not for a world deny either, and I think he is no Chrifian that makes not use of both: hence I fay, that in the very time of the affaults, or of Satan's injections, it is good to avoid folitarinefs as of choice: yet if God by virtue of our calling, fhall draw or lead us into folitary places at fuch a time, we need not fear: Jefus Chrift was led of the fpirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the * devil,' Mat. iv. I. If we are led into a wilderness by a divine providence, and in our calling, and that we run not ourselves rafhly into a temptation, we may confidently expect a comfortable iffue out of it: but herein we had need of caution and direction.

1. For caution: Beware that in folitary places we yield not to roving, ranging thoughts; the time there fpent must not be unprofitably fpent. Indeed the heart is a wandring thing, like a mill ever grinding, ever in mation; take heed then, watch over it, give it no leave to mufe unprofitably.

2. For direction: carry we ourselves fo in folitary places that we may fay with Scipio, we are never lefs alone, than when we are alone; or rather with Christ, I am not alone, for the Father is with me, John xvi. 30. There is a fweet liberty (when we are folitary) of converfing with God, there we may make our addreffes to him, and fharpen our prayers, and meditate on him, and on his word and works. And thus in a wildernefs we may have fafety, for as the hills compafs Jerufalem, fo doth the Lord compafs his people while they are in his fervice.

3. We must have à care to avoid idleness. Holy exercifes, and the duties of our lawful callings fhould then be our work. For holy exercises, I commend conferences with others; to ask counsel, and to acquiefce in counfel well given, is a prefent cure. Prayer alto is a duty taught us by Chrift, Lord fuffer me not to be led into temptation, q. d. Lord rebuke Satan, and restrain his malice, that either he may not caft his hellish wild fire of blafphemous thoughts into our minds, or at least that they may be quenched at their firft entrance, and not inflame our con. cupifcence with the leaft liking of them. And for our particular callings, follow them with all diligence, by this

means

means we shall have no leifure to hearken to Satan, and in them feasonably we may serve God our Father, as well as in our general callings.

4. If for all this we cannot be rid of these fad injections, be we not therefore over much grieved, but feeing they are Satan's fins and not ours let them pafs as they come, without any great trouble. Some of bold fpirits tell us, that in this cafe we may deride Satan, not haughtily, but holily, as if we fhould fay, Sir, Satan, thou unclean fpirit, if thou couldst do me any greater mischief, I know thou wouldst do it, but I regard thee not, for I call on God as my helper against all thy affaults.' The proud devil cannot endure himself to be condemned, and this holy contempt of Satan hath proved the cure of fome poor tempted fouls, as Gerfon affirms.

CHA P. V. SECT. I. Of the Devil's furious Alfaults in the End and Period of

T

our Life.

HE fourth and laft period wherein Satan affaults or combats with us, it is the end and period of our life, and in profecution of this firft let us learn fome of thofe depths or wiles of Satan against us, and then practife we thofe duties that concern us in our wrestling with him at fuch a time.

His affaults are ufually sharpeft then; thus Bolton tells us, Amidst the variety of Satan's methods, he is for the moft part conftant in one piece of policy, and that is this, he conceals his greatest fury, in his most desperate affaults unto the laft; he referves his fierieft dart, his deadlieft poison, his fharpest fling, until he meet us on our death, bed. Another of our worthies agrees with him, as evil spirits are ever bufy and restlefs in their affaults, fo their laft conflict ufes to be moft vehement, whether it be for that now the foul is paffing out of their reach, or whether it be for that the painful agonies of death yield them more hopes of advantage, fince the foul whiles it is ftruggling with those last pangs, muft needs have her powers diftracted in her refiftances. Cruelty where it would prevail, will be fure to lay the moft load upon the weaker.' I have often wondered why all the faints are not then more troubled;

troubled; fome we fee pafs out of the world without any moleftation, but it is not for want of Satan's will, God hath him in a chain, and rebukes Satan, and the holy angels guard the faints and keep off devils otherwife I believe not one should pafs out of this world, but Satan would affault him with all his fiery darts; yet as he temptsall in life, fo it is the Lord's pleasure that in death he Thould have a liberty to fall on fome, and them he affaults with his fierieft dart, his deadlieft poifon, his harpelt fting indeed; and of fome of thefe I shall speak.

SECT. II.

Of the feveral Affaults of Satan at our Death.
UT what are those deadly machinations which the

alas! we know not the fecret projects of filly men like ourselves, much lefs can we attain unto the understand. ing of all the infernal plots of fubtil devils, fuch know. "ledge is too wonderful for us, our clew hath not line enough to fathom thefe depths of Satan, yet (as good Hall obferveth) Though we be not able to difcern thofe infinite and hidden particularities of diabolical arts, yet our woful experience and obfervation hath taught us fome general heads of these mischievous practices.' I cannot fay, I can tell you any of their affaults at fuch a time by my own experience, for I have not yet paffed thofe pikes and pangs of death, yet may I bring in the experiences of others, and fo guefs at the variety of Satan's affaults at the point of death. For instance, fome he moves to an ungrounded confidence in God, others to a distrust, where they have fure grounds of a true belief, fome he works to a spiritual pride, and over-weening opinion, others to a dejection of mind, fo that they cry, Why art thou 'caft down, O my foul? Into fome he throws many needlefs fcruples, affrighting them even from lawful actions; into others he darts prefumptuous thoughts, that nothing startles them, be it never fo wicked; fome he lifts up in the good opinion of their graces or gracious difpofitions; others he beats down with a difparagement of the true graces planted in them by God's own Spirit; fome he feeds with a sweet contentment of their own righteousness

teousness and gracious actings, others he endeavours to freeze up with a dulnefs and deadnefs in all their duties; fome he flatters with an unfallible affurance of this hap py condition, and of their election into glory, others he tempts to a careless indifferency, and ftupid neglect of their future estate; some he objects againft, in that the measure of their forrow and contrition is unfufficient; o thers he perfuades, that the fmalleft portion of inward fórrow for fin, without any the leaft outward concern against it, is enough; into fome he throws flashes of hell. fire, and prefents death to them as the king of terrors; others he turns into flocks and ftones, fo that, they mind neither death, nor judgment, nor heaven, nor hell, nor any thing of that eternity that is before them.

But be

cufe I fpeak only of believers, and their affaults, this I obferve, That most what he either tempts to prefumption or defpair, either he puffs up poor fouls with fome ungrounded prefumptions of present fafety and future glory, or he cafts undue and unjust fears into the confciences of them that are most tender and weak ;' and therefore pas fing by all the reft, I fhall take notice only of thefe two affaults, and give directions how to wrestle against

them.

SECT. ILL.

Of the Affaults of Presumption.

Satan takes this courfe to tempt us to prefumpti

1.Ion, it is ufually of this principle, "That our lives

have been holy, that we have walked before God in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in his fight.' I will not deny but that this may be doce: Hezekiah is not condemned, but commended in this very faying: our duties, and graces, and gracious actings, as to the matter of fanctification, are precious metal, and as they have the image of Chrift upon them, and for them we may bless the name of God; but as to the matter of justification, we are to renounce all; and as to the matter of fanctification we are to attribute the Atrength, the power, and the glory of all unto Jefus Christ, and nothing to ourfelves, if either we trust to them, or pride ourselves in the exercife of them on our

dying beds, it is Satan's temptation, and we had need to look to it, and avoid it.

W

SECT. IV.

Of our wrestling with Satan in this respect.
HICH that we may, let us observe these rules.

1. Confider, whatsoever good we have done or howfoever holy we have been, it was not of ourselves, but of the free gift and grace of God in Chrift: What 'have we that we have not received? And if we have re'ceived it, why do we glory as if we had not received it ? 1 Cor. iv. 7. It is storied of Mr. Knox, that the night before his death, he flept fome hours with great unquietnefs, often fighing and groaning, whereupon when he awaked, the standers by asked him how he did, and what it was that made him mourn fo heavily? To whom he anfwered, In my lifetime. I have been affaulted with temp tations from Satan, and he hath oft caft my fins into my teeth to drive me to despair, yet God gave me ftrength to overcome all his temptations: but now the fubtil ferpent takes another course, and feeks to perfuade me, that all my labours in the ministry, and the fidelity I have fhewed in that fervice hath merited heaven and immortality; but bleffed be God that hath brought into my mind thefe fcrip'what haft thou that thou haft not received? 'And not I, but the grace of God in me,' &c. With which he is gone away afhamed, and shall no more return. And now I am fure my battle is at an end, and that without pain of body or trouble of spirit, I fhall fud denly change this mortal and miferable life, with that happy and immortal life that shall never have an end.' Oh that thus it may be with us, that God's grace may be all, and we may be nothing; "We are not fufficient of our 'felves to think as of ourselves, but all our fufficiency is 'of God,' 2 Cor, iii. 5.

tures;

2. Reft not on any thing on this fide Jefus Chrift; nejther grace, nor duties, nor, holinefs, are to be trufted upon; it is true, we must hold them faft, in point of practice and obedience, but it is our fin and danger to hold them faft in reliance and confidence; do them we muft, but glory in them we must not; we may remem.

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