The following treatise by John Owen is called Of Temptation. This is chapter 7, Watching the Heart. That part of watchfulness against temptation which we have considered regards the outward means, occasions, and advantages of temptation, would now proceed to that which respects the heart itself, which is wrought upon and entangled by temptation. Watching or keeping of the heart, which above all keepings we are obliged to, comes within the compass of this duty also. For the right performance of this take the following directions. Number one, know your heart. Let him that would not enter into temptations labor to know his own heart, to be acquainted with his own spirit, his natural frame and temper, his lusts and corruptions, his natural sinful or spiritual weaknesses. So that, finding where his weakness lies, he may be careful to keep at a distance from all occasions of sin. Our Savior tells the disciples, You know not what manner of spirit you are of. Luke 9 verse 55. Which under a pretense of zeal betrayed them into ambition and desire of revenge. Had they known their hearts, they would have washed over themselves. David tells us that he considered his ways and kept himself from his iniquity. Psalm 18 verse 23. That is the inquiry unto which he was particularly prone. There are advantages for temptations that lie often in men's natural temperaments and constitutions. Some are naturally gentile, facile, easy to be entreated, pliable. This may be the noblest temper of nature and the best in choice's ground, when well broken up and followed for grace to grow in. However, if not washed over, it will be a means of innumerable surprises and entanglements temptation. Other natural temperaments are earthy, stubborn, gloomy, so that envy, malice, selfishness, peevishness, harsh thoughts of others, and complaining lie at the very door of their natures. They can scare a step out, but they are in the snare of one or other of them. Other natural temperaments are passionate and the like. Now he who would watch that he enter not into temptation needs to be acquainted with his own natural temperament so that he may watch over the treacheries that lie in it continually. Take heed, lest ye have a Jehu in you that shall make you drive furiously, or a Jonah in you that will make you ready to complain, or a David that will make you hasty in your determination, since he was often in the warmth and goodness of his natural temperament. He who does not watch this thoroughly, who is not exactly skilled in the knowledge of himself, will never be disentangled from one temptation or another all his days. Again, men have peculiar natural temperaments that, according as they are attended or managed, prove either a great encouragement to sin or an advantage to the exercise of grace. In the same way, men may have peculiar lusts or corruptions. that either by their natural constitution or education under their prejudices have got deep rooting and strength in them. This also is to be found out by him who would not enter into temptation, unless he knows it, unless his eyes be always on it, unless he observes its actings, motions, and advantages, it will continually be entangling and ensnaring him. This, then, is our sixth direction of this kind. Labor to know your own frame and temperament, what spirit you are of, what associates in your heart Satan has, where corruption is strong, where grace is weak, what stronghold lust has in your natural constitution and the like. How many have all their comforts blasted and peace disturbed by their natural passion and peevishness? How many are rendered useless in the world by their frowardness and discontent? How many are disquieted even by their own gentleness and facility? Be acquainted, then, with your own heart. Though it be deep, search it. Though it be dark, inquire into it. Though it give all of its distempers other names than what are there due, believe it not, Men often are utter strangers to themselves. They give flattering titles to their natural distempers. They strive rather to justify, conceal, or excuse the evils of their hearts that are suited to their natural temperaments and constitutions, rather than to destroy them. By these means they keep themselves from taking a clear and distinct view of their natural temperaments. Were not men utter strangers to themselves it would be impossible that they should all their days hang in the same briars without attempting deliverance. Uselessness and scandal in professing believers are branches growing constantly on this root of unacquaintedness with their own frame and temperament. How few are there who will either study them themselves or bear with those who would acquaint them with themselves. Secondly, watch against particular occasions to temptation. When you know the state and condition of your hearts as to the particulars mentioned, watch against all such occasions and opportunities. Employments, societies, retirements, and businesses are apt to entangle your natural temperament or provoke your corruption. It may be there are some ways, some societies, or some businesses that you have never in your life escaped. but allow them more or less through their suitableness to entice or provoke your corruption. It may be you're in a state and condition of life that worries you day by day on the account of your ambition, passion, discontent, or the like. If you have any love to your soul, it is time for you to awake and deliver yourself as a bird from the evil snare. Peter will not come again in haste at the high priest's hall, nor would David walk again on the top of his house when he should have been on the high places of the battlefield, 2 Samuel 11 verses 1 and 2. But the particulars of this instance are so varied and of such particular natures and respective individual persons that it is impossible to enumerate them. Proverbs 4 verses 14 and 15 In this lies no small part of that wisdom which consists in our order in our behavior of right. Seeing we have so little power over our hearts when once they meet with suitable provocations, we are to keep away from such occasions and opportunities as a man would do with fire in the combustible parts of the house in which he dwells. Number three lay in store gospel provisions. Be sure to lay provisions in store against the approach of any temptation. This also belongs to our watchfulness over our hearts. You will say, what provision is intended and where is it to be laid up? Our hearts, as our Savior speaks, are our treasury. Matthew 12 verse 35. There we lay up whatever we have, good or bad, and from there we draw it for our use. It is a hearth, then, wherein provision is to be laid up against temptation. When an enemy draws nigh to a fort or castle, to besiege and take it, often, if he finds it well manned and furnished with provision for a siege, and so able to hold out, he withdraws and does not assault it. is satan the prince of this world comes and finds our hearts fortified against his batteries and provided for so to be able to hold out he not only departs but as james says he flees he will flee from you james 4 verse 7 the provision to be laid up is that which is provided in the gospel for us Gospel provisions will do this work, that is, keep the heart full of a sense of the love of God in Christ. This is the greatest preservative against the power of temptation in the world. Joseph had this, and therefore on the first appearance of temptation he cries out, How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Genesis 39 verse 9. And there is the end of the temptation as to him. It lays no hold on him, but departs. He was furnished with such a ready sense of the love of God as temptation could not stand before. The love of Christ constrains us, the apostles says, to live unto him. Second Corinthians 5, 14 and 15. And so consequently, to withstand temptation, a man may, nay he ought, to lay in provisions of the law also. Fear of death, hell, punishment, with the terror of the Lord in them. But these are far more easily conquered than the other. Nay, they will never stand alone against a vigorous assault. Dear conquered and convicted persons, every day, heart stored with them, will struggle for a while, but quickly give over. But store the heart with the sense of the love of God in Christ, with the eternal design of His grace, with the taste of the blood of Christ, and His love in the shedding of His own blood. Get a relish of the privileges we have thereby—our adoption, justification, acceptance with God. Fill the heart with thoughts of the beauty of holiness as it is designed by Christ for the end, issue, and effect of His death, and you will, in an ordinary course of walking with God, have great peace and security against the disturbance of temptations. When men can live and plot on in their profession and not be able to say when they had any living sense of the love of God or the privileges that we have in the blood of Christ, I don't know what they can have to keep them from falling into snares. The Apostle tells us that the peace of God shall keep your hearts, Philippians 4, verse 7. Keep denotes a military word, a garrison, and so the Greek can be translated shall keep as in a garrison. Now a garrison has two things attending it. First, that it is exposed to the assaults of its enemies. Secondly, its safety lies in it from their attempts. It is so with our souls. They are exposed to temptations and assaulted continually. But if there be a garrison in them, or if they be kept as in a garrison, temptation shall not enter, and consequently we shall not enter into temptation. Now, how is this done? The apostle says the peace of God shall do it. What is this peace of God? It is the sense of His love and favor in Jesus Christ. Let this abide in you and it shall garrison you against all assaults. whatever they may be. Besides, there is that in a special manner which is also in all the rest of the directions, namely, that the peace of God itself lies in a direct opposition to all the ways and means that temptation can make use of to approach to our souls. Contending to obtain and keep a sense of the love of God in Christ, in the nature of it, prevents all the gradual workings and subtle introductions of temptation, Let this be a third direction, then, in our watching against temptation. Lay in store gospel provisions which may make the soul a fortified place against all the assaults of temptation upon it. Number four. At the beginning, our first approach of temptation. In the first approach of any temptation, as we are all tempted, these directions following are also suited to carry on the work of watching, which we are in the pursuit of. A. Be always awake. Be always awake, that you may have an early discovery of your temptation, that you may know it to be so. Most men perceive not their enemy until they are wounded by him. Others may sometimes see them deeply engaged while they themselves are utterly insensible. They sleep without any sense of danger until others come and awaken them by telling them that their house is on fire. There is a neutral sense of temptation. Namely, as it denotes such a way, thing, or matter, as is or may be made use of for the purpose of temptation, this sense of temptation is not easily discoverable. Few take notice of it until it is too late and they find themselves entangled, if not wounded. Watch, then, to understand early the snares that are laid for you. Watch to understand the advantages your enemies have against you before they get strength and power, and before they are incorporated with your lust and have distilled poison into your soul. B. Consider temptations, aim. Consider the aim and tendency of the temptation, whatever it be, and of those that are concerned in it. Those who have an active cooperation in your temptation are 1. Your own lusts and 2. Satan. For your own lust, I have shown elsewhere what it aims at in all of its actings and enticings. It never rises up, but its intention is the worst of evils. Every acting of it would be a formed enmity against God. Therefore, look upon it in its first attempts. Whatever pretenses may be made is your mortal enemy. I hate the working of lust in me, says the apostle in Romans 7 verse 15. That is, I hate it. It is the greatest enemy I have. Oh, that it were killed and destroyed. O, that I were delivered out of the power of it! Know, then, that in the first attempt or assault in any temptation the most cursed sworn enemy is at hand, and is setting upon you, and that for the purpose of your utter ruin. Therefore it would be the greatest madness in the world to throw yourself into his arms to be destroyed. But of this I have spoken in my discourse on the mortification of sin. 2. Has Satan, who is a shearer in every temptation, any more friendly aim and intention towards you? To beguile you is a serpent. To devour you is a lion. It is a friendship that he owes you. I shall only add the dissent against the law which he tempts you to is not the thing he aims at. His design lies against your interest in the gospel. He would make sin but a bridge to get over to a better ground, in his view, in order to assault you as to your interest in Christ. He who perhaps will say today, you may venture on sin because you have an interest in Christ, will tomorrow tell you that you have no such interest because you have ventured so upon sin. LETTER C. SHOW FAITH. Meet your temptation in its entrance. With thoughts of faith concerning Christ on the cross, this will make temptation sink before you. Entertain no discussion, no dispute with it. If you would not enter into it, say, It is Christ that died, Romans 8, verse 34. That is, that died for such sins as these. This is called taking the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of Satan, Ephesians 6, verse 16. Faith does this by laying hold on Christ crucified, His love therein, and what He suffered for sin. Let your temptation be what it will, be it unto sin, to fear, or doubting for sin, or about your state and condition. It is not able to stand before faith lifting up the standard of the cross. We know what means the Roman Catholics who have lost the power of faith, used to keep up the form, They will sign themselves with the sign of the cross, or make crosses in the air, and by virtue of that work done, think to scare away the devil. But to act faith on Christ crucified is really to sign herself with the sign of the cross, and thereby shall we overcome that wicked one, 1 Peter 5, verses 9 and 10. 5. After being entangled by temptation, suppose a soul has been surprised by temptation and entangled in it unawares, so that now it is too late to resist the first entrances of it. What shall such a soul do that it be not plunged into it and carried away with the power of it? LETTER A. ASK GOD TO DELIVER YOU FROM IT. DO AS PAUL DID. BESEECH GOD AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT THE TEMPTATION MAY DEPART FROM YOU. 2 CORINTHIANS 12 AID. AND IF YOU ABIDE IN THIS, YOU SHALL CERTAINLY EITHER BE SPEEDILY DELIVERED OUT OF IT OR RECEIVE SUFFICIENT GRACE NOT TO BE FOILED UTTERLY BY IT. Only, as I said in part before, do not so much employ your thoughts about the things to which you were tempted, which often raises further entanglements, but jest yourself against the temptation itself. Pray against the temptation that it may depart. When that is taken away, the things themselves may be more calmly considered. LETTER B. FLY TO CHRIST. Fly to Christ in a special manner because he was tempted and beg of him to give you assistance in this time of need. HEBREWS 4 VERSE 16. That is, this time of trouble. The apostle instructs us in this. And that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. This is the meaning of it. When you are tempted, and are ready to faint, when you need help to the point that you must have it or you will die, act faith peculiarly on Christ as he was tempted. That is, considered that he was tempted himself, that he suffered thereby, that he conquered all temptations, and that not merely on his own account, but for us, and for our sakes, he submitted to be tempted. He conquered in and by himself, but he conquered for us. And draw, yea, expect help from him. Hebrews 4 verses 15 and 16. Lie down at his feet. Make your complaint known to him. Beg his assistance and it will not be in vain. Letter C. Consider Christ's faithful promises. Look to Christ who has promised deliverance. Consider that he is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted above that you were able. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13. Consider that he has promised a comfortable result to these trials and temptations. Call to mind all the promises of assistance and deliverance that he has made. Ponder them in your heart and rest upon it. The God has innumerable ways to give you help and deliverance that you know not of. As first, he can send an affliction that will mortify your heart to the manner of the temptation, whatever it be. so that that which was before a sweet morsel under the tongue shall neither have taste or relish in it to you. Your desire to it shall be killed, as was the case with David. Secondly, he can by some providence alter that whole state of things from which your temptation arises, taking fuel from the fire, causing it to go out by itself, as it was with the same David in the day of battle. Thirdly, he can tread down Satan under your feet. Then he shall not dare to suggest anything any more to your disadvantage. To God appease shall do it, so that you shall hear of him no more. Fourthly, he can give you such supply of grace as that you may be free, though not from the temptation itself. yet from the tendency and danger of it. This was the case with Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 8 to 10. Fifthly, he can give you such a comfortable persuasion of good success and the result is that you shall have refreshments in your trials and be kept from the trouble of the temptation. This was also the case with Paul. And sixthly, he can utterly remove it and make you a complete conqueror. And innumerable other ways he has of keeping you from entering into temptation saw us to be defeated by it. Letter D. Make up the breach. Consider where the temptation with which you were surprised has made its entrance, and by what means and with all speed make up the breach. Stop that passage which the waters have made to enter in at. Deal with your soul like a wise physician. Inquire when, how, and by what means you fell into this distemper. If you find negligence, carelessness, or lack of keeping, watch over yourself to be the cause of it. Fix your soul there. Be well that before the Lord. Make up that breach and then proceed to the work that lies before you. Chapter 7 of Temptation