Of TEMPTATION, &c. further, or occafion the promotion of the eras before mentioned, they are all of them nn lei; truly temptation /, than the mot violent folicitttions of Satan or al- lürements of the world ;-and that foul lies at the brinkof ruin, who difcerns it noti and this will be farther difeovered inout procefs. CHAP.II. What it is to enter into temptation. Not beadybeing tempted. Naito be conquered by it. To fall into it.. The force of that eupreffon Things required unto entering into tempta- tion. Satan or lull more than ordinarily importunate. Thefouls enta, clement. sea- fons offuch entanglements difeenered. Of the hour of temptation; Rev. iii. r8. ,chief it ú. Haw any temptation comer to its hour. Ham it may be known when it is fo come. The meani'of prevention prefcribed by our Saviour. Of watching and what is intended thereby. Of prayer. Aving lheweo' what temptation is, I comeSecondly, To manifet what it in to enter into temptation. r. This is not merely to be tempted i it is impoffìble that we fhould be fo freed from temptation, as not to be at all tempted. Whilt faran continues in his power and malice, whilt the world and luft are in being, we fhail be temptrdi Chrit, fags one, was made like unto us, that he might be tempted ; and we are tempted that we may be made like untoChrift temptation in general is Compre. heufive of our whole warfare ; as our Saviour calls the timeof his minifiry, the time of his temptation, Luke xxii. or. We have no promife that we_Ihait not be tempted at all, nor are to pray for an abfolute freedomfrom temptations, becaufe the have no filch promife of being heard therein. Thedire£tion we hune for our jirayers, is, Leadus not into temptation, Mate. vi. 9. it is entering into temptation, that we are topray againt : we maybe tempted, yetnot enter into temptation. ' So that a. Something more is intended by this expreffron, than the ordinarywork of ratan, and our own lofts, which will be fuse to tempt us every day. There io Tomething lignal in this entering into temptation, that is not the Saints everydays work : it is fomething that befáls them peculiarly in reference to feduttion unto fin,: onone account or other, by theway of allurement, or affrightment. 3. It isnot to beconquered by a temptation ; to fall down under it i to commit the fin or evil that we are tempted to, or to omit the dutiesthatare oppofed. A man mayenter into temptation, and yet not fall under temptation. God can make a way for a man tó efcape, when he is in, he can break the fnare, tread down atan, and make the foul more than a conquerour, rho it have entered into temp- ration : Chrift entered into it, but was mar in the leaf foiled by it. But, It is as the Apotleexpreffeth it. r Tim. vi. 9. ipaíaru. ; to fall into tempra- "tion ; as a man falls into a pit, or a deep place, where are gins, and fnares, where.. with he is entangled, the man is not prefently killed, and deftroyed, ;bet he is entangled and detained, he knows not how to get free, or be at liberty. So it ig expreffed again to the fame purpofe, r Cor. x. r 3. no temptation bath taken you: that is, tobe taken by a temptation, and to be tangled with it, held inits cords, 'not finding at prefent a way to efcape. Thence faith Peter, a Ep. if. 9. The Lord knowerh how to deliver the godly out of temptations : they areentangled with them, God knows how to deliver them out of them. When we fuffer a temptation to enter into us, then we enter into temptation : whilft it knocks at the door, we are at liberty but when any temptation comes in, and parties with the heart, reafons with the mind, entices and allures the affeftions, be it long or a lhort time, do it thus infenfibly and imperceptibly, or do the foul take noticeof it, we enterinto temptation. So then, unto out entring into temptation is required, . ( s. ). That by fame advantage, or on fame occafion, Satan be more earnet than ordinary in his folicitations to fin, by affrightmenes, or allurements, by perfecù- Clons, or fedultions, by himfelf or others ; or that fume tuft orcorruption by his intigation, and advantages of onward obje&s provoking, as in profperity, or ter. rifying, as in trouble, do tumultuate more than ordinarywithin us. There in a G fpecial
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