know fo much of thyfelf, that it is impoffible any should lay thee lower, or have bafer thoughts of thee than thou haft of thyself. Some render the original of that text, Hab. ii. 5. thus: "The proud "man is as he that tranfgreffeth by wine;" and drunkards, you know, are quarrelfome. O get more humility, and that will bring

you more peace.

Means 2. Be often fweetening your fpirits in communion with God, and they will not easily be imbittered with wrath towards men.

A quiet confcience never produced an unquiet converfation: the peace of God doth Beaß, rule in the heart, as an umpire appeafing ftrifes; for fo much that word, Col. iii. 15. imports. Wrath and ffrife are hugely oppofite to the frame and temper of a spiritual heart, because inconfiftent with the delight and contentment of that dove-like fpirit which loves a fedate and quiet breast. O! faith the foul that feeds upon the sweet communion of the Spirit, fhall the fparks of provocations now catch in my paffions, and raise such a smoke in my foul, as will offend and drive away the Comforter from me? This is fo effectual a remedy against paffion, that I durft almost venture, in a Chrif tian of a hafty nature, to make long-suffering a fign of communion with God. Seeft thou fuch a Chriftian quiet and calm under provocations, it is very like his foul feeds upon fuch fweetnefs in God as he is loth to leave; and on the other fide, feest thou a Christian turbulent and clamorous, doubtlefs, all is not well within; his fpirit is like a bone out of joint, which cannot move without pain and trouble.

Means 3. Get due apprehenfions of the evil nature and effects of finful? anger: Ira furor brevis; anger is a fhort madness, (faith one;) Ira animæ febris, (faith another;) anger is the fever of the foul; It is the interregnum and eclipse of reason, (faith a third).

The effects of it are also very fad.

(1.) It grieves the Spirit of God," Eph. iv. 30. banishes him from that breast in which it rages and tumultuates: God is the God of peace; the prefence and comforts of God are only enjoyed in a calm. It is a golden note one gives upon the forecited text, God doth not usually blefs with peace of confcience, fuch as make no conscience of peace. (2.) It gives advantage to the devil, Eph. iv. 26, 27. Satan is an angry and difcontented spirit, and finds no rest but in restless hearts? he lives like the falamander, in fires of contention he beftirs himself when the fpirits are in a commotion; fometimes he fills the heart with revengeful thoughts, fometimes he fills the lips, and inflames the tongue with indecent language; even a meek Mofes fometimes fpeaks unadvisedly with his lips. (3.) It dif-tunes the fpirit for duty; upon this account the apostle diffuades husbands and wives from jarring carriages and contentions, that their prayers be not hindered, 1 Pet. iii. 7. All acts of worthip muft be fuitable to the object of worship; but God is the God of peace, the God of love. VOL. V.

3 P

(4.) To mention no more, it difparages the Chriftian religion. How would Plato and Pythagoras fhame us, if they were now living? Chrift was a lamb for meekness, and doth it become his followers to be like lions? O keep your hearts, or you will at once lofe not only your own peace, but the credit of religion.

Means 4. Confider how feet a thing it is to a Chriflian to conquer bis corruptions, and carry away the fpoils of them.

"He that is flow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that "ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a city," Prov. xvi. 32. Is there any content in venting a paffion? How much more in mortifying it? When thou comeft in a calm mood, or upon a death-bed to review thy life, how comfortable then will it be to reflect upon the conquefts thou haft got by the fear of God, over the evil propenfions of thine own heart! It was a memorable saying of Valentinian the emperor when he came to die: Amongst all my conquefts (faid he) there is but one that now comforts me; and being asked what that was, he answered, I have overcome my worst enemy, mine own naughty heart.'

Means 5. Shame yourselves by fetting before you thofe eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness.

Above all, compare your fpirits with the Spirit of Chrift; "Learn "of me (faith he), for I am meek and lowly," Matth. xi. 29. Chrift was meek and lowly, but I am proud and paffionate; it was the high commendation of Mofes Numb. xii. 3. "Now the man Mofes was "meek above all the men of the earth: and this was the man that "knew God to face." It is faid of Calvin and Urfin, that they both were of choleric natures, but yet had fo learned the meeknefs of Christ as not to utter one word, under the greatest provocation, unbefeeming religion. When I read the pretty ftories of the very heathens that never had the advantages that we have, how the Py thagoreans, whatever feuds had been among them in the day, would hufh all by fending to each other this meflage, The fun is almost fet; and that of Plato to his fcholar, I would beat thee if I were not angry. When I read what lenity and tendernefs Lycurgus fhewed to an infolent fellow that had fìruck out one of his eyes, I am ashamed to fee how much Chriftians are out-fhot by heathens; who, by mere moral arguments and precepts, had thus meekened their fpirits, and conquered their paffions. The dim light of nature could teach Seneca to fay, 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 fhame that these men who came fo far behind us in means and advantages, fhould fo far out-ftrip us in meeknefs and patience.

Means 6. Laftly, Avoid all irritating occafions.

He that will not hear the clapper, muft not pull the rope : "Grie"vous words stir up anger," faith Solomon, Prov. xv. I. only pray, nd refolve against it, but get as far as you can out of the

Do not

way of it, it is true fpiritual valour, to run as faft, and far as we can, out of fin's way: If you can but avoid anger in its first rife, there is no great fear of it afterwards; for it is not with this fin as it is with other fins; other fins grow to their full ftrength by degrees, their first motions are the weakeft; but this fin is born in its full ftrength, it is strongest at firft; withstand it then, and it falls before you. Thus learn to keep your hearts when provocations arife.

Seafon 9 The ninth feafon of exerting our greatest diligence, Is, the critical hour of temptation, wherein Satan lays clofe fiege to the 'fort-royal of a Chriftian's heart, and often furprizes it for want of ⚫ watchfulness: to keep the heart now, is no lefs a mercy than a duty; few Chriftian's are fo well fkilled in detecting the fallacies, and retorting the arguments by which Satan uses to draw them to fin, as to come off fafe in thofe encounters. Watch and pray (faith "our Lord) left ye enter into temptation," Mark xiv. 38. Even i an eminent David, and a wife Solomon, have finarted for their careleffness, at such a time as this. The ninth cafe therefore shall be this, Cafe 9. How a Chriftian, when frongly folicited by the devil to fin may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation.

Now there are fix fpecial arguments by which Satan fubtilly infinuates and winds in the temptation; in all which I fhall offer thee fome help for the keeping of thy heart; and the first is this:

Argument, 1. The first argument is drawn from the pleasure of fin: O (faith Satan) here is pleasure to be enjoyed: the temptation comes with a fmiling countenance, and charming voice: what, art thou fo phlegmatic and dull a foul, as not to feel the powerful charms of pleafure? Who can with-hold himself from fuch 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.

ver. 3.

neither

1. Thou telleft me, Satan, that fin is pleasant; be it so: But are the gripes of confcience, and the flames of hell fo too? Is it pleafant to feel the wounds and throbs of confcience? If fo, why did Peter weep fo bitterly? Matth. xxvi. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones? Pfal. li. I hear what thou fayeft of the pleasure of fin, and I have read what David hath said of the terrible effects of fin in his Pfalm to bring to remembrance, Pfal. xxxviii. ver. 2. "Thine "arrows stick faft in me, and thy hand preffeth me fore" "There is no foundness in my flesh because of thine anger; "is there any reft in my bones, because of my fin:" ver. 4. "mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden; they "are too heavy for me:" ver. 5. "My wounds ftink, and are cor" rupt, because of my foolishness:" ver. 6. "I am troubled, I am "bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long:" ver. 7. "My loins are filled with a loathfome disease, and there is no found"nefs in my flesh," ver. 8. "I am feeble and fore broken, I have "roared by reafon of the difquietnefs of my heart."

.. For

Here I fee the true face of fin; if I yield to thy temptation, I muft either feel thefe pangs of confcience, or the flames of hell.

2. What talkeft thou of the pleasure of fin, when, by experience, I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification, than can be in the commiflion of fin? O how fweet is it to please God, to obey confcience, to preferve inward peace! To be able to fay, in this trial, I have difcovered the fincerity of my heart; now I know I fear the Lord, now I fee that I truly hate fin. Hath fin any fuch delight as this? This will choak that temptation.

Arg. 2. The fecond argument is drawn from the fecrecy of fin. O(faith Satan) this fin will never difgrace thee abroad, none shall

know it.

This argument may be retorted, and the heart fecured thus: thou fayeft, none thall know it; but, Satan, canft thou find a place void of the divine prefence for me to fin in? Thus Job fecured his heart • from this temptation, Job xiii. 4. "Doth he not fee my ways, and "count all my steps?" Therefore he makes a covenant with his eyes, ver. 1. After the fame manner Solomon teacheth us to retort this temptation, Prov. v. 20, 21. "And why my fon wilt thou be "ravified with a strange woman, and embrace the bofom of a stranct ger? For the ways of man arc before the eyes of the Lord, and "he pondereth all his goings." What if I hide it from the eyes o all the world for the prefent? I cannot hide it from God; and the time is at hand, when all the world fhall know it too; for the word affures me, Luke viii. 17. "That what now is done in fecret, shall

of

be proclaimed as upon the houfe top." Befides, is not my confcience as a thousand witneffes! Do I owe no reverence to myself? Could the heathen man fay, Turpe quid aufurus, te fine tefte time; When thou art tempted to commit fin, fear thyfelf without any other witnefs: And fhall not I be afraid to fin before mine own confcience, which always hath a reproof in its mouth, or a pen in its hand, to record my moft fecret actions?

Arg. 3. The third argument by which Satan tempteth to fin is taken from the gain and profit arifing out of it: why fo nice and fcrupulous? it is but to ftretch the confcience a little, and thou mayeft make thyfelf: now is thy opportunity!

The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous fnare by retorting the temptation thus: But what a profit will it be, if a man ;fhould gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his foul? Shall I hazard thee for all the good that is in this world? There is an immortal fpirit dwelling in this earthly tabernacle, of more value than all earthly things, which muft live to all eternity when this world fhall lie in white alhes. A foul for which Jefus Chrift fhed his precious and invaluable blood. I was fent into this world to provide for this foul; indeed God hath alfo committed to me the care of my body, but, (as one happily ex

Golpel-Glafs, p. 3.

preffes it) with this difference; a master commits two things to a fervant-the child, and the child's clothes; will the mafter thank the fervant, if he plead, I have kept the clothes, but I have neglected the life of the child?

Arg. 4. The fourth argument is drawn from the smallness of the fin; it is but a little one, a fmall matter, a trifle; who would stand upon fuch niceties?

This argument may be retorted three ways.

1. But is the majefty of heaven a little one too? If I commit this fin, I must offend and wrong a great God, Ifa. xl. 15, 16, 17,-22.

2. Is there any little hell to torment little finners in? Are not the leaft finners there filled with the fulness of wrath? O there is great wrath treasured up for fuch as the world counts little finners.

3. The lefs the fin, the lefs the inducement to commit it: What, fhall I break with God for a trifle? Destroy my peace, wound my confcience, grieve the Spirit, and all this for nothing? O what madnefs is this!

Arg. 5. A fifth argument is drawn from the grace of God, and hopes of pardon: Come, God will pafs by this as an infirmity, he will not be extreme to mark it;

But ftay, my heart;

1. Where do I find a promife of mercy to prefumptuous finners? Indeed for involuntary furprisals, unavoidable aud lamented infirmities, there is a pardon of courfe; but where is the promise to a daring finner, that fins upon prefumption of pardon? Paufe a while, my foul, upon that fcripture, Numb. xv. 27,-30. "And if a foul "fin through ignorance, then he shall bring a the-goat of the first "year for a fin-offering, &c. But the foul that doth ought prefump"tuoufly, the fame reproacheth the Lord, and that foul fhall be cut "off from among his people."

2. If God be a God of fo much mercy, how can I abuse so good a God? fhall I take fo glorious an attribute as the mercy of God is, and abuse it unto fin? Shall I wrong him because he is good? Or should not rather the goodness of God lead me to repentance? Rom. ii. 4. "There is mercy with thee that thou mayeft be feared," Pfal. ::

CXXX. 4.

Arg. 6. Lafly, Sometimes Satan encourages to fin from the examples of good and holy men; thus and thus they have finned and been reftored, therefore this may confift with grace, and thou be faved nevertheless. The danger of this temptation is avoided, and the heart fecured, by retorting the argument thefe three ways:

1. Though good men may commit the fame fin materially, which I am tempted to, yet did ever any good man venture to fin upon fuch a ground and encouragement as this?

2. Did God record thefe examples for my imitation, or for my warning? Are they not set up as fea-marks, that I might avoid the rocks upon which they split? 1 Cor. x. 6. " Now these were our