SER M.have no great Trouble, for he shall find her IX. fitting at his Doors. Luke iv. 4thly, FROM the following Expreffion Mat. iv. in the Text, that Jefus being led by the Spirit, or being full of the Holy Ghost, went up into the Wilderness to be Tempted of the Devil; we may learn, that Temptation to Sin is not at all an Argument of God's Difpleafure, but only a Trial of us appointed by his wife Providence. "Tis, in the Nature of things, a necessary and ef fential condition of a Probation-ftate, that there fhould be fome Trial of mens Virtue. And, in This fenfe, the Scripture fcruples not to affirm, that God himself tempts men. Gen. xxii. 1. After these did try, A God led thee things God did tempt, that is, your your Soul. The mean Heart, and with all Thefe cafes God does ing is; not, that in not know before, how men will behave them themselves, but that They who have in SER M. them a true Root of Virtue, may actually IX. bring forth the Fruit of it; may be exercifed, may be approved, may be made manifeft, to the World here, and to men and angels hereafter; and may be, in themfelves, improved, established, and fitted for the State of Heaven. The Trial of our Jam. i. 3Faith, (faith the Apostle,) worketh Pati- Rom. v.4. ence, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope. For This reason, we are exhorted, not to faint, nor to be cast down under Temptations; nor to think it strange concerning the fiery Trials that are to try us, Nay, on the contrary, we are encouraged even to rejoice under manifold temp- 1Pet. i. 5. tations; to call the man Bleffed, that endureth temptation, (Jam. i. 12.) to glory in tribulations; (Rom. v. 3.) to count it all joy, when we fall into divers temptations, (Jam. i. 2.) Confidering, that when we are tried, we shall receive the Crown of Life, (ver, 12.) and that the Tryal of our Faith, is much more precious than of Gold that perisheth, (1 Pet.. i. 7.) For, when he bas tried us, (as Holy Job expreffes it,) we shall come forth as Gold; ch. xxiii. 10. SER M. And the Author of the Book of Wisdom, IX. ch. iii. 5. God, faith he, proved the Souls of the righteous, and found them worthy for bimfelf; As Gold in the furnace hath be tried them, and received them as a burntoffering: And in the Time of their vifitation (that is, at the day of judgment ;) they hall fhine, and run to and fro like Sparks among the Stubble; They shall judge the Nations, and have Dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. NEVERTHELESS, 'tis here carefully to be observed, that all the things which the Scripture speaks in This manner concerning Temptations and our rejoicing under them, are to be understood only of Temptations either already past and overcome; or cife of fuch, as we have very good ground of affurance, that, by the grace of God, they fhall be overcome. therwise, as to Temptations in general, Temptations unexperienced, and of which we know the Danger but not the Success; concerning Thefe, the Direction the Scripture gives us, is, on the contrary, that we may lawfully, nay, that 'tis our Duty to pray against them, and endeavour to a For o IX. void them. Our Saviour, who knew what SER M. was in Man, thus exhorts his Difciples, Mar. xiv. 38; Watch and pray, left ye enter into Temptation: and himself prays, not for his own Sake, but as an Example to Us; Father, if it be poffible, let this Cup pass from me. Our Nature is Frail, our Paffions frong, our Wills biaffed; and our fecurity, generally speaking, confifts much more certainly in efcaping great Temptations, than in conquering them. For This reafon, our Lord directed his Followers, when they were Perfecuted in One City, to flee unto another. Which they who refu fed to do, led themfelves into Temptation, and tempted God: Putting themselves upon an Expectation of an extraordinary Af fiftance, where God had not given any Promife of affording it. For where God calls us to a Trial, he will enable us to go thro' it; but there is no Affurance of fuch Affiftance to the Prefumptuous. "Tis not lawful therefore, for Men to go of themfelves, and throw themselves into Temptation; and we are taught to pray moreover, that God alfo, in his good Providence, would not lead us into it. This Phrafe, I SER M. Phrafe, of God's leading men into TempIX. tation, it is evident, must be understood according to the Analogy of Scripturelanguage: which, because Nothing can come to pass without God's permiffion, does therefore ufually, in acknowledgement of the Supreme fuperintendency of Divine Providence over all Events, afcribe every thing figuratively to God, As when God is faid to have delivered a man, who is flain by chance, into the hand of his Neighbour; to have moved David, by means of Satan's Temptations, to number Ifrael and Judah; to have hardened Pharoah's heart; to have blinded the Eyes, and made fat, or ftupid, the heart of the people; to have fent forth a lying Spirit among Ahab's Prophets; to have hardened the Spirit of Sibon King of Heskbon, and made his heart obftinate; to have hardened the Nations, to come against Ifrael to battle, that he might destroy them utterly; to have put it in the Hearts of Evil Princes, to give their Kingdom unto the Beast or False Prophet; to fend upon men a strong Delusion; and, in the phrase we are now speaking of, to lead men into Tempta |
