SERMON- n. Sin the moft formidable EviL G E N. XXXIX. 9· H01v can I do tl!i< great Wic/;fdneft, and fin againft God ! THE Text is the Record of 1ofeplls Innocence and Victory, confecrated in Scripture for the Honour and Imitation of that excellent Saint in fucceeding Ages. He had been try'd by !harp Affiictions, the confpiring f nvy of his Brethren, and the cruel Effec'.ls of it, Banilbment and Servitude, and pojfeft his Soul in Patience: here )le was encounter'd by a more dangerous Temptation in another kind, and preferv'd his Integrity. Adverfity excites the Spirit to ferious Recollecti on, arms it with Refolution to endure the A~aults, and fiop t~e entrance of what is afllic'.ling to Nature: Pleafure by gentle InfinuatiOn relaxe~ the Mind to a !oofe Secur!t~~~Jt:~sr:;!g:,e~t:h~1~~~~r~f ~o~~~~=: ;r:t~7.drJ~Jf;rin°ftsc~;di~~~~P:~T~ffi~ cacy, we muO: confider the 1everal CircumO:ances that increafed the Difficulty of the double Victory, over the Tempter, and lumfelf. r. The Tempter, his Mif/refi, who had deveO:ed the native Modefiy of the b!ufhin" Sex, and by her Careffcs and Blandifhments fought to draw him to compliance with· her Delires. Her fuperiour Quality might feem to make her RequeO: have the force of a Command over him. 2. T he Sollicitation, Lie with me. There are no Sins to which there is a fironget Inclination in our corrupted Nature, than to Ac'.ls of Senfuality. The Temptation was heighten'd by the lure of Profit and Advancement, that he might obtain by her Favour, and JntereO: m her Husband, who was an emment Officer m the Egyptian Court: and the I?emal would be extrearnly provok~ng, both in refpeCt it feem'd to be a Contempt Regrr.4m:n ip. ~1~r~~~e~0g~~p~~g~!f~rai~da~:a:q~~l~~it~~n{~fin;r 0:n 7;p~~~:~t~lo~~~~a~at~~ ~::zs;~~:: read the Eflects of it, in this Chapter : for upon his rejed:ing her Detircs, inAam'd with 4mUJ: fcr' f{ R.age, an.d t~ purge her felf, ~e n~rn·~ his Accufer, wo~nded his Reputation, depriVd foe;t:~u;;n~c. !urn of Ius L1berty, and expos d Ius L1fe to extream Pen!. 'fofepb chofe rather to lie ~ppoli<uo. in the DuO:, than to rife by Sin. ' , . · 3. The Opportunity was ready, and the Object prefent : 'tis fa id, There wa< none of the Men of the Houfe witbin. She had the advantage of Secrecy to faO:en the Temptation upon him. When a Sin may be eafily committed, and ealily conceai'd, the Refiraints of Fear and Shame are taken off, and every Breath of a Temptation is flrong enough to overthrow the carnally.mmded. The pureO: and noble£\ Chaflity is from a Principle of Duty within, not coofirain'd by the apprehenfion of Difcovery and Severity. 4· The Continuance of the Temptation : She fpake to him ·da) by day. Her Complexion was LuO: and Impudence,. and his repeated Denials were ineflectual to quench her mcenfed De!ires, the blackF1re that darkned her Mmd. She caught him h_y the Garment, faying, Lie witb me : 1l1e was ready to profi:itute her felf, and ravifh him. 5· The Perfon tempted, 'fofeph, in the flower of his Age, the feafon of Senfua!ity, when mnumerable, by the Force and Sw1nge of therr V!C!OUS Appetms, are impell'd to break the holy Law of God. 6. His Repulfe of the Temptation was firong and peremptory : How can Id, this great Wickednefi? He felt no Sympatl1y, no fenfual Tendernefs, but exprefl an Jmpofli' bihty of confenting to her guilty Def1re. We have in Jofeph cxemphfied that Property of the Regenerate, He that is horn of God, cannot fin : by a facred potent Inflinct in his 'Joh, j . , , BreaO:, he is preferved not only from the confummate Acts, but recoils from the firO: Offers to it. 7· Th~
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