314. All love and associations that are not begun on good terms, will end in hatred. We should take heed whom we join in league and amity withal. Before we plant our aflections, consider the persons what they are. If we see any signs of grace, then it is good ; but if not, there wull be a rent. Throughout our whole life this ought to be our rule. We should labour in all companies either to do good or receive good ; and where we can neither do nor receive good, we should take heed of such acquaintance. Let men therefore consider and take heed how they stand in combination with wicked persons.
315. ' Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecu- tion,' 2 Tim. iii. 12. He must have his nature changed, and carry his hatred against all opposite courses ; and therefore to frame a religion that hath no trouble with it, is to frame an idol. But neuters in religion are like unto bats, that men can scarce distinguish from mice, or flying fowl, because they have a resemblance of both. Take heed therefore of neutrality in reHgion. After the first heat many become lukewarm, and from that they fall into coldness ; let us therefore look to our beginnin"s. Pure affection in religion must also be zealous.
316. Wise men will do nothing without great ends; and the more wise, the greater are their ends. Shall we attribute this to men, and not to the wisdom of God ? Christ would never have appeared in our nature, and suffered death, but for some great end. Shall we think that this mystery
224 DIVINE MEDITATIONS
of God taking flesh upon him, was for a slight purpose ? Now, the end of his coming was to save sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15; he came to bring us to God, 1 Peter iii. 18; but he that will save us must first bring us out of Satan's bondage, therefore Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, 1 John iii. 8. It must needs follow therefore that the salvation of our souls is of great consequence, seeing for this only end Christ took our nature upon him and sntfered for us.
317. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil in us, but yet he makes us kings under him, to fight his battles; and as by his Spirit in us he destroys the works of the devil, so he doth it in the exercise of all the powers and parts of soul and body, and by exercising the graces of his Spirit in us. * He hath made us kings and priests,' not that we should do nothing, but that we should fight, and in fighting overcome. The chiefest grace that God doth exercise in overcoming our corruptions is faith. We fell by infidelity and disobedience. Now, Christ comes and displants infidelity, and instead thereof he plants faith, which unites us to him; and then by a divine skill, it draws a particular strength from Christ, to fight his battles against corruption.
318. Temptations at first are like Elias's cloud, no bigger than a man's hand ; but if we give way to them, they overspread the whole soul. Satan nestles himself when we dwell upon the thoughts of sin. We cannot with- stand sudden risings, but by grace we may keep them that they do not abide there long. Let us therefore labour as much as we can to be in good company and good courses ; for as the Holy Ghost works by these advantages, so we should wisely observe them.
319. It is hard to discern the working of Satan from our own corrup- tions, because for the most part he goes secretly along with them. He is like a pirate at sea ; he sets upon us with our own colours ; he comes as a friend; and therefore it is hard to discern, but it is partly seen by the eagerness of our lusts, when they are sudden, strong, and strange, so strange sometimes, that even nature itself abhors them. The Spirit of God leads sweetly, but the devil hurries a man like a tempest, that he will hear no reason ; as we see in Ammon, for his sister Tamar. Again, when we shake ofi" motions of God's Spirit, and mislike his government, and give way to passion, then the devil enters. Let a man be unadvisedly angiy, and the devil will make him envious and seek revenge. When passions are let loose, they are chariots in which the devil rides. Some by nature are prone to distrust, and some to be too confident. Now, the devil he joins with them, and so draws them on further. He bi'oods upon our corruptions ; he lies as it were upon the souls of men, and there broods and hatches all sin whatsoever. All the devils in hell cannot force us to sin. He works by suggestions, stirring up humours and fancies ; but he cannot work upon the will. We betray ourselves by yielding before he can do us any harm, yet he ripens sin.
320. There are some sins that let Satan loose upon us ; as, first, pride; we see it in Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Secondly, conceitedness and presump- tion; as we may see in Peter, Mat. xxvi. 33. Thirdly, security; which is always the forerunner of some great punishment or great sin, which also is a punishment, as we see in David. Fourthly, idleness ; it is the hour of temptation, when a man is out of God's business. Fifthly, intemperance, either in looseness of diet or otherwise ; therefore Christ commands us to be * sober, and watch,' and look to sobriety in the use of the creatures. Sixthly, there is a more subtile intemperance of passion, for in what degree