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

Thirdly, He does not only thus mortify, §3and weaken a temptation before it does come at us: But he does cause Satan so to lay his temptations, as that he may be discerned, and so overcome, Satan tempted Adam and Eve; but he tempted in a serpent, and so Adam might easily have discerned the hand of Satan in it: for Adam knew all the creatures; he gave them their Names, & he knew their Natures: and he knew well enough the serpent could not speak to him; he might easily have known, that the hand of Satan was in the business. And so now, though God does suffer Satan to tempt his people, yet he does cause Satan so to lay his ⟨p. 288⟩temptations, as that the black feet of the tempter may be discovered: and when a temptation is discovered, 'tis half overcome.

Thirdly, He does not only thus mortifie, §3and weaken a temptation before it does come at us: But he does cause Satan so to lay his temptations, as that he may be discerned, and so overcome, Satan tempted Adam and Eve; but he tempted in a serpent, and so Adam might easily have discerned the hand of Satan in it: for Adam knew all the creatures; he gave them their Names, & he knew their Natures: and he knew well enough the serpent could not speak to him; he might easily have known, that the hand of Satan was in the business. And so now, though God does suffer Satan to tempt his people, yet he does cause Satan so to lay his ⟨p. 288⟩temptations, as that the black feet of the tempter may be discovered: and when a temptation is discovered, 'tis half overcome.

Fourthly, §4He doth not only thus: But the Lord Jesus Christ, hath the Timing of all our temptations. Time is a great matter in the point of temptation. Should a temptation come at such or such a time, possibly Gods child might be overwhelmed. I praise the Lord (says one) I did resist such a temptation; but had it fallen out at such a time, I should never have been able to have stood under it. Satan observes his tempting times: he knows that great advantage may be made unto him by his time. And therefore when Christ was an hungry, he tempted him to turn stones into bread: observed his time. And as Satan does observe his time to tempt: So our Lord and Saviour Christ, does set him his time; & the time of his temptations are in the hand of Christ. And therefore, if ye look into the 20. chapter of the Revelation, the 1. 2. and 3. verses, ye shall find to this purpose thus: I saw an Angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand: And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that, he must be loosed a little season. (Mark) The Lord Jesus Christ, hath not only the tempter in a chain, that he can go no further than he gives him leave to go; but his hand also, is in the hand of Christ, and Christ hath an eye to the Time of his temptation, a special eye upon the time of our temptation, and this argues much of his care and love.