SECTION IV. 563 one who cut his own throat acknowledged this beforehis expira- tion ; " O that I had told," said he, " how I was tempted ! if I had, I believe, I should never come to this." VII. Advice. Resist the devil and he will flee from you; James iv. 7. This is a divine counsel. Maintain a perpetual conflict with him, and a vigorous opposition. Suffer not your- self in a melancholy season to hold a parley with the tempter, or rather suffer him not to plead and dispute with you, but abandon and renounce and abhor all his suggestions. Let him not have the honour or the advantage of arguing with you upon so dan- gerous a subject in a gloomy and melancholy hour. Let your memory be well stored with proper scriptures, and employ the word of God in resisting the devil. This was the practice of Luther, under his great and sore temptations. This has been the successful.instrument of defence for all the saints: And this sword of the spirit will put Satan to flight. Jesus, the captain of our salvation has given us himself for a glorious ex- ample ; he defeated the tempter in all his assaults with these words, " It is written," Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10. And I would give this word ofadvice to tempted souls, that they every day take some particular useful text of scripture into their minds, that they may run to it perpetually as a refuge, and dwell upon it with a resolute constancy in the midst of their hurries of mind; as a sailor in the midst of a storm ties himself on to the mast, that he may not be driven off into the sea, by the violence of the winds and the waves. Some divine word of promise in such a dark and dismal day, will be as a sacred anchor of hope to the poor weather-beaten spirit, that is tost to and fro upon the billows of this temptation. VIII. Advice. But after all, the most effectual and suc- cessful relief under this temptation is faith and prayer. Be fre- quent and importunate in prayer to God. Fly to the throne of grace whensoever you are assaulted, " that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help you in this time of need." lieb. iv. 10. Entreat the aids of your Creator against his and your ene- my. 'Trust in his mercy, and seek his power to resist the tempter : the holy Spirit of God, is superior to all the spirits of hell: de- pend on his aid, and thus by faith and prayer quench the fiery darts of the evil one. Commit thyself afresh, by earnest requests, to the protec- tion of the Son of God ; he is almighty and compassionate, and the appointed guardian of tempted souls; being sheltered by faith in the hands of the Saviour, Satan shall not pluck thee out of his hands. Christ has conquered the adversary, and led him captive in his chains, nor can he stir beyond the limits of his permission. If the enemy pursue thee, make haste and betake thee to Jesus, as to a city of refuge ; his name Jesus assures N n2.
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