affoon as they could learn to fpeak, begun to fwear and lye? Have they not very early forfeited their bonds, and entered into a contrary covenant and confederacy with the devil, and death, and hell, and their own lufts, and maintained a war rather with God than devils, with abundance of youthful heat and activity? Oh then what remains but that they should remember from whence they are fallen, and repent and renew their covenant with God in their own perfons, with all poffible fpeed and ferioufnefs. And thus much of our wrestling with Satan, or repelling Satan as to his firft affaults.

Of the Devil's affaults in our Youth, or at the time of Con

THE

verfion.

HE fecond period, wherein Satan affaults or combats with us, is from our youth to our riper years, or especially from the beginning to the end of our converfion. And in profecution of this, ft, Learn we fome of their depths, and wiles, and methods of Satan in his affaults. And, 2dly, Practife we thofe duties that concerns us in our wrestling with him in these respects.

1. For Satan's affaults. Then he begins his strongest batteries, or main temptations, when we are firft entring into a renewed ftate: Now this is most usual in the days of our youth. Thus many of our worthies observe, Mr. Ford, fpeaking of young people, faith, Amongst them ufually the ftream of converting grace most runs. It may be in fome grace is wrought very early, even in childhood, but ordinarily 'tis after they come under catechifing, and are more adult. And Mr. Burges thus, Converfion doth not only belong to the old, but to the young; yea, commonly converfion is fooner wrought upon the younger fort of people; for they have not refifted the grace of God fo much, they have not provoked God to give them up to their own heart's lufts, and defires, as many aged perfons have; fo then let young ones hearken to fermons, let them attend to what the miniflers of God exhort. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; and it is good to bear the yoke in thy youth; it is good to feel the bitternefs of fin betimes, Eccl. xii. 1. Lam. iii. 27. And Vor

tier thus, The Lord can convert and bring home to him. dfelf at all times, in middle age, in old age, at the very laft, as the thief upon the cross; yet the time of effectual calling is more ordinary in the time of youth.. Some have observed the time of effectual calling to be between the years of eighteen and thirty, most commonly. And I' believe that moft faints experience, that the Lord wrought upon them in their younger days. Marriages are moft in younger times, fo are fpiritual contracts in Jefus Chrift, David was good when young, Daniel a young prophet," Timothy a young preacher, Samuel began with God betimes, Abijah good when a child, fo was Jofiah. Ham mers thus, Thofe who in their infancy were confidered as parts of their parents, and fo by vertue of their parents membership enjoyed the ordinance of baptifm; when once grown up to maturity and ripeness of years, they are to be looked upon and confidered in themselves, and no longer? as in their parents, and therefore as being in a capacity for to do, they ought now to take hold of the covenant for themselves, and to render a perfonal account of their faith, It pleaseth God, that many do fo even very early; which agrees with the former opinion, that fome are regenerated after they come under catechizing. It was the ufe of the Jews, as Mr. Buxtorf reports, that fo foon as their cireumcifed children were able to fpeak, they taught them fome felect places of fcripture, and fo proceeding on by degrees at thirteen years of age, they were called filii pro cepti, fons of the precept; and then they were to receive the paffover, as faith Mr. Weems, and to observe the 613 precepts, which comprehended in them the fum of the Mofaical law, and Jewish religion, and then they themfelves were accounted guilty and liable to punifament, both divine and human, if they did tranfgrefs the law, whereas before their faults were imputed to their fathers, of whom the punishment was exacted. The manner of the Jews it seems was thus: The fon being thirteen years complete, the father calls ten Jews to witness, faying, That his fon is now of age, hath been inftructed in the precepts, well learned their customs, and can readily recite the benedictions and daily prayers, and therefore he is wile D 3

King

ling to be henceforth free, and to fhake off the fins of his fon; after which he concludes with prayer, befeeching God, that his fon may grow up into many years and good works.

I hope, I may fay of Gentiles as well as Jews, that converfion is fometimes very early, even as early as at thirteen years of age, though it be not ordinary. And oh! how good is it for a man to bear the yoke in his youth, feeing it must be born at one time or other? The burden of fin at that age will be the lighter, the flowing of heavenly af fctions will be the sweeter the removal of fin, in all like. hood, will be fooner, at leaft the furer; God having engaged himself, that they that feek him early fhall find him. Prov. viii. 17. Satan knows all this very well, and therefore he fets a fricter watch on youth; he obferves all the motions, ftirrings, actions of the foul, and of God's Spirit at fuch a time moft narrowly: And if he fpy any thing that may probably disturb him of his poffeffion, he prefently foams, and fumes, and prepares himself for battle, and now he is ready with all his fiery darts (his thousands of temptations (to throw them at him that would throw down his kingdom.

BUT

SECT. II.

Of the Occafion of Satan's firft and furious Affaultsen UT what means Satan, that he begins thus torage? It was but ere while that he kept houfe quietly, and poffeffed all in peace; and he is now difturbed? O yes; for now the foul begins to confider: It was but lately, that the man was at fermon, or read fome book, or obferved fome providence, or heard fome pray: Some gofpel news or glad tidings is freshly come, that Jefus Chrift is in the field, fent of God on this very account to rescue fouls from the devil's power; and to that end he hath made a precla mation, That if any poor finner weary of the devil's go vernment, and heavy laden with the chains of his fpiritual bondage, will but come and repair to Chrift, he shall have protection from God's juftice, the devil's wrath, and fin's dominion. This, or the like meffage, hath perfuaded the foul to paufe, to confider, to ponder and commune with itfelf what it had best to do.

Confideration

Confideration is the first step to repentance: The prodigal first came to himself before he came to his father; he confidered with himself what a ftarving condition he was in; his husks were but poor meat, and yet he had not enough of them neither; but at his father's houfe was bread enough, and to fpare, and fhould he perish with hunger? It is ufual with the foul thus at first to confider with itself, And am I Satan's vaffal, and under Satan's power? And fhall I continue in this fate? Is not the sweet government of Christ a thousand times better than the ty ranny of Satan? And is not Chrift's rewards a thoufand times better than the devil's wages? What! is not heaven better than hell? And did not I promise to fight under Chrift's banner against the world, flesh, and devil? How is it then that I have ferved him thus long? And that yet he leads me captive at his will and pleasure? What if this night I should leave this world in this ftate? What would become of me to all eternity? Could I be content to lofe God, and Chrift, and the joy above, and to dwell with devils, and all thofe infernal fiends below? Confider, a my foul! and have fad thoughts on thefe weighty and e verlasting affairs; for as the tree falleth, fo it must lie for ever and ever. This, or the like confideration, is the de vil's alarum: Now he is occafioned to beftir himself, or he fees he is gone; and therefore as a giant awoke out of his fleep, he rouzeth and shakes himself, and befets the foul with these feveral temptations following.

SECT. III.

Of the feveral immediate Affaults that Satan at first doth maka. IS affaults in this cafe are either immediate or mediate; by himself, or aids.

H

1. He affaults by himself, either by removing those pious thoughts tending to holiness, or by injecting thofe im pious thoughts as tend to wickedness.

1. He endeavours to remove our pious thoughts. q.d. What do thefe ftrangers here? How came thefe guests into my house and dwelling without my leave? Are these fit companions for the foul where I bear rule? Away with them, fhut them out of doors, for I cannot endure them ia my territories.

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2. He

2. He injects impious thoughts inftead of good. There are the darts which he throws into the foul at pleafure; and now he is most busy left the foul want work to bufy itfelf withal. By his good will, faith Gurnal, the foul fhould not have one thought of heaven or hell, from one end of the week to the other; and that he may have as few as may be, he keeps him full handed with work; the fiuner grinds, and he is filling the hopper, that the mill may pot ftand ftill: He is with the finner as foon as he awakes, and fills his wretched heart with fome wicked thoughts; and all the day long he watcheth him, and injects more ill thoughts; and at night like a careful jailor he locks him up again in his chamber, with more bolts and fetters upon him, not fuffering him to fleep as he lies in his bed, till he hath done him fame mischief.

Before I proceed, I fhall propound thefe questions,

1. Whether Satan knows our thoughts? 2. Whether Satan can fhut the door that good thoughts may not enter? 3. Whether Satan can at pleafure inject finful thoughts, and fo fet on the foul to embrace them, and to tamper with them?

1. Whether Satan knows our thoughts? I anfwer, As thoughts are taken ftrictly or fimply, merely for conceits, apprehenfions, meditations, difcuffions, deliberations, which the understanding or mind in and by itself, or by the help of fancy frames within itfelf, they are not known unto Satan: But as thoughts are taken largely, conjunctly, or as they are accompanied and waited on with the ftirred up images of the fancy, and paffions of the body; fo our thoughts, as well as words and actions, are known ta Satan. Now, I must confefs, few thoughts are in us, but they ftir up the fancy, or fome affection of fear, or joy, or grief, or fome fuch like; and therefore in that respect we have very few thoughts but they are known to Satan. That Satan hath an infight into the fancy and the images therein, there is no doubt; and that Satan hath an infight into the paffions, which are but the flowing and re-flowing of corporal fpirits, the most will grant; it must therefore needs follow, that howfoever the immediate acts, which are immanent in the foul itself, are utterly hidden from

Satan