The Substance of a SERMON, Very suitable upon the foregoing Occasion, to warm us to flee Temptation, and speedi∣ly turn unto the Lord.

IT is undoubtedly for Man's Sins, that the power of Darkness is permitted to go up and down like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may Devour; and that he prevails against the Souls of the Sons of Men, otherways precious in the sight of their Maker: It is for Sin that God gives us up to shame and reproach to rashness and dispair of his Mercys; for certain it is, God never leaves nor forsakes us, till our offend∣ing the Divine Majesty of Heaven, makes him turn away his aimable •yes, and leave our Souls eclipsed, under the power of an implacable Enemy, who being and Immortal Spirit, too subtil for Mortals to con∣tend with, unless supported by the Divine Hand, we are unable to resist his Temptations, which he guilds over like bitter potions, that we may swallow them the more securely, and studies to suit them to our In∣clination: To the cholerick fiery S•pirit, he repre∣sents Reveng and Blood shed, bold and brave. To Page  10the Sanguine Carnal, Lusts, and Luxury, as Generous and Jovial. To the Flegmatick, Lasiness and S•oath; and to the Melancholly, Envy and Dispair. The most experienced Angler has not half so many baits and slights to intrap the unthinking watery •ry, as this grand Deceiver has to intrap the Souls of Men, that are so proud of being Rational. We find that he durst, even in the Presence of the Almighty, be so bold to demanded a Commission to tempt righteous Job, and had, no doubt, prevailed against him, had not an Almighty Hand sustain'd him; as you may find it more at large, in the first and second Chapters of that Book: Nay, more transcendent than this, he durst to tempt even the Lord his God, when he car∣ried him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and shewed him all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and the Glories thereof, promising to give them, if our bles∣sed Saviour would fall down and worship him; and had a Lye immediately prepared, if there had been a possibility of its taking place: For that (continues he) is delivered to me, and to whosoever I will • give it: But here he was Repulsed, with a Get thee bind me Sa∣tan, for it is written, Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, Luke 4, &c.

If St. Paul, who was endued with the most excel∣lent Spirit of Wisdom, was not proof against his Temp∣tation, with strong Prayer and Cries, when he sent a Messenger to Buffet him, a Thorn in the Flesh, as him∣self terms it; what can we that dare not pretend to so great a portion of immediate Inspiration do to resist him, in whom (as the Psalmist say) is our help? Why truly, our help is in the Lord; 'tis he alone that can deliver out of the Paws of the Spiritual Lion, and Bear. He is come to us in great Wrath, because he has but a short time; and is so implacable an Enemy to the Soul, that where his force is baffled, fallacies, Page  11delusions, and subtil underminings, frequently take place; and so far we find his malice to extend, that when he was compelled to depart out of the possessed Person, that his hand might not be out in doing Mis∣chief, begged earnestly to enter into a simple Herd of Swine, whom he as maliciously destroyed.

Let us then, to be safe from his Temptations, so as they may not bring us to shame in this World, and endless Misery in the next, lay hold on him that is Mighty, and able to save to the utmost, all those that by Faith and true Repentance draw near unto him: Let us lay hold on the Rock of Ages, and build a sure Foundation upon this Mercy and Goodness; for •i• he alone can deliver us from Everlasting Death, and defeat the cruel designs of the Destroyer of Souls. Had this unadvised Person made God his Refuge, he had not been, as now we sadly fear he is, suffering under the Almighty Uengeance; though it is not for us to dare so much as positively to limit the Mercies of God even to the worst of Sinners, but we must submit them to his will and pleasure, whose Mercies are over all the works of his Creation: Sometimes we may be tempted for our good, which is the tryal of our Faith and Perseverance; for Blessed (saith St. James) is the Man that endureth Temptation, for when he is Tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth he any Man, but every Man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own Lusts, and inticed: then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin; and Sin, when it is finished, bring∣eth forth Death, James 1.12, 13, 14, 15.

Thus we see 'tis the depravity of Man's Nature and wicked Inclinations, that gives Satan the advan∣tage over him, to snare and intrap his Soul, to rob Page  12him of Glory, Bliss, and Immortality, to which he was born an Heir, and has a Title to be Co-heir with the Lord of Life. Let us be fervent in Prayer then, least we enter into Temptation, as this deplo∣rable Wretch did: Let us put on the Armour of God in Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, and the Hel∣met of Salvation, that so we may quench the fiery Darts of our Enemy: Let us but resist the Devil as we ought, and we have a warrant that he will flee from us: Let us put away Wrath, Envy, and Re∣venge, Love our Parents, and Reverence our Supe∣tiours, be watchful over our Souls, and live not in Rioting and Drunkenness, Chambering, and Wanton∣ness; but put on the Lord Jesus; and take no care for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof: Which that we may all do, and so be happy, God of his infinite Mercy grant through the Merits and Meditation of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer. Amen, Amen.