SERM. as tempting men, which is, when he suffers tageous to virtue, as a punishment for for- to XV. to sin but to righteousness; it is intended SER M. as a favour to those to whose lot it falls, it is proportioned to their strength of resist ing it; it is seldom above what they are able to bear; when it is insuperable by their own exertions, God affords them an additional measure of his grace to assist them. Those temptations then, to which men, who have hitherto been deserving, fall a sacrifice, never arise from God: this was the first thing which I was to prove; I come now to the second, that they have their origin in ourselves;-"Every man is tempted "when he is drawn away of his own lust, "and enticed." Our sins are chargeable on ourselves. It is observable, that after the apostle has exculpated God from being the author of temptation, he does not impute it to the devil, but to mankind themselves. That, however, there is such an evil spirit, who goes about seeking whom he may seduce VOL. II. Q and SERM. and destroy, and who is allowed, to a cer XV. tain degree, to entice the sons of men to XV. then God deserts them; they treacherously SERM. destroy reason and conscience, the two guards which he has given them to protect them from evil, and then he interferes not to prevent the devil from entering into them; that evil spirit then takes possession, but not before the habitation is swept and garnished for his reception. We ourselves are our greatest enemies; no such formidable perils await us from any other quarter; God is our friend, and is earnestly desirous of our happiness; nor can the devil approach us without our hav ing first laid ourselves open, and encou raged, in a manner, his attacks. Let us then fear no dangers from God, but expect all assistance, if we do but endeavour to deserve it; neither let us be depressed by any apprehensions of the devil, for, unless by our own voluntary weakness, he will not be suffered to do us any injury. Let us place our chief guard on ourselves; XV. SERM. let us exert our utmost vigilance against our own evil passions; it is these, which being pampered by indulgence, and suffered to gain dominion over us by habit, can alone destroy us. It is in vain that we impute our guilt either to the general depravity of human nature, or to our own particular situation; such excuses will not be suffered to avail us. With respect to the first indeed, allowance will probably be made for it, but then it will be on the supposition that we have used every effort to subdue it; and we must remember likewise, what aid we have been promised from heaven to assist us; if we do not succeed, at least in a degree, we may be sure that we have not done all that was in our power. With regard to any particular situation, and the fancied difficulties, with which our virtue may have to contend, let us recollect that the whole of human life is a state of |