LXXX sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London whereof nine of them not till now published / by the late eminent and learned divine Anthony Farindon ... ; in two volumes, with a large table to both.

PART III.

MATTH. XXIV. 42.

Watch therefore, &c.

WE have seen Christ our Lord at the right hand of God; considered him, 1. as our Lord, 2. as coming, 3. as keeping from our eye and knowledge the time of his coming: And now what inference can we make? He is a Lord, and shall we not fear him? To come, and shall we not expect him? To come at an hour we know not, and shall we not watch? This every one of them naturally and necessarily affordeth and no other con∣clusion can be drawn from them. But when we consult with Flesh and Blood, we force false conclusions even from the Truth it self, and, to please and flatter our sensual part, conclude against Nature, to destroy our selves. Sensuality is the greatest Sophister that is, worketh Darkness out of Light, Poyson out of Physick, Sin out of Truth. See what paralogismes she maketh; God is merciful; Therefore presume. He is patient; Therefore provoke him. He delayeth his coming, We may now beat our fellow-servants, and eat and drink with the drunken. It is uncertain when he will come; Therefore he will never come. This is the reasoning of Flesh and Blood; this is the Devils Logick. And therefore that we be not deceived, nor deceive our selves with these Fallacies, behold, here Wisdome it self hath shewn us a more excellent way, and drawn the Conclusion to our hands; VIGILATE ERGO; He is a Lord, and to come, and at an hour ye know not of; Watch therefore.

And this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Vigilate, is verbum vigilans, as Augustine speaketh, a waking, busy, stirring word, and implieth, as the Scholiast telleth us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all manner of care and circumspection, And what are all the Exhortations in Scripture but a commentary and ex∣position of this Duty? There we find it rendred by Awaking, Working, Running, Striving, Fasting, Praying. We shall find it to be Repentance, Faith, spiritual Wisdome, that golden chain wherein all Virtues and Gra∣ces, that Ʋniversitas donorum, as Tertullian speaketh, that Academy, that World of spiritual Gifts meet and are united. When we awake, we watch to look about and see what danger is near. When we work, we watch till our work be brought to perfection, that no trumpet scatter our Alms, no hypocrisie corrupt our Fast, no unrepented sin deny our Pray∣ers,

no wandring thought defile our Chastity, no false fire kindle our Zeal, no lukewarmness dead our Devotion. When we strive, we watch that lust which is must predominant. And Faith, if it be not dead, hath a restless eye, an eye that never sleepeth, which maketh us even here on earth like unto the Angels. For so Anastasius defining an Angel, calleth him a reasonable creature, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such a one as never sleepeth. Corde vigila, fide vigila, spe vigila, charitate vigila, saith S. Augustine. An active Faith, a waking Heart, a lively Hope, a spreading Charity, Assiduity and perseverance in the work of this Lord, these make up the VIGILATE, the Watching here. These are the seals, Faith, Hope, and Charity; set them on, and the Watch is sure. But this is too general.

To give you yet a more particular account, we must consider first, That God hath made man a Judge and Lord of all his actions, and given him that freedom and power which is libripens emancipati à Deo boni,* 1.1 doth hold as it were the ballance, and weigh and poyse both good and evil, and may touch or strike which scale it please, that either Good shall out weigh Evil, or Evil Good. For Man is not evil by necessity or chance, but by his will alone. See,* 1.2 I have set before thee this day Life and Good, Death and Evil: Therefore chuse Life. Secondly, God hath pla∣ced an apparancy of some good on that which is evil, by which Man may be wooed and enticed to it; and an apparency of smart and evil on that which is good, Difficulty, Calamity, Persecution, by which he may be frighted from it. But then thirdly, he hath given him an Under∣standing, by which he may discover the horrour of Evil, though coloured over and drest with the best advantage to deceive; and behold the beau∣ty and glory of that which is good, though it be discouloured and de∣faced with the blackness and darkness of this world. He hath given him a Spirt,* 1.3 which the Wiseman calleth the Candle of the Lord searching the in∣ward parts of the belly; his Reason, that should sway and govern all the parts of the body and faculties of the soul; by which he may see to es∣chew evil, and chuse that which is good; adhere to the good, though it distaste the sense; and fly from evil, though it flatter it. By this we dis∣cover the enemy, and by this we conquer him: By this we see danger, and by this we avoid it: By this we see beauty in ashes, and vanity in glory. And as other Creatures are so made and framed that without any guide or leader, without any agitation or business of the mind, they turn from that which is hurtful, and chuse that which is agreeable with their nature, as the Goddess, which saith Pliny,* 1.4 carent omni alio sensu quàm cibi & periculi, have no sense at all but of their food and danger, and naturally seek the one and fly the other. So this Light, this Power, is set up in Man, which by discourse, and comparing one thing with ano∣ther, the beginning with the end, shews with realities, and fair Promises, with bitter effects, may shew him a way to escape Death, and pursue Life through rough and rugged wayes, even through the valley of Death it self. And this is it which we call Vigilancy or Watchfulness.* 1.5 Take heed to thy self, saith Moses:* 1.6 and Basil wrote a whole Oration or Sermon on that Text, and considereth Man as if he were nothing else but Mind and Soul, and the Flesh were the garment which clotheth and covereth it; and that it is compast about with Beauty and Deformity, Health and Sickness, Friends and Enemies, Riches and Poverty, from which the Mind is to guard and defend it self, that neither the glory nor terrour of out∣ward objects have any power or influence on it, to make a way through the flesh to deface and ruine it, and put out its light. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Take heed to thy self. PRAE OMNI CƲSTODIA SERVA COR TƲƲM, Keep thy heart with all diligence; AB OMNI CAƲTIONE,* 1.7 so it is rendred

by Mercer out of the Hebrew, from every thing that is to be avoided; AB OMNI VINCƲLO, so others, from every tye or bond, which may shackle or hinder thee in the performance of that duty to which thou art obli∣ged, whether it be a chain of gold or of iron, of pleasure or of pain, whe∣ther it be of a fair and well promising or a black temptation, keep it with all diligence, and keep it from the incumbrances. And the reason is gi∣ven, For out of it are the issues of Life, PROCESSIONES VITARƲM, the Proceedings of many lives. So many conquests as we gain over tempta∣tions, so many lively motions we feel animated and full of God, which increase our crown of joy. All is comprehended in that of our Saviour, Watch,* 1.8 and pr••y, lest you enter into temptation. If you watch not, your heart will lie open, and tentations will enter, and as many deaths will issue forth, Evil thoughts, Fornications, Murders, Adulteries, Blasphemy, as so many locusts out of the bottomless pit.

To watch then is to fix our mind on that which concerneth our peace, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling,* 1.9 to perfect holiness in the fear of God,* 1.10 to serve him with reverence and godly fear to look to our selves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought. So that by the Apo∣stle our Caution and Watchfulness is made up of Reverence and Fear: And these two are like the two pillars in the porch of the Temple of So∣lomon,* 1.11 Jachin and Boaz, to establish and strengthen our Watch. This certainly must needs be a sovereign antidot against sin, and a forcible motive to make us look about our selves, when we shall think that our Lord is present every where, and seeth and knoweth all things, when we shall consider him, as a Witness who shall be our Judge; that all we do, we do, as Hilary speaketh in Divinitatis sinu, in his very presence and bo∣some; that when we deceive our selves, & when we deceive our brethren, when we sell our Lord to our Fears or our Hopes, when we betray him in our craft, crucifie him in our Revenge, defile and spit upon him in our Un∣cleanness, we are even then in his presence. If we did firmly believe it, we would not suffer our eyes to sleep, nor our eye lids to slumber. How care∣ful are we, how anxious, how solicitous in our behaviour, how scrupu∣lous of every word and look and gesture, what Criticks in our deport∣ment, if we stand before them whom we call our Betters, indeed our fel∣low dust and ashes? And shall we make our face as adamant in the pre∣sence of our Lord? shall we stand idle and sport and play the wantons before him? Shall we beat down his Altars? blaspheme his Name? beat our fellow servants before his face? Shall we call him to be witness to a lie, make him an advocate for the greatest sin, suborn his Providence to own our impiety, his Wisedome to favour our craft, his Permission to consecrate and ratifie our sin? Can we do what a Christian eye cannot look upon, which Reason and Religion condemn and even Pagans trem∣ble at?* 1.12 can we do it, and do it before his face whose Eye is pure and ten thousand times brighter then the Sun? DEƲS VIDET, and DEƲS JƲDI∣CAT, God will see, and God will Judge, is taken out of the common trea∣sury of Nature, and the Heathens themselves have found it there, who speak it as their language: And if his awful Eye vvill not open ours, our Lethargie is mortal. We are Infidels, if vve believe it not; and if vve do believe it, yet dare do those things vvhich afflict his eye, vve are vvorse then Infidels. Let us then look upon him, think him present, and stand upon our guard.* 1.13 Let us stand in aw, and not sin. Let one Fear call upon another, the Fear of this Lord upon the Fear of cautelousness and circumspection, which is as our angel-keeper, to keep us in all our vvayes, in the smooth and even vvayes of peace and in the rough and rugged vvayes of adversity; to lead us against our enemies, vvhich are

more then the hairs of our head, as many as there are temptations in the world, and to help us to defeat them; to be our best buckler to keep off the darts of Satan, and as a canopy to keep our virtues from soyl; to keep our Liberality cheerful, our Chastity fresh and green, our Devotion fervent, our Religion pure and undefiled; to wast the body of Sin, and perfect and secure our Obedience; in a vvord, to do that vvhich the Heathens thought their Goddess Pellonia did, to drive and chase all evil out of our coasts. For let us well weigh and consider it, let us look up∣on our enemies, the World with all its pageantry, the Flesh with all its lusts, the Devil with all his snares and wiles and enterprises, let us look upon him coming towards us either as an Angel of light to deceive us, or as a Lion to devour us, and then let us consider our Lord and Captain, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,* 1.14 opening the gates of heaven unto us, manifesting his glory, streaming forth his light, ready with his strength, free in his assistance, powring forth his grace, now triumphing o∣ver these our enemies, and leaving us onely the chase and pursuit of them to fill up 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, some small matter that is behind,* 1.15 which is nothing in respect of that which he both did and suffered; let us lay this to heart, and view it well, all our dangers and all our advan∣tages and we shall find that it is not the strength nor multitude of our ad∣versaries, nor yet our own weakness and infirmity, which we so willingly acknowledge, nor the craft of Satan (for we have Wisdome it self on our side) nor his strength or power (for he hath none) but our want of watch∣fulness and circumspection, that giveth us the blow, and striketh us on the ground. For want of this our first Parents fell in Paradise, and had cer∣tainly fallen, saith S. Chrisostom, had there been no Serpent,* 1.16 no Tempter at all. For he that watcheth not tempteth the Tempter himself who would not assault us so often did we not invite him, nor fling a dart towards us did he see us in our armour, with our buckler, and upon our watch. By want of this Adam fell; and by use of this Adams posterity after the fall recovered their state, escaped the corruption which is in the world, and fled from the wrath to come. So necessary is this for a Christian, that had we no other defence but this, yet we could not be overcome. Fortis saepe victus est, cautus rarissimè; The strong man hath often been ruined with his own strength; but he that stand∣eth upon his guard, though the adversary lay hard at hand, yet is ne∣ver overthrown. We may look back with comfort upon the eternal purpose and decree of God, I mean to save penitent believers; but we must give diligence to make our calling and our election sure.* 1.17 We cannot but magnifie the Grace of God which bringeth salvation;* 1.18 but we must work it out with fear and trembling. We cannot deny the power of the Gospel;* 1.19 but it is Watchfulness that maketh it the savour of life unto life. We look for a crown that is laid up; but it is Watchfulness that must put it on.

And now having as it were set the watch, we must next give you the particular orders to be observed in our Watch. And we must frame and fashion them not onely by the majesty of the Lord which is to come, but also by the power and force and manner of working of those temptations which we are to cope withal and watch against, that when they compass us about, we may find away to escape them. Solus Christianus novit Sa∣tanam, saith Tertullian: It is the character of a Christian, and it is peculi∣ar to him, to know the Devil and his enteprises.* 1.20 Et difficilè vincitur qui potest de suis & adversarii copiis judicare, saith Vegetius; It is a very hard matter to overcome him who tru••y knoweth his own strentgh and the strength of his adversary.

First we must know our selves, how we are framed and fashioned,

and how the hand of God hath built us up. And we shall see that he hath ever laid as open to tentations,* 1.21 and set us up, as Job speaketh as a mark, for the enemy to shoot at; that Man is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one creature, but made up of two different natures, the Flesh and the Spirit, and put in∣to this world, which is a shop of tentations, hung full with vanities, which offer themselves, and that with some importunity to the eye, and ear, and every sense he hath.* 1.22 Into this when God first put him, he made him up∣right but withal mutable: The root of which mutability was his Will, by which he might incline to either side, either bargain or pass by, either embrace temptations or resist them.* 1.23 In hoc est lex constituta, non exclu∣dens, sed probans libertatem, saith Tertullian, To this end a Law was enacted, not taking away, but proving and trying the liberty which we have, either freely to obey, or freely to trangress. Else why should God enact a Law? For the Will of Man looketh equally on both. And he being thus built up did ow to his Maker absolute and constant obedience: and obe∣dient he could not be if he had not been thus built up. To this end his Understanding and Will were to be exercised with arguments and occa∣sions, which might discover the resolution and the choice and election of Man. Now these arguments and occasions are that which we call Temptations; Which though they naturally light upon the outward man, yet do they formally aim at the inward, and are nothing, do nothing, till they seise upon the Will, which may either joyn with the Sensitive part a∣gainst the Reason, which maketh us to every good work reprobate; or else with our Reason against our Sensual appetite, which worketh in us a con∣formity to the Will of God: for God willeth nothing to be done which right Reason will not have us do. The Will is that alone which draweth and turneth these temptations either to a good end by watch∣fulness and care, or by supine negligence turneth them to a bad, turneth them from that end for which they were permitted and ordained, and so maketh Satans darts more fiery, his enterprises more subtle, his occasions more powerful, and his perswasions more perswasive then indeed they are; so that what God ordained for our trial and crown, by our security and neglect is made a means to bring on our downfal and condemnation. We must therefore in the midst of temptations, as in a School, learn to know our selves.

And in the next place we must learn to know our enemies, and how they work and mine against us, examin those temptations which make toward us, lest we judge of them by their outside, look upon them, and so be ta∣ken with a look; lest, as the Romanes observed of the barbarous Nations, that being ignorant of the art of engining, when they were besieged and shut up, they would stand still and look upon the enemy working on in the mine, not understanding quò illa pertinerent quae ex longinquo instrue∣bantur, what it meant, or wherefore those things were prepared, which they saw afar off and at distance, till the enemy came so near as to blow them up and destroy them, so we also behold temptations with a careless and regardless eye, and not knowing what they mean, suffer them to work on, to steal nearer and nearer upon us, till they enter into our souls, and dwell there, and so take full possession of us.

And first we may lay it as a ground, That nothing properly provoketh it self, as Fire doth not provoke it self to burn, nor the Sun to shine. For the next and necessary causes of things are rather Efficients then Provo∣cations, which are alwayes external either to the person, or principal, or part which is the principal and special agent. And so the Will of man doth consummate and finish sin, but provoketh it not, but is enticed to that evil, or frighted from that which is good, by some outward object,

which first presenteth it self unto the Sense, which carrieth it to the Phan∣sie which conveyeth it to the Understanding, whence ariseth that fight and contention between the inferiour part of the Soul and the superiour; the Sensual appetite and the Reason, not to be decided or determined but by the Will. And then the Will, like Moses,* 1.24 holdeth up his hands as it were, and is steady and strong, the Reason prevaileth; and when it letteth them down, the Sense. The Senses then are, as Hierome cal∣leth them, fenestrae animae, the windows of the Soul, through which tentations enter to flatter and woo the Phansie and Affections to joyn with the principal faculties of the Soul to beget that Sin which begetteth Death: And if you will observe how they work by the Senses upon the Soul, you will soon find that they do it not by force and battery, but by allurement and speaking it fair, or else by frowns and terrours; that there is no such force in their arguments which spiritual wisdome and vigilancy may not assoil, that there is no such beauty on them which may not be loathed, no such horrour which we may not slight and con∣temn.

First they work us occasions of sin. And all the power that Occasi∣on hath is but to shew it self: If it kill, it is, as the Basilisk, by the eye, by looking towards us, or indeed rather by our looking towards it. Occasion is a creature of our own making; we give it being, or it would not be: and it is in our power, as the Apostle speaketh, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.25 to cut it off. When we see the Golden wedge, we know it is but a clod of earth. Wee see beauty, and can call it the colour and symmetry of flesh and bloud, of dust and ashes; and unless we make it so, it is no more. Indeed we commonly say, Occasio facit furem, that Occasion maketh a thief; but the truth is, it is the Thief that maketh the occasi∣on. For the Object being let in by the Senses, calleth out the Soul, which frameth and fashioneth it, and bringeth it to what form it please; maketh Beauty a net, and Riches a snare.* 1.26 And therefore bonum est non tangere, it is not safe to see or touch. There is danger in a very touch, in a cast of the eye. Upon a look or touch the Soul may fly out to meet the Object, and be entangled unawares. Ʋtinam nec videre possimus quod facere nobis nefas est: We may sometimes make it our wish not to see that which we may not do, not to touch that which may be made an occasion of sin, not to look upon wine when it is red,* 1.27 nor the strange wo∣man when she smileth. For, in the second place, Objects are not onely made occasions of sin, but are drest up and trimmed by the Father of lies (who taketh up a chamber in our Phansie) in that shape and form, in those fair appearances, which may deceive us. There is a kind of Rhe∣torick and eloquence in them, but not that of the Oratours of Greece, which was solid and rational, but that of the later Sophisters, which consisted in elegancies and figures and Rhetorical colours, that which Plato calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, flattery and popular eloquence. For as they who deliver up themselves to Fortune, and tread the wayes to honour and the highest place, do commonly begin there with smiles where they mean to shake a whip, and cringe and bow and flatter the common people, whom they intend to enslave, stroke and clap them, and so get up and ride the Beast to their journeys end: so do these tentations insinuate and win upon the weaker part of man, whilst the stronger is left to watch; work upon that part first which is easier to be seduced then the Reason or Will, which must needs deny them admittance if they came and presented themselves in their own shape, and were not first let in by the Senses and Phan∣sie, and there coloured over and beautified, and in this dress sent

up unto them. Indeed the Senses are merely passive, receive the object, and no more: The Eye doth see, and the Ear hear, and the Hands feel, and their work and office is transacted. And thus, if I be watchful, I may see Vanity, and detest it: I may hear Blasphemy, and abhorre it; I may touch, and not be defiled. But, as the Prophet speaketh, Death cometh in at the windows,* 1.28 and so by degrees entreth into the palace of our Mind. The Civilians tell us, Possessio acquiritur, etiamsi in angulo tan∣tùm ingrediamur; We take possession of a house though we come but in∣to a corner of it: So through our negligence and unwariness many times, nay, most times, it falleth out that when the temptation hath gained an entrance at the eye or ear, it presseth forward to the more retired and more active faculties, and at last gaineth dominion over the whole man: from the Senses it is transmitted to the Phansy, which hath a creating fa∣culty to make what she pleaseth of what she list, to put new forms and shapes upon objects, to make Gods of clay, to make that delightful which in it self is grievous, that desirable which is lothsome, that fair and beau∣tiful which is full of horrour? to set up a golden calf, and say it as a God.* 1.29 Et habentur phantasmata pro cognitis; These shews and appariti∣ons are taken for substances, these airy phantasmes for well-grounded conclusions: And the Mind of man doth so apply it self unto them, ut, dum in his est cogitatio, ea intellectu cerni arbitramur, that what is but in the Phansy and wrapped up in a thought is supposed to be seen by the eye of the Understanding in the same shape: What we think, is so; and with us in these our distempers Opinion and Knowledge are one and the same thing. And this inflameth and maddeth the Affections, that they forget their objects, and look and run wild another way: Our Hatred is placed on that which we should love, and our Love on that which we should detest; we fear that which we should embrace, and we hope for that which we should fear; we are angry with a friend, and well plea∣sed with an enemy: Now profaneness soundeth better then a hymn or a Psalm of thanksgiving,* 1.30 a fable is more welcome then the oracles of God, & blandior auri species quàm hominis aut coeli aut lucis, a piece of gold is a more glorious sight then Man the image of his Maker, or the Hea∣ven wherein he dwelleth, or the Light it self. So true is that of the Oratour,* 1.31 Aliud agere mentem cogunt oculi; By this means the Eye diver∣teth the Mind of man from its proper work, that it cannot attend and busie it self to discern betwixt good and evil, and so watch, and stand up∣on its guard.

I called tentations not onely Occasions but also Arguments; but such Arguments which, as I told you, conclude not, which beget not knowledge but opinion, and prevail not with wise men but with fools, who common∣ly for want of circumspection entertein and swallow down uncertain things for those which are certain, and that which is doubtful for that which is true. They who have wisdome for their guide, judge of things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.32 according as they are in themselves, according to the truth; attempt nothing, do nothing, upon opinion or a bare appearance, but before they make choice do weigh and examin the object: But un∣cautelous and unadvised men do but see, and presently imbrace that which is most deformed in it self, and hath nothing to commend it self to them but the fucus and paint which themselves have laid on. Good God, how friendly and familiar are we with that which pleaseth the Eye and Phansy,* 1.33 before the Reason hath lookt upon it? Take all the sins which we commit, what better ground or foundation have they, on which they rise to that visible height, then false opinion? Our Ambition soareth and mounteth aloft with this thought as with a wing, That Ho∣nour

will make us as Gods. Our Covetousness diggeth and sweateth with this assurance, That Riches are the best friend. Our Revenge is furious and bloody, because we think that to suffer is cowardise. We run after evil, and study for a curse, for some glimpse or shew it hath of some great blessing. We doat on the earth, which is fading, and whose fashion passeth away, for some resemblance we think it hath to Heaven and Eternity. Et inanibus phantasmatibus tanquam dictis epulis reficimur;* 1.34 These vain imaginations, these dreams of happiness, are but as a painted banquet: For as junkets in a picture may delight the eye, but not fill the stomach, so do these sudden and weak conceptions tickle and please the phansie perhaps, but bring leanness into the Soul, and leave it empty and poor. And no marvail. For when the Sense is thus pleased, when the Phansie hath sported and plaid with that which delighted the Sense, the Affections grow unruly, and Reason is swallowed up in victo∣ry, so that God seemeth to be the enemy, and the Devil a friend, bring∣ing good news unto us, and speaking pleasing things to us, such as are Musick to our ears, whereas God seemeth to come in thunder, with ter∣rour and command, to drive us to our watch, providing a knife for our throat, shutting up the eye, cutting off the right hand, muzling up the mouth that it speak no guile, writing sad characters upon that which our Sense and Phansie had painted and drest up, as, Touch not, Tast not,* 1.35 Han∣dle not.

Now that temptations work thus by the Sense, and enter and make their passage into the inward man, is evident not onely in those grosser sins which turn the very soul it self into flesh (nam victa anima libidine fit Caro, saith the Father, When the soul is polluted with lust, it loseth its spi∣rituality, and is transubstantiated as it were into flesh) but is seen also in those which are more retired and inward to the Soul; not onely in the practice of our life, but also in the errours of our doctrine. And on this ground S. Paul putteth Heresies into his black catalogue, and numbreth them amongst the works of the Flesh.* 1.36 And if we look upon those who are the authours and somenters of Errour, we shall find that they wilfully shut their eyes and ears against the truth, which offereth it self and be∣speaketh them with arguments and reasons undenyable, and decline to Falshood, by leaning rather to that which is convenient then to that which is true, hearkening more to earthly and sensual motives then to the voice of God, which calleth them, This is the way. Honour and Riches and Love of this world make up that body of Divinity which must be a Directory for them to walk by. The eye readeth the Text, and the eye letteth in the interpretation: For the love of that I delight in is urgent with me, and perswadeth me to understand it so as it may savour and countenance that love. Thus do tentations both to sin and Errour creep in at these doors and inlets of the Senses, and like thieves steal in by night, coloured over with the pleasures and clouded with the pomp of the world, and so find easie admittance, and steal away the Truth and Love of God out of our hearts whilest we sleep.

And if a fair temptation do not make entrance with a smile, a bitter and grievous Temptation may force a passage with its horrour. For thus according to their divers and several aspects they work both upon the Irascible and Concupiscible power. If an enemy be loud against us, we have a tempest within us. If Jacob hath the blessing, Esau hateth him. At the sight of Beauty, if I take not heed, my Love beginneth to kindle; at the next look it flameth. The approch of danger striketh me with fear; nay, a shadow and representation will do it. I may take

a promontory for a navy, and a field of thistles for a body of pikes. Not onely that which is true, but even that which is feigned, that which is but colour, which is but found, which is but a superficies, but an appa∣rition, but a shadow, being carelesly let in and enterteined, may rayse this tumult and sedition in the Soul. A fair promising temptation cometh upon parley and treaty and conditions, insinuateth and winneth upon us with its smiles and flatteries; but a fearful and boysterous temptation playeth upon us with all its artillery, with smart and shame and poverty and imprisonment and death, maketh forward with a kind of force and violence,* 1.37 & tumultuantes de gradu dejicit, overthroweth us with some noise. And as the Senses convey the tentations, so do the Affections, if we do not watch and suppress them, make sensible alterations in the heart, and make themselves visible to the very Eye. Profectò, saith Pliny,* 1.38 in oculis animus inhabitat; The mind dwelleth in the Eye; there it is visible to be seen. In its joy it leapeth there, in its grief it languish∣eth there, in its fear it droopeth there, in its anger it threatneth there, in its hope it looketh out chearfully, and in its despair it sinketh in again, and leaveth the living man with no more motion then a carkass. The heart of man changeth his countenance, saith the Wise man. If we stand not upon our guard, the state and peace of our mind will soon be over∣thrown. Respexit oculis, saith S. Ambrose, & sensum mentis evertit; os libavit, & crimen retulit; The man did but look back, and his mind was shaken; he did but open his ear, and lost a good intention; he did but lightly touch and shadow the object, and took in a sin; he did but touch, and was on fire. You see now the force and strength of the ene∣my, you see him in his mine, and you see him in his march, with his flat∣teries and menaces, with his glories and terrours, with his occasions and arguments: And if to these you oppose your prudency and watchful∣ness, your fortitude and Christian resolution, you put him to flight, or tread him under your foot.

For first, temptations may enter the Senses without sin. To behold the object,* 1.39 to touch, or tast (which are called belluini sensus, our more brutish senses) is not to commit sin, because God himself hath thus or∣dered and framed the Senses by their several instruments and organs. Auditum in auribus fodit, visum in oculis accendit, gustum in ore conclu∣sit, saith the Father; He hath kindled light in the Eyes, he hath digged the hollow of the Ear for Hearing, and hath shut up the Tast in the Mouth or Palate, and hath given Man his Senses very fit for the trial and re∣ward of virtue. For as he made the Eye to see, so he made every thing in the world to be seen. Frustrà ii essent si non viderentur, saith Am∣brose. They were to no end if they were not to be seen: And seen they may be to our comfort and to our peril. As temptations may enter in at the Eye or Ear or any of the other senses, so we may make them the matter of virtue, as well as the occasion of sin. In a word, make a cove∣nant with our Eye, bridle our Tast, bind our Touch, purge our Ears, and so sanctifie and consecrate every sense unto the Lord; and this is indeed to watch.

Secondly, temptations may enter the thoughts, and be received into the Imagination, and yet, if we set our Watch, not overcome us. For as yet they are but as it were in their march, bringing up their forces, but have made no battery or breach into the soul. For as God hath Blood, Uncleanness, and all the foul actions which are done in the world, writ∣ten in his book, and yet every leaf thereof is fair and clean as Purity it self; so may the Mind of man mingle it self with the most pollu∣ted objects that are, and yet be a virgin still, chast and untoucht.

I may entertein all the Heresies that are in my thoughts, and yet be or∣thodox. I may think of evil, and with that thought destroy it. It is not the sight of the object, nor the knowledge of evil, nor the remem∣brance of evil, nor the contemplation of evil that can make me evil; for, if I watch over my self and it, I may think of it and loath it, I may re∣member and abhorre it. For how could a Prophet denounce judgement against sin, if he did not think of it? How could I abhorre and avoid sin, how could I repent of it, if it were not in my thought? This we cannot doubt of. But then

Thirdly, the Sense and Phansie may receive the object with some de∣light and natural complacency, and yet without sin, if we stand upon our guard, suffer it to win no more ground, but then oppose it most when it most pleadeth for admittance: For thus far it will advance. And as the rational and intellectual delight is from some conclusion gained and drawn out of the principles of discourse, which is the work of Reason; so there is a sensible complacency,* 1.40 which is nothing else but adulatio cor∣poris, the pleasing of the sense, by the application of that which is most agreeable to it, as of a better red and white to the Eye, of a more plea∣sant voice to the Ear. That which is sweet the Tast judgeth so, that which is fair the Eye receiveth so; for this is natural to it and inseparable from it: and so it is to the Phansie to entertein objects in that shape and form they represent themselves. But then we must stay and question them here at their first approch and arrival in these their raies and glory. God hath made Man keeper of his heart, as of a castle; which he betrayeth not till he hath delivered it up into the enemies hands.* 1.41 Clavis hujus ca∣stri cogitatio est; The key of this castle is his Thought: this openeth his Heart, and may shut it; this giveth way and room for the tentation to enter; which is not done till he think as the enemy would have him, till he busie and roul about his thought, which is as the turning of a key to open a door and passage unto him. I may think it is a fair sight, and my Will may turn from it. I may think it Musick, and my Will may be deaf. I may think it pleasant to the tast, and my Will may distast and loath it, when Reason hath discovered death in the apple. But when we draw near to it, and in a manner invite it to enter; when we delight in that Beauty which attempteth our Chastity, that Pleasure which assaulteth our Continence, and stay and dwell, and solace our selves with these un∣lawful objects; then it is more then a thought, it is more then a natural complacency, it is a sin: for not onely the Sense is pleased, but the Will. For we would not have set it up so high in our phansie, we would not have deified it there, if we had not been willing to fall down and wor∣ship it. And now, though it be but a thought, it is a work of the Flesh, wrought and finished in the Mind, and wanteth nothing but opportuni∣ty to bring it into act. Nec enim cogitatus, licèt solos,* 1.42 licèt non ad effe∣ctum per carnem deductos, à collegio carnis auferimus, saith Tertullian; So far is it that the Soul should be alone in the actions of our life, that we cannot take these thoughts which are alone, and not yet brought into act, from the society and fellowship of the Flesh, which worketh in the Soul, as the Soul doth by it. For in the Flesh and with the Flesh and by the Flesh that is done by the Soul which is done in the heart and inward man.

Fourthly,* 1.43 our natural Inclination or Appetite to joyn with those ob¦jects which occasion sin, if it do not proceed and work beyond the li∣mits which God hath set up, is not irregular or sinful. For there is no natural appetite, no natural inclination of man, which in the effect may not be drawn up to end in some vertuous action; no fuel, no sparkle in

our nature which may not be improved, and fixt at last as a star in the firmament of the Soul, and therefore is good, and tendeth to good as well as to evil. My inclination to anger may be drawn up unto a godly zeal, or end in meekness; my inclination to meats, in sobriety and tem∣perance; my inclination to carnality may either be restrained in a virgins life, or made honourable in a married. My Affections and Desires were imprinted in me by Nature, and therefore by the hand of God himself, and are not in themselves vitious, but may be good and profitable and advantagious to me in the race I have to run. What though my inclina∣tion and desire look towards pleasure? my Anger prompt and urge me to revenge? my Fear drive me from that danger by undergoing which I might secure my self from a greater? It is their nature, and they are left in me to this end. For God hath also set up a power within me, my Reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a natural judicatory, by which I discern that which is good from that which is evil, by which I may be familiar with the Laws of God, well skilled in spiritual wisdome; and by that becalm all tu∣mults in my soul, moderate and regulate my affections, and if they be too urgent, subdue and crucifie them, set them their bounds which they shall not pass, which are Righteousness and the Laws of God; that I pre∣ferre not my grief or pleasure or any other inclination or affection before the will of God, which hath placed them in me, not to destroy me, but to be serviceable to him, and conducible to that end for which he left them in me. I may make my Anger a Magistrate to punish my sin, my Fear a Centinel to warn me of danger, my Sorrow a Penitentiary to wa∣ter my couch with my tears, my Hope a pillar to lean upon. And how can that be sin without which I cannot be virtuous? If I could not be angry, I could not be meek: If I had no desire, I could not be chast: if I were void of fear, I could not watch: if I could not rebel, I could not obey: if I could not be evil, I could not be good: if I had no incli∣nation to vice, I could not be virtuous. For this is the work of Reason and Virtue, to subdue and regulate the Inclinations, to draw that unto good which might have been misled and carried unto evil. And our Watchfulness consisteth in this, in making that useful which might have been hurtful, in making that a friend which might have been an enemy, in taking the danger out of an inclination, the sting out of a temptati∣on, and with it the victory. What can we resemble God in more then in the destruction of Sin? and this we may do by the help of our Passi∣ons. My Joy singeth Psalms to him; my Fear observeth him, and tremb∣leth before him, my Anger revengeth his quarrel, when my Indignation is against my self; my Sorrow payeth him the tribute of tears; my Love hasteth with a steady eye to that which is good; when that is present, it is transformed into Joy; when to come, it is quickned into Hope; when past, it is poured forth into Desire. All natural inclinations may be brought to work for our good and for the glory of God who gave them. We must learn to distinguish between our natural Desire and our Will, else we shall bring him in guilty of sin who took away the sins of the world; who though he came to do the will of his Father, and was wil∣ling to do it,* 1.44 yet in his agony desired that that cup might be taken from him without drinking of which it could not be done. And this Desire doth not derogate from his obedience, but commend it, that he brought down this natural desire under the will of his Father, and would drink that cup which his humane nature trembled at,* 1.45 Not my will, but thine be done. Herein is obedience, if a man doth the will of God even against his will, that is, his natural desire. When my breasts are full of milk, and my blood danceth in my veins, and my natural inclination is strong within

me, when Beauty not onely tempteth but solliciteth, and opportunity and the twilight favour me; when my natural desire is eager and vehe∣ment, when I thus would, and might, and will not; then am I chast; an eunuch for the kingdome of heaven. When my Choler would draw my sword, and my Reason locketh it in my scabbard, then am I meek. When I am brought to the trial of my faith, and my Fear would carry me away from that persecution which rageth against me for the truths sake, and I cleave to the Truth, and chase this Fear away which would carry me away, or aw and overmatch it by the readiness and strength of the Spirit, and resolve against those terrours which would shake me from my rock (for I may fear, and yet suffer) then am I a Souldier of Christ. When I am fastned to the stake, and am made a spectacle to thousands, to some a spectacle of pitty, to others of reproch; when I see the light, the joy of the whole earth, the Heavens above me, and the land of the living, where I was wont to walk; when I see all the cere∣mony and pomp of Persecution and Death; when the executioner is ready to put fire to my funeral pile; when my flesh trembleth, and na∣ture shrinketh from that which will abolish it; when in this fit of trepi∣dation a conditional pardon is offered, and I would yet will not re∣ceive it, because even the saving letters that are in it are killing; when the outward man would not be thus sacrificed, and yet I offer him up; then the crown is ready for me, and the flame of fire, in which I shall be reduced almost to nothing, is my chariot to carry my soul up to receive it. I cannot say that this strife and contention is in all; for the grace of Gods Spirit may so settle and quiet it that it shall scarce be sensible: but where it is sensible, it is no sign that the tentation hath prevailed, but rather a strong argument that we are not as yet lead and shut up in it, but forcing a way and passage out of it; that though the Strong man thus come against us, yet there is something in us stronger then he, something opposit and contrary to the tentation, which will not suffer it to come so near as to shake our constancy, or drive us from our resolution. It may lay hard at us to make us leave our hold: and to repress and keep it back, to strengthen and lift up our selves that we do not fall, is the effect of our Watchful∣ness and Christian Fortitude,* 1.46 by which we are more then Conque∣rours.

To conclude this, Though the Sense and Phansie receive the object, which is a tentation; though our natural temper incline to it, and raise in us a kind of desire to it, which is but a resultancy from the flesh; yet if we stand upon our guard, and watch, we shall be so far from sinning, that we shall raise that obedience upon it which maketh a way to happiness, and the Soul shall be sospes,* 1.47 & fidei calore fervens inter tentamenta diaboli, as S. Hierome speaketh, safe and sound, vigo∣rous and lively in the midst of all these tentations, shall be undefiled of that object which is fair, and unshaken of that which is terrible to the sense. Put on then the whole armour of God, stand upon your guard,* 1.48 set up the Spirit against the Flesh, your Reason against your Sense; watch one eye with another, your carnal eye with a spiritual eye, your carnal ear with a spiritual ear, check your phansy, bound your inclina∣tion; If the Flesh be weak, let the Spirit be ready: if one raise a liking or desire, let the other work the miracle, and cast it out. And this is to work light out of darkness, good out of that which might have been evil, life out of that which might have been death: This is indeed to watch.

And to the end that we may thus watch, let us out of that which hath been said gather such rules and directions as may settle and con∣firm

us in our Watch, and carry on our care and solicitude unto the end, that we may watch, and so not enter into temptation. And first we must study the temptations themselves, so study them as to wipe off their paint, strike off their illecebrae and beauty, behold them in their pro∣per and native colours and representations. Optimus imperator qui ha∣bet cognitas res hostium;* 1.49 He is the best Commander, the best Watchman, who knoweth his enemy, and can see through his disguise and visour, through his counterfeit terrours and lying boasts, and knoweth what he is. Indeed nothing can make tentations of any force but the opini∣on we have of them. It is not Poverty that afflicteth me, but the o∣pinion that Poverty is evil. It is not the evil it self but my own thoughts which deserve this ill at my hands. I am afraid of it because I think it horrid, and whilst I think I make it so. It is not the blow of the tongue that can hurt me; for it is but a word, it is not a thunderbolt; and if it were,* 1.50 yet the Stoick will tell us, inhonestius est dejectione ani∣mi perire quàm fulmine, It is not so great an evil, nor so dishonourable, to be struck with a thunderbolt as to be killed with fear; far worse that my phansie should wound me then the tongue of an enemy. For what secret force can there be in a calumniating tongue to pierce through our very hearts, and to shake and disturb our minds? We can hear it thun∣der, and not be cast down: but so improvident and cruel we are to our selves that a breath from Malice or Envy will lay us on the ground. Non ex eo quod est fallimur, sed ex eo quod non est; We are not de∣ceived with the realities but with the disguises and appearances of things, with those shapes which we have given them. We first make them idoles, and then fall down and worship them. We carelesly take in the object, and let our phansie loose to work and hammer and polish it, as Poets do make Gods of men, and seas of little rivers. And in this fair outside, in which we have drest them, things do deceive us. If we would look nearer into them, if we would define them, res involutas evolvere, unfold and lay them open, take them out of that gaudiness in which they are wrapt, they could not have this operation, nor thus work upon us. Sapiens est, cui res sapiunt ut sunt; He is a prudent man, to whom things savour and relish as they are. And our Vigilancy and spiritual Wisdome consisteth in distinguishing one thing from another, in abstracting that evil that may be from that good that appeareth, in discovering a Sophism from a Demonstration, in being able to sever the colour and appearance of a thing from the thing it self, Glory from Riches, Misery from Poverty: For truly these are not in them, but are to be lookt for and feared in some∣thing else. Did we contemplate onely that which is properly theirs, which is onely theirs, and not that which they have not but ex dono, by our gift, we should not so often stoop and submit to vile offices, nor forsake our Reason to joyn with our Sense: We should then look through the flatteries of the world, and behold the inward horrour they conceal; We should look through the terrours of the world; and consider that inward sweetness and light which many times break∣eth through them like lightning through a dark and sullen cloud; We should not thus honour them with our fear, nor would our hearts so often fail at the very sight of them; We should not forfeit our souls to save our estates, wound our conscience to secure our purse, be perjured rather then imprisoned, and so run into hell from the face and frown of a tyrant. But, as Gregory observeth, Anima rebus praesentibus dedita abscondit sibi mala sequentia,* 1.51 when the Soul mixeth with the world, and cleaveth to these temporary things, when it is

buried as it were in the flesh and carnall pleasures, it draweth the veil be∣fore its face, and obscureth and hideth from it self those evils which are sure to follow; which could she truly discern, she would watch and take courage against that temptation which she now not onely yieldeth to but embraceth.

And that we may throughly discern them (which is the office of our Christian Vigilancy) it will be necessary for us to compare them.* 1.52 For the Oratour will tell us, Faciliùs latent quae non comparantur: Those things which we look upon with a single eye, but once, do commonly lye hid, and we see them as if we saw them not; but when we look them over again, and compare them with something better then they, then we see them nearer, and have a more direct and full view of them: We see they are nothing, or nothing what they seemed; as when the Sun is up, the lesser lights are obscured, and the glory of the stars is not seen. Beauty is delightful; but what is it to the splendour of Virtue? who would look upon a face, that could see Virtue naked? What is Ho∣nour, that is blasted with a breath, with a frown, to immortal Glory? What is the Merchants Pearl to the Kingdome of Heaven? What are Pleasures which are but for a season to those which are for evermore?* 1.53 What is a span of Time, a Moment, to Eternity? And certainly were these outward things, which do but please and tempt and withdraw us from better, the onely reward of goodness, these aery, fugitive, enve∣nomed glories all that we should find at the end of our race, no wise man vvould stoop to reach them up. If these vvere the end of our hopes, we were of all men most miserable.* 1.54 If this vvere all the heaven that vvere promised, vve should not believe there vvas either a God or Heaven. Compare them, if you please, vvorldly glories vvith spi∣ritual blessings. The one come tovvard us smiling, and make us mirth and melody, but they soon turn their back, and leave us sad and dis∣consolate, in the very shadovv of death: The other present themselves at first with great distast to flesh and bloud, because we look upon them, through a sad and dark medium, through Disgrace and Affliction and Death it self; but if we look often, and converse familiarly with them, we shall see in them Beauty, and Riches, and Heaven, and God him∣self. And is it not a great deal better for a while to watch and strive and fight it out, and afterwards rejoyce and triumph as conquerours, then by the impatience of one hour to be slaves for ever?* 1.55 Quid enim est malum nisi impatientia boni? saith Tertullian: For what is evil, what is our yielding to temptations, what is the slacking of our watch, but our want of patience towards that which is good? Thus if we compare them, we shall soon discover their deformity, and on holy desires and strong resolutions, as with the wings of a dove, fly swiftly away, that we may be at rest. Thus if we know them, they can hardly hurt us. For what Pliny spake of Monsters and Prodigies, is true either of fair or black Tentations, Ostentorum vires in eorum potestate sunt quibus portenduntur;* 1.56 As of the one, so of the other, their power is no greater then they would have it to whom it is shewed and presented, and are of force onely so far as they are received, have no power to hurt us but from our selves: And therefore we must deal with them as they did with those prodigies, neglect and flight them, that they may not hurt us; beat down, crucifie the flesh, with the affections and lusts; disgrace and vilifie every imagination that exalteth it self against God; hath them with a perfect hatred. For not to yield is to overcome. To study, and learn, and know temptations, and find out where their great strength lyeth, and cut it off; to consider them as they are, not in appearance, but reality; to contemn and put them

by, is that which maketh way to victory, and prepareth us for the coming of the Lord.

* 1.57But thirdly, let us not so neglect and slight them as to let them come up too near us: for so to neglect an enemy is to strengthen him: But let us stand at the doors, and repress and put them back at the first sight ei∣ther of their false glory or their borrowed terrour.* 1.58 Let us turn away our eyes,* 1.59 that they behold not vanity. Periculosum est crebrò videre, per quae aliquando captus sis: A dangerous thing it is, nay, a folly, to behold those objects, and look upon them often, which may be a snare unto us; to dally with the point of that sword which may enter our bowels, to sport with that serpent which may sting us to death. What should they do long in the Eye? Why should they stay so long in the Phansie till she gild and beautifie them, and set them up as an idole to worship? No; let us watch, and rowse up our selves, and beat down every al∣tar as soon as it is erected there: Nay, stay the Phansie in its work, re∣press them here in causis, in their beginnings; take these Babylonish brats, and dash them against the stones.* 1.60 For he that doth not meet and with∣stand an evil in the approch, hath fairly invited it to come forward. Qui morbo non occurrit, sibi manus infert; He that doth not use speedy means to keep back a disease, is as he that killeth himself. A thought begetteth Delight, Delight begetteth Consent, Consent is seen in Action, Action begetteth Custome, Custome Necessity, Necessity Death. It was but an Object, but an Apparition, but a thought at first, and now it is Death. And he that was willing a Thought should lead in the front, was willing also that Death should come in the rear. It is not safe thus to dally with a Temptation; to resolve not to act it, and yet to act in the mind, which will soon make the basis and ground-work of a resolution; to be afraid of the action, and yet commit the sin; to nourish that sin in my bosome which I am ashamed to be seen with abroad, which will yet at last break forth before the Sun and the people; to harbour that in my closet which within a while will be on the house top. That of Bernard is most true, though it be in rhythme, Non nocet sensus ubi non est consen∣sus; The sense hurteth not where there is no consent. It is no sin for the Eye to see, or for the Ear to hear, or for the Phansie to set up objects within her in that shape in which they appear: But it is a hard matter, as S. Hierome speaketh, integritate mentis abuti voluptatibus, to abuse those pleasures which daily present themselves, to a good end; to have them (as Aristippus had his Lais) and not to have them; to live in pleasure without that delight which maketh tentation a sin. We may say of Temptations as he did of Fortune, Ʋna est ad illam securitas, non toties illam experiri; The best security we have against Fortunes fickle incon∣stancy is, not to make tryal of her too often, not to want her: So of Tentations; It is not good to look too often upon them when they flat∣ter, not to see too often, not to hear too often, not to open our eyes or our ears to vanity. For as they who busie themselves in worldly affairs, when all things succeed prosperously, do begin at last to dote on riches, and love them for themselves, which they sought for at first but for their necessity; so what we look upon at first as a common object, by degrees insinuateth it self, and is made familiar to us, winneth our affection to it, delighteth and overcometh us, and what did at first stand at the door, and beg an entrance, at last entreth in, and taketh full possession of us, and commandeth in chief.

* 1.61Last of all, let us consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession, CHRIST JESƲS, even this Lord who is to come, who hath opened the treasuries of heaven, brought down Life and Immortality, displayed his

rich and precious promises of heaven and everlasting happiness, all which he will make ours, if we make good but this one word, but this one syllable, Watch. This is the price of Heaven; This he dyed for, that we should be a peculiar people unto him, even his Watch-men; that as he for the joy which was set before him endured the Cross, despised the shame,* 1.62 suffered the contradictions of sinners, and yet was yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever, so we by his power and the efficacy of his Spirit, by the virtue of his Precepts and the glory of his Promises, may esta∣blish our selves, watch over our selves, secure our selves in the midst of snares, and so be in the world as out of the world; walk in the midst of temptations and be untoucht;* 1.63 walk in the midst of all these fiery trials, as the three Children did in the furnace, and have no hurt; hear the Musick of the world, but not hearken to it; behold its allurements, and not be moved; be one and the same in all the changes and variety of temptations, the same when they flatter, and the same when they threaten, which is truly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be like unto our Lord Christ.

And because the Watch-man watcheth in vain unless the Lord keepeth the City, we must call upon this Lord to watch with us,* 1.64 and to watch over us, who is not gratiae angustus, as S. Ambrose speaketh, no niggard of his grace; but as he hath given us a command to watch, so he hath gi∣ven us another to depend upon him for assistance.* 1.65 Et scimus quia pe∣tentes libenter exaudit, quando hoc petitur largiri quod jubet; We know it is impossible he should deny us our requests, when we desire him to grant us that which he desireth we should have, his help and assi∣stance to do that which he commandeth. Do we desire it? He wish∣eth it. Do we beg it of him? He beseecheth us to accept it. Do we beg his assistance against the lusts of the Flesh? He commandeth us to crucifie them, against the pollutions of the world?* 1.66 His will is our san∣ctification. Against the Devil? If we will,* 1.67 he will tread him under our feet. He commandeth us who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Master of the race,* 1.68 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Overseer and captain of the watch, by whose power and wis∣dom we may keep back all our enemies. If the Devil suggest evil thoughts, he inspireth good. If the enemy lay hard at us that we may fall, his mercy is ready to hold us up. If he be subtle, our Lord is Wis∣dom it self. In all our trials, in all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgement, he is our Lord, and his grace is sufficient for us. If we fail and miscarry, it is be∣cause we will not joyn him with us; because we beg his assistance, and will not have it; call upon him for help and weary him with our refu∣sals; beseech him to do that which we will not suffer him to do; bespeak him to watch over us, and fall fast asleep. If you will repent, repent,* 1.69 saith the Watchman. If you would watch, why do ye not? How ma∣ny years have you worn out in this spiritual exercise? Nay, to fall lower, have we devoted two or three moneths? Nay, lower yet, how many weeks have we spent? A week is not long; but how ma∣ny dayes? Our dayes on earth are but a shadow; but how many hours? And Hours, we say, have wings, and fly away; (I am ashamed to ask again) How many minutes hath it cost us? Our life is but a span; how much of this Span? How little of this Little, what a nothing of this Nothing hath this great business took up? O that we could say with Job,* 1.70 All the dayes of my appointed time; or with David, Seven times a day; or were it his morning, his noon, his evening. But I fear all is shut up in Felix his con∣venient season, that is, when the World and our Flesh, when our Lusts and the Devil will give us leave: And then what faint and feeble brea∣things,

what thin and empty conceptions, nay, what noysom exhalations, what contradictions, what sins are our prayers? Let us then call upon the Lord to be present with us, and to assist us in our watch:* 1.71 But let us gird up our loyns when we call up∣on him. Let us watch and pray, pray and watch. Let us endea∣vour vvhen vve pray, and God vvill help our indeavours: Let us intend vvhat vve desire, and he vvill grant it; Let us mean vvhat vve speak, and he vvill hear us. For he never shutteth his ears against his ovvn vvords;* 1.72 and his ovvn words are, Ask, and it shall be given you. Ask the blessings of the right hand or the left, and he vvill give you them, or that vvhich is better for you. But if you ask his grace, his assistance, you are heard before you speak: For he is all Grace, all Goodness, all Rayes, all Beauty, and vvill fill you vvith himself:* 1.73 for his delight is to be in the sons of men, and to make them like him. Trouble not your selves then vvith vvhat he vvill do, or not do, but be busie in your watch, watch and pray in this your hour, that you may knovv him, and be knovvn of him; that at your last day and hour you may knovv and find him vvhat novv you believe him to be, your Righteousness, your Lord, your Saviour. This is your hour; This span of time, this mo∣ment, is that on vvhich, dependeth your Eternity. If in this your hour you watch, and be ready to go out and meet him, he vvill receive you vvith joy,* 1.74 even receive you to his table, there to rest, and sit down,* 1.75 and delight your selves with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets, and all the Apostles, and all the Martyrs, all your fellow-watchmen, and with them to sing praises to this Lord for e∣vermore.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tert. l. 2. cont. Marcion.
• * 1.2

  Dent. 30.15.19.
• * 1.3

  Prov. 20.27.
• * 1.4

  Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 30.
• * 1.5

  Deut. 4.9.
• * 1.6

  Tom. 1,
• * 1.7

  Prov. 4.23.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 26.41.
• * 1.9

  Philip. 2.12.
• * 1.10

  2 Cor. 7.1. Heb. 12.28. 2 John 8.
• * 1.11

  1 Kings 7.11.
• * 1.12

  Eccl. 23.17. Tertul. de Testm. ani∣mae, c. 2. Ʋnde haec tibi anima non Christiani?
• * 1.13

  Psal. 4.4.
• * 1.14

  Heb 3.1.
• * 1.15

  Coloss. 1.24.
• * 1.16

  Fp. ad Clymp.
• * 1.17

  2 Pet. 1.10.
• * 1.18

  Tit. 2.11.
• * 1.19

  Philip. 2.12. 2 Cor. 2.16. 2 Tim. 4.8.
• * 1.20

  Veget. l. v.
• * 1.21

  Job. 7.20. & 16.12. Nazianz. Orat. 38.
• * 1.22

  Eccles. 7.29.
• * 1.23

  Legem dedit Deus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Naz. Orat. 38.
• * 1.24

  Exod. 17.11.
• * 1.25

  2 Cor. 11, 12.
• * 1.26

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Bas. in Psal. 1 Hieron.
• * 1.27

  Prov. 23.31.
• * 1.28

  Jer. 9.21.
• * 1.29

  August. lib. Music. c. 11.
• * 1.30

  Hilar in Psal. 118.
• * 1.31

  Quintil. l. 10. c. 3.
• * 1.32

  Arist. Sophist. Elench. c. 12.
• * 1.33

  Magna ista quia parvi su∣mus, credimus, Sen. Praef. ad N. Q.
• * 1.34

  Aug. de ver•• Relig. c. 51.
• * 1.35

  Col. 2.21.
• * 1.36

  Gal. 5.19, 20.
• * 1.37

  Tull. Offic. 1.
• * 1.38

  Ardent, in∣tenduntur, humectant, connivent: hinc illae miseri∣cordiae lacrymae, Plin. Nat. H. l. 11. c. 37. Eccl. 13.21.
• * 1.39

  A. Gell. Noct. Att. L. 19. c. 2. Tertull. de Co∣ron. Mil. c. 5.
• * 1.40

  Arnob. l. 7. adv Gent.
• * 1.41

  Bern,
• * 1.42

  De resurrect. carnis, c. 15.
• * 1.43

  Nullus in ho∣mine naturalis appetitus qui n••n potest vir∣tuosè impleri, Holcot in l. Sap. ser 42.
• * 1.44

  Luke 22.42.
• * 1.45

  Maxima obse∣quii gloria est in eo, quod ae∣qui mium ve∣lit, Plin. Pa∣neg.
• * 1.46

  Rom. 8.37.
• * 1.47

  Hieron. Apro∣nio.
• * 1.48

  Eph. 6.11.
• * 1.49

  Veget.
• * 1.50

  Sen. Nat. Quast.
• * 1.51

  Hom. 39. in Isa.
• * 1.52

  M. Seneca, Cont. 164.
• * 1.53

  Hebr. 11.25.
• * 1.54

  1 Cor. 15.19.
• * 1.55

  De Patientia.
• * 1.56

  Prout quaeque accepta sunt, ità valent, Plin. Nat. hist. l. 28. c. 3.
• * 1.57

  Nihil in bello oportet con∣temni.
• * 1.58

  Psal. 119.37.
• * 1.59

  Nemo diu ta∣tus periculo proximus. Cypr. Epist. 61
• * 1.60

  Psal. 137.8, 9.
• * 1.61

  Heb. 3.1.
• * 1.62

  Heb. 12.2, 3. & 13.8.
• * 1.63

  Dan. 3.25.
• * 1.64

  Psal. 127.1.
• * 1.65

  Greg. Hom. 36.
• * 1.66

  Gal. 5.24.
• * 1.67

  1 Thes. 4.3.
• * 1.68

  Rom. 16.2••.
• * 1.69

  Is. 21.11. If you will en∣quire, enquire. Vide Castalio∣nis perutilem Tract. de quin∣que impedimen∣tis honae mentis, Job 8.9, Psal 39.5.
• * 1.70

  Job 14.14. Psal. 119.164. Psal. 55.17. Acts 24.25.
• * 1.71

  Eph 6.14.
• * 1.72

  Matth. 7.7.
• * 1.73

  Prov. 8.31.
• * 1.74

  Math. 8.11.
• * 1.75

  Luk. 13.28.