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who were fanctified by the Holy Ghost, but did Despite to the Spirit of God; who were bought with a Price to be the Servants of God, but who fold themselves for Slaves to Iniquity,

Lay hold therefore, my Brethren, of the Mercy of God, while the Day of Mercy lafts; for, if you neglect or despise the Goodness of God, which calleth us to Re

pentance, this will be your Condemnation, that Light is come into the World, and you chofe Darkness rather than Light.

VOL. II. K

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE VII.

LUKE IV. I, 2.

And Jefus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness, being forty Days tempted of the Devil.

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FTER our Saviour had washed his Disciples Feet, and wiped them with a Towel, be faid unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

None answering this Question, he explained to them himself the Meaning of what he had done: Ye call me, says he, Mafter, and Lord: And ye fay well; for fo I am. If I then, your Lord and Mafter, have washed your Feet, ye alfo ought to wash one another's Feet. For I have given you an Example, that you should do as I have done

to you. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, the Servant is not greater than his Lord, neither be that is fent, greater than he that fent him. If ye know thefe Things, happy are ye if ye do them. Should Should you ask the like Question concerning the History in the Text, our Saviour's Temptation in the Wilderness, and fay, What is this that has been done unto him? How came the Son of God to be thus infulted by the Powers of Darkness? Whence arose the Tempter's Confidence and Power? or why were confummate Virtue and Innocence fubmitted to this Proof and Trial? You might be anfwered in like Manner alfo, He hath given us an Example, that we should do as he hath done. Were you to hear the Complaints, which even good Men often make, that they are forced to ftruggle with many and with great Temptations; that the Paths of Virtue are flippery and infecure, befet with many Dangers; and that their Prayers to be delivered from their Trials come empty back, and bring no Bleffing with them; you might in our Saviour's Name and in his Words expoftu late the Cafe with them: Ye call me Lord and Mafter: And ye fay well; for so I am.

If

If I then, your Lord and Mafter, have been perfected through Trials, and in all Things tempted even like unto you, whence come your Complaints? whence is it that you expect to be exempted from that Condition to which I willingly submitted? The Servant is not greater than his Lord, neither be that is fent greater than he that fent him. I have led the Way, and shewn you how to conquer: And if ye know these Things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Since these Things therefore are written for our Inftruction and Admonition, the propereft Ufe we can make of them is to confider them in that View, and to keep at a Distance from fuch nice Questions as no Man enters into with Difcretion, or gets out of with Advantage. There is Room in all the Parts of the Gospel Difpenfation to admire and adore the Wisdom and the Goodnefs of God, if that will content us, without prying into the secret Methods of his Providence. In this Cafe now before us we want not Matter of this Kind: When the Tempter allured our firft Parents to Difobedience with the flattering Hopes that they fhould be as Gods, little did the blind Prophet think that

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