Against all those unrighteous surmises, the poor afflicted servants of Christ may have relief from this truth in hand, that the Holy Spirit of God hath a hand in temptations: and therefore it is impossible that everywhere they should be of such a signification. Were they in themselves no way serviceable to God’s glory in the gracious exercise of his children, the Spirit of wisdom and holiness would not at all have a hand in them. If under Satan’s assaults you meet with those that by such a harshness of censure would aggravate your troubles, and so grieve those whom God hath saddened, you may boldly appeal from them to him that judgeth righteously. And indeed, if men would but consider, in the saddest case of this nature, either,
[1.] The end of the Lord in permitting temptations, which, if seen, would give a high justification of his dealing, and force men to applaud and magnify his wisdom, rather than to censure it. Or,
[2.] If they could but see the secret ways of God’s support, how he acts his part in holding them by the hand, in counterworking of Satan, and confounding him under the exercise of his highest malice, and also in the ways of his preservation and deliverance. Or,
[3.] If the harmlessness of temptations, when their sting is taken out, were but weighed, men would change their minds as readily as the barbarians did, when they saw the viper not effect that mischief they supposed upon Paul; and would see cause to stand amazed at the contrivances of so much power and wisdom, as can turn these to quite other ends and uses, than what they of themselves seem to threaten.
Applic. 2. This consideration will further express its usefulness in comforting us under temptations. It might have been Paul’s great discouragement, that in his answer before Nero no man stood with him, 2 Tim. iv. 16; but this was his support, that God was with him. The like encouragement we have under all assaults of Satan, that we are not left to ourselves, but the Spirit of God is with us, and that he concerns himself on a design to oversee and overrule his work, and to put a check upon him when there is need. So that he cannot tempt as he will, nor when he will, nor in what he would, nor as long as he would; but that in all cases, we may rely upon the great master-contriver, for relief, help, mitigation, or deliverance, as there is need.
Obs. 3. In that the evangelists do not say that Christ cast himself upon a temptation, neither did go to undertake it till he was led to it, we note, that whatever may be the advantage of a temptation by the Spirit’s ordering of it, or what security from danger we may promise to ourselves upon that account, yet must we not run upon temptations; though we must submit when we are fairly led into them. The reasons of this truth are these:—
(1.) First, There is so much of the nature of evil in temptations that they are to be avoided if possible. Good they may accidentally be, that is, beyond their proper nature and tendency, by the overruling hand of God; but being in their own natural constitution evil, it is inconsistent with human nature to desire them as such.
(2.) Secondly, To run upon them would be a dangerous tempting of God; that is, making a bold and presumptuous trial, without call, whether he will put forth his power to rescue us or not. Now he that runs upon a temptation hath no promise to be delivered out of it. And besides, runs upon so desperate a provocation, that in all probability he shall miscarry in it, as a just punishment of his rashness.
Quest. But inquiry may be made, When do men run uncalled and unwarrantably upon temptation? I answer, many ways. As,
Ans. [1.] First, When men engage themselves in sin and apparent wickedness, in the works of the flesh. For it can never be imagined that the holy God should ever by his Spirit call any to such things as his soul abhors.