passengers, the fowls come and devour it. Alas! it is not enough to hear, unless we take heed how we hear; a man may pray, and never be the better, unless he watch unto prayer. In a word, all ordinances, means, and duties, are blessed unto the improvement of grace, according to the care and strictness we use in keeping our hearts in them.

6. The stability of our souls in the hour of temptation, will be much according to the care and conscience we have of keeping our hearts. The careless heart is an easy prey to Satan in the hour of temptation. His main batteries are raised against that fort-royal, the heart. If he wins that, he wins all; for it commands the whole man: and, alas! how easy a conquest is a neglected heart! It is no more difficult to surprise it, than for an enemy to enter that city whose gates are open and unguarded. It is the watchful heart that discovers and suppresses the temptation before it comes to its strength. Divines observe this to be the method in which temptations are ripened and brought to their full strength-there is, first, the irritation of the object, or that power which it has to work upon and provoke our corrupt nature; which is either done by the real presence of the object, or else by speculation, when the object, though absent, is held out by the imagination before the soul. Then follows the motion of the sensitive appetite, which is stirred and provoked by the imagination, representing it as a sensual good, as having profit or pleasure in it. Then there is a consultation in the mind about it, deliberating about the likeliest means of accomplishing it. Next follows the election, or choice of the will. And lastly the desire, or full engagement of the will to it. All this may be done in a few moments, for the debates of the soul are quick, and soon ended. When it comes thus far, then the heart is won; Satan has entered victoriously, and displayed his colors on the walls of that royal fort. But had the heart been well guarded at first, it had never come to this height; the temptation would have been stopped in the first or second act. And indeed there it is stopped easily; for it is in the motions of a tempted soul to sin, as in the motion of a stone falling from the brow of a hill; it is ea

sily stopped at first, but when it is set going, it acquires force in its progress: and therefore it is the greatest wisdom in the world to observe the first motions of the heart, to check and stop sin there. The motions of sin are weakest at first; a little care and watchfulness may prevent much mischief now, which the careless heart not heeding, is brought within the power of temptation; as the Syrians were brought blindfold into the midst of Samaria, before they knew where they were.

By this time, reader, I hope thou art fully satisfied how necessary a work the keeping of the heart is, it being a duty that wraps up so many dear interests of the soul in it.

CHAPTER III.

The Seasons in which the Heart must be especially kept:

ACCORDING to the method proposed, I proceed now to point out those special seasons in the life of a Christian, which require and call for our utmost diligence in keeping the heart for though the duty binds at all times, and there is no time or condition of life in which we may be excused from this work; yet there are some signal seasons, critical hours, requiring more than a common vigilance over the heart.

SECTION I.-A Season of Prosperity.

The first season is the time of prosperity, when Providence smiles on us. Now, Christian, keep thy heart with all diligence; for now it will be exceeding apt to grow secure, proud, and earthly, "To see a man humble under prosperity," says Bernard, "is one of the greatest rarities in the world." Even a good Hezekiah could not hide a vain-glorious temper under this temptation; and hence that caution to Israel, Deut. vi. 10, 11, 12; “And it shall be when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware to thy fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildest not, and houses full of all good

things which thou filledst not; then beware lest thou forget the Lord:" and indeed so it fell out, "for Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked," Deut. xxxii. 15.

Now the first case will be this-how a Christian may keep his heart from pride and carnal security, under the smiles of Providence and abundance of creature-comforts. There are seven helps to secure the heart from the dangerous snares of prosperity; the first is this

1. To consider the dangerous ensnaring temptations attending a pleasant and prosperous condition. Few, yea, very few, of those who live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world, escape everlasting perdition. "It is easier," says Christ, "for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." "Not many mighty, not many noble are called." It might justly make us tremble when the scripture tells us in general, that few shall be saved; much more when it tells us, that of that rank and sort of which we are speaking, but few shall be saved. When Joshua called all the tribes of Israel to draw lots for the discovery of Achan, doubtless Achan feared; when the tribe of Judah was taken, his fear increased; but when the family of the Zarhites was taken, it was time then to tremble. So when the scripture comes so near as to tell us that of such a sort of men very few shall escape, it is time to look about. "I should wonder," says Chrysostom, "if any of the rulers be saved." O how many have been coached to hell in the chariots of earthly pleasures, while others have been whipped to heaven by the rod of affliction! How few, like the daughter of Tyre, come to Christ with a gift! How few among the rich intreat his favor!

2. It may keep us yet more humble and watchful in prosperity, if we consider that among Christians many have been much the worse for it. How good had it been for some of them, if they had never known prosperity! When they were in a low condition, how humble, spiritual, and heavenly, were they! but when advanced, what an apparent alteration has taken place in their spirits! It was so with Israel. When they were in a low condition in the wilderness, then Israel was "holiness to the Lord;"

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but when they came into Canaan, and were fed in a fat pasture, then, "We are lords," said they, we will come no more unto thee." Their outward gains were ordinarily attended with inward losses; as in a low condition their civil employments were wont to have a savor of their duties, so in an exalted condition their duties had a savor of the world. He indeed is rich in grace, whose graces are not hindered by his riches. There are but few Jehoshaphats in the world, of whom it is said in 2 Chron. xvii. 5, "He had silver and gold in abundance, and his heart was lifted up in the way of God's commands." Will not this keep thy heart humble in prosperity, to think how dear many godly men have paid for their riches, that through them they have lost that which all the world cannot purchase?

3. Keep down thy vain heart by this consideration, that God values no man a jot the more for these things. God values no man by outward excellencies, but by inward graces: they are the internal ornaments of the Spirit, which are of great price in God's eyes. He despises all worldly glory, and accepts no man's person; "but in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him," Acts x. 35. Indeed, if the judgment of God went by the same rule that man's does, we might value ourselves by these things, and stand upon them. But agreeably to what one said when dying, “I shall not appear before God as a doctor, but as a man," so much every man is, and no more, as he is in the judgment of God. But does thy heart yet swell? And will neither of the former considerations keep it humble?

4. Then consider, how bitterly many persons have bewailed their folly when they came to die, that ever they set their hearts upon these things, and how heartily they have wished that they had never known them. What a sad story is that of Pius Quintus, who dying cried out despairingly, "When I was in a low condition, I had some hopes of salvation; but when I was advanced to be cardinal, I greatly doubted it; but since I came to the popedom, I have no hope at all." Mr. Spencer also tells us a real, but sad story, of a rich oppressor, who had scraped up a great estate for his only son. When he

came to die, he called his son to him, and said, "Son, do you indeed love me?" The son answered, that nature, besides his paternal indulgence, obliged him to that. Then said the father, "Express it by this; hold thy finger in the candle as long as I am saying a Pater Noster." The son attempted, but could not endure it. On that the father broke out into these expressions, "Thou canst not suffer the burning of thy finger for me; but to get this wealth, I have hazarded my soul for thee, and must burn body and soul in hell for thy sake. Thy pain would have been but for a moment, but mine will be unquenchable fire."

5. The heart may be kept humble, by considering of what a clogging nature earthly things are to a soul heartily engaged in the way to heaven. They shut out much of heaven from us at present, though they may not shut us out of heaven at last. If thou consider thyself under the notion of a stranger in this world, travelling for heaven and seeking a better country, thou hast then as much reason to be taken and delighted with these things, as a weary horse has with a heavy clog. There was a serious truth in that atheistical scoff of Julian when he took away the Christians' estates, and told them it was to make them fitter for the kingdom of heaven.

6. Is thy spirit still lofty? Then urge upon it the consideration of that awful day of reckoning, wherein, according to our receipts of mercies, shall be our accompts for them. And methinks this should awe and humble the vainest heart that ever was in the breast of a saint. Know for certain, that the Lord records all the mercies that ever he gave thee, from the beginning to the end of thy life. Mic. vi. 5; "Remember, O my people, from Shittim unto Gilgal." Yea, they are exactly numbered, and recorded in order to an account; and thy account will be suitable; "To whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required." You are but stewards, and your Lord will come to take an account of you; and what a great account have you to make, who have much of this world in your hand! What swift witnesses will your mercies be against you, if this be the best fruits of them!