Tempter to that which of all Things in the World is most difpleafing to him; nay, which of all Things in the World he hath only an Averfion to. Nay, further; So far is God from tempting to Sin in any of the Senfes I have now mentioned, that he is always ready to affift us in all the Temptations which do affault us, that we be not overcome by them. This is the

III. Third Propofition I lay down in this

Matter.

A thousand Temptations doth he really prevent, which would otherwise come upon us, fcattering the Snares of our malicious Adverfary, and counter-working his Stratagems. And whatever Temptations he doth fuffer us to fall into, yet, if we beg his Help and Protection, he will not fall to give us fuch Strength, as we shall be able to vanquish them.

If the Circumftances of our Lives were left to our own Conduct, the Devil, whose Bufinefs it is in the World to feduce Mankind, would foon make a Prey of us; nor would there be any Poffibility of avoiding his Nets. But the fame God, who hath fet Bounds to the Floods of the Sea, hath alfo fet Bounds to the Incurfions of our Enemy, faying, hitherto fhalt thou go, and no further. And even in thofe Cafes where he doth fuffer the Tempter to fpread his Nets, yet, by that merciful Providence which A a 4 watches

watches over Mankind, his Defigns are so defeated, that oftentimes he hath not that Succefs which he defires or expects, even upon those that are not fo very good, or fo careful of their own Ways, as they should be. Even as to thefe, the reftraining Grace of God is often fo powerful, or he so interpofes by unforeseen Providences, as to preferve them from fuch grievous Falls and Mischiefs, as, had they been left to their own Virtue and Counfel, they could not have prevented.

But then, as for thofe who have the Fear of God before their Eyes, and do fincerely endeavour, in all their Actions, to approve themselves to him, these Perfons are under fo particular a Care and Protection of God, that whatever Temptations God thinks fit to exercise them with, they fhall be fupported under them, and endowed with fufficient Strength to overcome them. Heb.4.15. For our Lord Jefus Chrift, who was in all 2.18. things tempted like unto us (as the Apostle tells us) is abundantly both able and willing to fuccour us when we are tempted. And tho' he do not fometimes upon our Prayers remove the Temptation from us fo foon as we may defire, yet that which comforted St. Paul in this Cafe, ought to fatisfy us alfo, viz. That his Grace is fufficient for us. 2 Cor. xii. 9.

IV. My fourth and laft Propofition is, God doth not only not tempt us to Sin, and affift us likewise against the Temptations of Sin, but, (which deferves to be efpecially confidered in this Argument) he is always, on the contrary, tempting us from Sin, if we may fo ufe that Word, which is commonly taken in a bad Senfe. The Devil is not more ready to infufe bad Thoughts into our Hearts, than the Holy Spirit of God is to infpire us with thofe that are good. The Devil is not more diligent to make use of every Object, every Occafion that presents itself to us, for the folliciting us from our Duty, than the Holy Spirit of God is to take every Opportunity of darting his holy Motions into our Minds, and thereby exciting us and perfuading us to Virtue and Obedience. As we are encompassed by a Multitude of evil Angels, that labour to circumvent us; fo are there, no Doubt, as many good Angels, that watch over us for our Good. And as thofe are wonderfully bufy and active to throw Rubs and Stumbling-blocks in our Way; fo, on the other fide, thefe are every whit as induftrious not only to help us to get over those Difficulties and Temptations, but to prefent us with fair Occafions of making our own Advantage by them. Here are then Temptations on both fides, and Tempters on both fides, to fet home thofe Temp

tations.

tations. The only Queftion is, whether of thefe have the greater Force? But this Question needs no great Labour or Skill to answer it. It is just as if we should ask, Whether God or the Devil be stronger? Whether the Temptation of a light momentary Pleasure, and that mingled with a great deal of Trouble and Vexation, can be more prevalent over a reasonable Creature, than the Hopes of an inconceivably great and eternal Weight of Glory? Or, laftly, whether the Spirit, that works in the Children of Difobedience, can over-power that Spirit of Chrift, which once triumph'd over all the Powers of Darkness, and made Shew of them openly? But certainly this can bear no, Difpute. For every one, that believes God to govern the World, and Chrift Jefus to have been fent by him, will readily fay with the Apostle, in the 4th of the ft of St. John, that greater is be that is in us, than he that is in the World. That is, the good Spirit of God, and his holy Angels that do attend him, are far more willing and more powerful to do us Good, to tempt us to our Profit, than the Devil and his Angels can be to do us Hurt, and to tempt us to our Mifchief. And if any of us do mifcarry, the Reafon is, not that we have not more ftrong Temptations to Virtue than to Vice, but because we are unaccountably drawn away by our own Lufts,

and

and inticed, as St. James expreffes it in the Words after my Text.

The Application I defire to make to these three laft Points is two-fold.

In the first Place, let every one learn, from what has been faid, never to charge the Sins or Miscarriages of his Life, either directly or indirectly, upon God. Let no body fay, when he hath lived a careless or a lewd Life, or is under the Power and Dominion of any vicious Habit, that God was any way the Cause of it; for God tempteth no Man.

And here two Sorts of Perfons are to be blamed.

Firft, They who excufe their Sins upon a Pretence that the Condition of their Lives did neceffarily engage them in them, Such Temptations were naturally confequent upon the Circumftances that Divine Providence had placed them in, that they muft have been more than Men to have refifted them. But this is a very unreasonable Pretence; for it is certain, God never puts thee into fuch a Condition, but thou mighteft, if thou pleased, not only live very innocently in it, but laudably too: So as not only to have done thyfelf a great deal of Good, but alfo to have brought Honour to thy Christian Profeffion. And if thou art in Circumstances wherein thou canst not fo behave thyself, it is certain God did not

place