each PER so N 305 was earnest for it's removal ; and receives only this anfwer of the fuf5cien- cy of the grace of God, for his fupportment, notwithfaudin_g all the growth and increafe of the temptation. [5.] By giving them wifdoin, to make a right, holy, and fpiritual im- provement of all temptations. games bids us count it all joy when me fall into manifold temptations, Jam. i. 2. which could not be done, were there not an holy and fpiritual ufe to be made of them, which alfo himfelf mani- felts in the words following. There are manifold ufes of temptations, which experienced chrillians with afhftancc fuitable from Chrift, may make of them. This is not the leafs, that by them we are brought to know our (elves. So Hezekiah was left, to he try'd to know what was in him. By temptation, fome bofom, hidden corruption is oftentimes difcovered that the foul knew not of before. As it was with Hazael in refpeet of enormous crimes (a); fo in leffer things with the faints. Theywould ne- ver have believed there had been fuels lufts and corruptions in them, as they have diCcovered upon their temptations. Yea divers having been tempted to one fin, have difcovered another that they thought not o£ As fome being tempted to pride, or worldlinefs, or loofenefs of converfation, have been ftartled by it, and lead to a difcoveryof a ncglett of many duties, and much communion with God, which before they thought not of. And this is from the tender care of Jefus Chrift, giving them in fuitable help, without whirls no man can poflibly make ufe of, or improve a temptation. And this is a fuitable help indeed, whereby a temptation, which otherwife, or to other perfons might he a deadly wound, proves the lancing of a fef ter'd fore, and the letting out of corruption, that otherwife might have en- dangered the life it felf. So r Pet. i. 6. If need be, ye are in heavinefs through manifold temptations. [6.] When the foul is at any time, inure or lefs overcome by temptations Chrift in his tendernefs relieves it with mercy and pardon. So that his (hall not fink utterly under their burden, r Joh. ii. r, 2. By one more, or all of there ways doth the Lord Jefus manifest his conjugal tendernefs, and com- panion towards his faints, in and under their temptations. (a.) Chrift is compaffionate towards them in their affliftions; In all their affliflions he is afliffed, Ifa. lxiii. 9. yea it Teems that all our afHiftions (at leafs thofe of one fort, namely which confft in perfecutions) are his in the firft place, ours onlyby participation, Col. i. u¢. (b) Wefill up the enea- fnre of the afíielions of Chrifl. Two things evidently tuanifeft this coin- paflionatenefs in Christ. s.) His interceding with his father for their relief, Zech. i. ru. Chrift intercedeth on our behalf not only in refoeft of our fins, but alfo our fuf- ferings ; and when the work of our affliftions is accomplished, we (hall have the relief he intercedes for. The father always hears him (c); and we have not a deliverance from trouble, a recovering of health, cafe of pain, freedom from any evil that ever laid hold upon us, but it is given us on the interceflion of Jefus Chrift. Believers are unacquainted with their own condition, if they lock upon their mercies as difpenfed in a way of common providence. And this may indeed he a caufe why we efteem them no inure, are no more thankful for them, nor fruitful in the enjoy- ment of them; we fee not how, by what means, nor on what account they are difpenfed to us. The generation of the people of God in the (a) s King iii. , a. (5) TC, An tíoue Chrini duo ii tat genera, aeisçh m m, qua p aas ea in corpore fuq & drnsistono, quit iu iaottu, Zar:, in loc. (c) deb, vii. 25. H is h h world
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