and care of, hi people under Temptaim. hand at all in it. I have done foolifhly (Tales he) and I have finned, and forgive this great iniquity. This is ufual ; Wickedmen excufe their own corruptions, by Satan: temptations : Godly men aggravate Satan, temptation: by their own corrupti- ons. But in the Secondplace : Although this be fo, that it is 2. ufual with the Saints thus to do, to chargeall upon them- felves, and nothing on Satan ; yet know, that the Saints feidom or never do fall into any great fin, but Satan hath a fpecial hand therein. I am not of Origens mind, to lay all fin uponSatan, not uponman ; but I fay, there is no great fin that any of Gods children do fall into, but Satan hath a fpecial hand and a work therein. And therfore ifye look into the New-Teiiament, you wil find, That the fins of the godly, they are very often called Temptations : in the x of Cor. 10. Chap . and the 13. verfe. There heath no temp- tation takenyou, but fuch ae is common to man; but God is faith- ful, who will notfiejferyou tobe temptedabove that which you are able, but will with the temptation alfo make a way to efcape. Wherefore(at the 14. verfe) my dearly beloved,fly from Idolatry, asifthat were temptation too. And fo in that 6. of Ga- latians I. yell. Ifany man be overtaken in afault,yewhich are fpiritual reflorefuch aone in the lirit ofmeeknefl, confidering thy fell, left thou alfobe tempted : left thou alfo fall into fin. And fo the Apoltlefaies unto the Theffalonians, in the I ofThera. 3. chap. and the 5. verf. For this caufe, whenI could no longer forbear, Ifent toknowyourfaith, left by fome means the tempter have temptedyou, and our labour be in vain. The meaning is , Left you are fallen ; but 'tis called temptation to them. Thirdly, Although this be true, That there is no great 3. fin that the Saints do fall into, but Satan hath a fpeciall hand in it : Yet it is the property and difpofition ofGods people to be humbled andgrieved undertheir temptations as iftheywere all their own andnothing ofSatans. Peter goes out andweeps bitterlywhen hehad fallen; Hemight have laid thus : The Lord told me that there was a taup- e c 2 cation 255
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