LXXV.

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.—2 Peter, ii. 9.

THE word, which is here tranflated temptation, does not mean temptation to fin- but the trial, which the religious man undergoes in paffing through the afflictions of life.

As the world is a state of trial, and abounds with evils of various kinds for the punishment—the reformation-and the trial of man, it neceffarily happens, that the good, and bad, who live promifcuoufly, must often occafionally be involved in the fame calamities-but ftill God makes a diftinction; and knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.

In the first place, God can eafily by difpofing circumstances, lead them out of the way of general ruin. Thus Noah, and Lot were delivered: and thus chriftians, at the deftruction of Jerufalem, fled under the impulfe of prophecy, from Judea; and were fecured from thofe calamities, in which the reft of their countrymen were involved.

God may be faid alfo to deliver a good man from a general calamity, by enabling him to bear it through the influence of divine grace. Happiness and mifery are to a man, as he feels them. What is misery to one man, is comfort to another. God therefore may rescue a good man from calamity by arming him in a way to repel it. We have every reason to believe, God fortified his holy martyrs in this way; and we have no reason to difbelieve, that on extraordinary occafions he may extend the fame heavenly aid to us.

There is still another way, in which God may de liver his faithful fervants-and in their estimation often the best-and that is, by taking them to himfelf. By this happy exchange they leave a vale of tears for a manfion of happiness.

Since then God has these feveral means of delivering his righteous fervants from general calamity, let us never despair under the worst that can hap pen; but truft in his goodness. Let us only form in our minds an habitual endeavour to please him; and we may be confident, he will never forfake us; but with the temptation, or trial, however great, will find out for us a way to escape.

LXXVI.

Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chrift in God, -Coloffians, iii. 3.

THIS beautiful and comprehenfive text is a fhort history of the life of a pious christian. He must not confider his living in this world, as his real life. His real life is to exift in heaven; and is hid, as it were, with Christ in God.

St. Paul here feems to have had one of his favourite allufions in view, that of the growth of corn. In the 15th chapter of the first of Corinthians he adduces it to illuftrate the refurrection of the body. Here he probably alludes to it in explaining (if I may fo exprefs myself,) the refurrec tion of the foul,

LXXVII.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jefus charged them, faying, Tell the vifion to no man, until the fon of man be rifen from the dead.Matthew, xvii. 9.

IN this paffage Jefus alludes to a connection between his transfiguration, and his refurrection. It was improper to mention the former, till the latter had taken place. I fhall endeavour first to shew you why it was improper to mention the transfi, guration before the refurrection-and secondly, why it was properly mentioned after it.

First, it was improper to mention it before the refurrection, because Chrift's life, till that time, was under fuch a veil of obfcurity; and had, in every part of it fo little of fplendor, that the wonderful transaction of his transfiguration could hardly have been received as a probable account. And if it had been believed, it could have answered no end. Its general intention was by no means obvious,

But

But after Chrift's refurrection, the recital of it appeared in all its force. Its character was then, that of a typical representation of that glory, which Chrift was about to refume. It tended alfo to establish with all pious chriftians, the credit of his refurrection, and ftill more of his afcenfion, by the coincidence of a fimilar fact.