A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

Now this Resistance must be, (1.) Not faint and cold, but strong and vehement. (2.) Through and total. (3.) Constant and perpetual.

Now this Resistance must be, (1.) Not faint and cold, but strong and vehement. (2.) Thorow and total. (3.) Constant and perpetual.

(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,