436 The Nature, 'Danger, and Cure --~-------------- tempt him; but becaufe he found nothing irfhim, therefore he couid faften norhing upon him ; no Temptation could emcr, bccauf(.; there was no Corrupricn to receive it; and therefore when he tempted Chrifi, he only call: ficr)' DartJ ag:-!.infl: an impenetrable Rock, J. Rock rhar will Gear them back again inro his own Face; but our Corruptions have made us combufiibleMar~ re.r, ~hac there !s fcarce_a D_art rh~own at us in yai!I ; ·when he tempts us, itis .bur ltke the cafilllg of f1rc tlltoTmder, char prefettrly carcherh; our Heans kindle upon the leall: Spark chat falls; like a Vdfel that is brim-full of W:~ter, · upon the leaft:Jogg, nms over: \Vere we but true to our fclvcs, rho' rhe Dev.il might knock by hi? Temptatiom, yet be could never burft open the evcrlafting poors of our Hearts by Force or Vio~ence; bur abs! WC our !~!Ives arc not au of one I-lea re and one Mind; Satan hath got a ftrong Party wirhin Us, rha_t a.s foon as he knocks, opens to him, and. enrcrrains him: And hence it is rhar maR ny timesfi11all Temptations, and \'cry petty Occafions, draw forch grear Corruptions; as a Vcffel chat is full of riew Liquor, upon the leaft Vent given works over into Foam and Froth; fo truly our ,Hearcs,almofi· Jipon everY fiigh~ and trivial Temptation, makes that inbred Corruption that lodgerh there, fwell and boil, and run over into abundanceofScum and Filth in our Lives anJ Con: verGniom. Have we not great caufe therefore to be jealous and fu~,ricious of our felves, and tO keep a watchful Eye over all the Motions of cho!e Bofom. Trayrors, our own Hearts. He that trujleth to bi1 own heart, fays Solomon, i1 a Fool, Prov. 28. 2). Certainly it were the greateft Folly in the Wotld to truft our Hearts after fO frequent Experience of their Treachery and , Slipperinefs • venture them not therefore upon Tempt:atiom: \Vhat Security have :you, tha~ ;your finfulHearcs will not fin? Yea, and it may be, betray you into fuchgreat Abominations as you cannot now think of without Horror ; as Men prefume up~n the Mercy of God to pardon their leffer Sins,. fo they prefiuH~ alfo upon (hetr own Strength to preferve them from greaterSms: They fay of{ma/1 Sinr, i:s it not a lictleone,and our Souls ilialllive? And they fay of great Situ, Is it not a great one, and our Souls iliall never commit it? Alas! how kQow you, but if ence you lay yo~r Headi_n the.Lap of ;t Temptation, thefe Philiftinu will be upon, you; and you, hke Sampjon, thmk to go and !hake your felves, as arochertime~; but alas! your great Strength is departed from you, and you left a Prey eo the fouleft and worft of Sins whatfoever. And thus now you have feen in Da- 'llid's Prayer-' the beft Saint's Pronenefs to the worft of Sins. . The next Thing obfervable is, The bejf Saint'J Wtakntjl rmtl Inability to prefcrve tbemfelvtJwithout the Ajfiftance ofDivine Grace; And both thefe, namely, their Pronenefs to commit Sin_, and their Weaknefs torefifi it, arc evident Demon· ftrations of the general Propofition; the Almighty Grace of God is their beft, yea, and their only Security. Now, . as the Boctom and Foundation of this prcfent Exercifc, I !hall lay down this Point to be treated of: Dofl , That it iJ not a Cbrijfian'1 o'vn, but God'J Power only, that can pre{erve him from .Advan;a. the Commijfion of tbe moJ-1 daring and pre{ttmptuous Sim: And yet truly, if any Sins ges tbat arc eafie to be refifted and overcome, they are the Sins of the grQffer fore; for Men have many times it is with Sins, as with over-grown Bodies, the vafter the Bulk :~r~}:f-ver of them is, the Jefs is their Fprce andAtl:ivity. The Soul harf1 gteat Advan· from pre- rage to lay l:lold on great Sins, and to keep rhem off at Arm's length, when fumptuous leJs Sim fiip in, and fcize upon the Heart unperceiva15Jy. Sins. For, Firft, Great anti Prejitmptuouf Sim {eldom make an AfFwlt t1f01J the Soul, but ;;;[;7f~s they give 1Yarni~g before-hand to pretare for Rejijlance. The Seraea gems of V~ar, if give war- they are but ddc,ovcr~d, they uiually p~·~ve un~uc_c~fsful.; as firQng Ltquors ning t_opre- takmg Vent, lofe then· Strength and Spum; fo 1s It 111 th1s holy War ~lfo ; the • P.areforRe· Soul may eafily forefeegroj.? Sim, and therefore may more ealily avo1d them: Jiflan,·e. lf a Man feels in himfelf linful Thoughrs ft:irring, and finful Pelircs (huggling, hereupon an Affault is made, and the Devil hereby gives us \\'arning, what Sins we fbould cfpecia1ly watch againft. Are they lafciviousThoughts? Beware of Uncleanntjl. Are they wrathful Thoughts? Beware of Mz~rt/ur. Are they murmuringThoughrs? Beware of Blafphm1J. Are theyworldlyThougbts and De!ires? Beward of Opprejjion and lnjujfice. Thus thefe Gi :mt·lik~ Sins iland forth in view, and fend open Defiance eo the Soul, and bid it prepare for
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