1. A public declared impunity to sin, 425.

2. The vicious examples of persons in place and power, 426.

3. The cruel oppressions of men in their persons, liberties, and estate, 428.

In opposition to which, we must consider,

1. That the strongest temptations to sin are no warrants to sin and,

2. That God delivers only those who do their lawful utmost to deliver themselves, 429.

The deliverances out of temptation are of two sorts, 431. 1st, Those whereby God delivers immediately by himself and his own act, 431. As,

1. By putting an issue to the temptation, 407.

2. By supplying the soul with mighty inward strength to withstand it, 410.

3. By a providential change of a man's whole course of life and circumstances of condition, 417.

4. By the overpowering operation of his holy Spirit, gradually weakening, and at length totally subduing the temptation, 421.

From these considerations, that God alone can deliver out of temptation, and that the ways by which he does it are above man's power, and for the most part beyond his knowledge, 433. we may deduce these useful, practical consequences:

1. That the estimate of an escape from temptation is to be taken from the final issue and result of it; that a temptation may continue very long, and give a man many foils before he escapes out of it: which affords an antidote against presumption on the one hand, and despair on the other, 433.

2. No way out of any calamity, if brought about by a man's own sin, ought to be accounted a way allowed by God for his escape out of that calamity or temptation, 437. Nor,

3. To choose a lesser sin to avoid a greater, 439.

4. When a temptation is founded in suffering, none

ought to be so solicitous how to get out of it, as how to behave himself under it, 445.

5. There can be no suffering whatsoever, but may be endured without sin, 448.

Since to be delivered out of temptation is of an infinite concern, and since the tempter has so many advantages over us; we should be so much the more careful to use such means as our Saviour himself has prescribed to us, viz. watchfulness and prayer, 450.

SERMON LXX.

WATCHFULNESS AND PRAYER, A SECURITY FROM TEMP

TATION.

MATTH. xxvi. 41.

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. P.454.

In the Christian man's warfare, the two great defensatives against temptation are watching and prayer, 455. 1st, Watching imports,

1. A sense of the greatness of the evil we contend against, 455.

2. A diligent survey of the wit and strength of our enemy, compared with the weakness and treachery of our own hearts, 458.

3. A consideration of the ways by which temptation has at any time prevailed upon ourselves or others, 461.

4. A continual intention of mind upon the danger, in opposition to idleness and remissness, 466.

5. A constant and severe temperance, 470. 2dly, Prayer, 476. is rendered effectual by, 1. Fervency, or importunity, 478.

2. Constancy, or perseverance, 479.

Lastly, Watching and prayer must always be joined together; the first without the last being but presumption, and the last without the first, mockery, 482. Which is shewed by two instances, in which men may pray against temptation without any success, 484.

SERMON LXXI.

THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN OUR OWN HEARTS.

PROV. xxviii. 26.

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. P. 487. Of all the cheats put upon a man by trusting, none is more pernicious than that of trusting his own heart, 487. and resigning up the entire conduct of himself to the directions of it, as of an able and a faithful guide, 488. The folly of which will appear by considering,

1st, The value of the things we commit to that trust, 490. viz.

1. The honour of God, who is our Creator, our Lord, and our Father, 490.

2. Our happiness in this world, with relation both to our temporal and spiritual concerns, 493.

3. Our eternal happiness hereafter, 497.

2dly, The undue qualifications of that heart to whose trust we commit these things, 499. who,

1. Cannot make good the trust because of its weakness, in point both of apprehension and of election, 499.

2. Will not make it good because of its deceitfulness, 502. Which shews itself in several delusions, that relate either to the commission of sin, 503. or to the performance of duty, 509. or to a man's conversion, 513.

Since therefore the heart is so deceitful, and to trust it is inexcusable folly; we ought to trust only in the conduct of God's holy Spirit, who will lead us into all truth, 515.

SERMON LXXII.

THE HOPE OF FUTURE GLORY AN EXCITEMENT TO PURITY OF LIFE.

1 JOHN iii. 3.

Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. P. 518.

A Christian, though he has great privileges and hopes,

yet ought not to presume, but prepare himself for future glory by the purity of his life, 518. Having considered how a man may be said to purify himself, and to such a degree, 519. even as Christ is pure; we shall in these words observe,

1st, What is implied in a man's purifying of himself, 522. viz. to rid himself,

1. Of the power of sin; which consists in bewailing all his past sinful acts, 522. in a vigilant prevention of future ones, 524. And this will be effected by opposing every first sinful motion, 527. by frequently performing severe mortifying duties, 529. by often using fervent prayer, 531. Whence we may perceive the error of those who pursue the reformation of some particular sins only, 533. and of others who only complain of the evil of their nature, without endeavouring to amend it, 535.

2. Of the guilt of sin, 536. which can be expiated by no duty within man's power, 536. but only by applying the virtue of Christ's blood to the soul through faith, 538.

2dly, How the hope of heaven does purify a man, 540. viz.

1. Upon a natural account, as it is a special grace, in its nature contrary to sin, 540.

2. Upon a moral account, by suggesting to the soul arguments for purification, 542. such as these; that purity is the necessary means to the acquisition of eternal happiness, 542. that it alone can qualify the soul for heaven, 543. that it is a duty we are obliged to out of gratitude, 545. that it only can evidence to us our right in those glorious things that we hope for, 546.

From all these, every one may gather a certain criterion, by which to judge of his hope as to his future happiness,

547.