the Provocation be what it will, and come from whom it will, let it be offered but once, or repeated never fo often, 'tis all alike. Because in all the over-ruling Hand of God is attended to; and every Thing received, as ordained and originally inflicted by him; and what proceeds from him is always good, and fure to turn to Account. And, as nothing he appoints, tho' feemingly never fo grievous, fhall be to good Mens Disadvantage; fo nothing, tho' never fo flight and defpicable in it felf, when dutifully and decently entertained, fhall be paffed over unrewarded. Arm thy felf therefore for Combat, and decline no Occafion of Engaging that offers, if thou defire the Glory of the Conqueft. Without Fighting thy Way through, there is no coming at the Crown. And they, who refufe to fuffer with Chrift, do in effect, and by neceffary Confequence refufe to reign with him. Stand up then bravely to Afflictions, and quit thy felf like a Man; Repofe and Happiness is what thou coveteft, but thefe are only to be obtained by Labour. Victory and Triumph are the Things thou aimeft at: But who was ever yet fo abfurd, as to think of Triumphs without Enemies and Hardfhips, or of Conquering without a Battel?

Difciple. I acquiefce, dear Lord, in all thou fay'ft: nor will I indulge fuch vain Imaginations. But fince, even where the Spirit is moft willing, the Flesh is miferably weak; affift me, I befeech thee, that by thy Power and Strength I may be able to do, what by my own I cannot accomplish, and Nature is averfe from fo much as attempting. Thou knoweft full well, how little I can bear; how every Shock makes my feeble Heart give ground; Lord, do thou fupport and confirm me, that Tribulation may appear, not only tolerable, but even defirable, in compliance with my Will and my Duty. For, what regret foever Humanity may betray in thefe Cafes, when Danger

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approaches; In my own better Judgment, which confiders Things in the Christian and Spiritual Senfe, I am abundantly fatisfied, how much the harfher Difpenfations of thy Providence conduce to my Soul's Advantage. And, tho' no Chaftifement for the prefent feems joyous but grievous, yet my better Senfe, when I think freely, convinces me of thy Wisdom and Mercy, and that it is even good for me to be afflicted.

CHA P. XXII.

The Infirmities and Miseries of our prefent State.

Difciple.]

Pfal. xxxii.

Will confefs my Unrighteousness unto the Lord, and bewail my Infirmities before him. For every trivial Accident cafts me down, and I am often overwhelm'd with Sorrow, upon Occafions which my calmer Thoughts abundantly convince me, deferve rather my Contempt, than my ferious Concern. Sometimes I fee and condemn my own Folly; and mighty Refolutions I make, how bravely I will behave my felf for the Time to come; and yet, upon the next Affault of fome flight Miffortune, this imaginary Hero is beaten from his Poft, and cannot ftand the Shock of a very common Difficulty. The pooreft and most defpicable Things are, I find, capable of becoming great and dangerous Temptations; And I, who at a diftance defy them, yet, when brought to the Trial, feel, by fad Experience, upon how flippery Ground I stand.

This is indeed the wretched Condition of thy poor unftable Servant: But, Lord, do Thou, in much Compaffion, look upon my Frailty, for thou knoweft it more perfectly than I felf can. Stretch my forth thy Hand, and draw me out of these

Pfal. Ixiv.

deep

deep Waters, and out of this Mire of Sin and Weaknefs, that I fink not in my Corruption. I cannot eafily exprefs the Melancholy Reflections, the Shame and Confufion, the Indignation and fad Perplexity of Heart, which the Consciousnefs of my own Inability to refift Temptations, and the Inconftancy of my best and most vigorous Purposes create; and, tho' my Will be not always vanquished, nor do I (bleffed be God) yield to every wicked Suggestion; yet the repeated Affaults of the Enemy difturb my Quiet, and I am weary of a Life, which confifts of perpetual Hazard, and painful Conflicts with my felf. The Wretchedness of my Condition is but too manifeft: I need no other Argument to prove it, than that eafy Accefs evil Thoughts find in my Breaft. Which, in defpight of all my watchful Care, and most manful Struggles, are much fooner infinuated, and received, than either driven out again, or prevented from entring.

Look down then, thou Almighty Rock of Ifrael, and Lover of Souls, and interpofe thy Power and Protection; Give feasonable Succour, and happy Succefs to my too fruitless Endeavours. Arm and Guard me with Strength from above; and fuffer not the Old Man, the corrupt Inclinations of my Flesh, which refufes to be entirely fubdued and brought to Reafon, to ufurp the Dominion over my better Part. For this Obftinate Rebel renews its Infurrections daily, and bids me Battel; calls me to Combats and hazardous Engagements, which muft never, never end in perfect Peace and Safety, fo long as this miferable State of Mortality endures. Moft miferable indeed; fince every Action and Accident of my Life involves me in fresh Dangers; fince every Step I take is upon Snares and Precipices; fince every Time and Place is thick befet with Troubles and Toils, with Treachery and Temptation, and a numerous Hoft of Enemies ready

to devour and fwallow me up. For fatal uninterrupted Succeffions of Trials every Moment renew their Attacks; and when I have happily vanquifh'd many, and fondly promife my felf a Truce, as many more immediately draw down upon me, and make fiercer and more furious Attempts upon fome other Quarter, which I hoped had been fufficiently covered from their Approaches.

And can a Life, fubject to fuch Surprizes and Ha zards, embittered with fo many Troubles and fevere Trials, incumbred with fo much Frailty and Corruption, be valued and mightily coveted? Nay, cant That deferve the very Name of Life, which naturally breeds Plagues and Difeafes, and expofes us to fuch variety of Deaths? Yet ftupid Man hugs, and em braces, and efteems it his only Happinefs; expects Eafe in the midst of Diftraction, purfues Joys in a Valley of Tears, and vainly fets up for the boafted Perfection of Pleasure, in a Condition of inevitableMifery, and lingring, certain Pain. Sometimes indeed the tender Senfe of fome Affliction cuts us to the quick, and in our Melancholy Moods, we give the World hard Words; call it Deceitful, Treacherous, and Vain; but even they who Rail at it moft Liberally, and profefs to Hate and Defpife it, cannot be prevailed with to be content to leave it. The Flesh and its Affections have still a powerful Influence, and fpur Men on to the Purfuit and Love of thofe very Enjoyments, which Reafon and their own Experience have taught them, cannot be worth their Pains, nor in any degree anfwer their deluded Expectations. For we muft obferve, that our Love and Hatred of this World proceed from very different Caufes and Principles. The Luft of the Flesh, the Luft of the Eye, and 1 John iii. the Pride of Life, engage our Affections; and these are ever prefent, and ever vehement with us. The Calamities and Griefs, and Pains we feel,

pro

provoke our Hatred and Contempt, and reprefent Life a Burden and Mifery; and these have their Intervals, and work upon us feebly and by Fits. The Former too ftrike in with Inclination, and are affifted by Nature; the Latter have no Influence upon us, but what their own Weight gives; all their Impreffions are forcible and violent, heavy and painful, and fuch as we fubmit to, only because we cannot help it,

Thus Senfe and finful Pleafure get within us, and, which is very lamentable, debauch our Reafon. The prefent Ticklings of the Body cheat the Mind, and vitiate our Palates to that degree, that, being prepoffeffed with a falfe Taste of Worldly Sweets, we have no Relish left for that delicious Entertainment, with which God and Religion feed and feaft the Pure and Heavenly-minded Soul. For, O! thofe happy Men, who have learnt to defpife and abandon earthly Things, and confecrated themfelves entirely to God, by Mortification, Self-denial, and a fteady.Course of fevere Virtue; thefe exalted Spirits know and feel the Truth of God and his Promifes; They find unspeakable Charms and fenfible Delights, in the voluntary Refufal of thofe Toys and Baits, which cannot be had with Satisfaction, nor coveted with Safety. They fee, and defpife, and pity, the Folly of abufed Mankind; discover the lurking Frauds of the Tempter; and, that the imagined Happiness and boasted Pleafures of fenfual and earthly Men, are only Snares and Dangers, Vanity and Cheat.

CHAP.