Book III. of Jesus Christ. 139

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^^ are upon the Hook ; Thy fly Deceits are lolt upcn ^'^ Me^ for 1 arn refolved already, and my Jefus, who *^ vanquiflied thee upon the Crols^will affilt myVVeak- ^^nefs^ and enable me to overcome thy Temptations. ■^^ Think not to terrify me with Difficukies^ for Death ^^ and Sufferings are light Calamities^ in comp:iriroa "of Guilt and Sin,- and thefe I infinitely rather chufe, ^^ than once to comply with thy wicked Motions. " Be gone then, and for ever hold thy Peace ; for I " will ftop ray Ears , and am from this Minute in- " flexibly deaf to thy moft troublefome Soliicitations. ^^ Thou thinkeft to run down a poor weak iVIortai, ^^ but even that Mortal is a Match/or thce^througlj Chr'iji ^'^ that ftrengthens him. And ftrengthen me he will, ^^ for the Lord is my Light and SalvAtion^-whom then (Jhiil ^^ I fear ? The Lord is the Stre7Jgth cf my Li^'e^ "^ of whom then fiall I be afraid ? Though an ^f'^' ^^^^^*- Hofi were banded together againfi we, yet will I not be dlfmayd, for the Lord is my Heifer^ and my God is the ^^ Reck of my Confidence.
Fight therefore thegood Fight, and follow the Cap- tain of thy Salvation, Hke a ftout Soldier. And, if at any time thou lofe ground through Human Infirmi- ties, rally thy Forces again quickly, and enter upon a fecond Engagement with redoubled Vigor ^ not doubting feafonable Recruits from Me. But if at any time thou prove Victorious, let not this Succefs exalt thee beyond meafure. For Pride and Arrogance are of fatal Confequence, they often end in dangerous Errors, and are juflly punifhed with almoil incurable Blindnefs. Let the frequent Examples of Vain Men, undone by their own Folly and my juft Indignation, be fet before thy Eyes, as fo many Sea-marks, to warn thee from fleering the fame dangerous Courfe^ And the greater Conquefbs thou obtainefl over the Devil and thy own Frailty, the more humble and cautious let theie Advantages make thee in thy Condud ^ and
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I40 iDf ttft imitation Book III.
the more juft to God, in afcribing the whole Succefs and Glory to the powerful Affiftance of his Grace.
Chap. VIII.
Grace muft he received without Oflentatton,
Chrlft?^ T\ /f Y Son , when thou feelefc thy Soul XVX warmed with Devotion and holy Zeal for my Service^ it will be advif^ble to decline all thofe Methods of publifhing it to the World, which Vain Men are fo induflrious to take, and content thy felf wirii its being known to God and thy ownConfcience, Rather endeavour to moderate and fupprefs thofe pompous ExprefHons of it, in which fome place the very Ferfet^tion of Zeal. Think m.eanly of thy Own Vir .?es. Boaft not of that Grace, \5chereby thou art cap.i: ie of differing from another. But let the Re- mtnihr:inceof thy Own Unworthinefs make thee fear the lofs of Gifts, which thou didll not deferveever to have. This is not only an undeferved, ic is alfo a ve- ry fliort and uncertain Privilege,- for the brighteft and warmeit Zeal is apt to languifli and wax cold ; and unlefs Men could affure themfelves of fuch a De- gree of Grace, as would alter and fix thefe variable Natures of theirs, the Fervours of Religious and Holy Defires Q,?n never be conftant and equal.
While therefore thou enjoyeft thefe pleading pious •Comforts, humble thy Soul with Refled:ion- upon thy Impotence and Mife.y, thy Coldnefs and Deadnefs^ when thou halt them not. And confider withal, that the Improvement and Commendation of a Chtillian's Virtue confif^s, n-ot only in the thankful Ufeof Grace, but in a modeit, humble and refigned Temper, which