afforded whenever we seriously prepare to resist him. Refift the Devil, and he will flee from you. The angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, and delivers them. Angels are fent to minifter to them that are appointed heirs of falvation. Though the good man fhould fall, through temporary inadvertence, he fhall not be caft down; for the Lord upholdeth him in his hand, and greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world.

But to fecure the affistance of Heaven, and our conqueft over the apoftate, it will be neceffary to have recourfe to prayer; and, fortunately for us, our Lord Jefus Chrift hath himself taught us the prayer which shall be effectual. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Our Saviour has, in these words, pointed out the great objects which we ought to have in view in our daily prayer; but there is no reason to suppose, that he intended to confine us to any form of words. Whenever, therefore, we shall be affaulted by temptation, and the powerful folicitations of the diabolical tempter, let us exprefs our prayer to God in the warm ejaculation which the particular circumftance fhall fuggeft. We must be instant in prayer, for nothing can repel our enemy

fo

fo certainly. We must not be fatisfied with formal repetitions of prayer on the Lord's day, or at morning and evening; but, in every dangerous affault, lift up our hearts to God, our fuccour and fupport. "The life of a "good man," it was faid by one of the heathens, "is full of prayer." And let us not imagine, that the church or our clofet only, are fit places for fupplication. We may fecretly pray without ceafing, as we are following our occupation; in the street and forum, in the field, or amidst the family. The heart may pray, though the voice be filent, and no expreffion of the countenance difclofe what paffes within us. Guard yourselves with prayer, as with armour in your Chriftian warfare; but avoid hypocrify.

So kind and condefcending is our Father in heaven, that he will certainly fhower down his grace in plentiful emanations, if we will but duly prepare our hearts for its reception, by following the commands of our bleffed Redeemer. Under his guidance, as the сарtain of our falvation, we shall march on to certain victory against the combined powers. of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Let us not faint, but, like good foldiers, perfevere with fidelity in the fervice in which we are engaged,

Ee 3

engaged, till we fhall be difmiffed with honour as conquerors, and rewarded with a triumphal jubilee.

Glorious day! when we fhall be exalted to the fociety of thofe pure fpirits who never rebelled, and far removed from the influence of thofe powers of darkness, who are doomed to everlafting mifery, and who vainly hope to alleviate their woe, by increafing the number of their fellow-sufferers! May God, of his infinite mercy, take pity even on thofe accurfed beings, and, in his own good time, give them to see their error, and to repent! But I forbear to fpeak of difpenfations, in which fhort-fighted men cannot interfere without danger of finful prefumption. Sufficient unto mortals are their own fin and misery, and ever bleffed be he, who has given us opportunities in this life, to raise our nature to higher improvements in virtue and happiness, and to partake at laft, through the merits of a triumphant Redeemer, of that heavenly dignity and happiness, which Satan and his companions in apoftacy forfeited by rebellion,

SERMON XX.

MODERATION neceffary to all folid and durable ENJOYMENT.

PROVERBS, Xxv. 16.

Haft thou found honey? eat fo much as is fufficient for thee, left thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

OME animals appear to poffefs an instinc

SOME

tive wisdom; the obfervation of which affords human nature, with all its pretenfions to fuperior reason, a very inftructive leffon. Man has been often fent to learn of the bee and the ant; and, indeed, they exhibit very beautiful models of forefight and persevering industry.

The production of the bee has also afforded an emblem, which both ancient and modern moralists have delighted to use in the illustra

tion of their precepts. Honey has been the figurative appellation of all that affords pleafure to the human fenfes; of all that gratifies the heart, the understanding, and the imagination *.

Man, indeed, may be called, in a figurative style, a bee. In search of sweets, he roams in various regions, and ranfacks every inviting flower. Whatever displays a beautiful appearance, folicits his notice, and conciliates his favour, if not his affection. He is often deceived by the vivid colour and attractive form; which, instead of supplying honey, produce the rankest poison; but he perfeveres in his researches, and if he is often disappointed, he is also often fuccefsful. The misfortune is, that when he has found honey, he enters upon the feast with an appetite fo voracious, that he usually destroys his own delight, by excess and fatiety.

I will endeavour to improve and exalt his happiness, by recommending to him, moderation. Haft thou found honey? eat so much as is fufficient for thee, fays Solomon, left thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

The text, however, fuggefts feveral hints for useful reflection, previously to an entrance on the principal defign of it.

* Hoc juvat et MELLI EST.

HOR.

Haft