to you as Chriftians firmly perfuaded of this Truth, that the Devils do tempt us.

From what hath been faid, you may take a just Estimate of the Efficacy of the Devil's Temptations, and our Ability to refift him. He can proceed indeed no farther than to fuggeft the firft Cogitations of any Object; and if Man alfo ftopped here, he would never forfeit his Innocence, the Devil would never obtain his defired End. He can do no more indeed, yet this he improves to great Advantage, and with that Succefs which we all lament. He knoweth the Conftitutions of all Men, and can cunningly fuggeft thofe Sins unto them, to which they are moft prone. He is unwearied in his Nature as well as Malice, and fo can continually renew his Suggestions. He can improve them with the introducing of all thofe falfe Arguments which can recommend any Sin. He can propose the Pleafures of the World under the moft fpecious Appearance; is not difcouraged by any Repulfe; renews his Sollicitations with the most constant Diligence. If Man confiders what Pleasures the World can give him; he amplifieth to him the Greatnefs of them. If the Commands of God be reflected on; he fuggefteth their Difficulty. If paft Sins be recalled to Mind; he exaggerates their Enormity, and fuggefts them to be Unpardonable. If good Chriftians, through long truggling and Conftancy baffle him in all

these

these Attempts, by ftifling his wicked Impreffions in their first Rife, by withholding their Affent, and refufing to embrace his Motions; he employeth other Methods, and excites wicked Men, who feldom resist his Suggestions, because always recommended with the apparent Shew of Profit or Pleasure, or fome other Advantage, to affift him in his Design, by bad Examples or Counfels; and if these be not fufficient, by Injuries and Perfecutions; which was the very Cafe St. Peter particularly speaks of in this Place. Thus we fee, what a vigilant and powerful Adversary we have to encounter; the Conviction of which will oblige us to reflect seriously upon our Ability and Means of refifting him; to enquire the most fecure Methods of oppofing him, and seriously apply our felves to the Acquifition and fuccefsful Use of them. This I proposed in the Second Place to treat of; which, God willing, fhall be the Subject of another Discourse.

VOL. II.

K

SER.

SERMON VII.

(PART II.)

Preach'd on the 29th of September, 1689, at Lambeth Chapel.

1 Pet. V. 8, 9.

Tour Adverfary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Whom refift, ftedfaft in the Faith.

H

AVING reprefented to you in my former Difcourfe upon thefe Words, the powerful and conftant Oppofition made to Mankind, in the Profecution of their Duty, by the Temptations of evil Spirits; it is but neceffary to lay open the Means of Refiftance which are afforded to Men against these violent and continual Affaults; left the Confideration of that Vigor, and for the most part Succefs, wherewith the Devil carrieth on his Affaults,

fhould

fhould discourage you from a refolute Refistance.

What in other Combats is wont to encourage Men, may be reduced either to the Concern of fome great Intereft, as Life and Liberty lying then at Stake, to be recovered, or even improved by Victory, and forfeited by a Defeat; or to the apparent Hopes of Succefs. Thefe Arguments we find by daily Experience want not their Effect to move Men to venture their Lives and Fortunes; even fingly, and without the Conjunction of each other. The fear of the Lofs of all worldly Happiness will induce Men to fight, even when there is little Probability of Succefs; and the affured Hopes of Succefs will produce the fame Effect, although no great Interest be decided by it.

It may be wonder'd indeed, that what is fo ordinary in temporal Matters, fhould feldom be discovered in fpiritual Concerns, where both thefe Motives are always joined together, and yet both feldom obtain their Effect. Here a far greater Interest lieth at Stake, than is ever the Occafion of temporal Quarrels Here greater Certainty of Succels appears; fince here to obtain a Vi&tory depends not upon the Faithfulness of Allies, the Courage of other Men, or the lucky Accidents of Fortune, but upon the fingle Power of every private Man, for which every one can become answerable.

If after all this, the Refiftance made by Men to the Affaults of evil Spirits be feeble and oft-times unfuccefsful, we must afcribe it not to the want of Evidence in thefe Arguments, or Conviction of it in the Minds of Men, but to want of Confideraration; that Men blindly purfue the Objects of Senfe, raise not their Souls from the Earth, and feldom enter into the Confideration of their fpiritual Interefts; enquire not what Oppofition they are like to meet with in the Profecution of them, or what Abilities are conferred on them, whereby they may defeat this Oppofi

tion.

Men indeed are always ready to ascribe this want of Succefs to any Thing else rather than their own Default; and so they may excufe themselves, care not either to vilify the Divine Juftice, or depress their own Natures. Thus the Marcionites, and other Hereticks of old, pretended that the Devil was an Almighty Being, whose Will could not be refifted. And which is much to the fame Purpose in Relation to Man, fome others fear not to maintain, that God giveth not fufficient Grace to all, whereby he may be refifted with Succefs. If Things were fo, in vain would Men endeavour to refift him; nay, it would be even irrational to undertake a Resistance, which we are before affured would be unfuccefsful. We fhould then have no more

to

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