Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

SERM. providence prevent the occafions of tempta I. tion, or fupport us fo against their power, that they may not prevail to draw us into fin. Laftly, what we are taught concerning God, may be applied as a pattern for our imitation. He tempteth no man; let us follow him as dear children, and never tempt any man; let no one lay a ftumblingblock, or an occafion of falling before his brother; let no one be fo much as indifferent whether his brother stand or fall; it is glorious, it is god-like, to do all in our power for promoting pure religion, to inftruct the ignorant, to comfort the feeble-minded, and to strengthen our weak fellow-chri ftians.

[ocr errors]

SER

SERMON II,

Men tempted to EVIL by their own

LUSTS.

But

[ocr errors]

JAMES I. 14.

every man is tempted, when he is drawn
away of his own luft and enticed.

II.

T is very neceffary for chriftians, and SERM. very useful to the conduct of life, to understand aright the doctrine of temptations, to know whence they proceed and derive their force, and how we may arm ourselves in the best manner against them. We meet with them so often, and are in fo great danger of being drawn into fin through their -influence, it must be highly advantageous to be well acquainted with their true nature and tendency, and with the utmost extent of their power, that fo we may take proper precautions against them, and be always prepared to make our defence. Upon this fubject St. James teacheth us two very important leffons;

SERM.

II.

First, That God, in all his works and ways, the whole of his adminiftration towards mankind, ftandeth perfectly clear of tempting any of them to moral evil; he is not in the leaft degree or in any part of his conduct, by a fair conftruction upon it, acceffary to any one of their offences: Which the apostle afferteth with great earnestness as a principle of the utmost importance to be firmly believed and deeply impreffed on our minds; let no man fay (let him reject with abhorrence any fuggeftion or furmife which hath such a tendency) that he is tempted of God, for he is not tempted with evil, neither does be tempt any man. This I endeavoured to explain and prove in a former difcourfe, and made fome practical reflections upon

it.

The fecond inftruction relating to temptations, now to be confidered, amounteth to this, that the true and moft ufeful account of the origin of fin to every particular perfon, that which really is the spring of prevailing temptation, is his own luft; but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Not but that there are other tempters, both of mankind and other fpecies of beings; they may fo licit to fin, they may use perfuafions and a

variety

variety of fubtil deceitful arts; but thefe SERM. temptations which give all others their great- II. eft force, and are themselves the moft dangerous, are from within; our own lufts, as they are called, that is, our lower appetitesand paffions. For explaining this Subject, I will

First, Confider more particularly what is meant by luft.

Secondly, How men are tempted by it,

being drawn away and enticed to evil. Thirdly, Shew that here we may reft our inquiry, as to all valuable purpofes of it, concerning the origin of fin in ourfelves.

First, What is meant by luft. To underftand this we muft look into the inferior part of the human conftitution. Since it pleafed God to form man as he is, compounded of flesh and fpirit, it was neceffary there fhould be in his nature affections fuitable to both: That the animal life itself, low as it is, fhould have enjoyments annexed to it, was worthy of its Maker's goodness; and his wifdom is manifefted as providing in the beft manner for the Prefervation of his own work by the fenfes, appetites, and instincts planted

SERM. planted in the human foul, whereby it is II. determined with promptnefs and pleasure to serve the neceffary purposes of the present life. Hence arifeth a diversity of interefts in the fame perfon. The fuperior powers and affections of his nature must be duly exercised and their proper objects pursued, otherwise the principal ends of his being are not attained, nor his highest happiness: At the fame time the body demandeth some part of his cares. It is very evident, that the wife Author of our frame intended a harmony in it, which appeareth to be defigned in all his works, and in order to this, a fubordination of the body and its concerns to those of the mind. But man being a free agent, it is in his power to violate the order of nature, by giving a greater attention than is fit to his lower interefts, and by neglecting to cultivate his fuperior capacities and determinations, and to purfue their true ends. This leadeth us to a true notion of what the apoftle calleth luft; it fignifieth the whole of thofe affections and paffions which take their rise from the body and the animal part of our nature, and which terminate in the enjoyments and conveniencies of our prefent ftate, as diftinguished from the moral powers and pleasures of

the

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »