The true Picture of john Preston Dr. in Divinity, and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes-Inn.    

THE SAINT'S SUBMISSION, and Satan's overthrow. Or, SERMONS ON JAMES 4. 7. Submit yourselves therefore unto God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  
By that faithful and reverend Divine, JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College, sometime Preacher of Lincolns-Inne.  
LONDON, Printed by I D. and are to be sold by Peter Cole at the sign of the Glove in Cornhill, near the Royal-exchange. 1638.   

The Contents.  

SVbmission to God what Pag. 9  
1. It must be with the whole heart. 11  
Reason, God will have the whole heart or nothing. 18  
The inward man must be subject. 22  
Reason. 23  
Rebellions of the inward man what 27  
1. Thoughts 

vain, 29  
wicked, 30    
2. Affections 

1. Manifest. 43  
2. Secret 44    
Rebellions of the outward man what. 48  
1. Speeches. 49  
2. Actions 53  
Why we must be subject to God, 3. Reasons 59  
1. Use to justify God 61  
2. Use to humble us 64  
Signs of submission to God. 87. 108  
Motives to submit to God, 109. 114  
Why we must resist the devil, Satan is our adversary. 119  
How Satan tempts. 131  
1. By substracting the means God useth to bring men to himself. 131  
2. By laying snares and baits. 148  
Satan's subtlety appears 

1. in fitting his baits according to men's callings, 153  
2. Fitting them according to occasions and opportunities offered. 154  
3. In the glosses he covers sin withal 159    
How to resist Satan 166  
1. We must have our hearts filled with grace 168  
2. We must remove all false friends, viz. our lusts. 186  
How to root lusts out of the heart, and how to know it, 194  
3. We must seek to Christ for help. 198  
Three things hinder Christ from helping us.  
First, unfruitfulness. 206  
Secondly sins unrepented of. 209  
Thirdly, thrusting ourselves into temptation. 210  
We must resist the devil, 215  
1. We must watch and pray 216  
2. We must resist the devil at first motion. 221  
Doctrine. Whosoever doth truly resist the devil, shall get the victory of him. 234  
1. Reason. 136  
2. Reason. 137  
3. Reason. 141  
Objections answered page the 244. to 269.  
1 Use. Reproof of those that do not resist the devil.  
2 Use. The fearful estate of those that have not put Satan to flight by resisting which are of two sorts. First those that never resisted Satan at all. 274  
2. Those that after resisting a while fall back. 278  
Three causes of falling back. 280  
3. Use of exhortation not to faint, be Satan's temptations what they will. 287  
Satan tempts concerning, 

1. Our effectual calling 288  
2. Our justification. 291  
3. Our sanctification. 293    
Signs of yielding to Satan's temptations. 206  
1. When we lay aside our weapons. 298  
2. When we are less troubled at the temptation. 299  
3. When sin prevails more. 300  
Helps against Satan's temptations.  
1. We must use strong means. 301  
Viz▪ Fasting and prayer, with diligent use of the Word. 304  
2. We must get strong reasons against strong lusts 306  
3. We must labour willingly to undergo tentations & wait till God send deliverance. 310    

THE SAINTS SUBMISSION and Satan's overthrow.  JAMES 4. 7. Submit yourselves therefore unto God: resist the Devil and he will flee from you. 
IN this whole context from the beginning of the Chapter to the end of this verse, the Apostle doth five things, first he reproves his dispersed brethren of the jewish nation for diverse of their sins. Secondly, He shows the cause of all these sins: Thirdly, The means to avoid them. Fourthly, The hindrances and impediments hereof that it takes not effect. Lastly, The way and course to be taken for the removal of these impediments. The sins or vices here principally taxed are four. First, their contentions, illustrated from the cause of them, vers, 1. viz. Their lusts which fought in their members, from whence come wars saith he, and fightings among you? come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members. Secondly, Their remissness in prayer, set forth by the effect of it, not obtaining their desires, verse 2. ye lust and have not etc. ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not. Thirdly, their ask amiss or not praying according to the will of God, declared by the cause of it verse 3. Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Fourthly, Their covevetousnesse or immoderate affecting the things of this earth, aggravated from the nature of the vice and God's affection to it, its, enmity with him, vers. 4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. For the second particular the the cause of all these sins and lusts is set down vers. 5. Do ye think saith he, that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy. The corrupt frame of our nature always inclines & stirs us up to that which is evil. The third particular, the means to avoid these lusts, we have expressed in the beginning of vers. 6. But he giveth more grace. Fourthly, the hindrances and impediments of this grace that it takes not effect are two, first, Pride of heart, a vain conceit of a man's own sufficiency and uprightness before God. Secondly, yielding to temptations & snares, to each of which in the last place, the Apostle applies an exhortation, wherein he shows how these hindrances may be removed, if the jews of the dispersion desire to remove the first, they must submit themselves to God; if the latter they must resist the Devil, submit yourselves thereefore unto God, resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. So than you see what the words of this text contain, a double exhortation, and upon what occasion propounded.  
For the better understanding of the first exhortation, we may consider these particulars. First, what the submission here required is. Secondly, what are the reasons to enforce it. Thirdly, the uses of the point. For the first, this submission may be thus described, it is a gracious frame of the heart whereby the whole man doth submit itself unto the Law of God, in all things & in all estates. For the particulars in this description, they may thus be explained, first the heart must be brought into a right frame and order, concerning this frame & order of the heart see, 1 Chron. 29. 18. and Isa. 43. 21. This frame must be of the whole heart, it's called a gracious frame to distinguish it from that evil frame of heart which is in wicked men mentioned, Gen. 6. 5. the reason why this gracious disposition of the heart is required, is, because God at the first did plant his Image in man, whereby he was set in an excellent frame, and this image God requires to be repaired again in man, even the same image for substance though not for degree: the same for all the parts, though not for the perfections of the parts, and therefore we find that the regenerating of a man to be the renewing of God's image in him. This gracious frame of heart God hath promised to his people, as we may see, Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an hart of flesh: the fulfilling of this promise we may see, Rom. 8. 29. This image of God therefore must be restored in the soul as appears, 1 Cor. 15. 49. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly, Ephes. 4. 23, 24▪ it's required that Christians should be renewed in the spirits of their mind, and that they should put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Now in Adam this image was perfect, in us it's imperfect, in him it was as the light in the air at noon day, when the Sun shines in his strength, in us it's as the light in the air at the dawning of the day, than the light is in every part of the air, though not in the same degree, but it increaseth more and more, until the perfect day. Hence those words of Solomon, Prov. 4. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. This renewing of God's image is also called the new man, the new birth, Ephes. 4. 24. Now we know that a child in the womb hath all the parts that a man hath, but only there wants the strength of these parts: so it's likewise in the new regenerate man.  
Here it will be objected, that no man is able to come to this perfect renewing of God's image.  
To which I answer, that a man may, and every man must attain to it, otherwise all his labour is in vain, the heart had as good never a whit be changed, as not wholly; an instrument unless all the strings be in tune, will make no good harmony, one string out of tune will mar the harmony as well as more.  
The reason why there must be this whole change is, because God will either have the whole heart or nothing. The holy Ghost will not dwel● in the heart unless it be a polished Temple, and the whole frame set up: No man will dwell where there are but a few posts and studs set up towards the rearing of the building.  
Object. If the heart must be renewed, how comes it to pass that there are many rebellions both of heart and life in the best men?  
Ans. There are so indeed, but their rebellions, differ from the rebellions of the wicked, for first their rebellions are between the flesh and the spirit, between their spiritual reason and their Carnal reason: between Carnal affections and spiritual, which shall get the pre-eminence. But the rebellions of the wicked are between one lust and another, one carnal affection and another, their rebellion is against the providence of God and the light of nature which is in them. Secondly, there is difference in regard of the end of their rebellions; the Godly ●are to rebel against God lest they should displease him, and ●oose their sweet Communion with ●im: but the wicked 〈◊〉 rebelling fear on●y the punishment which will follow, ●●ey fear God as the malefactor fears th● judge.  
Secondly, it follow in the description, tha● by the gracious frame of the heart, th● whole man be mad● subject etc. by th● whole man, we ar● to understand the inward man and th● outward. First, the inward man must be made subject, that 〈◊〉 the heart. For Go● especially require● the obedience of the heart, see therefore the Wiseman's counsel to this purpose, Prov. 4. 23. and the Apostles, Heb. 3. 12. The reason hereof 〈◊〉, because God sees ●ot as man sees, he ●udgeth not as man ●udgeth, according to the sight of the eyes. God especially looks to the heart, because that is the springhead ●●om whence all the streams of our speeches, & actions flow Now we know i● the springhead b● slimy and muddy the streams flowing from it must neede● be slimy & muddy but if that be fair & clear the streams will be so also, thus it's with the heart, the heart is as the chief wheel in a clock which sets all the res● on going, an unskilful man cannot judge of the clock but by ●he sound; the artificer looks to the ●●ward workmanship of it; so likewise, God especially ●ookes to the heart. The like we see ●en in some sort use ●o do, for when a ●an hath injury offered him, he presently looks with what heart the o●●er did it, if he did it ignorantly or against his will, he who hath received the wrong, will better bear with him 〈◊〉 but if the other did it of malice, than he takes it more heinously. We shall find therefore in Scripture, that God less esteems fair performances with a● corrupt and crooked heart, than an upright heart with weak performances. The first of these was in Amasia, 2 Chr. 25. 2. the latter in David, who though ●e had many great ●lippes, yet was a man ●fter Gods own heart: now the rebellions of the inward man, or of the heart, are either in thoughts or affections; rebellious thoughts are either ●aine or such as are wicked. First vain thoughts are rebellious, for its rebellion as well, not to do that which is commanded, as to do that which is forbidden. If a Prince should come to a subject's house, and he instead of entertaining him, should continue vainly talking and prating with some base fellow, it would be counted wonderful neglect and contempt: the like offence do they commit who when they should entertain God in their hearts have them filled with vain thoughts, and so banish God from them. None indeed are free from these rebellions, yet we must continually strive against them, for here is the difference; the wicked have them with delight, or at least without reluctancy: the godly although they have them, yet it is with much striving against them, and continual sorrowing for them, so that they get daily more and more strength against them  
The second sort of rebellious thoughts are such as are wicked, and that either for substance or manner, evil thoughts for substance are all those, whose objects are evil, as when a man thinks how he may fulfil any particular lust. These evil imaginations are one of those seven things that are abomination to the Lord. Pro. 6. 16. These six things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations etc. Such evil thoughts have the covetous man, the malicious man, the envious man, for the fulfilling of their particular lusts. If we would have God delight in the beauty of our souls, we must wash our hearts from wickedness according to God's Counsel, jer. 4. 14. O jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved, how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? as dirt cast upon the face takes away the beauty of it: So the beauty of our souls is stained and defiled by wicked thoughts: that common proverb was certainly invented by the devil, that thoughts are free for God more respects the heart then outward performances. Rebellious evil thoughts for the manner, are such as having a good object yet are conversant about that object after an evil manner: & these again when a man is either conversant after an evil manner about things that are holy, or that ●re civil. About holy things, as first about God, either when a man thinks there is ●o God, and these are most blasphemous thoughts, or when a man conceives not ●right of God. Thus ●oore silly people ●hinke God to be an ●ld man sitting in ●eaven. Secondly, ●bout the word of God, and his attri●utes, when a man is not persuaded aright concerning them. These evil thoughts again are twofold, either they are manifest, such as men perceive to be in themselves: such rebellious thoughts the Pharisees had concerning Christ, and Simon Magus, concering the buying of the holy Ghost with money: or else they are simple and not reflexed, such as men perceive not to be in themselves, and yet in truth are in them, as may be discovered by their lives and courses. He that lives a presumptuous life, shows that he hath a secret rebellious opinion of the mercy of God: he that lives a desperate life, shows that he conceives amiss, (though it may be he sees it not) of the justice of God. Those that are of civil things are of three kinds, the first is when a man thinking of some civil thing, thinketh that he can of himself with his own power compass the same, such the Apostle blames who say not with their mouths but rather in their heart we will go into such a City, and there we will buy and sell and get gain, jam. 4. 13. After he addeth vers. 16. that they did rejoice in their boastings, that is, in that which they thought they were able to do, but indeed were not. Now oftentimes the man that hath such rebellious thoughts, if he miss of his expectation hecomes impatient. The second kind is when we make ourselves the ends of our own actions these kind of rebellious thoughts the Prophet Zacha● blameth, Chap. 7 ver 6 When ye did eat and when ye did drink, did you not eat● for yourselves, and drink● for yourselves? Thus men sin when they eat only to satisfy their hunger, and to strengthen them fo● the fulfilling of some ●ust. Both these kinds of evil thoughts are soyned together in that proud speech of Nebuchadnezar, Dan. 4. ●0. Is not this great Babel, which I have built for the house of the kingdom, by ●he might of my power ●nd for the honour of my Majesty? The third kind is, when we ●hinke of civil things with putting some ●rustin them, cheering up ourselves in regard of them, this the rich man doth whe● he makes his wealth his strong City, as Solomon speaks, Pro. 10. 16. that is, when he thinks himself as safe by reason of his riches, as a man doth when he is in a strong and well fenced City. Thus the rich man in the Gospel did Luke. 12. When his barns were ful● than he bids his soul take her rest, not before, although God was as near him before as then, so than his trust was in his riches, but if we consider his sudden destruction, we shall see the folly of that his trust. The second kind of the rebellion's of the heart are ●n the affections; and ●hese are twofold, ei●her manifest, earnest and boiling affections, such are commonly the marks of the wicked, such a boiling lust after honour was in Haman: the like was in Ahab after Naboths' Vineyard: the like affection is worldly grief which makes many pine away, or else they be more secret, such as are not yet stirred up into act. This secret thirsting after riches was in Balaam, see Numb. 22. 18 The like secret affection was in Hazael which the Prophet told him of, though he little thought it to be so, yet it afterwards proved true, as appears 2 King. 8. 12. that these secret lustings are rebellious and therefore odious in God's sight, is evident, because his spirit never dwelleth in any heart where they are, because they defile the heart according to that of our Saviour, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders etc. these are the things which defile a man, Math 15. 19 20. Now the spirit delights not to dwell in a polluted heart, and though we see not these secret lusts in our hearts, yet God's Spirit sees them, for he sees not as we see. God knows the secret good motions of his spirit in our hearts Rom. 8. 27. and therefore also the secret corruptions of our hearts, although we see them not ourselves. It concerns us therefore especially to look to our hearts, the thoughts and affections thereof. The hypocrisy of Amasia and joas was manifest at last, because their hearts were not upright.  
The rebellions of the outward man follow; which are either in speeches or actions. Both these are expressed, Isa. 3. 8. jerusalem is ruined and juda is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. Rebellious speeches consist either in the vanity or rottenness of them. First, there must be no vanity in our speeches, we must as the wise man speaketh, ponder our words, not speak any thing, till having pondered it, we find it to be of sufficient weight, worth the uttering. Did we seriously consider, that we must give account of every idle word, that every idle word is a rebellion, we would surely make more conscience of idle words than we do. Secondly, rotten speeches are such wherewith there is joined some corruption Ephes. 4. 29. the contrary to these are called gracious speeches, Col. 4. 6. Now there are two sorts of either kind; a speech is called gracious, either because it proceedeth from some inward grace, that is called a zealous speech which proceeds from the affection of zeal; or else because it ministers some grace to the hearers, or stirs up some grace in them which lay dead before: So those are corrupt speeches, which either proceed from some corruption in the speaker, or stir up some corruption in the hearer. Our speeches should be powdered with Salt. Col. 4. 6. unless they be seasoned with grace, they are like unsavoury meat which for want of Salt becomes putrified Pro. 10. 20. The tongue of the just man is as fined silver, that is, his words are precious as silver, and like fined silver, they have no corruption joined with them: but the heart of the wicked is little worth, and therefore his words cannot be gracious.  
Rebellions in actions are, either the omitting of some good commanded, or the committing of some evil forbidden, the omission of some good is rebellion, although there concur not an act of the will at the same time for the omission, first because the will at the same time doth concur with the doing of some thing which should not then be done: that the doing of evil is rebellion against God, as the committing of Murder or Adultery none will deny.  
Next it follows in the description, that the whole man must be subject to the law of God, viz. the Law of righteousness, not the Law of sin, which reigns in our mortal members, and that in all things, and in all estates as well prosperity as adversity. There are two sorts of professors, sometimes the true professor, the upright man when he grows fat, strikes with the heel, whereas before in adversity he subjected himself to the Lord; like an horse which being kept low, will easily be ruled by his rider, but being pampered and kept very lusty and fat, lifts up the heel against him, and will not suffer the bit. Contrarily others, so long as they continue in an even and pleasant course will subject themselves to God, and his service, but when afflictions come, when God leadeth them through craggy and thorny ways, than they will go no further, the reason is, because their feet are not shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, they have not that peace of conscience which will make them willing to pass through all estates, which is like shoes to the travellers feet. We know he that is well shod will easily pass through Craggy and thorny ways, whereas he that is not so shod, dares not. Thus much for explication of the point: in the second place follow the reasons to enforce the exhortation, & from every word a reason may be gathered.  
First, seeing every sin is a rebellion against God, let this the rather move us to submit ourselves unto him, that we may not be so great offenders as traitors.  
The Second may be taken from the person of God, to whom we are exhorted to submit ourselves, first in respect of his greatness over us, this reason the Prophet Malachy useth Chap. 1. 6 14. Secondly, in respect of his goodness towards us, who is so merciful a father to us, this we may see urged, Isa. 2. 2, 3. Isa. 5. 23, 4.  
The third may be taken from ourselves who are exhorted to this duty. First consider that we are all his Creatures, we hold our being, and all that we have continually from him, therefore it concerns us to yield all homage to him, the more a man holdeth of his Lord, the more homage he oweth him Secondly, we are all his servants, therefore we are not to fulfil our own lusts, or to obey Satan, but only to do our Lords work; yea we are not his servants only, but beside bought with a dear price, even the precious blood of his only Son, 1 Cor. 6. 20. when a man hath bought a servant and that at an high rate, he expectes the more and better service to be done by him. Thirdly, we are all his children, therefore we must yield all duty & obedience to him, this reason the Apostle useth, 1 Pet. 1. 14, 15. As obedient children fashion not yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Lastly, we are all the Temple of the holy Ghost: a Temple that is consecrated to holy uses must not be profaned by putting it to common uses, this is sacrilege; so when we are temples consecrated to the holy Ghost its sacrilege to profane these temples, to put them to base uses, this reason the Apostle useth, 1 Cor. 6. 19 What? know ye not that your ●ody is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? etc. We now come to the uses of that which hath been delivered.  
This serves to clear the justice of God who punisheth sin with eternal death both of body and soul. 
Use 1.   
Obj. Sin being a rebellion, deserveth indeed punishment, but death seems to be too severe a punishment. Ans. When we hear that a rebellious child is put to death, we judge him worthy of it & to have deserved it of his father, because the child received life from the father his father is so far above him, and deserved well at his hands. By the same reason may God in an higher degree punish every sin with death.  
Obj. But it seems much that God should punish one sin with eternal death. Ans. The reason hereof is because the rebellions of the wicked are continual. If they would cease to rebel and submit themselves to God, he would cease to punish. Again it's just because God set before Adam life and death eternal, for him and his posterity, as by justice for his obedience he should have had eternal life, so for transgression he and all his deserved eternal death.  
This may also serve to humble us for our sins, 
Use. 2.  seeing the least of them is a rebellion against God. The reason why many go on quietly in their course of sinning is, because they consider not that God is highly provoked to anger by the same. For the better working of this humiliation in us, let us consider a few means. The first is to make catalogues of our sins, to set them in order before the light of our countenance, for otherwise God will surely set them in order before the light of his countenance. By setting them in order before us is meant that we should set the greatest in the first rank, and so accordingly in order, until we come to the least, so that it is needful to know the greatness & heinousness of every one of them. For the better understanding of the greatness of every one of them, let us consider but this; a traitor, if after his treason committed, the King sends out his Proclamation to take him, and he after a third or fourth Proclamation, will not yet come in, it doth much more aggravate the offence, so often as we have despised the word & not harkened to the reprehension for our rebellions committed, so often have we refused to be called in, when the King of Heaven hath sent out his Proclamations for us; therefore we cannot but conceive our former rebellion to be much more aggravated thereby, therefore our souls should be humbled for it, for the multitude of our rebellions: it will be objected that we cannot possibly number them, yet a special means to discover them unto us will be to examine ourselves by the word. For although a man have never so many spots about him, yet if he have not a glass to look in, how will he espy them? If a man come into an house in the dark, though it be all besmeared with slime and dirt he cannot discern it without bringing a light with him; the word is this light which will discover to us the foulness & corruption of out soul's and hearts, the reason is, because God only is able to search the heart, and find out the corruptions thereof, it is he that made the heart, and not man, therefore it is too deep for him to search, the wisdom of God is contained in his word, hence the word will help us in the searching of our hearts, here by the way we may note why so many suddenly fall into despair. God doth suddenly kindle a clear light within them, whereby they come to see the foulness of their sins and the multitude of them, which having never looked into before, they deeply apprehend that it's impossible for them to obtain mercy, and so despair. The second means, after we have set our sins before us with their aggravation, is, then to stay long in the consideration of them, many at the ripping up of their sins will be ready to say Lord have mercy upon me, but this is not sufficient. Hence is that usual doctrine, that repentance is a continued act. A spark of fire under wet wood will not at the first flame out, yet with continual blowing at length it may burn: that spark of grace which is smothered in a man's hart at the first sight of his sins, will not kindle his affections, but at length with continual meditation, it will break forth, and may work much remorse. The Prophet blames the people, that in their humiliation they did but hang down their head like a Bulrush, Isa. 58. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush etc. they did well in humbling themselves, but their fault was in that they did not continue the same but were like the bulrush, which whilst the storm or blast of wind lasteth, hangs down its head, but after lifts it up again. David in his repentance, had always his sins before him, Psal. 51. 3. the more he considered it the more humiliation it wrought in him. The third means is, we must have the spirit of God to soften our hearts, or else all our labour will do no good, an hard stone while it so continues, will not be bruised with a blow, but being changed into flesh, a little blow will bruise it. Our stony hearts must be turned into flesh, before they can be broken with consideration of our sins, which is only the work of God's spirit, this point is gathered out of Zach. 12. 10. Those who have had the greatest measure of sorrow for their sins it hath been wrought in them by the spirit of God. But how shall we attain to this spirit will some say? our Saviour tells us, the way is to ask and pray for it, and confirms the same by an argument, Luk. 11. 13. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him? Obj. If we were children indeed as our Saviour there argueth, it is likely God would hear us, but we are not For answer hereun to mark the parable beginning at the 5. vers. and continued to the 9 verse, the conclusion is verse 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. God is our friend, if we could so persuade ourselves; if we cannot, If we continue constant and fervent in ask, God will at length hear us for our importunity, and give us as joyful an answer as the woman of Canaan had after her repulse, this may the more comfort us, the longer we expect an answer with patience, the better and more comfortable answer shall at length be given us. Many think that they want not this humiliation for sin, but let such examine whether they have left off their course of sinning which they lived in before, this will be a special sign of their repentance. If a man have done thee an injury, and pretend that he is very sorry for it, yet if he offer thee the same wrong again and again, thou wilt judge that he did but dissemble: So he doth but does- dissemble in his repentance, that doth continue in sin sorrowed for, that keeps the same course of sinning still.  
Another use may be of exhortation, 
Use 3.  to ourselves, to our whole man, inward and outward, that we rebel not any longer, but submit ourselves unto the Lord. For the farther enforcing hereof let us consider. First, some signs of this our submission. Secondly, the motives to it. Thirdly the means to attain it. For the first, 
Signs  the signs of this submission The first may be respect to God's word, and delight in it, if we neglect his word and are not moved with the judgements and promises therein contained, then are we rebels. That Subject that hears the Proclamation of his Prince read, with the punishment annexed to be inflicted upon such as break it, neglects the same, regards not the punishment, but manifestes his contempt of them, shows that he will not obey that law of his Prince, but rather rebels against it. That neglect of God's word is a sign of rebellion is most evident, Isa. 30. 8, 9 10. Now (saith the Lord by his Prophet) Go, write it before them in a Table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come, for ever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the Law of the Lord, which say to the seers see not, and to the Prophets prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits. A common excuse of simple people is, that they are not book learned, though they delude their own consciences, yet God is not mocked, he that made the eye shall not he see? he that made the understanding shall not he know? God knows that this is but an excuse, and that sloth and negligence is the true cause that they have no more knowledge in God's word, these think they have knowledge enough, and therefore need no more; but this will be tried, if they examine their desire to know more, & their delight in God's word, which always accompanies knowledge. Thus the Apostles reason stands 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. If they had tasted how gracious the the Lord is, then as new horn babes they would desire the sincere milk of the word, that they might grow thereby. Act. 20. Paul tells them that he had revealed to them the whole Counsel of God, intimating that he had been in fault, if he had kept the least part thereof secret: although the Pastor, if he be not diligent to teach be in fault, yet that excuseth not the people: though God requireth the blood of the people at those Pastors' hands, that do not feed them, yet the people perish notwithstanding. God oftentimes complains that his people perish for want of knowledge: but poor silly people persuade themselves that to have much knowledge is not required of them, but of Scholars and Pastors; This obstacle will be taken away if we compare 1 Cor. 1. 5, 27, 28. with Heb. 6. 1. and 5. 12. We know although a man take no poison nor lay violent hands upon himself, yet if he refrain the taking of his meat, he will soon famish, though a man abstain from murder, adultery, and such heinous sins as will bring destruction to his soul yet if he take not the food of the soul, the word of God, his soul must needs famish.  
Obj. But if we should spend much time in getting knowledge our estates would decay. Ans. Christ saith the contrary, Math. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added unto you. Surely the cause why many decay in their estates notwithstanding their continual toil, and labour, is, because they seek not the kingdom of God first: because Solomon asked wisdom, we see he wanted not riches & wealth, but had them in abundance. Let us take the Prophet's Counsel in this case Mal. 3. 11. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. A special motive hereunto should be, the consideration of their miserable condition, who wander not being guided by the light of the word. They are like a traveller who is to take a great journey in the night, and knows not the way, yea, that wants a lantern to give him light. See further two fearful judgements denounced against the people which profited not by God's word, but were uncapable of being taught the same Isa. 28. 10. 11, 12. Neglect also of the fearful judgement denounced in God's word without trembling at them is fearful rebellion, the punishment whereof we may see, jer. 5. 14. So likewise not to be moved with the promises contained in God's word, is an evil sign, that we have not submitted ourselves, to the Lord, it is wonderful that so few come under Christ's banner, and fight his battles, seeing there are such excellent and incomparable privileges promised to such as do, Heb. 12. 22, 23. Whereas King Cyrus wanted not Soldiers, after he had Proclaimed that they who were Gentlemen should be made Knights, they that were Knights Lords; Surely if Christ's promises had been of this kind, he should have had more followers than now he hath. Another sign of rebels is to obey Satan and not God, his His servants we are whom we obey, Rom. 6. 16. Here many will say, they defy Satan, but let them learn of the Centurion, that they are surely Satan's servants, if when he bids them do this, they do it when he bids them come they come, the godly indeed may sometimes be violently lead captive of Satan, but they are never his subjects for they never obey him willingly, nor Confess themselves to be his servants. The wicked man walks with his face towards hell, his back towards heaven, yet sometimes he may look back but not long together: whereas the righteous man walks with his face towards heaven, & his back towards hell: and although sometimes he fall backward, yet he recovers himself quickly and goes forward, like a ship which sails from East to West, which though it be turned back with some storm or tempest, yet when that is over, it sails forwards, as before. Another sign of a rebel is to purchase goods and lands in the enemy's Country, that shows he doth not purpose to return. The world may be called the Devil's Country and therefore he who setteth his affections upon any thing here, and labours to purchase the same, hath this sign of a rebel: For no man can serve two Masters, Luk. 16. Some will object that they seek for wealth out of a provident care to provide for themselves and those who belong to them, not because they make riches their treasure or set their hearts upon them. Therefore these must thus examine themselves, if they esteem their riches above any thing else, care for the increasing of them more than for any thing else, if they do, they make riches their treasure A man ascending upon an hill, the higher he ascends, the less all things beneath seem unto him. So when a man is ascending up to heaven in his conversation, the higher he goes, the less esteem will he have of all earthly things here below. That which a man makes his treasure he spends most of his time, if if not all in increasing of it, and he who doth thus with his riches, makes them his treasure. The rich man may further know, whether he trusts in his riches by the effects of his trusting in them, as by his fear of losing them, by his grief for their loss, and his joy in getting of them. He trusts in his riches when his heart fails, if they fail, as a Cripple trusting to his Crutches, when they are taken away, his legs fail him, he can go no further. Thus we have the notes or signs of trial: now follow two or three motives to persuade us to this duty of submission.  
First, Consider that we shall never have success in any thing, so long as we continue rebels against God. For the fear of the wicked shall be hrought upon him, Prov. 10. 24. an excellent example hereof see, jer. 42. The wicked man always either misseth of his desire, or if it be fulfilled, it turneth to his great hurt. When God suffers the wicked worldling to grow rich according to his desire, he either takes from him the use of his riches, or else suffers him so wholly to set his affections upon them, that he forgets God, which is worse. Another motive should be the fearful judgements that are every where denounced against the wicked & rebellious, Psal. 11. 6. Isa. 30. 13, 14. They are very emphatically compared to a swelling wall and a broken Vessel. Thirdly, another motive should be the mercies that God bestows upon his faithful subjects. He is as full of Compassion and bounty unto them, as the Sun is full of light, or the Sea full of water. Lastly, another motive should be the easiness of Christ's yoke, and compare herewith how base a master the Devil is, how hard his yoke is, and withal how small his wages, a little pleasure here & eternal pain hereafter. Now Christ's yoke becomes light and easy by these means.  
First, they that take this yoke are strengthened to bear it: if a child had an heavy burden laid upon him, and his strength accordingly increased, he would bear it with ease. Secondly, they who bear this yoke delight in it, it becomes easy, what will not become easy to a man if he delight in it? The Hunter delights in his sport, and therefore endureth wind and weather to follow it   

THE SECOND SERMON.  JAMES. 4. vers. 7. Submit yourselves therefore unto God: resist the Devil and he will flee from you. 
THe second exhortation follows, Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Which words contain two particulars. First, the exhortation itself, resist the Devil. Secondly, the encouragement hereunto which may stir us up to the performance of the duty, and he will flee from you. For the first exhortation, resist the Devil; Surely beloved there is no need of motives to stir up Christians to take up this exhortation, as a man being set upon by a Lion needs no persuasion to flee from him, for that he will do as fast as he can, only desires to have some way showed him whereby he may escape: so the Christian which truly sees in what great danger he is continually, by the continual lying in wait for him of Satan, needs no exhortation to flee from him, & shun him, only wants a way to be showed him, whereby he may escape this great danger. Therefore passing by all such motives as might be here propounded, let me set down only three particulars employed in the text. First, the Devil is our adversary. Secondly, we must be furnished with strength and weapons, to resist him. Thirdly, we must put in practise this strength, and use these weapons, otherwise they will not profit us.  
For the first, that Satan is our adversary and that we must resist him, and fight with him; though wicked men that are dead in their sins take no notice of it, yet it's evident by Scriptures Eph. 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and powers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this world, against Spiritual wickednesses in high places. If the Devil were not our enemy why should the Apostle here exhort us to resist him? so that text, 1 Pet. 5. 8. is most evident for this purpose. Be sober and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. Here we see what kind of adversary he is. First, his strength appears in that he is called a Lyon. Secondly, his fierceness and cruelty, in that he is called a roaring Lyon. Thirdly, his diligence in that he is said to walk about seeking whom he may devour. That Satan is our professed adversary, and takes all occasions he can of tempting us, appears, partly by experience, partly by reason. By experience as Eve in Paradise was tempted by Satan, so at this time we have many experiences of the like kind, in Witches, to whom the Devil hath appeared in sundry shapes, as many of them have confessed and others also have seen, so that it cannot be doubted of. And surely if Satan take upon him a voice to be heard of the outward ear, as he did to Eve and doth now to many Witches, then without doubt he being a spirit can much more by a man's fantasy present things to the mind, and so speak to the mind. Further also it cannot be doubted, but that he can make and frame propositions and reasons, & present them to the mind, and persuade by these his reasons as we see in Eve, Gen. 3. And this truth is also evident by reason, those which are usually called Faedae tentationes cannot but be suggested by Satan, as will appear, whether we consider the manner of the suggestions, or the matter of them.  
First for the manner by which they are cast into a man's mind, that they come not accidentally appears, in that they come so often, and continue so long. Many have been troubled with them for many years together. Again, they come not by discourse, as appears from the suddenness of them, in that they are cast into a man's mind without any former thoughts which might bring them in. Again, that they come not by the strength of a man's affections, appears in that he doth presently abhor them, in many there is no consent at all given to them, it remains therefore that they must needs proceed from Satan's suggestion.  
Secondly, it appears in the matter of temptations, as to instance in that one for a man to kill himself, seeing it's a principle deeply grafted into every creature (as it cannot be otherwise) to preserve itself its own life, this thought in a man to seek all means to kill himself, cannot come by any other means then by the suggestion of Satan, for we never knew any other creature willingly work it's own destruction, only the Swine in the Gospel into whom the Devil had entered. Therefore surely man but by the Devil's persuasion (man being a reasonable creature may be moved with reason) would never do it.  
Here it may be said that reason will move a man to undergo a less danger to escape a greater, 
Obj.  and for this cause men make away themselves.  
With the heathen indeed, 
Ans.  who knew neither heaven nor hell this might prevail, but how can this be true in a Christian (I mean one borne in the Church) who is persuaded there is a Hell for the wicked? can any such man be so fearless and so void of reason, as to cast himself into hell which he seeks to shun? would any man standing by the fire, voluntarily throw himself into the fire that he might not be burnt? or cast himself into the water, that he might not be drowned? the reason is the same here.  
There are two special ways by which Satan useth to tempt men, the first by subtracting the means God useth to call men by to himself. The second is, by laying snares and baits of his own. For the first, there are three means, by which God useth to unite man unto himself. The first and principal is his word, the second his mercies, the third is afflictions. Which two latter serve to quicken the first and make it of- effectual. Concerning the first his word, Satan labours to frustrate it many ways either by keeping it from men so he kept S Paul from coming to the Thessalonians to preach the word, 1 Thess. 2. 18. We would have come unto you, even I Paul once and again, but Satan hindered us. Or else keeping men from the word as in the parable Luk. 14. 17, 18. Or if men come to hear it by making it unprofitable unto them, either by making them delight only in the pleasantness and sweetness of the style wherein it is delivered, and so neglect the word: as if a man should only delight to behold the curious workmanship of a piece of cloth he hath, and never use the same to clothe himself with, or by making them delight in observing the defects and infirmities of him which preacheth, so that the Sermon being ended their whole talk is of the slips and infirmities of the preacher These men are like a strainer through which the pure and good milk runs without stay, only the hairs and motes remain behind. Or else Satan doth it by making men at the hearing of the word to be senseless & stupid either by blinding their eyes that they cannot discern the truth, thus saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them. Or by hindering their assent that they cannot receive the word nor believe it: So that though the word be a hammer, yet it cannot break them; though it be a sword yet it cannot enter into them. And further if the hearer arise with some good purposes in him; to reform his courses and lead a new life, whereas the right way is now presently to work them on his heart; Satan labours forthwith to quench them or to steal them away: if there be likelihood of reformation and turning, then presently he presents to a man his beloved sins which he is loath to part with, to see if they will stay him; and calls to mind the reproaches & ignomines which will surely attend upon that profession: he suggestes that he will never be able to undergo it, in regard of the strictness and rigour of it, with many other difficulties By this means oftentimes, the good motions which were in a man's mind become but a cloud which Satan bloweth over.  
A second means to quicken the former are God's mercies, the goodness of God is said to lead us to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, & forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, the word there signifies a leading proper to man. These mercies of God often become snares to that wicked, according to the imprecation of the Psalmist, Psal. 69. 22. Cited by the Apostle Rom. 11. 9 Let their table be made a snare, & a trap, a stumbling block & a recompense unto them. Thus, riches are a great blessing of God and so jacob accounted of them, yet when they increase, Satan tempts men to set their hearts upon them, and so to make an Idol of them. Thus wit and learning are gifts of God, but when a man hath them in any good measure, Satan tempts him to seek his own praise by them, and so to neglect God's honour. So likewise preferment which should make a man more useful and profitable both to God and his Church to how many is it made a snare, who make it the end of their desires? Thus when a man is in favour with the Prince or some great man whereas he should make the use of it which Nehemiah did, yet he useth it for his own turn, for sinister ends.  
The third means follows, namely afflictions, when a man will not profit by the bare word, these open a man's ears, and seal to him the instruction, according to that in job 33. 16, 17, 18, 19 Whereas before the word did fume in his brain, afflictions make it sink down into his heart. This effect especially appears in such a sickness, wherein a man takes deep apprehension of death. For if any thing will change his heart, then in all likelihood is the time; but in many although their purposes and resolutions at that time be changed; yet afterward being restored to health, these good motions are stolen out of their hearts by Satan, and they become the same men they were; so that their sickness hath been but like a sudden shower, which falling into a great water makes a sound, and for the present doth much trouble the same, but presently the force of the motion being past, the water returns to his former calmness. Their sorrow is but like the hanging down of the head of the bulrush for two or three days, in the time of a storm or tempest, which being over, immediately it lifteth up the head again. Such sorrow was that of the hypocritical jews, taxed, Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD.  
Thus much concerning Satan's first way of tempting; now we come to speak of the second, which is his great diligence, and wonderful subtlety in laying his snares and baits. Our adversaries diligence appears in the innumerable snares he lays for us; his snares and baits are in so many things as any corrupt affection of man is set upon. In peace most commonly his baits are pleasure, gain, preferment; in anger revenge; in extremity seeking to unlawful means; so that his baits are every where. Any thing which is an object to these filthy justs which are in a man's heart, he useth as gins and traps to captivate us in; in all things he lays some bait or other to catch us by: in our affections he strives to have us immoderate and carnal: in our thoughts first vain, and then blasphemous: in company profane, in receiving of benefits unthankfnll: in crosses, impatient and distrustful; as his diligence, so likewise must we know his subtlety to be wonderful, which appears many ways.  
First, by the fitting of his baits and tentations unto a man's diverse Calling, condition, and disposition: as the water of a fountain is conveyed thither whither it naturally tends by the Channel, so Satan useth our several dispositions, as channels to convey the corruption of our heart that way it tendeth. Thus he fitted the covetous disposition of judas with a bait of thirty pieces. He inflamed aspiring Human with the bait of preferment; so likewise he fitted Achitophel. Thus he fits all men tempting them to such lusts as he knows they are most addicted unto.  
We must therefore 
Use.  consider our personal sins, wherein the devil doth most usually foil us, and take heed lest he again foil us in them. He which is subject to anger, let him take heed of that passion especially. He which is given to covetousness, let him especially take heed to the baits of profit. Let not the angry man look upon the covetous to see his fault, lest he forget his own; nor let the covetous look upon the angry man to see his fault, lest he forget his covetousness But let every one consider his own personal faults, and take especial heed lest he be overtaken in them.  
Secondly, the Devil's subtlety appears by fitting his baits, and tentations to all occasions and opportunities offered. He did not always tempt David to murder, but when opportunity was offered to adultery: he tempted Peter upon an occasion to deny his Master; that this is most true, every Christians private experience will tell him. When Herod had made the people wonder at his eloquence, the devil tempted him to assume the glory to himself, which brought that fearful judgement upon him Thus when they are called to any public duty, than Satan tempts them, and tells them, this is a fit occasion to show yourselves, to win estimation among men, so the true end of that duty is neglected. As adversity is the time of trial, so is opportunity. Upon all opportunities the devil tempts men to some sin or other. Hence the Apostle, 2 Cor. 2. 7. exhorteth the Corinthians to forgive the incestuous person amongst them, and to comfort him, lest otherwise the devil might have more power over him, and tempt him to despair, or some such sin; Ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, wherefore I beseech you, that you would confirm your love towards him.  
Hence it stands every man in hand, 
Use.  when Satan draws him into some sin by occasion, as by evil company, or the like, then to consider and look what sin he is most exposed unto by that occasion, and so to defend himself that Satan foil him not.  
Thirdly, his subtlety appears in the convenient glosses, which he covers sin withal, whereby he blinds a man's judgement, so that either he sees it not to be a sin, or else he sees not the punishment of it. So that as a blind man knows not whether he go aright or no, or when he is right: no more doth he; He useth two means to blind men's judgements in this manner, first by stirring up in them some immoderate affection, which whiles it reigns, hinders the judgement from discerning aright of things. As the eye of a man when it is troubled sees all things amiss, and not as they are indeed, yet afterwards the impediment being removed, it sees things as perfectly as before: so when the mind of a man is distempered with anger, or some immoderate affection, he judgeth not aright of Kings, but being carried with violence of passion doth many things amiss, afterwards when his distemper is ceased he comes to his right judgement, and plainly sees how he was deceived before. Secondly, he doth it by hindering us from applying the rule aright to our actions. Thus in Usury, when a man is possessed with the love of money, and takes great delight in it, that man is not able to apply the rule in Scripture to himself, whereby this his sin is forbidden. Satan is so crafty, that he invents sundry distinctions, whereby he persuades him of the lawful toleration hereof. So when the rule in Scriptures for Ministers is, that they ought to care and be solicitous only for their flock to feed it, yet few can apply this rule to their actions, but seek chiefly their own gain & preferment. When a man beholds a thing through his affection, like as his affection is, so seems the thing to be, like as a man when he sees any thing through a glass, the object seems to be of the same colour that the glass is: thus affection deceiveth a man. But these things though they are hidden from men here, yet for the most part at their death they are laid open before them, the immoderate affection that hindered judgement is then taken away, and Satan also who blinded men before, makes things appear unto them as they are. Who sees himself thus beset with his adversary, and desires not to have strength and weapons whereby he may resist him? which is the second point.  
The strength and means whereby we may resist him, are especially these three;  
First, to have our hearts filled with grace, that so the devil may find no room to enter.  
Secondly, to cast ●ut our false friends, which when our adversary assails, will turn from us and take his part; these are our wicked lusts.  
Thirdly, to seek this help from Christ, we have no strength of ourselves, it is he only which can help and uphold us.  
For the first, We must have our hearts filled with grace, which is an especial means, the reason may be gathered out of the Parable, Luk. 11. 24, 25. When he cometh he findeth it swept, and garnished; that is, void of goodness, empty of grace: were it not for this he could not have entered, our hearts therefore must be filled with grace. The Conscience of man is like a strong fortress, out of which he casteth this his enemy who had possession of it, or like an house wherein the devil dwelled and took delight, which when he is cast out of, he goeth up and down through dry places, that is seeking to get in, and enter into some others; seeking rest and finding none, that is not able to enter into any others, he returns again, and as an enemy cast out of a strong hold, if he be not withstood by a garrison, gets possession again; So if Satan returning finds not a garrison of graces and virtues fortifying the man, if there be but the least room void enters again into him, which if the conscience had been full of grace he could not have done. As in nature, non datur vacuum, there is no place empty; So in the heart of man there will be something or other, if it be not filled with good thoughts, it will be filled with bad: if it be not filled with the graces of God's Spirit, it will be filled with Satan's temptations. This may rather be called emptiness then fullness; a thing is said to be empty, when it is void of that it should be filled withal. A Well when there is no water in it, is said to be empty, though it be full of air. So long as the true fullness of God's grace tastes in our hearts, so long the devil cannot enter, but when there is not this fullness, then according to the measure of vacuity more or less, Satan entering into a man doth possess him. Moreover, as there is a double emptiness, so there is a double fullness. First, there is an emptiness of knowledge, such was in those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks, Rom. 1. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools: and vers. 21 they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Answerable to this there is a fullness of knowledge, and of all the graces of God's Spirit. Such is that which the Apostle prays for, Coloss. 1. 9 We cease not to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding. Ephes' 3. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, that ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of CHRIST which passeth knowledge. Secondly, there is an emptiness of conversation, void and empty of the duties which are performed in a good Conversation. This is called vain Conversation, 1 Pet 1. 18. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers. So likewise there is a fullness of conversation opposed to this emptiness, when a man's whole life is filled with the fruits of God's grace, such the Apostle prays for Phil. 1. 10, 11. This I pray, that ye may approve things that are excellent: that ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness.  
We must labour to have this fullness of grace in our hearts. 
Use 1.  For as ink sinks into wet paper, and runs abroad upon it, but when the paper is covered with oil, it slideth and sinks not: so when the devil offers his snares to any empty heart, they enter in and foil him, but when the heart is fortified with the fullness of grace, Satan's baits cannot take hold, nor enter in We may discern when this fullness is, there is no room for vain thoughts, for unchaste desires, for any immoderate affections. One would think an empty heart could not be discerned so well: as we know an empty barrel by the sound, so we may discern whether there be this emptiness in men, or no, by their speeches and actions.  
We must have this fullness of Conversation, 
Use 2.  we must always be exercised in the fruits of godliness, never without some good speeches, actions, thoughts, or affections. When we are not busy in God's service, the devil takes an occasion to tempt us to serve him when we are not doing some good, the devil tempts us to some evil.  
But whether is any 
Quest.  man able to have this fullness of Conversation here required?  
It is sure, 
Ans. 1.  every Christian ought to have this fullness. Secondly, it is sure every true Christian hath the same in some measure which may thus be expressed; all the actions of a Christian life may be reduced to these three heads. Either they are actions of his general Calling, as he is a Christian, so they are all good; or secondly they are actions of his particular Calling, which if not done for any by-respect, but all for a good end in obedience to God, they are good also. Or thirdly, they are such actions as further a man in doing his duty in either of these Callings, which do either strengthen him, as eating and drinking, which being used without excess, make us fitter for our Callings, being good actions, or else they are recreations to refresh us, which also used as the former are good actions. If all these actions may be good, as we see they may, seeing a Christian may be always performing some of them, he may always be doing good, (according to the substance of his actions) though there be many imperfections in them, and so may have the fullness of conversation. When we are idle Satan takes hold of us, and look how much we are empty, so much room the devil takes up in our hearts.  
We must therefore take heed that we be neither idle nor ill occupied; 
Use 3.  we must put on the whole armour of God; we must not only put on the breastplate of righteousness, and leave off the sword of the spirit, but we must put on the whole armour of God, if there be but one part left naked and uncovered, there the devil will be sure to wound us.  
The second means whereby we are to resist Satan, is to remove all false friends, our lusts, and corruptions, which lie in our minds, and like tinder are ready to take fire by the least spark of tentation. Therefore S. james tells them, it was their lusts which caused contention amongst them. It may be spoken to our comfort, that Satan hath not power to compel any to evil. Daemon non dicitur iussor, sed incensor vitiorum, he cannot move the will and affections, only by God's permission he may somewhat move ●he fantasy by certain objects: but it ●s man's corruption which yieldeth to his tentations, tha● makes him so much prevail with me● This is plainly shew●ed, jam. 1. 14. Every ma● is tempted, when he i● drawn away of his owns lust, and enticed. Act. 5. 3● Why hath Satan filled th● heart, (saith Peter to A●nanias) to lie to the hol● Ghost, and to keep back● part of the price of th● land? So that Sata● doth no more, the● if a man should persuade to evil, only is ●perswasions are stronger, and far ●ore subtle, therefore Peter asked Ananias●hy ●hy he suffered the devil to fill his heart, ●hich implies it was ●is yielding to him, ●hich caused the devil to prevail. So ●hen David returned ●●om the slaughter of the Philistines, and the wo●en came out of all the Ci●●es of Israel to meet Saul, 1 Sam. 18. 6, 7, 8. It is said that Saul being's exceeding wroth tha● the singers ascribed to David ten thou● sand, and to him bu● one, he had an ey● that is, an evil eye● on David, from tha● day forwards, and (i● is added) on the mor● row (this his corrup●tion of envy having made place for it) th● evil spirit came upo● him. Thus in Iuda● the strength of his covetousness made way for the devil's ●entation: if the same ●entations had been offered, or cast upon ●ny other of the Disciples, they would never have taken ●lace, because they wanted this corruption of covetousness which was in judas. This advantage Satan ●ath of us, he knows what sins all men are most given to, by reason of their corruption. Therefore when he tempts them with objects answerable to their corruptions, he knows they cannot, (or if they can, very hardly) resist them; He tempts the drunkard with company which will draw him to fall into that sin▪ because he knows the drunkard cannot refuse such company being offered. The lascivious he tempts with an unchaste object, which he knows he cannot resist. Thus he makes men's corruptions betray them, although some corruption and lust may be still, and dead in a man for a while, yet when a fit object is offered, if it be not fully mortified, it will take hold, and show itself.  
But by what means may these corruptions and lusts lying in a man's heart be removed? 
Quest.   
Only by repentance: 
Answ.  when our hearts are hardened and made senseless with these corruptions, and with the custom of sin, the sorrow of repentance can only humble the heart, and mollify it again, and make it fit to take another impression; as wax when it is melted loseth the stamp it had before, and is pliable to take any other▪ so the heart being softened throughly by the sorrow of repentance, loseth the former stamp which sin had left upon it, and is ●●dy to take another. But a little sorrow is not sufficient to mollify the heart enough, it must be a deep sorrow and continual; We may perhaps by a little sorrow cut off the tops of sin, but unless the ground of our hearts be sufficiently broken, wherein sin had taken root, the roots of our sins will still remain▪  
How shall a man know, 
Quest.  whether his lusts be sufficiently rooted out of him?  
This may be a special sign that they are; 
Answ.  when any such objects are offered, which prevailed with him before, if now there be in his heart a true hating and loathing of them, so that they cannot prevail with him again: but if the like objects work on him again, it is sure his lusts remain still in him.  
The third means whereby we may be enabled to resist the devil, is by seeking to Christ for help, of him only we have spiritual strength; hence the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians, beside, Putting on the armour of God, to be strong in the LORD, Ephes. 6. ●0. The Coneys which the Wise man speaks of, Prov. 30. 26. if they come out of their rocks, lie open to be devoured by the lions & other wild beasts: so also if we be out of our rock, we are exposed to the greedy desire of the roaring lion, the devil and his tentations; it is not said that we are stronger than he is, but he which is in us, Christ, is stronger than he which rules in the world Let us learn wisdom of the coneys, which though they be very weak, yet because they make their houses in the rocks, and continually keep in them, no wild beast can devour them, though we be never so weak, yet if we will flee to our rock Christ, and always rely on him, we need not fear the devil, and all his tentations, if there were any strength in ourselves, this might not seem needful, but seeing Adam before he fell, having such strength could not resist the devil in Paradise, much less can we now; our only strength is by faith in Christ. As Gideon was to send away a great part of his host by God's command before he could overcome the Midianites, so must we cast away all confidence in ourselves, before we shall be able to overcome the devil by relying on Christ. We must therefore cast ourselves wholly upon God, and rely on him, and say with jehosaphat, We know not what to do, O Lord, but our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chron. 20. 12. We must take heed of assuming any strength to ourselves, when God raiseth a man up, he thinks that he rose, partly by his own strength, this is to take away the glory which belongs to God alone, and greatly to dishonour him: we see that those who trust in their own strength, are often suffered very grievously and desperately to fall. So Peter when in confidence of his own strength, as may appear Math. 26. 33. He followed Christ into the high Priests hall, than the devil tempted him and gave him so fearful a foil. This and the like examples should teach us to be very thankful to God, that he hath preserved from such like falls hitherto, & to cleave the nearer to him, that we may not in the like manner be foiled hereafter.  
But some may object, 
Object.  that grace is a very good thing, and therefore a man may trust in his own grace?  
This is all one to number the people with David, 
Ans.  and to make flesh our arm. To make flesh our arm, is no more than to trust in some creature, grace is a creature created in man by the gracious work of God's spirit, therefore to trust in a man's own grace is to make flesh his arm.  
We must withal know this Caution, that there are three things which will constrain Christ to forsake us, and not help us at need.  
The first is unfruitfulness, 
1. Hindr.  when God finds not the increase of his grace, which he looks for in us, the figtree was cursed, because it bore no fruit when Christ expected to have found fruit upon it. God laid waste and destroyed his vineyard, because it was unfruitful, after much cost and labour had been bestowed upon it, God looked it should have brought forth grates, and it brought forth wild grapes, Is 5. 4. The same is expressed in the Parable, Math. 25. 26. The reason hereof is, because God will not suffer his name to be taken in vain, by whatsoever God is known, that is his name, so that the graces of God, which after a special manner are the names of God, he will not suffer to be taken in vain, he will not suffer that they should be idle in a man, decaying daily, and never increased.  
The second Hindrance is any sin that lies in a man unrepented of, 
2. Hindr.  as we may evidently see Rome 1. 26 2 Thess. 2. 10. the reason why this makes Christ withhold his help from us, is, because one ●●nne makes way for another, and causeth another, not only effectiuè, making a man the more ready by custom to commit sin again, but also meritoriè, for the committing of one sin, is often a punishment for the committing of some other sin before.  
The third Hindrance is, 
3. Hindr.  the thrusting of ourselves into battle; therefore we always read that the Israelites (whensoever they went out to battle without ask counsel of the Lord,) fell before their enemies. As it is with the head, so it must be with the members. Our head Christ jesus was tempted of Satan being led aside by the spirit into the desert. Moreover, we are Gods champions, and if we go out to battle without his leave, we are not in his ways, and therefore have no promise of protection or defence. When he which is our full strength doth leave us, what strength have we to resist our adversary. Let us consider the example of Solomon and Paul; Solomon because he took a wife of the Egyptians contrary to God's command, and so thrust himself into tentation, was left to himself; and so fell shamefully. S. Paul was led into tentation, there was given him a prick in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffer him, therefore God's grace was sufficient for him, and he overcame the tentation.  
This reproves many 
Use.  who travel for pleasure, or to see fashions, and that go to battle without Gods sending: therefore they speed thereafter, for they never return without some wound taken, and that many times mortal. This they are to consider, who thrust themselves upon occasions of sinning, us into evil company, where they have no promise of God's protection.  
The third general thing drawn out of the text was, 
The third general.  that we should put in practise the strength we had, and stir up those graces which are in us; This the Apostle especially aims at in this place, exhorting them to resist the devil; for all these graces will do us no good, except we put them in practice, and stir them up in us. We are therefore continually to watch and pray; this ward we are to keep over ourselves, is not easy, no, not then when any tentation is newly overcome, for then another is ready to enter: So that we must be like the builders of the Temple, which held a sword in the one hand, and built with the other, being in continual fear of their enemies: We must watch continually armed, when we have least care, then is Satan most powerful over us; we must have our hearts both hard and soft, hard to resist all the tentations of Satan, & impressions which he would set upon them: but soft to receive any grace, or impression from the Spirit of God. We must not quench the spirit, but the fiery darts of Satan, that we may perform this, three duties are required of us.  
First, we must by all means labour to be acquainted with the policies of Satan, as S. Paul testifies of himself that he was, and to the end we may see his policies, we must pray unto God to open our eyes, and enlighten our minds, that we may have a sight of them, and that is here worth the observing, which some Divines hold concerning the fall of the Angels, that it was only through the want of stirring up those excellent things, and lights of knowledge which were in them, that brought them to their fall; the want of this was also the cause of Adam's fall.  
Secondly, we are to run over all the tentations wherewith Satan hath tempted us, and see his manner of proceedings, and what policies he hath used, that so when the like policies come again, we may be able to resist him, knowing how he did formerly deceive us. Why should Satan every day grow more and more subtle to tempt us, and we not grow more and more acquainted with his policies to resist him?  
The second duty is to resist him at the first, for when we give place unto him at the first, than God doth in judgement give us over to him, and suffers him to overcome us: See this in the example of Saul, 1 Sam. 18. 8, 9, 10. Now for the devil to take place in us, and overcome us, differ not as may appear, Ephes. 4. 26, 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, that is, let not the devil overcome you in this, neither give place to the devil. Although by every sin the devil doth not take place, yet every sin makes more room for the devil, until at the length he enter. Mark what the Prophet Hosea saith, Chap. 7. 6. They have made their hearts ready like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth like a flame of fire. Here than we see, that as an oven if there be but little fire left in it over night, yet if the baker sleep & quench it not, yet in the morning the whole oven is as hot as fire, and flames as fire: So if there be the least spark of sin left in a man's conscience, if he neglect, and do not quench it at the first, it will quickly get strength and flame forth, so that it will be very hard to quench it. Many who have given way to vain & idle thoughts, and have carelessly given themselves to idleness and ease, at length have become altogether in Satan's power: like as a soft thing yielding at the first, presently receives impression, their hearts being once polluted, presently all their affections receive the same impression. It is the heart which setteth the seal upon all the actions, like. as a seal which always sets the same impression on the wax which it hath itself.  
The third duty is, we must resist him in every sin whatsoever, and not in some sins only. Although we overcome many sins whereunto Satan doth tempt us, yet we do not overcome Satan, unless we overcome all sins whatsoever. Every sin is as it were a door into a man's heart whereby the devil doth enter; Now suppose all these doors were shut but one only, the devil could enter into the house of our hearts by that one door, and possess them as well as if there were more doors. Suppose a man's house hath many doors, although all be shut but one, a man may as well take possession by entering at one, as if all were open: Also every sin is a snare: what matter is it, whether Satan hold us fast by many or one? the devil hath many weapons whereby he plays with us, and though we can beat him at many, yet if he be but too hard for us at one, that is sufficient for him, for he can slay us with that one weapon: and what matter if he slay us with a penknife, or a spear, a great sin, or a little one, for sure it is, that the least sin seen and continued in, or delighted in, is sufficient to keep us in the devil's power, and for the devil to hold us fast with.   

THE THIRD SERMON.  JAMES. 4. vers. 7. Submit yourselves therefore unto God: resist the Devil and he will flee from you. 
THus much hath hitherto been spoken of those words of the text, Resist the devil, now we come to the second part, the promise, in these words, and he will flee from you. This is a promise of encouragement to resist the devil, because they that do so shall surely overcome. The like argument the Apostle useth, Rom. 6. 14 Thus Captains use to encourage their soldiers in hope of victory; when we have fought with Satan a long time, and yet find not that we prevailed, presently we are ready to saint, and to give over battle: now to prevent this, we have here a promise of victory. Yea, the words intimate something more the devil shall flee from you; we shall not only prevail against him, but also we shall be less tempted by him he shall depart from us, we may see this in our own head Christ, Math. 4. 11● hence then the doctrine ariseth;  
That whosoever doth truly resist the devil, 
Doct.  shall get the victory of him.  
Which victory is double, both general, according to the general resolution a man hath to resist Satan in all his tentations, and also particular in every tentation. For proof of this doctrine we have those words, 2 Pet. 2. 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of tentation, and those 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. This promise Go● performs, either by increasing the strength and patience of him that suffers, or else by lessening the affliction and tentation according to his strength.  
The reasons of this doctrine may be these, 
Reas.  the first is taken out of Rom. 6. 14. where the promise is this, Sin (that is original corruption) shall ●ot have dominion over us, ●en neither shall the devil himself have dominion over us, ●ut sin, saith the Apostle, shall have no dominion, therefore not ●e devil.  
The second reason ●ay be, because we ●e in Christ's kee●ing, 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are ●ept, saith the Apostle, by the power of God, ●rough faith unto salva●●n. Christ is our shepherd, and we his sheep, so that he will take care for every one of us, hence those most sweet and comfortable words▪ joh. 10. 27, 28. My sheep● hear my voice, and ● know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Yea, Christ testifies of himself, john. 17. 12. that he had not lost one of those whom his Father had given him. Besides, if the death of Christ was able to reconcile us unto God, then much more his life being a more powerful means, shall preserve us to eternal life, this is the Apostles own argument, Rom. 5. 9 O Much more, being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And although we have not this preservation for our own sakes, yet God will preserve us for his own names sake, we being his portion, The Lord's portion is his people, jacob is the lot of his inheritance, saith Moses in his most divine songs Deut. 32. 9 Surely God will not loss his portion, therefore he will preserve his children which are his portion.  
The third reason is drawn from the weakness of our enemy, 
3  with whom we fight, namely Satan, who hath received his deaths-wound, and over whom Christ hath triumphed, as appears Col. 2 15. He hath spoiled, saith the Apostle, principalities and powers, and hath made a show of them openly, triumphing over them on his cross. Now the devil's strength is not taken from him, but he is spoilt of that liberty which he had before, of exercising his power upon us; for he had power as a tormentor once over us, and liberty to use that power, but now all his liberty is taken away, and therefore he only tempts and afflicts the children of God by permission, and he can go no further than God permits. He could not tempt job at all, until he had permission from God, and then also he could afflict him only after that measure, and by that means which God suffered him. For the further clearing of this truth some objections that may be made, and which use to arise would be answered.  
If indeed in the time of tentation I were persuaded that I were truly in Christ, 
Object.  than I should not doubt to get the victory, but in tentation I cannot find this persuasion.  
Some men are in the state of grace, 
Answ.  others are not. Now this promise indeed, as all of the like kind, pertain to them that are in the state of grace; and for such, in tentation they are neither to believe Satan, nor their own reason; for a man in tentation, is like one in a swound, who hath no use of his senses, let a man therefore consider his former life, whether there hath been any reformation in that; whether he hath felt a change in his heart, which if he can find, whatsoever he feels for the present, he needs not doubt but he is in Christ. Now amongst other signs this is a special one, if he can find that he doth truly resist the tentation, not for the avoiding of vexation or perplexity that doth accompany it, but for the avoiding of sin which he is tempted unto. Otherwise, if the party be not in the state of grace, than first he must apply to himself the promise of sanctification, and must believe his engrafting into Christ, before he can have the promise, or apply to himself the victory.  
But it may be objected, 
Obj.  that a man may believe a falsehood, which he is not bound to do.  
For answer hereunto we must know that there is, 
Ans.  a twofold act of faith, the first is to cast a man's self upon Christ for the remission of his sins, and this is sufficient for justification as appears, Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. After this application truly made, will follow love, repentance, and obedience. The second act is a reflex act, whereby a man is persuaded that he doth believe, from whence ariseth spiritual joy. Hence the Apostle in his prayer for the Saints at Rome, Rom. 15. 13. phraseth it thus, Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. He that will exercise this second act of faith before the former, believes a falsehood, otherwise if a man have the former, he ought to exercise the second, and then he needs not doubt of the victory in tentation.  
Many have had experience of the contrary, 
Object.  so that although they have often and long resisted Satan, yet they are still foiled by him.  
Though indeed they be foiled for the present, 
Answ.  yet they get more strength afterwards, according to that, Rom. 8. 28. All things work for the best unto those which love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Yea further, the devil fails in both his ends in tempting them, his first end is to have his house swept, the other to have it garnished, that is, to empty the heart of grace, and to strengthen sin in him, now this endeavour to strengthen sin, is frustrated, both in regard of the guilt and power of it; First, for the guilt he is not able to make that plain against us, because God accepts of our persons, and nothing in the old man can hinder God from accepting the new man in us. And although upon the committing of every sin there doth necessarily follow a guilt, yet repentance & the righteousness of Christ comes between, and hindereth the same from redounding upon the person of the believer.  
Secondly, in regard of the power of sin, his tentation makes not sin have more dominion over us, or more sway in us, but the contrary, like as the water of a well that hath mud at the bottom, although some may think it the fouler for the mud, yet it is the clearer. So the corruptions of a man's heart being stirred by tentation, after become less, this being an occasion of their purging, for hereby a man sees his corruptions which lay dead before, and so labours to purge his heart from them, see this evidently in Hezekiah for his failing, which is set down 2. Chron▪ 32. 3. he had a profitable end of it, as is expressed vers. 26. David had a secret trusting to the multitude of the people before he numbered them, although he saw it not in himself, but as soon as he had numbered them, his heart smote him, and then he was humbled for his sin. Secondly, tentations are so far from emtpying us of grace, that they increase it in us diverse ways. First, because they drive us nearer to Christ, to seek him, they make us fitter to receive him, for we must be emptied of ourselves, before we are fit to receive Christ. Secondly, because they increase humility in us, which is the ground of all God's graces, so that there is no grace but hath his rooting herein, that tentations do humble us, and empty us of all conceit of ourselves, appears plainly in the example of Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 8. Thirdly, because grace is purified by afflictions, as spotted clothes, are cleansed by washing, and like as gold is purified by the fire; so than the means which Satan useth to winnow out the good corn, and to leave the chaff, to purge out the pure gold, and leave the dross, the same means God turns to the contrary, to winnow out the chaff from the good corn, and to purge out the dross from the pure gold.  
Another answer to the former objection may be this, though God suffer Satan t● foil his children, ye● in the end they overcome and become conquerors, as in bat●tell a man may resceive many foyles● and many wound● of his enemies, and yet in the end overcome him.  
But we have had experience, 
Object.  that many have lain under a ●entation to their ●eath, and have not ●eemed to have over●ommed it, how ●ould these prevail ●ver Satan?  
For answer, 
Answ.  we ●ust know the spirit ●eing in the child of God tempted, there ●ust needs be some ●ct and fruit of the spirit, although the ●arty himself dis●erne it not, and this ●orke of the spirit is such as God accepts▪ Rom. 8. 26, 27. So the● the victory is in truth though not in show, and therefore as profitable to them But here this caution must be added, that we look not to overcome whilst we stand still and remain idle, we must perform our duty, before we can expect that God will perform his promise, we must therefore resist the devil. God keeps and preserves us, but it is by means, as appears 1 Pet. 1. 5. God keepeth us through faith unto salvation, and the Apostle S. john saith, that he who hath a true hope, will purify himself as God is pure, 1 joh. 3. 3. Although God be said to keep us, yet we are said to keep ourselves, which is to be done by a careful use of the means which God hath appointed. If a Patient should profess that he had committed his life unto the skill of the Physician, and wholly depended upon him, whereas notwithstanding he would neither abstain from the things which his physician told him to be hurtful, nor take any thing which he prescribed, were this man to be believed? The like may be said of him who professeth, he desires to get the victory in ten●ations, and that he depends upon God wholly for it, and yet never useth the means God hath appointed for it. Now these are especially three, two whereof are things to be abstained from, namely reasoning and conferring with Satan and gazing upon the object, one thing is to be done to get the armour of salvation, to be girt with it, to have the shield of faith especially; there is none which hath been overcome in tentation, but he hath failed in one or all of these. Eve failed in all, she conferred with the Serpent. Secondly, she gazed upon the object, the fruit of the forbidden tree. Thirdly, she used not the shield of faith, to reject the lies of the Serpent, who said you shall not dye at all, when God had said to the contrary. The like we see in David's tentation, he gazed upon the object till he was taken, neither did he use the armour of salvation as he ought to have done. job failed in neither of them, when as he said, job 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes, there is his resolution, for not reasoning or disputing with his corruptions; why then should I think upon a maid? there is his resolution for not staring upon the object, For what portion of God is there from above? and vers. 3. it is evident that it was faith in believing the threatenings of God towards the wicked, whereby he was terrified from walking in their ways; Is not destruction to the wicked? saith he, and a strange punishment to workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?  
Now follows some 
Use 1▪  Consectaries or Uses from the former doctrine, the first may be for reproof of those who stir not up themselves to resist the devil, notwithstanding they have the promise here made them: Such are those who by custom, and the bad inclination of their natures, give themselves to some lusts which they never set themselves against, and herewithal they excuse themselves, it is their weakness and inclination of their nature, they must be borne with, their heart is good, and their mind is good, but to these be it spoken, their excuses will not defend them, for if they would resist as they ought, the promise is made to them, they should not fail to overcome. This is the excuse usually made of most men for some principal lust that reigns in them. But whereas they have the promise of God for victory, there should be no doubt of overcoming: and whosoever doth not last out these Anakims', these lusts, which are his deadly and sworn enemies betimes, he shall find they will be pricks to his sides, and thorns to his conscience, even all his life-time, and at the hour of his death especially.  
The second Use is for trial. 
Use 2.  Herens we may have a rule to try whether we have resisted Satan or no, and surely most fearful is their estate, who have not put Satan to flight by resisting, but are put to flight by him in yielding, and of these there be two sorts; First, those who never resist at all. Secondly, those who after resisting a while fall away, and give over. First for those who never felt any combat of Satan, and know not what his assaults mean, it is impossible that they should be escaped out of Satan's power, he will never leave his possession so easily. We see when he was cast out of one, whose body he did but possess, before his departure, he rend and tore him, and will he so easily leave the possession of a soul, which is his more proper seat? How then can any man think he hath gotten the victory in this spiritual combat when he hath not stricken a stroke, nor felt any blow, none are Christ's soldiers, or those whom he came to redeem, but such as are described, Isa. 61. 1, 2, 3. The Apostle saith, Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received again the spirit of bondage to fear, etc. intimating that they received that, before they received the spirit of adoption; whosoever therefore hath not felt any assault from Satan, sure it is that as yet Satan reigns in him as his king, and those men who themselves have had no skirmish with Satan, for the most part censure rashly of such whom they observe to be more fearful of offending in lesser matters. Yea, indeed they judge foolishly of the ways of God, having had no experience of them. But the estate of the second sort who fall away is most fearful, and those men become most dangerous of all, and greatest enemies to the most sincere professors, because they have had some knowledge in the ways of God; that the estate of these men is fearful appears Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries; and verse last, we are not of them who draw back unto perdition. Here is implied, that such as draw back do it unto perdition. Now that these men resisted not truly appears, because they fell away, for if they had they could not but have gotten the victory. Men use to be deceived in this kind three ways, and when any of these happen they fall away. First, when men think they sorrow and repent for their sins, whereas indeed it is for the punishment and smart which they feel for them, thus did the people Host 7. 14. it was for the loss of their corn and wine for which they howled, they had only an outward humiliation, there was no crying to God in the heart; so much the Lord testifies by the Prophet, They have not cried to me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn● and wine, and they rebe● against me. The same people are compare● to a brittle bow, vers. 16. they stood bend with many fair promises, but when they came once to be proved, they failed of their pretences, as a brittle bow that knaps asunder being tried, thus many are humbled for some present affliction that lies upon them, or for the avoiding of some sensible trouble, when they have no resolution to repent, and turn to God, it is seldom done, but in passion, and so continues not. Evil men never do good but in passion, as good men never do evil but in passion; but when the blast of passion is over, than every man goes his own way, the good man forward to heaven, the wicked man forward to hell. This was the fault of the second ground, which though it received the Word, yet brought forth no fruit, because the seed had no rooting. Secondly, it may be that the reasons which persuade a man at the first to break off his sins, are not strong enough, and therefore when stronger reasons are brought on the other side, he is not able to resist, but is constrained to yield, and so fall away; He doth like a King, which with ten thousand soldiers would go meet his adversary with twenty thousand, and so is overcome. Thirdly, a man will break off some sins though not all, and so think he reputes, whereas there remains some special corruption which he will not part withal, and therefore when religion and this lust shall stand in opposition, religion must give way, and thus he falls from the truth, of this sort were Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 20.  
The third Use is for exhortation, 
Use 3.  nor man ought to faint, be Satan's temptations what they will, for there is a promise of victory which ought to sustain every one. Now Satan's temptations are of three sorts, either against a man's effectual calling, and the certainty thereof, or else against a man's justification, or thirdly against a man's sanctification. First for our effectual calling, we have the spirit of God which doth witness the same to our spirits, and all the difficulties here arise from the want of our full resolution to resist Satan Consider what Christ saith, Math. 11. 30. My yoke is easy, and my burden light; The difficulty hereof, that Satan would make us believe to be, in leading a Christian life is not so. Christ's law is there called a burden, because it is so to our corrupt nature, and it is also called a yoke, because it contains a man within the bounds of his obedience, as the yoke contains the Ox in his rank, and order, but as soon as the burden of sin, which is truly a burden, becomes heavy and irksome to us, than the burden, of God's law will be light, and when the yoke of sin is heavy to us, than the yoke of the law will be easy and light. Satan therefore is a liar, as he always hath been, when he tells us, of the heaviness of Christ's yoke, for if we bring with us a resolution to bear it, a will and an endeavour, Christ will make it easy to us.  
Secondly for our justification, a Christian in this tentation, must imitate job, who being tempted very strongly in this kind, yet held his hold, and it will always be to his praise that he did so; as a Christian ought not to conceive his corruptions to be less than they are, so also he ought not to conceive the graces of God in him, to be less than they are: his faith ought never to fail to lay hold on its object, so that although God for a time seem to hide his face; yet as we doubt not, but the Sun shines when it is under a cloud, so even then the Christian ought not to doubt of God's favour, but to believe that the light of his countenance will again shine out.  
Thirdly, to overcome tentations against our sanctification, let us take up the duty commended by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men. The Apostle himself as a good captain, leads this way which he points out to others, as we may see 1 Cor. 9 27. I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, left that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. It was the sin and ruin of the Israelites, in that they would not believe the victory, which GOD promised to them in subduing the Canaanites, and so it will be our ruin also, if we believe not the promise of God for victory over Satan. We must know that we are as well to believe the promises of our sanctification, as of our justification, as may be gathered from that of the Apostle james 1. 5. If any man want wisdom, let him ask of God, and it shall be given him. The same may be said of any other grace, and it follows ver. 6. Let him ask in saith and wa●er not, for ●ee that wave●eth, is like a wave of the Sea; he is like a wave, in that he is carried backward & forward without any constancy. Let us therefore stir up ourselves to resist Satan, and not to faint in the combat, for Satan's chief end is to weary us out, that so we may give over, for so long as we continue striving, he getteth no victory; the victory is then gotten, when we give over; if we give not back, but believe, and continue striving. we shall be sure to be saved, H●b. 10. 39 Here because some think they have overcome, when they have not, it is necessary to know the signs of yielding unto Satan, which are these;  
The first sign is, when we lay aside the weapons of our spiritual warfare, as, to pray less, to hear the word of God more seldom, to forsake religious company, to avoid occasions of sin less, and when we do not continue, to use these weapons wherewith Satan is resisted, then surely we yield unto him.  
Secondly, when a man's grief and trouble, such as use to accompany the resisting of Satan, are less, and his security more. There is a twofold peace of conscience; the one ariseth from yielding to Satan's tentation, after a man hath been long solicited by him. The other ariseth from victory by a constant resisting: the former is proper to the wicked, the other to the godly.  
Thirdly, when sin begins to prevail in a man more, which is then, when a man begins to have a fuller purpose of sinning aforehand, less reluctancy in the committing of it, and when he passeth over it more steightly, and with less grief being committed. These are the signs of yielding unto Satan. Now follows some helps against him to procure the victory.  
First, we must know that strong lusts will not be overcome but by a strong means. Dangerous diseases are not cured but by strong potions, and more than ordinary medicines. Many not considering this, have not gotten the victory over their lusts, which otherwise they might have done. Lust's are of two sorts, some are naked and simple, coming only with their own force, stir up thyself, that thou mayst resist these, for so shalt thou be sure to overcome. Others are whetted on by Satan, & his force doth accompany them, such a tentation was that of S. Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 7. he had a thorn in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan to buffet him; It is most likely that the corruption was in his nature before, but now it assailed him more powerfully in regard of the force of Satan, which did accompany it. These tentations coming with more force than their own, must be resisted by us, with more power than our own; the chief means are two, first prayer, and fasting joined with it to sharpen the duty, Eph. 6. 18. Secondly, the Word diligently read, and meditated upon, for as the enemies are not carnal, neither are the weapons carnal. This Word is the wisdom of God, and the power thereof may be seen, Prov. 6. 23. The Commandment, Saith Solomon, is a lamp, and the Law is a light: and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Psal. 19▪ 7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.  
Secondly, we must get strong reasons against our strong lusts, the lusts of our flesh are called deceitful lusts, Ephes. 4. 22. That ye put off according to your former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; they deceive a man, and this is the reason they hold a man fast so long: therefore sins are called errors, and ignorances; Contrarily, the new man is renewed in knowledge, Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of God which created him. For the removing therefore of our lusts, the understanding which was before deceived, must be rightly informed of the truth, and then be confirmed in it by sound reasons: which being done, the understanding will change the will, and affection. So for the lust of anger, it is said to rest in the bosom of a fool, Eccles. 7. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Folly then being the cause of it, the readiest way to be cured of it, is, by having the judgement rightly informed, which being strengthened with reason, will move the affections So S. Peter calleth the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of ignorance, 1 Pet. 1. 14. because these lusts proceed from their ignorance, they then who have their judgements truly informed, will with greater case, overcome a corruption by opposing strong reasons against it: but when a man's judgement is inclined to the contrary, than he hath lost the victory for lusts get place.  
Thirdly, we must labour to undergo willingly the tediousness of a tentation, and patiently expect, till God send deliverance. First this makes many a man weary, when he sees, notwithstanding his resisting, that his corruptions grow stronger and stronger: but we must know that our corruptions are not always the greatest, when they seem so to us: if when we truly resist them they seem stronger, it is a sign we have more spiritual feeling in us then before; we must not think to overcome them without any trouble, for we are commanded to crucify our lusts, which crucifying necessarily imitates pain. Secondly, this makes many weary under tentation, when after diligent use of the means, they find no fruit nor ease. But this should not discourage them, for the means will have their effect in the end. Like as sin though it lie quiet at the door a great while, yet at length will call down some heavy judgement; if we sow to the Spirit, we shall be sure to reap of the Spirit. None of our groans, none of our tears, which we shed in this case will be lost or spent in vain, for God will put them in his bottle, as holy David saith, and will surely reward them see this in the example of Cornelius, Act. 10. 4. Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God.  
Fourthly, we must avoid irksomeness, we must consider, that it is part of the obedience, God requires at our hands, patiently to undergo a tentation, and therefore it behoveth us, of duty to do it.  
FINIS.