20 Of TEMPTATÍON,&c. of one who hath come off without a wound, and I dare fayyou may find out ari hundred for him that have been cheep on the top of the maft ; that theywere in the jaws of fosse vile temptation or other, that afterwards brought forth bitter fruitin their lives andways : from forne few returners from folly, wehave every day thefedoleful complaints madé. Oh l neglefled private prayer, I did not meditate on the Word, nor attend to hearing; but rather defpifed thefe things, and yet faid I was rich, andwanted nothing ; little., did I confider, that this unclean tuft was ripening in any heart, this Atheil'm, thefe Abominations were fomenting there. This is a certain rule, if his heart growcold, negligent, or formal in duties of theworfhip of God, and that either as to thematter, or manner of them, who hath had another frame, one temptation orother, hath laid hold upon him, . World, or pride; or uncleannefs, or felf.feeking, or malice and envy, or one thing or other, bath poffeffed his fpirit ; gray hairs are here and thereupon him, thoughhe perceive it not. And this is to be obfervedas to the manner of duties, as well as to the matter. Men may upon many frnifteraccounts, efpecially for the fatisfaftionof their confciences, keep up and frequent duties of Religion, as to the fubftance and matterof them, when they have no heart to them, no life in them. as to the fpirituality required in their performance. Sardis kept up the performance ofduties,and had therefore a name to live ; but wanted fpiritual like in their perfor- mances, 'and was therefore dead, Rev. iii. r. As it is in diftempers of the body ; if a man finds his fpirits faint, his heartoppreffed, his head heavy, thewhole perfon indifpofed, though he do not yet.aflually burn, nor rave; yet he will cry, 1 fear I am entring- into a Feaver, I am foout of orderand indifpofed. Aman may do fò in this ficknefsof the foul, if he find his pulfe not beat aright and evenly towards duties of worfhip, and communion with God, if his fpirit be .low, and his heart faint in them, let him conclude, though his luft do not yet burnor rage, that he is entered into temptatioq, and it is high time for him to confider the particular Caufes of his diftempen If thehead be heavy, and flamber in the things ofgrace, if the heart becold in duties, evil lies at the door. And if filch a foul do efcape a great temptationunto fin, yet it Shall not efcape a great temptation by defertiop. The fpoufe cries, Ifleep, Cant. v. z. and that the had put ff her coat, and could not par iton; had an indifpofition to duties and communionwith Chrift. What is the next news yoo'haveof'her? verf. 6. her beloved had with-drawn himfelf;. Chrift was gone, and the feeks him long and finds him. not. There is fuch a fuitablenefs between the new nature that is wrought andcreatedin believers, and theduties of the worfhip of God, that they will not be parted norkept afunder, unlefs it be by theinterpofrtion of forne diturbing diffearhper. Thenew creature feedsupon them, is ftrengthened and increafed by them, finds fsoeetnefs in them, yea meets in them with its God and Father; fo that it cannot but ofits felf, unlefs made lick by fosse temptation, but delight inthem, and detre to be in the exercife of them ; this frame is defcribed in the119th 'l'fa/mthroughout, It is not I fay cuff out of this frame and temper, unlefs it be oppreffed, and diforder'd, by one fecret temptation orother. Sundry other evidences there areof foul's entringinto temptation, which uponenquiry it may difcover. -_ 1. propofe this to take 9ff the fecurity that weare apt to fall into i and to manifeft what is the peculiar duty that we are to applyour felves unto in the fpecíal feafons of temptation.' For he that is already entered into temptations is to apply himfelf unto means for difrntanglement, not to labour toprevent his entering in. Iiów this dec May be done I Shall afterwards tare. CHAP. V. -'Pre fecond cat prepofed, orenquiries refolved. What are the bell direflions, to prevent. entring Vito temptation:; Chafe direflions laid damn. 'The direitrenagiven by ourSaviour; Watch andPray. What is included therein. i. Senfe of the danger of temptation. . 2.7bas le is not in our passer toakeep ourfelves. 3. Faith inpromfea of prefervatian Of Prayer in particular. Of Watching. HAving feen the danger of entring into temptation, and alfo difcoveted, the ways and feafons, whereby, and wherein tornufually do fo. Our fecund en- quiryis; what general direftionsmaybegiven to prefervea foul from that condition that
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