confident, that we shall not be surprised with them: though all men should fall into these follies, yet we would not; surely we shall never go off from our walking with God; it is impossible our hearts should be so sottish: but says the apostle, 'Be not high minded, but fear; let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.' Wouldest thou think that Peter, who had walked on the sea with Christ, confessed him to be the Son of God, been with him on the mount when he heard. the voice from the excellent glory, should at the word of a şervant-girl, when there was no legal inquisition after him, no process against him, nor any one in his condition, instantly fall a cursing and swearing that he knew him not? Let them take heed of self-confidence who have any mind to take heed of sin. And this is the first thing in our watching, to consider well the seasons wherein temptation usually makes its approaches to the soul, and be armed against. them. And these are some of the seasons, wherein temptations are nigh at hand.

CHAP. VII.

Several acts of watchfulness against temptation proposed. Watch the heart. What it is to be watched in and about. Of the snares lying in men's natural tempers. Of peculiar lusts. Of occasions suited to them. Watching to lay in provision against temptation. Directions for watchfulness in the first approaches of temptation. Directions after entering into temptation.

THAT part of watchfulness against temptation which we have considered, regards the outward means, occasions, and advantages of temptation; proceed we now to that which respects the heart itself which is wrought upon, and entangled by temptation: watching or keeping of the heart, which above all keepings we are obliged unto, comes within the compass of this duty also; for the right performance whereof, take these ensuing directions:

1. Let him that would not enter into temptation labour to know his own heart, to be acquainted with his own spirit, his natural frame and temper, his lusts and corruptions, his natural, sinful, or spiritual weaknesses, that finding where

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his weakness lies, he may be careful to keep at a distance from all occasions of sin.

Our Saviour tells the disciples, that 'they knew not what spirit they were of;' which, under a pretence of zeal betrayed them into ambition and desire of revenge. Had they known it, they would have watched over themselves. David tells us, Psal. xviii. 23. that he considered his ways, and kept himself from his iniquity,' which he was particularly prone unto.

There are advantages for temptations lying oftentimes in men's natural tempers and constitutions; some are naturally gentle, facile, easy to be entreated, pliable, which though it be the noblest temper of nature, and the best and choicest ground, whien well broken up and fallowed for grace to grow in, yet if not watched over, will be a means of innumerable surprisals and entanglements in temptation, Others are earthy, froward, morose; so that envy, malice, selfishness, peevishness, harsh thoughts of others, repinings, lie at the very door of their natures, and they can scarce step out, but they are in the snare of one or other of them; others are passionate, and the like. Now he that would watch that he enter not into temptation, had need be acquainted with his own natural temper: that he may watch over the treacheries that lie in it continually; take heed lest you have a Jehu in you, that shall make you drive furiously; or, a Jonah in you, that will make you ready to repine; or a David that will make you hasty in your determinations, as he was often in the warmth and goodness of his natural temper. He who watches not this thoroughly, who is not exactly skilled in the knowledge of himself, will never be disentangled from one temptation or another, all his days.

Again, as men have peculiar natural tempers, which according as they are attended or managed, prove a great fomes of sin, or advantage to the exercise of grace; so men may have peculiar lusts or corruptions, which either by their natural constitution or education and other prejudices, have got deep rooting and strength in them. This, also, is to be found out by him, who would not enter into temptation. Unless he know it, unless his eyes be always on it, unless he observes its actings, motions, advantages, it will continually be entangling and ensnaring of him. This, then, is our sixth direction in this kind; labour to know thine own frame and

temper, what spirit thou art of; what associates in thy heart Satan hath, where corruption is strong, where grace is weak; what strong hold lust hath in thy natural constitution, and the like. How many have all their comforts blasted, and peace disturbed, by their natural passion and peevishness? How many are rendered useless in the world, by their frowardness and discontent? How many are disquieted even by their own gentleness and facility? Be acquainted then with thine own heart, though it be deep, search it: though it be dark, inquire into it: though it give all its distempers other names, than what are their due, believe it not. Were not men utter strangers to themselves, did they not give flattering titles to their natural distempers, did they not strive rather to justify, palliate, or excuse the evils of their hearts, that are suited to their natural tempers and constitutions, than to destroy them, and by these means keep themselves off from taking a clear and distinct view of them; it were impossible that they should all their days hang in the same briars without attempt for deliverance; uselessness and scandal in professors, are branches growing constantly on this root of unacquaintedness with their own frame and temper; and how few are there, who will either study them themselves, or bear with those who would acquaint them with them?

2. When thou knowest the state and condition of thy heart, as to the particulars mentioned, watch against all such occasions and opportunities, employments, societies, retirements, businesses, as are apt to entangle thy natural temper, or provoke thy corruption.

It may be, there are some ways, some societies, some businesses, that thou never in thy life escapedst them, but sufferedst by them more or less, through their suitableness to entice, or provoke thy corruption. It may be thou art in a state and condition of life, that weary thee day by day, on the account of thy ambition, passion, discontent or the like; if thou hast any love to thy soul, it is time for thee to awake, and to deliver thyself as a bird from the evil snare. Peter will not come again in haste to the high-priest's hall, nor would David walk again in the top of his house, when he should have been in the high places of the field. But the particulars of this instance are so various, and of such several natures in respect of several persons, that it is impos

sible to enumerate them; Prov. iv. 14, 15. Herein lies no small part of that wisdom, which consists in our ordering our conversation aright. Seeing we have so little power over our hearts, when once they meet with suitable provocations, we are to keep them asunder, as a man would do fire and the combustible parts of the house wherein he dwells.

3. Be sure to lay in provision in store, against the approaching of any temptation.

This also belongs to our watchfulness over our hearts. You will say, what provision is intended, and where is it to be laid up? Our hearts, as our Saviour speaks, are our treasury. There we lay up whatever we have, good or bad; and thence do we draw it, for our use; Matt. xii. 35. It is the heart, then, wherein provision is to be laid up against temptation. When an enemy draws nigh to a fort or castle to besiege and take it; oftentimes if he find it well manned, and furnished with provision for a siege, and so able to hold out, he withdraws and assaults it not. If Satan, the prince of this world come, and find our hearts fortified against his batteries, and provided to hold out, he not only departs, but as James says, he flies; he will fly from us, James iv. 7. for the provision to be laid up, it is that which is provided in the gospel for us. Gospel provisions will do this work; that is, keep the heart full of a sense of the love of God in Christ: this is the greatest preservative against the power of temptation in the world. Joseph had this; and therefore, on the first appearance of temptation, he cries out; 'How can I do this great evil, and sin against God?' And there is an end of the temptation, as to him, it lays no hold on him, but departs. He was furnished with such a ready sense of the love of God, as temptation could not stand before; Gen. xxxviii. 9. The love of Christ constrains us,' saith the apostle, 'to live to him,' 2 Cor. v. 14. and so consequently, to withstand temptation. A man may, nay, he ought to lay in provisions of the law also; fear of death, hell, punishment, with the terror of the Lord in them. But these are far more easily conquered than the other: nay, they will never stand alone against a vigorous assault. They are conquered, or convinced persons every day: hearts stored with them will struggle for awhile, but quickly give over. But store the heart with a sense of the love of God in Christ; with the

eternal design of his grace, with a taste of the blood of Christ, and his love in the shedding of it; get a relish of the privileges we have thereby; our adoption, justification, acceptation with God; fill the heart with thoughts of the beauty of holiness, as it is designed by Christ, for the end, issue, and effect of his death, and thou wilt in an ordinary course of walking with God, have great peace and security as to the disturbance of temptations. When men can live and plod on in their profession, and not be able to say, when they had any living sense of the love of God, or of the privileges which we have in the blood of Christ; I know not what they can have to keep them from falling into snares. The apostle tells us, that the peace of God, ppovpýσε ràç Kaρdías, Phil. iv.7. shall keep our hearts; ppoúpa, is a military word, a garrison; and so pрovρno, is, 'shall keep as in a garrison.' Now a garrison hath two things attending it. First, That it is exposed to the assaults of its enemies. Secondly, That safety lies in it from their attempts.. It is so with our souls: they are exposed to temptations, assaulted continually: but if there be a garrison in them, or if they be kept as in a garrison, temptation shall not enter, and consequently we shall not enter into temptation. Now how is this done? Saith he, The peace of God shall do it. What is 'this peace of God?' A sense of his love and favour in Jesus Christ. Let this abide in you, and it shall garrison you against all assaults whatever: besides, there is that in an especial manner, which is also in all the rest of the directions; namely, that the thing itself lies in a direct opposition to all the ways and means that temptation can make use of, to approach unto our souls. Contending to obtain, and keep, a sense of the love of God in Christ, in the nature of it, obviates all the workings and insinuations of temptation. Let this be a third direction, then, in our watching against temptation, lay in store of gospel provisions, that may make the soul a defenced place, against all the assaults thereof.

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4. In the first approach of any temptation, as we are all tempted, these directions following are also suited to carry on the work of watching, which we are in the pursuit of.

(1.) Be always awake, that thou mayest have an early discovery of thy temptation; that thou mayest know it so to be. Most men perceive not their enemy, until they are