ashamed to see how much christians are out shot by heathens, who, by mere moral arguments and precepts, had thus meekned their spirits, and conquered their passions. The dim light of nature could teach Senaca to say, that anger will hurt a man more than the offence; for there is a certain bound in the offence, but I know not how far mine anger will carry me. It is a shame that these men, who come far behind us in means and advantages, should so far outstrip us in meekness and patience.

Means 6, Lastly, Avoid all irritating

occasions.

If

He that will not hear the clapper, must not pull the rope. Grievous words stir up anger, (saith Solomon) Prov. xv. 3. Do not only pray and resolve against it, but get as far as you can out of the way of it; it is true spiritual valour, to run as fast and far as we can, out of sin's way. you can avoid anger in its first rise, there is no great fear of it afterwards. For it is not with this sin as it is with other sins; other sins grow to their full stergth by degrees, their first motions are the weakest; but this sin is born in its full strength, it is strongest at first. Withstand it then, and it falls before you..

H

Thus learn to keep your hearts when proVocations arise.

9 Season, "The ninth season of exerting our greatest diligence, is the critical hour of temptation, wherein "satan lays close siege to the fort royal of a christian's heart, and often surprises it for want of watchfulness: to keep thy heart now, is no less a mercy than "a duty; few christians are so well skilled in detecting the fallacies, and retorting the arguments by which satan uses to draw them to sin, as to come "off safe in these encounters. Watch pray (saith our Lord) lest ye enter "into temptation, Mark xiv. 38. Even CC an eminent David, and a wise Solomon, "have smarted for their carelesness at "such a time as this." The ninth case therefore shall be this;

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Case 9. How a christian, when strongly solicited by the devil to sin, may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation?

Now there are six special arguments, by which satan subtilly insinuates and winds in the temptation; in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart and the first is this,

Arg. 1. The first argument is drawn from the pleasure of sin. O (saith sa

tan) here is pleasure to be enjoyed; the temptation comes with a smiling countenance, and charming voice: what art thou so phlegmatic and dull a soul, as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure? Who can withhold himself from such delights?

Now thine heart may be kept from the danger of this temptation, by retorting this argument of pleasure upon the tempter; which is done two ways:

I. Thou tellest me, satan, that sin is pleasant; be it so but are the gripes of conscience, and the flames of hell so too? Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and

throbs of conscience? If so, why did

2.

Peter weep so bitterly? Mat. xxvi. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones? Psal. li. I hear what thou sayest of the pleasure of sin, and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of sin, in his psalm to bring to remembrance, Psal. xxxviii. ver. "Thine arrows "stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth Ver. 3. There is no sound"ness ia my flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my "ones, because of my sin. Ver. 4. For "mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. Ver. 5. My wounds

me sore.

stink, and are corrupt; because of my 66 foolishness. Ver. 6. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourn"ing all the day long. Ver. 7. My

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loins are filled with a loathsome dis"ease; and there is no soundness in my "flesh. Ver. 8. I am feeble and sore "broken: I have roared by reason of the "disquietness of my heart."

Here I see the true face of sin; if I yield to thy temptation, I must either. feel these pangs of conscience, or ti.e flames of hell.

2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of sin, when by experience I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification, than can be in the commission of sin: O how how sweet is it to please God, to obey conscience, to preserve inward peace! to be able to say in this trial I have discovered the sincerity of my heart; now I know I fear the Lord, now I see that I truly hate sin. Hath sin any such delight as this? This will choke that temptation.

Arg. 2. The second argument is drawn from the secrecy of sin. O (saith satan) this sin will never disgrace thee abroad, none shall know it.

This argument may be thy heart secured thus:

retorted, and Thou sayest,

none shall know it; but satan, cânst thou find a place void of the divine presence for me to sin in? Thus Job secured his heart from this temptation, Job xiii. 4. Doth he not see my ways, and count all my steps? Therefore he makes a cove nant with his eyes, ver. 1. After the same manner Solomon teaches us to retort this temptation, Prov. v. 20, 21. And why my son wilt thou be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. What if I hide it from the eyes of all the world for the present? I cannot hide it from God: And the time is at hand, when all the world shall know it too; for the word assures ine, Luke viii. 17. That what is done now in secret, shall be proclaimed as upon the house top. Besides is not my conscience as a thousand witnesses ?. Do I owe no reverence to myself? Could the heathen men say, When thou art tempted to commit sin, fear thyself without any other witness and shall not I be afraid to sin before mine own conscience, which always hath a reproof in its mouth, or a pen in its hand to record my most secret actions ?

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