. 90. Direct. 33. Therefore I must not be willful, and negligent, and rash, and do that evil which I may forbear, nor resist and refuse that Grace, and help, and mercy without which I can do nothing.

§. 91. Tempt. 34. But you repent and ask God forgiveness through Christ, every night for the sins of the day.

§. 92. Direct. 34. Repenting is a sorrowful turning of the heart from sin to God. You Repent not if you turn not. To mock God with such Hypocritical praying and repenting is itself a 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈…〉 us si • . Will you take it for Repenting if a man that spits in your face and beateth you, shall d • it every day, and ask you forgiveness at night, and purpose to do it still, because he asked forg • v • n •• .

§. 93. Tempt. 35. B • t every man s • nneth daily: You do but as the best men in the world do.

§. 94. Direct. 35. No true Christian that is Justified hath any sin but what he hateth more than •••• th, •••• d would •• in be rid of, and striveth against in the use of holy means. He hath no be •••• d 〈◊〉 which he would not part with, but had • ather keep than leave.

§. 95. Tempt. 36. But th • se that seem strict and godly are hypocrites and s •• r • tly as bad as you.

§. 96. •••• ct. 36 This is just like the Devil, the accuser of those that are sanctified and justified by Christ, the father of malice and li • s; to charge that on them, which he conf • sseth is se • r • t and he cannot prove. So he said of Job that i • he were touched in his • state or body he would forsake his godliness; but he was found a liar. But be it how it will, I am sure I must be H •• y •• I shall not see God, and if I live after the flesh I shall die: and other men's misery will be no • as • t • me.

§. 97. Tempt. 37. But, saith the Tempter, if you will not sin, come but near it, and do that which i • la •• ul.

§. 98. Direct. 37. Indeed we must not run into a contrary extreme, under pretence of flying far • noug • from sin: But if you keep out of other sin, you cannot go too far from any. To be near sin, is to be near God's wrath, and near that which tendeth to H • ll fire. And to come near it is the c • mmon way of coming to it. He that could wish he might do it, is infected at the heart allr •• dy. K • ep a tender conscience, and a constant sense of the danger of sinning.

§. 99. Tempt. 38. It's a great snare, when sin is got into credit, 1. By putting fair names upon it, • alling • uxu • y and Glu • tony keeping a good house, and a good table; tippling is called, drinking a cup with a friend: Lust and filthiness is called Love: worldliness is called thriftiness and good husbandry: Idleness and loss of Time, is called the leisure of a Gentleman: slothfulness is called, a n • t being too worldly: Time wasting sports are called, Recreations: Pride is called, Decency and Handsomness: Proud revenge is called Honor and Gallantry: Romish cruelty, and persecution, and 〈…〉 ing the Church, is called, keeping up order, obedience and unity. Disobedience to superiors is c • ll • d, not •• a • ing m • n: Church-divisions are called strictness and zeal. 2. Specially if a s • n be not i • dis 〈…〉 among the stricter sort, it greatly prepareth men to commit it, As breaking the Lord's day beyond s •• in many r • f • rm • d Churches: And at home, spiritual pride, cens rious •• ss, ba • k • iting, disobedience •• d Church-divisions, are not in half that disgrace among many professors of strictness, as they deserve, and as swearing &c. is

§. 100. Direct. 38. Remember that what ever be the Name or Cloak, God judgeth righteously, according to the truth: Names may deceive us, but not our Judge. And sin is still in disgrace with God, however it be with men. Remember the comlier the paint and cover is, the greater is the danger, and the more watchful and cau •• lous we should be. It is not imperfect man, but the perfect Law of God, which must be our Rule. The great succ • ss of this Temptation should deter u • from entertaining it! What abundance of mischief hath it done in the world?

§. 101. Tempt. 39. Sometime the Devil tempteth men to some •• ynous sin, that if he prevail not, at l •• st he may draw them into a less: As cheating chafferers will ask twice the price of their commodity, that by abating much they may make you willing to give too much: He that would get a little must ask a great deal. He will tempt you to drunkenness, and if he draw you but to tippling or time-wasting he hath got something. If he tempt you to fornication, and he get you but to some filthy thoughts or immodest lascivious talk or actions, he hath done much of that which he intended: If he tempt you to s • me horrid cruel • y, and you yield but to s • me less degree, or to some unjust or uncharitable censures, you think you have conquered, when it's he that conquereth.

§. 102. Direct. 39. Remember that the least degree of sin is sin, and death the wages of it, Romans 6. 23. Think not that you have scapt well, if your heart have taken any of the infection, • r if you have been wounded anywhere, though it might have been worse. If the Tempter had tempted you no further but to a lustful, malicious or proud thought or word, you would perceive that if he prevail, he conquereth: so may you wh • n he getteth this much by a shameless asking more.

§. 103. Tempt. 40. He tempteth us sometime to be so fearful and careful against one sin, or about s • me • ne danger, as to be mindless of some other, and lie open to his temptation: Like a F •••• r that will seem to aim all at one place that he may strike you in another while you are guarding that: Or like an enemy that giveth all the allarm at one end of the City, that he may draw the people thither, while he stormeth in another place: So Satan makes some so afraid of worldliness that they watch not against Idleness; or so fearful of hard-heartedness, and deadness, and hypocrisy, that they watch not against Passion, neglect of their callings, or dejectedness; or so fearful of sinning or being deceived about their salvation, that they fear not the want of Love, and Joy, and Thankfulness for all the mercy they have received, nor the neglect of holy Praise to God.

§. 104. Direct. 40. Remember that as obedience must be entire and universal, so is Satan's temptation against all parts of our obedience; and our care must extend to all if we will escape. It would cure your inordinate fear in someone point, if you extended it to all the •••• t.

§. 105. Tempt. 41. Sometime by the suddenness of a temptation he surpriseth men before they are aware.

§. 106. Direct 41. Be never unarmed nor from your watch: especially as to Thoughts or sudden Passions, or rash words, which are used to be committed for want of deliberation.

§. 107. Tempt. 42. Sometime he useth a violent earnestness, especially when he getteth Passion on his side: So that Reason is born down; and the sinner saith, I could not forbear.

§. 108. Direct. 42. But remember that the very eager unruliness of your passion is a sin itself: and that none can compel you to sin: and that Reason must deliberate and rule; or else any murder or wickedness may have the excuse of urgent passions.

§. 109. Tempt. 43. Sometime he useth the violence of men: They threaten men to frighten them into sin.

§. 110. Direct. 43. But is not God and his threatenings more to be feared? Do men threaten imprisonment or death or ruin? And doth not God threaten everlasting misery? And can he not defend you from all that man shall threaten if it be best for you? See the portion of the fearful, Rev. 21. 8.

§. 111. Tempt. 44. Sometime variety of temptations distracteth men, that they do not look to all at once.

§. 112. Direct. 44. Remember that one part of the City unguarded may lose the whole in a general assault.

§. 113. Tempt. 45. Sometime he ceaseth, to make us secure, and lay by our arms, and then surpriseth us.

§. 114. Direct. 45. Take heed of security, and Satan's ambushments. Distinguish between cessation and conquest. You conquer not every time that you have rest and quietness from temptation: Till the sin be hated, and the contrary grace or duty in practice, you have not at all overcome: And when that's done, yet trust not the Devil or the flesh; nor think the war will be shorter than your lives: For one assault will begin where the former ended. Make use of every cessation but to prepare for the next encounter.

§. 115. Tempt. 46. He will tempt you to take striving for overcoming: and to think because you pray and make some resistance that sin is conquered: And because your Desires are good, all is well.

§. 116. Direct. 46. But all that fight do not overcome: If a man strive for Masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Many will seek to enter and shall not be able, Luke. 13 24.

§. 117. Tempt. 47. He followeth the sinner with frequency and importunity, till he weary him and make him yield.

§. 118. Direct. 47. Remember that Christ is as importunate with thee to save thee, as the Devil can be to damn thee; and which then should prevail. 2. Be you as constant in resistance: Be as oft in prayer and other confirming means: Do as Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8. who prayed thrice (as Christ did in his agony) when the prick in the flesh was not removed. 3. Tempt not the Tempter, by giving him encouragement. A faint denial is an invitation to ask again. Give him quickly a flat denial, and put him out of hope, if you would shorten the temptation.

§. 119 Tempt. 48. Lastly, the Devil would sink the sinner in despair, and persuade him now it is too late.

§. 120. Direct. 48. Observe his design, that it is but to take off that Hope which is the weight to set the wheels of the soul a going. In all he is against God and you: In other sins he is against God's Authority: In this he is against his Love and Mercy. Read the Gospel and you will find, that Christ's death is sufficient: the promise is universal, full and free; and that the day of Grace is so far continued till the day of death, that no man shall be denied it that truly desireth it: And that the same God that forbiddeth thy presumption, forbiddeth also thy despair.

Tit. 3. Temptations to draw us off from duty.

§. 1. Tempt. 1. THe greatest Temptation against duty, is by persuading men that it is no duty: Thus in our days we have seen almost all duty cast off by this erroneous fancy. One saith, that the •• lie observation of the Lord's day is not commanded of God in Scripture: Another saith, What Scripture have you for family-prayer, or singing Psalms, or baptizing Infants, or praying before and a • ter S • rm • n, or for your Office, Ordination, Tythes, Churches, &c. Another saith that Church-Government and Discipline a • e not of Divine Institution: Another saith, that Baptism and the Lord's Supper •• re but for that age: And thus all duty is taken down instead of doing it.

§. 2. Direct. 1. Read and fear, Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men s • , he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall • e called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Denying duty, is too easy a way of • v •• ing obedience to serve turn. Denying the Laws that bind you to public payments will not save you from them; but for all that if you deny, you must be distrained on. And God will make it dea •••• to you, if you put him to distrain on you for duty: Must he go to Law with you for it? He'll quickly sh • w you Law for it, and prove that it was your duty. Open your doubts to able men, and you will hear more evidence than you know: But if pride and false-heartedness blind you▪ you must bear your punishment.

§. 3. Tempt. 2. Saith the Tempter, It is a duty to weak ones, but not for you: You must not be still under Ordinances, in the lower form: every day must be a Sabbath to you, and every bit a Sacrament, and every place as a Church: you must live above Ordinances in Christ.

§. 4. Direct. 2. We must live above Mosaical Ordinances, Col. 2. 18. 21. but not above Christ's Ordinances: unless you will live above obedience, and above the Government of Christ: Hath not Christ appointed the Ministry and Church helps, till we all come to a perfect man? Ephes. 4. 13. and promised to be with them to the end of the world? Matth. 28. 20. It is befooling Pride that can make you think you have no need of Christ's instituted means.

§. 5. Tempt. 3. But thou art unworthy to pray or receive the Sacrament: It's not for Dogs.

§. 6. Direct. 3. The willful impenitent refusers of Grace are unworthy: The willing soul that fain would be what God would have him, hath an accepted worthiness in Christ.

§. 7. Tempt. 4. But while you doubt, you do it not in faith; and therefore to you it is sin.

§. 8. Direct. 4. But is it not a greater sin to leave it undone? Will doubting of all duty, excuse you from it? Then you have an easy way to be free from all! Do but doubt whether you should believe in God, or Christ, or love him, or live a godly life, and it seems you think it will excuse you. But if you doubt whether you should feed your child, you deserve to be hanged for murthering it, if you famish it: If you doubt of duty, it is duty still, and you are first bound to lay by your doubts: But things indifferent left to your choice, must not be done with a doubting conscience: It was of such things that Paul spake.

§. 9. Tempt. 5. The Devil puts somewhat still in the way, that seemeth necessary, to thrust out duty.

§. 10. Direct. 5. God hath not set you work, which he alloweth you no Time for: Is all your time spent in better things? Is it not your carnal mind that makes you think carnal things most needful? Christ saith, One thing is needful, Luke 10. 42. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Had you that love and delight in holiness as you should, you would find time for it. An unwelcome Guest is put off with any excuse. Others as poor as you, can find time for duty, because they are willing. Set your business in order, and let everything keep its proper place, and you may have time for every duty.

§. 11. Tempt. 6. But you are so unable and unskillful to pray, to learn, that it's as good never m • ddle with it.

§. 12. Direct. 6. Set yourselves to learn, and mark those that have skill: and do what you can: You must learn by practice: The unskilfullest duty is better than none. Unworded groans come oft from the Spirit of God, and God understandeth and accepteth them, Rom. 8. 26, 27.

§. 13. Tempt. 7. It will be so hard and long to learn, that you will never overcome it.

§. 14. Direct. 7. Willingness and diligence have the promise of God's help. Remember, it is a thing that must be done. When your own disuse and sin hath made it hard, will you put God and your souls off with that as an excuse? If you had neglected to teach your child to speak or go when it is young, should he therefore never learn? Will you despair, and let go all your hope on this pretence? or will you hope to be saved without prayer and other holy duty? How foolish are both these? Sick men must eat, though their stomachs be against it; they cannot live else.

§. 15. Tempt. 8. But thou findest thou art but the worse for duty, and never the better for it.

§. 16. Direct. 8. Satan will do what he can to make it go worse with you after, than before. He will discourage you if he can, by hindering your success, that he may make you think it is to no purpose: so many Preachers, because they have fished long and catched nothing, grow cold and heartless, and ready to sit down, and say as Jer. 20. 9. I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name. So in Prayer, Sacrament, Reproof, &c. the Devil makes great use of this, What good hath it done thee? But patience and perseverance win the Crown. The beginning is seldom a time to perceive success: The Carpenter is long at work before he rear a house: Nature brings not forth the Plant or birth the first day. Your life-time is your working time. Do your part, and God will not fail on his part. It is his part to give success; and dare you accuse him, or suspect him? There is more of the success of prayer to be believed, than to be felt. If God have promised to hear, he doth hear, and we must believe it, whether we feel it or not. Prayers are oft heard long before the thing is sent us that we prayed for: We pray for Heaven, but shall not be there till death. If Moses his message to Pharaoh ten times seem lost, it is not lost for all that. What work would ever have been done, i • on the first conceit of unsuccessfulness it had been given off? Be glad that thou hast time to plow and sow, to do thy part, and if God will give thee fruit at last.

§. 17. Tempt. 9. But, saith the Tempter, it g • eth worse with thee in the world, since thou settest thy s •• f to read, and pray, and live obediently: Thou hast been poorer, and sicker, and more despised since, than ever before: Jer. 20. 8. Thou art a derision daily, everyone mocketh thee: This thou gettest by it.

§. 18. Direct. 9. He began not well, that counted not that it might cost him more than this, to be a holy Christian: If God in Heaven be not enough to be thy portion, never serve him, but find something better if thou canst. He that cannot lose the world cannot use it as he ought. If thou had • t rather be at the Devils finding and usage, than at God's, thou art worthy to speed accordingly. Nay, if thou think thy soul itself worse, remember that we are not worst, when we are troubled most. Physic makes sick, when it works aright.

§. 19. Tempt. 10. Satan filleth many with abundance of scruples about every duty, that they come t • it as sick persons to their meat, with a peevish quarrelling disposition: This aileth and that aileth it▪ something is still amiss, that they cannot get it down: This fault the Minister hath in praying or preaching, or the other circumstance is amiss; or the other fault is in the company that join with them: and all is to turn them off from all.

§. 20. Direct. 10. But do you mend the matter by casting off all, or by running into greater inconveniences? Is not their imperfect prayer and communion, better than your idle neglect of all, or unwarrantable division? It is a sign of an upright heart to be most about heart-observation, and quarrelsome with themselves, and the mark of hypocrites to be most quarrelsome against the manner of other men's performances, and to be easily driven by any pretences from the Worship of God, and communion of Saints.

§. 21. Tempt. 11. The Devil will set one duty against another: Reading against hearing; praying against preaching; private against public; outward and inward worship against each other: mercy and justice, piety and charity, against each other, and still labor to eject the greater.

§. 22. Direct. 11. The work of God is an harmonious and well composed frame: If you leave out a part, you spoil the whole, and disadvantage yourselves in all the rest: Place them aright, and each part helpeth and not hind • reth another: Plead one for another; but cast by none.

§. 23. Tempt. 12. The commonest and sorest temptation, is by taking away our appetite to holy duties, by abating our feeling of our own necessity: when the soul is sleepy and feeleth no need of prayer, or reading, or hearing, or meditating, but thinks itself tolerably well without it; or else grows sick and is against it, and troubled to use it; so that every duty is like eating to a sick stomach, then it is easy to tempt it to neglect or omit many a duty: A little thing will serve to put it by, when men feel no need of it.

§. 24. Direct. 12. O keep up a lively sense of your necessities: Remember still that Time is short, and death is near, and you are too unready. Keep acquaintance with your hearts and lives, and every day will tell you of your necessities: which are greatest when they are least perceived.

§. 25. Tempt. 13. The Tempter gets much by ascribing the success of holy means to our own endeavor, or to chance or something else, and making us overlook that present benefit, which would greatly encourage us: As when we are delivered from sickness or danger upon prayer, he tells you, so you might have been delivered if you had never prayed? Was it not by the Physicians • are and skill, and by such an excellent medicine? If you prosper in any business, was it not by your own contrivance and diligence?

§. 26. Direct. 13. This separating God and means, when God worketh by means, is the folly of Atheists: When God heareth thy prayer in sickness or other danger, he showeth it by directing the Physician or thyself to the fittest means, and blessing that means; and he is as really the cause and prayer the first means, as if he wrought thy deliverance by a Miracle. Do not many use the same Physician, and Medicine, and labor, and diligence, who yet miscarry? Just observation of the answers of prayer might do much to cure this. All our industry may say as Peter and John, Acts 3. 12. Why look ye so earnestly on us, as if by our own power or holiness we had done this? When God is glorifying his grace, and owning his appointed means.

§. 27. Tempt. 14. Lastly the Devil setteth up something else in opposition to holy duty, to make it seem unnecessary: In some he sets up their good desires, and saith God knoweth thy heart without expressing it; and thou mayest have as good a heart at home, as at Church: In some he sets up superstitious fopperies of man's devising, instead of God's Institution: In some he pretendeth the Spirit against external duty, and saith, The Spirit is all; the flesh profitteth nothing: yea, in some he sets up Christ himself against Christ's Ordinances, and saith, It is not these, but Christ, that profits you. §. 2 • . Direct. 14. This is distracted contradiction: To set Christ against Christ, and the Spirit against the Ordinances of the Spirit: Is it not Christ and the Spirit that appointed them? Doth he not best kn • w in what way he will give his grace? Can you not preserve the soul and life, without killing the body: Cannot you have the Water, and value the Cistern, or Spring, without cutting off the •••• s that must convey it. O wonderful? that Satan could make men so mad, as this reasoning h • th shown us that many are in our days? And to set up superstition or pretend a good heart against God's worship, is to accuse him that appointed it of doing he knew not what, and to think that we are wiser than he? and to show a good heart by disobedience, pride, contempt of God and of his mercies?

Tit. 4. Temptations to frustrate holy duties, and make them ineffectual.

§. 1. THe Devil is exceeding diligent in this: 1. That he may make the soul despair, and say, Now I have used all means in vain, there is no hope: 2. To double the sinners misery by turning the very remedy into a disease: 3. To show his malice against Christ, and say, I have turned thy own means to thy dishonor.