unto death. He began to feel the weakness and infirmities of human nature upon the approach of death, and the terror and apprehenfion of it increased so fast, as to draw that petition from him, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. In which prayer he was fo earnest, and his agony fo great, that the fweat fell from him like drops of blood.

No one was ever more willing to fulfil the will

of God than he was: he came into the world to do the will of his Father, and was ready to finish the work fet before him. But yet, in this last and sharp trial, he found how great the weakness of the flesh was, and how powerful impreffions it had upon him from whence probably arose the reflection mentioned in the text, The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak; which he makes the ground of his exhortation to his difciples, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. When he returned from prayer to them, he found them asleep, and, after expoftulating with them for the unconcernednefs it betrayed towards him in his diftrefs and affliction, he exhorts them rather to employ their time in watching and praying; for, though they had made a very forward and bold refolution rather to die with him than deny him, yet he knew that a refolution and willingness to obey were not a fufficient fupport against the weakness of human nature, but that they stood in need of all the advantages that might be reaped from watchfulness and prayer. If he himself found difficulties from the weakness of the fiefh, he might well conclude how unable his difciples would be, when their time of

trial fhould come. So that the words of the text, The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak, feem rather founded on what our Saviour experienced in his late agony, than from any thing that was criminal in his difciples. They were afleep indeed, which was an unkind part, when they faw in how great diftress their Mafter was, but otherwise it was not faulty in itself. They did not apprehend the imminent danger their Lord was in; if they had, their fear and anxiety would have interpofed to difturb their reft. Nor did our Saviour blame their fleep otherwife than as unfeasonable at that time, when the danger that attended them required them to be otherwife employed. There was a great ftorm ready to break, in which he forefaw they must bear a part, as well as himself; and therefore there was a neceffity they fhould arm, and prepare themselves against it. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: which is a warning for them to ftrengthen themselves against future evil; and he does not much blame their carriage as yet, but rather tacitly acknowledges the great forwardness they expreffed to fuffer with him, and for him; The Spirit indeed is willing. But then he knew the greatness of the temptation they were to undergo, and had lately himself experienced the weakness and inability of human nature, and therefore recommends watchfulness and prayer to them, because the flesh is weak.

The words thus explained contain a very proper and fuitable exhortation to the feafon in which they were spoken, and to all men in general and the reason of them is a powerful excitement to us

to pray continually for the grace and affiftance of God's good Spirit, knowing, how ready and willing foever we may be to obey, that we are befet with too many and too ftrong enemies to permit us long to continue in our good refolutions; which fhould make us look about for help, and, if I may fo fpeak, enter into new alliances with heaven, for greater fupplies of fpiritual strength to oppofe the common enemy of mankind.

But this explication of the text, how worthy foever of its Author, and agreeable to the circumstances in which it was delivered, will not eafily be digefted; because it undermines the foundation of the favourite doctrine of fins of infirmity, which, upon the flender encouragement of this text of Scripture, has thriven wonderfully, almoft to the exclufion of all other fins out of the world. For men are very willing to lift all their fins under the colours of infirmity, and fo leave them to fhift for themselves: which, whatever else it fignifies, has this prefent effect, it rids them of the trouble and pains of repentance and amendment, and eafes them of the terror and apprehenfion of guilt, which would otherwise be very unwelcome companions to the pleasures of fin.

The text, when used to this purpose, is thus explained the difciples are fuppofed to have committed fome great fault, for which our Saviour rebukes them; What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: but then, checking himself, he makes this excufe for them, The fpirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak: abfolving them for the willingness that

was in them, and throwing all the blame and guilt of fin upon the weakness of the flesh. Now to make the most of this: the fault which the difciples were guilty of could be no other than falling afleep, and that after long and tedious watching; fo that if the weakness of the flesh was applied as an excufe to the Apostle's cafe, nothing else can be understood by it but the natural wants and cra'vings of nature, which are neceffary to the fupport of life; fuch as fleepinefs, hunger and thirst, which no one doubts but may be fo ftrong, without any fault of ours, as to interrupt us when we might be better employed; and whenever they are fo, are without queftion very pardonable infirmities. But, if this were the only ufe made of this notion, no one would think it worthy of a dispute. . But, as fome men of melancholic tempers and difpofitions have fancied every fin they have been guilty of to be the fin against the Holy Ghoft, and themselves irrecoverably rejected, and incapable of the mercy and favour of God; fo others of a different temper have reckoned all their fins to be fins of infirmity, and themselves fecure enough from the anger of God, and danger of punishment. The one pays dear for his mistake in this world, by the fears and apprehenfions under which he continually fuffers: and the other will have no reason to be proud of his contrivance, when his error comes to be rectified by the impartial judgment of God in another. It is a falfe fecurity men gain to themfelves by these little shifting tricks in religion; and there is just as much policy in this conceit, as in his, who fhut his own eyes faft, and thought no

body else could fee him. For, however men darken and blind their own judgment, there is, who fees through all their pretences, and will judge a righteous judgment.

But, the better to enable us to judge of this matter, it may be proper to inquire, what are fins of infirmity, and what value there is in the excuse. And though there is no ground in the words of the text for this diftinction, yet, fince they have been fo often applied to this purpose, I hope it will not be thought an unfeasonable deviation to endeavour to rectify the miftakes in this cafe, which are but too general, and of too fatal confequence to the fouls of men.

In this inquiry I fhall confine myself to the following method:

First, To confider what is the Scripture fenfe of infirmities.

Secondly, What fort of fins they are, which will admit of an excuse, because of the infirmity from which they proceed.

The state of human nature is fuch, as to be liable to many pains, difeafes, and at laft to death: and though all are not equally affected, fome having a lefs fhare of these evils than others, yet all, by the weakness of nature, are equally liable and expofed to these miseries: this is the firft and proper notion of infirmity. In this fenfe Chrift is faid to bear our infirmities; being, by the neceffary law of his human nature, fubject to the like miferies and afflictions with us. St. Paul fays, he was crucified through weakness; that is, he was by the condition of his humanity liable to death, which expofed him