g 2 4- he &vaintages of Truth, Vol , IIa into the lecret of our Thoughts. God knows, but the Devil does but guefs at the Thoughts, and Defrgns, and Inclinations of Men 5.. he hatti no power over us, nor no accefs tous, but what we give him, or God permits. By Obedience to Cod's Will, and refitting the Temptations of the Devil to Sin and Difobedience, we may not only keepout the Devil, but keep him at a great diftance, and make him flee from us, fo that we thall have little Trouble or Moleitation from him : for tho' ne be unwearied in his malicious Attempts to ruin our Souls, yet becaufe he can - nót be every where, he haunts thole molt where he bath syfeareft hopes of fuccefs, and is too eager and intent upon Mifehief to employ his Time and Temptations where he hath been often foiled, and bath reafon to defpair of Vitfory. So that if all things be contder'd, it is our own fault if we want'tb.e alfifiance of God's Holy Spirit, or if the. Devil have any great power over us : for God does not ufäally, bur upon great provocation, take awayhis Holy Spirit from men, and lay them open to the Affaults and Temptations of the Devil. if any be led captive by the .Devil at his pleafure, it is thofe who have wilfully forfaken God, and foldthem- felves to do wickedly. Ili. We will confider in what ways the Spirit of God doth move and aflift good men. Thefe Two ways. a. By exciting good Motions in us, and enabling us to bring them to eft-ed. 2. By fupporting us under Perfecution for Religion. a. By exciting good Motions in us, and enabling us to bring them to effe&. Thefe the Apoftie puts together, Phil. z. a 3. For it is Gad which worketh in you, both to will and to do, ofhis good pleá/ure. It is he that ftirs up good Inclinations in us, and carries them on to effe&. And this he makes an Argument why we illiquid be Diligent and Induftrious in the work of our Salvation, becaufe God is fo ready ro affilt us 5 Work out your own Salvation With fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in ÿou both to will andto do of his good Pleafure, z. By fupporting us. under Perfecutiòn for Religion. bi cafe of extraordinary Temptations, and violent Affaults upon our Conftancÿ in Religion, by fierce and cruel Perfecutions, God affords immediate and extraordinary Supports to good Men, whereby they are many times born up under the greareft Sufferings, not only with Patience, but with Comfort and yoy unfpeakable and frill of glory. Where- ..ever .God fliffers good Men to be tempted above Humanity, he affords them an immediateDivine Affifiance, to bear them up and make them VisRorious. So St. ,Peter tells us, a 'Pet. 4. 4. That thofe who fuffer and are reproachedfor the name of Chrifl, the [pith. of glory andof God rejleth upon them. So likewife Sr. Paid, a Cor. to. 13. [peaking of thofe who had not yet been fet upon by any Tharp Perfecution, No Temptationhath takenyou, but fuch "wit common to Man, e14 diOprá- mug., nothing but what is Humane, what the Spirit of a Man may bear : but if filch a Cafe happen, ofTemptation above Nature, and the fpirit of a Man be coo weak to fnpport it (elf under ir, God will in that Cafe afford Men immediate and extraordinary Supports and Comforts, God is faithful, whowill not fiaffer you to be tempted above what ye are able 5 lut will with the temptation alfo make a way to efcape, that you may be able to bear it 5 and then it immediately follows, Where- fore my dearly beloved, fleefrom Idolatry -5 becaufe God hath promifed filch an ex- traordinary afiiftance, in cafe ofPerfecution for Religion, therefore he encourageth them to continue ftedfaftin the profeffion of Chrïftianity,andcautions them againft Apoflacy to the Heathen Idolatry. The Inference from ail this Difcourfe, is to encourage us to continue fledfafl in the Truth, and in the pra&ice of dur Holy Religion, to holdfail the profalas of our Faith without wavering, and not to fuller our felves to be fhaken with every windof Doflrine, by the artsand cunningof thofe who lie in wait to deceive ; who creep intohoufes, andlead captivefilly women, ladenwithfns; and led away by divers lulls. You fee what kind of Perlons thofe falfe Teachers ;fed to profelyre 5 women of no virtue, of a proflituted reputation, laden With fins, and led away with divers luJis 5 a Citaraider that nororioufly agrees ro Come Seducers of our times. Therefore ler us continue in the things which we have heard, and not fuffcr our fclvcs to be movedfrom our (leo/aflnefi. The more we confider our Religion, and compare
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