SERM. Brethren, says St Paul to the Galatians, XVIII. if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which Gal. vi. 1. are spiritual, restore fuch an one in the spirit 12. 12. of meeknesse, confidering thy-felf, least thou alfo be tempted: that is, mindful of thy own weaknesse, and that it is not impoffible, but thou also mayest at some time, and some way or other, be tempted with effect, so as to fall. Among divers confiderations, which the Apostle Paul mentions to dissuade the Corinthians from too great intimacie with the idolatrous Heathens, he inferts this also: Cor. x. Wherefore let him that thinks he stands, take beed, leaft he fall. And with great affection and earnestnesse Philip. ii. he says to the Philippians: Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence, work out your falvation with fear and trembling. St. Peter exhorts those, to whom he writes, Pet. i. to pass the time of their fojourning bere in fear. Again, Be fober, be vigilant : because your adverfarie the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 17. : And And the Apostle to the Hebrews: Take SERM. heed, my brethren, least there be in any of you XVIII. an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the Hebr. iii. living God. But exhort one another daily, 12. 13. least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneffe of fin. 2. We may observe in the Old and New Testament divers instances of this temper, of fearing always, in the sense of a religious fear, as we have explained it: a fear of offending, through the power of external temptations, and the weaknesse and inconstance of our minds. Possibly somewhat of this temper is implied in that expression of Job. All the days Job xiv. of my appointed time will I wait, till my change be. For this reason it is, that good men in the Old Testament sometimes speak of their guarding the senses, the inlets of external temptations, or occafions of fin. Job says, be had made a covenant with his eyes. And the Pfalmist: I am purposed, that my mouth shall not tranfgrefs. : Joseph, as is well known, feared to trust too much to his own resolution. And therefore 14. 1. ..xxxi Pl. xvii. 3 SERM. fore shunned the companie of the sedu XVIII. Pf. xix. 13. 36. 37. cer. This fear is the ground and principle of divers prayers of pious men: as, Keep back thy fervant alfo from presumptuons fins. Let them not have dominion over me. So shall I be free ...cxix. from every great tranfgreffion. Again, Incline my heart unto thy teftimonies, and not unto covetousnesse. Turn away my eyes from bebolding vanity. And quicken me in thy way. And, Set a watch, o Lord, before my mouth : keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart unto any evil thing: that is, let not my heart incline to any evil thing: let me not be prevailed upon by any temptations, to do that which is evil. ..cxli. 3.4. Pr. xxx. To this purpose is that request of Agur. Two things have I desired of thee. Deny me 7...9. them not, before I dye. Remove far from me vanity and lyes. Give me neither poverty, nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me. Least I be full, and deny thee, and fay: Who is the Lord? and least I be poor, and steal, and take the name of the Lord my God in vain. This good man feared always. He was apprehenfive, that he had not fufficient reso lution and virtue, to behave well either in SERM. great profperity, or in extreme want and po- XVIII. verty. And the condition he chooses, as most defirable, is that, in which he thinks his virtue would be exposed to the smallest, or the fewest hazards. St. Paul, who recommended to others fear and caution, is an example of it himself. He even says: I keep under my body, and bring it into Cor. ix. Subjection, least that by any means, when I have 27. preached the gospel to others, I my-felf Should be a caft-away. Nor can it be doubted, but St. Peter likewife observed the rules he gave. It evidently appears in the temper of his epistles. are. Yea our Lord himself is, in some measure, an example here. For he was tried, as we Indeed he resisted, and overcame always. But though he was compleatly innocent, he saw the force of worldly temptations, and provided for them. Before he entered upon his important and difficult ministrie, he was led of the Spirit into the wildernesse, and was tempted divers ways. And by meditations, in that folitude, upon SERM. upon the vanity and emptinesse of this world, XVIII. and all it's glorie, and by confidering the greater glorie set before him, he was prepared for the trials of a more public life. And as his last and great temptation drew near, we difcern him to be mindful of it. John xiv. Says he to the disciples: The prince of this world cometh: but bath nothing in me. And he retired into a private place. And likewife charged three of his disciples to watch, whilst he went and prayed at a small distance from them. 30. 3. Upon the whole therefore we need not be shy of admitting, and cherishing this temper, of fearing always, or a perpetual distrust of ourselves, during this state of trial. This fear, or diffidence, has in it some uneasinesse: but it will lay a foundation for great advantages. It is better to fear offending, than to forrow for having offended. : The care of caution is not so troublesome, as the bitternesse of late repentance. Though he who fears always should at first be esteemed neither the greatest, nor the happiest of men, in the end he may be both. Pr. xvi. For pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty 18. |