The prayer implies, lastly, that God would be pleased TO SAVE US IN THAT HOUR WHICH IS CALLED IN SCRIPTURE, THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION; in that crisis when temptation arises to its greatest height; when preceding negligence and repeated attacks have given it an accumulated force; and when concurring circumstances aid its last and fearful assault. Then the enemy cometh in like a flood. Solicitations to some fleshly lust, to some sensual, covetous, or ambitious project, or to some act dishonourable to God and destructive to the purity and peace of the soul, have perhaps been long and secretly at work. The Christian's resolutions have been insensibly weakened. His imagination has been inflamed with the desire of attaining the sinful object. His fidelity and constancy have been shaken. At length the temptation comes. His judgment is obscured, his will is unstable, his affections are engaged by forbidden objects: thus shrouded in darkness and misguided by concupiscence, he is entangled in snares, or exposed to perils, from which a miracle of grace can alone extricate him. In these circumstances the hour of temptation may be said to have arrived. Now it presses hard upon his soul. Now lust hath conceived and is bringing forth sin. Into this state of imminent danger, therefore, we pray we may never be permitted to fall. We beg of God to keep us from the first approaches of it; to search and try our hearts, to give us the light and strength of his Spirit, that we may perceive our real state; that we may cut off the offending right hand, or pluck out the offending right eye; that our souls may escape as a bird out of the snare of the fowler ; that the snare may be broken and we may be delivered.

In drawing towards a conclusion, allow me to urge upon you from this subject,

I. THE DUTY OF HUMILITY. Be ye clothed, saith the Apostle, with humility, for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble. If there be any lesson which the consideration of the text directly suggests, it is that of cultivating a lowly and meek spirit. For how corrupt are our hearts! How much exposed to temptation! How unfaithful to duty! How prone to listen to external solicitations! How soon thrown off their guard! We carry about with us, as it were, a traitor, in conspiracy with our external enemies. The deepest humility, therefore, becomes us.

Besides, how frequently have we fallen, and upon slight temptations! How often have we violated our resolutions, forgotten our vows, and broken our covenant with our God! And though we may have been preserved from outward acts of sin, yet how much has temptation defiled our thoughts and affections! Of how much secret inclination to iniquity

are we conscious!

Further, the number and art of our spiritual enemies is an argument for cultivating this guardian virtue. For who would be proud and self-confident and daring, amidst a host of subtle and malignant and powerful foes; especially when presumption on our own strength opens a way for temptation, breaks down all our defences, and throws wide the gates to the assailants?

Moreover, humility is necessary, because so long a period must elapse before we can know any thing fully, adequately, experimentally, maturely, of our own hearts and the devices of Satan. We learn things at first generally and superficially. We hear of temptation, of our fallen nature, of the powers of darkness; but we understand little about them. Humility then must supply the place of knowledge, and distrust of ourselves protect us, where experience is wanting.

Besides, humility is the last finish and greatest ornament of the Christian character. Humility, not in word or profession, but actual and sincere lowliness of heart, is the ground-work of every other grace, the test, the fruit, the preservative, the distinguishing garment of piety. It is a duty more especially becoming the young; not to the exclusion of zeal and faith and hope and love and joy, but as the check and guardian of them. Without it, young persons are repulsive and offensive in society, they easily become the prey of temptation and speedily turn aside from the holy commandment. Without it there can be no hope of recovery from transgression, no openness to reproof, no docility, no desire of escape from the occasions of sin, no capacity of improvement in true piety, no genuine, solid, scriptural, well-ordered religion.

But we may proceed to notice,

II. THE NECESSITY OF CHRISTIAN VIGILAnce. The prayer of our text implies the need of watchfulness. Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. To pray not to be led into temptation, and then to rise from our knees and live negligently and without a holy vigilance, is a mockery of God. We solemnly bind ourselves by prayer to do all in our power to attain the blessings we supplicate. We must pray, as though every thing depended on God alone, and nothing could be done by us; and we must watch, as though all rested upon our personal diligence, and God without it would neither bring us help, nor grant us the victory. The grace of God enables his servants to will and to do of his good pleasure; but he works by means, by exciting our own activity, and by quickening us to humility and watchfulness. He that is born of God KEEPETH HIMSELF, and that wicked one toucheth him not. Every Christian, then, must be vigilant.

He

must deal with his heart, as a man would act towards a servant, whom he believed, upon credible information, to be secretly unfaithful. He must watch as a sentinel on his post who knows that dangers are near, and that if the soldier sleeps, the enemy may safely make his attack. He must, therefore, walk circumspectly, keep under his body and bring it into subjection, and avoid even the appearance of evil. He must be sober and temperate in all things, that his moderation may appear unto all men. He must religiously examine even the things which seem the most safe. He must take the alarm the first moment he perceives any approbation of sin stealing upon his mind. He must not in the smallest thing give place to the devil, but resist him manfully, steadfast in the faith.

And here a reply may be given to two cases of conscience:

Young persons sometimes ask, WHETHER THEY MAY, FROM CURIOSITY, READ OCCASIONALLY SUCH BOOKS, OR LISTEN TO SUCH INSTRUCTIONS, OR FREQUENT SUCH SOCIETY, AS THEY ARE AWARE MAY HAVE A TENDENCY TO CORRUPT THEIR MINDS FROM

THE SIMPLICITY OF SCRIPTURAL TRUTH AND CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE. The obvious answer is, Nounless a very clear call of duty demands it of you. It must not be done to gratify curiosity, but to fulfil some positive obligation. And as such calls of duty are very rare, it can rarely be lawful for you thus to expose yourself. Shall a person in tender health intrust himself to an infected atmosphere? Shall we venture to walk on to the very edge of the precipice? Shall we try how much poison our constitution will sustain? Shall we prefer a mixture of unwholesome food to the unadulterated milk of the word? Can we hope that God will keep us from temptation, if we rush into it of ourselves? Are we not too weak,

far too weak, to tamper with error, to trust ourselves to listen to its syren voice, or to covet, spontaneously and with alacrity, suspicious gratifications?

But you reply, that you wish to PROVE ALL THINGS, If

THAT YOU MAY HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD.

this be, indeed, the simple truth, the case is altered. You no longer read the book, or hear the discourse, or enter the supposed society from curiosity, but with the honest desire of knowing, that you may obey, the truth. Be on your guard, however, lest you deceive yourself in this supposition. The probability is, that you know the truth in its main branches already, and therefore that you have no real plea for such hazardous pursuit of further knowledge. Conscience tells you this; and yet you remain unsatisfied. Beware of a fastidious taste, lest you mistake morbid delicacy for refinement of mind: -the healthful appetite does not pine after luxuries and variety. Stand fast in the faith. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. Avoid foolish questions and contentions as unprofitable and vain.

But you say, that THE INSTRUCTIONS WHICH YOU

WISH TO HEAR ARE REPORTED TO HAVE MANY EXCELLENCIES, AND TO CONTAIN AT LEAST A LARGE MIXTURE OF TRUTH. Perhaps we may reply, So much the worse. The tempter may be transformed into an angel of light. The poison may be mixed up with wholesome nourishment. There would be comparatively little danger to an enlightened mind, in the contemplation of gross and unmingled error. Therefore watch and pray. No one can tell with what taint he may rise from reading a book, or listening to a discourse, which causes to err from the ways of righteousness. No one can tell but he may thereby grieve the Spirit of God, and provoke him to give him up to his own heart's lust, and to let him follow