Serro. LXI. but upon themfelves. 4-31 Men with fo much violence, or furprize them at fuch an advantage as no ordinary degree of grace and virtue is able to withftand : But where Men are fincerely good, and honeály refolv'd, the Providence of God doth ward off thefe fierce blows, and put by thefe violent thrufts, and by a fecret difpofal of things, keep them from being affaulted by thefe irrefiftable kinds of temptations. The Confideration whereof, as it is a great encouragement to Men to be fincere- ly good, fo likewife a great Argument for acontinual dependanceupon the Pro- vidence of God, and to take us off from confidence in our felves, and our own firength. And this ufe the Apoftle makes of it, e Cor. ro. 12. Wherefore let him that tbinketh he flandetb, (that is confident that nothing thall be able to (hake him, or throw him down) take heed left he fall; there bath no temptation taken yen, but filch as is common toMen; d Fei áv9p5l7nv( ., but what is humane; nothing but what an humane ftrength, affifted by anordinary Grace of God, may be able -to refift and conquer. But there are greater and more violent temptations than thefe, which you have not yet been tried with; and when thofe happen, we mat have recourfe to God for an extraordinary afiiftance. And this is the Second way I mention'd, whereby the Providence of God does fecure good Men in cafe of extraordinary temptations, which no humane ftrength can pro- bably refift. And this the fame Apo(tle affures us of in the very next words, God is faithful, who will not Infer yon to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation alfa make a way to efcape, that you may be able to bear it. That is, in cafe or great and violent temptations (fach as the Chriftians in the height of their Perfecutions were expofed to) God will fecretly minifter ftrength and fupport equal to theforce and power of the temptation. And this God did in an extraordinary manner to the Chriltian Martyrs, and that to fuch a degree, as made them joyfully to embrace their Sufferings, and with the greatelk chearful- nefs in the world to endure thofe torments, which nohumane patience was able to bear. And where God doth thus fecure Men againit temptations, or fupport them under them, it is no refleâion at all upon the goodnefs or juftice of his Providence, to permit them to be thus tempted. Secondly, God permits others to be thus tempted, by way of Judgment and Punifhment for fame former great Sins and Provocations which they have been guilty of. And thus many times God punitheth great and notorious offenders, by permitting them to fall into great temptations, which meeting with a vicious difpofition, are likely to be too hard for them, efpecially confidering how by a long habit of wickednefs, and wilful commif ion of great and notorious Sins, they have made themfelves an eafie Prey to every temptation, and have driven the Spirit of God from them, and deprived themfelves of thofe aids and reftraints of his Grace, which he ordinarily affords, not only to goodMen, but likewifeto thofe who are not very bad. And thus God is faid to have hardned Pharaoh by thofe Plagues and Judgments which he fent upon him and his Kingdom. But if wecarefully read the Story, it is Paid that he fzrfl harden'd himfelf, and then that God hardened him; that is, he being hardned under the fitlt Judgments of God, God fent more which meeting with his obftinacy, had this unnatural effeft upon him, toharden him yet more; not that God did infufe any wickednefs or oblii- nacy into him, but by his jult Judgments fent more Plagues upon him, which hardened him yet more, and which were likely to have that effeft upon him, con- fidering the ill temper of the Man. And it was juft by way of puni(hment that they (hould. And fo likewife, 7ofbua c I. 19, 2.o. iris faid that the Cities of the Ca- naanites did not make peace with Jofhua, becaufe it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they fhould come againfl Ifrael in Battei, that'be might deflray them utterly; that is, for their former iniquities, themeafure whereofwas now full, theProvidence ofGoddid juflly bring them into, and leave them under thofeCircumftances,which made them ob(tinate againfi all terms of Peace, and this proved fatal to them. And in the like fenfe we are to underftand feveral other expreffions in Scripture, which likewife might feem very harth. As Ifaiab 6. to. Make the heart of this People fat, and make their ears heavy, and Phut their eyes, lefl they fee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underhand with their hearts, and con- vert
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