withstand a more powerful temptation than David; yet he was brought off victorious; whilst David, the man after God's own heart, the sweet Psalmist of Israel, sunk too easily under the trial, entailed on himself and his family irretrievable shame and misery; and, notwithstanding his subsequent contrition, went down with sorrow to the grave. We are humbly to pray, therefore, for constant supplies of efficacious grace under the temptations which may assault us; that God would uphold us with his free Spirit, and deliver us from every evil work, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. Mine eyes are ever unto the Lord, says the Psalmist, that he may pluck my feet out of the net.

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 to 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 delivered.

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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 re•sisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble. If there be any lesson which the con

sideration 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; espe cially 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 groundwork 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, wellordered 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 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