Temptations not Irrefiftible. 87 A SERMON Preached at St James's Chappel, February 16. 1710-11. I COR. X. 13. God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the Temptation alfo make a Way to escape. A MONG the various Methods SERM. made use of by Men, to justify, IV. or extenuate their Sinful Compliances, SERM. there is no Plea more common in the IV. Mouths of Libertines, than This; That, confidering the Weakness of Human Nature, and the Strength of fome Temptations, 'tis not to be expected, that we fhould get the better of them. The ftrict Rules of Vertue are indeed enjoined us; but in this State of Frailty and Infirmity, we muft (fay they) be fometimes allowed to deviate from them. We are folicited fo powerfully by Evil Objects without, and pushed on fo violently by Evil Inclinations within, that 'tis impoffible but that both thefe fhould now and then prevail, against the best Reasons, and the ftrongeft Refolutions. This is an Opinion with which Sensual Men usually flatter themselves; wish true firft, and believe true afterwards. But how Vain and Groundless an Opinion it is, the Determination of the Apoftle, in the Words of the Text, may inform us. God is faithful, &c. The plain Purport of which Words is, "That God adjusts always, and proportions the Strength of Tempta ❝tion "tions to our Power of refifting Serm. "them, and never lays a greater Bur- IV: " then upon us, than he either finds, cc or makes us able to bear." A very Important and Comfortable Truth! of great Use to support the Truly Good and Pious, under the Various Evils of Life, and Allurements of Senfe, which furround them; and to reclaim the Bad, who indulge themfelves in Vice, upon the supposed Impoffibility of being entirely Vertuous and Blameless, from their False and Carnal Reasonings. In order therefore to Strengthen and Encourage the One, and to Convince and Undeceive the Other, I fhall make Business in what follows, it my I. To Explain and State this Truth. II. To Confirm it, by fundry Ways of III. To SERM. IV. III. To Apply it, in a few plain Words of Exhortation and Reproof, fuch as the Argument naturally fuggefts, and the Time will permit me to make use of. I. I fhall Explain and State this Truth. And in order to it, I obferve, 1. That the Apoftle is not speaking of the Powers of mere Human Nature, but of Human Nature Divinely affifted and Supported. He fays not, that a Man, of himself, hath Strength enough to resist all Inducements to Sin, and to ftand his Ground, (as the Pelagians afterwards vainly talked) but that he shall be enabled to do this, in virtue of a Superior Principle, and by the Help of Divine Grace; which, in fuch Exigencies, fhall furely be bestowed on him. God (he fays) will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able. Intimating, that we should be tempted above what we are able, if God did not interpofe and help us. And |