as much as we can, fince we are fo little able to maintain our standing, even where the Ground is dry and firm. We are befet with Snares in every Condition, and fhall find enough to do to escape them all, without requiring new Trials of our Fidelity and Sincerity. But when Men are apt to truft too much to their own Strength, God is wont to leave them to themselves to try them, that they may fee their own Weakness, and the Neceffity of our Saviour's Advice, Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Temptation. (2.) Hence we may fee the Folly of thofe that run themselves into Temp. tations (tho' they daily Pray against 'em) and that not with any Hope or Defign to Refift or Overcome them, but with a defire to yield and be overcome by them.How can they expect that God fhould hear their Prayers in defending them from the Wiles of Satan, when they take no care of themselves, but even folicite his Temptations? What is this but grofs Hypocrifie, to pretend to Pray for thofe Affiftances, which it is plain they never defire would be given them, and at the fame time do all they can to render them ineffectual? Yet too many are in fome meafure daily guilty of it.

Sometimes the Sin does us o'ertake,
And on our Weakness win :
Sometimes our felves our Ruine make,
And we o'ertake the Sin.

(As a Devout Author has exprefs'd it.) Wefhould therefore Watch and Pray against all Temptations, not only from without, but from within ; that a deceived Heart turn us not afide, left we be led forth with the Workers of Iniquity.

3.

From the Connexion of this Petition with the former [Forgive us our Trefpaffes,

and lead us not

That 'tis not fufthe time past,

into Temptation] we may learn (1.) ficient to beg the Pardon of our Sins for

but

but we must also beg the Grace of God to refift Temptations for the time to come. Otherwife we fhall be oft relapfing into our former Sins, or committing new ones, and fo have frequent need of new Repentance and new Forgiveness. (2.) That thofe who have a lively Senfe of the Pardon of Sin, will be more afraid of any Temptation to it for the future because they know the Weight and Burthen of it before the Pardon could be obtain'd. And withal they will be fo loth to of fend God, who has been fo Gracious to them in forgiving former Iniquities, that they will be more watchful against all Occafions of incurring his Difpleasure by any new Provocations.

3. From the latter part of this Petition, we may learn (1.) That we may lawfully Pray against the Evils and Calamities of this Life, fo far as our weak and frail Natures may be exempted from them, and fo far as our Eternal Welfare may be fecur'd without them. All Men naturally defire Happiness, and are averse to Mifery and Suffering: And the Apostle tells us, That no Chaftening or Affidion for the prefent feemeth to be Foyous, but Grievous: Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercifed thereby, Heb. 12. 11. But if those Fruits of Righteoufnefs may be otherwife attain'd, no doubt but we may lawfully defire that God would fpare us the trouble of Correction; if not, we are to entertain them with the fame Submiffion as Chrift himself did, when he Prayed, Father, if it be poffible let this Cup pals from me: Nevertheless, not my Will, but thine be done. (2.) That if we defire or expect to be [delivered from Evil] we must take care that we be not [led into Temptation] as the best way to fecure us from it. Otherwife 'tis in vain to Pray that God would deliver us from Evil, while we are always running into it; or to deprecate his Wrath, while we are ftill provo king it. Yet this is the Folly of the generality of Men,

Cafum

Cafum ipfum petimus ftultitia; neque
Per noftrum patimur fcelus

Iracunda Jovem ponere fulmina. Hor.

they pretend to defire help from Heaven against the Miferies and Calamities of this Life, and yet are continually Warring against it, and pulling down the Divine Vengeance upon them by their Iniquities. But if we would efcape the Evil of Suffering, let us avoid the Evil of Sin, and then the other cannot hurt

us.

And thus much for thofe Petitions which concern our Jelves.

LECT.

LECTURE XXVI.

For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glow, for ever and ever.

Amen.

WE

E are now come to the Conclufion of this Pray er, which is commonly called the Doxology, or a Form of Praife and Thanksgiving: Tho' feveral Learned Men do make a doubt whether it be part of the Prayer or no. For fince it is not to be found in fome of the most Ancient Greek Copies (tho' all the reft with the Syriac Interpreter have it) and fince it is not explain'd by St. Cyprian, St. Auftin, nor St. Chryfoftom, in thofe Works of theirs, where they pretend to Expound this whole Prayer; fome have thought it was taken out of the Liturgy of the Greek Church, where the Cuftom was, when the Lord's Prayer had been recited by the Minifter, for the People to anfwer by way of Doxology, for thine is the Kingdom, &c. as here with us there is annex'd a Gloria Patri at the end of every Pfalm. Others think it was added by Chrift himself, as we find it in St. Matthew: And we have a Form of Praife and Adoration fo like it in 1 Chron. 29. 11. that fome think the one was Copied from the other. Thine, O Lord, is the Greatnefs, and the Power, and the Glory, and the Vidory, and the Majefty: For all that is in the Heaven, and in the Earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as Head above

all.

But however it be, it is a very fit Form of Acknow. ledgment to God, to inforce the Grant of the foregoing Petitions, especially those three which have re

spect

fpect to God, as they may be applied to each other in this manner [thy Kingdom come] for thine is the King dom] [thy Will be done] for [thine is the Power] [hallowed be thy Name] for [thine is the Glory, for ever and ever. So that the Use of this Doxology, is not only to afcribe unto God, Majefty, Power, and Glory, in a way of Adoration and Thanksgiving, or as the Pfalmift expreffes it, to give unto God the Glory due unto his Name, Pfal. 92. 2. But alfo, and chiefly to Strengthen and Confirm our Faith, as to the receiving those things which we here ask of him, as we shall fee in the following Particulars.

1. We are taught to fay [thine is the Kingdom] Whereby we own the Soveraignty of God over all the World, and in particular over his Church. Now from hence we may learn (1.) That God is the Soveraign Lord ofall: And therefore, if we confider what we fay, we ought to refign up our felves to him as Sole Prince and Monarch of our Souls, and deliver up every Rebellious Luft to him; or else we do but mock him in calling him our King, while at the fame time we refufe that he should Rule over us. (2.) That fince God is King, he has all things under his Rule and Government; even all Evil to Supprefs it, and all Good to give it, as far as he fees it good for us; and fince we are his Subjects, whom he has oblig'd himself to protect, and defend, and provide for, we may hereupon ground our Faith, and Hope, and Confidence, that he will grant thofe Petitions we here ask according to his Will.

2. We are taught to fay [thine is the Power :] Wherein we acknowledge his Omnipotence and All-fuf ficiency, as the Fountain of all Grace and Good nefs, and one that is able to grant every thing we ask of him, and even to do abundantly for us above all that we can ask or think. And from hence we may learn, That we ought to rely upon him (in the ufe of lawful Means)

for