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then withstand in the evil day, and come off the field with honour: you muft not only refolve, as I hope you have done in fincerity, that you will adhere to Chrift, and the practice of your duty; but you must endeavour, through grace, to put these refolutions in practice, and stand on firm ground in the hour of temptation. It is an irrefolute wavering temper and conduct, that encourages the attempts of Satan : whereas, a noble ftand, and refolute refiftance, will foon beat off, or prevent his attacks. "Refift the "devil," fays the apostle James," and he will fly " from you.'

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4. Above all, take the fhield of faith, wherewith fhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Faith, I mean evangelical faith, is of the greatest ufe to a Chriftian in the hour of temptation and hence, you fee it is recommended to us, in a fpecial manner, as the chief part of the Chriftian armour. It is compared to the foldier's fhield, which he can turn every way, and on every fide, to ward off the blows of the enemy. In like manner, the Chriftian by the lively exercife of faith in the promises of the covenant, and in the power and grace of his Redeemer, which is always ready to be fufficient for him; can refift the most violent of Satan's temptations, and quench his fiery darts. Above all, therefore, take the fhield of faith. Meet every temptation with full confidence in a crucified, but now living and exalted Saviour, with a firm reliance on his all-fufficient grace; and this will blunt the edge of Satan's fiery darts, fo that though they may ftrike, they fhall not have force to hurt you.

5. You must take alfo the helmet of falvation, that is, hope, which has falvation for its object. It is thus that the apostle explains it. "Put on," fays he, "for an helmet, the hope of falvation." The helmet, you know, defends the head, which is a principal part

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of the body. Thus a folid, well grounded hope of falvation, a hope flowing from union with Chrift, and trust in him, will both purify the foul, and keep it from being defiled by the fuggeftions of Satan. It will likewife encourage the Christian, and animate him to a vigorous refiftance. When Satan would tempt to defpondency, hope makes us lift up our heads, and patiently wait for the falvation of God. In a word, it is of admirable use, in the whole courfe of our Chriftian warfare, to bear up the foul in its con flict with the powers of darknefs, and make it hold out to the end. Wait on the Lord, therefore; be of good courage, and he will ftrengthen your hearts.

6. You must take also the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The fword, you know, is a very neceffary piece of armour, of great ufe to a foldier in the day of battle, both for attack and defence. And fuch is the word of God to a Chriftian. It is cal led the fword of the Spirit, both because it was infpired by the Holy Spirit, and because he renders it efficacious and powerful, fharper than any two-edged fword. By it our bleffed Saviour repelled the temp tations of Satan. He faid, "Thus it is written," and the tempter fled before him. This then is a weapon of proof, which the Captain of our falvation hath tried with fuccefs, and by his own example recom mends to our use. Acquaint yourfelves, then, familiarly with the word of God, and especially let it dwell and rule in your hearts, that you may not only have it ready in the hour of temptation, but learn to use it with fkill and addrefs.

Lafly, To all these pieces of the fpiritual armour you must add prayer, praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance. Prayer at all times is ufeful to Chriftians; but it is of fingular advantage in time of temptation. It begets and maintains in the foul a noble magnanimity. It puts it, as it were, in a pro

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per pofture for defence; and, through the interceffion of Chrift, is the means of procuring to it the almighty aids of the Spirit. If then you would ftand against the wiles of the devil, and in the evil day, have recourfe to God by prayer for his promifed affiftance. Apply to him as the difciples did, when they thought themselves in danger of finking," Lord, fave us, or "we perifh;" and this, not with the voice of diffidence, not in a cold and formal manner, but with an earnestnefs and importunity fuitable to your danger. In a word, when at any time you are attacked by temptation, lift up your fouls to God, for his grace to be fufficient for you, that out of weakness you may be made ftrong, and wax valiant in ñght, and turn to flight the armies of the aliens.

Thus I have endeavoured to fhew you the danger to which you are expofed by the temptations of Satan, and in what manner you are, to refift and withftand them, viz. by putting on the whole armour of God. "Stand therefore," as good foldiers of Jefus Christ," having your loins girt about with truth; " and having on the breaft-plate of righteoufnefs, "and your feet fhod with the preparation of the gofpel of peace. Above all, take the fhield of faith, "wherewith ye fhall be able to quench all the fiery "darts of the wicked one; and take the helmet of "falvation, and the fword of the Spirit, which is "the word of God: Praying always with all prayer "and fupplication in the fpirit, and watching there"unto with all perfeverance."

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And know, for your encouragement, that if you thus ftand against the wiles of the devil, and hold out to the end of your Chriftian warfare, God will at laft bruife Satan under your feet, and bring you off more than conquerors through Him that loved you: To whom, with the Father, and Holy Spirit, be all praife, honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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SERMON XXIV.

ON THE NECESSITY AND MANNER OF DIVINE INFLUENCE.

Phil. ii. 13-For it is God that worketh in you, bath to will and to do of his good pleasure.

THE

HE man who impartially examines the Chriftian religion, and furveys the many comfortable difcoveries which are made in it, cannot but acknowledge that it is perfectly well calculated for accomplishing our recovery and falvation. Here, the glorious method of our deliverance from fin and death, is clearly revealed; here, the way to eternal life is fully difplayed; and here, the noblest aids are afforded for enabling us to begin our Chriftian race, for carrying us through all oppofition, and, at last, leading us to the attainment of the glorious prize. It is the laft of these discoveries which the apostle mentions in the words of the text: "For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." The apostle makes use of these words, as they stand in connection with the preceding verse, as a powerful argument to perfuade the Philippians to ufe their utmost diligence in conquering the difficulties of a religious life, and thus fecuring their everlasting inte

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refts. "Work out your own falvation," fays he, "with fear and trembling; for it is God that work"eth in you, both to will and to do of his good plea"fure." But we defign to confider them as a detached portion of holy writ, containing that encouraging and important doctrine, the agency and affiftance of the Holy Spirit afforded to good men under the Chriftian difpenfation. And in them we may, obferve three things remarkable.

1. The Bleffed agent employed in this work. It is God, or the Spirit of God, the third Perfon of the facred Trinity, who was fent by Chrift to bear the part which he fuftains in the fclieme of man's redemption, and to purfue the glorious defign on which the Saviour came into the world, in applying the benefits of his death and purchase to the fouls of his people; for, what God is faid to do, in the work of our fanctification, he does by his Holy Spirit.

2. The gracious operation performed by this Bleffed agent. He works in his people both to will and to do; that is, he inclines them to that which is good and well-pleafing to God, and enables them to do it. He works in them thofe holy difpofitions, thofe divine qualities by which they are inwardly renewed and difpofed to walk with God; and he affords them all neceflary aids for performing the various duties of the Chriflian and divine life. In a word, by his internal operation and affiftance, he begins a good work in the foul, and carries it on to the highest pitch of perfection attainable in this imperfect ftate.

3. The reafon affigned, why God thus works in his people to will and to do. It is of his own good pleafure; not for the fake of any previous worth or goodnefs in them. No; this can never entitle them to any fhare in the influences of the Spirit, which are entirely a fupernatural gift, unmerited by them, and. a provifion of fovereign grace for helpless finners. But this is owing to His infinite mercy and free grace, 2 C 2.

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