The New York herald., 1870-08-01
TIE TABERNACLE.
Temptations and How They Should be Ke-
sisted--Ser mon by the Rev. Dr. Brown.

Temptations and IIGw They Should be Ke-
sisted--Sermsn by the Rev. Dr. Brown.
The Rev. Dr.. Brown, OF Hamilton College,
preached the sermon In the Tabernacle, corner OF
Thiry-lourh street and Broadway, yesterday at the
morning services He TOOK his text from the fourth
chapter OF tie Epise to the Hebrews. He said that
when the devil took the Saviour up on the top OF
high mountain ana showed him all the possessions
which would be His did lie bow down and adore
him the late OF the whole world, as 1t were, de.
rendended upon the result. The evil spirit, whose
reign over the earth had been SO disastrous, kne W
full well tnat If the saviour accomplished His mis-
sion his reign would cease, and he determined, il
possible to put an end to it, Bat the saviour was
not one OF the redeemed, but the Rcdeemer, and His
answer defeated the devil in his purpose against the
salvation OF mankind 1t Is true that the son OF God
could as easily
TURN STONES INTO LEAD
as He could water INTO Wine, and it certainly would
have been no wrong ii lie had 1t in lis power to so
appease His hunger; but His to Satan wasias
II He mad told HIM TO stand aside, thai the hour when
He should manifest His power had not yet come, and
that he was willing TO siarve and suffer patiently for
the sake OF mankind, until He VINO had sent Him
would tell Him His task was wen done. II was q
temptation that. Judging things from purely hu-
man standpoint, was irresistible. When, from the
pinnacle OF the temple the Devil bade Him To throw
Himself from the height, it was as though he had
dared Christ to show that lie was what lie
Claimed 10 De--LndJ IL WAS truly WTlttcn ltlat
angels w0uld bear Him up lest he should dash hls
foot against a stone. IL was the temptation III
another form with which lie was assaed when lie
hung upon the cross and was sneered at and told to
come down from The glDDet II he was really King OF
Israel ana son OF tie living God. The reverend
gentleman then at considerable length went on to
show what the temptations OF the saviour taught
us. Temptations. he said were unavoidable, but a
giving way to them under any circumstances was
never eXcusable The stronger they seemed to be
the more sterny they should be resisted. Their
strength dd not consist 80 much IN themselves as IN
mans weakness 10 light them to the bitter end IL
was in mans heart that the weak points were, and
just IN proportion rs
THE WILL TO RESIST
lost in force the temptation gained greater
hold the one tempted, and soon total succomb-
ing TO It's power followed. II the apple were fair
before being tempted to partake OF II, we admired
It's beauty and gradually the temptation grew upon
us not because 1t OF ltseli became stronger, but
simply because we gave II more welcome more
space In hearts TO WOrl its ways. The IntOXi-
| eating bowl is placed before man ana he refuses
| to take from 1t while all about him do. lie quietly
| refuses, and becomes less and less determined as
the requests made the more earnestly and finally
he consents to take Little and that little lays the
foundation for many more Titles, until he becomes
| as willing slave as his nelghbOrs. IL Is not suii-
| cent TO argue as 1t were with temptation and
against 1t, but should turn ones face from II
and avoid everything that led To IL. IL could not
! but be remarked how the devil always assumed
| pleasant shapes and ways in
TEMP !NG MEN TO RUIN.
| He always puts on the garb OF an angel OF light
| and allures men away from what is right by the
seeming beauty OF his attractions, and 1t was on
that account that lie should be met at every sep
with q determination to conquer ana q viii tnat
would be Irresistible. The Saviour had given an eX-
ample or how temptations should be met; and though
they might be never trying, never so eXhauSting
Of our strength, they could always be overcome IN
the end the reverend gentlemen closed his sermon
IN eloquent eXhortationto the congregation TO sC
act resist all Influences to 40 cvi that they would
one day find their eternal reward IN the world tc
| come.