246 &tanspower to Tempt 5 andChritt's love to, gfeft. 2. bell, and themolt beloved Difciples of Jefus Chrift. In the old Teitament: who more beloved thanDavid, and Job? yet they tempted. In the new Tefiament, who more be- loved than Peter, and P ? One of the Circumcifion, and the other of the Uncircumcifion and Apofilefhip, and yet both had fpecial temptatiOns. Yea, it is pofiible for one of Gods ownchildren to be fo far oppreft with Satan, that he may even be weary of his life. In the I o. of Job, and the I. verfe, faies Yob under his great temptations : My foul is weary of my life. And if Fe bekah were weary of her life, becaufe of the children of Heth : much more may a poor, gracious foul be weary of his life, by reafon of thefe children ofdarknefs, thefe po- wers of darknefs, thefe temptations ofSatan. But you will fay, Whyfhould Satan liefo heavy upon Gods own children andpeople ? for he may know, that they fhall be fa- veddo he what he can : Satan had beardour Saviour Chrift fay to Peter, Thegates of Hellfhall not prevail againfl thee; andyet now Satan tempts : if Satan know this, why fhould he follow Gods children , yea, the heft of his children fo forely with fad temptations ? Satan is the envious man we reade of in Scripture ; and when he hears the Lord owning and honouring ofhis chil- dren, then does his envy work and rife : and when he hears any ofGods children triumphing by faith, and ma- king boaft ofthe love ofGod, then does his malice kindle into a flame; than. fuch a one go to Heaven, and (hall I be damn'd? (fales he) shall fuch a one be received, and (hall I be cast away for ever ? Thefe are the boylings of this envi- ous mans heart againft the children of the molt high. But there is this great reafon for it . Satan knows, that ifhe canbut make Godspeople, and the befl of his chil dren fall ; though they fhould not be damn'd, but pardo- ned, that their fall (hall be flurnbling blocks unto others that may be damn'd. And therefore, I pray mark, how it is carried concerning Amid : it is Paid, in the r Chron. 2I. chapter, and the r . verfe. That, Satan floodup againfi Ifrael to
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