352 VireTions forgetting and keeping confidently and comfortably truft him for your pre - fervation, who gave you thofe tefolutions. 2. And the fait fentence of this Doubt hadneed of great Caution, before you conclude it a certain Truth. Its true , that the Obedience which by an ordinary Temptation,fuch as men may ,expe6t would be overthrown, is not well grounded and rooted be- fore it is overthrown. But its a great Do `bt whe- ther there be not Degrees of Temptation' pofble, which would overcome the Refolution and grace of the molt Holy, having fuck affidance as the spirit ufually giveth Believers in Temptation ? And whe. ther fome Temptationswhich overcome not a ftrong Chriftian, would not overcome a weakone, who yet bath true Grace ? I conclude nothing of thefe Doubts. But I would not have you trouble your felf upon confident ceuclutions on fo doubtful Grounds. This I am certain of, i. That the thong- eft Chriftian fhould take heed of Temptations, and not truft to the ftrength of his Graces, nor prefume on Gods prefervationwhile he wilfully cafteth him- felf in the mouthof dangers ; nor to be encouraged hereunto upon any perfwafion of an Impofsibilicy of his falling away. O the fais, the fearfull fais that I have known ( alas, how often) the eminenteft men for Godlinefs that ever I knew, to be guilty of by caging themfelves upon Temptations. I confefi I will never be confident of that mans perfeverance were he thebelt that I know on earth, who cafteth himfelf upon violent Temptations , efpecially the Temptations of Senfuality, Profperity. and Seduce- ment. z. I knowGodbath taught us daily towatch andpray,that we enter not into Temptation ; and to pray,
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