XIII. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed.-James i. 14. THAT is, in other words, every man is placed in a state of trial. That we are placed in such a state, feems to admit of little doubt. We prove it from various topics, taken from the world around us-from the imperfection of every thing we see—from the nature of man-and from the word of God. But I fhall endeavour to prove it here only by that flriking connection, which fubfifts between every christian grace and its correfpondent temptation. Man is born into the world with paffions, and appetites, fuited to the various temptations he will have to meet with. At the fame time, to affift him in his conteft with thefe temptations, he is endowed with reafon, and confciencewith the inftructions of God's holy word, and the promise of his divine affiftance. Thus furnished, he launches into life; and immediately begins his fpiritual conteft. Every paffion, and appetite, appetite, he finds has its correfpondent témptation to try, and purify it by refiftance. Every virtue, which the gofpel enjoins, is by fome occafion brought to proof. Are we taught to love God, and have a continual fenfe of his divine presence upon our minds? As this great prefiding power is invifible, we are ftrongly affaulted to put our trust in a multitude of visible objects, which the world prefents on every fide. Are we taught in the gofpel that we have no merits of our own that can deserve eternal happiness-and that eternal happiness is procured for us only by the death, and atonement of a Saviour? Inftead of examining the truth of fcripture, in which this doctrine is contained, (as it is certainly incumbent on us to do) we fuffer ourselves to be tempted, and led away by defigning men, and bad books, and learn to fet up our own reason, and our own righteousness, as fufficient to inftruct and fave us. Are we taught to love our neighbour-to be benevolent, and communicate good to others? Self-love is continually working within-oppofing our kind intentions, and endeavouring to draw all to itself. Are honefty and fair-dealing prescribed to us in our intercourfe with others? A thousand petty frauds, and modes of deceit, peculiar to every profeffion, place our virtue in a conftant fcene of trial. - Are we ordered to be temperate in the use of the good things of this world? A variety of delicacies, if we abound, are continually affailing us; and in all circumftances we find pleasures and gratifications of different kinds to feduce us. Humility is among the greatest of chriftian virtues. But amidst the variety of competitions, with which the world abounds, it is à difficult matter to guard against pride, and self-confequence. These imperious inmates are continually pointing out fituations, to which we have as good a right to afpire, as they who poffefs them. The forgivenefs of injuries is a doctrine, which the gospel ftrongly enjoins. But malice and revenge are sweet gratifications, and powerful incentives. In many cases, reason, and religion engage a man to rifk his life. But the fear of death is continually oppofing his generous purposes. 5 Thus Thus every virtue, and virtuous action, finds fome correspondent temptation to bring it to proof; from which we draw, I think, an irrefragable argument that this world was intended for a state of trial. When we fee the teeth of two correfpondent shells clasping together, and fitted with exact relation to each other, we cannot but conclude, they were originally formed with a view to this union. FROM the consideration of a state of trial, two or three obvious truths arife. In the first place, it seems a proof beyond atheistical cavil, of the providence of God. If the adaptation of one thing to another in mere matter, be thought the work of defign-here we fee the fame adaptation in a still higher scale, in the ordering of the moral world. Secondly, a state of trial proves strongly the existence of a future ftate. A trial, in its very nature, indicates fome connected caufe, for which that trial was made: and as our trial lafts through this world, it seems to point at another. Thirdly, it proves, among a variety of other proofs, the truth of religion. A state of trial is exactly that state of moral difcipline, which is |