Page:Sermons on the Lord's Prayer.djvu/99

 strong in the Lord's strength, goes on "conquering and to conquer," and so makes rapid advances towards the kingdom of heaven. Hence says the Apostle James, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." It was by a long series of temptations, endured throughout his whole life, that the Lord perfected and glorified his humanity: he was "made perfect through sufferings." And we, also, by enduring temptations in our degree and measure, are to "follow him in the regeneration;" and, doubtless, he who endures the most and greatest temptations,—provided he conquer in them,—will be the most thoroughly regenerated.

It is, however, the subject of external or active temptations, to which I must confine myself just now. And I wish to give a few directions in regard to meeting and conquering them. When temptations to sin present themselves from without, what we have to do, is, first to look up to the Lord with a momentary ejaculation for help; and then, as it were, clenching our hands and shutting our eyes against the tempter, hold on, struggle on, resist the evil thought, crying out, like the Lord, "Get thee behind me, Satan,"—till at length, the storm has blown over,—till the blast from the infernal caverns within, called up by the evil object presented from without, has passed by, and we come forth weakened and humbled by the effort, yet purified