The hardest and most unpalatable Proofs of our Virtue, beft declare the Fervency and Sincerity of it; And if Difafters or Calamitous Accidents cool or draw off our Affections, this is an Argument, that a Man is not yet what the Apostle requires we should all be, Rooted and grounded in Love.

Ephef. iii. 17.

Chrift. I

CHA P. VII.

The Tryal of true Love.

Have observed, my Son, thy Notions of Divine Love; but Thou, alas! art not yet arrived to that refolute Bravery and Prudence there described.

Difciple.] Lord, make me fenfible wherein I fail, and teach me how to mend it.

Chrift.] A fmall Temptation fhocks thy Obedience. Thou boggleft at Difficulties, and falleft from thy own Stedfaftness, if I feem to withdraw my Favour. The Comforts and Affiftance of Graces are to be wifh'd with Zeal, but not with Impatience: Nor mayest thou fo fet thy Heart upon them, as prefently to recoil, if fuch Supplies do not at all times answer thy Expectation. I hide my Face to try thy Courage. For true Chriftian Magnanimity is moft eminently seen in Troubles and Diftreffes; in turning the Deaf Ear to all thofe crafty Infinuations of the Enemy, which take the Advantage of Melancholy and deep Perplexity of Heart, to ruin and feduce unstable Souls, by tempting them to defpair. This Virtue rejoices in Profperity, but does it with fuch Temper, as not to be offended, and fall away by reafon of Adverfity.

He that loves prudently, keeps his Eyes upon the Giver, confiders the Kindness and Difpofition of his

Friend,

Friend, and values the Gift by that, not by its own Quality and intrinfick Worth. He finds more real Satisfaction in my Affection, than in the most profufe and defirable Benefits which flow from it. Not that I would condemn all Doubts and fad Mifgivings, for thofe are incident to the beft Men; and the Infirmities of Nature do not admit fuch perfect Evenness of Mind, as is always affected alike with the Love and Delights of Holinefs. Thofe fenfible Pleafures that good Men fometimes feel themselves transported with, are the Effect of Bounty and Favour, and great Indulgence; not neceffary and infeparable Confequences of Virtue. The fweet Foretaftes of Heavenly Joys are fuch as you cannot depend upon, till brought to the Fruition of that Land of Promife. And therefore no juft Conclufions can be drawn from thence, to the Prejudice of those who want them; becaufe in this Life they are given at Difcretion, and frequently make way for a feverer and more feasonable Difcipline. And when that Difcipline takes Place, then to perfift in doing well, to ftrive manfully against all the Reluctancies of frail Flesh and Blood, and hold out in despite of all the Importunities and difcouraging Suggestions of the Tempter; this is a Proof of true Spiritual Bravery, and entitles fuch valiant Combatants to a noble Reward, and exceeding bright Crown.

Let Reason therefore, and a well-grounded Faith, not Fancy and Imagination, govern thy Behaviour; And, after what manner foever thy Soul is affected, let thy Purposes of Obedience be still the fame, and thy Perfeverance unbroken. Sometimes perhaps thou art all Rapture and Joy, and thefe Extafies are not what the prophane World fuppofe, mere Dreams and Delufions: Sometimes again thou wilt relapfe into Weakness and Wandrings; these are not thy Choice, but thy Misfortune; Nor doft thou create them to K 3

thy

thy felf, but fuffer them with much Regret. Now what is not the Man's own Act, fhall never be im-. puted to him as a Fault; and what is thus by God's Permiffion, or the Frailty of Nature, if rightly managed, will tend, to thy Advantage, and rather improve than endanger thy Virtue.

This indeed you must know, and constantly remember: That the inveterate Enemy of Souls is ever labouring by all means to cool your Zeal. He watches and greedily takes hold of all Occafions to flacken your Devotion, to prevail with you to neglect, or abate of, your Prayers and other Holy Exercises; to divert your Thoughts of Chrift and his Sufferings, and fix them upon Objects of a different Kind; to beat you off from that ftrict Guard, which ought always to be kept upon your Soul; and to undermine your good Intentions, and repeated Refolutions. He conveys many loofe and wicked Thoughts into your Heart, ufes a thoufand Sleights and Artifices, to reprefent Religion a tirefome, tedious and unneceffary Thing, and to draw off your Attendance upon God in Prayers, in hearing his Word, in reading the Holy Scriptures. And happy he thinks himself, if by degrees he can draw you to a Difufe of thefe Things: For nothing more provokes his Malice, and croffes his Defigns, than to fee Men frequently upon their Knees, zealous in difcovering and confeffing their Sins; devout and attentive Comers to Church; and conftant Receivers of the Lord's Supper. When therefore he would perfuade you to be cold and remifs in any Matter of this Nature, be fure to give no Credit to his falfe and wheedling Infinuations, for they are fo many Snares laid to captivate and to deftroy you. Turn fmartly back upon him, with a Get thee behind me, Satan; "Blush, if thou canft, unclean Spirit, at thy own treacherous Villany; I am well aware of thy deadly Baits; and fenfible that Hell and Death

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"are upon the Hook; Thy fly Deceits are loft upon "Me, for I am refolved already, and my Jefus, who "vanquished thee upon the Crofs, will affift my Weak"nefs, and enable me to overcome thy Temptations. "Think not to terrify me with Difficulties; for Death "and Sufferings are light Calamities, in comparison of Guilt and Sin; and these I infinitely rather chufe "than once to comply with thy wicked Motions. "Be gone then, and for ever hold thy Peace; for I "will ftop my Ears, and am from this Minute inflexibly deaf to thy moft troublesome Solicitations. "Thou thinkeft to run down a poor weak Mortal, but even that Mortal is a Match for thee through Chrift "that ftrengthens him. And ftrengthen me he will; for "the Lord is my Light and Salvation, whom then fhall "Ifear? The Lord is the Strength of my

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"Life, of whom then shall I be afraid? Pfal. xxvii. "Tho' an Hoft were banded together againft me, yet will "I not be difmay'd; for the Lord is my Helper, and 66 my God is the Rock of my Confidence.

Fight therefore the good Fight, and follow the Captain of thy Salvation, like a ftout Soldier. And, if at any time thou lofe Ground through Human Infirmities, rally thy Forces again quickly, and enter upon a fecond Engagement with redoubled Vigor; not doubting feasonable Recruits from Me. But if at any time thou prove victorious, let not this Succefs exalt thee beyond measure. For Pride and Arrogance are of fatal Confequence, they often end in dangerous Errors, and are juftly punished with almoft incurable Blindness. Let the frequent Examples of Vain Men, undone by their own Folly and my juft Indignation, be fet before thy Eyes, as fo many Sea-marks, to warn thee from steering the fame dangerous Courfe: And the greater Conquefts thou obtaineft over the Devil and thy own Frailty, the more humble and cautious let thefe Advantages make thee in thy Conduct; and K 4

the

the more juft to God, in afcribing the whole Success and Glory to the powerful Affiftance of his Grace.

CHA P.. VIII.

Grace must be received without Oftentation.

Chrift.]

M

Y Son, when thou feeleft thy, Soul warmed with Devotion and holy Zeal for my Service, it will be advifable to decline all thofe Methods of publishing it to the World, which Vain Men are so induftrious to take, and content thy felf with its being known to God and thy own Conscience. Rather endeavour to moderate and suppress those pompous Expreffions of it, in which fome place the very Perfection of Zeal. Think meanly of thy Own Virtues. Boaft not of that Grace, whereby thou art capable of differing from another. But let the Remembrance of thy own Unworthinefs make thee fear the Lofs of Gifts, which thou didst not deferve ever to have. This is not only an undeserved, it is also a very fhort and uncertain Privilege; for the brighteft and warmest Zeal is apt to languifh and wax cold; and unless Men could affure themselves of fuch a Degree of Grace, as would alter and fix these variable Natures of theirs, the Fervours of Religious and Holy Defires can never be conftant and equal.

While therefore thou enjoyeft these pleasing pious Comforts, humble thy Soul with Reflections upon thy Impotence and Mifery, thy Coldness and Deadness, when thou haft them not. And confider withal, that the Improvement and Commendation of a Chriftian's Virtue confifts, not only in the thankful Use of Grace, but in a modeft, humble and refigned Temper, which

can