288 Satans power to Tempt ; anclChrifi's love to, temptations, as that theblack feet of the tempter may be difcovered : and when a temptation is difcovered, 'tis half overcome. Fourthly, He doth not only thus : But the Lord Jefus Chrilt, hath the Timeing ofall our temptations. Time is a great matter in the point of temptation. Should a temp- tation come at Inch or Inch a time, poffibly Gods child might be overwhelmed. I praife the Lord (fales one) I did refill Inch a temptation ; but had it fallen out at filch a time, I fhould never have been able tohave flood under it. Satanobferves his tempting times : he knowes that great advantagemay be made untohim by his time. And there- fore when Chrift was an hungry, he tempted him to turn Hones intobread : obferved his time. And as Satan does obfervehis time to tempt : So ourLord and Saviour Chrift, does fet him his time; & the time ofhis temptationsare in the handof Chrift. And therefore, if ye look into the 20. chapter of the Revelation, the I. 2. and 3. verfes, ye find to this purpofe thus : Ifan, an Angel come down from Heaven, having the kyofthe bottomleftpit, andareat chain in his hand : Andhe laidholdon the dragon, the oldfer pent, which is the Devil and Satan, andbound him a thottfandyears, andcan him into the bottomlefl pit, andfhuthim up, and fet a real upon him, that hefhortld deceive the nations no more till the thoufand yearsfhould befulfilled,andafter that, hemuff be loafed a littlefea- fon. (Mark) The Lord Jefus Chrift, hath not only the tempter in a chain, that he can gono further than he gives him leave to go ; but his hand alfo, is in the hand of Chri ft, andChrift hath an eye to the Time ofhis temptati- on, a fpecial eye upon the time of our temptation, and this argues much of his careAnd love. Fiftly. He 'lath not only the Timeing ofour tempta- tions : But he doesalfoSantlifie our temptations, and does make them bleffed means of our SanUification. And there- fore faies Paul, 'received the ineffenger Satan for to buffet me, that I might not be exalted. Twice he hath that, That he might not be exalted out ofmeafure. But for this I need go no
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=