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Whether or not there exists a super-human influence or agency, understood by the term temptation, and, if it do exist, what it really is, it is of importance for us to know; for, if it do not exist, we may spare ourselves any apprehensions respecting it; but, if it do, we may, by a knowledge of the fact of its existence, and of its power and extent, and mode of operation, proceed to fortify ourselves against it. Ignorance of any evil disqualifies us for meeting it. For meeting the evil in question, ignorance deplorably disqualifies us. For if Satan be ever watching opportunities of obtaining an advantage over us, and we be ignorant of or disbelieve the fact, and thus have recourse to no measures for defeating him, he will, in all probability, easily, and at his pleasure, prevail

over us.

Now, without attaching to it the importance which some attach to it,-making it the cause of most of the unhappiness we suffer, as well as of the sins we commit, it is the object of the following pages to show-that there really does exist an influence, or agency, known by the designation temptation,-to describe its real

character as exhibited in the word of God, and the experience of men,-and to suggest such measures of a cautionary and active description as may lead to security against it, or superiority over it.

But all who are overcome by temptation, are not overcome by it through ignorance. Many who are not only occasionally, but habitually induced by Satan to commit sin, are aware both of his designs on them, and of the means whereby these designs might be defeated. As it is thus

something more than ignorance in us that gives Satan the advantage over us which he possesses, something more than knowledge is requisite to raise us above his influence. Unhappily, we are really in love with sin! When, therefore, we are tempted to commit sin, we are merely induced to practise that which is agreeable to us! While, therefore, we should not be ignorant of Satan's devices, it is unspeakably important that we should form habits of self-government, that we should seek the displacing of our corrupt principles by holy ones, that we should watch ourselves more jealously than we do even the tempter, and that, distrusting our ability to keep ourselves, we

should secure His keeping of us who can keep us effectually. While, therefore, these pages aim at communicating knowledge on the subject of temptation, and suggest measures by the adoption of which we may rise superior to it, they furnish motives to the adoption, and vigorous, and constant, and persevering use of them. May this knowledge be extensively possessed, and may these measures, to the same extent, be properly employed.

The treatment of the subject will comprehend chapters under the following designations: What Temptation is-The Character of the Tempter

The Mode of Temptation-Temptations peculiar to the children of God, or especially affecting them-Considerations tending to strengthen the Christian under Temptation-Resistance of Temptation-Triumph over Temptation - The Existence of Temptation reconciled with the Moral Character of God.

CHAPTER I.

WHAT TEMPTATION IS.

To ascertain the Scripture doctrine of temptation, it will be necessary to examine the instances of temptation recorded in the Scriptures, and the statements and directions respecting temptation contained in the Scriptures.

The first instance of temptation found in Holy Writ, is that of Eve, which is recorded in the third chapter of the book of Genesis, in the following terms "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye

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die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know, that, in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat." Here it appears that, while, to prove their obedience to their Creator, our first parents were, in a very small degree, limited in their pleasures, Satan, in the serpent, approached one of them, and by force of persuasion and misstatement, prevailed on her to overstep that limit. The statement contained in this record, and the interpretation that has been thus put upon it, are recognised and authorized by the apostle Paul, when he affirms, (2 Cor. xi. 3,) that “the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety.”

The next instance of temptation is that of Job. "Now there was a day," writes the sacred historian, (Job i. 6—12,) "when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said

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