Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Sermon 2

Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations · Sermon 2

p. 143AN ACCOUNT OF SATANS TEMPTATIONS.

2 Cor. II. 11. Leſt Satan ſhould get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

THE way to Heaven is encounter'd with difficulties, and Travellers are in danger of two things, Robbery and Murder: We are Travellers towards Glory, and therefore we muſt arm our ſelves againſt both theſe: for there is one maſter-Thief, namely, Satan, which hath Intereſt in all the reſt: Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, Leſt Satan ſhould get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The occaſion of theſe words is this, There was a ſad ſin that ſprang up (like a weed) in the garden of the Church of Corinth: There was a man that had married his Fathers Wife: If ſhe were his own natural Mother, the ſin was moſt p. 144prodigious and unnatural, that the child of her womb, ſhould be the Husband of her Bed; the Son of the Father, the Father of Sons by her! an high crime! a ſin which the Heathens ſtamped Infamy upon.

Ariſtotle writes of a Camel, that killed his keeper for cauſingHiſtor. animal. l. 9. c. 47. him to cover his Dam; and of an Horſe that caſt himſelf down head long, after he had done the like.

If ſhe were his Mother-in-law, yet 'twas againſt the Law of Reverence; if but his ſtep-mother, yet 'twas a foul ſtep beyond Nature, for the Son to uncover the Fathers nakedneſs: 'twas ſuch a ſin (ſaith the Apoſtle), as is not ſo much as named 1 Cor. 5. 1…1 Cor 5:1among the Gentiles. The ſin therefore, though it were bad enough in it ſelf, yet there was an adjunct that made it far worſe, in that he that had done it, was a Chriſtian, a member of the Church, and therefore Paul chargeth them, to deliver him unto Satan, for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that his ſpirit 1 Cor. 5. 5.1 Cor 5:5may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. This he writes in his firſt Letter to them: and the Corinthians were ſoft-wax to his Impreſſion; he commands them, and they obey him: This ſpiritual phyſick applied to the offender, had a good ſucceſs and effect upon him; for being puniſhed, he puniſheth himſelf, he mourns and grieves: being caſt out of the Church, he caſts away his ſin.

And therefore the Apoſtle in this his ſecond Letter or Epiſtle2 Cor. 2. 7.2 Cor 2:7 to them, deſires them to forgive their patient, and to comfort him: and that for two ends: The firſt is in verſ. 7, Lest he ſhould be ſwallowed up with overmuch ſorrow.

The other is in the words of my Text, Leſt Satan ſhould get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The firſt reaſon hath reſpect to the patient, the poor creature that had ſinned, and was now humbled, Leſt he ſhould be ſwallowed up with overmuch ſorrow.

The ſecond reaſon caſts its aſpect upon the Intereſt and common good of the Church, Leſt Satan get an advantage of us: In the firſt, he deſires them to forgive the penitent for his ſake, Leſt he be ſwallowed up with overmuch ſorrow: In the ſecond, he deſires them to forgive him for their own ſakes, for (ſaith he) I forgave him for your ſakes, leſt Satan get an advantage Verſ. 10. 11.of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

p. 145Queſt. What was the advantage that Satan was like to get of them, and of the Church, if they did not forgive him?

Anſw. To lead them into ſin: Satan would have made an advantage of their zeal to lead them into ſin.

1. In abuſing that power which God had given them for edification, to the deſtruction of a precious ſoul.

2. By heightning them up (under a notion of zeal) into a rigid auſterity, and uncharitableneſs to their offending brother.

3. By making them guilty of ſpiritual murder: In whoſe hands (had they gone on) this patient had been ſo roughly handled, that he had died in the cure, and run into deſpair.

4. Their rigidneſs towards their lapſed brother: Satan would have made uſe of it to ruine the Church, and diſſolve the Society: It would have bred ill blood in the body, begot ſchiſms and diviſions among them, offended the weak, and made the ſtubborn more obſtinate; if a poor penitent ſinner may not be received again into the boſom of the Church, who would be the Child of ſuch a Mother? Thus they would have murmured, and not without ſome reaſon: They that favoured the offending party, would have cryed down Diſcipline and Government.

Beſides, if paſtors and ſheep be not mutually careful of one anothers ſouls, by Counſel and Admonition, to prevent the fall of ſome, and to raiſe up others that are fallen; to heal the broken, to ſtrengthen the weak, to comfort the feeble, to cure the wounded; if all of them take not care of every one, how ſhould that flock ſubſiſt and continue long?

5. The falſe Apoſtles, thoſe Apoſtles of Satan, who were Pauls Adverſaries, and the Goſpels, would have made a ſtrong advantage to accuſe the Doctrine of Christ, and draw a party to themſelves. Thus Satan under the Mask of juſt Diſcipline, went about the perdition and ruine not of one ſinner only, but alſo of the whole Church: And therefore ſaith Paul, IF Verſ. 10, 11.I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it: for your ſakes forgave I it, leſt Satan ſhould get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Now to look a little into the words, the Original words p. 146are foreign.

1. Which Ambroſe renders, [Ne poſſideamur a Satana], leſt we be poſſeſſed by Satan, leſt he get us into his poſſeſſion.

2. Eraſmus renders it, Ne occupemura Satana, the Vulgar reads it, [ Ʋt non circumveniamur a Satana], leſt we be circumvented by Satan, leſt he cunningly come about us, and beguile us by his wiles.

And this to me ſeems the right ſenſe and meaning of the word: and ſo Tertullian rendred it, [Ne fraudemur Lib. de pudicitia.a Satana] leſt we be over-reached or deceived by Satan, for his way is to work by policy; he plays his game by craft of wit, rather than by ſtrength of hand: And thus the Scripture tells us of his foreign, which we tranſlate the wiles of the Devil: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able Eph. 6. 11. Id eſt, adverſus, Inſidias. Technas, deceptiones Diaboli.Eph 6:11to ſtand, [foreign] againſt the cunning Methods, Arts, and Deceptions of the Devil.

Methodus Graecis eſt Ars & Techna: Method with the Grecians, is Art and Skill, and is taken in an ill ſenſe for craft, a method of cunning, an art to deceive: ſo the Ancient foreign.Gloſſes expound foreign, circumvenire, id est, fallere, to deceive, & foreign, circumventio, that is, a deceiving: ſo that foreign and foreign ſignifie the ſame thing, only with this different reſpect, he that deceives, is ſaid [foreign] to do it methodically, for his handſom art and skill to do it: He that deceives, is ſaid [foreign] from his end and ſcope; for therefore do men deceive, [ Ʋt foreign], that they may have more than they ſhould, more than is their own.

And this it is which our Tranſlation aims at, leſt Satan ſhould get an advantage of us, that is, deceive us to our great loſs, and his gain: As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, I exhort you not to continue the ſeverity of Diſcipline any longer toward the penitent offender, but receive him again with all tenderneſs, and make haſte to do it, leſt Satan deceive you into ſuch an over-ſight, as upon your ruine to make himſelf an infinite gainer; not only by your auſterity to undo one poor ſoul alone, but the whole Church, raiſing ſchiſms and quarrels among you, filling the mouths of his falſe Apoſtles with matter againſt us, and by your immoderate rigour making the Goſpel more hateful. For we are not ignorant of his devices: p. 147foreign, for we are not ignorant of his notions: The Devil is full of deep and ſtrong notions, or plots againſt us: foreign conſilia. The words being opened with the key of Interpretation, affords us ſeveral Obſervations: [Leſt we be circumvented, or deceived by Satan].

Obſerv. 1. Satan hath a great ſpite to poor ſouls.

Obſerv. 2. But he is eſpecially inflamed with malice and malignity againſt the Saints and Church of Jeſus Chriſt.

Obſerv. 3. Satan is wondrous buſie and active to circumvent the Saints, and catch them in the Net of his deceits. And which is obſervable,

Obſerv. 4. Satan doth practiſe upon the Saints by their own graces: he makes an advantage of their zeal; by it (that was his Gunpowder-plot) to blow up their ſick patient into deſpair, and them into ruine: Therefore forgive him (ſaith the Apoſtle) leſt we ſhould be circumvented or deceived by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices: Where obſerve theſe Doctrines:

Doct. 1. That Satan is a learned and exquiſite Artiſt in the Trade of deceiving ſouls. He is full of his cunning methods and devices.

Doct. 2. The Saints (eſpecially Miniſters) are, or ſhould be well acquainted with the devices or plots of Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices. Paul takes it for granted, that every Saint doth in ſome meaſure underſtand them: He is but an ill fencer, that knows and obſerves nothing of his Enemies play: But my diſcourſe ſhall fix upon the former of theſe two, to treat of, namely,

Satan is a learned and exquiſite Artiſt in the Trade of deceiving Doctrine.ſouls. Or if you pleaſe, take it thus: Satan is a skilful artiſt, weaving up continual plots and devices to catch poor ſouls. He is full of methods and devices: as he hath an heart, ſo he hath an art to deceive—

Cui nomina mille,

Mille nocendi artes.

Satan exerciſed this device againſt the Church of Corinth, and this inceſtuous man, to lull them aſleep, leſt they ſhould awake the power of Diſcipline againſt his ſin, by which he was in a way to get advantage. Firſt, Againſt the inceſtuous p. 146duplicate page p. 147duplicate page p. 148man. And Secondly, Againſt the Church of Corinth.

1. Againſt the inceſtuous man, by their ſecurity to lull him aſleep in his ſin: He would lay him aſleep in his ſin, by laying the Church aſleep from taking notice of his ſin.

2. Againſt the Church of Corinth.

1. By making them guilty of his ſin, not in doing, yet in partaking; not in operation, yet in toleration: The Church becomes guilty of thoſe ſins ſhe doth not bend the brows of Diſcipline upon: Church-officers make other mens ſins their own ſins, by not admoniſhing, reproving, and not drawing the bow of Diſcipline againſt them.

2. By infecting the Church of Corinth with more of the ſame, or the like ſins in the long run. And therefore ſaith Paul, Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1 Cor. 5. 6.1 Cor 5:6Paul was not ignorant (here) of Satans device: he knew that as one weed (ſuffered to grow) doth ſhed its ſeed, and beget many: As a ſtone caſt into the water begets one circle, which by multiplication begets many more: So one inceſtuous ſin (tolerated) would beget another, and it another, and that another: or the toleration of that ſcandalous ſin would ſpeak for the toleration of another: If they would digeſt inceſt, they would much more in time tolerate and concoct adultery and drunkenneſs, and I know not what well: But when Paul had wrought upon the Church of Corinth to deliver the offender unto Satan, obſerve how Satan doth ſpin a new thred of device againſt them, of which Paul ſpeaks in this place. Well,

You have heard the Doctrine, which is, That Satan is a learned and exquiſite Artiſt in the Trade of deceiving ſouls. He is full of methods and devices: As he hath an heart, ſo he has an art to deceive.

1. I ſhall diſcourſe how buſie and skilful Satan is to undermine us. And then I ſhall arm you againſt his devices: and if you have skill in both theſe, you may walk the ſafer to Heaven.

I ſhall (in the firſt place) ſhew you how buſie and skilful Satan is to undermine you: And that,

1. Becauſe he is a very intelligent creature. He is foreign, and therefore hath foreign: As the Holy Angels are wiſe to do good, ſo the lapſed Angels are wiſe and ſubtil to do evil. p. 149The Angels that fell, loſt the goodneſs of their underſtanding, not the eſſence of their underſtanding: I ſay, Satan has loſt the goodneſs of his underſtanding, but not the eſſence of it; he can make pitfolds, and lay ſnares to catch poor ſouls. Satan is a very intelligent creature.

Firſt, He is a great Scholar. And then, Secondly, He is a deep head-piece.

1. He is a great Scholar: exceeding well read. Firſt in the Book of the Creature. And ſecondly in the Book of the Scripture.

Firſt, He is well read in the Book of the Creature. He knows all natural things with the cauſes and ſecrets of them, and therefore can work marvels and wonders, though not miracles. And,

Secondly, He is exceeding well read too in the Book of the Scripture: He ſtudieth Scripture, not to convert, but to pervert poor ſouls: yet I ſay, he ſtudieth hard the Scripture, and therefore he hath the Scripture at his fingers ends: as you may ſee in his Diſpute with Chriſt: IF thou be the Son of Matth. 4. 6.Matt 4:6God, caſt thy ſelf down: For it is written He ſhall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone.

Secondly, He is a deep head-piece. He hath a ſtrong brain: he is not (as we ſay) a meer Scholar; a man may be a great Scholar, and yet but a fool in other things: But Satan is not ſo, he is a very elaborate polititian: Eagle-eyed to carry about his deſigns very exactly. I will ſhew you in theſe ſeven following things:

1. Satan can trace or find out the temper and diſpoſition of the heart. He can feel your pulſe, and (as the Phyſitian) can find out your temper: I do not ſay, he knows the heart as well as God, but he knows our hearts better than our ſelves: I ſay, he feels the pulſe, and finds out the darling ſin; he ſtudies more our hearts than we our ſelves, and therefore we had need to be wary.

2. When he hath found out mans temper, his darling ſin, he can lay a bait of Temptation ſuitable to it. He diſcerns a proud heart, or a covetous heart, and then he lays his Temptation to Harmonize with it. Thus you may ſee in Job, Jobs p. 150Oxen were plowing, and the Aſſes feeding beſide them; and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away: and whyJob 1. 15, 16.Job 1:15Job 1:16 the Sabeans? The Sabeans were a thieviſh people (inhabiting Arabia Felix) given to Robbery; now Satan finding out their temper, he preſently ſets before them rich ſpoils, theſe are a taking Object: See (ſaith Satan to them), yonder is a brave prize for you, Jobs cattel. Satan finding out their diſpoſition, he preſents an Object to them, which hits it fully: Satan (like a fiſher) baits his hook according to the appetite of the fiſh: and as Chriſt took men in their own Element: He appeared to man in the garden, like a gardener, ſo doth Satan, [Fit fera, Fit volucris, Fit toto corpore ſerpens], becomes all things to ſeduce all men.

3. Satan is wiſe and watchful to take the fitteſt time for temptations. Thus he ſets upon Chriſt, when Chriſt had faſtedMatth. 4. 1, 2.Matt 4:1Matt 4:2 forty days, and forty nights, and afterwards was an hungry; then the tempter came, he lays hold on this advantage: Obſerve, he would not come till Chriſt was hungry, to perſwade him to turn ſtones into bread. Oh what a ſtrength had this Temptation from the ſeaſon? Who would not make bread for himſelf, if he could, when he is hungry? Hunger is keen: had Chriſt been full, there had not been ſuch an edg upon, ſuch a weight in the Temptation.

It might ſeem abſurd to ſome, that Chriſt ſhould anſwer the tempter, who was not worthy an anſwer, but a check and chiding, becauſe his malice was incorrigible; he was uncapable of any profit or edification: and holy things were not to be caſt unto dogs.

But it is ſufficient to us, that our Lord would and did anſwer the tempter. For

He did not anſwer for the tempters ſake, but for our ſake. For as he would be tempted only for our good, ſo he did entertain the tempter, and overcome him in that way (that is, of anſwer) for our good: for although he anſwered, none being preſent but the tempter; yet he did anſwer, (and it is recorded by the Spirit) for the uſe of the whole Church, and the conſolation of all Believers.

Thus how many doth Satan provoke to turn ſtones into bread, when he comes to them in their hunger? Thou art in a ſtrait, like to ſtarve and periſh; turn ſtones into bread, that p. 151is, procure thy ſelf meat and proviſion by unfaithful and ſinful ways: This is indeed to turn ſtones into bread: ſo he came2 Sam. 17. 23.2 Sam 17:23 to Ahitophel (in the fitteſt time) when he was in a paſſion, and ſaw his Counſel cheap, and at a low rate in the Court: And when Ahitophel was not followed, he hanged himſelf, and dyed.

4. Satan tempts by doing the like things which God doth. Thus he hardned Pharoahs heart, (and for ought I knowExod. 7. 9, 10, 11.Exod 7:9Exod 7:10Exod 7:11 hindred his Converſion) by doing works like the ſame miracles which Moſes and Aaron did: When Moſes turned his Rod into a ſerpent, the Magicians did ſo. And mark what follows, Pharaohs heart was hardned. Moſes turned the waters of the River into blood, ſo did the Magicians. And what followed? Pharaohs heart was hardned: Moſes and Aaron Verſ. 22. Exod. 8. 6, 7:Exod 8:6Exod 8:7brought frogs over all the land of Egypt, ſo did the Magicians.

Thus to blind the ten Tribes, and take them from the true worſhip in Jeruſalem, Satan ſets up a worſhip in Dan and Bethel, 1 Reg. 12. 32.1 Kgs 12:32and Jeroboam ordained a feaſt in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feaſt that is in Judah.

So you ſhall find Satan imitating Scriptural-truths, but withAdams on 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. p. 362.2 Pet 1:202 Pet 1:21 the addition of his own lyes: He had his Poets and Fabuliſts, whoſe Mythologies went for true reports: that the great Army of Senacherib was deſtroyed, both Iſaiah and Herodotus agree, but Iſaiah ſaith, It was by the Angel of God; Herodotus ſaith, It was by an infinite number of Mice, which in the night-time did eat up the Leathers of their Armours, Targets, and Bridles, and hereupon they fled.

So the Gentiles had the ſame ſtories of Scripture, but under borrowed names, as Auguſtine obſerves: In alluſion to the true Hiſtory of Jonah, his fwallowing, and egeſtion by the Whale; Herodotus writes of one Arion, who for his money being thrown over Ship-board, a Dolphin took him on his back, and being delighted with his muſick, carried him to Tenarus, from whence he went to Periander at Corinth, informing him of his received injury, and ſtrange deliverance.

Satan knowing that it was prophecied of Chriſt, that he Iſa. 35. 6.Isa 35:6ſhould open the blind eyes, and the deaf ears, and make the lame leap like harts, and the tongues of the dumb to ſing; he feigned an Aeſculapius, and gave out as ſtrange wonders of him: p. 150duplicate page p. 151duplicate page p. 152And for better facilitating his purpoſe, called him the Son of God.

The Devil would make them believe, that the fenſts of the Jews were derived from the Gentiles; when indced they came to the Gentiles from the Jews: Plutarch ſaith, that ſome of the Jews feaſts, yea, their Sabbath day, and the word Sabbas, was derived from the feaſts of Bacchus; but indeed the ſolemnities of Bacchus came from them, being not ſo ancient as Moſes. And thus the Devil damns many a ſoul, by letting them do the like things which God doth in the Saints: Doth a true Saint believe? Satan can ſuggeſt a motion like believing into the ſoul: Doth a true Saint repent? Satan will do the like in ſome of his, and ſuggeſt ſomething like repentance into the hearts of his: and therefore is he ſaid to tranſform himſelf into an angel of light. How is Satan ſaid to2 Cor. 11. 14.2 Cor 11:14 transform himſelf into an Angel of light?

When he ſuggeſts things that ſeem to ſavour of Piety, Zeal, See Annotat. upon the place.and Holineſs, as if the motion proceeded from an Holy Angel: Whereas thoſe things which he ſuggeſteth, as he ſuggeſteth them, tend wholly to Gods diſhonour, and the ſouls ruine.

5. Satan tempts by dropping good things into your thoughts, when they ſhould be employed upon other good things. Thus when you are praying or hearing a Sermon, there will come into your minds very gracious Meditations and deſires, good reſolutions of doing this or that good work, ſometimes good affections, as of grief for your ſins, and the like, all which were good at another time, but not at that time, becauſe the Devil throws them in unto you, to take off your thoughts from the preſent duty: He will let your thoughts wander in Prayer, upon good things, that you may be never the better for that Prayer.

And he will raiſe up good and holy motions in you, whilſt you are hearing a Sermon, that they might divert your thoughts from the preſent Sermon: Here our deceitful hearts will be ready to think that thoſe come from the Spirit of grace (oh cunning Devil), but the truth is, they come from Satan: for the Spirit of God hath no ſuch office to draw away mens minds from hearing the word, nor to trouble mens minds in prayer, with thoughts impertinent.

6. Satan makes choice of ſuch inſtruments to tempt by, as p. 153are likely to be moſt effectual. Thus (you know) he didGen 3. 6. 1 Reg. 21. Job 2. 9.Gen 3:61 Kgs 21Job 2:9 overcome Adam by Eve his ſecond ſelf: Again, thus he tempted Ahab by Jezzabel, a prevailing inſtrument. And thus he tempted Job by his wife: and thus he tempted Chriſt Matth. 16. 22. 23.Matt 16:22Matt 16:23by Peter, and therefore ſaid Chriſt to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan.

Satan can make uſe of our friends to do us hurt by: He tempts not only by himſelf, but by inſtruments; and not only by ſuch as are at a diſtance from us, but by thoſe who are neareſt in relation, and by thoſe moſt: He can make a friend, a child, a wife, inſtrumental for our ruine: As Saul married his Daughter to David, that ſhe might be a ſnare to him.1 Sam. 18. 21.1 Sam 18:21

6. Satan tempts us by our own ſelves. He makes uſe of our own reaſon or underſtanding to deceive our ſelves: he draws reaſon out of our own bowels to deſtroy us: and here you have the firſt particular, where you find how buſie Satan is, and how skilful an artiſt Satan is to undermine us: he is a very intelligent creature.

2. Satan is armed with malice againſt ſouls. That's a reaſon2 Particular. Pſal. 41. 7.Ps 41:7 that ſets him upon deviſing devices againſt us: As David ſaith, All that hate me, whiſper together againſt me; againſt me, do they deviſe my hurt: And in another place, While Pſal. 31. 13.Ps 31:13they took counſel together againſt me, they deviſed to take away my life. So that hatred and malice is the root of plotting and evil devices againſt one: When we hate one, and bear him ill will, then we ſet upon devices againſt him. Now Satan is full of malice againſt God, and then againſt the Church and People of God.

1. His malice againſt God. To tempt men is a pleaſure to his malice, thinking himſelf by this means ſomewhat revenged of God: As he that defaceth the picture of his enemy, when he cannot come at his perſon, eaſeth his ſpleen a little: ſo the Dog gnaws the ſtone, that cannot reach the thrower: ſo Satan makes it his work to raze Gods Image out of man, becauſe he cannot reach God himſelf.

2. Satan is boundleſs in his malice againſt Gods People, and againſt the Church of God. Therefore ſaith Paul,. God is 1 Cor. 10. 13.1 Cor 10:13faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted (namely by Satan) above that you are able: As if he had ſaid, Satan would with all his heart lay more upon you, than you are able to p. 154bear; Satan would break your backs, if he were let alone, but God will not ſuffer it. Obſerve here theſe four things:

1. Satans extream malice is ſeen in tempting us againſt God, and in tempting God againſt us. He doth not only tempt us to ſin againſt God, (that were malice enough) but when we little think of it, when we are aſleep, or in our buſineſs, he is trying and tempting God againſt us: O extream malice! Thus God himſelf acknowledgeth in Job, Thou movedſt Job 2. 3.Job 2:3me againſt him, to deſtroy him without cauſe. Pure malice ſtirreth up Satan againſt the People of God; though he always pretends ſomewhat in them, yet the cauſe is in himſelf: and therefore Satan hath two names in Scripture, foreign, a tempter. foreign, ſlanderer or accuſer, noting his two ſpecial works, Temptation, Accuſation.

He ſolicites good men to do evil againſt God; hence he hath his name, the tempter; and he ſolicites God to conceive evil of good men; and hence he hath his name, the ſlanderer, or accuſer.

2. When Satan cannot obtain againſt us, by one means, he endeavours it by another. He will not give off for the loſs of one game: he is not wont to give his cauſe over for loſt, becauſe he cannot carry it at firſt: he will try, and try again. As it was with Balaak, when he ſent for Balaam to curſe theNumb. 23. 27.Num 23:27 people, and ſaw the buſineſs did not proſper; Balaam could not curſe them; he brought him to another place, Come (faith he) I pray thee, I will bring thee to another place: peradventure it will pleaſe God that thou mayeſt curſe me them from thence; though you could not do it in one place, you may in another: Satan (if he cannot work his will one way) will try a ſecond or third; and obſerve, that when Satan tryeth a ſecond means after a firſt, he tryeth a way more probable and efficacious for his ends than the former.

3. When a weaker will not do it, he provides ſtronger means: As God in puniſhing or chaſtiſing ſinners, when a leſſer Judgment will not humble them, he ſends a greater: God comes not only with another, but with ſorer Judgments: I F ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will puniſh ye ſeven Lev. 26. 18.Lev 26:18times more for your ſins. So Satan, if you will not hearken unto him in one temptation, he will tempt you ſeven times p. 155more, and ſeven times ſtronger, as he did Job.Job 2. 5. Job. 1. 14, 15, 16, 19.Job 2:5Job 1:14Job 1:15Job 1:16Job 1:19

Before he got leave to touch Jobs cattel and goods, and to touch Jobs Children, Sons and Daughters, here was one greater than the former: for a mans children are more than all that he hath in the world beſides: A mans children are himſelf; in every child is the Father multiplied: the child is the Fathers bowels, and therefore this affliction reached to the very bowels of Job. Then after all this, he gets leave to ſmite Jobs body: Put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his Chap. 2. 5.fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face.

And this is greater ſtill than the former: Jobs children were near to him, but himſelf was nearer: and therefore ſaid Satan, Touch his bone and his fleſh, that is, afflict his body; the bone and the fleſh are the two chief parts, the material parts of the body: of them the whole Fabrick doth conſiſt.

The bone is as the ſtone or Timber in this houſe, and the fleſh is as the Lime and Morter, filling of it up: Touch this, faith Satan; and here he aims at ſore affliction: for if he had ſaid only thus, [Touch his fleſh] that might have been made affliction great enough: But when he ſaith [Touch his bone and his fleſh], he aims at deep affliction: Touch him ſo, as that his very bones may ſhatter, that the very pillars may ſhake: Touch him ſo, as that the pain and diſtemper may ſink into his very bones, into his marrow; the bone it ſelf is a part without feeling, yet to touch the bone, impotts the greateſt pain that can be felt.

4. Satan, if he prevails at the firſt on-ſet, in the beginning of a temptation, he drives on furiouſly, and takes advantage to rout the whole ſoul: As a Troop of Horſe, that having once broke the rank, goeth on fiercely, hoping thereby to rout the whole body; ſo doth Satan: you may ſee it in the pitcht battel which he ſought with Peter: Peter (you know) goeth after Jeſus to the high prieſts Palace, there Peter unawares doth (as it were) draw out into the field. Well, the Devil reſolves to enter into Battalia with him, (Simon, Simon, ſaith Chriſt, Behold, Satan hath deſired to have you, that Lnk. 22. 31.he may ſift you as wheat): And there he doth firſt skirmiſh with Peter, and ſends out a Damſel againſt him, Thou alſo Matth. 26. 69. 70.Matt 26:69Matt 26:70waſt with Jeſus of Galilee: but he denied before them all, ſaying, I know not what thou ſayeſt.

p. 156Here ſhe breaks the rank, and gets in upon Peter: and what doth Satan do now? He drives on furiouſly, takes the preſent advantage, and ſends another maid, and ſhe chargeth him more strongly: for ſhe ſaith to them that were there, This Verſ. 71.fellow was alſo with Jeſus of Nazareth. Mark ye [this fellow], and ſhe ſaith it unto them that were there round about him: A worſe charge than the former, And again he denieth with an oath: But Satan follows on ſtill, and now draws upVerſ. 72. Verſ. 73. his whole body againſt Peter, After a while came unto him [they] that stood by (a ſtronger multitude ſtill), and ſaid unto Peter, Surely thou alſo art one of them, for thy ſpeech bewrayeth thee. Verſ. 74.Then began he to curſe and to ſwear, ſaying, I know not the man. And now he routs Peter, and diſperſeth all his forces; for ſaith the Text, He began to curſe and to ſwear, ſaying, I know not the man: And here you have a ſecond particular, Satan is armed with malice againſt ſouls.

Thirdly, Satan is armed with pride: As David ſaith, The 3 Particular. Pſal. 10. 2.Ps 10:2wicked in his pride doth perſecute the poor: Let them be taken in the device they have imagined.

Fourthly and laſtly, Another reaſon that helps Satan on well4 Particular. in his devices, is, becauſe he hath a large conſcience. Indeed he hath no conſcience; Satan hath conſcience of ſin, but he makes no conſcience of ſin; he hath conſcience of ſin, that is, ſmiting him with ſenſe of guilt; but he makes no conſcience of ſin, and therefore can do any thing: As a man that makes nothing of ſin, to ſwear nor lye, he may carry on any deſign, he may grow rich: Now the Devil is ſuch, he will ſwear, and diſſemble, and lye, and therefore may carry any deſign on foot: He did lye to Eve in paradiſe: and he was a lying ſpirit in the mouth ofGen. 3. 5. 1 King 22. 22.Gen 3:51 Kgs 22:22 Ahabs Prophets.

Ʋſe 1. The firſt Ʋſe is this, If Satan be ſo learned and exquiſite an artiſt in the Trade of deceiving ſouls, then let us not be ignorant of his devices, as the Apoſtle ſaith, but be fore-warn'd, and fore-arm'd. In the handling of this Ʋſe, I ſhall diſcover Satans plots and temptations: Satan doth tempt men, Firſt, Before converſion. Secondly, Satan tempts men in converſion. And thirdly, Satan tempts men after converſion.

1. Satan tempts men before converſion, that they may not be converted.

p. 157Firſt, To delay their repentance till they be ſick: When we are ſick, then we will repent: Pain and weakneſs of body is no advantage to repentance, and returning unto God: it unfits the ſoul for action: Hence obſerve what the Apoſtle James ſaith, when he reckons up the ſeveral conditions of the Saints: Is any among you afflicted? let him pray: [he ſpeaksJam. 5. 13, 14.Jas 5:13Jas 5:14 that in general] but ſaith he, Is any ſick among you? let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him: As if he had ſaid, a ſick man can hardly pray for himſelf: Is any among you afflicted? let him pray: In afflictions a man can pray for himſelf: But is any ſick among you? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him: As if he ſhould ſay, a ſick man cannot pray for himſelf: he hath enough to do to wreſtle with his pain and conflict: he hath need to call others to pray for him: A diſeaſed body unfits the mind for holy duties: and therefore ſick Hezekiah's praying,Iſa. 38. 14.Isa 38:14 is called chattering; like a crane or a ſwallow, ſo did I chatter: The pain of his body wrought ſuch a diſquietneſs and uncompoſedneſs upon his ſpirit, that he could not pray, but chatter; or [like a crane or a ſwallow, ſo did I chatter], that is, IAnnotat. could not ſpeak, but ſigh and groan; or, I was ſo full of pain, that my Prayers were very quick and ſhort: not ſentences, but words, not words, but ſyllables: not plain ſyllables, but chatterings: How pitiful then are they miſtaken, who put off repentance till their bodies be in pain, till they are ſick or weak? They do it upon this ground, becauſe when the body is ſick, they think repentance is eaſie: It is quite otherwiſe.

And therefore did Satan aim to make Job ſick: Satan wasJob 2. 5.Job 2:5 confident to trouble the mind of Job, by caſting Darts and Diſeaſes into his body: by making Job ſick, he hoped to make Job blaſpheme and curſe God; Touch his bone, and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face. If Satan thought by pain and ſickneſs to make Job blaſpheme God, Doſt thou think that pain will be an advantage to thee to turn to God?

It is ſaid in Revelations, at the pouring out of the fourth Chap. 16. 9.vial, when they were ſcorcht with great heat, they blaſphemed God, and they repented not, to give him glory: Let wicked men be ſcorcht with a feaver, or with a peſtilence or ſickneſs, and 'tis the way to make them blaſpheme God; and therefore 'tis a p. 158woful thing to put off repentance to a pained body: pain in its own nature, fits us rather to blaſpheme and fly upon God, than fly to God.

Never think (it is one thing what God may make uſe of; but do you never think) to have help for the cure of your ſouls, by the diſeaſes of your bodies: Uſually we find, that either ſick perſons repent not, or theirs is but a ſickly repentance: Indeed a long and lingering ſickneſs may do much; there is a time wherein the underſtanding may act deliberately, and the work may be digeſted: but a ſhort ſickneſs, and a ſhort repentance, ſuch as it is, I ever doubt of.

I ſay, Satan tempts before Converſion, namely to hinder us from entring the ways of grace, and to keep us out of Chriſt: For, if we be once in Chriſt, we are gone from him; he can hurt us no more than he can Chriſt: and you may ſee how far his malice can reach, The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the ſerpents head, that is, his power: The ſeed of the ſerpent ſhall bruiſe his heel, that is, his humanity. When thou art once in Chriſt, he can bruiſe but thy heel, he may ſtir up affliction, bring thee to thy grave, but ſhall never bring thy ſoul to Hell.

At the beſt, pain can but reſtrain your luſts, it cannot heal them: A diſeaſe can but abate the acts of ſin, it can never deſtroy the life of ſin: Death it ſelf cannot kill ſin: the ſins of wicked men live, when they are dead: The grave cannot conſume them: nor the fire of hell waſte their ſtrength: the ſins of unbelievers ſhall remain, not only in their guilt, but in their power to all eternity.

Queſt. But how does Satan hinder our converſion?

Anſw. By kindling a ſtronger love in us to ſin. There is in all men by nature a love to ſin, and Satan comes and blows that fire into a flame, and ſo our love becomes predominant: and afterwards it becomes a great work to un-love that ſin.

2. Satan tempts the unconverted theſe two ways:

1. By inſpiring his falſe Prophets and Miniſters. Thus he1 King. 22. 22. 1 King. 22. 4, 5.1 Kgs 22:221 Kgs 22:41 Kgs 22:5 deviſed Ahabs deſtruction: I will go forth, and I will be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And again, Ahab p. 159King of Iſrael asked Jehoſaphat King of Judah (who came to ſee him) whether he would go with him to Battel to Ramoth Gilead? Well, the King of Judah promiſed the King of Iſrael, and told him, ſaying, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horſes as thy horſes: Afterwards Jehoſaphat ſaid nnto the King of Iſrael, enquire I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day: Then the King of Iſrael gathered the prophets [that is,Verſ. 6. the falſe prophets inſpired by Satan] together, about four hundred men, and ſaid unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battel, or ſhall I forbear? and they ſaid, go up, for the Lord ſhall deliver it into the hand of the King. Conſider it ſeriouſly, They that admininiſter the Oracles of God, are the greateſt mercies, or greateſt curſes: When they drop from their lips nothing but Gods mind, they are mercies; if not, they are curſes.

2. Satan tempts the unconverted, by numbering more falſe prophets than true. For when Satan cannot act for Truth on his ſide, he will act by number: He will weigh the balance by number, when he cannot by truth: he will diſgrace truth by the greatneſs and multitude of number againſt it: for he knows what will take among carnal and ignorant men: they are carried with quantity more than quality: What are you (ſaith Satan, that are but one or two) wiſer than ſo many? Can truth ſit upon the lips of ſo few? If it were truth, why ſhould not others know it as well as you? Why ſhould ſo many be ignorant of it? Thus he carried his device upon the wings of multitude againſt Ahab: to hatch his deſign againſt1 Reg. 22. 6.1 Kgs 22:6 Ahab, he did ſit upon the ſpirits of four hundred prophets, againſt one Micajah: ſo there are many looſe lives againſt one Chriſt: though there be many (now a days) that teach men by their words and doings, that men may live looſely; yet Chriſt ſaith, Broad is the way to deſtruction, and narrow is the way to life: So that the fewneſs of thoſe that carry on the way to life, is a Teſtimony of the truth of it.

3. Satan tempts the unconverted, by putting men out of conceit with the godly, that they are proud and Hypocrites.

Secondly, Satan tempts men in converſion: He can play his part here alſo: he is cunning everywhere to deſtroy: if he cannot keep ſinners from converſion, he will hinder them in converſion: p. 160Now Satan temps men in converſion,

1. By putting hard thoughts of God himſelf into them; and therefore no marvel if they have hard thoughts of godly men: When ſuch a ſoul is coming unto God, he is by Satan way-laid with this, namely, that God will never pardon him; he would repent, but dares not: he takes God for his Enemy: Satan would fain make a poor ſoul that's coming unto God, think that God is his Enemy, and will not ſave him; it is one of his Maſter-pieces to bring the love and good-will of God into ſuſpition: Oh! ſaith he, why ſhould I repent? I ſhall not be accepted: and this is no ſmall weapon.

And thus Satan deals with grown Saints, and ſtrong Chriſtians; and therefore ſurely the temptation is a ſtrong Engine, it hath more than ordinary ſtrength in it: He practiſed thus againſtJob 1. 16.Job 1:16 Job, The fire of God (ſaith the meſſenger) is fallen from heaven, and hath burnt up the ſheep: Mark ye, why did Satan conſume Jobs ſheep with fire? He ſtirred up the Sabeans Verſ. 14, 15.to take away his Oxen and Aſſes, and why not the ſheep? why, to provoke Job (if he could) to be paſſionate againſt God, and (for that was his great deſign) to curſe and blaſpheme God, to beget an opinion in Job, that God was now his Enemy, as well as Man: The fire of God is fallen upon the ſheep, thou canſt not put this off as thou mightſt do the other, and ſay, this is but the malice or covetouſneſs of the Sabeans, that rob me of my goods; no, thou ſhalt ſee now, that God himſelf is angry, heaven frowns upon thee, the fire of God conſumes thee: Turn over the Records of all antiquity, and ſee whether ever God dealt thus with any, but thoſe curſed Sodomites, upon whom God rained fire from heaven: Was God their enemy in that puniſhment? Behold, he ſends ſuch an one upon thee; though God hates nothing ſo much as ſin, yea nothing but ſin, yet he would fain ſave the ſinner: Now then bring your ſouls to this, either I will be a natural man ſtill, or elſe I will get into Jeſus Chriſt: Sirs, If you live in ſin, you will loſe your ſouls: if you throw away ſin, you ſhall be received into the boſom of Chriſts love.

2. In converſion one device by which Satan tempts is, when poor creatures are coming home to God, to fright them with fearful blaſphemies. As for example, he will firſt tempt or ſuggeſt to thee, that there is no God; and this temptation ſprings p. 161immediately from Satans hatred of God: he would annihilate God.

But now to oppoſe Satan in this his device, how ſhall I encounter him? Thou muſt arm thy ſelf againſt this temptation, thus:

Anſw. 1. Tell him, Satan thou knoweſt there is a God: thou wouldſt have me believe there is no God, and yet thou knoweſt that there is a God: The Devils alſo believe [that is, thatJam. 2. 19.Jas 2:19 there is one God] and tremble.

Anſw. 2. (And obſerve it): in that the Devil tempts thee, that there is no God, ſhould be a means and argument to thee to believe more certainly that there is a God: Satan would keep you from believing that which he cannot but believe: And this ſhould be a ſtrong argument to make us believe that there is a God: for were there no God, the Devil would never tempt to think that there is a God.

3. Another temptation to men in converſion is this, My heart is hard, I cannot repent of ſin: I cannot be ſorry for my ſins.

Oh! you muſt venture your ſoul upon Jeſus Christ, for free pardon and juſtification; you muſt take Chriſt, and he will give you a ſoft heart, he will give you repentance unto life: Acts 5. 31.Acts 5:31You muſt take Chriſt for pardon, and for repentance alſo, that you may be pardoned.

Queſt. But may I before I repent, take hold of Chriſt for pardon? May one that cannot repent, lay holy and lean upon Chriſt?

Anſw. 1. There's difference between one that cannot repent, but would:

2. And one that doth not repent, and will not; cares not to repent.

1. He that doth not repent, and will not, he may not take hold of Chriſt, nor lay claim to him.

2. But he that cannot repent, but would, he may lay hold of Chriſt, that he may repent: and he will go to Chriſt (nothing ſhall ſtave him off) to fetch repentance from him: I ſay, he may go to Chriſt for repentance: See how David did do ſo, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me.

p. 162There are two ſnares and nets which the Devil ſets for people.

1. One is, that they hope to be ſaved by Chriſt, and never care to be humbled, nor to be ſanctified: and in this the prophane are caught.

2. Another ſnare which Satan layeth, is to make men labour for Humiliation, Holineſs, Mortification, Obedience, and not labour to believe: and in this well-meaning people are caught. For the firſt:

Firſt, They that hope to be ſaved by Chriſt, and never careFirſt ſnare. to be humbled, nor to be ſanctified, theſe are ſadly in Satans ſnare: he holds them deadly: for Faith which justifieth, makes holy, though it doth not justifie by its holineſs: Faith makes thee a new creature: that Faith is none of Gods making, that doth not make thee a new man: And therefore it was the ſpeech of Francis Spira, in his deſertion and anguiſh of ſpirit,Pag. 114. I will not (ſaith he) derogate from the certainty of ſavingfaith, and the promiſes of the Goſpel, for they are moſt ſure; but yet take heed of relying on that faith that works not a holy and unblamable life, worthy of a Believer; believe me (quoth he) it will fail, I have tryed it: and therefore he much commended to them the Epiſtles of Peter, which preſs ſanctity and chastity.

Secondly, The other ſnare which Satan layeth, is to make men Second ſnare.dig and labour in the Mines of Humiliation and Holineſs, and ſubduing their ſins, and not take pains to believe.

1. Here's labour in vain, for that which can never bring thee Christ, nor ſalvation, and that Satan knows, and therefore puts men on it, to make them ſpend time and pains to no purpoſe: he puts them in a way where Christ is not, that they may not find Chriſt where he is: As Rahab ſent the men ofJoſh. 2. 5, 6.Josh 2:5Josh 2:6 Jericho away towards Jordan to ſeek for the ſpies, when ſhe hid them in the ſtalks of flax: So Satan ſends men a travelling after Chriſt over Hills and Dales, over the hills of Duty, and high ſtrains of Holineſs, and days of Humiliation: And therefore as Chriſt ſaid to Martha, ſo ſay I to theſe, Ye are careful about many things [how to ſubdue your ſins, and be humbled for them] but one thing is needful, that is, to come to Chriſt, and believe in him: do this, and you ſhall be ſaved.

2. When ye have believed and received Chriſt, then you ſhall p. 163be able to do all things; then you ſhall have, 1. Mortification and Victory over your luſts. 2. Sanctification and Ability to duty, and not before: Theſe be the Births of believing; you muſt believe before you can have theſe: As a woman muſt be married to a man, before ſhe can have lawful children by him: Were it not a ſimple thing for a woman to expect children legitimate by a man, and then ſhe would marry him?

As abſurd it is to expect, Firſt to have legitimate graces in the ſoul, and then to believe, to be ſanctified, and get victory over ſin, and then to believe in Chriſt; for Faith (which doth eſpouſe thee to Chriſt) is the cauſe of all true Mortification and Holineſs, as marriage is of children: As the Apoſtle tells you, Ye are married to another, even to him who is raiſed from Rom. 7. 4.Rom 7:4the dead, that we ſhould bring forth fruit unto God. Chriſt is (as it were) the Father of all our graces (of him we received grace for grace); and when he hath married us to himſelf, he begets them in us.

Of his grace he conveys grace to us, and he never doth it but by our Faith in him: for it is by Faith that he lives in us, and we in him: and holineſs is the means by which Chriſt after he is believed in, brings them that believe in him, to ſalvation.

And this removes that objection that troubles many, repentance Act. 2. 38.Acts 2:38and converſion is requited to pardon of ſin: Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt. Again, Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins may Act 3. 19.Acts 3:19be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. Once more, For him hath God exalted Act. 5. 31.Acts 5:31with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. How then ſhall I believe his promiſe of mercy to the pardon of my ſins, that cannot clear my Converſion to my Conſcience? None can enter into the Kingdom of God, except they be born again of the John 3. 3. Rom. 8. 13.John 3:3Rom 8:13ſpirit: If I live after the ſleſh, I ſhall dye.

Here are two queſtions conſounded, they muſt be diſtinguiſhed and taken aſunder.

1. What manner of perſons they be whom God admits into Heaven?

2. What manner of perſons may receive. Chriſt unto Juſtification of life? For the firſt,

p. 1641. God indeed receives none into Heaven, but thoſe on whom he hath written the golden Characters of ſanctification.

And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of Act. 20. 32.Acts 20:32his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are ſanctified. For the ſecond, who may receive Chriſt?

2. I ſay, any one (whoever he be) that finds his own guiltineſs and death, and is affected with it in his heart. Every burdened ſinner, hearing Chriſt propounded in the Covenant of Grace, with this only condition of believing in him, may come to him for life.

Chriſt and the Covenant of Grace is offered to unregeneraete Mr. Wilſon Help to Faith 80, 81. Ibid.men, who being enabled by Gods Spirit to perform the condition [which is to believe in Chriſt] Chriſt is theirs.

A man muſt not ſtay to receive Chriſt, till he firſt find in himſelf regeneration and repentance towards God, which is wrought out of it: but he muſt firſt believe, that in Chriſt he may receive the promiſed Spirit unto his new creation, or converſion unto God: for Chriſt is given, to give us theſe things: he is ſent to bleſs men, in turning them from their ſins: And Act. 3. 26. Act. 5. 31.Acts 3:26Acts 5:31him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a prince and a ſaviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins.

And therefore we are not to look firſt to find Repentance and Converſion in our ſelves, and then come to Chriſt to obtain forgiveneſs; but we muſt ſeek both in him: we muſt take Chriſt, that we may have theſe from him: as the woman that had an incurable Iſſue,

1. Believed that ſhe ſhould be healed, if ſhe touch't the Hem of Chriſts garment.

2. She ventured and reſolved in her ſelf to touch him.

3. Upon the touch, felt in her ſelf that ſhe was healed; ſo poor ſinners that feel loathſom diſeaſes of ſin in them, are to go. and venture to touch Chriſt, and to expect pardon and ho lineſs from him: And therefore ſee your error, you who will not believe, till you have firſt grace ſtrengthening you to duty, and ſubduing ſin in you: if you could clear up your Conversion, and find theſe things in you, then you could believe, and not elſe; and therefore thou muſt firſt believe in Chriſt, before thou canſt clear up thy Converſion to thee: To anſwer p. 165this Branch, how ſhall I believe, till I clear up my Converſion?

Thirdly, There is a double Act of Faith.

1. There is (indeed) an act of Faith which cannot be hadMr. Arcker, P. 30. till this be had, which Divines call the reflect act: where by a ſoul believes that it doth believe, believes that it is in Chriſt, bebelives that it is in a ſaved condition; before this act can be, there muſt be repentance and holineſs, and tryal of our graces. Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own 2 Cor. 13. 5.2 Cor 13:5ſelves: know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be reprobates? This act preſuppoſeth Faith, and is a knowing, that we have Faith: This is not the neceſſary means to ſalvation, but to aſſurance and comfort.

2. There is another act of Faith, namely the direct act, which is believing: not a believing that I do believe; nor a believing that Jeſus Chriſt is mine: but a believing on Chriſt, that Chriſt may be mine, and that I may be ſaved and ſanctified by him: and this muſt be before we can repent: we muſt not ſtay from this act of Faith, till we can clear up our Converſion to us; but believe in Chriſt, that we may love God, and clear up our Converſion to our ſelves: For (mark you) Faith is one part or grace of thy Converſion: Thou canſt not clear up thy converſion, till thou doſt believe; ſurely, then thou muſt firſt believe alſo in Chriſt, as well as repent, that thou mayſt clear up thy converſion to thy ſoul. And therefore when Satan ſhall tempt thee, what haſt thou to do to caſt thy ſelf upon Chriſt, ſeeing thou knoweſt not that he is thine? What right haſt thou to put thy ſelf on Chriſt, and art not ſure he is thine? Oh, ſaith a ſoul, if I might truſt my ſelf on Chriſt, I would.

Thou mayſt caſt thy ſoul upon Chriſt, before thou knoweſtNote. him to be thine: Obſerve, there is a twofold truſting and relying upon Chriſt: 1. The one is at a venture, without a perſwaſion Mr. Archer, p. 20.of an Intereſt in him, grounded on Gods free offer of him to all ſorts of people: This is the ground of our firſt believing, on our firſt coming to him, and entertaining of him; for if this were not, people would never receive him: This ſeems to be no more than a confidence in his ability and willingneſs to ſave all that come to him: Thus the man that had the leproſie, came and caſt himſelf on Chriſt at a venture: he knew that Chriſt could heal him: and therefore faith he, Lord, if thou p. 166wilt, thou canſt make me clean. He is not ſure that Chriſt would heal him, only makes a venture upon the pleaſure and goodneſs of Chriſt to heal him.

2. The other is a more certain thing, grounded on the Knowledg of an Intereſt in Chriſt: Becauſe a ſoul knows it hath Chriſt for its own. therefore it reſts on him confidently for ſalvation. This [truſt] follows the Knowledg of our believing, and is a further act and degree of Faith, and comes after our coming to him, and receiving of him: The Lord is my rock, and my fortreſs, Pſalm. 18. 2.Ps 18:2and my deliverer: My God, my ſtrength in whom I will truſt; my buckler, and the horn of my ſalvation, and my tower.

O my God, I truſt in thee, let me not be aſhamed: let not mine Pſalm. 25. 2.Ps 25:2enemies triumph over me.

And therefore poor ſinners, let me (oh let me) invite you to Jeſus Chriſt: I tell you, Chriſt and Justification by Chriſt, are free for any perſon whatſoever, to obtain by believing: See John 6. 35, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me, ſhall never hunger; and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt: [He that cometh, he that believeth] that is, any one that cometh, any one that believeth: It is an indefinite propoſition, and is equivalent to an univerſal: It is as much as to ſay, whoſoever comes; as it is elſewhere expreſſed, [That whoſoevrr believeth in him, John 3. 16.John 3:16ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life] that is, any perſon whoſoever may [upon believing] obtain Chriſt and Life by him: The meaning is not only, that Chriſt is free for all ſorts of people (for all ſorts of people ſhall actually have Chriſt, becauſe God hath his elect of all ſorts, both poor and rich, bond and free, Jews and Gentiles, young and old, men and women, wiſe and fooliſh, one nation and another); but that there is no particular perſon in the world (to whom the Goſpel comes) who may not by believing have Chriſt and Salvation by him: Chriſt is ſo freely tendered to all comers, to all receivers, to all that believe in him, that there is no perſon of any Countrey or Condition, of any Age or Sex, or Sins whatſoever, but by believing he may have Chriſt, and Grace, and Holineſs by him.

This was typified by the years of Jubilee: In thoſe years any ſervant of the Hebrews might go from his maſter, and be ſet free, if he would accept of it: which did teach and typifie, that any perſon whoſoever, that is by nature a ſervant unto p. 167Sin and Satan, might go out, be ſet free by Chriſt under the Goſpel, if he would accept of it: for the years of freedom, and of Jubilee, typified the year of grace by Chriſt, as you may ſee in Luk. 4. 19, where Chriſt is ſaid to preach [foreign],Ainſworth. the acceptable year of the Lord, that is, the Jubilee: for he dyingLev. 25. 10.Lev 25:10 in the laſt Jubilee that ever the land had, ſet all free for ever that would receive him. So the brazen ſerpent was a figureNumb. 21. 8, 9.Num 21:8Num 21:9 of Chriſt: Now the law of the brazen ſerpent was this, That if a Serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the ſerpent of braſs, he lived: Every one (ſaith God) that is bitten, when he looks upon it, ſhall live. What's the meaning of this? That whoſoever believes in Chriſt (mark ye, whoſoever, anyJoh 3. 14, 15.John 3:14John 3:15 one, every one that will look upon him, and believe in him) ſhould not periſh, but have eternal life, as himſelf expounds it.

The brazen ſerpent was free for any Iſraelite that was ſtung, any one might go and look on't, and be healed; ſo Chriſt is free for any ſinner that would be healed, as he explains it: God ſo loved the world (that is, the Gentiles as well as Jews), that whoſoever believes in him, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Verſ. 16. John 12. 32. Mark 16. 15. Verſ. 16.John 12:32Mark 16:15life. And in another place, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me: And therefore Chriſt appoints his Diſciples to preach the Goſpel to every creature (that is, to every man and woman ye meet with, to any Gentile, as well as to any Jew,) and then adds, He that believes ſhall be ſaved. Chriſt then (and ſalvation by Chriſt) is free for any perſon, if he will believe.

Indeed where the Goſpel is not preached, the people are not commanded to believe; and ſo obedience cannot be exacted from them, nor they puniſh't for the want of it: yet the commiſſion of mercy and pardon given out, is no way limited [in regard of perſons] but tenders mercy and pardon without reſtriction of perſons upon believing: and therefore where-ever it comes, it offers Chriſt and Salvation free for every perſon of them whatſoever, to be obtained by believing.

In a word, this was typified by the Proclamation of Cyrus: ye know their coming out of Babylon was a figure of our coming2 Chr. 36. 23.2 Chr 36:23 out of our ſpiritual captivity: Now the Proclamation of Cyrus ran thus, Who is there among you of all his people? The Rev. 22. 17.Rev 22:17Lord his God be with you, and let him go up. Like that in the Revelations, Whoſoever will, let him drink of the water of life freely.

p. 168Any Jew might have liberty and freedom from captivity, upon the terms of accepting it, for it was granted to all whoſoever, to depart, that would depart: Now, though it is true, all did not take it, and ſo were not delivered; yet freedom was free for every one that would accept it.

And therefore, ſinners, I do here invite ye all to come to Chriſt, not only for pardon, but for grace, and for converſion and repentance: It is true, he will never give you pardon without converſion, but he will give you converſion for pardon: Do not keep off from Chriſt, till ye are converted; but go to Chriſt for converſion; he will receive you all, if you will all go to him.

I am a moſt loathſom creature, a moſt loathſom wretch: andObject. will God look on me? will he love me if I go to him? May ſuch a vile loathſom ſinner as I go to ſo a Holy God? will God put me into his boſom? And therefore when a poor ſoul is enlightned to ſee his ſin, he is at a ſtand, he dares not go and converſe with God for a pardon: Arm thy ſelf againſt this Temptation, in theſe following things I ſhall give you.

1. Therefore if thou art loathſom, thou haſt the more needAnſw. to go to God, that thou mayſt be cleanſed: becauſe thou art loathſom, thou haſt the more need to fly to him: Thy foulneſs and loathſomneſs ſhould not stave thee off from Chriſt, but drive thee unto Chriſt: becauſe men have filthy diſeaſes, therefore they go unto the Bath: becauſe Naaman had a leproſie, therefore he went and waſhed in Jordan: ſo becauſe thou haſt dirt on thy ſoul, go to the blood of Chriſt to waſh thee.

2. Though God be holy, yet he will receive loathſom ſinners when they come to him, that they may be purged: As when Iſaiah cryed out, Wo unto me, I am undone, becauſe I am a man Iſa. 6. 5.Isa 6:5of unclean lips. Thou thinkeſt thy ſelf undone (becauſe thou art unclean) if thou goeſt to God; and Iſaiah thought himſelf undone (becauſe he was unclean) in that God came to him: But what then? what was the iſſue? Then flew one of the Seraphims Verſ. 6, 7.to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the Altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and ſaid, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy ſin purged.

Iſaiah crys out, I am undone, becauſe I have ſeen the Lord, and am unclean: But the Angel ſaith, Be of good cheer, thine p. 169iniquity is taken away, and thy ſin purged. Soul, thou ſayſt thou art unclean, but wouldſt thou be purged? I dare not go to God, becauſe I am unclean, but wouldſt thou be purged? Then thou ſhalt have a live cole from his altar, a holy cole dropt down from heaven: He will baptize thee with the holy ghoſt, and with fire.

3. If loathſomneſs of ſin ſhould keep us off from going to God, then none ſhould ever be ſaved: becauſe loathſomneſs and uncleanneſs is the ſtate of every man: But we ſee God hath entertained loathſom ſinners, ſay they, why not me?

4. Thou art loathſom and filthy by ſin; well, thou canſt never cleanſe thy ſelf: thou art not able to put beauty on thine own ſoul; thou canſt not thy ſelf waſh one drop of dirt off thy nature, and therefore ſurely thou mayſt and muſt go to Chriſt, that he may cleanſe thee, elſe it will never be done: As the Apoſtle tells us, The blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from 1 John 1. 7.1 John 1:7all ſin.

Object. God ſaith in one place, He deſires not the death of a ſinner: and yet he hath appointed men to damnation. How can God be juſt in this? God hath appointed all things from eternity: If he hath appointed me to ſalvation, I ſhall be ſaved; and if God hath appointed me to damnation, I ſhall be damned, whatever I do.

Anſw. Thou art not to look to Gods Appointments, but to Gods Commandments. God doth not firſt ſhew people that he hath elected them, and then and thereby perſwade and bring them to believe: But election is concealed as a ſecret thing: and by Gods offering Chriſt freely to every one to be had by believing, his free offer doth encourage them to believe; and God giving them the gift of Faith, they believe, and come to know that they are elected unto life eternal.

There was never in the Divine will, any ſuch decree of damning any man, though he ſhould believe and live holy: yea, God hath eſtabliſhed and publiſhed unto all men a quite contrary decree, that whoſoever believeth in his Son, ſhall not periſh, but have John 3. 16.John 3:16everlaſting life.

You muſt lay hold on Chriſt, and hang there, and continue hanging there.

p. 170Object. But I ſhall never hold out: It is to no purpoſe at all for me to lay hold on Chriſt, for I ſhall not hold my hold, I ſhall be beaten off again.

Anſw. 1. It is true, you ſhould be beaten off again, you could not hold your hold, did you lay hold either by your own ſtrength, or upon your ſtrength? But when you lay hold on Chriſt, you are kept not by your own power but by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. When you lay hold1 Pet. 1. 5.1 Pet 1:5 on Chriſt, Chriſt layeth hold on you, and keeps you ſafe by his power for heaven: before a man caſts himſelf upon Chriſt, or is in Chriſt, he is his own keeper, and therefore hath but a poor keeper.

2. Another ſoul-ſtaying argument to aſſure thee of thy keeping, thy perſeverance, is this, When once a ſoul is taken into Chriſt, it hath not only all ſins paſt pardoned, but alſo pardon laid up for all ſins to come: There is forgiveneſs with thee, Pſal. 130. 4.Ps 130:4that is, there's a perpetual ſtock of pardon going in God for all our daily ſinning; and therefore doth Chriſt bid us ſtill pray, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, becauſe there lye pardons with God ready before-hand for all ſins that we do act, as well as for what we have acted. And for all that is to come, as well as for that which is paſt: And therefore Paul tells you, There is no Rom. 8. 1.Rom 8:1condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, that is, after they are in Chriſt, there is no inſtant of time, wherein it can be ſaid, that they are under the ſentence of Condemnation: Now were it not that there is pardon laid in before-hand for all ſin that is to come, it might, upon every acting of a new ſin, be ſaid, that now they are under condemnation: for if the leaſt ſin be not pardoned, there is condemnation: but this cannot be.

3. Perſeverance is a gift that is purchaſed by Chriſt. Chriſt hath as truly and as really laid down his blood to purchaſe thy perſeverance as thy pardon: and therefore canſt thou be ſure of any thing by vertue of Chriſts purchaſe? thou mayſt he as ſure of perſeverance. God knew at firſt, that thou couldſt no more keep thine hold on Chriſt, than thou couldſt at firſt lay thine hold on Chriſt: And therefore,

To you that mind not Chriſt at all, but are ſtill bent upon your luſts, and ſins, and will not let him rule over you, oh receive Chriſt, be exhorted to come in, and believe in him: Elſe,

p. 1711. You ſhall have as much fear of Chriſt, as of God: and as much danger from Chriſt, as from God: for Chriſt will be angry with you, as well as God: Kiſs the Son leſt he be angry, and ye Pſal. 2. 12.Ps 2:12periſh from the way.

2. Such ſhall not only periſh, but periſh worſe than others; they are dead already, but ſhall dye worſe: they are faln in Adam, but ſhall fall further: And Simeon bleſſed them, and Luk. 2. 34.Luke 2:34ſaid unto Mary his mother: behold this child is ſet for the fall and riſing again of many in Iſrael, and for a ſign which ſhall be Matth. 10. 12, 14, 15.Matt 10:12Matt 10:14Matt 10:15ſpoken againſt. One Text more, And when ye come into an houſe, ſalute it. And whoſoever ſhall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that houſe or city, ſhake off the duſt of your feet. Verily, I ſay unto you, It ſhall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. And thus I have ſhewed you how Satan hinders thee in converſion, by tempting thee, that thou canſt not believe thou art dead in ſin; arm thy ſelf againſt this temptation thus: I know I cannot belleve of my ſelf. And this is the firſt thing thou muſt do, namely, to believe that thou canſt not believe of thy ſelf: and thus thou mayſt overſhoot Satan in his own Bow: and when thou ſeeſt thy ſelf ſo loſt, that thou canſt not believe of thy ſelf, thou art a ſtep in thy way to heaven: And know this, that it is the condition of all, till they have new hearts and new ſpirits.

And now obſerve; you that will not believe till you are ſanctified, and find ſomething in your ſelves.

1. You keep your ſelves off from believing: for you cannot believe that Chriſt is yours, till you believe in Chriſt.

2. 'Tis pride in you, that you will not have all ground of hope and mercy to be in God, and none in your ſelf: For (obſerve it) you will ground your ſalvation only on Chriſt; but you muſt ſee ſomewhat in your ſelves, before you will believe.

3. You Eclipſe the ſhining forth of Gods free grace: you darken its Beams: for Gods grace is free grace: now whilſt ye will not believe, but firſt will be able to do ſomewhat, you make not Chriſt nor Juſtification a free gift; nor can it be free grace in God: and ſo whilſt you do not ſee Gods free grace, you do not exalt him, nor magnifie him ſo much as you ſhould.

p. 1724. It is a darkning of Gods Truth, for you dare not venture yours ſouls on Gods bare word, but you muſt ſee ſomewhat done in you, before you will credit him: for though he ſaith, that whoſoever comes to Chriſt, and believes in him, ſhall be ſaved and ſanctified, yet you will not believe, till ye find your ſelves ſanctified, and ſo dare not truſt his word; and therefore it is that the Scripture makes an unbeliever, to make God a1 John 5. 10.1 John 5:10 lyar.

5. You totter your aſſurance, and make it reeling and unstable; Timo. Rogers in his right way to believe, p. 93, 96.for if you ground your aſſurance upon your graces, then as they have riſings and abatings, ſo will your aſſurance riſe and fall, ebb and flow.

Oh then, be exhorted to believe: for you that believe but weakly, oh believe more, and ſtrengthen your Faith: for you that believe but weakly, you wrong God and Chriſt, and your ſelves very much, as if Chriſt the ſecond Adam were not as good to help you, as the firſt Adam was to hurt you

Ʋſe laſt, I ſhall conclude with this point: look for a day of temptation, and prepare for a day of temptation.

Firſt, Look for a day of Temptation: For,

1. Man is born to temptations. Although affliction cometh not forth of the duſt, neither doth trouble ſpring out of the Job 5. 6, 7.Job 5:6Job 5:7ground: Yet man is born unto trouble, as the ſparks fly upward. Mariners that go in Ships on the Sea, look for ſtorms: This world is a Sea of troubles: Travellers look for thieves and encounters.

This life is the Field of tryals, and therefore you muſt look for Battels: Soldiers in the field ſtand in Battalia; whilſt you are in this world, you are in your enemies Countrey.

3. Temptations muſt come. Jeſus was led up of the ſpirit 1 Cor. 11. 19.1 Cor 11:19into the wilderneſs to be tempted of the Devil: for there must be alſo hereſies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Secondly, Prepare for a day of Temptation. Remember Prov. 24. 10, If thou faint in the day of adverſity, thy ſtrength is ſmall. 1. Prepare for inward temptations: Fears within, 2. Prepare for outward temptations, frightnings without.

1. Prepare for outward temptations from the world. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but becauſe ye John 15. 19.John 15:19are not of the world, but I have choſen you out of the world, therefore p. 173the world hateth you: and Satan will tempt ye in and by the world.

1. It is a dark day. Afflictions are called darkneſs: and darkneſs is terrible: the night is doleful and uncomfortable: Oh! get light in this dark night: Firſt, The light of Knowledg and Wiſdom to ſee your way. Secondly, the light of comfort and peace: this will guide you and uphold you.

2. It is a ſtrong day. We wreſtle not with fleſh and blood [that's but weak] but with principalities and powers: Satan is ſtrong, and Temptations are ſtrong, eſpecially when we are weak: and therefore ſtore up ſtrength.

1. The ſtrength of God, and the ſtrength of Chriſt: I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me.

2. Feed upon the preſent ordinances of Chriſt. Concoct them, and turn them into nutriment: Chriſt fed the people, leſt (ſaid he) they ſhould faint in the way: If you hear the word, but feed not on the word, you will faint in the way: Rebuke your ſelves, that you have not fed ſo heartily upon the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt: O repent, and whet up your appetites: now get good ſtomachs to the word of life: What the Angel of the Lord ſaid to Elijah, ſo ſay I to yon, Ariſe 1 King. 19. 7, 8.1 Kgs 19:71 Kgs 19:8and eat, becauſe the journey is too great for thee: And he aroſe, and did eat and drink, and went in the ſtrength of that meat forty days and forty nights.

3. Get the ſpirit within you: Ye are of God, little children, 1 John 4.4.1 John 4:4and have overcome them, becauſe greater is he that is in you, than be that is in the world.

4. Get humility: there is great ſtrength in humility: The humbled Chriſtian is the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian: An humble heart will bear a great affliction, when a proud heart cannot bear the leaſt: Let a man deny himſelf, and take up his croſs, and follow me: Self-denial is humility, and the ſelf-denying Chriſtian will be able to take up the Croſs, and carry it after Jeſus Chriſt.

2. Prepare, as for outward, ſo for inward Temptations: Outward tryals bring inward Temptations along with them.

1. Temptations to doubt of Gods love, as Gideon ſaid [when the Angel told him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour]. Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all Judg. 6. 13.Judg 6:13this befaln us? And where be all his miracles which our Fathers p. 174told us of, ſaying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forſaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

2. Temptations to caſt off God. Then ſaid his wife unto him, Job 2. 9.Job 2:9Doſt thou still retain thine integrity? Curſe God and dye.

3. Temptations to unbelief: When poverty and want of all things come upon you, can God, or will God ſuſtain me? When I have nothing of mine own, ſhall, or can I live upon the air? Yea, they ſpake againſt God: they ſaid, Can God furniſh a Pſal. 78. 19. 20.Ps 78:19Ps 78:20table in the wilderneſs? Behold he ſmote the rock, that the waters guſhed out, and the ſtreams overflowed, Can he give bread alſo? can he provide fleſh for his people?

4 Temptations to ſin; to ſave and ſhift for your ſelves by ſin: As Abraham was tempted to lye, and ſaid that Sarah was not his wife, but his ſiſter: Peter to ſave himſelf, was tempted to deny Jeſus Chriſt.

Thirdly, In the third place—Satan tempts after Converſion.

1. He tempts new converts by pride. Young Chriſtians that are newly born, are ſubject to this ſin. For,

1. They are come (as it were) into a new world, and therefore know not what ground they ſtand on: And as a child that hath a new garment, the firſt day he wears it, or for a little while, as long as it is new, he is ſo proud, that he doth nothing but ſhow it, and will go abroad to ſhow his new cloathes; ſo the Saints at their firſt Converſion, when they have put on the new man, as long as it ſeems new, are very proud of it, and very fine in their own eye, and delight to ſhow abroad their graces, and will go in company to ſhow their new gifts and cloathes, none ſo forward to ſpeak or cenſure as they.

Thus the Diſciples were at firſt very proud and ſelf-conceited Matth. 19. 27.Matt 19:27for their leaving all for Chriſt, as you may read; Behold we have forſaken all, and followed thee, what ſhall we have therefore? That is, we have done that which this young man would not.

2. A little grace (in a new convert) ſeems great; a little grace in a new convert ſeems great, and a great deal of grace in an old convert ſeems little: I ſay, a little grace in a new convert ſeems great.

1. Becauſe being but newly, and but ſmally enlightned, he doth not ſee all the dimenſions of grace: he doth not yet ſee p. 175what quantity is in grace, what an abundance of grace is neceſſary to ſuch and ſuch duties, ſuch and ſuch temptations.

2. Again, a little ſeems a great deal to him that had lately none. As two-pence or a groat is a great deal in a poor mans purſe, that had not ſo much there he knew not when: And a man that hath not a foot of land left him by his Father in the world, and lives thereafter very poor and needy; if an Ʋnckle or Kinſman ſhould dye, and leave him but ten pound lands a year, he would count it a great deal (indeed, it is a great deal to nothing), and would count himſelf as good a man as he that hath his hundred a year.

So a Saint that hath newly ſet up in the world, and was worth nothing a week a go, to him a little ſum of grace ſeems a great deal: and he (poor ſoul) is as brag and brisk of his little Tenement, as he that hath his hundreds; and indeed a little grace is a great deal in reſpect of nothing: There's a vaſt difference between the leaſt entity and nothing: Contradiction (which is between ens and nonens) is the greateſt oppoſition: There is a far greater difference between little and nothing, than between little and great: for there is ſome proportion between a little and great, but there is no proportion at all between nothing and little: between no being and little being: becauſe in that which is not, there is nothing to anſwer the Being of that which is, though it be never ſo little.

3. Becauſe a new unexperienced Convert thinks he can do a great deal with what he hath. As a man that's in health, ſeeing a log or a burden lying before him, thinks that he can eaſily lift it till he comes to try: and a young ſpark that feels ſome blood in his veins, and vigour in his ſinews, thinks that he is able to beat or cope with a man of great ſtature.

So a young Saint thinks that he is able to do great matters: Matth. 20. 22.Matt 20:22When Chriſt asked the Sons of Zebedee, Are ye able to drink of the cup that I ſhall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptiſm that I am baptized with? They ſay unto him, we are able.

4. Becauſe their graces are freſh, and lively, and active, therefore they think they are ſtrong and great.

5. The young Convert is unexperienced: 1. He knows not what a great meaſure of grace is required to grapple with a little corruption: A ſin that is but little in compaſs, hath a great deal of weight in it: as a Bullet of Lead, that is but little in p. 176circumference, yet weighs heavy and weighty.

2. Satan tempts young Converts by laying burdens upon them.

1. To make the way of grace unpleaſant to them.

2. By laying burdens on them greater than their graces, too heavy for their young graces to bear: Grace at the firſt birth is but weak and tender; a ſoul newly ſanctified, is like a glaſs, you know a fly may walk upon a glaſs; you have oftentimes ſeen a fly to go up and down, being a light body, whereas a great weight put upon it, would break it and ſhatter it all to pieces.

So a light affliction may walk up and down upon a new Convert; but a heavy one would break him: Now Satan would lay heavy afflictions upon young Saints, great burdens upon little Chriſtians.

2. He tempts the Saints (a while after their Converſion) to ſecurity, lukewarmneſs and worldlineſs. You ſeldom ſee a new convert troubled with theſe ſins: for then they are altogether upon the wing, they are newly awakened out of ſleep, and therefore (as a man that hath ſlept a long time, and is awakened) cannot ſuddenly fall aſleep again; ſo they having ſlept ſo long in the bed of nature, and being awakened, cannot in the morning of their converſion fall aſleep preſently again: and they mind not the world, they can do nothing but pray, and hear, and read, and meditate; for a while the buſineſs of the new life takes them up.

But I ſay, Satan obſerves his time, and when they have been up, and ſpent a good part of the day, then he tempts them to take a nap, and after much exerciſe and glorious duties, they fall aſleep, and grow ſecure: Thus the Angel of the Church of Epheſus he left his firſt love: And the Angel of the Church ofRev. 2. 4. Rev. 3. 15.Rev 2:4Rev 3:15 Laodicea, he became luke-warm, and was neither hot nor cold.

3. Satan tempts them into ſin, to the worſt of ſins; that's Satans delight, to make the Saints ſin: as David to adultery.

1. Satan brings a Saint into ſin, by making him confide in his habitual graces: as if his inward grace were enough to carry him out againſt a temptation; whereas, hadſt thou Adams grace (without effectual aſſiſtance from God) it could not p. 177uphold thee againſt one aſſault. Thus he brought Peter upon the ſtage, by making him preſume upon his inherent love to Chriſt, and ſo he fell and loſt the day.

2. Satan brings a Saint into ſin, by making him confide in his former experiences: Becauſe he hath overcome ſuch a temptation, and baffled ſuch a luſt, therefore he thinks he can do it again; or bear the ſhock of another temptation as ſtrong: But though former experience may be our comfort, yet it is not our preſent ſupport: Our ſtanding for the future, depends not on the former experience, but on renewing and corroborating grace from God.

3. Satan tempts men into ſin, by repreſenting the world to them in glory: as Satan took Chriſt into an exceeding highMatth 4. 8.Matt 4:8 mountain, and ſhewed him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the Glory of them: Satan can ſet a curious paint upon foul faces; he ſets a gloſs upon the world, and ſo men become covetous and ſelf-ſeekers.

4. By blowing up old luſts to ſparkle afreſh: as fire almoſt out, may be blown into a flame: Like David, was blown up1 Sam. 25. 22.1 Sam 25:22 into a wild fire of Revenge, that none of Nabals houſe ſhould live.

5. Satan tempts men into ſin, by perſwading them it is for God, by making you intend it for the Lord: Thus when Iſrael made the golden calf, and committed idolatry, Aaron made Exod. 32. 5.Exod 32:5proclamation, and ſaid, To morrow is a feaſt to the Lord, unto whom a feaſt ſhould have been kept; and to him they intended this their ſervice: ſee Satans depth! they commit idolatry, and pretend it for ſervice to the Lord.

Fourthly, Satan tempts to duty. You will think this a ſtrange phraſe, that Satan ſhould drive you to duty, to pray, or hear, and that I ſhould call doing duty, a temptation.

1. Thus Satan tempted Saul to duty, to offer ſacrifice: he ſhould not have offered ſacrifice till Samuel came, and Satan 1 Sam. 13. 8, 9.1 Sam 13:81 Sam 13:9tempted him to offer ſacrifice before Samuel came: Satan will tempt us to duty, when it is not our duty: when duty is a ſin, he will tempt us to it: as ſometimes Satan tempts to prayer, when we ſhould not neglect our calling: ſometimes Satan tempts to faſting, when we ſhould not neglect our bodies.

2. So he will tempt us to duty, ſo as to make duty a cloak for ſin: As the Iſraelites thought they might take liberty to p. 178ſin, as long as they ſerved God in his new moons, and ſabbaths, and ſacrifices: and thus it is with many amongſt us, they preſume the rather to ſin, becauſe they think to make amends for it afterwards by duty, or by ſome good deeds, as Prayer, Confeſſion, Alms, &c. an horrible thing, to think that God will be thus corrupted, and made to wink at our ſin! But the greateſt ſervice will not excuſe the leaſt ſin.

3. He will tempt us to duty, when it is death to do the duty: Thus he tempts men to the ſacrament, when it is death to go to the Sacrament unſanctified, and unprepared: as he tempted the Iſraelites to long for fleſh, when it was death to long for it: While the fleſh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, Numb. 11. 33.Num 11:33the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and the Lord ſmote the people with a very great plague.

4. Satan tempts from duty, by plauſable reaſonings: Thus Satan tempts a ſoul to leave duty, and bid farewel to Prayer, and Sacraments, and Sermons: Why ſo? I am not the better by Prayer, nor Hearing, nor Reading, nay (methinks) I am far the worſe, and therefore I'le never hear more, nor attend Sacraments more, for my condemnation will be the greater: To this, I anſwer (and obſerve) arm your ſelf thus:

Anſw. 1. It is better to periſh in duty, than out of duty. Whatever comes on thee, let God find thee doing his will; be the event what it will: Let death take thee praying, and hearing; let death take thee waiting upon God for Faith and Grace: It is better for thee it ſhould be ſo, becauſe thou art doing thy Maſters will: And therefore ſay, I'le pray, and dye praying, though I be never heard; becauſe praying is my duty, and for Gods Glory: Let me dye in a duty that glorifieth him.

2. Thou canſt never periſh in duties, if thou art found in them, in Obedience to God; thou mayſt be like to periſh in thy own ſenſe, but thou ſhalt never periſh, (I ſay) if thou art found in them, in Obedience to God: Obedience never went without ſucceſs: God will loſe himſelf as ſoon as he will let obedience loſe it ſelf: Duty may loſe a ſoul, but Obedience to God in duty; never yet loſt a ſoul to this day.

3. It is but a may be, if thou periſh in duty, and in ordinances: It is a ſhall be unto thee, to periſh out of duty; for duty is thy food, thou muſt live by duty: If a man eat food, it may be he may periſh, though he doth eat; but if he will not p. 179take food at all, he ſhall periſh; ſo it may be, thou mayſt periſh in praying, and hearing, and receiving Sacraments, but thou ſhalt certainly periſh in the neglect of theſe.

4. God will at laſt ſpeak to thee in duty, for it is his way, wherein he will be found: God ſpeaks not at firſt,

1. To ſhew us the worth of the mercy. As when a man is hardly intreated to part with a thing, it is becauſe it is a thing of ſome value: a mean gift he will part with at the firſt word, or it may be without asking. So God gives mean things (as riches and honours in this life) to men without asking, to them that never call upon his name: But ſpiritual mercies, as peace of ſoul, joy and aſſurance of his love; theſe he doth not give ſuddenly and caſily, not becauſe he is hard to be intreated, (for he doth purpoſe to give them before we ask him), but to ſhew us the worth of thoſe rare and matchleſs mercies, of what value they are of.

2. To ſtrengthen and breathe our faith. As wreſtling doth add ſtrength to arms and body; ſo praying, and praying again, doth ſtrengthen faith: as uſe and exerciſe in running, ſtrengthens the lungs, and lengthens the breath; ſo by much praying, faith is well breathed: Jacob by wreſtling all night, is ſtronger to wreſtle in the morning: the Angel ſaid, Let me go, for the Gen. 32. 26.Gen 32:26day breaketh: and he ſaid, I will not let thee go till thou bleſs me: He grew ſtronger and ſtronger, [I will not let thee go] he was ſtronger at laſt, than at the firſt.

3. To keep us in the exerciſe of ſome other graces. He doth not at firſt give us aſſurance of his love, to keep us in the exerciſe of Prayer, and longing after his loving-kindneſs: He doth not preſently (as ſoon as we ask him) Crown us with victory over a temptation, that he might keep us in the exerciſe of humility and ſelf-loathing: he denieth us (for a while) ſome one comfort or grace for the exerciſe of another: For this thing (ſaith Paul) I be ſought the Lord thrice, that it might 2 Cor. 12. 8, 9.2 Cor 12:82 Cor 12:9depart from me. And he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee: for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.

4. To let us know that the grace or comfort we ask, is his gift of grace, of free grace, not a debt unto our perſons, or our prayers: that when we have prayed never ſo long, yet he gives freely.

5. To diſcipline us in humble obedience, and waiting on him; p. 180to teach us our place, that we may know our ſelves, that it is our duty to wait upon him as long as he pleaſes; and that we may underſtand his greatneſs and diſtance above us: God will keep up his place in the hearts of his people, and therefore will make them wait long before he gives in the things they pray for.

Yet I ſay, for all this, God will at laſt ſpeak unto thee in duty, for it is his way wherein he will be found: He bids thee pray, therefore thou ſhalt ſpeed in Prayer: He bids thee hear, therefore thou ſhall meet him one time or other in hearing his word: When God ſeeth a Saint reſolves to pray for a mercy promiſed, as ſoon as ever he begins to pray for it, God reſolves to beſtow it, though he doth not manifeſt it to thee after many a prayer, that he will give it: See Dan. 9. 23, At the beginning of thy ſupplications the Commandment came forth: that is, God hath revealed to us Angels, and to me eſpecially, the ſecret of his Counſel concerning the Reſtauration of Jeruſalem, Iſa. 65. 24.Isa 65:24and the Duration thereof, even to the Meſſiah.

6. Sometimes (ſuch is Satans depth) a Saint doth ſin out of love to Chriſt. You would think this very ſtrange, yet it is very true: a Saint (I ſay) doth commit ſome ſins out of love to Chriſt. Thus Peter ſinned fearfully, when Chriſt told them that he muſt go to Jeruſalem, and ſuffer many things of the Matth. 16. 21, 22.Matt 16:21Matt 16:22elders, and chief prieſts, and ſcribes, and be killed: Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, ſaying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this ſhall not be unto thee: Peter took him, that is, took him by the hand, and led him aſide, as they uſe to do, who would talk familiarly with a friend; or took him, that is, embraced him; be it far from thee, that is, thou haſt deſerved no ſuch ſhameful death; this ſhall not be unto thee, that is, we will not ſuffer thee to go to Jeruſalem to be ſlain; or [let not this be]. Peter did all this out of his love to Jeſus Chriſt: yet Chriſt called himVerſ. 23. Satan.

So again, when Christ waſhed his Diſciples feet, Peter wouldJohn 13 8.John 13:8 not let Chriſt waſh his feet, Thou ſhalt never waſh my feet: This was out of love and reſpect to Chriſt: Peter thought Chriſt too good to waſh his feet, and therefore put him off: But it was a great ſin, inſomuch that Chriſt ſaith, If I waſh thee not, thou hast no part in me.

So again, when the Samaritans would not receive Chriſt, hisLuk. 9. 54.Luke 9:54 p. 181Diſciples James and John ſaid, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and conſume them, even as Elias did?

7thly, Satan tempts to extreams. Satan will not have you do a thing in ſeaſon; and when it is too late, then he will make you mad upon doing of it: Thus he would not let the children of Iſrael go into Canaan, when they had the gate of ſeaſon open, and when they had Gods good will to go in: But when 'twas too late, when 'twas a ſin to deſire to go, when God had ſhut the gate of opportunity, and ſet a lock of prohibition on it; as you know when you walk or travel, you ſhall find gates, not only ſhut, but a lock alſo put upon them for ſecurity; and then you conjecture, that not only you cannot, but you muſt not go through ſuch a place or piece of ground: or where there was a ſtile to go over a mans land, when you come again, and find the ſtile taken up, and a hedg made; you conclude that now it is not the owners pleaſure that any paſſengers ſhould make a thorow-fare there any more.

So it was with Iſrael, God offered them, and made a ſtile for them to ſtep over into Canaan: The Lord thy God hath ſet the Deut. 1. 21.Deut 1:21land before thee, go up, and poſſeſs it, and then they would not; for they ſent ſpies to ſearch the land, and upon their report wept and murmured, and wiſht, Would God we had dyed in this Numb. 14. 2.Num 14:2wilderneſs.

Ʋſe 2. If Satan be ſo learned and exquiſite an Artiſt in the Trade of deceiving ſouls, then humble your ſelves in that you are ſo capable and receptive of Satans motions: He is a willing agent, ſo we are willing patients: we are wont to ſay, that the receiver is as bad as the thief, and the harlot that entertains the motion, is as bad as the adulterer: So (my Beloved) when Satan tempts, and you ſin, you are as bad as the tempter; you are his Harlots, that conſent to his adulterous motions: thy conſent to his temptation makes thee one with him: What makes two perſons at any time one? Conſent. Thus conſent makes two perſons one in marriage, and conſent makes two perſons one in a Deſign or Action: ſo thy conſent with Satan, makes thee one with Satan, and as bad as he is.

If an adulterer ſhould tempt a mans wife to lewdneſs, though he would hate the Adulterer, yet he would lay the greateſt blame upon his wife, and take it moſt unkindly from her, and break p. 182his heart with grief, that ſhe (whom he loved ſo well) ſhould deal ſo ill with him? So when Satan (that great Adulterer) tempts thee to ſin, though Chriſt hates him for it, and will at laſt be revenged on him (for jealouſie is the rage of a man: Prov. 6. 34.Prov 6:34therefore he will not ſpare in the day of vengeance), yet he takes it moſt unkindly at thee, that thou Saint, whom he loved ſo well; that thou ſinner, for whom he ſhed his blood; that thou profeſſor, who art his bride, ſhould hearken to ſuch a baſe fellow as Satan is.

And therefore do not put your ſins off from your ſelves to Satan; do not think that becauſe he tempts you, you ſhall not anſwer for them: I will give you two noted Inſtances to the contrary. The firſt is Adam and Eve: Eve was tempted by2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14. 1 Chr. 21. 1.2 Cor 11:31 Tim 2:141 Chr 21:1 the Serpent, (and mark ye, ſhe was deceived and beguiled by him), and yet ſee how God curſeth Adam and Eve for that ſin, and entails curſes to all their poſterity for it. The ſecond Inſtance is that of David, who was tempted by Satan to number the people. Now to diſcover our vileneſs, note theſe two things:

1. Satan cannot compel us to ſin, only perſwade us; he hath only a perſwading ſlight, not an enforcing might: And therefore James tells you, that every man when he is tempted, is enticed James 1. 14.Jas 1:14and drawn away of his own luſt: Though Satan hath a hand (and that no ſmall one) in tempting of us; yet, becauſe he doth only allure us, and lay baits for us, but not conſtrain us, becauſe he cannot make us ſin againſt our wills, becauſe our own luſt carrieth the chiefeſt ſtroke; therefore he ſaith, Every man is tempted and drawn away, not by the Devil, but by his own luſt: for Satan can do nothing but by our own luſts.

2. Becauſe in obeying Satans Temptations, we do our own wills: We do not ſin to ſerve Satan, but to pleaſe our ſelves:Eph. 2. 2, 3.Eph 2:2Eph 2:3 As wicked men in doing Gods work, aim at themſelves; ſo in doing Satans work, we do it to ſerve our own ſelves, and therefore it is our ſin.

Ʋſe 3. If Satan be ſo learned and exquiſite an Artiſt in the Trade of deceiving ſouls, then watch againſt Satan.

1. We talk of Travellers, that have ſeen the world over:1. Satan a Traveller. one ever ſaw ſo much as Satan; he hath ſeen Earth, ſeen the Sea, ſeen Hell, ſeen Heaven aſ he ſaith himſelf, that he came from compaſſing, or from going to and fro in the earth.

p. 1832. Great Conquerors have been crowned for Victories, and2. Satan a Conqueror. Extention of their Kingdoms: Satan is beyond them all: Saul hath ſlain his Thouſands, David his ten thouſands, but Satan his millions.

3. If we know that we have an adverſary at the next door,3. Satan an Accuſer. that pryeth into all our courſes, and upon the leaſt error will ſue us on an Action of Treſpaſs, we will be circumſpect to diſable him of advantage: Satan no ſooner ſpies our wandrings, but he preſently runs with a complaint to God, and prefers Bills againſt us in the Star-chamber of Heaven; where the matter would go hard with us, but for the Great Lord Chancellor of Peace, our Advocate, Jeſus Chriſt.

Ʋſe 4. Reſiſt him. It is the Apoſtles precept, Whom reſiſt, 1 Pet. 5. 9.1 Pet 5:9ſtedfaſt in the faith.

Queſt. But you will ſay, How ſhall I reſiſt him?

Anſw. 1. Reſiſt thy ſelf, and thou reſiſteſt Satan. I ſay, thou muſt reſiſt him, by reſiſting thy ſelf: Reſiſt thy ſelf, and thou ſhalt reſiſt Satan: for Satan tempts thee by thy ſelf: he tempts us, by making us do our own works: oppoſe thy ſelf, and thou oppoſeſt Satan: ſtand on thy guard againſt thy ſelf, for Satan tempts thee by thy ſelf: Store up Wiſdom againſt him, that thou mayſt be an Artiſt againſt his Temptation: Encounter with him, find out the out-goings of Satan.

Anſw. 2. Satan doth tempt thee, by not tempting thee: As God is ſaid to puniſh us, by not puniſhing us: not to puniſh us,Hoſ. 4. 14.Hos 4:14 is the greateſt puniſhment: ſo Satan doth tempt you, by not tempting you: he tempts you to pride, by not tempting you to groſs ſins: Becauſe the Phariſees were not Adulterers, Extortioners, nor ſuch groſs ſinners as publicans, therefore they were proud, and deſpiſed ſalvation by Chriſt: The Devil will not tempt ſome men to groſs ſins, he ſeeth which way their vein goeth, and will make uſe of their own righteouſneſs to exalt them, and then break their necks with it: How ſtrongly doth he tempt civil men, by not tempting them? By not tempting them to be drunkards and adulterers, he tempts them to be Juſtitiaries, not to ſee their need of Jeſus Chriſt: He makes them think themſelves better than Saints, becauſe he tempts them not to do ſuch groſs ſins as ſome Saints have done; ſo p. 184he tempts thee to ſecurity and quietneſs in a ſinful eſtate, by not tempting thee with thy ſins, nor troubling thee with the fears of Hell.

Know (my Beloved) that God loves us, as well when he doth us evil, as when he doth us good in this world: Satan will go about to perſwade thee in afflictions (as thou muſt look for them) that God hates thee, and cares not for thee: if he loved thee, he would not uſe thee thus as he doth: Be not deceived, make God thine, and then be cheerful in every ſtate: It becomes a gracious man to rejoyce in afflictions, in ſickneſs, in poverty, in weakneſs, in reproach, in perſecution: Satan in all afflictions would befool thee, and make thee believe any thing, as if thou wert no body with God, becauſe thou art ſick, or poor, and no body in the world; it is his delight to fill thee with ſorrow: But I ſay, it becomes a gracious man to rejoyce in afflictions.

Oh that you would or could digeſt this principle, and believe Note.it, and act it, namely, outward evils are to be received in the ſame manner, and with the ſame mind, that good things are received with: you receive health with joy, and riches and peace with joy; oh you ſhould receive ſickneſs, and weakneſs, and poverty in the ſame manner: ſaith Paul, We glory in tribulation, Rom. 5. 3. And again, As ſorrowful, yet alway rejoycing, 2 Cor. 6. 10. The ſorrow of the Saints ſhould be like the joy of the wicked, only in appearance: Paul had only a ſhadow of ſorrow [as ſorrowful], but his joy was ſubſtantial and lasting, [always rejoycing] though his outward eſtate caſt up, amounted but to this [poor and having nothing], yet he was always rejoycing: Why ſo?

Becauſe God is the ſame in all varieties: God loves us, as well when we are poor, as when we are rich; as well when himſelf ſmites, as when he heals: he is as good to us when we receive evil, as when we receive good: And therefore if God be the ſame, ſurely we ought to be the ſame too, and our faith the ſame: Now thou mourneſt, heretofore thou didſt rejoyce; now (it may be) thou art in want, but thou hast had abundance, and therefore thou art dejected and ſad, and canſt ſcarce lead one comfortable day for diſquiets and caſtings in thy thoughts: We have a ſaying, [Faelicem fuiſſe, miſerrimum]; it is a miſerable thing to have been happy: But 'tis p. 185vain; a godly man is happy in the midſt of all his miſery: he may ſay with Luther, Let him be miſerable that can be miſerable, I cannot: He that hath not a God to loſe, nor a ſoul to loſe, cannot be miſerable, whatſoever he loſes: while Chriſt is ſafe, a believer hath no reaſon to be unſatisfied.

And this will diſcover the truth of grace to you, your joy in God: When we have outward mercies, we think we rejoyce in them, only as pledges of Gods love, when indeed we rejoyce more in the benefits themſelves, than in the benefactor: The diſcovery is, by our drooping and dejection under the Croſs: If it had been Gods favour only we had rejoyced in in our proſperity, why then is the copy of our countenance changed? for Gods favour is ſtill the ſame to his in affliction, as it is in proſperity; haply greater.

So again, obſerve thy ſelf in a ſickneſs, thou wilt ſay, oh I am hindred from doing God ſervice by ſickneſs, as if thou deſiredſt health meerly to do God ſervice: this is thy hearts deceitfulneſs: Satan would make thee believe that thou deſireſt health to do God ſervice, when it is out of love to health it ſelf: For,

1. Every ſtate that God puts us into, is the best ſervice to him. When God puts us into ſickneſs to ſerve him, there is the beſt ſervice: A maſter takes that ſervice beſt from a Servants hands, which he commands him to do; ſo if God commands thee to be ſick, and commands thee to ſerve him on a ſick bed, this is the best ſervice; thy maſter would have thee employed there.

2. God may, yea hath as much uſe of our lives in our troubles, as in our comforts. We may do much buſineſs for God on a ſick bed: we may do God as much work when we are bound hand and foot in a priſon, as when we are at liberty: Paſſive obedience brings as much glory to God, as active doth: Afflictions are the higheſt ſervices and employments of grace. Oh! but my graces are weak.

1. God will put weak grace to no more work than it can do:1 Cor. 10. 13.1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. He ſhall feed his flock like Iſa. 40. 11.Isa 40:11a ſhepherd; he ſhall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry p. 186them in his boſom, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young.

2. God will raiſe up little grace (ſometimes) to act above its ſtrength: though the babe be but weak, the nurſe is ſtrong; ſo, though grace be weak, the ſpirit is ſtrong: And he ſaid 2 Cor. 12. 9.2 Cor 12:9unto me, my grace is ſufficient for thee: for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.

3. God will not leave his works imperfect; when he begins a work, he compleats and carries it through. He is a rock Deut. 32. 4.Deut 32:4(ſaith Moſes) his work is perfect. What he ſaid concerning the houſe of Eli, I may apply hither, when I begin, I will alſo 1 Sam. 3. 12.1 Sam 3:12make an end, that is, I will do it fully, I will do it perfectly, for the end of a work is its perfection: 'tis ſo in ſpirituals, when he begins a work of grace, he will make an end: Bring my ſons from Iſa. 43. 6, 7.Isa 43:6Isa 43:7far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him. God doth his work exquiſitely, or, (as we ſay) artificially; yea thoſe works that we look upon, as full of confuſion, are full of order; and thoſe works, in which we ſee no form, or nothing but deformity, even theſe will one day appear admirable in beauty and comelineſs. That which Paul ſpeaks to Timothy, bidding him do the work of an 2 Tim. 2. 15.2 Tim 2:15Evangeliſt, bidding him ſhew himſelf a work-man, that needs not to be aſhamed; is moſt true concerning the great God, he will do all his works, ſo that he needs not to be aſhamed.