To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
THis should teach us all to entreate God, not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low, when we are in a disposition to that which is naught, or an indisposition to that which good, but that God would pitty us, and favor us, and that God would never cal us to do any great service, or suffer for him, but when
he sees we are in a disposition for it: it is a wonderful mercy of God, not to call out his people, but at such a time when they are fit. And so for temptation to sin: God sees what dispositions there are in the best of us all, he knows how corruption is working many times, and if a temptation to sin should come at that time, what should become of us, we could not but forsake God, and his cause, and wound our consciences, acknowledg the mercy of God towards you, in keeping the temptation from you at such a time, sometime we are wandering from God, if the roaring Lyon should meet us then how like were it that we should be devoured; somtimes we are ready to stumble upon every straw, and if God should lay stumbling blocks before us then, what should become of us, this is a mercy that God doth not grant unto others, for thus God very frequently deals with wicked men, when there is an opportunity for them to enjoy the greatest good, at that very time there shal be somthing fall out that shal put them in an opposition to that Good: as perhaps somtimes God in his providence orders it; that a minister should be partly upon such a subject as should be marveilous useful, and God is more then ordinary assisting of him, then somthing shal fall out to keep them from the exercise, or the corruption shal be up to harden their hearts, or there shal be some oc∣casion to take up their minds, more than at another time, that they shal not get that good they might: but this is the mercy of God, to those he intends good to, that he will give them an opportunity to receive Good, when they are fit for it: there was such a time if such a point had been handled, their hearts would have been unfit, but at such a time such a point shal be handled and pres∣sed on, and says God I will order it so, they shal break through difficulties to come to the exercise; and though corruption wil be stirring, I will order it so that corrup∣tion shal not be stirring at that time: And so sometimes for temptation to sin, God sees many times how a cor∣ruption
is up, and he is fitted for a temptation, and if temptation should come at that time, he would be drawn, and would revive himself; now those that God wil curse, he lets Sathan eat upon them, and lets them go on at that time when their corruption is most up: As now in the cause of Ahab, when Ahab, would go to Ramouth Gilead, (says God) in 1 Kings, 22.21.22.23. Who shal perswade Ahab, that he may go, there came forth a spirit, and said I will perswade him, how I will go, and I wil be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets, goe says God and thou shalt do it. Now had Ahab been a Godly man, God would have stopped him in his way, as many Godly somtimes are in such a disposition to sin, as if they had any encourage∣ment, they would do it, but says God to Sathan do not go. It is very observable how God takes advantages upon wicked men; as in Gen. 34.25. Simeon and Le∣vi, ••ame upon the Sichemites when they were sore; So when many men are in such a disposition, as they have no ability to resist a temptation, then the Devil comes upon him, as that is observable we have in those Psalms, Psalm. 35.6. Psalm. 73.18. In the 35, Psalm. 6. It is, let their way be slippery and dark, and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them: see how God takes the advantage of wicked men, they are in a Dark way, and upon slippery ground, then the Angel of God persecuted them, when a man is upon a slippery ground, he had need to have something to leane upon, but when he is in a slippery place to have his enemy persecute him, that is dangerous, so God deales with the wicked; it is otherwise with the Godly, when the Godly are weak, and their way is slippery, God pities them, and the good Angel preserves them: so when men are in a slip∣pery way, and ready to fall into a sin, says God to the evil Angel, now follow them in that sin, So in Psalm, 37.18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castest them down into destruction. Learne for
ever from this point, to entreat God that he would con∣sider of your frame, and say, Lord thou knowest I am in a slippery place, and not in the good temper I am in at other times, Lord keep me from temptation now; do not cast me down now: God hath promised: In 1 Cor. 10.13. He wil not suffer his people to be tempted above their strength. Somtime the Godly can say my heart is fixed, speak Lord here I am to do thy will, some times Gods people are able to endure any danger, and then God brings his people to the tryal; As the disciples after the holy ghost came upon them then they were called to suffer, they never were put to such tryals before; and when God grants mercy to his people this way, it is a mercy indeed.