If it be objected, though Chrift overcame, yet I'm a 1719. poor finful Creature, and have no Power; but he had and hath all Power, both in Heaven and Earth, committed into his Hands, fo that he might well overcome him. It is well if thou feeft thou haft no Power, and if thou alfo feeft that Chrift hath wonderful Power; then fince we have no Power of ourfelves, we muft, by Prayer and humble Supplication, apply to him for it, in time of Need; believing, that he who hath made fo many encouraging Promifes as are before recited, hath alfo Grace, and will give both Grace and Glory to those who diligently feek him: Elfe why did he make fo many excellent Promifes to the fpiritual Warriors? This is worthy of the Notice of all, that Satan is a conquered and limited Enemy and Adverfary. 'Tis a iweet Portion of Gofpel Tidings, and good News, that the Devil cannot force any One whether he will or not into Sin; for if he could, no Flefh could be faved. As for Inftance, if a Man, Woman, or Child, were tempted by Satan to tell a Lie, he cannot force thee to it against thy Will; fo that there must be a cowardly giving Way, and falling from the Lamb's Stor dard, or Enfign, and going over to Satan, if Man is overcome of Sin and Wickedness: For if we land ftifly against him, although we be weak in ourf. Ives, our great Mafter, who feeth us in Secret, if we cry to him for Help, will come to our Affiftance, he whom Satan could never conquer; therefore it is fafe to all profeffing the Name of Jefus Chrift, to keep near unto him, through Faith in his Name and Power, which ever was, is, and will be, a strong Tower to those who fly thereto for Safety. Chrift did not do as the Devil tempted him, or perfwaded him to do; but he withftands the Temptation, with this Reply, It is written, Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God: For there is Life in every Word of God. Thus our Lord overcame him; for Satan can't refift, fo as to make void, or

1719. lay wafte the Words of God in the Holy Scriptures of Truth, when they are brought into our Minds by his Spirit to uphold and promote the Kingdom of God and Chrift, and to deftroy the Kingdom of Sin and Satan ; though he (i. e. the Devil) makes Use of those Sacred Writings, often wresting them, and bringing them for evil Ufes, and wrong Purposes, as most certainly he doth, when he alledgeth from them, that People can't live otherwife than in Sin.

"Then (as Matthew has it) he had our Lord to the Pinacle of the Temple, and bid him caft himself down; for, fays Satan, it is written, he fhall give his Angels Charge concerning thee, left at any Time thou dafh thy Foot against a Stone." Though he was once overcome, yet he has the Boldness to tempt yet again : As Chrift overcame him by his Power, making Ufe of the Holy Scriptures, he now tries what he can do with the Scriptures, he tempts Chrift with them, that he might tempt his Father; and fo he tempts poor Mortals by the Scriptures, to keep them in Sin, by making a wrong Ufe of them, and mifapplying them; and if he can hold them in Sin, he knows 'tis the ready Way to cause the Almighty to be angry with them; and if they hold out in it to the End, to turn them at laft into Hell, where the Wicked must be turned. And he begins his Temptations with an, If thou be the Son of God, though he knew very well that he was the Son of God; yet like fome of his evil Seed, or Seed of Evildoers, tempted him to fhew a Sign; but our Lord did not gratify either him or them, but rebuked them both, as they well deferved; and fo by Denial and Refiftance ne overcame, and we alfo muft the fame Way. After this our Lord makes a true and right Ufe of the Scriptures, faying, It is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And truly, thofe who read the Holy Scriptures, and know how much they fpeak against Sin, and for Righteoufnets, and who yet notwithstanding live in Sin and Ungodliness, and plead

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for it even from thefe Sacred Writings, which were 1719. wrote on purpose to destroy Sin, fhould ferioufly confider, whether they are not guilty of tempting of God, which Chrift says, it is written thou shalt not do. Oh ! that People would turn away from Sin and Satan, and break off from their Sins by Repentance, and their Iniquities by Amendment of Life, which is the Way to have the Days of their Tranquility lengthened out in this World, and to be happy in that which is without End to come; for, as it is writtien, The Wicked do not live out half their Days; which, according to my Observation, is a true general Rule. How many have been taken off in their Prime and Strength, and in the Flower of their Years, who might, according to the Courfe of Nature, have lived many Years, had they been fober and temperate, and lived in the Fear of God? If it be asked, Do not pious young People die alfo? Yes, but not fo frequently as intemperate Ones } I have had Occafion to obferve it in divers Parts of the World; and befides, if pious young People leave this World, their Exchange is glorious; whereas the Wicked and Ungodly make a fad bitter Exchange; and fince Life is lo uncertain, and Death fo fure and certain to all, even to Male and Female, what Care and Fear ought there to be on all, of offending fo merciful a God, and fo fweet a Saviour, who overcame, to fhew us the Way to overcome alfo; and died for Sin, that we might die to the World, and the finful Part of it, and to live to him, exhorting of us to overcome as he alfo did, and then promifeth to take us for his Companions with himself, and his Father, in his heavenly Kingdom.

Satan repeats his Temptation again a third Time; for he is an unwearied Enemy, and will tempt poor Mortals over and over, many Times; but he is to be refifted as often as he tempts, if we will follow the Counsel and Example of Chrift; and this was his laft Temptation for that Conflict, as one of the Evangelifts obferves,

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1719. obferves," he takes him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and fheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World,and the Glory of it."A Temptation which takes with Abundance of Souls; the Glory, Riches, and Greatnefs of this World, ruins many, they having it, and being fwell'd with Pride therein, fome are deftroying themselves to get it, and cannot attain to it; and many would endeavour to create a Belief of themfelves, that they are greater, richer, and more noble, than they really are; which is a Temptation of the Evil One; for we ought to think meanly of ourselves; and if we will follow Chrift's Example, make ourselves of no Repu tation; and when Satan would tempt us to be proud, or high of Mind, we then fhould refift, as Chrift did, who faid to the Devil in this Temptation, Get thee behind me Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and only him shalt thou ferve. If this holy Rule was followed, as Christ instituted it, then we should overcome Sin and Satan: Chrift's Inftitution is, That the Hour cometh, and now is, [that those that worship the Father, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. It is too much Worship or Homage to fall down to or worship Satan; but the Duty of every Chriftian is to worship the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, for he it is whom we should only (i. e.) chiefly, and mainly, ferve and worship, and that not only in a formal Way, but with Hearts truly devoted to do his Will; we are to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, into which the Devil can never come; though he may get into the Form of it, he can't overcome us, where the Power of Chrift is lived in; for by the Power of God, which dwells in Chrift, who overcame, by the fame Power, Chriftians do and fhould overcome: So the Devil was forced to fly when Chrift refifted him, and fo he will when Chriftians refift in Chrift: And when Chrift had overcome, then the Angels came and miniftred unto him; likewife the Guardian Angel of God's holy Prefence will adminifter fweet Comfort and Pleafure to

eyery true Soul, who ftands truly for the Caufe of God and Christ against Sin and Satan, fincerely endeavouring to pull down Satan's Kingdom, or Sin, which upholds it, and faithfully defires to exalt the Kingdom of God and his dear Son. Now he or he that believes, and overcomes (for without Belief, 'tis impoffible to overcome) thofe are truly intitled to all the abovefaid precious Promises, and Privileges, otherwise the Wrath of God will be revealed, from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteoufnefs of Men, and against all thofe who hold the Truth in Self-righteoufnefs, or Unrighteoufnefs. Again, Tribulation and Anguifh upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, of the Jew first, and alfo of the Gentile; but Glory, Honour, and Peace to every Man that worketh Good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; for there is no Respect of Perfons with God, Rom. ii. 9, 10, 11. Here the Ways of God are equal, but the Ways of Man and Satan are unequal; Sin, Iniquity, and Tranfgreffion, are of the Devil, and of Man in the Fall; but Righteousness, Holiness, and Truth, are of God, to which Man is restored, through Regeneration and Reformation. Glory over all be given to God and the Lamb, for ever. Amen.

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