Book I. of J E s U S C H R 1 S T. 69

never doubt God's making good his. Support and encourage your felf with the full AfTurance of ob- taining the Crown, but take heed, that Affurance do not degenerate into Prefumption ; nor the Profpec^t of Bliis, which fhould excite a moreadive and cheer- ful Obedience, become an occafion of fpiritua! Se- curity and Sloth,
I remember an Tnftatice of a Perfon irrefoiate and wavering in the Concerns of his Soul, divided be- tween Hope and Fear, who in his Prayers Vv^as earnefl:- ly intreating, to be affured of his own Perfeverance,- and exprefling, how happy he fhould think himfelf, could he but be fatisfled in tfiis Point, Whereupon he was immediately anfwer'd from within, Well^ and [nf-^ fojtngyou could he ojfured of this, how would yen froaed then^ Do hut aclno7Py as you would -^ J? Ink your J elf cbIi to do in that cafe, andnever quefilon your ferfeiJeri77g. This comfortable Reply fettled his Mind,- and, inftead of indulging any clirious Enquiries into Events, or anxious Doubts concerning the Succefs of his Endeavours, hei immediately applied himfelf,to confider what God ex- peded from him, and to fet about the Perform.ance of That, without more to do. Tmft in the Lord, and he doing good, fays the Pfalmifl:, ^A/. J7- iTj^- commit thy Way to him ^ and he pjall hrlvg it to fafs.
The great and common Obftaclc to vigorous l^ir- tue is the dreadful Notion Men form to themfelves of the Difficulties attending it, and how b.boiious a thing Religion is. And true it is. Exalted Pier? will colt many a fore Conflid. But even this Confide rati- on may be feme Encouragement too j when tve confi- der, that the Hardfhip of the Undertaking, and the Violence of the Oppofition, add to the Glory of the Fight ,♦ arid entitle the Conqueror to n Crown fo much brighter, as the Toil and Flazard of the Day he Won.^ was greater. For the more a Man fubdues him-
F feif
TO jSPf tfjt imitation Book I.
felf, and does Honour to the Divine Grace by ren- dring it vidorious over Flefli and Blood ; the larger Meafures of that Grace he fhall obtain from Godj^ and become more exemplary in the World.
There are not^ 'ris confefs'd, in every Man^thefame^ PaffionS;,or not the fame Degrees of them, to matter and mortilie. But tho' a Man, whofe AfFedionsare vehe- ment, and his Difpofition by Nature or Cuftom more ftubborn and averfe to Virtue, hath more to make his' way through; Yet, if this Man's Refolutions be firmer, and his Vigour be prcportionably greater, he fhall be' able to advance farther, than others of a quieter Tem- per, and lefs rebellious PafEons ; if that fedatenefs at* the fame time difpofe them to Eafe and Inadivity.
Now in this Undertaking, Two Things there are,' of mighty moment for promoting it. The Firfi is, To obferve the Tendencies of one's Temper and Gon- ititution ,• and take care to bend Nature the contrary^ way, by keeping aloof off from all thofe Temptati- ons and Occafions of Sinning, with which we feel" our felves moft eafily befet, and ftrongly inclined to- comply. The otber^ to difcover our peculiar Defeds^ and labour with all our Might to attain thofe Vir- .tues, which we chiefly want.
And, as this Knowledge of our Own Frailties and' Neceflities, is greatly inftrumental to our Improve- ment, fo we fliall do well to profit by what we fee in Others ; and to be particularly concern d for avoiding- and fabduing thofe Habits, which we find moft ufual and oifenfive, in them with whom we Converfe. For the Commonnefs of any 111 thing is fo far from exte- nuating the Blame of thofe who copy after it, that it is the dired contrary j and fuch Examples ftiould be look'd upon, as Marks which difcover to us where the Rocks and Sands lie ; fuch as are fet to warn us ofF^ not to invite us in. Indeed a wife and good Man wil5 Ci^rn Examples, of all forts, to his own Advantage..
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