A Saint Indeed

6. Lastly, The stability of our Souls in the hour of temptation, will be much ⟨p. 35⟩according to the care and Conscience we have of keeping our hearts; the careless heart is an easy prey to Satan in the hour of temptation, his main Batteries are raised against that Fort-royal, the Heart; if he win that, he wins all, for it commands the whole man; and alas, how easy a Conquest is a neglected heart? 'tis no more difficult to surprise it, than for an enemy to enter that City, whose Gates are open and unguarded: 'tis the watchful heart that discovers and suppresses the temptation before it come to its strength. Divines observe this to be the method in which temptations are ripened and brought to their full strength;¹ there is (1) The irritation of the Object, or that power it hath to work upon and provoke our corrupt nature, which is either done by the real presence of the object, or else by Speculation, when the object (though absent) is held out by the fantasy before the Soul. (2) Then follows the motion of the sensitive appetite,² which is stirred and provoked by the fantasy, representing it as a sensual good, as having profit or pleasure in it.³ (3) Then there is a consultation in the mind about ⟨p. 36⟩it, deliberating about the likeliest means of accomplishing it.⁴ (4) Next follows the election or choice of the Will. (5) And lastly,⁵ The desire or full engagement of the Will to it; all this may be done in a few moments, for the debates of the Soul are quick, and soon ended: when it comes thus far, then the heart is won, Satan hath entered victoriously, and displayed his Colours upon the Walls of that Royal Fort; but had the Heart been well guarded at first, it had never come to this height; the temptation had been stopped in the first or second act; and indeed there it's stopped easily, for it is in the motions of a tempted Soul to sin; as in the motion of a stone falling from the brow of an Hill, it's easily stopped at first, but when once it's set a going Vires acquirit eundo: and therefore it's the greatest wisdom in the world to observe the first motions of the heart, to check and stop sin there: the motions of sin are weakest at first; a little care and watchfulness may prevent much mischief now, which the careless heart not heeding, is brought within the power of temptation; as the Syrians were