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are as mad of finning, as forward to deftroy SER M. themselves, as the devil himself could wifh, fo that he can hardly tempt men to any wickedness, which he does not find them inclined to of themfelves. These he can truft with themselves, and leave them to their own inclinations and conduct, finding by experience, that they will do as ill things of their own motion, as if Satan stood continually at their right hand to prompt them, and put them on; fo that he can go into a far country, and employ himself elfewhere, and leave them for a long time, being confident that in his abfence they will not bury their talent, and hide it in a napkin, but will improve it to a great advantage. And I wish that our own age did not afford us too many inftances of this kind, of fuch for-ward and expert finners as need no tempter either to inftruct or excite them to that which is evil. Now in this cafe the devil betakes himself to other perfons, and removes his fnares and baits where he thinks there is more need and occafion for them.

So that we may reasonably conclude, that there is a great deal of wickednefs committed in the world, which the devil hath no immediate hand in, tho he always rejoiceth in it when it is done; and that there is a great deal more reason to attribute all good to the motions and operations of the SPIRIT of GoD, than to afcribe all fin and wickedness in the world to the devil; because the SPIRIT of GOD is more powerful, and is always every where, and is more intent upon his defign, and as forward to pro-. mote it, as the devil can be to carry on his work; nay, I doubt not but he is more active to excite men to good, than the devil can be to tempt them 10 evil. And yet for all this, I think there is no

great

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SER M. great reason to doubt, but that good men do many good actions of their own inclination, without any special and immediate motion from the SPIRIT of GOD. They are indeed at firft regenerate, and fanctified by the HOLY GHOST, and are continually af terwards under the conduct of the fame SPIRIT: but where there is a new nature, it is of itself inclinable to that which is good, and will bring forth fruits, and do actions answerable. Much lefs do I think that the devil tempts every man to all the evil that he does, or the greatest part. When the lufts of men, and the habits of vice are grown ftrong and confirmed, the devil may fpare his temptations in a great meafure; for after wicked men are wound up to fuch a pitch of impiety, they will go a great while of themfelves.

I have done with the firft obfervation, that as the apofle acquits GOD from having any hand in tempt ing men to fin, fo neither does he afcribe the efficacy and prevalency of temptation to the devil. I pro

ceed to the

Second obfervation, that he afcribes the efficacy and fuccefs of temptation to the lufts and vicious inclinations of men, which feduce them to a confent and compliance with the temptations which are afforded to them. "Every man is tempted, when "he is drawn afide of his own luft, and enticed." We have many powerful enemies; but we are much more in danger of treachery from within, than of affaults from without. All the power of our enemies could not deftroy us, if we were but true to ourfelves; fo that the apoftle had great reafon to afcribe the efficacy of temptation to the irregular defires and vicious inclinations of men, rather than

to

to those temptations which the providence of GOD SER M. permits them to be affaulted with, and confequent

ly to lay the blame of mens fins chiefly upon them-felves.

And that chiefly upon, these two accounts.

Firft, because the lufts of men are in a great meafure voluntary.

Secondly, God hath put it in our power to refift thofe temptations, and overcome them. Now fo far as the lufts of men are voluntary, it is their own fault that they are feduced by them, and if GOD hath put it in our power to refift and overcome temptations, we may blame ourselves, if we be overcome. and foiled by them.

First, the lufts of men are in a great measure voluntary. By the lufts of men, I mean their irregular defires and vicious inclinations. I grant that the na ture of man is very much corrupted, and degenera ted from its primitive integrity and perfection: bus we who are chriftians, have received that grace in baptifm, whereby our natures are fo far healed, asy if we be not wanting to ourselves, and do not neglect the means which God hath appointed to us, we may mortify our lufts, and live a new life; fo that if our lufts remain unmortified, we ourfelves are in fault, much more if they gain new ftrength, and proceed to habits;, for this could not be, if we did not after we come to age, and are able to difcern, between, and to choose good and evil, voluntarily confent toi iniquity, and by wilful and deliberate practice of known fins, improve the evil inclinations of our nature into vicious habits: but if inftead of mortifying and fubduing the evil propenfions of our nature (which is no very difficult work to moft perfons, if they be

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SERM. gin it betimes) we will cherish and give new life and

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power to them, we forfeit the grace which we teceived in baptifm, and bring ourselves again under the power and dominion of fin; and no wonder then, if our luft feduce us, and make us ready to comply with the temptations of the world and the devil.

Nay, and after this it is ftill our own fault, if we do not mortify our lufts; for if we would hearken to the counfel of GOD, and obey his calls to repentance, and fincerely beg his grace and HOLY SPIRIT to this purpose, we might yet recover ourselves, and "by the SPIRIT mortify the lufts of the flesh ;” for tho' we have left GOD, he hath not quite forfaken us, but is ready to afford his grace again to us, tho' we have neglected and abused it, and to give his HOLY SPIRIT to thofe that afk him, tho' we have forfeited it; fo that tho' our lufts spring from fomething which is natural, yet that they live and have dominion over us, is voluntary, because we might remedy it if we would, and make use of those means which God in the gofpel offers to us.

Secondly, God hath put it in our power to resist these temptations, and overcome them; fo that it is our own fault, if we yield to them, and be overcome by them.

It is naturally in our power to refift many forts of temptations; and the grace of God, if we do not neglect it, and be not wanting to ourselves, puts it in our power to resist any temptation that may happen to us.

First, it is naturally in our power to refift many forts of temptations. If we do but make ufe of our natural reason, and those confiderations which are common and obvious to men, we may easily refift

the

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the temptations to a great many fins. Some fins SER M. are fo horrid in their nature, that when we have the ftrongest temptations to them; we cannot but have a natural averfion from them; as deliberate murder, the danger and guilt whereof, are both fo great, as make iteafy for any confiderate man to refift the ftrongest temptation to it, even that of revenge. A plain act of injuftice, whether by great fraud, or by downright oppreflion, is fo base and disgraceful, fo odious and abhorred by human nature, that it is not difficult to a man that hath but a common underftanding, and common inclination to be honest, to overcome the greatest temptation of gain and advantage; nay he must offer confiderable violence to his nature and reafon, to bring himself to it at firft. Prophaneness and contempt of GoD and religion is fo monftrous a fault, and of fo dreadful an appearance, that every man that will but ufe his rea. fon, can have no temptation to it, either from gratifying his humour, or pleafing his company, or fhewing his wit, that can be of equal force with the arguments which every man's mind and confcience is apt to fuggeft to him against it.

Nay, there are many fins much inferior to thefe, the temptations whereto may by the ordinary reasons and confiderations of prudence and interest, be bafAed and put out of countenance. To inftance in common fwearing, to which I think there is no temptation, either from pleasure or advantage, but only from fashion and cuftom. Now this temptation is eafy to be conquer'd, by confidering that every man that profeffeth to believe the bible, muft acknowledge it to be a fin; and if any man be conVOL. VII. I vinc'd