A care-cloth

CHAP. IX. Showing two more spiritual means of Mortification: Fear, and Watchfulness.

CHAP. IX. Shewing two more spirituall meanes of Mortificetion: Feare, and Watchfulnesse.

Now to these holy meditations and prayers, let us add also an holy fear & misdoubting of our selves,¹ suspecting our own weakness, and even trembling to think, that we may be grossly overtaken. Blessed is he that feareth always, for this fear will be the cause of safety to him. Whiles a soldier feareth his enemy, he keeps his harness upon him, and will not disarm himself, so long as he mistrusteth the approach of an enemy: But security makes a man lay his weapons aside, and give himself to pleasure, ease, and sleep, and then if an enemy assault him, he is soon slain, or put to flight. he that is afraid of falling into some deadly sickness, will easily be persuaded to look to his diet, and to take some necessary physic. Say therefore in thy self, O if I grow careless, sin will quickly grow strong in my weakness, and quickly raise up it self against me, and do my soul more mischief then tongue can express! how have many of Gods Saints been foiled, that were far and far better then my self? shall not their misery be my warning? If such Worthies were overthrown and wounded, what will become of me? If I grow foolishly bold, and make too ⟨p. 152⟩fair promises to my self: fear lest one shall fall, will keep him upright, even in a very slippery way: but soon are his feet caught from him, that looketh about, and never suspecteth a fall. A moderate doubting of our own strength, will quicken us to prayer and meditation. This virtuous jealousy and suspicion of our weakness, will make us shun the occasions of sin, and so preserve us in safety, when others that are more venturous, shall be sooner foiled, though they be more strong: when we fear our selves most, we pray most to God, and most trust in him; and prayer and confidence will keep us in safety. Indeed, we never cast off this wariness, and cautelousnesse, till we be first beguiled with the deceitfulness of sin; and when it hath deceived us, it will easily do us a mischief. Look about, therefore, see how thou standest environed with enemies, see what an ill nature thou hast within thee, what a violent adversary without thee. Thou art like a besieged City, full of traitors, the wise men in such a City, will quickly mistrust and doubt the worst; they will ever suspect, that mischief is plotting against them, and by fearing, they become careful to prevent it.