rather than from a firm belief of that Death spoken of, fortifying her felf in her Duty; by all which Satan was fo encouraged to proceed, that he prefently confirmed her in her Diftruft. Fourthly, Thefe difputings ufually return nothing of advantage to our account, but to Satans. We unneceffarily enter the Lifts with him,and that upon very unequal terms,he being (as Saul faid of Goliah and Davidja Man of War from bis Youth and we but weak unskilful Striplings; we go out of our Trenches and leave our Weapons behind us,we expofe our naked Breafts to all his Darts, and by difcourfing with him he gains time, wherein the Poyfon may more powerfully work upon our Affections. If he was too hard for our first Parents at this Weapon, we whofe Hearts are not fo faithful to God, as theirs in Innocency, but corrupted by Satan (who hath alfo a Party in us) are not likely to come off with Triumph. Fifthly, Thefe prefage (confequently) an overthrow. A parlying City holds, not long out, it implyes in it felf an inclination to yield, when Armies are willing to Treat. Daily Examples and Experience of thofe that give up theinfelves to Sin after Communication with Satan, fadly witness this Truth The Sum of this Direction is this, that when a Motion of Sin is put into our heart, instead of difputing (where it may be avoided) we should peremptorily deny it, and fend it away with an angry rebuke, or fevere Abomination, I may not do it: bar can I do this Wickedneß? Get thee bence: or, The Lord Rebuke thee, Satan. CHAP. 3. Direct. CHA P. XXIV. The third Direction of repelling a Temptation without delay: the neceffity of fo doing. What a speedy denial doth contain. The Temptations are best answered when they are prefently denyed, and forthwith repelled. The Direction is of great Importance, 'tis not for us to pass by a Temptation with Silence,or to defer an Answer; For thefe Reafons: First, The nature of Temptations, as dangerous or infectious, doth fufficiently inforce a neceffity of their speedy removal. Things of danger require a fudden stop. If Poyfon be taken into the Body, we speedily labour to caft it up, or to overcome it by Antidotes. We labour to stay the spreading of a Gangreen prefently. Who thinks it fit to delay, when Fire hath taken hold upon an House. Serò Medi- The very opportunity of help, is in the Speediness of the endeavour. 'Tis too late to bring Water when the Houfe is confumed, too late cum mala per to apply a Remedy, when the Disease hath conquered. They that longas conva- confider what a Temptation is, will fee no reafen to move flowly -Serò cina paratur, uere moras. in oppofing. Secondly, Silence encourageth Satan. 'Tis not with him, as 'tis with Men: 'Tis the Policy of fome, to overlook their Petitioners, and and by filence to feare them from any further addrefs, but Satan hath more impudence than to be put out of countenance by delay; and more active Malice, than to be difcouraged by filence; nay it doth on the contrary imbolden him. Modeft requests are difheartned by Silence, but fuch Motions, which by their nature imply a difgrace, and carry no reason for their Acceptance, but what they expect to find in the confent of thofe to whom they are made, if they be not presently refused, they give encouragement to hope for entertainment. An immodeft requeft to a chaft Matron, if not forthwith exprelly abominated, encourageth to further attempts. Sin being fo great an affront to an holy Heart, the Motion of it cannot be entertained with Silence, but Satan is imboldned to expect confent in time, and follows his advantage accordingly. He ufually flies at a valiant peremptory refiftance; but if the pulfe of the Soul beat flowly upon the Motion, he grounds his hope upon that, and is animated to a further procedure. Thirdly, Our wills are apt to be inclined by delay. Though grace have made ftraight our crooked natures, yet we ftill carry fuch a Sway to our former difpofitions, that a small thing (having the advantage of our natural Bias and inclination) makes us (like a deceitful Bow) turn to our old stand. For the understanding and will of the Regenerate are but imperfecily good, the faculties that should obey are unruly; in fuch a cafe how dangerous may delays prove? Who will fuffer a feditious Incendiary in an Army, formerly inclined to Mutiny? Who will permit Leaven to remain in that Mass, which he defires may not be leavened,and not quickly remove it? Who will neglect a spark upon dry Tinder, (that would not have it confumed) and not inftantly put it out? If it was fo great a mischief to Eve in Innocency (as hath been faid) to delay her pèremptory denial, of how much greater hazard is it to us? Delays are dangerous, to a very Proverb, and Silence may end in Confent. Fourthly, Silence is alfo fome degree of confent. 'Tis ftrange to find a Man delaying an answer to Temptation, and yet no way guilty of confenting. In things that are to be oppofed with care and hatred, no Man can withhold his Hand without blame he that is not against Satan (who is to be perpetually refifted) is fo far for Differre juftibim, as he is not against him. He that delays Juftice which is due, time t negare denies it. The Judge in the Parable was called unjuft, not becaufe ui iam he had devoured the Widows Houle, but because he deferred to Qi non prodo her right. He that hinders not evil when, and as foon as he can, tett, jubet, Cc doth libet cum po mihi caftita tem, fed noli doth command and approve it. Thefe are received Axioms amongst Men, and have the fame truth in them, if applyed to refiftance of Temptations. And this may further appear by confidering (1.) The weakness of the will in the Regenerate. When our wills are really fet upon good and against evil, yet we cannot say, they are perfecily for the one, and againft the other, but that there is ftill some degree of averfenefs to good, and of inclination to evil in our wills, or elfe we fhould not meet with complainings-of Imperfections under fincere refiftances; as in the Apostle, the evil that I would not, that do I. (2.) The Acts of the will in confenting may be fo fudden, fhort, and quick, that they may be almost insensible, and as forward, and ready as the Motion. (3.) The will may be interpretatively voluntary and confenting, when yet it forms not in it felf any pofitive approbation; it may be guilty in that it doth not more strongly and speedily diffent: for the fufpenfion or negation of the wills act (where it ought to act) cannot avoid the charge of coming short of Duty. Fifthly, Not to answer prefently, is to lofe the best opportunity of answering. 'Tis lefs dangerous, more eafy, more comfortable to be Speedy in denial. The fooner Fire is put out, or the Difeafe is ftayed,the lefs hurt is done, and 'tis far lefs labour to quench a Spark, than a Flames to pluck up a young Plant, than an old Standard; to kill the Cockatrice in the Egg A Temptation oppofed fpeedily, is with greater ease overcome,than after it hath fetled though but a Ego adolefcens little; for it prefently makes a Party within us, our Affections are petieram a te caftitatem, & foon engaged, our Understanding foon bribed; and then we have dixeram; da not only Satan but our felves to oppofe; and this felf fo divided, that when we come to fight, our Wills are against our Wills; our modo; time Affections against our Affections; our Wishes and Prayers clash and contradict each other. As Austin confeffeth of himfelf, I prayed me citò exau- (faid he) and then feared left thou shouldst hear me too foon; I defidires & cito red to fatisfy, rather than to extinguish Luft. At the first Affault, the fanares, male- Soul is oft in a better posture, more unanimous and confiftent with it banı explere quam extingui. felf; than is the golden opportunity of refiftance. For (as one faith) Confifl. 8.c.7. 'tis better to do it while reafon is on our fide, than when both Rea * Greenham on fon and Affection Conspire against us. And Laftly, It would be more Pfal. 119. 101. Honour and Satisfaction to us, rather not to have admitted fuch a Turpius ejicitur quam non Gueft, then after fuch admittance into our Thoughts, to be forced to cast him out. In the review of our Actions we shall have more comfort to have been refolute against any fin,than to hold our peace.. bam enim ne admittitur hofpes. The The neceffity of a quick and fpeedy rejection of a finful Motion is then beyond difpute, and there needs no more to be faid for the explanation of this Direction, but an account of what is implyed in a speedy denyals it contains these four things. Firft, That it mult issue from a fixed determination against Sin. Some refufe a Temptation with the fame Mind, that carryed Lot's Wife out of Sodom, and are forced beyond their own inclination, but these go not far till they look back; and no wonder: for if he that is fincerely peremptory against Sin at the first Motion, may by the Sollicitation of the Flesh be inclined afterward, there is little expectation that he whom the first Motion finds indifferent, and but coldly denying, fhould hold out long. But that refusal that muft give any encouragement to hopes of fuccefs, must be an Answer of holy indignation against the offer of Temptation, and that confirmed into a ferious refolve of heart not to yeild. Secondly, This pofitive denyal must be also wifely jealous of Satan, in Motions that are unlikely, or that may feem Light, little, and not directly intended. Though it may be but a tranfient Glance, or a thing that is out of our Road, yet must nothing be contemned or undervalued. Jealousy will take notice of small actions or circumftances, and no lefs fufpitious muft we be of every proffer made to us, left Satan by any means get an advantage against us. Thirdly, The refufal muft be fo quick, that it may be ready to take the Temptation by the Throat. At the firft Motion or rifing of it in our Mind, we muft endeavour to ftifle it in the Birth, that it may be as the untimely Fruit of a Woman, that never fees the Sun; wémuft not give it time to grow up to a Rod of Wickedneß, but muft nip it in the earliest buddings of it. 'Tis the nature of Grace (if we do but faithfully pursue the inclinations of it) to be quick in its oppofitions fo doth the Apostles phrase teach us, Gal. 5. 17. The Flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh: the Spirit is as ready to repel, as the Flefh to fuggeft; no fooner doth the one ftir, but the other is ready with an oppofition, and the reafon of it, is from the active contrariety that is betwixt them; for fo the word, aliuerta there ufed, would exprefs it; they are fworn Enemies, animated by principles of conftant oppofition, as Water and Fire are, which cannot meet in peace together, but a prefent noife and Combate is raised from this conjunction. Fourthly, When this is done, we muft endeavour to maintain, and flick to our first difallowance. A Child of God (I know) in finful Cc 2 yeild |