The Christian in Complete Armour

SECT. II.

Use 1 First, let this be for trial of thy spiritual state. What entertainment finds Satan when he comes with these spirituals of wickedness, and solicits thee to dwell on them? canst thou dispense with the filthiness of thy spirit, so thy hands be clean? or dost thou wrestle against these heart-sins as well as others? I do not ask whether such guests come within thy door, for the worst of sins may be found in the motions of them, not only passing by the door of a Christian, but looking in also, as holy motions may be found stirring in the bosom of wicked men: but I ask thee whether thou canst find in thy heart to lodge these guests and bid them welcome. 'Tis like thou wouldst not be seen to walk in the street with such company, not lead a whore by the hand through the Town, not violently break open thy neighbours house to murder or rob him: but canst thou not under thy own roof, in the withdrawing room of thy soul let thy thoughts hold up an unclean lust, while thy heart commits speculative folly with it? canst thou not draw thy neighbour into thy den, and there rend him limb from limb by thy malice, and thy heart not so much as cry murder, murder? In a word canst thou hide any one sin in the vance roof of thy heart, there to save the life of it when enquired after by the Word and Spirit, as Rahab hid the spies, and sent the King of Jericho's messengers to pursue them, as if they had been gone? Perhaps thou canst say, the adulterer, the murderer is not here, thou hast sent these sins away long ago, and all this while thou hidest them ⟨p. 262⟩in the love of thy soul; know it or thou shalt another day know it to thy cost, thou art stark naught. If there were a spark of the life of God or the love of Christ in thy bosom, though thou couldst not hinder such motions in thy soul, yet thou wouldst not conceal them, much less nourish them in thy bosom; when over-powered by them thou wouldst call in help from heaven against these destroyers of thy soul.

Ʋse 1 First, let this be for trial of thy spiritual state. What entertainment findes Satan when he comes with these spirituals of wickednesse, and solicites thee to dwell on them? canst thou dispense with the filthinesse of thy spirit, so thy hands be clean? or dost thou wrestle against these heart-sinnes as well as others? I do not ask whether such guests come within thy door, for the worst of sinnes may be found in the motions of them, not only passing by the door of a Christian, but looking in also, as holy motions may be found stirring in the bosome of wicked men: but I ask thee whether thou canst finde in thy heart to lodge these guests and bid them welcome. 'Tis like thou wouldst not be seen to walk in the street with such company, not lead a whore by the hand through the Town, not violently break open thy neighbours house to murder or rob him: but canst thou not under thy own roofe, in the withdrawing room of thy soul let thy thoughts hold up an unclean lust, while thy heart commits speculative folly with it? canst thou not draw thy neighbour into thy den, and there rend him limb from limb by thy malice, and thy heart not so much as cry murder, murder? In a word canst thou hide any one sinne in the vance roofe of thy heart, there to save the life of it when enquired after by the Word and Spirit, as Rahab hid the spies, and sent the King of Jerichoes messengers to pursue them, as if they had been gone? Perhaps thou canst say, the adulterer, the murderer is not here, thou hast sent these sinnes away long ago, and all this while thou hidest them