Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

the road, how lazily does he travel, as if he were unwilling to come to his journey's end, and afraid to see the country which he is going to poffefs? The Christian only of all men pretends to fupernatural power and ftrength, and an intimate acquaintance with the Spirit of God: and yet how hardly does he escape the pollutions of the world, and how often look back with languishing eyes upon the pleasures, riches, and honours of this life? And though he boafts of more than human ftrength, yet how does he fometimes fink below the character and dignity even of a man? Ye fons of God, for fuch ye fay ye are, how do you die like the children of men, and how like is your end to theirs?

And what must we say of these things? Is the promise of God become of none effect? Is baptifm funk into mere outward ceremony, and can no longer reach to the purifying the heart and mind? The fact must not be difputed: it is too evident, at leaft in these our days, that the lives of Chriftians do not answer to the manifold gifts and graces beftowed on them: and it is as true, that this has given great occafion to the enemies of the Gospel to blafpheme, to ridicule the grace of God, which seems to them to be no real, no useful gift or power. But then it is certain, on the other fide, that these prejudices have arifen from the miftaken notions which men have entertained concerning the grace of God: their expectations have been groundless. and unwarrantable: they have promised themselves more than ever God promifed them; and then, finding that grace is not what they expected and

the

hoped it was, they rafhly conclude that it is nothing; and argue against the truth of God's promifes merely from the vanity and delufion of their own. If you expect that the grace of God should ward off all temptations from you, or rescue you from power and influence of them, notwithstanding your own remiffness and want of care; as well may you expect that fwords and pistols should fight your battles, fubdue your enemies, and conquer countries for you, whilft your foldiers lie diffolved in ease and luxury, and forget to use their arms. The graces of the Spirit are the arms of a Chriftian, with which he is to enter the lifts against the powers of darkness; and are a certain indication to us that God intends to call us to the proof and exercise of our virtue: why elfe does he give us this additional ftrength? We had ftrength enough of our own to fit ftill and do nothing: had it been his intention to remove us out of the way of temptation, and to place us out of danger, our weakness and our fecurity might well have ftood together; and having no enemy to fear, we fhould not have been in need of fo powerful an ally as the Spirit of God. But fince our dangers are great, and even neceffary to the trial of our faith and patient continuance in welldoing, therefore are we supported and encouraged by the affiftance of God, to fight the good fight, and to endure hardness as good foldiers of Jefus Chrift. To this we are called by the example of our Lord and Mafter, who being full of the Holy Ghoft was led by the Spirit to be tempted: and this plainly intimates to us, that the more abundant grace we receive, the more reason we have to expect trials and tempta

tions; and that to whom much is given, of him fhall much be required.

And if this be the cafe, as moft certainly it is, we may, I think, as neceffary confequences deduce these two things:

First, That the temptations which good men are expofed to, and often are forced to ftruggle hard with, are no proof that they want the Spirit of God, or that his favour and kindness are in any degree leffened toward them.

Secondly, That the fins which Chriftians fall into, and continue in, are no proof that they had not the Spirit, and grace fufficient to have preferved their innocence.

Let us confider these two cafes. The temptations which good men are exposed to, and are forced often to struggle hard with, are no proof that they want the Spirit of God, or that his favour and kindness are in any degree leffened toward them. And yet the dread of this is but too common an ingredient in the temptations which good men suffer under: it is that which always lies at bottom where there are any symptoms of despair; and when an honeft foul is haraffed with doubts and mifgivings of mind, and perfecuted with difmal thoughts and fears, both of what is present, and what is to come, it is from this bitter root, generally speaking, that all the misery fprings. Men are apt to imagine, that had they the Spirit of God, the wicked one would either not dare to approach them, or, if he did, that they should foon be able to quench his fiery darts, and to command him with authority to get behind their backs. But when the temptation grows upon them, and

though often repulfed, yet as often with redoubled force renews the affault, then they begin to suspect themselves, to fear left they are given up to deftruction, and deserted by the Spirit of God. And when these fears poffefs the heart, like fpies and traitors got within the town, they betray the ftrength of it to the enemy; they ftifle all the generous thoughts of vigorous oppofition, and leave the heart, thus bereaved of courage and conftancy, and fidelity to itfelf, an easy prey to the invader.

The first thing then neceffary in our spiritual warfare is rightly to apprehend our own condition, and the dangers and difficulties we are to meet with; that when they come, we may be under no furprise, but may be able to ftand firm, and collected both in courage and in counsel, to make our juft defence. And for this purpose did the Author and Captain of our falvation leave us his example, that it might serve equally for our instruction and imitation. And hence we may learn, that our temptations are so far from being a proof that we want the Spirit of God, that they are rather a proof of the contrary: God is faithful, and will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. And therefore, if he fuffers our temptations to be great, he will adminifter ftrength great in proportion. For the first part of our Saviour's life, we read of no temptations that befel him; but no fooner did he receive the Spirit, but he was led to be tempted. And how did it fare with him? He ftill conquered, and yet ftill was purfued. The tempter, though baffled, gave not over, but addreffed to him with new art and cunning, in hopes ftill to prevail. Full

forty days was he under trial, fifted in every part, exposed to the horrors of the defert, to the neceffity of hunger: but neither the neceffity of hunger, nor the horrors of darkness, nor the forty days temptation, could move him from his fteadfast confidence and truft in God. And who was it, I beseech you, that was left thus exposed to thefe cruel trials and temptations? Was it not he whom God but just before had by a voice from heaven declared to be his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleafed? And can you ftill think that your temptations are any figns that God has forfaken you, that he has at once withdrawn his Spirit and his love from you? Can you think the continuance of your temptations any juft ground for defpair, when Chrift himself was tempted forty days? For forty days without intermiffion was he tempted: how foon the temptation was again renewed, how frequent or how long the returns of it were, we cannot tell: but that the tempter ftill pursued him, and watched all the feafons and opportunities of approaching him with advantage, is plainly intimated by the Evangelift, in the thirteenth verfe of this chapter; And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. He departed, but, like an enemy that is rather enraged than fubdued by his overthrow, he departed with refolutions to try his fortune again, and in his flight he meditated his return. Go, now, and complain, that your life is full of anxious care and trouble, that every day brings its trial with it, and every night its temptation; and much you fear that God has withdrawn his Holy Spirit from you, and no

« ElőzőTovább »