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ferioufly and in earnest: and then if you have any Regard to the Glory of God, any Refpect for your Friends and Relations, any Zeal for the Publick Good, any Concern for your own Souls: As you are Men, as you are Christians, relinquish and forfake it. But you can[ not do this of your felves. Without me, fays our Lord, je can do nothing; and

1 St. Paul, We are not fufficient of ours felves 2 Cor. 3.5. to think (much less to do) any thing as

of our felves, but our fufficiency is of God.
Wherefore

Lastly, Make it your Daily Business
humbly and ardently to pray at the
Throne of Grace, that God would
vouchfafe in his Infinite Mercy to affift
you in this Work. That he would fet
a watch before your Mouth, and keep
the Door of your Lips. That he would
not fuffer your Hearts to be inclin'd to
this great

great Wickedness any more: but e-
nable you by his free Grace to take such
heed to your ways, that you offend not
in your Tongue. Then will the Lord
graciously look down from his Holy Ha-
bitation, from Heaven; and hearken to
the Voices of his Contrite Ones.
will fend you help from his Sanctuary,

He

and

and strengthen you out of Sion. He will speak comfortably to your Souls,

Ifa.41. 10. and fay unto them; Fear not, for I am with you be not difmay'd for I am your God: I will ftrengthen you, yea I will belp you, yea I will uphold you with the right hand of my Righteousness. He will hear your Petitions, He will receive your Prayers, He will fulfil all your Mind, and you fhall no more dishonour and profane, but adore and praise him. Praise him inceffantly for his Greatness and Goodness, and give Thanks unto his Holy Name for ever and ever. men. Allelujah.

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SERMON

SERMON VI

НЕВ. 13. 16.

To do good, and to communicate forget not.

A

Very needless (one would think)

and fuperfluous Injunction: That

Man, a Rational, Thinking, Intelligent Being, fhould by a Divine Meffenger be engag'd to that Duty, which like the Eye-lids of the Morning) opens and discovers its felf by its own Brightness. That Duty which most evidently dif plays its indispensable Obligation in the harmonious and fignificant Operations of Universal Nature. For behold the Out-goings of the Morning, and of the Evening Confider the Marches of the Glorious Hoft of Heaven: Look upon

all

all the various Creatures, that walk through the Paths both of the Earth and of the Sea: Contemplate and fted dily meditate upon the whole Course of Nature, and tell me, from the Circumference above to the Centre below, what one Creature, what vileft Infect of all, that creep upon the Earth, tranfgreffeth the fixt and Immutable Laws of Love? The great Ordinances of Heaven, to which is committed the Government of the Day and of the Night, observe their Periodical Revolutions for the Service of Mankind and 'tis Injurious to the Sweet Influences of the Stars to charge them with any Effects, but those of Kindnefs and Benevolence. The Clouds moft plentifully drop Fatness upon the lofty Hills and Mountains, and the humble Valleys likewife by their moderate and gentle Distillations ftand in their Season fo thick with Corn that they laugh and fing. The Trees fpread abroad their lovely Branches, and kindly reach out to us their delicious Fruits; and the Musical Falls of the Cool, Cryftal Brooks fweetly call to them the thirfty Traveller to refresh his fainting Spi rit. The Elements mutually condescend to motions irregular, and repugnant to

the

the Propenfions of their own Nature, by fuch Amity and Friendship to maintain the Connexion and Indivulfion of of the Parts of the Univerfe; and every natural Body will rend and burst in Pieces, rather then the Order of the World should be violated by a Penetration of Dimensions. In short, All the Parts of the Natural World (as) Empedocles truly obferves) are cemented and Conglutinated by Love, and the bright Planet of the Day fees nothing in all his Courfe, but what does Emblematically, or by way of Refemblance admonish us of this Duty.

And yet (notwithstanding all this) Our Divine Writer has Reafon enough feverely to injoyn and command the fame Duty. The Voice of Nature is indeed the Voice of God, and to a Soul throughly awaken'd fpeaks as plainly and articulately, as an Angel from Heaven. But, alas! the Generality of Mankind are of benumm'd and torpid Faculties, they have obftinately clofed their Eyes against the Cleareft Light, and are deaf to all thefe ways and Methods whereby God ordinarily fpeaks to Men. Their Understandings, K. Wills,

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