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66

IN

THE PRAYER.

N thy favour, Lord, there is life. But to live under thy difpleasure, is to lie in the fhadow of death. O what comfort then is left in me, "when thou fpeakeft no peace to me, but frowneft upon me! and O what word of peace and con"folation can I a finner and an enemy lay any claim "to? nothing like it, for my own fake, but O God "of love! for thy tender mercies fake, for thy gra"cious promise fake, and for thy dear Son's fake, "revive my defponding foul, with the fense of thy "pardon, the light of thy countenance, and the joy "of thy falvation. That fo thy peace may keep my "heart, and fecure me to thyself, and fill me with "fuch joy as fhall be my ftrength, enabling me to " abound, yea, and to delight in the work of my "Lord. Amen."

of

MEDITATION XCIX.

Of the ufe of Temptation.

My foul! what is this world but the flage, upon which I am acting a part; for the determination of my final condition, in the eternal world to come! temptation then is very agreeable to fuch a state of probation. For it is the exercise grace, and the opportunity for winning of glory. Virtue, not fo tried, would lofe its name; and the faints, if not thus put to it, could have no claim to their crowns. But I need not fear lofing falvation for want of temptation, if I do not lofe it, by failing of my part, when tempted. For every man is

tempted,

tempted, even the beft not exempted. Satan defires. to have them, that he may fift them as wheat, and drive them away to his own place. And God suffers him to winnow them; but only as the wind, to drive away their chaff, and make them ready to be gathered into his garner. The apoftate fpirits (difpoffeffed of that heavenly blifs which once they enjoyed) are envenomed against all, that stand in any likelihood to come and take their room above. Spight and vengeance is now become even their nature; and it is all their life, to feduce the feed of the woman, to interrupt the candidates of glory, to draw all that they are able, into their condemnation; yea, to vex and mischief even fuch, as they cannot utterly spoil and ruin. And in fuch a multitude of turnings and windings, does the roaring lion traverse to and fro, feeking to devour the fheep of Chrift; that thou art not able, my foul, to enumerate all the ftratagems, nor to difcover all his devices. But I bewail it, that ftill the prince of this world has fo much in me; and that I am fuch an apt fubject for him to work upon; fo receptive of his impreffions, and fo ready to execute his pleasure; that I have in me (the fomes) the combuftible matter, to take fire, at his ftriking; and by my confenting to him, make myself even one with him. For the body of that death, which I carry ftill about me (and which, alas, I am not like to be quite rid of till the death of the body) it is the handle by which he takes hold of me; and too well does he know how to improve the corrupt principle; to fuit his baits to my humour, and pleafe me into fin and mischief. He takes me on the blind fide, and breaks in at the weak place. And it is not even the grace of God in me, that can keep him off from me. O how can I expect fuch immunity, when even the faints of God, that have the greateft riches of grace about them, are yet moft fu

riously

riously affaulted, and with mighty temptations often fo overpowered and wounded, that they are fain to go halt and maimed to heaven, and with much ado, escape the damnation of hell?

Now does not the Lord fee all this? and could not he prevent it! no doubt of that, my foul; when he has the dragon, that old ferpent, in chains; and by an all-difpofing, and over-ruling hand, reftrains him, and fets his bounds, how far he fhall go, and no further. For what can be done in the world, among his creatures, without the ALMIGHTY's permiffion and concurrence? and for matter of grace and favour, to whom is he a debtor? but he may give or withhold it; where, and when, and how, and to or from whom, he pleases? yet as he cannot be tempted with evil, fo neither tempts he any man; but continues ftill holy and pure, from the fin and blood of all. Though he does not all that ever he can to ftave the tempter off them, yet he gives him no power to force them. So that he cannot prevail upon them, without them; but the divine promife is their protection, that, if they refift him, be fhall fly from them.

The will of God, it is true, is our fanctification; and yet is he pleased, that here we should lie open to temptation, and not be so confirmed in grace as to furmount all the danger of falling into fin, that fo he may keep us humble, and make us better know ourselves, than to be exalted above measure, and grow fupercilious, and difdainful of others; from whom his grace alone has made us to differ. He will let the old fink of corruption remain at the bottom, ftill to fume up, and fometimes break out, in folly and filthinefs; to abase us, in the sense of our vileness; and to make us more circumfpect and vigilant, against the enemies of our own house; and more to admire and magnify the divine mercy, that we are preserved in any integrity and fafety,

amidst all the cruel onfets of our hellifh foes, that the bush on fire, is not confumed; and that the weak veffel, with all the floods, and waters dashing in, is not overwhelmed. O the good hand that keeps us; the almighty grace and love, that is our defence! my foul, fee and bless thy omnipotent Preferver: for, O how long before this day, should I have fallen a prey, and funk into ruin; if my heavenly Father, my kind Saviour, had not been with me, and watchful for good over me; when fo many and mighty foes, within and without, have been all against me!

And now, courage, my foul! and despair not of thy condition, because fore annoyed and pestered with temptation; when even this may help to confirm my perfuafion, that thou haft found favour with heaven, because thou art so affaulted, in the way thither. For the hellish pirates have the bloodiest designs upon the veffels of mercy, that carry the most precious lading of grace, and are bound for the heavenly glory. The tempted cafe, is a common cafe; and the fame afflictions are accomplished on the reft of my brethren that are in the world. Nay, the tempter had the impudence, to fet upon my bleffed Saviour: even the HOLY ONE of GoD, could not efcape him. How then can I look to go free? they that boaft their freedom here, do indeed but divulge their ignorance and shame; that the tempter, who has trodden down their fouls, has alfo blinded their minds, and hardened their hearts, and finds such free egrefs and regress, and has them so fast; that he need not much beftir himself about them; when he has brought them to his own bow, and to do their own bufinefs. Their very fecurity, and fair quarter at his hands, is indeed enough to make them tremble; left they fo lie at his mercy, he counts it worth while then, that way, to wafte his artillery.

VOL. I.

30

But

But bleffed is the man that endures temptation. And even at the fame time, my foul, that thou bewaileft thy fins, thy wounds, thy hurts, in the battle, thy damages and loffes, by temptations; thou mayeft alfo take comfort, and rejoice in the goodnefs of thy God, to fupport thee under all the danger; and to give thee a fenfe of fin, and care to return, and hopes of escape and falvation. O let not all the brushes and buffetings then, which thou haft met with on the way, difhearten thee from proceeding in thy courfe. Though grievous is the conflict, to wound confcience; and the faddeft part of all the rencounter, to offend thy God; yet the Beft of Beings can turn to good even the worft of evils; and to get fafe at laft to heaven, will more than make amends for all; however thou haft been toffed and tumbled about here, and carried by the very gates of hell.

But where thou canft not avoid, yet, my foul, do not tempt temptations; nor throw open the doors to the aggreffor, do not give way to idlenefs; nor indulge to flesh-pampering ; nor run upon the known occafions of falling: fo to fpread the net thyfelf, for the tempter to catch thee. Never confent to be his tool; thus to ferve his turn. Whatever fine baits thou feeft, over the deadly hooks: O look upon it all but as cheat and trick; and fhrink back then, and refift ftedfaft in the faith. And where thou art too weak for the ftrong one, call in a better help than thy own; cry out, like the forced damfel, and make thy complaint to heaven, befeeching the Lord, that the messenger of Satan may depart from thee; that thou mayeft not be tempted above thy ftrength, but receive the power from on high, which may make thee ftrong in the Lord; and mayeft ftill find him greater that is in thee, than he that is in the world, till at laft, thou art got past all the pain and peril, care and concern,

to