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not by this, or any other Works of Righteousness, which we do, but according to his Mercy; which He hath shed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrift; that being juftified by bis Grace, we may be Heirs of eternal Life. Our pardoning others is no more than a Qualification, requifite to our receiving that final Pardon from God, which our Saviour, through the Divine Goodness, hath merited by his Death, on that Condition. Nor is it the only Qualification neceffary, though it be a principal one. For the reft of God's Laws were given in vain, if obferving this one would fecure his Favour: and Chrift would be found the Minister of Sin', if He had taught, that the fingle good Difpofition of Forgiveness would be fufficient, let a Person have ever so many bad But it is plain, that throughout the whole Sermon on the Mount, in which this Prayer is delivered, He makes the Performance of every Part of our Duty the Condition of our Acceptance. In the very Beginning of it, He hath promised Heaven to feveral other Virtues, as well as here to this: and the Meaning is, not that Persons may get thither by any one, that they will; for Nobody fure is so bad as to have none at all: but that each of them shall have its proper Share, in fitting us for that Mercy and Reward, which however, with lefs than all of them, we fhall never obtain. Our Imperfections in all will indeed be pardoned: but not our Continuance in a wilful Neglect of any.

- ones.

Still, though a Spirit of Forgiveness to our Brother is by no Means the whole, that God requires in order to forgive Us; yet it is a Quality, often fo difficult, al ways fo important, and fo peculiarly needful to be exercifed by us, when we are intreating our Maker to exercise it towards us; that our Saviour had great Reason to place it in the ftrong Light which he hath done; and even to place it fingle; fince his Defign could not eafily be understood to be any other, than to engage our particular Attention to what deferves it fo much. For if • Gal. ii. 17.

Tit. iii. 5, 6, 7.

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we will not, for the Love of God, and in Obedience to his Command, pardon our Fellow-Creatures the few and fmall Injuries, which they are able to do us; (when perhaps we may have done many Things to provoke them, and comparatively can have done little to oblige or serve them) how fhould we ever expect, that He will forgive us the numerous and heinous Offences, which we have committed against Him; from whom we have received all that we have, on whom we depend for all that we can hope for, to whom therefore we owe the most unreferved Duty, and the most affectionate Gratitude?

Let us remember then, that fince we pray to be forgiven, only as we forgive; fo often as we use these Words, we pray in Effect for God's Vengeance upon ourfelves, instead of his Mercy, if we forgive not. And therefore let us apply to Him continually for Grace to do in earnest, what we profefs to do in this Petition : let us carefully examine our Hearts and our Conduct, that we may not cheat ourselves, for we cannot cheat God, with falfe Pietences of obferving this Duty, while indeed we tranfgrefs it; let us utterly put away from us, all Bitterness, and Wrath, and Clamour, and Evil-speaking, with all Malice; and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as we hope, that God, for Chrift's Sake, will forgive us.

Eph. iv. 31, 32.

LECTURE

XXXIII.

And lead us not into Temptation; but deliver us from Evil: for thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

W

E fhould be very unfit to ask for the Pardon of our paft Sins; and could neither hope to obtain it, nor indeed continue long the better for it; if

we

we did not earneftly defire, at the fame Time, to avoid Sin for the future. And therefore, after the Petition, Forgive us our Trespasses, most properly follows, and lead us not into Temptation.

The Word Temptation very often fignifies no more, than Trial; any Oppofition or Difficulty, that may call forth our Virtues into vigorous Practice, and, by fo doing, both ftrengthen and make them known: not indeed to God, who always knows our Hearts; but to ourfelves and others; to thofe around us at prefent; to all Mankind, and the holy Angels hereafter. Now in this general Senfe, our whole Life on Earth is, and was intended to be, a State of Temptation: in which, as the Scripture expreffes it, God himself tempts Men2; that is, proves and exercifes them. And accoidingly, St. James directs us to count it all Joy, when we fall into divers Temptations; adding a very good Reafon for it: Bleed is the Man, that endureth Temptation: for when he is tried, he fhall receive the Crown of Life; which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. The more Love to God we thus fhew; the more we exert our inward good Principles and Habits, and by exerting, improve them; the greater Reward we fhall obtain. When therefore we fay, Lead us not into Temptation; we do not pray, that we may not be tried at all: for we know, that we must, even for our own Good.

But the Word here ftands for dangerous Trials, Provocations and Enticements to Sin: under which we are likely to fink, inftead of overcoming them. Now there is indeed scarce any Thing in Life, that may not be a Temptation to us, in this bad Senfe. Our Tempers, our Ages, our Stations and Employments in the World, be they ever fo different, may, each in their different Ways, rifk our Innocence. They that are poor, are grievoufly tempted, either to repine against God; or take unlawful Methods of relieving themselves. And they, that will be rich, Experience, as well as the b James i. 2, 12.

a Gen. xxii, 1. Deut. iv. 34. 2 Chron, xxxii. 31.

Apoftle,

Apostle, may teach us, fall into Temptation and a Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufis. Both Adverfity and Profperity, Bufinefs and Leifure, Company and Solitude, have their respective Hazards. And fometimes thefe Hazards are fo dreadfully heightened by particular Circumftances; and, at others, trying Incidents, totally unforeseen, happen fo unfeasonably; that, though they may only rouse and animate our Virtue; yet they may alfo, more probably, overbear, and deftroy it. And therefore we must know very little of our natural Frailty, the Strength of our Paffions, and the Deceitfulnefs of Sin; if we do not think it the more prudent,. as well as modefter Part, to decline, than venture the Conflict, if it be God's Will: and do not accordingly beg of Him, that He would not lead us into fuch Temptation.

God, indeed, tempts no Man, in the Senfe of alluring and inviting him to Sin; as the Devil, and wicked People, and our own bad Hearts do. And therefore to pray, in this Senfe, that He would not lead us into Temptation, would be great Irreverence, instead of Piety: for it is inconfiftent with the Holine's of his Nature, that He fhould. But as nothing comes to pass, but with his Knowledge and Sufferance; and every thing is fubject to his Direction and Superintendency; the Scripture: fpeaks, as if every Thing was done by Him, when the Meaning, as appears by other Paffages of it, is only to acknowledge, that Nothing is done without Him: and, agreeably to the Manner of fpeaking in the Eastern Countries, Things are afcribed to Him, which He only permits, and afterwards turns to the Furtherance of his own good Purposes. Now God may very juftly permit us to be led into the fevereft Temptations, if we do not pray to Him againft it: because a great Part of the Danger proceeds from that Weaknefs, which we have wilfully, or carelessly brought upon ourselves; and Prayer is one of the Means, that He hath appointed for our Prefervation and Relief: which Means if we use as we ought, He will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we are 1 Tim. vi. 9.

d Heb. iii. 13.

James i. 13. able;

1

able; but will, with the Temptation, alfo make a Way to efcape, that we may be able to bear it'.

But if, through Pride or Negligence, we will not ask for his Help, we must not expect it. And though we do for Form's Sake afk it, if we have little Faith in it, or Dependence on it, St. James hath foretold the Event: Let not that Man think that he shall receive any Thing of the Lord. Yet on the other Hand, if we carry our Dependence fo far, as prefumptuously to run into those Dangers, out of which we beg Him to keep us; or at leaft, will do little or nothing to keep ourselves out of them, instead of doing every Thing that we can; or if in the Dangers, in which He may think fit to place us, we will not use our best Endeavours to ftand, as well as pray that we may not fall; fuch Prayers can never be likely to avail for our Protection. But fervent Devotion, hearty Refolution, and prudent Care, united and continued, will do any Thing. By whatever Difficulties we are furrounded, and how little Poffibility foever we may see of getting through them; ftill Commit thy Way unto the Lord, put thy Truft in Him, and He fhall bring it to pass".

In the fecond Part of this Petition. But deliver us from Evil; the Word Evil may fignify, either Sin and its Confequences; or the great Tempter to Sin, the evil or wicked One: for by that Name the Devil is often called in the New Teftament. The Number indeed of wicked Spirits is probably very great: but notwithstanding this, being united, under one Head, in one Defign of obstructing our Salvation, they are all comprehended under one Name. And fince, in our prefent State of Trial, we have not only, as Experience fhews, Flesh and Blood to wrestle against; our own bad Difpofitions, and the Sollicitations of a bad World, to refift; but also, as the Word of God informs us, Principaliti.s and Powers, and spiritual Wickedness in high Places*, an & James i. 7.

f1 Cor. x. 13.

h Pfalm xxxvii. 5.

Matth. xiii. 19, 38. 1 John ii. 13, 14. iii. 12. V. 18.

II, 12.

k

* Eph. vi.

Army

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