Chapter VI. Dangerous Seasons for Temptation

The other part of our Savior's direction — namely, to watch — is more general and extends itself to many particulars. I shall fix on some things contained therein.

First: watch the seasons in which men usually enter into temptation. There are sundry seasons in which an hour of temptation is commonly at hand and will unavoidably seize upon the soul unless it be delivered by mercy in the use of watchfulness. When we are under such a season, then are we peculiarly to be on our guard, that we enter not into, and fall not under the power of, temptation. Some of those seasons may be named.

First: a season of unusual outward prosperity is usually accompanied with an hour of temptation. Prosperity and temptation go together — yea, prosperity is itself a temptation; many temptations. Without eminent supplies of grace, it is apt to cast a soul into a frame exposed to any temptation, providing fuel and food for all; it has provision for lust and darts for Satan.

The wise man tells us that the prosperity of fools destroys them, hardening them in their way and making them despise instruction. Without special assistance, it has an inconceivably malignant influence on believers themselves. Hence Agur prays against riches because of the temptation that attends them: 'lest I be full and deny you, and say, who is the Lord?' (Proverbs 30:8–9). We know how David was mistaken in this case: 'I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved' (Psalm 30:6) — yet what lay at the very door? God was ready to hide his face, and David was about to enter into a temptation of desertion, and he knew it not.

In a prosperous condition I shall not run cross to Solomon's counsel, 'In the day of prosperity rejoice' — rejoice in the God of your mercies, who does you good in his patience and forbearance, notwithstanding all your unworthiness. Yet I may add: consider also, lest evil lie at the door. A man in that state is in the midst of snares; Satan has many advantages against him; he forges darts out of all his enjoyments, and if he watches not, will be entangled before he is aware.

You want that which should poise and ballast your heart. Formality in religion will be apt to creep upon you, and that lays the soul open to all temptations in their full power. Satisfaction and delight in creature comforts — the poison of the soul — will be apt to grow upon you. In such a time be vigilant and circumspect, or you will be surprised. Job says that in his affliction God made his heart soft (Job 23:16): there is a hardness, an insensible want of spiritual sense, gathered in prosperity, that if not watched against will expose the heart to the deceits of sin and baits of Satan. Watch and pray in this season. Many men's negligence in it has cost them dear — their woeful experience cries out to take heed. Blessed is he that fears always, but especially in a time of prosperity.

Second: as was in part shown before, a time of the slumber of grace, of neglect in communion with God, of formality in duty, is a season certainly attended with some other temptation. Let a soul in such an estate awake and look about him — his enemy is at hand, and he is ready to fall into such a condition as may cost him dearly all the days of his life. His present estate is bad enough in itself; but it is an indication of something worse lying at the door.

The disciples who were with Christ in the garden had not only a bodily but a spiritual drowsiness upon them.

What says our Savior to them? 'Arise, watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation.' We know how near one of them was to a bitter hour of temptation; and not watching as he ought, he immediately entered into it.

I mentioned before the case of the spouse in Canticles 5:2–5: she slept and was drowsy, and unwilling to gird herself up to a vigorous performance of duties in active communion with Christ. Before she was aware, she had lost her beloved; then she mourns, inquires, cries, endures woundings and reproaches, before she obtains him again. Consider then, O poor soul, your state and condition! Does your light burn dim? Is your zeal cold? Are you negligent in duties of praying or hearing? Does your delight in God's people faint and grow cold? If you are drowsing in such a condition, take heed! You are falling into some woeful temptation that will break all your bones and give you wounds that shall stick by you all the days of your life. When you awake you will find that temptation has already laid hold of you, though you perceived it not; it has smitten and wounded you, though you have not complained nor sought for relief or healing.

Such was the state of the church of Sardis (Revelation 3:2): 'the things that remained were ready to die' — 'be watchful,' says our Savior, 'and strengthen them, or a worse thing will befall you.' If any who reads these words is in this condition, if he has any regard for his poor soul, let him now awake before he is entangled beyond recovery. Take this warning from God; despise it not.

Third: a season of great spiritual enjoyments is often by the malice of Satan and the weakness of our hearts turned into a season of danger as to temptation.

We know the case of Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7): he had glorious spiritual revelations of God and Jesus Christ — instantly Satan falls upon him, a messenger from Satan buffets him, so that he earnestly begs its departure. God is pleased sometimes to give us special discoveries of himself and his love, to fill the heart with his kindness, to take us into the banqueting house and give our hearts their fill of love — and a man would think this the most secure condition in the world. What soul does not cry with Peter on the mount, 'It is good for me to be here'? But very frequently some bitter temptation is now at hand. Satan sees that being possessed by the joy before us, we quickly neglect many ways of approach to our souls wherein he seeks and finds advantages against us. Is this our state and condition? Does God at any time give us to drink of the rivers of pleasure at his right hand and satisfy our souls with his kindness as with marrow and fatness?

Let us not say 'we shall never be moved'; we know not how soon God may hide his face, or a messenger from Satan may buffet us.

Besides, there lies oftentimes a greater and worse deceit in this: men cheat their souls with their own fancies instead of a true sense of God's love by the Holy Spirit. When they are lifted up with their imaginations, it is not expressible how fearfully they are exposed to all manner of temptations, and how they find relief for their consciences from their own foolish fancies and self-deceptions. May we not see such persons every day — walking in the vanities and ways of this world, yet boasting of their sense of the love of God? How woeful then must their condition be.

Fourth: a season of self-confidence — then usually temptation is at hand. Peter's case makes this plain: 'I will not deny you; though all men should deny you, I will not; though I were to die for it, I would not' — this the poor man said when he stood on the very brink of that temptation that cost him such bitter tears in the end. And this taught him so to know himself all his days, and gave him such acquaintance with the state of all believers, that when he had received more of the Spirit and of power, he had less of confidence. He therefore persuades all men to pass the time of their sojourning here in fear (1 Peter 1:17) — not to be confident and high as he was, lest as he did they fall. At the first trial Peter compared himself with others and vaunted himself above them: 'though all men should forsake you, yet I will not.' But when our Savior afterward came to him and put him directly upon the comparison — 'Simon Peter, do you love me more than these?' (John 21:15) — he had done comparing himself with others and only cried, 'Lord, you know that I love you.' He would lift himself above others no more. Such a season oftentimes falls out: temptations are abroad, and we are ready every one to be very confident we shall not be surprised — though all men should fall into these follies, yet we would not. But the apostle says, 'be not high-minded, but fear; let him that stands take heed lest he fall.' Would you think that Peter, who had walked on the sea with Christ, confessed him to be the Son of God, and heard the voice on the holy mountain, should at the word of a servant girl — when there was no legal process against him — instantly fall to cursing and swearing that he knew him not? Let those take heed of self-confidence who have any mind to take heed of sin. This is the first thing in our watching: to consider well the seasons in which temptation usually makes its approaches to the soul, and to be armed against them.

The other part of our Savior's direction — namely, to watch — is more general and extends itself to many specifics. I will focus on several things it includes.

First: watch the seasons in which people commonly enter into temptation. There are certain seasons in which an hour of temptation is usually close at hand and will inevitably seize on the soul unless it is delivered by mercy through watchfulness. When we are in such a season, we are especially to be on our guard — that we do not enter into or fall under the power of temptation. Some of those seasons may be named.

First: a season of unusual outward prosperity is usually accompanied by an hour of temptation. Prosperity and temptation go together — indeed, prosperity is itself a temptation, and brings many temptations with it. Without exceptional supplies of grace, prosperity tends to put the soul in a frame that is open and vulnerable to every temptation, providing fuel for every lust and darts for Satan.

The wise man tells us that the prosperity of fools destroys them — hardening them and making them despise instruction. Even for believers, without special help, prosperity has an inconceivably harmful effect. This is why Agur prays against riches because of the temptation they bring: "lest I be full and deny You, and say, who is the Lord?" (Proverbs 30:8-9). We know how David was deceived in this: "I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved" (Psalm 30:6) — yet what was right at the door? God was about to hide His face, and David was on the verge of entering a temptation of desertion, though he did not know it.

In a prosperous condition I will not contradict Solomon's advice, "In the day of prosperity, rejoice" — rejoice in the God of your mercies, who does you good in His patience and forbearance despite all your unworthiness. Yet I may add: also consider whether evil lies at the door. A man in that state is surrounded by snares. Satan has many advantages against him; he forges weapons out of every enjoyment, and if you are not watching, you will be caught before you realize it.

You lack what should weigh down and steady your heart. Mere formality in religion will be apt to creep over you — and that leaves the soul open to every temptation at its full force. Satisfaction and delight in created comforts — the poison of the soul — will tend to grow on you. In such a time, be alert and careful, or you will be caught off guard. Job says that in his affliction God made his heart soft (Job 23:16). There is a hardness, a dull numbness of spiritual feeling, that gathers in prosperity — and if not guarded against, it will expose the heart to the deceptions of sin and the traps of Satan. Watch and pray in this season. Many men's carelessness in it has cost them dearly — their painful experience cries out: take heed. Blessed is the person who fears at all times, but especially in a time of prosperity.

Second: as was partly shown before, a time of dormant grace, of neglect in communion with God, of going through the motions in duty, is a season that certainly has some other temptation attached to it. Let a soul in such a state wake up and look around — his enemy is close, and he is about to fall into a condition that may cost him dearly for the rest of his life. His present state is bad enough in itself, but it is a warning that something worse is right at the door.

The disciples with Christ in the garden had not only physical drowsiness but spiritual drowsiness upon them.

What did our Savior say to them? "Rise, watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation." We know how close one of them was to a bitter hour of temptation — and not watching as he ought, he immediately entered into it.

I mentioned before the case of the bride in Song of Solomon 5:2-5: she was sleeping, drowsy, and unwilling to rouse herself to vigorous communion with Christ. Before she realized what had happened, she had lost her beloved. Then she mourned, searched, cried out, endured woundings and reproaches, before she found him again. Consider then, O poor soul, your own state! Does your light burn dim? Is your zeal cold? Are you negligent in prayer or in hearing the word? Is your love for God's people growing faint? If you are drowsing in such a condition, take heed! You are sliding into some terrible temptation that will break all your bones and leave wounds that will stay with you for the rest of your life. When you wake up, you will find that temptation has already taken hold of you without your awareness — that it has struck and wounded you, though you have not yet felt it or sought healing.

This was the condition of the church of Sardis (Revelation 3:2): "the things that remained were ready to die" — "be watchful," says our Savior, "and strengthen them, or a worse thing will come upon you." If anyone reading these words is in this condition and has any care for his soul, let him wake up now before he is entangled beyond recovery. Take this warning from God — do not despise it.

Third: a season of great spiritual blessing is often turned by the malice of Satan and the weakness of our own hearts into a season of danger and temptation.

We know what happened with Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7): he had glorious spiritual revelations of God and Jesus Christ — and immediately Satan attacked him; a messenger from Satan was sent to buffet him, so that he earnestly begged for its departure. God is sometimes pleased to give us special glimpses of Himself and His love, to fill the heart with His kindness, to bring us into the banqueting house and satisfy our hearts with love — and a person would think this is the most secure condition in the world. What soul does not cry with Peter on the mount, "It is good for me to be here"? And yet very frequently some bitter temptation is close at hand. Satan sees that when we are possessed by the joy set before us, we quickly neglect many of the approaches to our souls through which he normally finds and gains advantages against us. Is this our condition right now? Does God at any time give us to drink of the rivers of pleasure at His right hand and satisfy our souls with His kindness as with the richest of foods?

Let us not say "we shall never be moved." We do not know how soon God may hide His face, or a messenger from Satan may come to buffet us.

Beyond this, there often lies a greater and worse danger here: people deceive their souls with their own imaginations instead of a genuine sense of God's love poured out by the Holy Spirit. When people are puffed up with their own fancies, it is impossible to describe how terribly exposed they are to every kind of temptation — and how their foolish self-deceptions provide them relief for consciences that ought to be troubled. Do we not see such people every day — living in the vanities and ways of this world, yet boasting of their sense of God's love? How dreadful then must their true condition be.

Fourth: a season of self-confidence — this is a season when temptation is usually close at hand. Peter's case makes this plain: "I will not deny You; though all men should deny You, I will not; though I were to die for it, I would not" — these were the very words the poor man spoke while standing on the edge of the temptation that would cost him such bitter tears in the end. That trial taught him to know himself for the rest of his days, and gave him such understanding of the condition of all believers that when he had received more of the Spirit and more power, he had less self-confidence. He therefore urges all believers to pass the time of their pilgrimage here in fear (1 Peter 1:17) — not to be confident and boastful as he was, lest they fall as he did. At his first trial Peter compared himself to others and exalted himself above them: "though all men forsake You, yet I will not." But when our Savior later came to him and put the comparison to him directly — "Simon Peter, do you love me more than these?" (John 21:15) — he had stopped comparing himself to others and simply said, "Lord, You know that I love You." He would put himself above others no more. Such a season often comes: temptations are abroad, and we are each quick to be very confident that we will not be caught — though all others should fall into these failures, we would not. But the apostle says: "do not be proud, but fear; let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Would you have expected that Peter — who had walked on water with Christ, confessed Him to be the Son of God, and heard the voice on the holy mountain — would, at the word of a servant girl, with no formal charge against him, immediately fall to cursing and swearing that he did not know Him? Let those who wish to beware of sin also beware of self-confidence. This is the first element of our watching: to take careful note of the seasons in which temptation commonly makes its approach to the soul, and to be ready for them.