Book I. of J E S U S C H R I S T. 25-

Care for managing himlelf under his Tempracions,- to watch and pray diligently , as being duly fenlible that he hath a watchful Enemy to deal vvich^ one who will not fail to take all Advantages of De- ceiving;, and who goes about continH.dl/^ fttk- ^ ^'^' ^- ^• ing -whom he may de-vour. Nor muft our Attainments in Virtue difpofe us to remit of this Care^ for Virtue is no abfolute Security ; No Man is fo perfed, fo holy, as never to be affaulted, or out of the reach of this Adverfary. We may defend ourfelves againlt his At- tacks^ but ftill attack'dj we mult^ and molt certainly fliall be.
Now tho' there be great hazard and uneafinefs, yet is there likewife great Profit to be made^fcom Temp- tations ; particularly as they contribute to the hum- bling our Mindsj to the purging off our Drofs, and the making us wifer by fuffering. This is the rough Way to Happinefs;, which all the Saints of God have traveli'd before us^and by it at laft were fafe conduc- ed to their Journey "s end : And they who fell oj(F, and were diicouraged at the rugged qefs of the Paliage, are all Reprobates and Calt-aways. No Order or Pro- feffion of Men is fo (:icred;,no Place fo remote or Ibli- tary^ but that Temptations and Troubles will find them out^ and intrude upon them.
Nor ought it to ieem Itrange^ that thefe fhould haunt and puriue us cloie^at all Times and Places; lince we ourfelves carry about us the very Mattrer of our Temptations, and can never run away from that in- born Concupifcencc^upon which they work;, and from whence they take occafion to deftroy us. This is the Account we may reafonably give our felves, why there fhould be fuch an uninterrupted fucceffion of Temp- tations and Miferies, and why one Trouble fhouLd prefs fo hard upon the heels of another. For how in- deed can it be otherwife ? fmce with our Innocence we bit our Safety and Happinefs.and muft be born to
C 1 Trou-
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Trocblc, becaufe the Ground of our Trouble is now become a part of our Nature. Many Men involve themfelves deeper in Temptations^ by being toofoli- citous to decline them : For we mu(t not fuppofe our felvts j^lvvays to have conquered a Temptation^ vi^hea we have fied from it. The nobler, and fometimes the more cifcdual vvay^ is to vanquifii them by pa- tient enduring, and bein^ humbled under them.
Thus much is plain ; That by declining a Temp- tation we have not difarmed it. The Root is Handing ilill^and willfoon befprouting again ; and a Man who flees js lb f:^r from getting ground upon his Adverfary, that he rather gives him Encouragement to purfue more vi^orouriv.The way to overcome is by Patience and Long-fuffering j which by God's Affiftance^ and .by degrees^ tho' perhaps but (low ones^ is more likely to faceted^ than Heat^ and Vehemence, and any the vioienteit and mofl: cbOinate Eirorts of our own Strength.When you tind your felf tempted^ be fure to ask Advice ; and when you fee another fo, deal with himgenrly .-Support him with Compaffion and admi- niifter all the Comfort in your Power, as You could not but wifli to be treated your felfj were You in his afflided Circumft:;!ices.
The beginning of all Temptations to V/ickednefs is theficklenefs of cur own Mind, and wantof Truft in God. An inconilant and irrefolute Man is like a Ship wichcuc a Pilot^ diiven to and fro, at the Mercy Ecchs.u.'i.. ^^ every gu(l of Wind. Metals are tried in the FirCy and AccepMe Men in the Furnace ef yjjllc^icn. We leldcm know the true extent of our own Power, till Temptation difcover it to us. But Watchfulnefs, Which, is always neceffary, is chiefly fo when the hrfi Affaults are made ; For then the Enemy is n-50fe eafily repulfed, if we never fufFer him to get within us, but upon the very firll approach draw up our Forces,and (ight him without the Gate.'Twas well advifed of the Pcer» Take