St. James, which is this day commemorated, is commonly called by the name of James the Less. The reason of this compellation was, probably, because he was not so far advanced in years, as the other, when he came to the Apostleship. He was the son of Alphæus, otherwise called Cleophas, (Luke xxiv. 18. John xix. 21), and is, for distinction's sake, called the brother of the Lord (Gal. i. 19). He was, after our Saviour's Resurrection, constituted Bishop of Jerusalem, and seems to have presided in the first Council holden there (Acts xv), and to have directed the debates of the Apostles, concerning the Jewish ceremonies. There is mention made of him, and that too, as the brother of Jesus Christ, by Josephus, who says, he was delivered up to be stoned, by the cruelty of Ananus, the high-priest, whose death gave great dissatisfaction to the people of the city (Book xx. Chap. 8). There was an extraordinary opinion of his sanctity, throughout all the city of Jerusalem, where he lived; whence he got the surname of the Just. His martyrdom is recorded by the Ecclesiastical Historians after this manner: the Scribes and Pharisees being impatient at the great growth of Christianity in Judea, were resolved to set upon James, and, by menaces, force him to renounce that Religion, publicly, before the people. And the better to do this, they hurried him into a gallery of the Temple, and would oblige him to make a recantation before a mul titude of people there affembled. But, instead of denying Christ, he made a public confession of Him before that great assembly; who, thereupon, almost unanimously cried out, Hosanna to the Son of David;" which so enraged the unbelieving Jews, that they threw him down headlong from the high place which they had set him on. But being not quite killed by his fall, he prayed to God for forgiveness to his murderers. This only enraged them the more, and one of them struck him over the head with a staff, and instantly killed him.

46

JAMES

* JAMES i. 12.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life.

HE Greek word which we translate to tempt,

THE

is, in its original signification, no more than to try; according to which, any thing that tends to try the heart of man, be it in what respect soever, may be called a temptation. It is thus that the outward crosses and calamities of life are so frequently met with under that name; and according to this sense of the word are those passages to be understood, wherein good men are bid to "count it all joy, when they fall "into divers temptations," and wherein temptations are mentioned to come from God himself-as God is said to have tempted Abraham. By a temptation we, generally, understand such a trial as is apt to prejudice a man in his spiritual interest; and to tempt, commonly implies in it an endeavor to supplant the soul by inducing it to sin; and, from this sense of the word it is, that the devil is, so peculiarly, and emphatically, called the tempter; in opposition to which the Scriptures affirm, that "God doth not, "cannot, tempt any man."

It is, further, observable, that the same thing may be differently called, according to its different respects; namely, a trial in one respect, a temptation in another. As far as God is concerned in it, so far

* Dr. Lloyd.

is it, properly, a trial only, being designed by Him as the means of manifesting our virtue, in order to our receiving the reward of it; but, with respect to the corruption of our hearts, and the abuse that is likely to be made of it, it may, very fitly, be called a temptation also, and a snare, For instance, prosperity and adversity, with respect to God's appointment of them, are intended for the good of the soul; the one, as agreeable food; the other, as an wholesome medicine ; and yet nothing, through the craft of the tempter, more likely to prove destructive to the soul than these; the one as a sweet, the other as a bitter, poison.

I shall, in this discourse, first shew, that temptations are unavoidable; that, however unavoidable, they are not, through God's assistance, irresistible; and then, how far his Grace may be expected.

I. Reason is the distinguishing characteristic of man. God lays good and evil, life and death, before him, leaving the choice of either, entirely, to his own determination. And were there not these different motives proposed to him, to what end were his reason given, or wherein could his liberty be shewn? Take away his inducements to vice, and you take away all opportunities of displaying his virtue; for there can be no virtue where there is no opposition; and the greater the opposition is, the greater still the virtue that surmounts it.

Temptations are yet, further, necessary, to distinguish good and bad men here, and to proportion their rewards and punishments hereafter. For men differ as much in their tempers, as in their constitutions, their features, or their complexions; and consequently, the temptations must be as various, as the

tempers

tempers are to which they are applied; indeed they would, otherwise, be hardly temptations at all. For instance: grandeur would be no allurement to a covetous man, nor riches to an ambitious one: that only can be, properly, a temptation to each, which is suitable to the different temper of each. And this is the way whereby God unmasks those that have been long hid from the world, and, perhaps, from themselves too this is the method by which he distinguishes between constitution and virtue; between the "form of godliness, and the power" of it. It is thus that the truly pious are manifested, by appearing in all circumstances, and upon all events, the same; while others, that fall off upon any trial, shew, that what was considered to be piety, was little better than temper; and that they sinned not before, merely, because they were not, properly, tempted before.

Temptations then, we see, are necessary; let us next shew, that, however unavoidable, they are not, through God's Grace and assistance, irresistible.

II. Now, the very first notions we conceive of God are, that He is an infinitely holy, just, and good Being. But if you say, God has placed men in a world of temptations to sin, that are unavoidable, and yet irresistible, what is this but to make Him the Author of sin? And if so, where is His holiness? If you say, He has required our obedience, where our obedience is impossible, as, in case of irresistible temptations it must be, and yet will punish our disobedience, where then is His justice? Again, if you suppose Him to have made man, knowing before that he would meet with temptations which he could not resist; and yet resolved to punish him, if he did not resist them; what

is this but to make Him delight in the misery of His creatures? And if so, where is His goodness?

But this supposition is not more contradictory to the nature of God, than to the express words of Scripture. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the

godly out of temptation. His Grace is sufficient for us." And in the text, "Blessed is the man that "endureth temptation; for, when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life." Which words, plainly, shew, that temptations may be endured; the enduring of them could not, otherwise, be made the condition of our receiving the crown of life. The promise of the reward, if we conquer them, must, necessarily, imply, that it is in our power to conquer them. Nor do the Scriptures only assure us, that temptations may be endured, but furnish us, besides, with many examples of those, who have endured them.

Could afflictions, either severer in themselves, or attended with more aggravating circumstances, befal any man, than what befe! Job? And yet they had no other effect upon him, than the winds have upon a strong oak, which, at the same time that they tear off its branches, or shake, perhaps, its trunk, serve but to fix its roots so much the deeper. It was thus, when he saw himself stripped of all the comforts of this life, that he held the faster to that, which was able to support him in the want of them all, and which, therefore, was more than worth them all, his confidence in the Almighty.

It were easy to multiply instances; but it, already, appears, both from reason and Scripture, that temptations may be resisted; and, from example, that they have been let us next see, how they are resistible,