our own daily experience. And, although this might be deemed fufficient for the conviction of any reasonable man, yet, in a point of fuch great importance, I fhall readily be excused for pursuing the fame subject a little further, and for going on to fhow, not only that temptations may be fubdued, but how they may be fubdued; what thofe means are, in fhort, which reafon and religion have put into our hands, for combating these enemies of our falvation: for it muft at last be owned, that the moft effectual way of proving any end to be attainable, is to point out the path that leads to it.

I. The first step, then, towards refifting temptations, is to regulate our notions; and before we can hope to act virtuously, we must learn to think juftly. The furprizing influence which worldly allurements have over our minds, is in a great measure owing to the high opinion we entertain of the pleasures or advantages they fet before us. That reftlefs power of the mind, THE IMAGINATION, which is " only evil continually *," is for

• Gen. vi. 5.

ever leading us beyond the bounds of truth; and, by raifing up before us certain vifionary fcenes of happiness, so excites our expectations and inflames our defires, that we wait with impatience for an opportunity of gratifying them, and are very easily induced to purfue, and to feize with eagerness, what we have been accustomed to contemplate with fo much pleasure.

We must therefore keep a fteady eye on this licentious wanderer, and never suffer it to fix our attention fo long on improper objects, as to delude us into a falfe opinion of their excellence, and an infatiable defire to attain them, as indifpenfably neceffary to our happiness.

Had the wretched Ahab, when he was ftruck with the beauty and the convenience of Naboth's vineyard, called in a little timely reflexion, and a little common fenfe to his aid; had he for one moment reprefented to himself the folly of fuppofing that the acquifition of a few acres of land could add any thing to the real comfort of a man who was already in poffeffion of a kingdom, and of every enjoyment that regal power could command,

F 4

mand, he might, in this inftance at least, have escaped that heavy load of guilt and mifery which he and the vile partner of his throne and of his crimes, brought down upon their own heads. But the proximity of this vineyard to his own house had, among other circumstances, captivated his fancy; and, instead of refifting the first impreffion, and bringing his filly paffion to the bar of reason, he indulged and cherished it, till he began to think it abfolutely impoffible for him to live without that favourite spot, which he wanted, it feems, for a garden of herbs*. Unable to accomplish this important purpose," he laid "him down on his bed and turned away his "face, and would eat no bread +." This heavy affliction, however, was foon removed. His wife gave him, as she had promised, the vineyard, which the purchased by a murder, and he went down with joy to take poffeffion of it. But his joy, as is commonly the cafe. with fuch triumphant finners, was of very fhort duration. He was met on the very spot with that severe rebuke, to which his own

* 1 Kings xxi. z.

+ Ib. ver. 4.

confcience

conscience must have given irresistible force. "Haft thou killed, and alfo taken poffeffion? "Thus faith the Lord, in the place where "dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall "dogs lick thy blood, even thine * Let this memorable example teach us, as

well it may, not to allow our imaginations to overbear our judgements; not to give more importance to the objects of our wishes than their real intrinfic worth deferves; not to perfuade ourselves, in fhort, as we are but too apt to do, that the whole happiness of our lives depends on the poffeffion of the mereft trifles. To fecure ourselves against this fatal error, let us learn to look on things in that true unerring light in which the Gospel of Chrift holds them out to us; and in eftimating the value of earthly enjoyments, let us be careful to confider, not merely the present pleasure or profit attending them, but every diminishing or debafing circumstance which naturally belongs to them; the shortness of their duration, the pains it generally costs us to obtain them, the fubftantial happiness of

3

* 1 Kings xxi. 19. 20.

which

which they frequently deprive us; and the fhame, ignominy, remorfe, and mifery, which almost constantly fucceed to the indulgence of every guilty paffion. If all these appendages are not taken into the account, we shall make but a very unfair and imperfect estimate; and if they are, there will be no danger of our setting too high a value upon worldly gratifications.

It is for this reason, that when St. Paul is arming his Christian foldier for this very combat against finful propenfities and allurements, the very first direction he gives him, is, to have his loins girded about with truth*; that is, to prepare himself for the conflict by ftrengthening and confirming his mind with true Gospel notions of the world and its enjoyments. This he will always find to be one of the strongest barriers against the inroads of vice, one of the most effectual means to confine his paffions within their due bounds, and to reftrain him from thofe immoral principles and irregular practices which are the almost certain confequence of wrong opinions.

* Ephef. vi. 14.

II. When