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often fatal to heedless unguarded innocence: here also we may learn from the best example how to make the best defence.

The lessons of Christian prudence and fortitude which are to be learned from our Saviour's conduct under the different trials being omitted, the circumstances of the temptation are considered, as recorded in the text, which relates that, immediately after his baptism, he was led to be tempted, being full of the Holy Ghost. We see the power of baptism and its blessings, to which all are entitled who partake of the baptism of Christ; for he was neither born nor baptised for his own sake, but that we might become, through faith, heirs together with him of the promises of God. The spiritual advantages of baptism enumerated, affording us great privileges and room for vast expectations: yet how unsuitable to these claims do the circumstances of a Christian's life often appear! This point enlarged on in the matter of a Christian's pilgrimage through life; who, though he boasts of more than human strength, yet sometimes sinks even below the character and dignity of a man. Thus the promises of God become of none effect; baptism sinks into a mere outward ceremony, which can no longer reach to the purifying the heart and mind; and hence the enemies of the gospel take occasion to blaspheme and ridicule the grace of God, as being nothing real. On the other side, it is certain that these prejudices have arisen from the mistaken notions of men concerning the grace of God: for having promised to themselves more than ever God promised, and finding grace to be not what they hoped it was, they rashly conclude that it is nothing; and argue against the truth of God's promises, from the vanity and delusion of their own. The absurdity of expecting the grace of God to ward off temptations without our own care, shown from human warfare. The Christian is called to the proof and exercise of his virtue, armed with the graces of the spirit, given him purposely by God; which, had there been no enemy to fear, he had not needed; having enough of his own to sit still

and do nothing: but assistance is given us according to our dangers, and to whom much is given, of him shall much be required. From these premises two deductions are made: I. that the temptations which good men have to struggle with, are no proof that they want the Spirit of God, or that his favor and kindness is in any degree lessened towards them: II. that the sins which Christians fall into and continue in, are no proof that they had not the Spirit, and grace sufficient to have preserved their innocence. These two cases considered : the dread of the first is that bitter root whence the misery of good men mostly springs, who are apt to imagine that, had they the Spirit of God, the wicked one would not dare to approach them; or if he did, that they should soon be able to quench his fiery darts: but when the temptation, though often repulsed, still renews its assault with redoubled force, then, through their own fear that they are deserted by the Spirit of God and given up to destruction, they lose the power of vigorous opposition, and become an easy prey to the invader: our first care then must be, rightly to apprehend our own condition, and the dangers or difficulties we are to meet with, that we may be able to stand, collected both in courage and counsel, for a just defence, like the Author of our Salvation: hence we may learn that our temptations, so far from being a proof that we want the Spirit of God, are rather a proof to the contrary, and that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear: our Saviour was not tempted till he had received the Spirit. The circumstances of the temptation fully drawn out. Having read these, shall we complain that every day brings its trial, and every night its temptation? shall we fear that God has given us up to anguish and despair in this world, and to inevitable ruin in the next? Ought not each of us, remembering that Christ has led the way, say with the Holy Psalmist, it is mine own infirmity? There is more reason to suspect ourselves, and to fear concerning the love of God, when all things are calm

and serene about us, when our body is free from pain, and our mind from care; then should we fear the enemy, when he thinks himself secure of us by leaving us alone in prosperity, the greatest of his temptations: hence the necessity to us who are prosperous, constantly exercising ourselves in the virtues proper to our station; if we see others led to virtue through hardships and poverty, we can only attain to this through charity and humility: if God has called others to defend their virtue against the assaults of vice, we, who enjoy a free and unmolested virtue, must take care that prosperity be not our ruin if others are obliged constantly to be on their guard, and have work enough to secure an unblemished innocence, we who are in the securest recesses of our Lord's vineyard, having no dangers to molest our peace, must zealously labor to till and improve the soil, that we may give a good account of the talent committed to us. Secondly, from our Lord's temptation it appears that trials and temptations may be great and severe, where the gifts of the Spirit are administered in the largest proportion; and since those who are tempted may fall, (for otherwise temptations would be no trials,) it appears that grace may be sufficient; yet men may fall through the want of care and diligence on their own part. Our natural infirmities therefore, and a want of God's grace, is a false comfort and no excuse; for God suffers none to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear. The instruction to be learnt from these things, if we are so unhappy as to offend, is not to try to palliate our offences, or to charge God foolishly, but to labor, through a timely repentance, to correct what is done amiss, and thus return to our duty: God causes us to be tempted as a proof and trial of our virtue; and if we offend, the only remedy is repentance through faith in Christ Jesus; which coming from a sincere heart will never be rejected.

DISCOURSE XXI.

LUKE, CHAP. IV.-VERSES 1, 2.

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil.

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AFTER our Saviour had washed his disciples' feet, and wiped them with a towel, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?' None answering this question, he explained to them himself the meaning of what he had done: 'Ye call me,' says he, Master, and Lord; and ye say well: for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent, greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.' Should you ask the like question concerning the history in the text, our Saviour's temptation in the wilderness, and say, what is this that has been done unto him? how came the Son of God to be thus insulted by the powers of darkness? whence arose the tempter's confidence and power? or why were consummate virtue and innocence submitted to this proof and trial? you might be answered in like manner also, He hath given us an example, that we should do as he hath done.' Were you to hear the complaints, which even good men often make, that they are forced to struggle with many and with great temptations; that the paths of virtue are slippery and insecure, beset with many dangers; and that their prayers to be delivered from their trials come empty back, and bring no blessing with them; you might in our Saviour's name and in his words expostulate the case with them: Ye call me Lord and Master: and ye say well;

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for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master,' have been perfected through trials, and in all things tempted even like unto you, whence come your complaints? whence is it said that you expect to be exempted from that condition to which I willingly submitted? 'The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.' I have led the

way, and shown you how to conquer: and if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.'

Since these things therefore are written for our instruction and admonition, the properest use we can make of them is to consider them in that view, and to keep at a distance from such nice questions as no man enters into with discretion, or gets out of with advantage. There is room in all the parts of the gospel dispensation to admire and adore the wisdom and the goodness of God, if that will content us, without prying into the secret methods of his providence. In this case now before us we want not matter of this kind: when the tempter allured our first parents to disobedience with the flattering hopes that they should be as gods, little did the blind prophet think that the day should ever come when the Son of God would appear the likeness of man, to take vengeance of his bold attempt, to destroy his works, and to redeem the captives into the glorious liberty even of the sons of God: little did he imagine that man, who fell by aspiring to be like God, should ever indeed be so like him, as to be superior to all his arts and temptations, and be able to drive him from the dominion he had usurped over the creation. And yet behold the wisdom and the goodness of God! By man came death, and by man came the plenteousness of redemption : the first fruits of which we see in this victory over the tempter.

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Thus with respect to God does this temptation afford an ample subject of praise and glory: but, considered with respect to ourselves, it will yield us the greatest comfort and consolation to support us in our spiritual warfare, and the best instruction how to behave ourselves in it. There is no doubt to be made but that all the tempter's art was displayed against our Saviour: here then we may learn the worst we have to fear, and see the dangers we have to pass, in our way to happiness, and secure ourselves against the surprises which are often fatal

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