so artfully laid to entangle us. I intend to confine myself at present to those temptations made use of towards those who are more or less awakened to a sense of their state, as creatures accountable to God for their actions. They are too numerous to mention all, only it may be observed, that as they are all intended to prevent the union of our souls with God, whatever directly or indirectly tends to hinder that union, whether it arises immediately from Satanic suggestions, or mediately from any of his instruments, by a common rule of scripture is to be considered as springing from temptation: "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." If men acquainted themselves with God's word, and understood his will, they would not be so easily ensnared as they are by the adversary of their souls. This they neglect to do; or if they do it, they take no heed to follow its precepts; and so continue children of night, and subjects of this haughty tyrant. While they continue insensible to their situation, and undisturbed about futurity, he governs them without much trouble: it is when they begin to fear that all is not well with them, and that something is wanting to prepare them for eternity, that he begins to take the alarm, and uses all his arts to prevent them from beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; being assured if they once gain a true knowledge of his mercy and love, his empire, as it respects them, will soon be at an end. To prevent this he

Represents true religion as a contemptible thing, as some thing of which we ought to be ashamed; that its precepts are hard; that its ways and services are burdensome and expensive; that its professors, as before observed in rather different words, all hypocritical, the meanest, basest, and vilest of men; that its experience is enthusiasm, and its fervours fanaticism; that men have something else to do than be always on their knees; that the world would be better without it; and that it is not worthy of our notice, as depriving us of all pleasure, rendering us unfit for society, and conferring ne good upon us whatever,

Many swallow this temptation with avidity, and by this means continue stout-hearted and far from God; for who can love and embrace what he is taught to despise, or seek after that which is supposed to confer no good, or associate with those whose friendship would be a disgrace? It does not, however, succeed with all: the scriptures describe it after another manner, the experience and declarations of pious and eminent persons are entirely for it; and the mind itself, on reflection, discovers that it needs the help it offers, and sighs, being burdened, for the happiness it promises. He endeavours to shew

That sin is not evil in itself, or it is a necessary evil; that there is a time for all things; that pleasure and amusements are altogether innocent; that we are good enough; that the world abounds with a rich variety of objects most worthy of our pursuits, and that it would be extremely foolish not to come in for our share; that we are formed for such pursuits; that sin is highly pleasant and gratifying in itself; that many who once professed religion have renounced it for the pleasures of sin; that the greater part of mankind have the love of sin in them, and that what is so common cannot be wrong; that ungodly men prosper as much or more than those who are so very strict; that it is better to be a downright profligate than a canting hypocrite; that many sins, so called, tend to the good of society, and are even virtuous and commendable; that the loss of life is to be preferred to the loss of honour; that banquetting and extravagant mirth are the soul of friendship, &c.

This is striving to shew the brightest side of a bad cause : but to shew its fallacy we need only notice the remorse, misery, disease, shame, poverty, and condemnation, which attend upon and follow sinful actions, with the disappointment, vexation, and emptiness, which attend its lying promises, and the damnation of hell, which will be the final state of the impenitent. Unlawful gain, pleasure, vanity, and hell! Sin followed, the world gained, honour preserved, and the soul lost! Man pleased, pride promoted, passion

served, God forgotten, mercy despised, and the sinner damned! Oh the folly and madness of hearkening to Satan's voice, and pushing a trade, forming connexions, and opening correspondences in sin and rebellion, which will assuredly end in ruin and despair!

When the soul is restless without religion, then he tempts men to believe that a form is sufficient, or that any opinion is right which contradicts the truth, or is not the truth; that they ought not to change the religion in which they have been educated; that if they say their prayers, do no harm, read good books, and do good, God requires no more; that Jesus Christ has died for sinners, and that therefore we have nothing to fear; that if our spirits are low, we must get a little more into company, avoid that preaching and those books which talk about conversion and make people melancholy; that we should now and then sing a cheerful song, make a party at cards, and above all things not to be alone nor reflect too much, as that might endanger our health and depress our spirits. When these things fail, he presents the difficulties that will arise from our being righteous overmuch, the sacrifices that must necessarily be made, the offence we may give to others should we pretend to be more religious than they; that we shall disturb the peace of our families, and forfeit the esteem of our friends; that it will be time enough to make preparation for death when sickness comes and death approaches; that we must take care not to unchristianize others by our fancies, who are quite contented with their religion, though they possess no more of it than ourselves; that at least we had better put it off for a season, till we are a little older, more settled in life, and when we can do it with less notice and parade, and have it all our own way, and then we may be as good as we desire; that we shall then find it easy to repent, believe, and deny ourselves, &c.

However plausible these temptations appear, they cannot, without we offer great violence to the Spirit of God, lull the soul into its former lethargy; the dread of death and

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hell; the solemnities of a future judgment; reflections on an endless state of pain and horror; the agonies of the Son of God, and the whole tenor of the gospel; with a sight and consciousness of our transgressions, arising from our convictions, sets them frequently aside at a stroke; while these words perhaps thunder in our ears, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.-Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.-If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed.-Ye must be born again." These thing's fill the soul with great alarms.

When conviction takes deep root, his temptations are of another kind; he begins to distract the soul with unprofitable reasoning concerning God and his holy word;" he insinuates that there is no God, or that he is too great and glorious to regard us; that the scriptures are mere human productions, formed by designing men for political and sinister purposes, and are full of errors and falsehood; that there is neither hell, nor devil, nor a future state; that our souls are material, and die with the body; that if we were to mock and blaspheme God, or destroy ourselves, we have nothing to fear; that gospel terms are too difficult for our compliance; that we have sinned beyond the reach of mercy, and that now no hope of salvation remains for us; that our hearts are too hard; that God will not regard either our cries or tears; that our guilt is too ponderous to be removed; and that we had better sin on, and get all that the world and sin can give us, for that is all the heaven we shall ever know; that our repentance is not of the right kind, and that we are not sincere, or the Lord would hear us. If penitents obtain some consolation from the promises of God, or the advice and experience of others, then he tempts them to think they were never awakened, or perhaps that they are pardoned and saved. He also uses a variety of means to lead them into sin, and then accuses them for it; telling them, that now it is all over, they need seek no more, for they are too bad to be saved; and that

God cannot consistently with his justice blot out their sins, &c.

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These are indeed the "depths of Satan," and if hearkened to, throw the soul into disorder, doubting, and perplexity. I shall just say, that with regard to the being of God, the contemplation of our own frame, especially its spiritual part, and of the objects which surround assure us, that none but a wise and almighty Being could form us and the unias verse in which we are placed; that he provides for all, preserving the creatures in their various orders and degrees, and preparing them a supply for their respective wants from age to age; and that man was not formed for the mere gratification of his senses, or there has been a prodigious waste upon him both of power and intellect: and if it be admitted that he was intended for nobler purposes than the inferior creatures, what could those purposes be, if not the knowledge, love, and glorification of his holy name? Revealed religion naturally follows. The ignorance, immorality, misery, and death of mankind, required a Saviour. A SAVIOUR appeared! Read the Bible: its proofs, predictions, and narrations, set him forth as a most suitable and compassionate Saviour. Let us then dare to believe in him, and never despair, The blessed God has declared that "his blood cleanseth from all sin;" and that "whosoever cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out." Let us then receive and praise him, and become the witnesses of his truth, and we shall see the hellish devices of him that has been a murderer of souls from the beginning.

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He tempts some, in addition to other matters, that they have sinned the sin unto death, committed the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and that therefore they cannot be forgiven.

These temptations have proved a source of sorrow to many who have not rightly considered the scriptures, where these things are mentioned. The first is spoken of by St. John, 1 Epis. v, 16, "There is a sin unto death." If by death in this place we are to understand eternal death, it may be spo