Of Temptation, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The ſecond caſe propoſed, or enquiries reſolved. What are the beſt directions, to prevent entering into temptation; Thoſe directions laid downe. The directions given by our Saviour; Watch and Pray. What is included therein. 1. Senſe of the danger of Temptation. 2. That it is not in our power to keep our ſelves. 3. faith in promiſes of preſervation. Of Prayer in particular. Of Watching.
HAving ſeene the danger of entring into temptation, and alſo diſcovered, the waies and ſeaſons, whereby, and wherein men uſually do ſo.
Our ſecond enquiry is; what generall directions may be given to preſerve a ſoule from that condition that hath been ſpoken of. And we ſee our Saviours direction in the place ſpoken of before, Matth. 26. 41. He ſums up all in theſe two words Watch, and Pray; I ſhall a little labour to unfold them, and ſhew what is enwrapped and contained in them: and that both jointly, and ſeverally.
1. There is included in them, a cleare abiding Apprehenſion of the great evill that there is in entering into Temptation. That which a man watches, and prayes againſt. He looks upon as evill to him, and by all meanes to be avoided.
This then is the firſt direction; Alwaies beare in mind, the great danger that it is, for any ſoule to enter into Temptation. It is a woefull thing to conſider what ſlight thoughts the moſt have of this thing: ſo men can keep themſelves from ſinne it ſelfe, in open action, they are content, they ſcarce aime at more; on any Temptation in the world, all ſorts of men will venture at any time.
How will young men put themſelves on any company, any ſociety; at firſt being delighted with evill company, then with the evill of the company. How vaine are all Admonitions, and Exhortations to them, to take heed of ſuch, or ſuch perſons, debauched in themſelves, corrupters of others, deſtroyers of ſoules? at firſt they will venture on the company, abhorring the thoughts of practiſing; their lewdneſſe: but what is the iſſue? unleſſe it be here or there one, whom God ſnatches with a mighty hand, from the jawes of deſtruction, they are all loſt, and become after a while in love with the evill, which at firſt they abhorred. This open doore, to the ruine of ſoules, is too evident; and woefull experience makes it no leſſe evident, that it is almoſt impoſſible to faſten upon many poore creatures, any feare or dread of Temptation, who yet will profeſſe a feare, and abhorrency of ſin. Would it were only thus with young men; ſuch as are unaccuſtomed to the yoke of the Lord. What ſort of man is free from this folly in one thing or other?
How many profeſſors have I known that would plead for their Liberty as they called it. They could heare any thing, all things; all ſorts of men, all men; they would try all things, whither they come to them, in the way of God or no; and on that account would runne to heare and to attend to every broacher of falſe and abominable opinions; every ſeducer though ſtigmatized by the generality of the Saints, for ſuch a one they had their liberty, they could do it; but the opinions they hated as much as any; what hath been the iſſue? I ſcarce ever knew any come off without a wound; the moſt have had their faith overthrowne: Let no man then pretend to feare ſinne, that doth not feare temptation to it. They are too nearely ally'd, to be ſeperated. Satan hath put them ſo together that it is very hard, for any man to put them aſunder: He hates not the fruit, who delights in the root.
When men ſee, that ſuch waies, ſuch companies, ſuch courſes, ſuch buſineſſes, ſuch ſtuddies and aymes do entangle them, make them cold, careleſſe, are quenchcoles to them, indiſpoſe them to even, univerſall, and conſtant obedience, if they adventure on them, ſinne lies at the doore. It is a tender frame of ſpirit, ſenſible of its owne weakneſſe, and corruption, of the craft of Satan, of the evill of ſin, of the efficacy of Temptation, that can performe this duty. And yet untill we bring our hearts to this frame, upon the conſiderations before mentioned, or the like that may be propoſed we ſhall never free our ſelves from ſinnefull intanglements.
Boldneſſe upon temptation, ſpringing from ſeverall pretences; hath as is knowne ruined innumerable profeſſors in thoſe daies; and ſtill continues to caſt many downe from their Excellency; nor have I the leaſt hope of a more fruitfull profeſſion amongſt us, untill I ſee more feare of Temptation. Sin will not long ſeeme great or heavy unto any, to whom temptations ſeeme light or ſmall.
This is the firſt thing enwrapped in this Generall direction; The daily exerciſe of our thoughts with an apprehenſion of the great danger that lyes in entring into Temptation is required of us. Griefe of the ſpirit of God, diſquietment of our owne ſoules, loſſe of peace, Hazard of eternall welfare, lyes at the doore: If the ſoule be not prevailed withall, to the obſervation of this direction, all that enſues, will be of no value; Temptation deſpiſed, will conquer: and if the heart be made tender and watchfull here, halfe the work of ſecuring a Good Converſation is over. And let not him go any farther, who reſolves not to improve this direction in a daily Conſcientious obſervation of it.
2. There is this in it alſo, That it is not a thing in our owne power to keep and preſerve our ſelves from entring into temptation. Therefore are we to pray that we may be preſerved from it, becauſe we cannot ſave our ſelves. This is another meanes of preſervation; As we have no ſtrength, to reſiſt a Temptation when it doth come, when we are entred into it, but ſhall fall under it, without a ſupply of ſufficiency of Grace from God, ſo to reckon that we have no power or wiſdome to keep our ſelves from entring into temptation, but muſt be kept by the power and wiſdome of God, is a preſerving principle, 1 Pet. 1. 5. We are in all things kept by the power of God. This our Saviour inſtructs us in, not only by directing us to pray that we be not lead into temptation; but alſo by his owne praying for us, that we may be kept from it. Joh. 17. 15. I pray not that thou ſhouldeſt take them out of the world, but that thou ſhouldeſt keep them from the evill: That is the Temptations of the world, unto evill, unto ſinne, foreign, out of the evill that is in the world, that is Temptation, which is all that is evill in the world; or from the evill one, who in the world, makes uſe of the world, unto Temptation. Chriſt prays his Father to keep us; and inſtructs us to pray that we be ſo kept; it is not then a thing in our owne power. The waies of our entring into temptation are ſo many, various, and imperceptible; the meanes of it, ſo efficacious and powerfull, the entrances of it ſo deceitfull, ſubtile, inſenſible, and plauſible; our weakneſſe, our unwatchfulneſſe ſo unſpeakable, that we cannot in the leaſt keep or preſerve our ſelves from it: we faile both in wiſdome and power for this work.
Let the heart then commune with its ſelfe and ſay, I am poore and weake, Satan is ſubtile, cunning, powerfull, watching conſtantly for Advantages againſt my ſoule; the world earneſt, preſſing, and full of ſpecious pleas, innumerable pretences, and waies of deceit; my owne corruption violent and tumultuating, enticing, entangling, conceiving ſinne, and warring in me, againſt me. Occaſions and advantages of Temptation innumerable in all things, I have, done, or ſuffer, in all buſineſſes and perſons with whom I converſe.
The firſt beginnings of Temptation inſenſible and plauſible; ſo that left unto my ſelfe I ſhall not know that I am enſnared, untill my bonds be made ſtrong, and ſinne hath got ground in my heart; therefore on God alone will I rely for preſervation, and continually will I look up to him, on that account; This will make the ſoule be alwaies committing its ſelfe to the care of God, reſting its ſelfe on him; and to do nothing, undertake nothing &c: without asking counſell of him. So that a double Advantage will ariſe from the Obſervation of this direction, both of ſingular uſe for the ſoules preſervation from the evill feared.
Firſt, The engagement of the grace and compaſſion of God, who hath called the Fatherleſſe, and helpleſſe to reſt upon him; nor did ever ſoule faile of ſupplys who in a ſenſe of want, rolled its ſelfe on him, on the account of his gratious invitation.
Secondly, the keeping of it in ſuch a frame, as on various accounts, is uſefull for its preſervation; He that looks to God for aſſiſtance, in a due manner, is both ſenſible of his danger, and conſcientiouſly carefull in the uſe of meanes to preſerve himſelfe, which tvvo, of vvhat importance they are in this caſe, may eaſily be apprehended, by them vvho have their hearts exerciſed in theſe things.
3. This alſo is in it, Act, Faith on the promiſe of God for preſervation: To believe that he vvill preſerve us, is a meanes of preſervation. For this God vvill certainly doe, or make avvay for us, to escape out of Temptation if vve fall into it, under ſuch a believing frame. We are to pray for vvhat God hath promiſed. Our requeſts are to be regulated by his promiſes, and commands, vvhichwhich are of the ſame extent, faith cloſes vvith the promiſes, and ſo finds reliefe in this caſe. This James inſtructs us in, Ch. 1. 5, 7. What we vvant vve muſt aske of God: but vve muſt aske it in faith, for othervviſe vve muſt not think that we ſhall receive any thing of the Lord. This then alſo is in this direction of our Saviour; that vve act Faith on the promiſes of God, for our preſervation out of Temptation. He hath promiſed that he will keep us in all our wayes; that we ſhall be directed in a way, that though we are fooles, we ſhall not erre in it, Iſa. 55. 8. that he will lead us, guide us, and deliver us from the evill one. Set faith on worke on theſe promiſes of God, and expect a good and comfortable iſſue. It is not eaſily conceived what a traine of Graces, faith is attended withall,Mortification of ſin in Believer. when it goes forth to meet Chriſt in the promiſes: nor what a power for the preſervation of the ſoul, lyes in this thing: But I have ſpoken to this elſevvhere.
4. Weigh theſe things ſeverally, and 1. take prayer into conſideration, to pray that we enter not into Temptation, is a meanes to preſerve us from it. Glorious things are by all men, that know ought of thoſe things ſpoken of this duty; & yet the truth is, not one halfe of its Excellency, power, and efficacy is knowne. It is not my buſineſſe, to ſpeake of it in Generall; but this I ſay as to my preſent purpoſe; he that would be little in temptation, let him be much in prayer. This calls in the ſutable help & ſuccour that is laid up in Chriſt for us, Heb. 4. 16. This caſteth our ſoules into a frame of oppoſition to every Temptation. When Paul had given inſtruction for the taking to our ſelves the whole armour of God, that we may reſiſt and ſtand in a time of Temptation, he addes this generall cloſe of the whole, Ep. 6. 18. praying alwaies with all prayer and ſupplication in the ſpirit, and watching thereunto, with all perſeverance, and ſupplication.
Without this all the reſt will be of no efficacy for the end propoſed. And therefore conſider what weight he layes on it: praying alwaies! that is at all times and ſeaſons, or be alwaies ready and prepared for the diſcharge of that duty, Luk. 18. 1. 1 Theſ. 5. 14. with all prayer and ſupplications in the ſpirit; putting forth all kindes of deſires unto God, that are ſuited to our condition, according to his will, and which we are aſſiſted in by the Spirit, and watching thereunto, leſt we be diverted, by any thing what ever; and that not for a little while, but with all perſeverance; continuance lengthned out to the utmoſt ſo ſhall we ſtand. The ſoule ſo framed, is in a ſure poſture; and this is one of the meanes without which this worke will not be done. If we doe not abide in prayer, we ſhall abide in curſed Temptations. Let this then be another direction. Abide in prayer! and that expreſſly to this purpoſe; that we enter not into Temptations: Let this be one part of our dayly contending with God: that he would preſerve our ſoules; and keep our hearts, and our wayes, that we be not entangled; that his good and wiſe providence will order our wayes, and affaires that no preſſing temptation befall us, that he would give us diligence, carefulneſſe, watchfulneſſe, over our own waies: ſo ſhall we be delivered, when others are held with the cords of their own folly.