confirming his fellow difciples: And fo his SER M. master charges him, when thou art converted, V. Strengthen thy brethren.

From what has been difcourfed on this fubject, we may make feveral useful practical reflections. In the first place, let us guard against abufing it to the worst of purpofes, by thinking little of fin, and of yielding to temptations wherewith we may be affaulted. Since good men, indeed the very best, while in this imperfect state, are liable, to be furprized, even into heinous tranfgreffion, that's a very good reason for our caution, left we alfo be tempted and fall after the fame evil example: Not at all for our thinking their offences the less criminal, and thereby being easily led into an imitation of them. On the contrary, a man's being otherwise good, and thro' the general course of his life and actions pious and virtuous, renders the fingle trefpafs, or the few he has been guilty of, the more finful; because his obligations to the contrary are greatly increased by his goodness, by the experience he has had of the excellence and reality of religion, the power of its motives, the present advantages refulting from it, and by the repeated voluntary engagements he

has

SERM. has brought himself under. This is a way V. of thinking and practical reasoning, which fcarcely can a fincere chriftian at any time be capable of; it is fo wretchedly difingenuous, and, one would think, must proceed only from an habitually depraved heart, and loft to all sense of true piety. "I have "been thro' the general course of my con" verfation innocent, and made it my study "to please God, I may, therefore, for this " once, allow myself to tranfgrefs, and hope " he will not be greatly offended." Or, other

good men have acted in this manner, and "I may take the liberty to follow the ex

ample." Such thoughts, we may be affured, were far from St. Peter's heart, as they are far from every religious perfon's, in the worst ftate of mind we can reasonably suppose him in. And the most wilful fins they commit at any time are to be attributed, rather to the present power of temptations, and paffions ftupifying their minds, and in a great degree fufpending the exercise of their reasoning powers, than to fuch deliberation, and meditated pretences for justifying themfelves. Let it be observed, that the cafe of the text, and others like it, recorded in fcripture, were fingle offences, not repeated;

and

V.

and therefore nothing can be drawn from SERM. them in the leaft to countenance evil habits, frequently producing wicked actions ; or affording hope to fuch as indulge themselves in them, which by the plainest and most express declarations of the word of God, difqualify men for his kingdom.

And still lefs is there any encouragement given by the hiftory before us, and others parallel to it, from the divine forefight of men's offences, divine grace interpofing to prevent their total apoftacy, and providence over-ruling the iffue for good; encouragement, I fay, to make light of their wilful fins, and go on in them with hope of impunity and acceptance. It is true, that our Saviour forewarn'd Peter of his fall, had a compaffionate care of him in his weakness, took gracious methods for his recovery, and upon repentance restored him to favour, and to the privileges and exercife of his formeroffice, perhaps with advantage both to himself and others; and it may be God deals fo by others of his fervants, which wonderfully manifefts his tender mercy; but furely it is no reason, why we fhould repeat our tranfgreffions, and harden ourselves in them.

SERM. This is the fame abfurdity, which St. Paul V. mentions, Rom. vi. 1. as what some men imagin'd to be chargeable on the gospel grace, and which he rejects with the utmost abhorrence. Having faid, in the close of the preceeding chapter, that where fin abounded, grace did much more abound; he adds, as a profane furmife which might arise in fome impious minds, fhall we continue in fin, that. grace may abound? and fays, God forbid. Let it not be fo. It's impoffible fuch a thought should enter into a fincere heart, or that the grace of God fhould be fo abused by any one who seriously confiders the nature and defign of it, which is, quite on the contrary, to reform men, and to deliver them from the power of fin, as all the doctrines and Inftitutions of christianity plainly fhew.

The conclufion is, that the inftance I have been explaining, and all the circumstances of it fully proving human frailty, and the power and freedom of divine grace; that, I say, this inftance is of a piece with the general intention of the grace that brings falvation, and hath appeared unto us, inftructing us, that denying all ungodliness and worldly iufts, we should live foberly, righteously and godly :

2

that

that we should make it our study and prin- SERM. cipal care to eschew evil, and cleave to that V. which is good; that we should be workers together with God for our establishment in virtue, and a refolved adherence to him ; to this end improving the invaluable advantages we have by the gospel.

I

Secondly, It becomes chriftians, and it is fafe for them, always to have a modest sense of their own infirmity, and therefore to place their hope in the power and goodness of God for the preservation of their integrity, and their defence againft temptations. St. Paul having, 1 Cor. x. given an abridgment of the history of the Ifraelites in the wildernefs, of their fins, and their punishments, applies it for an admonition to chriftians, whofe circumftances are in many refpects parallel, and fays, ver. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh be ftandeth take heed left he fall. Nothing is more apt to betray them into a fall, than a fond conceit of their own fufficiency, and refting fecurely in their own ftrength. A much better foundation of confidence he mentions in the following words, ver. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.