I be the head or beginner of them. God has placed you in a situation, where you find nothing in your rhetoric, and nothing in your philosophy to help you. This situation requires faith, in which all those things stand, which we can neither see nor comprehend. He who will make all things visible, and glaring, and comprehensible, as you do, has sorrow of heart and mourning for his reward, as you also have much against my will.

The stone which the builders refused, is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Psalm cxviii. 22, 23.

These words are soon learnt and said; and how finely and well I could do this, my books shew. But when the conflict comes on, that I must grapple with the devil, sin, death, the world, and all extremities, and there is no help, relief, nor comfort but from this Corner-stone; then I truly find what I am able to do, and what a science it is to believe in Christ. I then see well what Da. vid meant in these words, It is marvellous in our eyes.

which one is studiously exalted, while the other has little stress laid upon it. But such a disposition argues both a narrowness of mind, which takes only a partial view of truth, and also a want of proper reverence for the declarations of God, which are intended not to be opposed to each other, but to be believed and obeyed. Thus our Lord declares that both watching and prayer are necessary to enable us to resist temptation; and experience will fully justify the wisdom of his declarations; for whoever either depends upon prayer, without vigilance, or upon his own endeavours, without fervent prayer, will assuredly find that he cannot stand in the hour of trial.

It is true, indeed, that all power to resist sin proceeds from God only; and if our own endeavours were to be set in opposition to his grace, there could be no question upon the subject; or if prayer were considered as interesting us in the power of God, and vigilance esteemed only as the effect of human effort, there could, in this case, be no doubt which would be the most effectual agent in resisting sin. But this would not be a correct representation of the case. Vigilance ought to be esteemed as much a means appointed by God, and the exercise of it as much the effect of his grace, as prayer. The course in which God pleases to communicate his grace, embraces equally prayer and exertion. We must, therefore, use both in dependance on him.

I. We must pray that we may not enter into temptation-i. e. that we may not be tempted at all; or, if exposed to temptation, that we may be enabled to withstand it.

Now, in order that we may pray aright, several things are necessary. 1. Our prayer must be founded in a deep sense of the evil of sin.Whoever is insensible to the evil of sin, cannot pray with sincerity and earnestness to be delivered from it. Even he who only dreads the consequences of sin, without hating the

mit prayer, the case is manifest that at present we are not walking in God's appointed way, nor living according to the rule of his holy word; and that, therefore, we can entertain no reasonable hope of obtaining his blessing. For while we are destitute of the spirit of prayer, we are destitute of the spirit of Christ; and are, therefore, none of his.

II. To prayer, however, it is necessary that we should unite Christian vigilance. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.". Now vigilance in general supposes that we foresee our danger, and are taking every prudent precaution to guard against it; looking well to every avenue by which it may ap proach, and using the most effectual methods to prevent surprise. But, to descend to particulars—

1. Christian vigilance implies that we maintain a spiritual frame of mind.-Temptation derives its force from the state of the person's mind to whom it offers the gratifications of sin. The same temptation which would have little or no effect upon one whose mind was in a right state, would be irresistible where the mind was previously fitted for it, by a vain, careless, trifling frame. Have our thoughts been fixed upon earthly things? Have our desires been suffered to wander unrestrained after foolish or sinful objects? It is evident that we are disposed and fitted to yield to temptation; and that it is the previous state of our mind which needs correction. On the other hand, a frame of mind may be possessed which temptation will in vain assail, Such a frame is described in Scripture, under the term spiritual-mindedness-in opposition to a carnal mind. "To be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded, is life and peace. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts

ceive and cherish his holy influe when we carefully maintain a stant intercourse with God in s prayer; when our heart is fixed God, and our aim is singly dire to the glory of his Name; when are very careful about the gen frame of our spirits, and are anx to have only lawful objects in v and to seek them in a lawful man in a word, when we are not livin ourselves, but to Him who hath l us, and given himself for us. this general state of the mind w ought to be principally attended When the eye is single, the w body will be full of light. And un the general frame of our mind right, it is to little purpose that endeavour to guard against parti lar sins.

2. Christian vigilance requires we do not parley with temptation This is the part of a prudent m who is sensible of his danger. M persons will trifle with sin. T will rashly approach its very boun ries. They will go almost into enemy's camp, and yet vainly exp to escape. They will venture, called, into danger; presumptuou hoping that God will deliver th out of it. Now what is this but tempt God? What is it but to pect that he will work a miracle, order to encourage them in a cou of carelessness and presumption?

3. Further, Christian vigilance v lead us to resist sin, when it may m easily and effectually be resiste namely, in its beginning. He w watches as he ought against tem tation, will resist it in the rising desires of his mind. Sin like a conflagration which, W first kindled, might have bee tinguished without difficulty. incumbent on us, therefore, to sider well what are the early caus which cherish the growth of si

ec

When a person, for example, has for years indulged in secret a vain and light and frivolous turn of mind, is it to be wondered at, if at length his folly should manifest itself in some more injurious manner? Even the act of murder is but the natural conclusion of a long course of malignant feelings, passionate expres sions, transports of anger, and violent actions, which ought from the first to have been resisted,and might then,indeed, have been successfully encountered. No one can calculate where the little sins, as they are called, which we every day witness, and which are seldom watched against, may ultimately carry us; but this we know, that one act of sin uniformly paves the way for another; one transgression, however small, prepares us for a greater; till at length the power of sin becomes almost irresistible. Behold how great a fire a small spark kindleth! We must, therefore, particularly watch the course of our thoughts. It is there, in the heart, that the issues of life and death are found; there sin is conceived, and too often cherished till it brings forth fruit unto death. 4. Christian vigilance will lead us to avoid all situations where we have reason to think we shall be in danger of being tempted. It is true, we may not be tempted; or, if tempted, we may escape; but we have no right to expose ourselves wantonly to temptation. A great part of the sins of mankind may be traced, I conceive, to this source. You were solicited by bad company but why were you found in such company, or in such a place? Why did you read such and such books? You say, you did not expect that you should have met with any danger there. But does not this shew that you were off your guard? You had intermitted your watchfulness, and were thus prepared to yield to sin; or you would not have been found in such a

scene of danger.

But if unhappily surprised by temptation, do not delay a moment, but make haste to escape from it; for on such occasions there is little security but in flight. If, for instance, you are of a passionate temper, and you perceive your anger to rise, delay not a moment to withdraw, or to maintain a strict silence; or at least check yourself till you have had time, under the impression of your danger, to offer up a prayer to God, and to recover the calmness of your mind.

5. Christian vigilance further implies that our conduct is consistent.In vain shall we expect to be delivered from one sin, while we are indulging another. In truth, sins are so, linked together, that one serves almost necessarily to introduce another. It is not, for instance, sufficient that we guard against impurity, if we are indulging idleness and the love of ease. These must be mortified, or that will not be subdued. It is not enough, that we aim to subdue excessive passion, if we do not, at the same time, guard against a selfish or a proud spirit, which is generally its source. A person addicted to stealing will in vain attempt to resist its base propensity, unless he first subdue that love of dress, or of riot, or of money, which impels him to it. In a word, our religion must be uniform and consistent, or it is nothing. It is the consistency of the conduct which marks the genuineness of the principle. The fear of God, when once it is implanted in the heart, will teach us to hate all sin; and then each sin is easily subdued: but if we are defective and partial in our obedience; if we still cherish and encourage some wrong disposition, we shall find every other very hard to be subdued. Above all things, it is necessary to know, and to watch against, our constitutional infirmity. Peter was naturally rash and confident: had he been duly vigilant, he would have been particularly on his guard against a vain confidence: But

In such particulars as these will Christian vigilance manifest itself. And now permit me to close with a few additional exhortations.

1. And, in the first place, let us be persuaded to make a deliberate and decisive choice of the blessings of the Gospel; including in our view all the sacrifices it requires, and all the duties it enjoins.-I know nothing in which men are more apt to err, than in seeking incom. patible advantages. On the one hand, let us consider what God offers us; in this life, true serenity of mind, and the delightful sense of his favour and blessing; and in the life to come eternal glory. But while he offers this, he positively insists on our renouncing sin.-On the other hand, sin has also its advantages. They are, indeed, base and sordid; but they are too well suited to our corrupt natures. Now let us choose which we will have. Both we cannot have one, therefore, must be given up. And can we doubt which? Let us look at the end of sin, and behold its bitter fruits;-discase and death, and eternal misery. Let us make, then, our choice for God. But, if we do so, we must henceforth renounce sin; we must henceforth be dead to it.

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2. It is of great importance that we frequently review the blessedness of God's service, in order to strengthen,as much as possible, the motives to holiness. The Christian serves the best of masters ;-a Master kind and compassionate; tender and forgiving; merciful and indulgent; and who will deny us nothing consistent with our own true happiness. We ought to elevate our minds to conceive highly of the blessedness which his servants enjoy and we should abound in praise and thankfulness for his great mercies to us. This spirit will lead us to make sacrifices readi

cipalities and powers. Let u then, form rash expectations of the degree in which we shall the victory, or of the case with we shall procure it. The infi of man, even in his best state, is great; and the advances we ma the way of holiness, however s are not made without great diffic Let us not, therefore, rashly de of final success, because we d improve in the degree we had pected; neither let us say that does not hear our prayers, or our endeavours; let us rathe humbled for our defects, and, th foiled, set out again and again, less presumption and impati but with more humility and sel trust, and a better founded o dence. Let us remember that faith must be tried by tempta and our fortitude exercised by fering; and that holiness mus perfected by an unceasing co with corruption. Let us look Him who is mighty to save, and will not withhold his blessing those who conscientiously use means he has appointed. We been hitherto, perhaps, too va too rash too self-confident: we feared our dangers too little have watched against them carelessly; we have prayed too ly; we have known too little of selves, and not sufficiently va that glorious salvation which has provided for us in Christ Jesus. us learn wisdom and skill, like generals, even from defeat-Le rise up and renew the contest, n humbly indeed, but not with less termination, Let our trust be w ly fixed on the great Captain of Salvation; and let us shew that rely on him, by yielding ourse entirely to his guidance, and tr ing in his steps. Thus shall we suredly in the end prevail; for i