Know, that they are no other than the streams of Christ's love flowing to you, and through you, and from you to him again. And thus is Christ delighted in beholding of his own beauties, in his spouse's eye.

"I have prayed for a blessing for you, and on those related to you; and if they prove of any power by the Spirit of God to you, it will be matter of joy and praise. By your dear friend,

JOHN JANEWAY."

CHAP. XI.

His Temptations from Satan.

THUS you have a taste of his spirit, and may perceive what it was that he had his heart most set upon, and what kept his graces in such vigour and activity, and how desirous he was that others should be sharers with him in this mercy. Yet, for all this, he had his gloomy days, and the sun was sometimes overcast; his sweets were sometimes embittered with dreadful and horrid temptations. The devil shot his poisonous arrows at him; yet, through the captain of his salvation, he came more than a conqueror out of the field. He was, with Paul, many times lifted up into the third heaven, and saw and heard things unutterable: but, lest he should be exalted above measure, there was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him.

It would make a Christian's heart even ache, to hear and read what strange temptations this gracious soul was exercised with. But he was well armed for such a conflict, having on the shield of faith, whereby he quenched the fiery darts of that wicked one. Yet, this fight cost him the sweating of his very body for agonies of spirit, and tears and strong cries to heaven for fresh help. As for himself, he was wont to take an arrow out of God's quiver, and discharge it by faith and prayer, for the discomfiture of his violent enemy, who at last was fain to fly.

These temptations and conflicts with Satan did not a little help him afterwards in his dealing with one that was sorely afflicted with temptations of the like nature.

And because I judge it of singular use to tempted ones, and find very many of late to be exercised in this kind, Í shall insert a letter of his, suitable to all Christians in the like case.

A LETTER OF MR. JOHN JANEWAY'S.

"DEAR FRIEND;

"YOUR letters are bitter in the mouth, but sweet in the belly: they contain matter of joy, under a dismal aspect; they are good news, brought by a messenger in mourning. I had rather hear of that which is matter of substantial, real joy, though mixed with many sighs, and interrupted with many groans and sobs, than of that laughter, in the midst of which the heart is sad.

"You say that you are troubled with blasphemous thoughts. So, then, though they are blasphemous yet they are your trouble; and thoughts they are too, and that neither sent for, nor welcome; and so are not assented to in your mind. What then shall we think of them? If they were of your own production, your heart would be delighted in its own issue: but you do nothing less. Sure then, they are the injections of that wicked one, who is the accuser of the brethren, and the disturber of the peace of the people of God. But doth Satan use to employ those weapons but against those that he is in some fear of losing? He is not wont to assault and fight against his surest friends in this manner. Those that he hath fast in his own possession, he leads on as softly and quietly as he can; fearing lest such disturbance should make them look about them, and so they should awake, and see their danger: but as for those that have in some measure escaped his snares, he follows them hard, with all the discouragements he can. Surely these things can be no other but a bitter relish of those things, which you know to be bitter after that you have tasted the honey and the honeycomb; after you have seen how good the Lord is. What then shall I call these motions of your mind? They are the soul's loathing the morsels which Satan would have it to swallow down! yea, they are the soul's striving with Satan, whilst he would ravish the spouse of Jesus. And let the enemy of all goodness know, that he shall, ere long, pay dearly for such attempts. But you will say, if these horrible thoughts be not your sin, yet they are your trouble and

misery, and you desire to be free from them; and the most loyal and loving spouse had rather be delivered from those assaults. But you will ask, how shall I get free from them? First, See that you possess your soul in patience and know this, that God hath an over-ruling in all this; and wait upon him, for he can and will bring forth good out of all this seeming evil. At present you are in the dark and see no light: yet trust in the Lord, and stay yourself upon your God. Can Christ forget the purchase of his own blood, the price of his soul, those whom he hath so intimately endeared to himself? Can a mother forget her sucking child? Yet, God cannot forget his. God hath loving and gracious intents in all this, and his bowels yearn towards his. Yea, our Saviour suffers with us, through his ardent love by sympathy, as well as he hath suffered for us. But for your being be-rid of these thoughts, you know who hath all power in his hand, who doth employ this power in a way of love towards his. This power is made yours through the prayer of faith: but for your own work do this.

First, Let no such thoughts have any time of abode in your mind, but turn them out with all the loathing and abhorrence you can: but not with so much trouble and disturbance of mind as I believe you do. For by this the devil is pleased, and he makes you his own tormentor.

"Secondly, Always then divert your thoughts to some good thing, and let those very injections be constantly the occasion of your more spiritual meditation. Think the quite contrary, or fall a praying with earnestness: and the devil will be weary if he find his designs thus broken, and that those sparks of hell, which he struck into the soul to kindle and inflame corruption, do put warmth into grace, and set faith and prayer a working; when he perceives, that what he intended as water to cool your love to God, proves like oil, to make it flame the more vehemently, he will be discouraged. Thus resist him, and he will flee from you.

"Thirdly, Consider that this is no new thing; for we are not in this ignorant of Satan's wiles, that, if any soul hath escaped out of the chains of darkness, if he will have heaven, he shall have it with as much trouble as the devil can lay on and if he and his had their wills, no good man should have one peaceable hour.

But,

blessed be God for his everlasting and unchangeable love to his, that the devil cannot pluck us out of those Almighty arms, with which he doth embrace his dear children.

"Dear heart, my prayer for thee is, that God would give thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness, after all thy afflictions, and that thou mayest come out of these trials, refined and purified, and more fit for thy master's use, having this the end of all, to purge away thy dross, and take away thy sin.

"Thus hoping that at the length God will turn thy mourning into joy, thy trouble into triumph, and all thy sorrows into a sure and stable peace, I leave you with him, and rest,

"Yours in our dear Lord,

"JOHN JANEWAY."

He was much afraid of any decays in grace, of apos tacy, yea, of flatness of spirit, either in himself or others: and if he suspected any thing of this nature in his nearest relations, he would do what he could possibly to recover them out of the snares of Satan, and to quicken them to higher and more noble, vigorous, spiritual acts of religion. He laboured to maintain a constant tenderness and sensibility upon his heart; and to take notice of the least departure of his soul from God, or God's absenting of himself from the soul (which was an expression that was much in his mouth). He had a godly jealousy over his brothers, one of which was awaked by his serious and particular application of himself to him, when he was about eleven years old. But he knew, that conviction and conversion are two things, and that many are somewhat affected by a warm exhortation, who quickly wear off those impressions, and return to their former trifling with God, and neglect of their souls. Wherefore, he desired to carry on the work that he had some hopes was well begun: he laboured to build sure, and build up; that he might be rooted and grounded in the faith, steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Wherefore he followed him, not only with private warnings, and frequent pathetical counsels and directions, but with letters, one of which spoke in this language : ·

ANOTHER OF HIS LETTERS

OF PRIVATE WARNING AND PATHETICAL COUNSEL.

"You live in a place where strict and close walking with God hath few or no examples, and most are apt to be like their company, and God's own children are too apt to forget their first love. Our hearts are apt to be careless, and neglect our watch. We are ready to grow formal in duty, or less spiritual; and then, it may be, less frequent; and conscience is put off with some poor excuse and thus religion withers, and one that seemed once a zealot may come to be a Laodicean; and some that looked once as if they were eminent saints, may fall to just nothing. It is too common, to have a name to be alive and yet to be dead. Read this, and tremble lest it should be your case. When we are lazy and asleep, our adversary is awake: when we are slothful and negligent, then he is diligent. I consider your age, I know where you dwell, I am not unacquainted with your temptations. Wherefore I cannot but be afraid of you, lest by both inward and outward fire the bush be singed: though, if God be in it, it cannot be burnt up.

Give me leave to be in some measure fearful of you, and jealous over you; and to mind you of what you know already. Principles of civility will be but as broken reeds to stay our souls upon, without those higher principles which are planted in the soul, by the working of the Spirit of God. Oh, remember, what meltings sometimes you have had; remember how solicitously you did inquire after Christ; how earnestly you seemed to ask the way to Zion with your face thitherward. Oh, take heed of losing those impressions you once had take not up with a slight work. True conversion is a great thing, and another kind of business than most of the world take it to be. Oh, therefore, be not satisfied with some convictions, taking them for conversion; much less with resting in a formal, lifeless profession.

"There is such a thing as being almost a Christian; nay, as drawing back unto perdition. And some, that are not far from the kingdom of heaven, may never come there. Beware lest you lose the reward. The promise is made to him that holdeth fast, and holdeth out unto the end, and overcometh.