Of TEMI'TA.TION,&t. gratitude, unbelief, rebellion, befall ñne? I will notdo it ; ,hall a man reft in it, that his heart will be ftedfaft ? Let the wife man anfwer, He that rrJeth in his Dian heart, ú a fool. The heart is deceitful, yet. xvii. 9. We would not willingly Ituft any thing wherein there is any deceit or guile: here is that which is deceitful above a/i things. It has a thrndand fhifts and treacheries, that it will deal withal, when it comes to the trial, every temptationwill (teal it away ; lief iv. i I. Ge- nerally mens hearts deceive them noofiner than they do truft in them, and then they never fail fa todo. [2.] .Confider the particular ways and means, that luth an heart 'high, or can ufe to fafeguard it felf in the hour of temptation, and their infufficiency to that pnrpofe will quickly appear. I (hall iaftance inTome few only. I.) Love of honour in the world. Reputation and efteem in the Church, ob tèined by former peufelfion, and walking, is one of the heart's own weapons to defend its feif in the hour of temptation. Shall fuch an one as I Hie? I whohave lind fach a reputation in the Chinch of God, (hall I now lofe it by giving way to this loft, to this temptation ? by clofing with this, or that publick evil ? This Confiderafion bath fuch an influence on the fpirits of force, that they think it will be a ilrield and buckler againfi anyaffrulta that may befal them. They will die a thoufand times before they will forfeit that repute, they have in the Church of God. But alafs, this is but a with, or a new cord, to bind a gyant temptation Withal. What think you of the third partof the fiats of heaven ? Rev. xü. 4. Had they not Shone in the firmament of the Church?. Were they not fenfrble, more than enough, of their own honour, height, ufefulnefs, and reputation? But when the Dragon comes with his temptations, he calls them down to the earth. Yea great temptations will makemen, who have not a better defence, infenfrbly fortify themfelves againff that difhonour, and difreputation that their ways are attended withal : pepultts Oiler, nee mihi plaudo ; do we not know infiances yet living, of fame, who haveventured on compliances with wicked men, after the glory of a long and ufeful profeflion, and within a whilefinding themfelves raft: down from their reputationwith the faints, have hardned themfelves ägainft it, and ended inapofsacy ? as John xv. 6. This kept not yudo,, it kept not Hymeneue norPhiliraas, it kept not theStars of heaven, nor will it keep thee. 2.) There is on the other fide,: theconfideration of Shame, reproach, lofs, and . the like. ibis alto men may put their troll in, as a defence againfftemptations and do not fear but to be fafeguared and preferved. by it. They would not forthe. world bring that lhame' and reproach uponthemfelves, that fuch and fuchmil- carriages are attended withal. Now betides that, this confideration extends it felf only to open fins, fuch as the world takes notice of, and,abhors, and fo is of ho rife at all in Curb cafes, as wherein pretences and colours may be inventedand albd, nor in publick temptations to loofe and carelefs walking, like thofeof our days, nor in cafes that may be difputable in themfelves, tho' expreflyfinful tothe tonfciencesof perfbns under temptations, nor in heart fins, inall which, and molt other cafésof temptation, there are innumerablereliefs ready tobe tenderedunto the heart againtt this confideration a betides all this, 1 fay, we fee by experience, how eafily this cord is broken, when once the heart begins to be entangled : each corner of the land is full of examples to this pnrpofe. 3.) They ha+e yet that whichoutweighs thelè leffer confiderations ÿ namely, that they w ill not wound their own confciences, and difturb their peace, and bring "themfelves in dangerof hell fire. This furely, if any thing, will preferVe men in thehour of temptation. They will not lavifh away their peace, nor venturetheir fouls, by running onGod, and the thick boffes of his buckler. What can be of more efficacy and prevalency ? I confers this is of great importance; and oh that it were more pondered than it is ; that we laid more weight upon the prefervation of ourpeace withGod, than we dó ; yet 1 fay that even this confideration in him who is otherwhere off from his watch, anddoth not make it hiswork to follow the other rules infrffed on ; it will not preferve him : for (I. The peace of fach an one, may be falfe peace or ferocity ; Madeup of pre- fumption and falfe hopes, yea, tho' he be a believer, it may be fo ; filch waS David's peaceafter his im, before Nathan came tp him ; fuch was Laodicea's peace, when ready to perilh ; and Sardis her peace, when dying. What should fecure a foul that it is otherwife; feeing it is fiappofed, that it doth not univerfally labour to keepthe word of Ch.rift's patience, and ta.bewatchful i s all things? Think you D z thkt 1
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