4.4.6 The Sins of men not chargeable upon God ; .&C. V01.1. It is Paid, when the Devil came to our Saviour to tempt him, that he found no- thing in him, and therefore his Temptations had no force upon him. The more we mortifie our Lofts, the lefs the Devil will find in us, for his Temptations to work upon. Every (park isdangerous, when it falls uponCombuftible Matter ; but tho' (parks fly never fo thick, there is no danger, fo long as there is nothing about us to catch fire. If we will not bedrawn afide and enticed toSin, let us mortifie our Lats ; for fo far as we are mortified, we are out of the power of Temptation. Men areapt to complain of Temptations, that they are too hard for them; and that they arenot able to refill them, tho' they pray to God continually for hisGrace to that purpofe. This indeed is one means very proper and necelfary to be ufed ; but this is not all that we are to do; we mutt break off habits of Sin, and fubdue our Lulls, and keep under our Inclinations,, and then we faall find our felves able to refill and encounter Temptations with more fuccefs. And 'till we do this, in vain do we pray for God's Grace, and depend upon him for ftrength to overcome the Temptations that do affault us ; for God's Grace was never delgn'd to countenance the floth and negligence of Men, but to encou- rage and fecond our Refolutions and Endeavours of well-doing. If we ex- pelt God's Grace and affiftance upon other Terms, we tempt God and provoke him to leave us to the power of Temptations, to be drawn may and enticed by oar own Lrsfir. SER-
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