Of EfeCli cm. theref'Jro Temptations to all forts of fins mull be m<ant , commenfurably ro ~ all Gr.:c. Chop. , 4 Now oJfcrve how thcfc are fliled fuffcri ngs; Ajttr yt have Jt<ffered a while; ~ namely , by and rhrougtl thefc Tcmptat:oth , ot what ktnd focver. and fp e· ci1lly in fins : For rhofe are rile T emptations ltis Gr"ce is t he fuccour ~mo: And what, 111,11 we alter all this, limit t his Claufe, after re have ftiffered, whiclt is in rhe very midlt of all, unto fuffcrings byPerfecurions only? Nay furely in all aiTaults from S,ua>t; wherem it is God /hews himfelf, to be a God ;f Grace moll, and of all Grace ; and promifeth fo to be; yea, and in our being foiled by him: T herein we are reckoned by this God of Grace , to futfe( .mofl ; and we our fdvcs look on them fo to be ; ( as alfo bath been fdid ). • Finally, to conclude this, the things promifed, or the Particulars of the mat• ter of the Promife , in rhc nexr words, ( which are fo many heap'd up, ro include all)doevidently argue rhe fame; which are, that after )"011 have [i.jfered a whtle , he w tllm.du rott perfdl, flrmgthm, fla61tjb, Jett!e you: You may difcern one contrary from, and by anorher: Thefc all fpeak [up– plies of Grace , from the God of Gract; oppofi tc to what thofe fulferings were, or ro whar was in thofe !uffertngs; for they contain the remedies againll: them. To_make'"perjefl, is certainly by giving us more Grace; as in many places of di~ N,:w Tellament; Heb. r 3. z 1. Ulfake rot< perft8 in wery good w ork, to dohis will; worki1tg i1t yo11 that which;, well-pleaji11g iu hiifight, throztgh .1e}ild Chnf/; to whom be Gtory for ever, a11d ever: Arnm. To name no more : lr is mo!lly feen in working oppolite Graces unto our fins; caufing u.zogrow ttp topnfe8 ho!ittejs; (as the Apoflle fpeaks , 1. Cor, 7· 1,) which in Scrtprure fenfc is brought ro pafs, by further advances thereunto : And fuch are lliledpa{tfl ; that is, comparatively to whar they were , or others are : And fo by helping us ro overcome rhofe Lulls, which did formerly !o muriny and war in our Members: The other of flrmgthniiJg , is fpoken in relation ro our weak hands, and feeble lmees, t hat make us apr ro turn our of the way , and to be prevail'cl upon by Satau: A!fo fett/itig , flabli}hitig our Hearrs, in confidence and alTurancc of his love againfl doubts , and fears of our accepra– tion in Grace; as alfo, wa werings of Spirit, and tolling wirh winds of Do· ctrines and Opinions: All thefe are Temptations to !inntng; and prevailings of fin, which the Saints are incident unto: And as reliefs, againfl all which , thefe words of the promife are directed and intended. So then, we have gained this high and great point of Confolarion ; out of the Text : T hat our God, The Godof all Gra.ce, who isthe looker on in all our conflicts; that as he dorh look upon Satan as our adverfary, fo upon us his poor Children, (who are the Brotherhood, that are faid ro have rhar one Fa– t.her, Matth. ~3.8,9.) os fufferers under all his Temptations; yea, and as fuch, and under all our weaknelTes, to refifl him; (or being expofed , and apt to be prevail'd againfl by Satan, it is,. that God rhus ~onfidcrs, I fay, our wealmefles; for thereunto (ettte, flrengthm, f/a6!Ifb, mull ~eeds refer; even fo ir pleafethhim to do; rhan which nothing can be ofgreare r Confolation or Encouragement. . See but clfewhere how the Scripture fpeaks as concerning this matter. . Is Ptttr tempted, and prevailed upon , as to deny hi! Mafler ? Cbrill in his love rerms it a wiunowi11g, as by Satan; ( lo out of infinite rcndernefs to htm he expreffeth it, he might have given it a foul er word ;) a be,ng toll and tum– bled by Satan as a Sufferer; rarher rhan of a foul and fcandalou~ dilhonouring of himfdf: Hath Paul a melTenger to deal with him, whtther w1rh hornd, and blafphemou! inje6ions, or puffings up of fpiritual pride , or both ? fee how the Holy Ghoft calls it a buffeting, and rhat of St~tmt; makes htm a Sufferer, a Patient in it: 1. Cor. 1 t . 7· A11d ltjl I jbottld be rxalted above mea{urr, through tht abundatJce of the Revtlations, there Wt/J givm to me 1t thorrJ i1l the jlrjb, the •ntffe1!ger of Satan, to buffet me, le[/ I fbould be t.>:alte,d a6ovemeaftJrt: He being as rruly a fufferer therein •. as a Father reckons hiS Child to be, wheli he i1 beaten in the Srrecrs, by Ius Ch1ld's A~verfa ry, and Aaa ~ 111S
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