very circumfpect, but to pray alfo, Lord, fave us, or we perish.

The frequency of Temptations, is alfo another argument to prove the neceffity of conftant prayer. The Temptation may be changed, but is never quite removed. Whilft we are in the world we are still on trial and duty. We have many enemies near at hand, always bufy and urgent upon us, fo that we had need to watch and pray. A man's table is a fnare to him, his wealth an occafion of falling; he is often betrayed into excefs, when he fufpects no danger; if full of business, he is expofed to irreligion, covetousness, and anger; if inclined to company, he is eafily feduced to evil fpeaking; he hath his tongue to bridle, his appetites and paffions to manage, and to preserve himself from the temptations of foolish mirth, uncharitable cenfures, and all the vices of converfation.

Lastly, we have our own depraved nature to ftruggle with. Our outward senses A a 2

are

are ever ready to let in Temptation, our imagination to entertain it, and our reafon not strong enough to refift it. We are alfo beset with a subtle and malicious adversary, who goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; his approaches are fly and imperceptible; he is busy about us, when we think not of him. We are doing his work and confenting to his fuggeftions, when we only fuppofe ourselves to be gratifying an unreasonable appetite, to please a companion, or false friend. On all these accounts then, it behoves us to pray in good earnest, that we may not be led into Temptation, but delivered from Evil; and this brings me to observe, lastly, what qualifications are neceffary to make us fincere in praying to be delivered from Temptation. And these are, to have a mo¬ deft and humble opinion of ourselves, to be fenfible of the dangers, difficulties, and our own inability to prevail against them, without the special grace of God. We must also have a firm belief and trust in the grace and providence of God, acknow¬ ledging

ledging that he governs and over-rules all things; that the course of this world is not merely conducted by natural causes, and the free-will of man; but that God always can, and sometimes does interpofe, to alter the course of nature, and the inclinations of free agents, for the benefit of the good, and the punishment of the wicked.

Lastly, we must be most willing and defirous to keep innocence, and to do the thing that is right; otherwise we do not, in good earnest, defire the concurrence of God's providence and grace to this purpose. And this our fincerity we should express by a general care of doing all we can to contribute towards it; more particularly in not encouraging evil thoughts and imaginations, which tend to corrupt our wills and affections, and to make them break out into practice. He that plays with wanton, ambitious, or covetous fancies, is acting for the Devil against himself. To be often thinking on the riches and advantages of another, is the beginning of envy. We

are

are therefore to watch and

pray, that we

enter not into Temptation, and the man who will not watch over himself, is not fit that God would watch over him.

to pray

We must also be careful to avoid all Temptation to fin as much as poffible, and every thing that will make our duty difficult. If we do not ourselves carefully avoid Temptation, how can we defire God to keep us from it. Every man should confider in what inftances he is most likely to be tempted. This, upon an examination of our past actions we may cafily find. For if we are ignorant of our own temper, yet we may easily know what our practice has been, and from thence learn what those temptations and occafions of fin are, which we should principally fhun. To reflect on our paft converfation, cannot indeed undo what has happened, but it may prevent the like for the future, by rendering us more cautious and vigilant. And he who doth not seriously endeavour to know his greateft danger, and how to avoid it, speaks

words

words at random, when he defires God to deliver him from Temptation.

To conclude; in all the

prayers we offer to God for any bleffing or good thing in behalf of ourselves or others, it is thereby implied that we promise God to contribute all that we can towards their being effected; and therefore, if we do not perform what we fo promife, our prayer is no better than that of a hypocrite; whereas, if we do, we may reft affured, that God will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear, but that, with the Temptation, he will alfo make a way for us to escape.

Now to God the Father, &c.