Book III. of J E S U $ C H R I S T. 211

Mofesy and go with him into the Taber- ^^^^ ^^^... nacle to ask Counfelofthy God. There thou (halt often meet a proper Anfwer, have many Thoughts feafonably fuggelted to thy Mind, and re- turn wifer, both for this and the next World, than thou wert before. For Mofes always took this Courfe in doubtful Cafes and important Exigencies: He made Prayer his Weapon and Refuge, by it he vanquiflied many Dangers, the Malice of Enemies and wicked Men, efcaped and deteded their Devilifh defigns, and retorted the Mifchiefs they intended, back upon their own Heads. Now what that Tabernacle was to him, thy Clofet and thy Confcience are to thee. Negled not then by any means to confult this Oracle, and implore theDiredions and Affiftance of Divine Grace. For the ill Confequences of ading upon thy own head without thefc Precautions are intimated to thee, by that Inftance of Jo^ua and the Ifraelltes : j^jj^ ^^^ Who are exprefly faid to have been decei- ved by the Giheonitesyto their great Prejudice ,• becaufe they gave too eafy Credit to their flattering fair Pre- tences, and engaged in a League without firft enqui- ring of the Lord.
CHAP. XLIV. Againji too great Eagernefs in Bujinefs.
ChrifiJ] ly /TY Son, commit thy Affairs to my Care, iVx ^^^ I wiil in due time blefs them with a proper, and profitable Iffue. But wait with Patience till that appointed time of mine, and do not antici- pate the Methods of my Providence, for I know how to convert every delay tp thy advantage.
9lf.
X2X jgPf ttie limitation Book iii.
Difiiple. ] Lord, I moft willingly commit my Con- cerns to thy Management, for all that little I am ca- pable of isvery infignificant. And therefore I cannot but wifli, that this Senfe, to how little purpofe all my own Pains and Contrivances are, might free me from anxious Thoughts concerning future Contingencies, and difpofe me calmly to acquiefce in thy wife and good Pieafure.
ChriH. ] Alas I my Son, eager and greedy Men co- vet they know not what. An Objed: at a diftance engages their Defires, while they fee only the fair and glittering fide ; but upon clofer and more diftind View, Enjoyment undeceives them : and they grow fick, even of their own Defires ; for their Deiires are various and mutable, and ever veering about to fome frefii Objedl. It is therefore of fome confequence for a Man to forego his own Inclinations, even in Mat- ters of no great Importance. But he, who hath attain- ed to the Faculty of doing this in any cafe whatfoever, is truly free, and great, above the Reach and Envy of Fortune, and at the higheft Pitch of Humane Per- fedion. Yet even this Man will find his Virtues called to the Teft : For the old Enemy of Souls is ever fra- ming fome Stratagem to undo good Men ; and lies in Ambufh Night and Day, to catch an Opportunity of enfnaring unwary Souls. Let then His Diligence pro- voke Yours, and be not lefs- affiduous to fave, than he is to deftroy you, For this is the Purport of thy Math. xxvi. Lord's Command ^ JVatch and fray, thatys enter not into Temptation,
CHAP