Of TEMPTATION, &c. 17 3. gut what need this great indea-your and carefulnefs? Is it not fold that God a faithful, who will not full r at ro be tempted above tabac we ire able, but will with ,1'é teintration alfo make away to of ape ? t Cor. x. t 3. and he knoreeth how to deliver the godlyout of temptation, z Pet. ii. 9. what needwe thin be fólicitous that we enter not into them? I much quetion what afftftance he will have From God inhis temptation, who ' willingly entersinto it, becaufe he fuppofes God bath promifed to deliverhim out of it. The Lord knows, that through the craftof Satan, the lirbtiltyand malice of the world, the deceitfulnefsof fin that doth fo eafily befit us, when we have done Our utmoft, yet we/hall enter into divers temptations; in his lové, care, tendernefs,. and faithfulnefs; hehath provided fuch a fufficientyof Grace for us; that they /hall not utterly prevail to make aneverlasting Separation between him andour fouls: yet I have three things to fay to this oblation : ( r.) Ile that wilfully or negligently enters into temptation, bath no reafon ií3 the world to promifb himfelf any affiftance from God, or any deliverance froni the temptation whereunto he is entred. The promife is made to them whom temptations "do befall in their way, whether they will, or not ; not them that wilfully fall into them, that run out of their way to Meet with them. And there- fore theDevil (as is ufually obferved) -Whenhe tempted our Saviotir, left nut that expreffionof the textof Scripture, which he wrefted to his purpole, all shy ways a the promife of deliverance is to them who are in their ways; whereof this is one principal, to bewareof temptation. ( z.) Tho' there be á fufficiény of Grace provided for all theEle£t, that they Than by no temptation fall utterly from God yet it would Make any gracious heart to tremble; to thinkwhat difhonour toGod, what fcandal tó the Gofpel, what woful darknefe and difquietnefs they may bring upon their own fonts, tho' they perifh hot. And they who are feared by nothing but fear of Hell, on whomOther confederations Merl thereof have no influence, in my apprehenfton, have More reafon to fear it, thanperhaps they are aware of (g. )_ To enter on temptation on this account, is to venture on fin ( which is the lame with continuing in fin) that grace may abound, Rom. vi. 1, z. which the Apofìle rele£ts the thoughtsof with greateft deteflation is it not amadnefs for a Man willinglyto fuffer the !hipwherein he is, tofplit it felf on a rock, to the ir- recoverable lofs of his riserchandize, becaufe he fuppoiex he /hall in his own perfon Swim fafely to choreon a plank? Is it lets in him, Who willhazard the shipwreck Cif all his comfort, peace, joy; and fo much of the gloryof God, and honour of theGofpel as he is intrufted with, meerly on fuppofition that his foul shall yet efcape? Thefe things a manwould think did not deferve to-be mention'd; and yet with fuch as thefe do poor fouls Sometimes delude themfelves. CHAP.IV. Particular cafe. prd f d to cooperation the frff lit r f j, eflitutióït infundry parüculara f tiérdl difcoveriei of the fiat, of a foul entring intotemptation. 1 HE S Ë thing's being premifed in general, I proceed to theconfideratión of three particular cafes miffing fibril the truth propofed, the firffwhereof re- later unto the thing it felt; thefecondunto the timeor feafon- thereof, and the laff unto our deportment in reference unto the preventionof theevil treatedof. T. Then' it may be inquired, how á man mayknow, when hé is entred into temptation? 2. What feafons there are whereina man may, and ought to fear, that aä hour óf temptation is at hand. g. Whit dire£tions are to be given, fir the preventingOf Our entring into tent- ¡station: 1. How shalt a man knOWwhether he be entred into temptation or no, is our firß enquiry : I fay then, (t.) When á roan is drawn into any fin, he may be fore that he bath mitred into teinptation. All fin íáfrom temptation; fames t. 14. Sirs isá fruit, that comes only from 'that root. Tho a man benever fo fuddenly, or violently furprized ör with any fin, yet it is frost fame temptation or other, that, hi hatb betn fö F ittt=
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