Hence note; That the Spirit of God hath a band in Temptations. Obf. a. Chrift was led by the Spirit to be tempted. This must not be understood, as if God did properly tempt any to fin; either by inticing their hearts to evil, or by moving and fuggefting wicked things to their minds, or by infufing evil Inclinations, or by any proper compliance with Satan to undermine, and delude us by any treachery or deceit none of thefe can be imagined without apparent derogation to the holiness of God, who tempteth no man, neither can be be tempted with evil: But what we are to understand by the Holy Spirit's concerning himself in temptations,is included in thefe particulars.

First, God gives Commiffion to Satan; without which his hand would be fealed up under an impoffibility of reaching it out against

any.

Secondly, Opportunities and occafions do depend upon his Providence; without which nothing comes to pafs. Neither we nor any thing else, do or can move without him.

Thirdly, The Spirit overfees the Temptation as to Measure, and Continuance; The length and breadth of it is ordered by him.

Fourthly, The iffue and confequences of every Temptation are at his appointment; The ways of its working for our Exercife, Humiliation or Conviction, or for any other good and advantage whatfoever, they all belong to his determination.

So that it is not improper to affert, that God and Satan do concur in the fame temptation; though the ways of proceeding,with the aims and intentions of both, be directly different and contrary. Hence is it, that the Temptation of David, Sam. 24.1. and 1 Chron. 21. 1. are upon feveral regards, attributed both to God and Satan.

This note is of ufe, to remove those harsh Interpretations which poor tempted Chriftians meet withal, commonly, from fuch as have not touched their burdens with the leaft of their Fingers.Men are apt in these cases to judg,

First, The Ways of Religion, as being ways (at leaft in the more ferious and rigid practice of them) of intolerable hazard and perplexity; and only upon an Obfervation, That thofe who most addict themselves to a true and strict obfervance of Duty and Command, usually complain of Temptations and exprefs fometimes their fears and diftrefs of heart about them. This is your Reading, your Praying and Hear

Appl. I

Pfal. 71. 11.

Acts 28. 4.

Pfal. 41 8.

Luke 13.4.

ing. Such Preaching (fay they), leads men to difpair, and perpetual difquiet; And upon the whole, they conclude it dangerous to be religious above the common rate of thofe that profecute it in a flow and careless indifferency.

Secondly, The like Severity of Cenfure do they use in reference to the Spiritual State of the tempted; as if they were Veffels of bis batred; and fuch as were by him given up to the power of this Wild Boar ofthe Forreft to devour and tear. All kind of diftreffes are obnoxious to the worst of misjudgings from malevolent minds. The Sufferings of Chrift produced this cenforious Scoff, Let God deliver him, if he will have him. Davids troubles eafily induced his Adverfaries to conclude that God had forfaken him, and that there was none to deliver him. But in troubles of this nature (where efpecially there are frightful complainings against themselves) men are more eafily drawn out to be peremptory in their uncharitable determinations concerning them. Because the trouble it felf is fomewhat rare, and apt to beget hideous Impreffions: and withall the vent which the afflicted parties give by their bemoaning of their Eftate, in hope to ease themfelves thereby, is but taken as a Teftimony against themselves, and the undoubted Ecchoes of their real feelings.

Thirdly, Their Sins are upon this Ground misjudged and heightned. Unusual Troubles with common Apprehenfion argue unufual Sins. The Viper upon Paul's hand, made the Barbarians confident he was a Man of more than ordinary Guilt and Wickednefs. David's Sickness was enough to give his Enemies occafion 'to furmife that it was the punishment of fome great Tranfgreffion. An evil difeafe, (fay they) cleaveth to him. Those that were overwhelmed by the Fall of the Tower of Sileo,and those whofe Blood Pilate mixed with their Sacrifices, were judged greatest Sinners. But in inward Temptations, this misjudging confidence is every way more heightned; and thofe that are most molested are fuppofed to have given more way to Satan.

Fourthly, Temptations are alfo misjudged to be worse than they are.They are indeed things to be trembled at but they are not properly of an astonishing, amazing or difpairing confideration: as men areapt to think that view the workings of them at a distance.

Against all thofe unrighteous furmifes, the poor afflicted Servants of Chrift may have relief from this truth in hand, That the Holy Spirit of God hath a band in Temptations and therefore it

is impoffible,that every where they fhould be of fuch a Signification. Were they in themselves no way Serviceable to God's Glory in the Gracious Exercise of his Children, the Spirit of Wisdom and Holinefs would not at all have a band in them. If under Satan's Affaults you meet with those that by fuch a harshness of Cenfure, would aggravate your troubles, and fo grieve those whom God hath fadned; you may boldly appeal from them to him that judgeth righteoufly. And indeed if men would but confider in the faddeft cafe of this nature, either 1. The End of the Lord in permitting Temptations which (if feen) would give an high juftification of his dealing; and force men to applaud and magnify his Wif dom, rather than to cenfure it. Or, 2. If they could but see the fecret ways of God's Support. How he acts his part, in holding them by the hand, in counterworking of Satan, and confounding him under the exercife of his higheft malice; and alfo in the ways of his prefervation and deliverance. Or, 3. If the barmlefness of Temptations when their fting is taken out were but weighed, men would change their minds as readily, as the Barbarians did, when they faw the Viper not effect that mifchef they supposed upon Paul; And would fee cause to stand amazed at the contrivances of fo much Power and Wisdom, as can turn thefe to quite other ends and uses, than what they of themselves feem to threaten.

This Confideration will further exprefs its usefulness, in com- Appl. 2: forting us under Temptations. It might have been Paul's great

difcouragement, that in his answer before Nero no man ftood 2 Tim. 4. 16. with him: But this was his fupport, that God was with him. The like encouragement we have under all Affaults of Satan, that we are not left to our felves, but the Spirit of God is with us; and that he concerns himself on a defign to over-fee, and over-rule his work, and to put a check upon him when there is need. So that he cannot tempt as he will, nor when he will, nor in what he would, nor as long as he would; but that in all cafes, we may rely upon the great Mafter-contriver, for relief, help, mitigation, or deliverance; as there is need.

upon

In that the Evangelifts do not say that Chrift caft himself a Temptation, neither did go to undertake it, till he was led to it, we note, That whatever may be the advantage of a Temptation by the Spirits ordering of it; or what fecurity from danger we may promise to our felves upon that account, yet must we not run upon Temptations

ད་

B 2

though

Ob, 3.

Quest.

Anfw. I.

Gen. 34. I.

though we must fubmit when we are fairly led into them. The reafons of this truth are thefe:

Firft, There is fo much of the nature of evil in Temptations that they are to be avoided if poffible. Good they may accidentally be, (that is beyond their proper nature and tendency) by the overruling hand of God; but being in their own natural conftitution evil, 'tis inconfiftent with humane nature to defire them as fuch.

Secondly, Torun upon them would be a dangerous tempting of God, (that is) making a bold and prefumptuous trial (without call) whether he will put forth his power to rescue us or not. Now he that runs upon a Temptation bath no promise to be delivered out of it. And befides, runs upon fo defperate a provocation, that in all probability he fhall mifcarry in it, as a just punishment of his rashness.

But Enquiry may be made, When do men run (uncalled and) unwarrantably upon Temptation? I Anfwer, many ways. As

First, When men engage themselves in Sin and apparent Wickedness in the Works of the Flesh. For it can never be imagined that the Holy God should ever by his Spirit call any to fuch things as his Soul abhors.

Secondly, When men run upon the vifible and apparent occafions and caufes of Sin. This is like a man's going to the Peft-house, thus do they, that though they defign not to be actors in evil, yet will give their Company and Countenance to Perfons actually engagaged in evil.

Thirdly, When men unneceffarily (without the conduct either of command,or urging an unavoidable Providence) do put themfelves (though not upon vifible and certain opportunities,yet) upon dangerous and hazardous occafions and fnares. Peter had no errand in the High-Prieft's Hall; his curiofity led him thither; he might easily have foreseen a probable Snare; but confidently putting himself forward, where his danger was more than his busineß, he ran upon the Temptation, and accordingly fell. The like did Dinah, when the made a needlefs Vagary to fee the Daughters of the Land; where fhe met with her Sin and Shame. Neither do they otherwife, who dare adventure themselves in Families (whilft yet they are free and may otherwise difpofe of themselves) where they fee Snares and Temptations will be laid before them. The Cafe indeed is otherwife to those that are under the neceffary engagement of relation, natural, or voluntary, (if it be antecedent

to

to the hazard) to live in fuch places or callings, they have a grea- Pfal. 91. 11. ter promise of preservation than others can lay claim to.

Fourthly, Those run upon Temptation, that adventure apparently beyond their ftrength, and put themselves upon actions good or harmless, difproportionably to their abilities. The Apoftle gives the inftance in Marriage-Abftinence, 1 Cor. 7.5. which he cautions may not be undertaken at a careless adventure, for fear of a Temptation: and by this may we judg other things of like

nature.

Fifthly, They are alfo guilty, that defign an adventure unto the utmoft bounds of lawful Liberty. Those that have a inind to try conclufions, how near they may make their approaches to Sin, and yet keep off from the defilement; fuch as would divide a bair betwixt good and evil, have at beft but a hair's breadth betwixt them and Sin; But how eafily are they brought over that. Like a man that walks upon the utmoft Verge of a River's brink, ofttimes meets with hollow ground, and a dangerous flip before he is

aware.

Sixthly, Thofe also may be reckoned in the number of fuch as rush upon their danger, who go abroad without their weapons,and forget in the midft of dayly dangers, the means of prefervation. Thomas by his neglect flid into a greater unbelief than the reft of the Apoftles. David's unwatchful heart was eafily fmitten by the Intelligence which his Eyes brought him. They that would plead their Innocency against Temptation, had need to carry their arms, and preservatives ftill with them.

Prov. 10.29.

This truth is a fufficient caution against the rash adventurousness Applic. of those who forwardly engage themselves in matters of Temptation. As the former obfervation told us, Temptations are not to be feared; So this alfo tells, they are not to be flighted. The carriage of the Philistines when the Ark came among them, is matter of Imitation to us. We may tremble juftly when we hear of their approach; but our Hazard fhould be the Whet-Stone of our Courage; and our danger should bring us to refolves of a more ftout refiftance, that we may quit our felves like men.

The Apostle, Gal. 6. 1. feems to imply (when he tells those that were more fevere and careless of others, that they may alfo be tempted) that the beft of men do little know what a change a Temptation may make upon them; a fmall Temptation may be too strong for them, and may carry them to what they never thought

of;