'The Jure 'Trial of Vprighwefs. infeCl:ed Places, tho" tis · not -poilible to exclude Pefulential Vapours that mix with the ~~~e~n~a7~:rx:~J':~~ly}~~Jj ~e~~~ek!;~r~~~ft~ ·~~~~~:"~~ck~d'o.~~~c~~~;; not ; that is, receives no defiling Impreiiions, by yielding to his Suggeilions. Our next care muft be to avoid the outward Temptations, that are apt to excite thofe i:!.ipnmt am. Lulls that are moft natural to us. . The Art of our Stritual Enehly is to make ufc of Ob- ~~~~r~i~;~: {~!ss~~~~~~f:r:~g1~:~~e~~tsff~~~~~~i~~~r~s~nd~o:~o~~~ af;r,1:. v~~~7tl:~,~~:P~~; ~ndi aaf•. Duty and Safety, With the ftnCl:ell Caunon, to guard our Senfcs. The moll make no ••bufq; ':;~::t. other ufe of theirSenfes than the Brutes ; .it were well they made no. Worfe. The Ads ""~ of the Underllandmg are Immanent and mviliblc, the AffeCl:wns mtx With fenlible Objects and are aCl:uated with Heat iuid Motion from them. For this Reafon Holy Men har; ~::~o[J.~Z~f~; !o }.;J;J. reg~~~tP~~s~ ~:rns;~~s;.iJ.t~•j:o~ Je7/.~d~=~ ;!.:~;\~.~~ ~olo'fflo~ had fo earneftly prefs'd the Divine ~Q~nfel ~o keep the heart wit/; diligence, he an- ;::fr:0~e~t~y f;; *;t;;~ JJt'rf;~?.~:W::.~!:t ~t;o;;;isrr.~t·fl"':.~t~~[.:'!:,//P'Io:: Jerthe Path of thy Feet, and let all thy Ways 6e ej/ahlijh'd : Turn not to the Right Handor the Left ; remove thy Foot from Evil. The fum of which Counfel is, thar we fiJOUltll\i exaCl:ly guard our fenlitive Faculties, fo order our Words1 our L?oks, out Ways, as to preferve our felves from every evil thing. Our great Security is in Ayirig from Temptations. Lot was ftriCl:ly commanded not to look l-ack on Sodom : His Wife, by calling a lingring Eye towards it, . was turned into a Pillar of Salt, to feafon the World l;y her Examtle, to ~eware of the occajions of Sin. . . . .. wh;~\~:~~:~d~~W.:e~%e~;~rcl,;C;~;:~t~fie'cti~~sa~f"~:~;~~~i~e~e~~J th[ :;~x ~~ confenting when near enAaming ObjeCl:s. Our fad Experience may inftruCl: us, how prone our Hearrs are to yield to inviting Occalions of Sin, and how often we have been i'rov. i~ lf. foil'd byvertturing into the Confines of Temptation. Solomonobferves, Surely invoin is the Net fprtad in fight of any_ Bird. If the Toils be never fo craftily laid; and the Bait be very enticing, yet a filly Bird has that Forelight and Caution, that it will not be tempted to run into the Net, but fly from the prefent Danger. What unaccountable Folly is it in Men, tbo' the Temptations of Sin are never fo alluring to the Carnal Appetites, not to make ufe of the Eye and Wing, to fear and fly from the Intanglements of Iniquity. . Belides, we forfeit the Divine Afftftance, by entertaining the Temptations pf Sin. The Promife of preferving Grace is to us while we are faithful to God : He will keep us iw all ~r~ur:'t?:;re~~1~nd~ff~ll~~::an'Jna0S~l~i~?be o:!:::d:d b;n:~e~"!r:f~oul;l~t :iWu~i with .an Enemy, he will arm him with Armour of Proof, and fecure him from Treachery : but if one from Vain-Glory, from Rage or Re'o,'enge, againll the Command of his Supe- ~~r~i1~~~Ji~~~!~ "~1~~~ i}10i~g~r:: ~~~.r~~~~e2~1·o~~t~!~~ c~;:;';;:;in~~ ~~;~~~:;: fo orders Things, that Temptations approach us, upon <lur earneft and conllant Prayer, we fhall be furnifh'd with the Armour df God, the Shield of Faith, the Sword of the Spi" rit, the Helmet of Salv ation. But if we run into Temprations, we provoke him ro oe.- fert us ; and if we are rtot overcome by them, yet for our rranfgreffmg his Holy Command, we are liable to his Dif{ileafute; . Confirming Grace is a continual Emanation front <he Holy Spirit, without which we . Jhall fall every Hour. 'Tis therefore extreamly hazardous to venture into Temptations : for the corrupt Nature that withWeight and Violence inclines us ro lin, is wtthin, andfupernatural Strength to controul the combin'd Efficacy of the Inclination, and the Occali- ~~~f~~ f:% ~~:~;m;~~~~~s ~~f1:l~n~it~~a;~::}e;hewlo~1~;~,:::, '[(/{d{~~:. ~fi~~~~ ~i~~~~n";s~~%~}";~.n ~~~s~r~~~;ro:a~~r~0 !.~~ff,;y ~h~~ei~~~/rfu~ ~~~ t~'§'r~:S~ Leadus not into Temptation: Conlidering our infeparable Frailty? and the Artsof bur Spiritual Enemies to take every Ad'l'anta~e over us, we lhould With all poff~ble Ardency ~!t1f~:~~J:f?;x;~r! ::r ~;l~~~,"xJ:rs ~:~;!~~J:n"b~s~;};,U~~e:~u:a~~Yu~~,e~J we fhall fall under Condemnation. l· Serious Refolut'ioiis, and folemn Ingagemenis, are of excellem Efficacy to bin~ our deceitful Hearrs from yielding to Sm. In the Chnlban Life a general Refolutton IS a:bfolutely ncce!Tary, of being faithful to God, never to have Correfpondence ~~~i~:
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