Page images
PDF
EPUB

all; he is a friend to mankind in general, and not an enemy even to thofe who hate him; doth a momentary thought of revenge arife in his mind, he fuppreffes it; if on no other confiderations, for his own fake; this he knows to be his duty, and this he finds to be his pleasure; bleft with thofe feelings, which fhall not leave him at the grave, he imitates the Deity in benevolence, and obtains, as far as mortals can obtain, the happiness of the Deity in return.

Left thefe confiderations prove ineffectual, let me add the neceffity we lay under of forgiving our enemies, or of relinquishing all hopes of being forgiven. There is no alternative. We must do it, or refign all pretenfions to the benefits of Chrift's paffion. Though the performance of this duty alone will not entitle us to the forgiveness of our fins; yet this we are most specially

fpecially inftructed in, that the performance of all other duties, without this, will be of no avail. The difficulty, attending this work, instead of taking off our attention, ought to double it, and quicken our endeavours; That it is neceffary to be done, the Scriptures inform us, and therefore it must be undertaken; That it is difficult to be done, our own feelings inform us, and therefore it fhould be undertaken with fpirit; That it is not impoffible to be done, and that we may accomplish it if we will, the very enjoinment of the duty implies; That, when accomplished, we fhall not lofe our reward, the Confiderations I have already mentioned, with our own obfervation and experience, will happily evince.

Now to God the Father, &c.

SERMON

SERMON

MATTHEW Vi. 13th.

IX.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

HIS Petition confists of two parts;

TH

the one, lead us not into temptation, the other, but deliver us from evil. For the more particular understanding the former part, it will be proper to remove fuch acceptations of the word temptation, as are not intended in the use of this Petition: and fince it is here supposed that God may lead a man into temptation, I will confider in what sense that must be understood in this place.

A man

[ocr errors]

A man may be said to lead another into temptation, when he entices him to fin, or by any argument, art, or violence, perfuades or compels him to it. But we are not to understand any thing of this nature on God's part-for in this fenfe, God tempts no man. He neither defigns, or lays any trap or fnares, to make men fin: he purposes nothing to their hopes or fears, to deceive, allure, or fright them into fin; nor does he by any impulfe on their minds, incline or neceffitate them to fin; to conceive fuch things as thefe of God, would be the highest impiety

Again. To tempt a man may fignify in general to prove and try him, whether he will faithfully discharge his duty, and answer another's expectation of him, or not. In this fenfe, it is certain, God tempts

every man; that is, he gives him occafions

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

and opportunities of performing, or refufing to do his duty. Thus the laws of God to mankind in general, or to Christians in particular, the former by Nature, the latter by Revelation, are temptations, or trials of our obedience, whether we will obferve them or not; and in regard that the circumstances of men are very various, and that they have refpective duties to be performed, therefore every man's particular condition of life, his honour or meanness, his wealth or poverty, his authority or fubjection, his fingle or married state, his temper and conftitution of body, his health or fickness, his calling and profeffion, in a word, his condition in life, with refpect to circumstances of this nature, which are -infinite, is a temptation or trial, whether

[ocr errors]

he will live up to the general rules of his religion, and perform that duty which his place, relation, and peculiar intereft in the

world,

« PreviousContinue »