as the soul keeps close to God and his truth, it is safe ; so long as our way lieth above, we are free from the snares below. All the danger first riseth from letting our hearts loose from God by infideUty, for then presently our heart is dra-mi away by some seeming good, whereby we seek a severed ex- cellency and contentment out of God, in whom it is only to be had. After we have once forsaken God, God forsakes us, leaving us in some degree to ourselves, the worst guides that can be ; and thereupon, Satan joins forces with us, setting upon us as a friend, vmder our ovnx colours ; he cannot but miscarry that hath a pirate for his guide. This God suftereth to make us better known to om-selves ; for by this means, corraption that lay hid before, is drawn out, and the deceitfulness of sin the better known, and so we are put upon the daily practice of repentance and mortification, and driven to fly under the wings of Jesus Christ. Were it not for temptations, we should be concealed from ourselves ; our graces as unexercised, would not be so bright, the power of God should not appear ; so in our weakness, we would not be so pitiful and tender towards others, nor so jealous over our own hearts, nor so skilful of Satan's method and enterprises, we should not see such a necessity of standing always upon our guard ; but though, by the overruling power of God, they have this good issue, yet that which is ill of itself, is not to be ventured on, for the good that cometh by acci- dent. The chief thing wherein one Christian diflers from another is watch- fulness, which though it require most labour, yet it bringeth most safety ; and the best is no farther safe, than watchful, and not only against sins, but tentations, which are the seeds of sin, and occasions which let in ten- tations. The best, by rash adventures upon occasion, have been led into temptations, and by temptation into the sin itself; whence sin and temp- tation come both under the same name, to shew us that we can be no further secm-e from sin, than we be careful to shun temptations. And in this every one should labour so well to understand themselves, as to know what they find a temptation to them. That may be a temptation to one which is not to another ; Abraham might look upon the smoke of Sodom, though Lot might not ; because that sight would work more upon Lot's heart than Abraham's. In these cases a wise Christian better knows what to do with himself than any can prescribe him. And because God hath our hearts in his hand, and can either suspend or give way to temptations, it should move us especially to take heed of those sins, whereby, gi'ieving the good Spirit of God, we give him cause to leave us to our own spirits ; but that he may rather stir up contrary gracious lustings in us, as a con- trary principle. There is nothing of greater force to make us out of godly jealousy ' to fear always.' Thus daily * working out om- salvation,' that God may delight to go along with us, and be om- shield, and not to leave us naked in the hands of Satan, but second his first grace Avith a farther degree, as temptations shall increase. It is he that either removeth occa- sions, or shutteth our hearts against them, and giveth strength to prevail over them ; which gracious promise you cannot be too thankful for. It is a great mercy when temptations are not above the supply of strength against them. This care only taketh up the heart of those who, having the life of ■Christ begun in them, and his nature stamped upon them, have felt how sweet communion and acquaintance with God in Chi-ist, and how comfort- able the daily walking with God, is ; these are weary of anything that may draw away their hearts from God, and hinder their peace. And therefore they hate temptations to sin as sin itself, and sin as hell itself, and heU most of aU, as being a state of eternal separation from all comfortable
ex MEMOIR OF EICHARD SIBBES, D.D.
fellowship with God. A man that is a stranger from the life of God, can- not resist temptation to sin, as it is a sin, because he never knew the beauty of holiness ; but from the beauty of a civil life, he may resist temptations to such times * as may weaken respect, and from love of his own quiet, may abstain from those sins that will affright conscience. And the cause why civil men fear the less disturbance fi'om temptations is, because they are wholly under the power of temptation, till God awaken their heart. What danger they see not, they feel not, the strong man holds his posses- sion in them, and is too wise, by rousing them out of their sleep to give them occasion of thoughts of escape. None more under the danger of temptation, than they that discern it not ; they are Satan's stales, ' taken by him at his pleasure,' whom Satan useth to draw others into the same snare. Therefore Satan troubleth not them, nor himself about them ; but the true Christian fears a temptation in everything. His chief care is, that in what condition soever he be, it prove not a temptation to him. Afflictions, indeed, are more ordinarily called temptations, than prosperity, because Satan by them breedeth an impression of sorrow and fear, which affections have an especial working upon us in the course of our lives, making us often to forsake God, and desert his cause. Yet snares are laid in every- thing we deal with, which none can avoid but those that see them. None see, but those whose eyes God opens ; and God useth the ministiy of his servants for this end, to open the eyes of men, to discover the net, and then, as the wise man saith, ' In vain is the net spread before the sight of any bird.' Domine, quis evadet laqueos istos multos nisi videat istos ? Et quis videbit istos, nisi quern illuminaveris luniine tuo ? ipse enim pater tenebra- rum laqueos suos abscondit, Soliloq. cap. 16. Which goeth under August- ine's name. Tom. 9.