not by this, or any other Works of Righteoufnefs, which we do, but according to his Mercy, which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrift; that being juftified by bis Grace, we may be Heirs of eternal Life. Our pardoning others is no more than a Qualification, requifite to our receiving that final Pardon from God, which our Saviour, through the divine Goodnefs, hath me rited by his Death, on that Condition. Nor is it the only Qualification neceffary, though it be a principal one. For the reft of God's Laws were given in vain,. if obferving this one would fecure his Favour: and Chrift would be found the Minister of Sin, if He had. taught, that the fingle good Difpofition of Forgiveness would be fufficient, let a Perfon have ever fo many bad ones. But it is plain, that throughout the whole Sermon on the Mount, on which this Prayer is delivered, He makes the Performance of every Part of our Duty the Condition of our Acceptance. In the very Begin-ning of it, he hath promifed Heaven to feveral other Virtues, as well as here to this: and the Meaning is, not that Perfons may get thither by any one that they. will, for Nobody fure is fo bad as to have none at all, but that each of them fhall have its proper Share, in fitting us for that Mercy and Reward, which however. with lefs than all of them, we fhall never obtain. Our Imperfections in all will indeed be pardoned: but not our Continuance in a wilful Neglect of any..

Still, though a Spirit of Forgivenefs to our Brother isby no means the whole that God requires in order to forgive Us; yet it is a Quality, often lo difficult, always fo important, and fo peculiarly needful to be exerciled by us when we are entreating our Maker to exercise it towards us, that our Saviour had great Reason to place it in the ftrong Light which he hath done; and even to place it fingle; fince his Design could not easily be understood to be any other, than to engage our par ticular Attention to what deferves it fo much.

For if

we will not, for the Love of God, and in Obedience to his Command, pardon our Fellow-Creatures the few and fmall Injuries, which they are able to do us; (when perhaps we may have done many Things to provoke them, and comparatively can have done little to oblige.or ferve them) how fhould we ever expect, that He will forgiveus the numerous and heinous Offences, which we have committed against Him; from whom we have receivedall that we have, on whom we depend for all that we can hope for, to whom therefore we owe the most unreferved Duty, and the most affectionate Gratitude!

Let us remember then, that fince we pray to be forgiven, only as we forgive; fo often as we use these Words, we pray in Effect for God's Vengeance upon ourfelves, inftead of his Mercy, if we forgive not. And therefore let us apply to Him continually for Grace to do in earneft, what we profefs to do in this Petition; let us carefully examine our Hearts and our Conduct, that we may not cheat ourselves, for we cannot cheat God with falle Pretences of obferving this Duty, while indeed we tranfgrefs it; let us utterly put away from us all Bitterness, and Wrath, and Clamour, and Evil-speaking, with all Malice; and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as we hope, that God, for Chrift's Sake, will forgive us".

7. Eph. iv. 31, 321.

LECTURE XXXIII.

And lead us not into Temptation; but deliver us from Evil: for thine is the Kingdom, and the: Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

WE

E fhould be very unfit to ask for the Pardon. of our paft Sins; and could neither hope to. obtain it, nor indeed continue long the better for it; if

we

we did not earnestly defire, at the fame Time, to avoid Sin for the future. And therefore, after the Petition, Forgive us our Trefpaffes, moft properly follows, and lead us not into Temptation.

The Word Temptation very often fignifies no more, than Trial; any Oppofition or Difficulty, that may call forth our Virtues into vigorous Practice; and, by fo doing, both ftrengthen and make them known: not indeed to God, who always knows our Hearts; but to ourfelves and others; to thofe around us at prefent; to all Mankind, and the holy Angels hereafter. Now in this general Sense, our whole Life on Earth is, and was intended to be, a State of Temptation in which, as the Scripture expreffes it, God himself tempts Men'; that is, proves and exercises them. And accordingly, St. James directs us to count it all Joy, when we fall into divers Temptations; adding a very good Reason for it; Blefed is the Man, that endureth Temptation: for when he is tried, he fhall receive the Crown of Life; which the Lord hath promifed to them that love Him 9. The more Love to God we thus fhew; the more we exert our inward good Principles and Habits, and by exerting, improve them; the greater Reward we fhall obtain. When therefore we fay, Lead us not into Temptation; we do not pray, that we may not be tried at all: for we know, that we muit, even for our own Good.

But the Word here ftands for dangerous Trials, Provocations and Enticements to Sin: under which we are likely to fink, instead of overcoming them. Now there is indeed fearce any Thing in Life, that may not be a Temptation to us, in this bad Senfe. Our Tempers, our Ages, our Stations and Employments in the World, be they ever fo different, may, each in their different Ways, risk our Innocence. They that are poor, are grievously tempted, either to repine against God; or take unlawful Methods of relieving themfelves. And they, that will be rich, Experience, as well as the • Gen. xxii. 1. Deut. iv. 34. 2 Chron, xxxii. 31.

212.

9 James i.

Apoftle,

Apostle, may teach us, fall into Temptation and a Snare; and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts. Both Adverfity and Profperity, Bufinefs and Leifure, Company and Solitude, have their refpective Hazards. And fometimes thefe Hazards are fo dreadfully heightened by particular Circumftances; and, at others, trying Incidents, totally unforeseen, happen so unseasonably; that though they may only roufe and animate our Virtue: yet they may allo, more probably, overbear, and destroy it. And therefore we must know very little of our natural Frailty, the Strength of our Paffions, and the Deceitfulness of Sin2; if we do not think it the more prudent, as well as modefter Part, to declare, than venture the Conflict, if it be God's Will and do not accordingly beg of Him, that He would not lead us into fuch Temptation.

God, indeed, tempts no Man', in the Senfe of alluring: and inviting him to Sin; as the Devil, and wicked People, and our own bad Hearts do. And therefore to pray, in this Senfe, that he would not lead us into Tempta tion, would be great Irreverence, inftead of Piety: for it is inconfiftent with the Holinefs of his Nature, that He fhould. But as nothing comes to pafs, but with his Knowledge and Sufferance; and every Thing is fubject to his Direction and Superintendency; the Scripture fpeaks, as if every Thing was done by Him, when the Meaning, as appears by other Pallages of it, is only to. acknowledge,, that Nothing is done without him: and,. agreeably to the Manner of fpeaking in the Eastern Countries, Things are afcribed to Him, which He only, permits, and afterwards turns to the Furtherance of his own good Purposes. Now God may very justly permit. us. to be led into the fevereft Temptations, if we do not pray to Him against it: becaufe a great Part of the Dan ger proceeds from that Weakness, which we have wil. fully, or carelessly brought upon ourfelves; and Prayer is one of the Means, that He hath appointed for our Prefervation and Relief:: which Means if we use as we ought, He will not Juffer us to be tempted above that we are. 3 James i. 13..

1.1.Tim. vi. 9.

2.Heb. iii. 13.

able::

able; but will, with the Temptation, alfo make a Way to efcape, that we may be able to bear it.

But if, through Pride or Negligence, we will not ask for his Help, we must not expect it. And though we do for Form's Sake afk it, if we have little Faith in it, or Dependence on it, St. James hath foretold the Event: Let not that Man think that He fhall receive any Thing of the Lord". Yet, on the other Hand, if we carry our De. pendence fo far, as prefumptuoufly to run into those Dangers, out of which we beg Him to keep us; or at leaft, will do little or nothing to keep ourfeves out of them, inftead of doing every Thing that we can; or if in the Dangers, in which He may think fit to place us, we will not ufe our best Endeavours to ftand, as well as pray that we may not fall; fuch Prayers can never be likely to avail for our Protection. But fervent Devotion, hearty Refolution, and prudent Care, united, and continued, will do any Thing. By whatever Difficulties we are furrounded, and how little Poffibility foever we may fee of getting through them: ftill Commit thy Way. unto the Lord, put thy Trust in Him, and he shall bring it to pass 3..

3

In the fecond Part of this. Petition, But deliver us from Evil; the Word Evil may fignify, either Sin and us Confequences; or the great Tempter to Sin, the evil or wicked One; for by that Name the Devil is often. called in the New Testament. The Number indeed of wicked Spirits is probably very great but notwith fanding this, being united,. under one Head,, in one Defign of obftructing our Salvation, they are all compre-. hended under one Name. And fince, in. our prefent. State of Trial,, we have not only, as Experience fhews, Flesh and Blood to wrestle against our own bad Dipofitions, and the Solicitations of a bad World, to refift; but allo, as the Word of God informs us, Principalities and Powers, and Spiritual Wickedness in, bigh Places, an. 3. Pfalmxxxvii. 5. 5 Eph. vi..

1 I Cor. x. 13

2. James i. 7. 4. Matth. xiii. 19, 38. 1.John ii. 13, 14. iii. 12. v. 18.

IJ, 12,

Army