ver entirely conquer their Lufts and Corruptions, but are daily discovering new Failings in themfelves; here I fay is Comfort to all fuch, that to our daily Failings our Saviour has prescribed a daily Remedy; that as often as we pray for our daily Bread, we should pray likewise for the forgivenefs of our Sins. It were indeed earnestly to be wished that our Victory over Sin in this World were more compleat, and that we were delivered not only from thofe Works of the Flesh, thofe crying Sins which wicked Men commonly indulge them felves. in, but likewife from all those leffer Faults which are incident to good People in this Life. But we are to confider that at best this is but an imperfect State, and that that entire Deliverance from all Manner of Sin belongs to the State of Heaven, which good People therefore earnestly long for. All we can do while we are here is, by a diligent Ufe of the Means of Grace, to ftudy as great Perfection in Holiness as we can, and by Watchfulness before hand, and Self-Examination afterwards, with the constant Use of Prayer, and Refolutions, and Endeavours, to keep our felves as clear of all Sin both of Omiffion and Commiffion

as poffibly as we can. But yet forafmuch as In many Things we offend all of us, and if we say we bave no Sin, we deceive our felves, and the Truth is not in us; our Patience muft extend fo far as to be eafy and contented with our imperfect Circumftances, and by daily Prayer and Repentance to wipe off these Blemishes, till we arrive at that bleffed State in Heaven, where there will be no need of this Petition. But at present we have great Encouragement to put up this Request. It

is

1

is a Petition drawn by our Saviour himself; and he will back it with his own prevalent Mediation and Interceffion. And God who knows our frail Nature and dangerous Circumstances in this World, will pity our Weakness, and pardon the Sins of this imperfect State. As the Pfalmift defcribes this Mercy of God excellently, Pf. ciii. 13, 14. Like as a Father pitieth his Children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him: For he knoweth our Frame, he remembreth that we are Duft.

4. The laft Thing I have to do from this Text is, to addrefs myself to those rigid Exactors of Injuries, who notwithstanding this, and divers other plain Texts of Holy Scripture, will not pardon the leaft Tranfgreffion in their Neighbour, though they themselves have long Reckonings to account for to Almighty God. I have not time now to confider the feveral Cafes, what fort of Injuries are to be pardoned, and what not; perhaps that may come in better hereafter, from thofe Words which our Saviour has fubjoined to the Lord's Prayer, and which have a particular Aspect upon this Petition. For if ye forgive Men their Tref paffes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not Men their Trefpaffes, neither will your Father forgive your Trefpaffes. All I fhall fay at prefent, is in general to recommend to you a merciful forgiving Temper, and to diffuade you from acting out of Principles of Malice or Refentment.

And if it is fo dangerous a Thing to profecute Revenge where we are provoked; what must it be without any Provocation at all, to contrive to aggrieve our Neighbour, and to be the first Aggreffors in Injuries? I am very fenfible that the

falfe

falfe Rules of Honour, as they are called, are in this Point of Retaliation of Injuries directly contrary to the Law of Jefus Chrift. The one makes it a noble Thing to Revenge, the other a noble Thing to pafs by an Injury. But pray confider that in the great Day of Accounts, we shall be judged by the Laws of Chrift, and not by Mens falfe Rules of Honour. And therefore to turn the Petition of my Text into a fhort Exhortation, I fhall give it you in the Words of St Luke, Chap. vi. 37. and they are fo few that I hope ye will eafily carry them along with you; Forgive, and ye fhall be Forgiven.

Now God of his infinite Mercy bless us all with the Pardon of our Sins, and Grace to amend our Lives; that when this fhort Life is over, we may be admitted to that State of Glory and Happiness which we wait for in Heaven, through the Merits and Mediation of Chrift Jefus. To whom, &c.

SERM.

SERMON XIV.

MATT. VI. 13.

And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil.

The Eighth Sermon on the Lord's Prayer.

N thefe Words we have the laft Petition of

the Lord's Prayer, which relates to the preferving us from being overcome by Temptations. Before I come to the Petition itself, it is very fit that we confider the Connexion. The fpiritual Petitions relating directly to our felves, our Saviour parts into two: One, for the pardon of Sin already paft, Forgive us our Debts, or Trefpaffes; the other to guard us against Sin for the Time to come, which is that of my Text: And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil. I fhall firft fay fomething for the Explication of the Words, and then confider the Meaning of the Petition.

To begin with the Word Temptation, I shall not here expatiate to enquire in how many Senfes it is taken in the holy Scriptures, but reftrain my Confideration of it to the Temptations here meant, namely, Temptations to Sin, fuch Suggestions of the Devil, the World, and the Flefh, as are apt to induce us to the Omiffion of Duty, or the Commiffion of Sin.

By

By the Word, leading into Temptation, as it is applied to God, muft not be understood the enfnaring us in finful Courses, as if he were the Author or Contriver of Sin, which is far from the Purity of his Nature; but only the permitting us to be tempted, or the withholding his Grace, whereby we might be enabled to refift Temptations, and for a juft Punishment of our Sins, the leaving us to our felves to grapple with our fpiritual Enemies upon our own very unequal Strength.

By delivering us from Evil, fome mean the delivering us from the evil One, meaning the Devil; whether as the Principal or Head of the Temptation, or as the Tormentor, to whofe Lot we fhall fall, if the Temptation fucceeds. Others mean in general the Evil of Sin, that God by his Grace and Providence would fo fortify, defend, and extricate us, that we be not led into finful Courfes or Actions; or if we are, that we be quickly delivered by a thorough Repentance and Amendment. And I fee no material Difference between these two Interpretations, both tending to one and the fame thing, to invoke God's Help, both to ftave off Temptations by his Providence, and to fortify us against them, and to help us out of them by the Grace of his holy Spirit.

The Words being thus explained, towards understanding of the Petition contained in them, it will be neceffary likewife briefly to clear up fome Truths here prefuppofed, upon which this Petition feems to be grounded, to direct us to the right Senfe of it. The Truths I mean, are these following.

I: That