Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

andcareef, hit People under Temptatim. 257 temptations ofSatan ; I appeal to you that fay fo ; Are ye not afraid in your (elves becaufe of your temptations? Don't ye look upon your temptations as your great& af- fliftions ? Nay, doesnot thy flelhquake, and trembleCome- times, when a temptation clothes, and beats in upon thy foul ? does not thy very outwardman, fometimes, lie qua- king,and trembling, before a temptation ? Certainly, this is not all the corruptionof thine own heart, here's the De- vils hand, here's a temptation in it, and, poor foul, thou maieft have fome comfort yet; notwith ft anding the oppref- fion is fo great, yet here is comfort, 'tis noother but what may ftand withgrace. Oh ! but you will fay : Suppofe it be all the temptation of Objea. Satan, andnot the corruption ofmine own heart, yet 'tis a great al/lit-lion, and what comfort can I have in this conditi- on ? What comfort Is it not much comfort to know, that there is nothing does befal you, but what may befall a true child ofGod? Sometimes ye fay thus : Nomans conditi- on is like to mine; did I but know that it is fo with other of Gods children, then I should befatisfied : ThisDo&rine tels thee, That Chrifts own belt Difciples, fometimes, are expofed to Satans temptings, to Satans winnowings. Is it not a great comfort, fora man to know, that while he is tempted, Chrift is at prayer for him ? But Ihave pra- yed for thee. In time of temptation you cannot pray, I but Chrift can pray, and he is then at prayer for you : as he Paid to Peter, fo he faies to every Difciple of his now, But I have prayed for thee : poor foul, though thou canft not pray thy felf, yet I have prayed for thee. Is it not a fweet comfort, for a man toknow, that the E- nemy is overcome before he ftrikes ? Satans temptation is overcome byChriftsInterceffion ; and Chrift prayes before Satan tempts; But I haveprayedfor thee : before the temp- tation came. Is it not a choicecomfort, fora man taktrow,that Satan, the

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