Pfal. civ. 20. fo doth Satan, when the foul feems to be benighted and loft in the darkness of spiritual troubles.

And this is the fecond thing wherein the efficacy and ftrength of temptation lies.

III. Laftly, It lies in that fecret correspondency Satan holds with our bofom enemies. Were it not for this domeftic traitor, he could not furprize us to eafily: As you fee in Chrift; he could do nothing becaufe he found nothing to faften a temptation on. He was like a chryftal glass filled with pure fountain water: So that though he fhould have been agitated and shaken never fo much by temptation, yet no filthy fediment could appear; but now we have an enemy within that holds intelligence with Satan without; and this would prove a devil to us, if there were no other devil to tempt us, Jam. i. 14, 15. It is a fountain of temptation in itself. Matth. xv. 19. and the chief inftrument by which Satan doth all his tempting work, 2 Pet. i. 4.

Our feveral paffions and affections are the handles of his témptations. Every thing, faith Epictetus, hath duo haßas, two handles to take it by. Our affections are the handles of our fouls. The temptation of felf-confidence and pride takes hold of a daring and forward difpofition, the temptation of apostasy upon a timorous difpofition, &c. Thefe inbred lufts go over to the enemy in the day of battle, and fight against the foul, 1 Pet. ii. 11. This is a more dangerous enemy than the devil. It is true they both work against us, but with a double difference. Satan works externally and objectively; but luft internally and phyfically, i. e. quoad materale, as it is capable of phyfical efficiency. "Sin wrought in me all manner of concupi

fcence," Rom. vii. 8. Yea, it is a fubtle enemy that doth his bufinefs politicly, Rom. vii. 11. Sin deceived me; it betrays with a kifs, ftrangles with a filken halter, Heb. ii. 13. Eph. vii. 22. These be his agents fitting at the council-table in our own breafts, and there carrying on his defigns effectually: Yea, it is the reftiefs and perpetual enemy, no ridding your hands of him. Satan is fometimes put to flight by refiftance, Jam. iv. 7. and fometimes ceafes his temptations, Luke iv. 13. But when he ceafeth to tempt and inject, this ceaseth not to irritate and folicit; where we are, it will be; it is our fad lot to be tied to it, and perpetually affaulted by it, Rom. vii. 24. We may fay of it as Hannibal faid of Marcellus, that it is never quiet, whether a conqueror, or conquered; yea, it is a potent enemy too, it hauls men away to the commiffion of fin, Jam. i. 14. it feizeth the magazine of the foul, and delivers up the arms, I mean the members, to be orλa adixias, weapons of unrighteousness.

Thus you fee wherein the efficacy and power of temptation confifts. And it mightily concerns you that are, or expect to be fufferers for Chrift, to be acquainted with these things, and know where the ftrength of your enemy lies.

But how fhall the fuffering faint fo manage himself in a fuffering

hour, as not to be captivated by temptations? This brings me upon the fecond thing I promifed; viz. to prescribe fome rules for the ef caping or conquering of thofe temptations that are incidental to a fuffering ftate. And first,

1. Rule. Labour to cut off the advantages of temptations before they come. It is our inordinate love to life, eftate, liberty, and ease, that gives the temptations fo much ftrength upon us. Do not overvalue them, and you will more eafily part from them, Rev. xii. 11. O mortify felf-love, and creature-love; let your heart be loofened and weaned from them, and then the temptation hath loft its ftrength.

2. Rule. Secure to yourfelves an intereft in the heavenly glory. When once you clearly fee your propriety in the kingdom above, you will fet the lighter and lower by all things on earth. That is a pregnant text to this purpose, Heb. x. 34. It is our darkness and uncertainties about those that make us cling fo faft to these.

3. Rule. Settle this principle in your heart as that which you will never depart from, that it is better for you to fall into any suffering, than into the leaft fin, Heb. xi. 24, 25. This all will acknowledge, but how few practise it! Oh that you would practically understand and receive it! Suffering is but a refspective, external, and temporal evil; but fin is an univerfal, internal, and everlasting evil.

4. Rule. Believe that God hath curfed and blasted all the ways of fin, that they fhall never be a fhelter to any foul that flies for refuge to them, Mark viii. 35. Prov. xiii. 15. The way of tranfgreffors is a hard and difficult way. There is no fecurity in the way of iniquity. He that runs from fuffering to fin, runs from the feeming to the real danger; from the painted to the living lion.

5. Rule. Live up to this principle, that there is no policy like fin✔ cerity and godly fimplicity. This will preferve and fecure you when carnal wisdom will expofe and betray you. Pfal. xxv. 2. Job ii. 3. Sinful policy never thrives with faints.

6. Rule. Confider fadly what the confequence of yielding up yourfelves to temptations will be: The name of God will be dreadfully reproached, 2 Sam. xii. 14. A fatal ftumbling-block is laid before the blind world, 1 Sam. ii. 35. The hearts of many upright ones |_ made fad, Pfal. xxv. 3. The fall of a profeffor is as when a ftandardbearer fainteth; and a dreadful wound it will be to thine own conscience, 2 Cor. ii. 7. Matth. xxv. 76. One hour's fleep of fecurity may keep you many days and nights waking upon the rack of horror. 7. Rule. Never engage a temptation in your own ftrength, but go forth against it trembling in yourselves, and relying on Divine aids and affittances, Eph. vi. 10. What are you to grapple with fpirits, to enter the lifts with principalities and powers? Or what is your ftrength that you should hope?

8. Rule. Let the days of your temptation be days of strong cries and fupplications. Thus did Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Pfal. cix. 4. Your

beft pofture to wrestle with temptation, is upon your knees.

9. Rule. Dwell upon the confideration of those choice encouragements God hath laid up in the world for fuch a time. As, (1.) Though he give Satan leave to tempt you, yet you are still in his hand to preferve you, Deut. xxxiii. 3. John x. 28. (2) That whilft Satan is fifting and trying you on earth, Chrift is interceding for you in heaven, Luke xxii. 31, 32. (3.) That an eternal reward is laid up for those that overcome, Luke xxii. 28, 29. Rev. xxi. 7, 8. And now is this reward to be won or loft.

Laftly, Be content till God open a door out of your temptations, I Cor. x. 13. The time of the promife will come, Acts vii. 17. Wait for it, though it tarry, and feem to be deferred; in the end it will fpeak, and not lie, Hab. ii. 3. There was a fecret door in the ark, though it could not be feen whilft the waters prevailed; And fo there is in all your temptations, though at prefent it be not difcernible by you.

And thus I have brought you one step nearer to Paul's bleffed frame. O give diligence to make yourselves ready for fufferings.

CHAP. XII.

Sheweth, that a choice part of our preparation and readiness for fufferings confifts in the improvement of our praying abilities, and keeping clofe with God in that heavenly and excellent duty in days of fuffering; wherein alfo is opened the nature and means of its improvement.

RAYER is faid to be amongft duties, as faith is amongst the graces. Doubtlefs it is, of fpecial use and service at all times to a Chriftian: But yet in fuffering days it is of more than ordinary use and neceflity, Heb. iv. 16. James v. 13. And therefore it is reckoned among thofe choice pieces of armour. which fuffering faints are to put on, Eph. vi. 18. I will here briefly difcover the neceffity of it, and then fhew you that a Chriftian may improve himfelf to an excellent degree in it; and, laftly, prescribe some means for an improvement.

The neceffity of it to a fuffering faint will demonftratively appear, if you confider,

1. That this duty is the outlet of troubles, and the best way the poor Christian hath to eafe his heart when furcharged with forrow. Griefs are eased by groans. Such evaporations disburden and cool the heart, as the opening of a vain in fome cafes doth. Oh the fenfible eafe that comes in this way! When grief in the mind, like vapours in the air, are condenfed into black clouds that overfpread the foul, and darken that beautiful light that once fhone there, then prayer, like the fun, difpels and fcatters them, I Sam. i. 18. Many a faint, by prayer, hath fucked the breast of a promife, and then fell afleep by

Divine contentment in the bofom of God. A time may come when thy heart is ready to break with trouble, and not a friend to whom thou canst open and ease it, and then bleffed be God for prayer, Micah vii. 5, 6, 7. That which finks others is, that when troubles fill and overwhelm their hearts, they try what reafon, merry company, or outward comforts can do: But, alas! this is to palliate a cure, it returns again with the more violence: But prayer gives fenfible relief, Pfal. cii, title, Pfal. lxii. 8. For. (1.) This opens and gives a vent to troubles, Jer. xx. 12. (2.) It gives our troubles a diverfion, and fo a cure, Pfal. v. 1. and the laft verfe compared. Yea, (3.) By praying over them, they are not only diverted, but fanctified, and fo ceafe to be distracting, or deftroying troubles.

2. As it gives a vent to our troubles, fo an in-let to unfpeakable comforts and confolations. See a pregnant inftance of this, Acts xvi• 25. For, (1.) Hereby they obtain gracious answers from the Lord concerning their troubles, 2 Cor. xii. 9. In this also they meet the gracious Imiles of God, which swallow up their troubles, Pfal. lxxxv. 8. And, laftly, hereby they prevail with God to open a feasonable and effectual door out of all their troubles, Pfalm xxxiv. 4, 6.

3. Prayer begets and maintains holy courage and magnanimity in evil times. When all things about you tend to difcouragement, it is your being with Jefus that makes you bold, Acts iv. 13. He that ufes to be before a great God, will not be afraid to look fuch little things as men are in the face. The woman clothed with the fun, had the moon under her feet. And what need you have of courage

in evil times, hath been already fhewed.

4. This is a duty you may perform at any time, or in any condition: No adversary can cut you off from it. It cannot be faid fo of many other duties. None can hinder the intercourfe betwixt heaven and your fouls: You may perform it in a prison, Acts xvi. 25. in a banished condition, Pfal. Ixi. 2. And fo is fitted for a fuffering condition.

Lady, You muft ftrive to excel in this, forafmuch as no grace within, or fervice without, can thrive without it. God hath ordained the whole work of grace to grow up to perfection this way, Judg. xix. 20. He will have all mercies fetched out this way, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. Jer. xxix. 11, 12, 13. All that comes from God to you, or to you from God, must come in this channel. Be convinced then of the need you have to improve yourselves herein, as ever you hope to stand in the evil day.

But how are these praying abilities capable of improvement in the people of God?

Praying abilities are either external and common, or else internal and fpecial. The external and common ability is nothing elfe but that dexterity and kill men get to exprefs themselves to God in prayer. Thus many can put their meaning into apt and decent expreffions, VOL. VI.

I

to which the Spirit fometimes adds his common touches upon the affections. And this hypocrites reft on, and glory in. Or elfe they are special and internal, whereby men are enabled to pour out their fouls to God in a gracious manner. And this may be confidered either in the habit or the act. The habit is given by the Spirit, when the principles of grace are firft infufed into the foul, Zech. xii. 10. Acts ix. 11. By being fanctified we are made near, and by acting thofe principles in prayer we are faid to draw near, Pfal. x. 17. Now in our actual drawing near to God, the Spirit hath the chief and principal hand: And his affistance therein is threefold.

1. He excites the heart to the duty; it is he that whispers to the foul to draw nigh to God, Pfalm xxvii. 8.

2. He fuggests the matter of our prayers, and furnishes us with the materials, Rom. viii. 26. guiding us as to the matter, not only to what is lawful, but alfo to what is expedient for us.

3. He stirreth up fuitable affections in prayer, Rom. viii. 26. And hence thofe groans and tears, thofe gafpings and vehement anhelation. But notwithstanding all our abilities, both habitual and actual, be from the Spirit, and not from ourselves, yet are they capable of improvement by us: For though in respect of acquirement, there be a great difference betwixt natural and fupernatural habits, yet their improvement is in the fame way and manner; and this improvement may be made divers ways: For,

First, Though you have the Spirit, and can pray, yet you may learn to pray more humbly than before: Though you rife no higher as to words, yet you may learn to lay yourselves lower before the Lord, as Abraham and Ezra did, Gen. xviii. 27. Ezra ix. 6.

Secondly, You may learn to pray with more fincerity than formerly: Ah! there is much hypocrify and formality in our prayers, much of custom, &c. Now you may learn to pour out more cordial prayers. See Pfal. xvii. 1. Pfal. cxix. 10.

Thirdly, You may learn to pray with more zeal and earnestness than before: Some faints have excelled and been remarkable for this, Dan. ix. 19. Hofea xii. 4. James v. 16

Fourthly, With more affiduity and readinefs at all times for it, Ephef. vi. 18. Praying always, with all prayer. Hence Chrift gives that commendation to the church, Cant. iv. 11. "Thy lips, O my "fpoufe, drop as the honey-comb." The honey-comb often drops, but always hangs full of drops ready to fall.

Fifthly, You may learn to pray with more faith: Oh the qualms of unbelief that go over our hearts in a duty; faith is the foul of prayer, and according to the faith God finds in them, he accepts and values them. Now in all these things you may improve yourselves abundantly.

1. By being more frequent in the duty, Job xxii. 21. " Ac"quaint thyself with the Almighty;" in the Hebrew it is, accuftom