Of Temptation, Chapter 2
CHAP. 2.
What it is to enter into temptation. Not barely being tempted. Not to be conquered by it. To fall into it. The force of that Expreſſion. Things required unto entring into temptation. Satan or luſt more than ordinarily importunate. The ſoules entanglement. Seaſons of ſuch entanglements diſcovered. Of the houre of Temptation, Rev. 3. 18. what it is. How any Temptation comes to its houre. How it may be knowne when it is ſo come. The meanes of Prevention preſcribed by our Saviour. Of watching and what is intended thereby. Of Prayer.
HAving ſhewed what Temptation is, I come in the next place to manifeſt what it is to enter into Temptation:
1. This is not merely to be tempted: It is impoſſible that we ſhould be ſo freed from temptation, as not to be at all tempted. Whileſt Satan continues in his power and malice, whileſt the world and luſt are in being, we ſhall be tempted: Chriſt (ſayes one,) was made like unto us, that he might be tempted; and we are tempted that we may be made like unto Chriſt: Temptation in generall, is comprehenſive of our whole warfare; as our Saviour calls the time of his miniſtry, the time of his Temptation, Luk. 22. 28. We have no promiſe that we ſhall not be tempted at all, nor are to pray for an abſolute freedome from temptations, becauſe we have no ſuch promiſe of being heard therein.
The direction we have for our prayers is, lead us not into temptation, Mat. 6. 9. it is entering into temptation, that we are to pray againſt: We may be tempted, and yet not enter into temptation: ſo that,
2. Something more is intended by this expreſſion, then the ordinary work of Satan, and our own luſts, which will be ſure to tempt us every day. There is ſomething ſignall, in this entring into Temptation, that is, not the Saints every dayes worke: It is ſomething that befals them peculiarly in reference to ſeduction unto ſinne, on one account or other, by the way of allurement, or affrightment.
3. It is not to be conquered by a temptation; to fall downe under it; to commit the ſinne or evill that we are tempted to, or to omit the duties that are oppoſed. A man may enter into temptation, and yet not fall under Temptation. God can make a way for a man to eſcape, when he is in, he can breake the ſnare, tread downe Satan, and make the ſoule more than a Conquerour, though it have entered into temptation: Chriſt entered into it, but was not in the leaſt foyled by it, but
4. It is, as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it. 1 Tim. 6. 9. foreign; to fall into Temptation; as a man falls into a pit, or a deep place, where are gins, and ſnares, wherewith he is intangled. The man is not preſently kill'd, and deſtroyed, but he is intangled and detained: He knowes not how to get free, or be at liberty: ſo it is expreſſed againe to the ſame purpoſe, 1 Cor. 10. 13. no temptation hath taken you: it is to be taken by a temptation, and to be intangled with it, held in its cords, not finding at preſent a way to eſcape. Thence ſaith Peter 2 Ep. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations: They are entangled with them, God knowes how to deliver them out of them. When we ſuffer a temptation to enter into us, then we enter into temptation. Whileſt it knocks at the doore, we are at liberty; but when any Temptation comes in, and parlies with the heart, Reaſons with the mind, entices and allures the affections, be it a long or a ſhort time, doe it thus inſenſibly and imperceptibly, or do the ſoule take notice of it, we enter into Temptation;
So then; unto our entring into Temptation is required;
1: That by ſome Advantage, or on ſome Occaſion, Satan be more earneſt than ordinary in his ſolicitations to ſinne, by affrightments, or allurements, by perſecutions, or ſeductions, by himſelfe or others; or that ſome luſt or corruption by his inſtigation, and advantages of outward objects provoking, as in proſperity, or terrifying, as in trouble, do tumultuate more than ordinary within us: There is a ſpeciall acting of the Authour, and principles of Temptation, required thereunto.
2. That the heart be ſo farre entangled with it, as to be put to diſpute, and argue in its owne defence, and yet not to be able wholy to eject or caſt out the poyſon, and leaven that hath been injected; but is ſurprized, if it be never ſo little off its watch, into an intanglement not eaſy to be avoided; ſo that the ſoule may cry, and pray, and cry againe, and yet not be delivered; as Paul ſought the Lord thriſe for the departure of his temptation, and prevailed not. The entanglement continues. And this uſually fals out in one of theſe two ſeaſons.
1. When Satan by the permiſſion of God, for ends beſt knowne to himſelfe, hath got ſome peculiar Advantage againſt the ſoule. As in the caſe of Peter: he ſought to winnow him, and prevailed.
2. When a mans luſts and corruptions, meet with peculiarly provoking objects, and occaſions, through the condition of life, that a man is in, with the Circumſtances of it: as it was with David: of both which afterward.
In this ſtate of things, a man is entred into Temptation; and this is called the houre of Temptation, Rev. 3. 10. The ſeaſon wherein it growes to a head; the diſcovery whereof will give farther light into the preſent enquiry, about what it is to enter into Temptation; for when the houre of Temptation is come upon us, we are entred into it.
Every great and preſſing temptation hath its houre, a ſeaſon wherein it growes to a head, wherein it is moſt vigorous, active, operative and prevalent. It may be long in riſing, it may be long urging more or leſſe; but it hath a ſeaſon, wherein from the conjunction of other occurrences, ſuch as thoſe mentioned, outward or inward, it hath a dangerous houre, and then for the moſt part, men enter into it.
Hence that very temptation which at one time, hath little or no power on a man, he can deſpiſe it, ſcorne the motions of it, eaſily reſiſt it; at another, beares him away quite before it. It hath from other circumſtances and occurrences, got new ſtrength and efficacy; or the man is enervated and weakened, the houre is come, he is entred into it, and it prevailes. David probably had Temptations before in his younger dayes to Adultery or murder, as he had in the caſe of Nabal; but the houre of temptation was not come, it had not got its advantages aabout it, and ſo he eſcaped, untill afterwards. Let men looke for it, that are expoſed unto temptations, as who is not: They will have a ſeaſon wherein their ſolicitations will be more urgent, their Reaſonings more plauſible, pretences more glorious, hopes of Recovery more appearing, opportunities more broad and open, the doores of evill made more beautifull than ever they have been: Bleſſed is he who is prepared for ſuch a ſeaſon, without which there is no eſcaping. This as I ſaid is the firſt thing required to entring into Temptation; if it ſtay here, we are ſafe.
Before I deſcend to other particulars, having now entered hereon I ſhall ſhew in generall.
1. How, or by what meanes, commonly any Temptation attaines its houre.
2. How we may know when any temptation is come to its high noone, and is in its houre.
1. It doth the firſt by ſeverall wayes.
1. By long ſolicitations, cauſing the mind frequently to converſe with the evill ſolicited unto, it begets extenuating thoughts of it. If it make this proceſſe, it is coming towards its houre. It may be when firſt it began to preſſe upon the ſoule, the ſoule was amazed with the ugly appearance of what it aymed at, and cryed, am I a dogge? if this indignation be not dayly heightened, but the ſoule by converſing with the evill, begins to grow as it were familiar with it, not to be ſtartled as formerly, but rather enclines to cry, is it not a little one? then the Temptation is coming towards its high noone, Luſt hath then entiſed and entangled, and is ready to conceive, Jam, 1. 14. of which more at large afterwards, in our enquiry, how we may know, whether we are entred into temptation, or no: our preſent inqueſt is after the houre and power of Temptation its ſelfe.
2. When it hath prevailed on others, and the ſoule is not filled with diſlike and abhorrency of them and their wayes, nor with pitty and prayer for their deliverance. This proves an advantage unto it, and rayſes it towards its height. When that Temptation ſets upon any one, which at the ſame time, hath poſſeſſed and prevailed with many, it hath ſo great, and ſo many Advantages thereby, that it is ſurely growing towards its houre. Its prevailing with others, is a meanes to give it its houre againſt us. The falling off of Hymeneus and Philetus, is ſaid to overthrow the faith of ſome, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18.
3. By complicating its ſelfe with many conſiderations, that perhaps are not abſolutely evill. So did the Temptation of the Galathians to fall from the purity of the Goſpell, freedome from perſecution, union and conſent with the Jewes: things in themſelves good, were pleaded in it, and gave life to the Temptation it ſelfe. But I ſhall not now inſiſt on the ſeveral advantages, that any temptation hath to heighten & greaten its ſelfe, to make its ſelfe prevalent and effectuall, with the contribution that it receives to this purpoſe, from various circumſtances, opportunities, ſpecious pleas and pretences, neceſſities for the doing that, which cannot be done without anſwering the Temptation, and the like; becauſe I muſt ſpeak unto ſome of them afterwards.
2. For the ſecond, it may be knowne,
1. By its reſtleſſe urgency, and arguing. When a Temptation is in its houre it is reſtleſſe: it is the time of battell, and it gives the ſoule no reſt. Satan ſees his Advantage, conſiders his conjunction of forces, and knowes that he muſt now prevaile, or be hopeleſſe for ever. Here are Opportunities, here are advantages, here are ſpecious pleas and pretences; ſome ground is already got by former arguings, here are extenuations of the evill, hopes of pardon, by after endeavours, all in a readineſſe; if he can do nothing now, he muſt ſit downe loſt in his undertakings. So when he had got all things in a readineſſe againſt Chriſt, he made it the houre of darkneſſe. When a temptation diſcovers mille nocendi artes, preſſes within doores by imaginations and reaſonings, without, by ſolicitatious, Advantages and Opportunities, let the ſoule know, that the houre of it is come, and the Glory of God, with its owne welfare, depends on its behaviour in this triall: as we ſhall ſee in the particular caſes following.
2. When it makes a Conjunction of Affrightments and Allurements. Theſe two comprize the whole forces of temptation. When both are brought together, Temptation is in its houre. They were both in Davids caſe, as to the murder of Uriah; there was the feare of his revenge on his vvife, and poſſibly on himſelfe; and feare of the publication of his ſinne, at leaſt; and there was the allurement of his preſent enjoyment of her, whom he luſted after. Men ſometimes are carried into ſinne by love to it, and are continued in it by feare of what will enſue upon it. But in any caſe, where theſe two meet, ſomething allures us, ſomething affrights us, and the reaſonings that runne between them are ready to entangle us, then is the houre of temptation.
This then it is to enter into Temptation, this is the houre of it, of which more in the proceſſe of our diſcourſe.
3. There is the meanes of prevention preſcribed by our Saviour, they are two.
1. Watch. 2. Pray.
1. The firſt is a generall expreſſion, by no meanes to be limited to its native ſignification, of waking from ſleepe: to watch is as much as to be on our guard, to take heed, to conſider all waies, and meanes whereby an enemy may approach to us. So the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 16. 13. This it is to watch in this buſineſſe, to ſtand faſt in the faith, as good ſouldiers, to quit our ſelves like men. It is as much as foreign, to take heed, or look to our ſelves, as the ſame thing is by our Saviour often expreſſed. So Rev. 3. 2. An univerſall carefulneſſe, and diligence, exerciſing its ſelfe in, and by all waies and meanes, preſcribed by God, over our hearts and waies, the baits and methods of Satan, the occaſions and advantages of ſinne in the world, that we be not intangled, is that which in this word is preſſed on us.
2. For the ſecond direction of prayer, I need not ſpeak to it. The duty and its concernments are known to all: I ſhall only adde, that theſe two comprize the whole endeavour of faith for the ſoules preſervation from temptation.