3. Or thirdly, if this plot will not take, Satan labours by temptation to put a Chris- tian on too far in duty; if he cannot keep a child of God from duty, he will run liim on too far in it. For instance humiliation and mourning for sin is a duty, but Satan will put one on too far in it ; thou art not, saith he, humbled enough; and indeed Sa- tan never thinks a man is humbled enough, till he despair. He would make a Chris- tian wade so far in the waters of repentance, that he should wade beyond his depth, and be drowned in the gulf of despair. Satan comes thus to the soul, *' Thy sins have been great, and thy sorrow shall be propor- tionable to thy sins. But is it so? canst thou say thou hast been as great a mourner as thou hast been a sinner ? thou didst for many years drive no other trade but sin, and is a drop of sorrow enough for a sea of sin? No ! thy soul must be more humbled, and lie steeping longer in the brinish wa- ters of repentance." Satan would have a Christian weep himself blind, and in a des- parate mood throw away the anchor of hope Now, lest any here be troubled with this temptation, let me say this, this is a mere fallacy of Satan ; for sorrow proportionable to sin is not attainable in this life, nor doth God expect. It is sufficient for thee, Chris- tian, if thou Jiast a gospel-sorrow, — if thou
their lamps. Satan hath another policy, he ^grievest so far as to see sin hateful, and
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OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Christ precious, — if thou grievest so as to break off iniquity, — if thy remorse end in divorce, this is to be humbled enough. Then the gokl liath lain long enough in the fire, when the dross is purged out; then a Christian hath lain long enough in humili- ation, when the love of sin is purged out ; this is to be humbled enough to divine ac- ceptation. God, for Christ's sake, will ac- cept of this sorro\y for sin ; therefore let not Satan's temptations drive to despair. You see how subtle an enemy he is, to hin- der from duty, or discourage in duty, or put men on too far in duty, that he may run them upon the rock of despair. Had we not then need (having such a subtle e- nemy) pray, " Lord, lead us not into temp- tation ?" As the serpent beguiled Eve, let us not be beguiled by this hellish Machia- vel.
23^/ Subtil ty of Satan in tempting to the act of sin, is the hopes of returning out of it by speedy repentance. But this is a falacy; it is easy for the bird to fly into the snare, but it is not easy to get out of the snare. Is it so facile a thing to repent? Are there no pangs in the new birth ? Is it easy to leap out of Delilah's lap into Abra- ham's bosom ? How many has Satan flat- tered into hell by this policy, that if they sin, they may recover themselves by repen- tance ? Alas ! is repentance in our power ? a spring-lock can shut of itself, but it can- not open without a key, — we can shut of ourselves to God, but we cannot open by repentance, till God open our heart, who liath the key of David in his hand.
24/A Subtilty of Satan in tempting, is, to put us upon doing that which is good unseasonably.
(I.) To mourn for sin is a duty; the sa- crifices of God are a broken heart, Ps. li. 17. But yet there is a time when it may not be so seasonable ; after some eminent deliver- ance, which calls for rejoicing, now to have the spirits dyed of a sad colour, and to sit weeping, is not seasonable. There was a special time at the feast of tabernacles, when God called his people to cheerfulness, Dent. xvi. 15., " Seven days shalt thou keep a so- lemn feast to the Lord thy God, and tliou ehalt surely rejoice." Now, if at this tiuio, the Israelites had hung their harps upon
tlie willows, and been disconsolate, it bad beon very unseasonable, like mourning at a wedding. When God by his jn-ovidence calls us to thanksgiving, and we sit droop- ing, and, with Rachel, refuse to be comfor- ted, this is very evil, and sai'ours of ingra- titude. This is Satan's temptation ; the hand of Joab is in this.
(2.) To rejoice is a duty, Ps. xxxiii. 1. " Praise is comely for the upright." But when God, by his judgments, calls us to weeping, now joy and mirth is unseasona- ble, Isa. xxii. 12, 14., " In that day did the Lord call to weeping, and behold joy and gladness." Oecolampadius, and other lear- ned writers, think it was in the time of king Ahaz, when the signs of God's anger, like a blazing star, did appear : now to be given to mirth was very unseasonable.