* They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,' 1 Tim. vi. 9, Yea, sometimes there may be a snare in our duties : 1 Tim. iii. 6,
* Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemna- tion of the devil ; ' that is, grow proud by his ministerial service and employments, and so become a sect-master, and make divisions. Now they that are not circumspect are sure to miscarry. He that hath his eyes in his head, and looketh about him, may escape : Prov. i. 17, ' In vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.' In short, so many and so subtle are the temptations which Satan sets for us to entrap us and draw us from our duty, that we cannot be circumspect and cautious enough. Therefore we that are placed in the midst of so many dangers and temptations ought to walk circumspectly, that we may not be ensnared: Eph. vi. 11, 'Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.' He assaults us not only by force, but cunning ; his wiles are more dangerous than his darts, because they do not approach us with such frightening and awakening assaults as his darts do. He conveyeth such ensnaring temptations as he knoweth will best take with the person tempted ; and to deal with the children of light, ' He transformeth himself into an angel of light,' 2 Cor, xi. 14. Some are for grace, others for works ; some indulge the flesh, others use the body with more rigour, and will not suffer themselves to be at the whistle of every temptation.
5. Most christians have but a weak heart, that is apt to lead them aside into some unbecoming practice. Our heart is most in danger, and therefore we have need to look to ourselves : 1 Cor. x. 12, ' I^et him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' Those that seem to be most firm and settled have little cause to trust themselves. Though it is true that ordinarily, if the first radical inclination to God and heaven be strengthened, all the other graces grow strong with it, yet many times, yea, most times, it falleth out that christians are weak in some things and strong in others ; for all graces do not grow in an equal proportion in true believers, because of some accidental obstruc- tion in the receiver, either through bodily temper, or frequent tempta- tions, or want of serious diligence. So Adam, Solomon, Noah, and others, whose upper soul was considerably furnished and fortified, fell by sensual appetite. Some may have a good proportion of zeal yet
352 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XVIII.
fjiil in humility ; therefore all graces are not in an equal degree in christians. Some are impotent in bridling a passion, others in bridling the tongue, or checking pride and envy and self-esteem. There is often great zeal with little knowledge ; and again, some have great know- ledge with little charity. Therefore how nmch doth it concern chris- tians to be cautelous. Some have more to do to govern their passions, some to keep down their ruder lusts : Titus iii. 3, ' Serving divers lusts and pleasures.' Sometimes the eyes, that they may not let in tempta- tions to the soul : Job xxxi. 1, 'I made a covenant with mine eyes ; why then should I think upon a maid ? ' Sometimes the tongue : Ps. xxxix. 1, * I said, I would take heed to my Avays, that I ofiend not with my tongue.' Sometimes the appetite : Prov. xxiii. 2, ' Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.' We are to keep all avenues and passes, but especially to fortify the weakest parts. And in the general let me tell you, there may be a defect in the under- standing, but the great cause of all miscarriage is the falseness of the heart ; therefore how can weak hearts bear up against strong tempta- tions ?
G. Consider how many guards God hath set upon man, who is apt to fly out upon all occasions. There is an external guard, the magis- trate, who is to watch for thy good, Kom. xiii. 4, that nothing may fall out that may disturb human society. But because that is a lax innocence that doth only exempt us from the danger and stroke of the law, and all sins do not intrench upon the welfare of human society, there is a closer guard upon us. God hath made us and our fellow- christians to be one another's keepers : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.' In ' any of you ; ' as not in yourselves, so not in others : ver. 13, * But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.' We must not hate another, and suffer sin upon him. But because duties of common love and charity are often omitted, therefore this is a debt of justice. Some are appointed by way of office and charge : Heb. xiii, 17, ' Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves ; for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief.' It is a grief to them wlien they cannot give a good account of you to the Lord. But church officers cannot be everywhere ; they cannot follow you into your families, and closets, and retirements, or pry into every corner ; and therefore there is an invisible guard upon you, the holy angels : 1 Cor. xi. 10, ' For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels ; ' 1 Tim. v. 21, ' I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.' The angels observe you when anything unseemly passeth from you in worship or in ordinary conversation. A man can hardly be alone ; wherever he goeth, there are good and bad angels in his company. Now because the angels cannot know the heart unless it be by guess and ratiocina- tion, therefore there is a spirit in man which knoweth the things which are in man : 1 Cor. ii. 11, ' For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him ? ' Conscience is God's