(3.) To read the word is a duty, but Sa- tan will sometimes put men upon it Avhen it is unseasonable. To read it at home when God's word is preaching, or the sa- crament administering, is unseasonable, yea sinful, as Hushai said, 2 Sam. xvii. 7., " The counsel is not good at this time." There was a set time enjoined for the pas- soA^er, when the Jews were to bring their offering to the Lord, Numb. ix. 2. Had the people been reading the law at home in the time of the passover, it had not been in season, and God would have punished it for a contempt. This is the devil's subtle temptation, either to keep us from duty, or to put us upon it, when it is least in season. Duties of religion not well timed, and done in season, are dangerous. Snow and hail are good for the ground when they come in their season ; but in the harvest, when the corn is ripe, then a storm of hail would do hurt.
25th Subtilty of Satan in tempting, is, to persuade men to delay their repenting and turning to God. He saith, as Hag. i. 2., " The time is not come." Now youth is budding, or you are but in the flower of your age, it is too soon to repent, *' The time is not yet come." This temj)tation is the devil's draw-net, by which lie draws millions to hell ; it is a dangerous tempta- tion. Sin is (/nice I'cneDinm, Bkun , a ]>oi- son ; the longer |)oison lies in the body, the more mortal ; by delay of repentance, sin
OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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strengthens, and the heart hardens. The longer ice freezeth, the harder it is to be broken : the longer a man freezeth in iin- penitency, the more difficult it will be to have his heart broken. When sin hath got- ten a haunt, it is not easily shaken off. Besides, the danger of this temptation to delay repentance appears in this, because life is hazardous and may on a sudden ex- pire. ^^^hat security have you that you shall live another day ? Life is made up of a few flying minutes ; it is a taper soon bh)wn out. Jam. iv. 14., " What is your life ? It is even a vapour." The body is like a vessel, tunned with a little breath ; sickness broacheth this vessel, death draws it out : how dangerous therefore is this temptation, to procrastinate and put off tiuiiing to God by repentance ! Many now in hell did purpose to repent but death sur- prised them.
2Glh Subtilty of Satan in tempting is, to infringe and weaken the saints' peace. If he cannot destroy their grace, he will dis- turb thi'ir peace. Satan envies a Chnstian should have a good day ; and if he cannot keep them from heaven, he will keep them from an heaven upon earth. There is no- thing (next to holiness) a Christian prizeth more, than peace and tranquillity of mind ; this is the cream of life, a bunch of grapes by the \vay. Now, it is Satan's great poli- cy to shake a Christian's peace ; that, if he will go to heaven, he shall go thither through flights, and plenty of tears. The devil throws in his fire-balls of temptation, to set the saints' peace on fire. Of such great concern is spiritual peace, that no wonder if Satan would, by his intricate subtilties, rob us of this jewel. Spiritual peace is a token of God's favour. As Joseph had a special testimony of his father's kindness in the party-coloured coat he gave him, so have the saints a special token of (iod's good-will to them, when he gives them in- Avard ])eace, which is, as it were, the party- coloured coat to wear. No womler then, if Satan so much rage against the saints' peace, and would tear off this conifortuhh' robe from them ! The devil trouhh's the waters of the saints' peace, because hereby he hopes to have the more advantage of them.
1. By this perplexing of their spirits, Sa- tan tJikes off their chariot-wheels, — unfits them for the service of God ; body and mind are both out of temper, like an instru- ment out of tune. Sadness of spirit pre- vailing, a Christian can think of nothing but his troubles ; his mind is full of doubts, fears, surmises, so that he is like a person distracted, and is scarce himself; either he neglects the duties of religion, or his mind is taken off from them while he is doing them. Especially there is one duty that melancholy and sadness of spirit imfits for, and that is thankfulness. Thankfulness is a tribute or quit-rent due to God, Ps. cxlix. 5, 6., " Let the saints be joyful, let the high praises of God be in their mouth." But when Satan hath disturbed a Christian's spirit, and filled his mind full of black, and almost despairing thoughts, how can he be thankful ? It rejoiceth Satan to see how his plot takes ; by making God's children unquiet, he makes them unthankful.