16 Temptations to Evil, not from God. S E R M. through the reftraints from finful coùrfes I. which providence had laid them under ; for thus the fcripture teacheth, and our own experience confirmeth it; they are then fuf- fered to walk in their own counfels, which is the true meaning of the fcripture expref- fions referred to concerning wicked men, who are permitted to go Rill further on in their evil ways, and abandoned to the hard - nefs of their hearts. But for the general tenor of the divine adminiftration towards men, it defignedly favoureth their efcape from temptations, and direteth them to the paths of virtue, if they had wifdom to ob-. ferve it ; and, efpecially, the fcripture aß'it- reth us, that the condu t of providence to- wards chriílians, is quite contrary to tempt- ing them ; it tendeth to fupport them againft temptation, and to enable them to overcome it ; i Cor. x. 13. There bath no temptation taken you but fuck as is common to men, and therefore refiftible by human firength, fo kind hath providence been ; but depend al- ways for the future on God's care, for he is faithful, and will not fuer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; not only he will not tempt you himfelf, but not fuffer others to tempt you above your abilities ; and will, with the temptation, which he permitteth, 3 make
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