SERM.

Brethren, fays St Paul to the Galatians, XVIII. if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which Gal. vi. 1. are fpiritual, restore fuch an one in the fpirit

of meekneffe, confidering thy-felf, least thou also

be tempted: that is, mindful of thy own weakneffe, and that it is not impoffible, but thou also mayeft at some time, and fome way or other, be tempted with effect, fo as to fall.

Among divers confiderations, which the Apostle Paul mentions to diffuade the Corinthians from too great intimacie with the idolatrous Heathens, he inferts this alfo : 1 Cor. x. Wherefore let him that thinks he flands, take beed, leaft he fall.

12.

Philip. ii.

12.

17.

be

And with great affection and earneftneffe he fays to the Philippians: Wherefore my loved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence, work out your falvation with fear and trembling.

St. Peter exhorts those, to whom he writes, Pet. i. to pass the time of their fojourning here in fear. Again, Be fober, be vigilant: because your adverfarie the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, feeking whom be may devour.

.. V. 8.

And..

Hebr. iü.

And the Apostle to the Hebrews: Take SERM. heed, my brethren, leaft there be in any of you XVIII. an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, 12. 13. leaft any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneffe of fin.

2. We may obferve in the Old and New Teftament divers inftances of this temper, of fearing always, in the sense of a religious fear, as we have explained it: a fear of offending, through the of external temptations, and the weakneffe and inconftance

of our minds.

power

Poffibly fomewhat of this temper is implied in that expreffion of Job. All the days Job xiv. of my appointed time will I wait, till my change be.

14.

For this reafon it is, that good men in the Old Teftament sometimes speak of their guarding the fenfes, the inlets of external temptations, or occafions of fin. Job fays, be bad made a covenant with his eyes. And ..xxxi, the Pfalmist: I am purposed, that my mouth P. xvii. 3; Shall not tranfgrefs.

Jofeph, as is well known, feared to trust too much to his own refolution. And there

1.

fore

SERM. fore fhunned the companie of the fedu

XVIII.

Pf. xix.

13.

cer.

This fear is the ground and principle of divers prayers of pious men as, Keep back thy fervant alfo from prefumptuons fins. Let them not have dominion over me. So fhall I be free ...cxix. from every great tranfgreffion. Again, In36.37. cline my heart unto thy teftimonies, and not unto covetoufneffe. Turn away my eyes from bebolding vanity. And quicken me in thy way. And, Set a watch, o Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips. Incline not Incline not my heart unto any evil thing: that is, let not my heart incline to any evil thing: let me not be prevailed upon by any temptations, to do that which is evil.

!..cxli.

3.4.

Pr. xxx.

To this purpose is that requeft of Agur. Two things have I defired of thee. Deny me 7....9. them not, before I dye. Remove far from me vanity and lyes. Give me neither poverty, nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me. Leaft I be full, and deny thee, and fay: Who is the Lord? and leaft I be poor, and feal, and take the name of the Lord my God in vain.

This good man feared always. He was apprehenfive, that he had not fufficient reso

lution and virtue, to behave well either in SERM. great profperity, or in extreme want and XVII. verty.

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And the condition he chooses, as most defirable, is that, in which he thinks his virtue would be exposed to the smallest, or the feweft hazards.

St. Paul, who recommended to others fear and caution, is an example of it himself. He even fays: I keep under my body, and bring it into 1 Cor. ix. fubjection, leaft that by any means, when I have preached the gospel to others, I my-felf should be a caft-away.

Nor can it be doubted, but St. Peter likewife obferved the rules he gave. It evidently appears in the temper of his epiftles.

are.

Yea our Lord himself is, in fome measure, an example here. For he was tried, as we Indeed he refifted, and overcame always. But though he was compleatly innocent, he faw the force of worldly temptations, and provided for them.

Before he entered upon his important and difficult miniftrie, he was led of the Spirit into the wilderneffe, and was tempted divers ways. And by meditations, in that folitude,

upon

27.

SERM. upon the vanity and emptineffe of this world, XVIII. and all it's glorie, and by confidering the

greater glorie fet before him, he was prepared for the trials of a more public life. And as his last and great temptation drew near, we difcern him to be mindful of it. John xiv. Says he to the difciples: The prince of this world cometh: but hath nothing in me. And he retired into a private place. And likewife charged three of his difciples to watch, whilft he went and prayed at a small distance from them.

30.

3. Upon the whole therefore we need not be thy of admitting, and cherishing this temper, of fearing always, or a perpetual distrust of ourselves, during this ftate of trial.

This fear, or diffidence, has in it fome uneafineffe: but it will lay a foundation for great advantages.

It is better to fear offending, than to forrow for having offended.

The care of caution is not fo troublesome, as the bitterneffe of late repentance.

Though he who fears always fhould at first be esteemed neither the greatest, nor the happiest of men, in the end he may be both. For pride goeth before deftruction, and a

haughty