(1.) Not faint and cold. Some kind of Resistance may be made by general and common ⟨p. 452⟩Grace. The Light of Nature will rise up in defiance of many Sins, especially at first: but this must be earnest and vehement, it is against the Enemies of your Soul. Paul's Resistance was with serious Dislikes and deep Groans, Rom. 7. 15. 24. The Evil that I hate. And, O wretched Man, how shall I be delivered? In most cases, a detestation or peremptory denial is enough. When the Devil tempts Christ to worship him, Mat. 4. 10. Get thee behind me Satan. In other Cases there must be serious Disputes, and Repulses. When Eve speaks faintly and coldly, the Devil renews his Assaults with more violence. Gen. 3. 1, 2, 3. Hath God said, ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? And the Woman said unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden: But of the Fruit of the Tree, which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye dye. She speaks there warmly, and with too impatient a Resentment of the Restraint: and too cold in the Commination and Threatening. Therefore the Devil works upon her, when he saw she amplifieth the Restraint, for she saith more indeed, We must neither eat nor touch it. A faint Denial is a kind of Grant, and therefore your repulse to Satan must be vehement and strong: In many Cases slight Satan, answer with Indignation; as tho a Dog barks, yet the Traveller goes by: Satan cannot endure Contempt. At other times argue for God strongly. Now the great Argument, that quickens you to this lively and vehement Resistance; is, to consider thy Soul is in Danger, and all thy Eternal Concernments. So some expound that, Eph. 6. 12. We fight not against Flesh and Blood, but against ⟨p. 453⟩Spiritual Wickedness in high places; in Heavenly places it is in the Original: No Worldly Concernments must go so near, as that which concerns the eternal Good and Salvation of your Souls. What would the Devil have from thee, but thy Soul, and thy precious Enjoyments, thy Peace of Conscience, Communion with God, thy hopes of Eternal Life? And when Satan comes, and bids nothing but Worldly Vanities, we should repel them with Indignation. A Merchant that hath a precious Commodity, and a Chapman bids him a base price, he puts up his Wares with Indignation, and will not so much as regard him, or hear him:
(1.) Not faint and cold. Some kind of Resistance may be made by general and common ⟨p. 452⟩Grace. The Light of Nature will rise up in defiance of many Sins, especially at first: but this must be earnest and vehement, it is against the Enemies of your Soul. Paul's Resistance was with serious Dislikes and deep Groans, Rom. 7. 15. 24. The Evil that I hate. And, O wretched Man, how shall I be delivered? In most cases, a detestation or peremptory denial is enough. When the Devil tempts Christ to worship him, Mat. 4. 10. Get thee behind me Satan. In other Cases there must be serious Disputes, and Repulses. When Eve speaks faintly and coldly, the Devil renews his Assaults with more violence. Gen. 3. 1, 2, 3. Hath God said, ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? And the Woman said unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden: But of the Fruit of the Tree, which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye dye. She speaks there warmly, and with too impatient a Resentment of the Restraint: and too cold in the Commination and Threatning. Therefore the Devil works upon her, when he saw she amplisieth the Restraint, for she saith more indeed, We must neither eat nor touch it. A faint Denial is a kind of Grant, and therefore your repulse to Satan must be vehement and strong: In many Cases slight Satan, answer with Indignation; as tho a Dog barks, yet the Traveller goes by: Satan cannot endure Contempt. At other times argue for God strongly. Now the great Argument, that quickens you to this lively and vehement Resistance; is, to consider thy Soul is in Danger, and all thy Eternal Concernments. So some expound that, Eph. 6. 12. We fight not against Flesh and Blood, but against ⟨p. 453⟩Spiritual Wickedness in high places; in Heavenly places it is in the Original: No Worldly Concernments must go so near, as that which concerns the eternal Good and Salvation of your Souls. What would the Devil have from thee, but thy Soul, and thy precious Enjoyments, thy Peace of Conscience, Communion with God, thy hopes of Eternal Life? And when Satan comes, and bids nothing but Worldly Vanities, we should repel them with Indignation. A Merchant that hath a precious Commodity, and a Chapman bids him a base price, he puts up his Wares with Indignation, and will not so much as regard him, or hear him:
