Of TEMPTATION, &c. 27 nets? How many are rendered ufelefs in theworld, by their own gentlenefsand, facili- ty ? Be acquainted thenwith thine ownheart, though it bedeep, fearch it : though it be dark, enquire into it : though it give all its diftempers other names, than what are theirdue, believe it not. Were not men utter Grangers to themfelves, did they not give flattering titles to their naturaldiftempers, did they not flrive rather to juflify, palliate, orencore the evils oftheir hearts, that are fuited to their natural tempers and conflitutiois, than to deftroy them, and by thefe means keep themfelves off from tak- ing aclear and diftin£t view ofthem : it were impoffible that they shouldall their days hang in the fame briers without attempt for deliverance; ufelefsnefs and'fèandal inpro- feffors, aré branches growingconflantly on this root ofunacquaintednefs with their own frame and temper t and how few are there, whowill either fludy them themfelves, or bear with thofe who would acquaint them with them ? 2. When thoukooweft the flute and condition ofthyheart, as to the particular men- tioned, watch againft all filch occafions and opportunities, employments- focieties, re- tirements, bufinefles, as are apt to intangle thynatural temper, or provoke thy cor- ruption. It may be, there arefome ways, fume focieties, fome bufineffes, that thou never in thy life efcaped'fl them, but fuffered'ít by them moreor left, through their fuitablenefs to entice, orprovoke thycorruption. It may be thou art in a ftateand condition of life, that weary thee day by day, on the account'of thy ambition, pailion, difcontent or the like ; if thou haft any love to thy Soul, it is time for thee to awake, and to deliver thyPelf as a bird from the evil fnare. Peter will not come again in haft to thehigh- prieft's hall, nor would David walk again in the topof his houle, when he fimuld have been in thehigh placesof the field. But the particulars of this inftmue are fo various, and of Such feveral naturesin refpeEt of leveral perlons, that it is impartible to enume- rate them, Prov. iv. 14, 15. hereinlies no lmall part of that wifdom, which confifts in our ordering our converfation.aright. Seeing we have fo little power over our hearts, when once they meet with fuitable provocations, we are tokeep them afunder, as a man would do fire and the-combuflible parts of the houle whereinhedwells. 3. Be fore to lay in provifion is llore, against the approaching of any temptation. This altobelongs to our watchfulnefsover our hearts. You will fay, What provifion is intended, andwhere is it to be laid up ? Our hearts, as our Saviour fpeaks, are our treafury. There we lay up whatever we have, good or had ; and thence do we draw it, for our ufe, Matt. xii. 35. It is the heart thenwherein provifion is to be laid up againfttemptation. When an enemy draws nigh toa fort or cattle to befiege and take it ; oftentimes if he find it well manned, and tùrnifhed with provifion fir a liege, and able to hold out, he withdraws and affaults it not. If Caton the prince of this world come, and find our hearts fortified against his batteries, and provided to hold out, he not only departs, but as gamer Pays, he flies ; hewill fly from us, Jam. iv. 7. for the provifion to be laid up, it is that which is provided in the Gofpel for us. Gofpel pro- vifionwill do this work ; that is, keep theheart full of a lease of the love of God in Chris: this is thegreateft prefervativeagainft the power of temptation in theworld. yefphhad this; and therefore on the firft appearance pf a temptation, he cries oat; How tan Ido thisgreat evil, and fm againfd God? And there is an end-of the temptation, as tohim, it lays to hold on him, but departs. He was furnifhed with lush a ready fente of the love of God, as temptation couldnot fland before, Gen. xxxviii. 9. The Lune ofChr f cenfdrains se, faith the Apoile, re live re him, 2 Cor. v. 14. and fo confe- quently, to withflaad temptation. A man may, nay he ought to lay in provifion ofthe law alto; fear ofdeath, hell, puniflrment,-with the terror of the Lord in them. But theft are far more ealilyconquered than the other :' nay they will never Stand alonea- gainst a vigorous affault. Theyare conquered, orconvinced perlons everyday: hearts Gored with themwill ftruggle forawhile, butquicklygive over ButGore the heart with a fenfe ofthe love of God in Chrif ; with the eternal dofgn of hisgrace, with a raft of the bloodofChrift, and his love in the fhedding of it; get a relifh of the privileges we have thereby ; our adoption, jultification, acceptation with God, fill the heartwith thoughtsofthebeauty ofholinefs as it is defigned be Chrifl for the end, iffue, and et- felt of hisdeath, and thou wilt in an ordinarycourfi of walkingwith God, have great peaceand fecurity as to the diflurbauce of temptations. When men can live and plod on in their profeflion, and not be able to fay, when they had any living fenfeof the love ofGod, orof theprivileges which we have in theblood ofChrif ; I knownot what they can have to keep them from falling.into Snares. The apatite tells us, that the peace
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