'The Jure 'ITial of Vprighweft. . A Saint that is humble and watchful, ptcferves himfelf from rhe Power and Infection 'of Sin, rhat another who in degrees of Grac~ excels him, bu~ relaxes his Warc~1, is fadiy foiled by. Jofeph, a young Man, by Vigt!ance, and avoidmg the Temptauon, kept himli:lf untainted from the impure Solicltatlons of his M1£lrefs : Dtruid, rho' of great Experience in Religion, and of emment Holinefs, yerwhcn he intermittcd .hts Watch, ho~ Juddenly was he futpriz'd 1 From a carelcfs Glance, Curiofit~ pail into Complacenc~; ,Complacence mtoLufl:, Lull into Adultery, and 1S an eternal Example eo exc1te _our Fear 3nd Caution. If there be not a continued Diligence, the fame holy Perfon that with De~ .fiance a1~d Indignation has refilled rhe Tempter at fomc rimes, has been yanquifh'd ;:tt other times. Lot was Righteous in Sodom, but how foully and wofully he fell in the Mouncain? . ,,, . Now our chief cafe mu(l: be directed to avoid om fpecial Sins. 'Tis a Fundam<::Otal Rule in the Chriilian Life, that our weakeil part is to be guarded with mail Jealoufy, and fortified with the ilrongeil defence: for the mail frequent and dangerous Affaults are , . on the li~e that is mail: open eo furprize. The fubrile Tempter addreJ1es hi_s !nfi.nuations E2 maxi~e in compliance to our Affcdioris: he knew the foftnefs of A dam towards ~us W 1fe, and quifq; pemur, chafe her to be the infirument of perfuading him to cat die forbidden Frui t. Every one qua patetSrnu. ,has a carna_l parr, rha_r like E11e rhe Mother of our Miferics, is prevalem to corrupt us, . . and accordmgly he fturs his Temp~ations. 'Twas.rhecrafry Counfel of Bafaam w Balac, Numb. :J L16. not to encounter the Ifraelites w1Ch armed Souldters, bur with the Allurements of Women, by whom they were corrupted and feduced to impurit_f and Idolatry; and thereby provok'd God's Wrath, and were de,·e!\cd of his ProteCl:wn. When Uly./Jes was emplorcd to difcover Acbilles, who was conceal' cl in the Habit of a Vir~in amongfl: rhe , Matds of Honour, he carry'd a* p:1ck of Toys, and a Lance: and wlulfl: the Women A:m~ ~go. re~ ~~~e,~~~~{11;~bJ~~~~ ~~~e ~~~~~n~pi:t~~ ~1dcf!o ~~~ ~\~~~~rc1:h~;;;;s cl~~~~: t~Pd~~e i;~I~~ ~;~:if:~i~ War, that prov'd fatal to him. Thus the Tc~ptcr is obfcrvant of our Iliclinations : he bus infcr ':' i.. Will interpret a Blufh, a Glance, a Smile, a dtfcontcnred Gefture, any figns of our Affe- ovul. Cl:ions, and by proper Motives excites the defiring and a~gry Appetites, and is ufually fuccefsful. H1s Advantage is clueAy from our Secunty. T1s eafie to futpnze a fufpeCt- • ~cfs Enemy. St. Peter fl:raitly warns us, Be foh~r, he vigilant; becaufe you~ Adv_erfluj • Per. s. s. the Devil, a~ a roar~ng Lion, walketh about, feekmg whom he may devour. Hts Dihgeuce , is equal to Ius Mahce. If we are not wife and watchful, we !hall fall into his Snares, There is a fearful Inilance of it i11 Adam, who !oil the Image and Favour of God in .,; Hour, that his PoO:erity Cannot recover to all Ages ; yet there was no Corruption io his Natu re, he was furnifi1'd with fufficent Grace: he might eafily have repe!l'd ih< Motion . to the Confulion of the T empter; but through CareleG1efs he negleCted his Duty to the Eternal Law-g1ver, fl1ghred the double Death, that of the.Soul and the Body, that was thrcatned to deter him from Sin, and Innocence did not preferve him from SeduCtion. What Reafon is there ro m~ke us watchful, bo.rh againO: our Spiritual Enemies, and our own Drowlinefs, left Sccurny fi:e al upon us wnhour Obfervarion ? for our Hearts arc as ready to fin as Satan is to tempt : befides the Impreilion from tempting ObjeCts wirho l:t us, there is treacherous Danger wuhin : Our prime Care mufi: be to keep a fcverc Command over our Minds and Hearts, to prevent the entrance of Sin. The Carnal Appetite allures the Will to cdnfent to the aCtual Commiilion, by the Mediation of the Mind rhat reprefents the Pleafures artd Profits of Sin.. Therefore Confcience muil be a vigil ant .Sentmel to pre_vent, as fat as is poilible, the firil fptinging Thoughts, the fir{[ Rilings of the finful AffeCtwns. Smful Thoughts and Defires are pofl1ble Acts, and are more odious to God than the grofs Commiffion is ro Men. The pernicious InfP.i ratioilS of. the T empter ate ~radual : as 911e thar kindles aFire wirh a fmall Breath, chenfhes the famt .Sparks ti ll fa!S d into a Flame; fo warm Defircs are cherifh'd by the Thoughts; till they break. forth Jntoa w!lder Flame. This is the mail difficult part of out Duty; we may mote ealily ~eel me Temptations froni without, than keep a conO:ant Guard Wtthin:. But there is no excu_fe for the negled of this Duty, the Confcque1,1ce being of no lcfS Moment than • l\fu jt;1 f~nt ~a.lvanon: We are commanded to keep the Hea~t with all diligl!n~e,, for out of it are tbe IJ- ;~re~;~~!~s Ju:sof Life, and r-f Death alfo. As the eleCbvc Faculty is inchn d and determin'd, fuch li q~ridem 1:1u'r.: Wtll be the quality of our ACtions, either Holy and Good, or Vicious and Evil and fuch h eft. ne@l i 'Yill be the Reward ~n rh~ next State. 'Ti~ true, it is morally impoiTible for CV~ll the beft ~~? ( l~e r:~ ::~ ~en. to b~, fo exaC:bn thetr ~~tch, but ~am Thouglus may fuddenly fpring inro rhe Mind, cerratur and mdehberate Motions may rife in the Will, (which fhoul~ be matter of Sorrow) : but ."S"· ~cmay fupprefs 'hofe beginnings of Sin, and prevent themorofeThoughts, the muftngs of . the Mmd upon the P,leafute or Profit, that makes the Temptation fo ilrong as to overcome Us. If a Watch be fet at the Gates of a Town, to prevent an'y Commerce with F f f ~~et~
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