104 Satanspower to Tempt; andChriii's love to, my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed: Then (faies the text in the 4. ofMatthew 1.) was he ledby theifirit into the wit- dernefl, to be tempted of the Vevil. And Co with the Saints now : when they have been , as it were,in the thirdHeaven with God, when they have hadmolt of him, when they haveheard the Lord laying, This if my beloved child; after fpecial manifeitationsof his love, then tnofi tempted : Oh! who would be fecure, after manifefiatiOns of Gods love ? Further, God doth not only fuller it thusfar: but Come- times he fuffers his children to be fo far tempted, as they Them to have the worfer, Satan the better; Satan taking ;the wall ofthem, the upper hand, In the 3. of Zachary,it is laid concerning johla : That Satan flood at his right hand : Satan took the wall of him, took the upper hand of him. Lailly, Godfuffersthif to be, and to continue a long timewith fame ofhis children. Paul faith, he had prayed thrice: that is, often; and all the anfwer he could get was this, My grace is fufficient for thee, (Paul) I don't fay, I will deliver thee, but thou shalt have grace enough to uphold thee, My grace 111;111 be filfficient. Thus God fuffers his own dear children to. Suffer under the handof temptation. Reaf. x And would you know the Reafon ?, Good Authors fay, That Godfkffers his own dear children to be tempted, that they 4nay be more inlightened. Temptation inlightens the temp- ted ; thereby they are more experienced, and fo more in- I ightened : God is pleafed to anfwer them by this fecret of thunder. 2. God fuffers his children thus to be tempted, That they may be cleanfed. This is Gods natal way, he does wafh us from our own filth, by the dung and excrement of .thefe unclean fpirits : and fcowres of the nil from his chofen veffels by the meffengers ofSatan : thefeare Gods fcullions to make his golden pots of the San&uary the brighter. 3- God fuffers his own children to be tempted, That they may be conferved, or kept : He preferves them fromone fin, by.11ramasigie*.aamerrsam.....
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