where is glory and power for ever and

ever.

The time is fast approaching, when all these opportunities must pass away, like shadows; and if there be not the substance; if there be not the result of faith-the working in Christ Jesus, where, oh! where shall the ungodly and sinner appear! Each day and hour, and moment, carries us forward to the judgment at which we must all assemble, and if we have not availed ourselves of the reconciliation, that is in Christ Jesus, what torment, what weeping and gnashing of teeth must be our portion! The talent committed to our spiritual keeping must be increased; and woe be to that man who hath let it lie idle!

SERMON XI.

MATT. iv. 4.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

WHEN Our Saviour had fasted forty days and forty nights, it is said, that he was afterwards an hungred. This circumstance afforded the tempter an opportunity to succeed in the object he had in view. The victory, which he had gained over the first Adam in Paradise, induced him to make an attempt upon the second Adam, who was Christ. From the Epistle to the Hebrews we learn that Christ was thus subjected to temptation. "For we have not a highpriest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points

tempted, like as we are, yet without sin." Satan then endeavoured to take advantage of our Lord, at the time when hunger pressed upon him, by saying, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." But Jesus answered and said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The Devil finding himself thus defeated by the quotation from the Scriptures, which our Lord took the opportunity to use, made a second. attempt. He took him into the holy city, and "setteth him on the pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Here observe the craftiness of the great adversary in bringing forward a passage of Scripture as Jesus had done, to effect his wicked purpose. But our Saviour at once

defeated him, by again quoting from the "It is written," said he,

same Scriptures.

“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Again the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.' Then said Jesus unto him, "Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

The manner, in which our Saviour resisted the Devil, and the great temptations to which we are all exposed, will afford matter for the following discourse.

It appears to have been the will of Jehovah, that his creatures should be tried by temptations of various kinds. Our first parents yielded to the wiles of the great adversary, and thereby entailed upon us misery and death. At that unfortunate hour the fate of the whole world became sealed. The displeasure of the Almighty was incurred, and only the interposition of the Son of God preserved man from the severe wrath of heaven. Had not the

Saviour of the world come forward to arrest the destruction of man, man must have suffered the utter penalty of his transgression. But he interposed at the very time, when the divine wrath was incurred, and promised, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. He undertook to come into our world and die in our stead to atone for our sin, and to open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. And how graciously was this divine promise fulfilled! When the fulness of time was come, the second person in the Trinity became incarnate; the great God came down from heaven, and was made manifest in the flesh. Christ passed through the temptations of the wicked one, whose purpose was to defeat him in his glorious work, that sin and death might still reign triumphant upon the earth. But Jesus accomplished his work. He endured the cruel taunts of the incredulous Jews, and suffered upon the cross for the sins of the whole world. When upon the earth, he performed miracles sufficient to testify, that