SERMON XXXII,

HEBREWS iii. 13.

Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; left any one of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin,

HE Scriptures juftly represent the life

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of a Chriftian as a ftate of war: He treads in the dangerous paths of an enemy's country, and is exposed to the violence of open attack, and the fnares of fecret furprize. On the one hand, he is threatened by the undisguised malice of the world; on the other, he is folicited by the subtle infinuations of fin: The one endeavours to shake the steadfastness of his faith; the other to cheat him of his innocence by wily arts and delufive intrigues.

It therefore becomes the chriftian warrior ever to be upon his guard, as well against the one as the other: but yet, from which of the two his virtue is moft in danger, is no very difficult matter to determine. The enemy who fairly avows his hoftile intentions, may indeed be terrible, but never infuperable: we may at all times fecure ourfelyes from his fury by prudence and courage: But the ruffian who ftabs in the dark, or the villain who borrows the garb of friendship to ruin us, what art can evade, what strength withstand?

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It was not an open enemy that did me this difhonour," faid the Royal Pfalmift, in the bitter anguish of his heart; but it was even thou, my companion, my guide, ❝ and mine own familiar friend." And the fame complaint will every one have reafon to make, who bars not his heart against the infidious approaches of fin: For however he may, for a moment, be pleafed with its fpecious blandifhments, he will foon find that, like his firft unhappy parent, he has facrificed his innocence to the feductions of a ferpent, whofe endearments are mifery, and whofe friendship is death.

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To prevent therefore thefe dangerous confequences, I fhall make it the business of this difcourfe to guard the christian foldier against the devices of his fpiritual adverfary, by pointing out fome of the most usual methods by which the deceitfulness of fin imposes upon

mankind.

Now the first step which is generally taken by fin to beguile men of their integrity, is to tempt them to go to the extreme verge of what is lawful; a step the more dangerous, as it is of all the leaft liable to fufpicion, and yet the most artfully adapted to the credulity and weaknefs of human nature. At our first entrance into life, fearful and innocent, we tread with caution, and fhudder at the very thoughts of approaching the confines of guilt. As we advance farther, our apprehenfions gradually wear away, and curiofity, pleasure, intereft, or example, draw us on by little and little, till at laft, perhaps, confident of our resolution, we even dare to tread upon the dangerous line, which divides the regions of right and wrong. This then is the unhappy period from whence we may date the beginning of corruption in the foul: For it can never be,

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that a creature like man, frail and fallible, fhould long ftop here. The fame motives, which led him thus far, will not fail to operate strongly in leading him on ftill farther; and he who is once barely juft, affuredly will not be long before he is unjust,

See then the native innocence of man deftroyed, and the image of his God first polluted, by fome flighter deviations from the paths of duty!

Here confcience, the faithful guide to his steps, interposes its restraining alarms, and endeavours by timely remonftrances to warn the young finner of his danger. It tells him, that these smaller tranfgreffions must be washed away by penitential tears, and pathetically represents the fatal confequences of yielding to the firft attacks of fin. And happy were it for him, could he be prevailed upon to liften to the voice of a charmer, which charmeth fo wifely! But here again, fin, ever attentive to counteract the falutary dictates of reafon and confcience, once more defeats his better refolutions, by fuggefting, that the Almighty regards these smaller breaches of duty with a

favourable eye; that he is not extreme to mark what is done amifs; nor will call him into judgment for neglecting the less weighty matters of the law. And thus the deluded young christian is again driven from his guard of virtue, and fees not that he is persuing a path, which must terminate in unavoidable deftruction.

But ftand ftill for a moment, unhappy youth, and confider the danger of liftening to fo fatal and fallacious an adviser! It is indeed true, that God will not be extreme to mark what is done amifs; for "he is a God of knowledge, "and by him actions are weighed:" Ho knoweth whereof we are made, and therefore will make favourable allowances for the infirmity of our nature; nor will expect from the purity of angels. But yet for fins, however small, if deliberately and repeatedly committed, we have no grounds to expect mercy at his hands: On the contrary, the law is exprefs and plain," the man that "doeth these things, fhall furely die in "them.'

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