Of TEMPTATION, &c. 3. i.et us to this purpofe confider the general iffues of mens entring into tem- ptation, and that of had and good men, ofungrounded profeffors, and of the choiceft Saints. ( T. ) For the aril I í1501l -offer but one or two tekts of fcripture, Luke viii. 13. They on the reek, are they which adoen rheo hear, receive the word with joy, and have no tent, but for p mbile believe. Well l how long'do they believe ? They are affefled with the preachine of the Word and believe thereon make profeffoon, bring forth fire fruit,: but until when do they abide ? fays he, In the time of temptation they fall crony e when once they enter into temptation they are gone for ever i tem- ptation withers all their profelfon, oted flays their föuls. We fee this áccemplifh- ed every day ; men who have attended on the preachingof theGofpel, been af- fe£ted and delighted with it, that have made profeffion of it, and have been look- ell on, it may be, as believers, and thus have continued for fume years ; no fooner doth a temptation hefal them, that bath vigor and permanency in it, but they are turned out of the way, and are gone for ever: they fall to hate the word they delighted in, defpife theprofeffors of it, and are hardned by fin. So Matt.. vii. 26. He that heareth thife mords of mine, and loth them not, is like a man that built his ho fe upon the fond e but what doth this houfe of profefffop do ? It lhelters him, keeps him warm and flanks for a while ; but faith he, verf. 27. when the rani defcends, when temptation comes, it falls utterly, and its fall is great. Yuba follows our Saviour three years, and all goes well with him : he no fooner enters into tempta- tion, Satan hash got him, andwinnowed him, but he is gone. Demas will preach the Gofpel, until the lave of the world befall him, and he is utterly turned afide. It were endlefs to give inflames of this; entrance into temptation, is with this fort of men an entrance into apoftacy, more or left, in part or in whole, it faileth not. (a.) For the Saints of God themfelves, let us fee by fore inftances, what iffue they have had of their entring into temptation. I (hall name a few. Adam, was the fon of God : Luke iii. created in the imageof God : full of that Integrity, righteouflefsand holinefs which might be and was an eminent relem-. blance of theIíolinefs of God. .Áe had a far greater inherent flock of ability than we; and had nothing in him to entice or feduce him, yet this Adam no foon- er enters into temptation, but he is gone, loft, and ruined, he and all his poferity with him. What can we expeO in the like condition, that have not only in our temptations, as he. had, a cunning devil todeal withal, buta turfed world, and a Corrupt heart alfo ? Abrahamwas the Father of the faithful ; Gen. tali. 12, r 3. whofe faith is propo= fed as a pattern to all them that (hall believe ; Gen. xx. a. yet he entring twice into the fame temptation, namely that of fear about his wife, was twice over-powered by it, to the difhonour of God, and no doubt the difquietment of his own foul. David is called a man after God's own heart by God himfelf; yet what a dread- ful thing is the Gory of his entring into temptation : he is no fooner entangled, but he is plunged into adultery ; thence feeking deliverance by his own invention, like a poor creature in a toyl, he is entangled more and more, until he lies as one dead, under thepower of fin and folly. 1 might mention Noah, Lot, Hezekiah, Peter, and the refs, whole temptations and falls therein, are on record for our inftruCtion. Certainly he that hath any heart in thefe things, cannot but fay as the inhabitants of Samaria upon the Letter of yehu ; Behold trop Kings flood not before him, holypall see fland? Oh Lord ! if fueh mighty pillars have been call to the ground, fach cedars blown down, how shall I Gand before temptations? Oh keep me that I enter not in, veftigia terrent, behold the foorfteps of them that have gone in ; whom do you fee retiring without a wound? a blemifh at IealI ? On this account wouldthe Apofile have us to exercife tender- nefs towards them that are fallen into fin, Gal. V. 1. Cnfidering thy felf, lJl thou dfo be tempted: he doth not fay, left thou alfo fin, or fall, or he overtaken with a fault ; but left thanalfo be tempted ; thou feels the power of temptation in others, and knowef not thou mayft be tempted, nor what will be the Gate and condition of thy foul thereupon. Affuredly he that hath feen fo manybetter, flronger men thanhimfelf fail, and call down in the trial, will think it incumbent on him to re- Member the battle, and if it be pollible, to come there no more. Is it not a madnefs for a man that can fcarce crawl up and down, he is fo weak (which is the cafe of molt of us) if he avoid not what he hath feen giants foiled in the under- sakingof ? Thouart yet whole and found, take heed of temptation, left it be with thee
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