For at firft a plain fingle thought prefents itself to the mind. Then, a ftrong imagination; after, a fenfible delight; upon this, evil motions: And lastly, the affent of the will: And fo by little and little the malignant Enemy enters wholly, whilft he is not refifted at the beginning. And by how much the longer a man is flack in refifting, he becomes daily fo much the weaker in himself, and his Adverfary the ftronger a gainst him.

VI. These trials are feverer upon fome, at the beginning of their converfion; upon others, at the end; and fome again are tormented with them almost all their life long. Some have but very eafy and gentle trials: And all this is according to the wifdom and justice of the divine difpenfation, which weighs the state and merit of perfons, and fore-ordains all things to the good and falvationof his elect.

VII. We ought not therefore to despair, when temptations befet us, but fo much the more fervently to pray unto God, that he would vouchfafe to help us in every tribulation; and he no doubt will, as St. Paul expreffes it, give the temptation fuch an if fue, that we may be able to bear it. Let

a 1 Cor. x. 13

us

us therefore bumble our fouls under the band of God in every temptation and tribulation; for he will save and exalt the bumble in spirit.

VIII. Temptations and tribulations are the proof how much a man hath profited: His merit is the greater thereby, and his virtue the more apparent and confpicuous. It is no mighty matter, for a man to be devout and fervent, whilst he lies under no load or preffure: But if in the midst of trials, he poffeffes his foul in patience; this promises great Proficiency. Some perfons are preferv'd from grand temptations, and are many times vanquished in trivial ones that occur every day; to the end that being thus humbled, they may never prefùme upon their own ftrength in matters of difficulty, when they are foiled in others fo flight.

CHAP. XIV.

Of avoiding rafh Judgment.

'URN thine eyes inward upon thy felf; and beware of judging other

T

b 1 Pet. iv.

Pfal. XXXIV.

men's

men's actions. In judging others, a man lofes his labour; he is moft commonly mistaken, and eafily fins; whereas in judg ing, and carefully examining himself, his labour is profitably beftowed, and ever turns to good account. According as we ftand affected to a thing, fo generally we judge of it: For private affection naturally bereaves us of true judgment. If GoD were always the pure intention and aim of our defires and defigns, we fhould not be fo apt to be troubled when matters difagree with our own fense of things,

II. But many times there is fomething lurking within, or happening from without, which draws us after it. Many fecretly feek themselves in their actions, and perceive it not: And these men feem to enjoy a calm and peaceful state of mind, fo long as things agree with their own inclination, and sentiment: But if any thing fucceeds otherwise than they defire, ftraitway they are disturb'd, and become fad and displeas'd, Diverfity of judgments and opinions very often caufes differences and diffentions between friends and townfmen, between the religious and the devout.

III. It is a difficult thing to leave an old cuftom. And no man is willing to be led

farther

farther than himfelf can fee. If thou reft more upon thy own reafon or industry, than upon that principle of virtue, which fhould difpofe thee to an entire fubmiffion to Jefus Chrift, thou wilt feldom, and flowly obtain any extraordinary degree of illumination; because GoD expects a perfect fubjection of our felves unto him and that the flames of our love tranfcend all the heights of our own reason.

CHAP. XV.

Of Works of Charity.

OR no worldly confideration, nor for the love of any perfon whatfoever, must we be prevail'd upon to do an ill thing But yet for the benefit of a perfon, who ftands in need of our relief, a good work is fometimes to be intermitted and broke off, or rather exchang'd for a better: For by doing this, the good work is not loft, but changed into a better. Without Charity the outward work profiteth nothing: But whatsoever is done out of Charity, be it never fo little and contemptible in appea

rance,

rance, it all turns to profit. For Gop has more regard to the motive that fets us to work, than to the action it felf, or the quality of it.

II. The man that loves much, [does. much; and he does much, that does a thing well; and he does well, who prefers the good of the community before the gratifying of his own will. That which frequently paffes for Charity is rather Carnality: Becaufe men rarely act upon other motives than natural inclination, the doing their own will, expectation of a recompenfe, affection, or convenience.

III. He that is poffefs'd of true and perfect Charity, feeketh himself in nothing: But his defire is, that GOD alone may be glorify'd in all things. He alfo envieth no body; because he loves no private joy; nor will he rejoice in himself alone, but withes to be made bleffed in the enjoyment of GOD above all created goods. He afcribes nothing of good to any creature, but refers all to God alone, from whom, as the fource and fpring, all things originally proceed; and in whom all the Saints finally rest in perfection of blifs. O! If a man had but a Ipark of true Charity, verily he would difcern all earthly things to be full of vanity. CHAP.