\st. It doth the first by several ways: —
(Is^.) By long solicitations, causing the mind frequently to con- verse with the evil solicited unto, it begets extenuating thoughts of it. If it makes this process, it is coming towards its hour. It may be when first it began to press upon the soul, the soul was amazed with the ugly appearance of what it aimed at, and cried, " Am I a dog?" If this indagation be not daily heightened, but the soul, by conversing with the evil, begins to grow, as it were, familiar with it, not to be startled as formerly, but rather inclmes to cry, " Is it not a little one?" then the temptation is coming towards its high noon ; lust hath then enticed and entangled, and is ready to " conceive," James i. 1 5 : of which more at large afterward, in our inquiry how we may know whether we are entered into temptation or no. Our present inquest is after the hour and power of temptation itself
{idly) When it hath prevailed on otliers, and the soul is not filled ivith dislike and abhorrency of them and their ways, nor with pity and prayer for their deliverance. This proves an advantage unto it, and raises it towards its height. When that temptation sets upon any one which, at the same time, hath possessed and prevailed with many, it hath so great and so many advantages thereby, that it is surely growing towards its hour. Its prevailing with others is a means to give it its hour against us. The falling off of Hymeneus and Philetus is said to '' overthrow the faith of some," 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18.
{3dly.) By comijlicating itself with many considerations that, per- haps, are not absolutely evil. So did the temptation of the Gala- tians to fall from the purity of the gospel, — freedom from persecution, union and consent with the Jews. Things in themselves good were pleaded in it, and gave life to the temptation itself But I shall not now insist on the several advantages that any temptation hath to heighten and greaten itself, to make itself prevalent and effectual, Avith the contribution that it receives to this purpose from various
100 OF TEMPTATION.
circumstances, opportunities, specious pleas and pretences, necessities for the doing that whicli cannot ])e done without answering the temp- tation, and the hke; because I must speak unto some of them after- ward.
2dhj. For the second, it may be known, —
{\st) By its restless urgency and arguing. AVhen a temptation is in its hour it is restless; it is the time of battle, and it gives the soul no rest. Satan sees his advantage, considers his conjunction of forces, and knows that he must now prevail, or be hopeless for ever. Here are opportunities, here are advantages, here are specious pleas and pretences; some ground is already got by former ai'guings; here are extenuations of the evil, hopes of pardon by after endeavours, all in a readiness : if he can do nothing now, he must sit down lost in his undertakings. So when he liad got all things in a readiness against Christ, he made it the " hour of darkness." When a temptation dis- covers " mille nocendi artes," presses within doors by imaginations and reasonings, without by solicitations, advantages, and opportunities, let the soul know that the hour of it is come, and the glory of God, with its own welfare, depends on its behaviour in this trial; as we shall see in the particular cases following,
{idly) Wlien it makes a conjunction of affrightments and allure- ments, these two comprise the whole forces of temptation. When both are brought together, temptation is in its hour. They were both in David's case as to the murder of Uriah. There was the fear of his revenge on his wife, and possibly on himself, and fear of the publication of his sin at least; and there was the allurement of his present enjoyment of her whom he lusted after. Men sometimes are carried into sin by love to it, and are continued in it by fear of what will ensue upon it. But in any case, where these two meet, some- thing allures us, something afirights us, and the reasonings that run between them are ready to entangle us, — then is the hour of temp- tation.
This, then, it is to " enter into temptation," this is the " hour" of it; of which more in the process of oiu' discourse.
III. There is the means of prevention prescribed by our Saviour; they are two:—!. " Watch;" 2. " Pray."
1. The first is a general expression, by no means to be limited to its native signification of waking from sleep ; to watch is as much as to be on our guard, to take heed, to consider all ways and means whereby an enemy may approach to us : so the apostle, 1 Cor. xvi. 13. This it is to " watch" in this business, to " stand fast in the faith," as good soldiers, to " quit ourselves like men." It is as much as ':rpo(!s^iiv, to " take heed," or look to ourselves, as the same thing is by our Saviour often expressed ; so Rev. iii. 2. A universal careful-