The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel College in CambridgeThe works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge

But you will say then unto me, Quest. 4 Why does God the Father give Satan leave thus to tempt his own Children, and Christs own Disciples?

But you will sa then unto me, Quest. 4 Why does God the Father give Satan leave thus to tempt his own Children, and Christs own Disciples?

First: take it thus, Lord whatsoever is the end, Answ. 1 and the issue of any evil which befalls the children of God, that was the design of God the Father, in suffering that evil to come upon them. Now the end, and issue of the Saints temptation is always good unto them; and therefore God suffers the temptations of his people, because he hath a design of mercy, and love upon them in these temptations. What was the end, and issue of Satan's tempting of Adam and Eve? They fell and then the righteousness of Christ, and eternal life thereby was brought in: this was the end and the issue of it. Now God the Father had this design upon Satan's temptation, all the while Satan was tempting of Adam: and the Lord would never have suffered our heel to have been bruised by Satan's temptation, but that he did intend to break the head of Satan. It was a great temptation, that of David, when as Satan stood up, and provoked him to number the people: pray, what was the end, and issue of that temptation? I shall only name the Scriptures: The 1 Chron. the 21. chapter: and the 22. chapter and the beginning of it, and the 2 Chron. the 3. chapter, and 1. verse, compared together, you shall find this: First Satan tempts David; he numbers the people, the people being numbered, a plague breaks forth: the plague prevailing, David goes and offers up a sacrifice at the threshing floor of Ornan; and there God told him the temple should be built. David had a long time desired to know where the Temple should be built: he says, he would give no rest unto himself, no sleep unto his eye-lids, until he had found out a place for God: you shall find, that David had this place discovered as the issue of this temptation, this was the issue of it, the Devil had as good have let David alone, he had as good have been quiet, for David now had the end & the issue, attained unto that, that he never did attain unto before. So I say it is with the people of God, the Lord never suffers his own children to fall into any sin, but he does intend to wean them from that sin that they do fall into, even by the falling into it: the Lord never suffers any of