Of TEMPTATION, &e 19 let themfelves toftudy with all diligence day andnight, a thing good in it felf; but they do it, that they may fatisfy the thoughts andwordsof men wherein they delight ; and fo in all they do, they make provifionfor the flefh to fulfil the lofts thereof. It is true! God oftentimes brings light out of this darknefs, and turns things to a better iffue. After it may be a man hath ftudied fundry years, with an eye upon his hails; his ambition, pride, and vainglory ; rifing early, and going to bed late, to give them fatisfeí ion ; God comes inwith his Grace ; turns the foul to hünfelf; robs thofe Egyptian lofts, and fo cenfecrates that to theufe of the ta- bernacle, which was provided for Idols. Men may be thus intangled in better things than learning, even in the profeffron of piety, in their labour in the miniftry, and the like. Some mens profeffron is a liitote to them ; they are in reputation, andare much honoured on theaccount of their profelfon and firi£t walking. This often falls out in the days wherein we litre, wherein all things are carried by parties; Tome find themfelves on the ac- countsmentioned perhaps to be thedarlings, and ingenrie decora, or glory of their party ; if thoughts hereof fecretly infxnuate themfelves into their hearts, and in- fluence them into more than ordinary diligence and aftivity in their way and pro-. fefiìon,tbey are entangled ; and infteadofaiming at more glory,had heed lie in the duff, in a fenfe of their own vilenefs ; and fo clofe is this temptation, that often-. times it requires no food to feed upon, but that he who is intangled with it, do avoid all means and ways of honour and reputation ; fo that it can but whifper in the heart, that, that avoidance is honourable. The fame may be the condition with men, as was raid, in preaching theGofpel, in the work of the ininiftry; many things in that work may yield them efteem, their ability, theirplainnel, their frequency, their !linnets; and all in this fenfe may be fuel unto temptations. Let then a man know, that when he likes that which feeds his loft, andkeeps it . up, by wayseither good in themfelves, or notdown -right finful, he isentred into temptation. (+ ) When by a man's flate or condition of life, or any means whatever, it comes to pats, that his loft and any temptation meetwith occafions and opportu- nities for its provocation and flirtingup; let that man know, whether he perceive it or not, that he is certainly entred into temptation.. I told you before, that to eater into temptation, ii nit meetly to be tempted, but fo to be underthe power . of- it, a, to be intángled by it. Now it is impoffible altnoft, for a man tohave opport.. - itic;, occafions, advantages fuited to his loft and corruption, but he will be irta:: 'ed. If Ambaffadors come from the King of Babylon, Hezekiah's pride' will c ft him into temptation. If Hazael be King of Syria, his cruelty and ambi- tion will make him to rage frvagely- againft Ifrael; if the priefts come with their piecesof fNet, 7iidai his covetoutnéfs will inftantlybe at work to fell his Mailer ;y and many inftances of the like kind may in the days wherein we livebe given. Some inca think to play bn the hole of the alp, and not be flung, to touch pitchy and not be defiled ; to take fire in their cloaths, and not beburnt ; but theywill be miftaken.. If thy bufinefs, courfe of life, focieties, or whatever elfe it be of the like kind,'do call theeon fach things, ways, per£oiss, as fuit thy luit or cor- caption; know that thou art entred into temptation; how thou wilt come out,. God only knows. Let us fuppofe a man that hath any-feeds of filthinefs in his heart, engaged in the courfe of his life, in fociety light, vain, and foolifh"; what notice foever, little, great, or none at all, it be, that he takes of it ; he is un- doubtedly entred, into temptation ; fo is it with ambition inhigh places ; patron in a multitudeof perplexingaffairs ; polluted, corrupt fancy invain focieties¡ and the perufal of idle books, or treatifes of vanity and folly; fire and things com- buftible, may more eafily be induced to lie together without affe£ting each other, than peculiar luft; and tunable elan s or occafionsfor their exercife, (i.) When a Man isweaktied, made negligent, or formal induty, when he can omit duties, orcontent himfelf withacarelefs, lifelefsperförmance of them, with- Out delight, soy, orfatisfai6on to his foul, whohad another frame formerly.;. let him know, that though he maynot be acquainted with the particular diftemper, wherein it confifts ; yet in fomething or other, he isentered intotemptation, which it the length he will find evident to his trouble andperil. Howe manyhave we teen andknown in our days, who from a warm profell'on, have fallen tobe negligent, Êarelëf , indifferent in praying, reading, hearing, and the like ? Give an inn-urine! F v 4Î
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