lo OfTEMPTATION,erc. thee as it was with Abraham, David, Lot, Peter, Hezekiah, the Galatians, who fell in the timeof trial. Innothing doth the folly of thehearts of men thew it felf more openly, in the days wherein we live, than in this turfed boldnefs, after fo many warnings from God, and fo many fad experiences every day under their eyes, of running into, and putting themfelves upon temptations. Any fociety, anycompany, any conditions of outward advantages, without once weighing what their firength, or what the concernment of their poor fouls is, they areready for. Though they go over the dead and the Gain, that in thofe ways and paths, but even now fell down before them, yet they will go onwithout regard or trembling. At this door are gone out hundreds, thoufands of Proteffors within a few years. But, 4. Let us confider our felves ; what our weaknefs is, and what temptation is ; its Power and efficacy, with what it leads unto. ( L") For our felves, we are weaknefs it felt: Wehave no firength, no power to withfiand. Confidence of any frength in us, is one great part of our weak- ness. It was fo in Peter. He that rays he can do any thing, can donothing as he fhould. And which is worfe it is the word kind of weaknefs that is inus; a weaknefs from treachery ; a weaknefs arifing from that partywhich every tempts tión bath in us. If a cattle or fort be never fo flrong and well fortified, yet if there be a treacherous party within, that is ready to betray it oil every opportu- nity, there is no preferving it from the enemy. There are tray tors in our hearts, ready to takepart, to elofo, and fide with every temptation, and togive up all to them; yea to folicit and bribe temptations to do the work ; as traytors èrte an enemy. Do not flatter your felves that you fhsll hold out ; there are ferret lulls that lie lurking in your hearts, which perhapsnow flit not, which affoon as any temptation befall you, will rife, tumultuate, cry, difquiet, (educe, andnever give over, until they are either killed, or fati.fied. He that promifes himfelf, that the ìrame of his heart will be the fame under a temptation, as it is before, will he wofully miftaken. An I a dog, that I should do this thing ? faysHazael ; yea thou wilt be fach a dog, if ever thou be King of Syria: temptation from thy in- teref will unman thee. He that now abhors the thoughts of filch and filch a thing, if he once enters into temptation, will find his heart enflamed. towards it, andall cöntrary reafonings overbore and frlenced. He will deride his former fears, Cart out his fcruples, and contemn the confideration that he lived upon. Littlé did Peter. think he fhould deny and forfwear his Mafler, fo loon as ever he wad úefioned whether he knew him or no ; it was no better when thehour of tem- Ptatión came ; all refolutions were forgotten, all love to Chrift buried, the pre- fent temptation clofing with his carnal fear carried all before it. To handle this a littlemore diftinitly ; I fhall confider the means of fafety From the power of temptation, if we enter therein, that may be expefted from our felves ; and that in general as to the spring and rifeof them : and in particular, as to the waysof exerting that ftrength we have, or feem to have. [ 1.1 In general, all we can look for is from our hearts ; what a man's heart is, that is he, but now what is the heart of a man in filch a rearm ? r.) Suppofe a man is not a believer, but only a profeffor of the Gofpel, what can the heart of fuch an one do ? Prov. X. ao. The heart of the 'wicked is little north; god lately that which is little worth in any thing, is not much worth in this. A +Nicked man may in outward things be of great tire; but come to his heart, that is falle and a thingof nought. Now withftanding of temptation is heart work; and when it comes like a flood, can Inch a rotten trifle as a wicked man'sheart, hand before it? But of thelé before ; enrring into temptation and apoftacy is the fane with them. a.) Let it be whole heart it will, Prov. xxvüi. 26. He that truffeth in his eno heart afool : he thatdoth fò, be lae what he will, in that he is foolifh : Peterdid fo in his temptation ; he trufted in his own heart; Though all menforfake thee, I will not; itwas his folly ; but why was it his folly ? He (hall not be delivered; it will not prefervehim in Glares; it will not deliverhim intemptations. Theheart ofa man will promife him very fair before a temptationcomes ; Am "Ia deg, lays Hazael, that I fhould do this thing? Though all men fhould deny thee, I will net : fball I do this evil ? It cannot be. All the arguments that are fuited to give check to the heart in fueh a condition, are muftered up; did not Peter, think you, do fo? What, deny my Molter, the fan of God ; my Redeemer ; who loves me ? Can fuck ifr- gratitude, IMAM
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