(3.) It must not be temporary, for a while, but perpetual. It con- cerns us not only to stand out against the first assault of Satan, but a long siege. Satan, what he cannot gain by argument, seeks to procure by importunity. But ' resist him.' saith the apostle, ' steadfastly in the faith,' 1 Pet. v. 9. As his instrument spake to Joseph, ' from day to day,' she ceased not, Gen. xxxix. 10. Deformed objects, when accustomed to them, seem not so odious ; so the devil hopes to prevail at last, at least temptation will not seem so odious. But you must keep your zeal to the last, as we rate away an importunate beggar that will not be answered : to yield at last is to lose the glory of the conflict. Grace must not only have its work, but ' its perfect work,' James i. 4 ; so let all our graces, temperance, godliness, and brotherly kindness, have their perfect work.
[4.] There is required watchfulness : 1 Pet. v. 8, * Be sober, be vigilant.' You that are not ignorant of Satan's devices should watch that you give not him an advantage, 2 Cor. ii. 11 ; nor an occasion, 2 Cor. xi. 12, lest Satan tempt you ; nor a pretence. Gal. v. 13, to the flesh. Certainly, he that would not be foiled needs a great deal of holy moderation, and constant jealousy over his heart ; he had need to guard his senses : Ps. cxix. 37, ' Turn away mine eyes from behold- ing vanity ; ' and to look to his com})any : Ps. cxix. 115, ' Depart from me, ye evil-doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God ; ' and to avoid all occasions of sin, not rush into them, but keep out of the way : Prov. iv. 14, ' Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men ; ' for this is to ride into the devil's quarters, to run into the mouth of danger. Heretofore these were wholesome instructions, and why should they not be so now ? The devil is not less subtle, or sin less odious and dangerous ; only we are more foolhardv, therefore stand not at such a distance as we should
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from occasions. It is easier to avoid the occasion than the sin when occasion is offered ; as it is easier for a bird to fly from the snare than, when entangled, to avoid danger. Therefore, when you run into harm's way, you tempt Satan to tempt ; and when j'ou look not to yourselves, it is just with God to let you flill into the snare.
SecondJy, There are special times of temptation, when Christians should look to themselves. There is an evil day : Eph. vi. 13, ' That ye may be able to stand in the evil day.' And there is an Jiour of temptation upon the workl : Rev. iii. 10, 'I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all tlie world.' There are certain times when God is proving what men will do, and when the devil is likely to make a great advantage of our discontents and afflic- tions, when things fall cross to our desires, and we know not what evil waits for us ; how should we do to behave ourselves ?
[1.] Be not over-confident or over-diffident. Not over-confident, in running beyond the bounds of our calling, to cast ourselves into dangers and hazards of temptation. Nor over-diffident, by base flying from, or giving way when God calls for valiant resistance. Both ways is the devil likely to assault us ; either by making us foolhardy. So Satan seeks to drive us beyond the bounds of our calling, to put us out of our place, that we may be a prey to him. As men use to trouble the water, that they may rouse the fish, and draw them into the snare, and drive them out of places of safety where they rest ; so the devil seeks to put us out of our safety. Peter would needs come to Christ : Mat. xiv. 28, ' Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water ; ' and we see he sinks before he could accomplish his purpose. So when we are over-confident, and run out of our calling upon hazards, then we are ever and anon ready to sink. But we should not turn back when God calls us to a valiant resistance : ' Should such a man as I flee ? ' Neh. vi. 11. Observe Peter's dastardliness when he ven- tures without a call into the priest's hall ; a question of the damsel's overturns him. He that was so cowardly when he was out of his way, look upon his boldness when he was in his work : Acts iv. 7 unto ver. 13, ' When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they marvelled.' John was the disciple of love, and Peter was the fearful disciple ; yet how full of boldness, courage, and zeal when they w^ere called and singled out to give proof of the reality of God's grace ! And therefore we should never be over-forward, nor over-backward, but own God in his truth when we are in our calling. Let not Satan bring you out of your place to cast yourselves as a prey to him.