Book in. of J E S U S C H ^ I S T. Ill

JVa^es thereof^ when they arife^comc fpeedily to my afli- ftance, and quell this Scor m. Scatter my Emmies that dt- light in bloody and heat them down^ O Lord, my Defence, Exert thy mighty Power, and get thee Honour by this Conqueft, for thou, O Lord, my God, arc my only- Hope and Helper : O fave, or I perifh.
C H A p. XL.
'this Life a State of Continual temptation,
Chrijl. ] TTXO not fuppofe, my Son, that in this World JL/ thou evercanft be in a Condition of ab- folute Safety. Dangers and Enemies await thee eve- ry where. Violence and Stratagems are perpetually employed for thy Ruin j and therefore the Weapons of thy Spiritual Warfare muft not be laid afide,- for ufe- ful they are, and always neceffary, during this Stara of Mortality. Cover thy felf then with the Shield of W^ifdom, and Faith, for,if thou expofe thy Perfon with- out this Defence, the fiery Darts of the Wicked wiU quickly gall and wound thee. And,if Dexterity and Diligence in the \Jk of thy Arms be not animated by a Mind fixed entirely upon Me, and a vigorous Refo- lution of enduring the worft that can happen for my Sake ; the Engagement will be found too hot and that Crown of the Bleffed, which is the Reward of Perfeverance, can never belong to thee. Call up chv Courage then, and exert thy utmoft Strength as oc- cafions of Combat fliall oiFer. For to him that over comet h will I give the hiddeu Manna ; but Mifery and Deftructiort is the Por- tion of faint-hearted and feeble, flothful ^^^ flcepv Soldiers. "^ ^^
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214 ^f tfte gimitatton Book iil
If then thefe are the Conditions of thy Obedience and Reward, think how abfurd ic is for them, who in- dulge their Eafe here, to exped Peace and Happineft hereafter. In one of the two States Enduring muft be thy Lot ; and therefore tough Patience, and not foft Repofe, is what thou fhould ft labour for at pre- fent. For Reft and undifturbed Content have now no place on Earthy nor can the greateft Aftluence of Worldly Good procure them ^but their Dwelling is in Heaven only, and they are peculiar to the Love and Fruition of God alone. In obedience to his Will^ you fhould contentedly undergo Labour and Toilj Tryals and Troubles, Diftrefs and Anguifli of Heart, Poverty and Want, Infirmities and Difeafes, Injuries and Affronts, Scandal and Reproach, Difparagemenc and Difgrace, Punifhmentand Torture. Thefe whec and brighten a Chriftian's Virtue, exercife and diftin- guifli him. Thefe Thorns are woven into Wreaths of • Glory ; and to fuch faithful Servants I repay for their fhort Hardfhip an endlefs Rccompence j and, for the Shame, v/hich is prefently forgotten, Lawrels that ne- ver hdQ, Crowns always bright, and Honours firm and immortal,as my own.
Thefe are the Difficulties of the prefent State, which Men are to be upon their Guard againftfrom without. But alas ! they muft not hope always to enjoy Peace and SatisfacTtion within. No, even the Saints of old, whofe purer Innocence and eminent Virtues might better entitle them to this Tranquility, yet often pfal Iv cxliii. f^und occafion to complain. That their Heart was dif^tiietedy their Sprit de folate^ and an horrible Dread cverwkelmed them. Doubts and Scruples,Temptations and Fears,and cutting Perplexi- ties of Heart, are frequently the Lot of the moft ex- cellent Perfons. But in all thefe Streights the Good be- Iiave themfelves with Meeknefs and Patience, repofing their Confidence in God, snd humbly diftrullingthem^
ielves^