Temptation

“All the devils in hell and tempters on earth could do us no injury if there were no corruption in our own natures.”

“Christians are not so much in danger when they are persecuted as when they are admired.”

“He that will play with Satan's bait, will quickly be taken with Satan's hook.”

“Satan often paints sin with virtue's colors.”

“Solomon got more hurt by his wealth, than he got good by his wisdom.”

“Temptations will no more prevail over a contented man, than a dart that is thrown against a brazen wall.”

“Never venture near the door where sin dwells, lest you are dragged in.”

“Set a strong guard about your outward senses, these are Satan's landing places, especially the eye and the ear.”

“To tempt another is worse than to sin thyself. When you tempt, you do that which you cannot undo with your repentance.”

“If thou dost not stumble at this stone, the devil hath another at hand to throw in the way.”

“So great an advantage is given to sin and Satan by your temper and disposition, that without extraordinary watchfulness, care, and diligence, they will prevail against your soul.”

“He that would be little in temptation, let him be much in prayer.”

“Temptation is like a knife, that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison.”

“Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.”

“Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind never blows upon it.”

“Great winds and storms help fruit-bearing trees; so also do corruptions and temptations help the fruitfulness of grace and holiness.”

“Were our affections filled and taken up with spiritual realities, what access could sin, with its painted pleasures, with its sugared poisons, with its envenomed baits, have unto our souls?”

“I beseech you observe this; Take heed for ever of reasoning with Temptation, of consulting and casting about in your thoughts, what will become of it? what trouble may come by this if I hearken not to this?”

“But the devil will cry in the hearts of some men that this exhortation is as yet needless, for the day of judgment is not near, because all the signs are not yet passed.”

“But the careless heart not heeding this, is brought within the power of temptation, as the Syrians were brought blindfold into the midst of Samaria, before they knew where they were.”

“How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" is a sure check when tempted to seek help from other than our God.”

“They are likely to hold out best in temptation, who have most grace—and God gives more grace to the humble.”

“Fear not you their fear; their fear drives them from God to the creature; it first distracts them, and then ensnares them.”

“Some men are strong to drink wine; they are tubs and hogsheads, as Ambrose calls them, rather than men.”

“Luther says, it was no less miracle to overcome the flame of lust in this temptation, then it was for those three men to be kept safe in the fiery furnace.”

“When the messenger of Satan buffeted Paul by wicked suggestions, (as is supposed) he mourned before God on account of it.”

“The fear of God is animœ vigil & custos, it is the sentinel and guard of the soul, which is very vigilant that no temptation may enter in, nor no corruption may pass out. 2.”

“Our hearts, like lute-strings, are changed with every change of weather, with every appearance of a temptation; scarce one motion of God in a thousand prevails with us for a settled abode.”

“He can see hidden love, and hidden faith and grace, that we cannot see in temptations; and he will manifest all at length, and show his love when we stand most in need of it.”

“We cannot have a better guide than God; and therefore never think of God but as ‘our God and our Father’, and labour to answer all Satan’s temptations in that kind from hence.”

“And if there were no devil to suggest, yet sinful thoughts would arise from within us, though none were cast in from without.”

“There was an allusion in the sufferings of Christ in the garden, unto the first temptation in a garden.”

“This temptation many times is strong, it hath always been the way of the enemies of the truth to come with this argument to those who are weak; Such and such have yielded, and will ye stand out?”

“Surely, says Satan, if you should seek repentance and grace with tears, as Esau, you shall not find it!”

“Sometimes Satan makes use of a good man's bad ways, to spoil and harden the heart of them that come after.”

“When Christ has fasted forty days, and is hungry, the devil comes and tempts him with the glory of the world.”

“Therefore, by comparing these two Scriptures, you see that those who have most of the precious things of this world are the most likely to be shot at; the devil shoots at them more than he does others.”

“So when temptations assault thee, and the devil with all his black legions besets thee round, thou art not in a worse condition than at the first, when all thy sins did not only besiege thee, but possess thee.”

“Again, Will not Satan labor might and main to keep your graces low and poor?”

“The lusts of the eye, are riches; so called, because their greatest serviceableness is only to make a glittering and dazzling shew.”

“Some who are washing themselves in the Thames River go a little way at first, and then venture a little further and further, and at length, they are over their heads and ears.”

“Sin and Satan do sometimes work more violently and more strongly in the souls of saints than at other times.”

“Ah, who would endure an ocean of torture for a drop of sensual pleasure, or for a few bitter-sweets?”

“When a person is reduced to outward needs and straits, the devil tempts him.”

“We easily contract contagion and taint one from another, and learn to be carnal and worldly.”

“But common sinners are in a manner wholly brutified; they do not act rationally but are carried away by the violence of their lusts and passions.”

“Had Joseph been familiar with his mistress in a wanton sporting manner, he might in time have been drawn to commit immorality with her.”

“He will not suffer his people to be tempted above their strength.”

“Consider, will a small candle when it is enlightened scatter all the darkness that is about us; and will not a beam of grace in the soul scatter and triumph over temptations and corruptions?”

“A believer has a heart of oak—he is strong to resist temptation, to bear afflictions, to foil corruptions; he gives check to them, though not full mate .”

“He can give in a sufficiency of efficacious grace to repel any temptation, to subdue any or all our lusts and sins; for he can and doth work in us to will and to do according to his pleasure.”

“So it may be said of many, they are without a heart; they have no heart to resist temptation.”

“We may be tempted, yet not enter into temptation.”

“God can make a way for a man to escape; when he is in, he can break the snare, tread down Satan, and make the soul more than a conqueror, though it have entered into temptation.”

“Christ is the crown of crowns, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heavens.”