It is therefore possible the whole force of this argument may lie against us, in praying for such a people. I say, it is possible it may whether actually it do or no, we can never be competent judges. Our knowledge is not large enough, nor our minds enough comprehensive. Our wisdom is folly itself to the estimating such a case. We are capable of pronouncing hastily, it would in this or that particular respect, be dishonourable, and an obscurement of God's name, if he should cast off England. But he that pronounces hastily, considers but a few things, and looks but a little way.

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2.) who he says should be his, when he made up his jewels, his name's sake. Nor can we herein he too importu(and the Sun of righteousness should rise upon them) he nate, if we be not peremptory, not too intent upon the would have no more to do with them; but in the day that end, the glory of his name; for about the goodness, exshould burn as an oven, (when the whole hemisphere cellency, and desirableness of that we are certain; if we should be as one fiery vault,) they should be burnt up as be not too determinate about the means, or what will be stubble, and neither root nor branch be left of them; and most honourable to his name, concerning which we are all this upon the concern he had for his name, which was uncertain. Neither is it disallowed us to use the best reproached by such a people's pretending to it. Where-judgment we can, about the means, and the interest of upon, they had been threatened (ch. ii. v. 2.) that except God's name in this case. It is not our fault to be misthey did give glory to his name he would curse them, and taken; he expects us not to use the judgment of gods. their blessings, corrupt their seed, spread dung upon their But it will be our fault to be peremptory and confident in faces, even that of their solemn feasts, and they should be a matter, wherein we may be mistaken; and must signify taken away therewith. too much officiousness, as if we understood his affairs better than himself, and a bold insolence, to take upon us to be the absolute judges of what we understand not; and to cover our presumption with a pretence of duty. Therefore though such a people be dear to us, yet because his name ought to be infinitely more dear, that, in the settled bent of our hearts, we ought to prefer; and be patient of his sentence, whatever it proves to be, with deep resentment of our own desert, but with high complacency that his name is vindicated and glorified, and with a sincere, undissembled applause of the justice of his proceedings, how severe soever they may be towards us; especially if we have reason to hope, that severity will terminate, but in a temporary discountenance and frown, not in a final rejection. 2. Much more are we to submit our own secular concernments, which may be involved; i. e. we ought only to pray we may have the continued, free profession and exercise of our religion, in conjunction with the comfortable enjoyment of the good things of this life, if that may consist with and best serve the honour of his great name. But if he do really make this judgment in our case, that we have so misdemeaned ourselves, and been so little really better to common observation, in our practice and conversation, than men of a worse religion, that he cannot without injury to his name, and the reputation of his government, countenance us against them, by the visible favours of his providence; that it will not be honourable for him to protect us in our religion, to so little purpose; and while we so little answer the true design of it; that if we will retain our religion (which we know we are upon no terms to quit) we must suffer for it, and sanctify that name before men by our suffering, which we dishonoured by our sinning. We have nothing left us to do but to submit to God, to humble ourselves under his mighty hand, to accept the punishment of our sin, to put off our ornaments, expecting what he will do with us. And be content that our dwellings, our substance, our ease and rest, our liberties and lives, if he will have it so, be all sacrifices to the honour of that excellent name. Nor can our use of this argument want such submission without much insincerity. Concerning this therefore look back to what was said on the former head.

The question is, whether, all things compared and considered together, that belong to such a case, it will be more honourable to God or dishonourable, and more or less recommend him to intelligent minds, get him a greater and more excellent name and renown in the world, when it shall be enlightened to consider the case, to break off his relation or continue it? We know his own judgment is according to truth, and hope he will judge the way that will be more favourable to us. But we cannot be certain of it. Tis a case that requires the judgment of his allcomprehending mind, whose prospect is large every way; and takes in all the decencies and indecencies that escape our notice. As we know in viewing things with the eye, a quick and clear sight (especially helped with a fit instrument) will discern many things, so fine and minute, as to be, to a duller eye, altogether invisible. It is the work of wisdom and judgment, to discern exactly the critical seasons and junctures of time, when to do this or that. And the wise God in his dispensations, especially towards a great community, or the collective body of a people, takes usually a vast compass of time, within which to select the apt and fit season, for this or that act, whether of severity or mercy towards them. And it is more fit, as, by the coincidence of things, it contributes more to the greater glory of his name. We cannot discern the things, the concurrence whereof makes this a fitter season than another, that such an event should be placed just there, within so large a tract of time. What mortal man, or indeed what finite mind, was capable of judging some hundreds of years before, what was just wanting to the fulness of the Amorites' sin, so as that it should be more honourable and glorious to the Divine justice, not to animadvert thereon, till that very time when he did it. Or why he chose that time which he pitched upon, wherein to come down, and deliver his Israel from their Egyptian oppressors. Or when (without inspiration) to be able to say, the time to favour Zion, even the set time, is come. Nor are we to resolve the matter only into the absoluteness of his sovereignty, upon the account whereof he may take what time he pleases; but the depth of his hidden wisdom, for he doth all things according to the counsel of his will, having reasons to himself, which our shallow, dim sight perceives not, and whereof we are infinitely less able to make a sure judgment, than a country idiot of reasons of state. He may (as to the present case) think it most fit, most honourable, and glorious, so often to forgive, or so ong to forbear such a delinquent people; and may, at length, judge it most becoming him, and most worthy of him, as he is the common Ruler of the world, and their injured despised Ruler, to strike the fatal stroke, and quite cut them off from him.

Now here it is, therefore, necessarily our duty, to use his argument with him of his name, so, as wholly to subit the matter to his judgment, and but conditionally, if nt will indeed make most for the glory of his name, that hen he will not abhor and reject such a people even for

Nor is there any hardship in the matter, that we are thus limited in our praying, for what even nature itself teacheth us to desire, our safety, peace, and outward comforts; unless we count it a hardship that we are creatures, and that God is God, and that ours is not the supreme interest. The desires of the sensitive nature are not otherwise to be formed into petitions than by the direction of the rational, that also being governed by a superadded holy, divine nature; unto which it is a supreme and a vital law, that God is to be the first-eyed in every thing. Reason teaches that so it should be, and grace makes it be so. And it ought to be far from us to think this a hardship; when in reference to our greater and more considerable concernments, those of our souls, and our eternal states, we are put upon no such (dubious suspenseful) submission. He hath not, in these, left the matter at all doubtful, or at any uncertainty, whether he will reckon it more honourable to his name to save, or destroy eternally, a sincerely penitent, believing, obedient soul. He hath settled a firm connexion between the felicity of such and his own glory. And never put it upon us, as any part of our duty, to be contented to perish for ever, that he may be glorified; or ever to ask ourselves whether we are so content or no. hath made such things our present, immediate, indispensable duty, as with which our perishing is not consistent,

For he

and upon supposition whereof, it is impossible we should not be happy. If we believe in his Son, and submit to his government, his name pleads irresistibly for our being saved by him. He can have no higher glory from us, than that we be to the praise of the glory of his grace, being once accepted in the beloved. Neither is it disallowed us to do the part of concives, fellow-members of a community, civil, or spiritual, to pray very earnestly for our people, city, country, that are so justly dear to us. Only since prayer itself is an acknowledgment of his superiority to whom we pray; and we have no argument, that we ought to hope should prevail, but that of his own name; we can but pray and plead as the nature of prayer, and the import of that argument, will admit, i. e. with entire subjection to his holy and sovereign will, and subordination to his supreme interest, to whom we address ourselves in prayer. Use. And now the use this will be of to us, is partly to correct and reprehend our prayers, wherein they shall be found disagreeable to the true import of this argument, and partly to persuade unto and encourage such praying, as shall be agreeable to it.

1. It justly and aptly serves to reprehend and correct, such praying as disagrees with it; especially the carnality and the selfishness of our prayers. The use of this argument implies that the glory of God, and the exaltation of his name, should be the principal design of our prayers. Is it not in these respects much otherwise? We keep fast after fast, and make many prayers. And what is the chief design of them? or the thing we are most intent, and which our hearts are principally set upon ? We see how God expostulates this matter, Zech. vii. 5. When ye fasted and mourned, in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did you at all fast unto me, even unto me? Why, to whom can it be thought this people did keep fasts but unto God? Yes, no doubt they did eye him, as the object, but not as the end. They were kept to him, but not for him, so as that his interest and glory was the thing principally designed in them; nor can it be, if the things we chiefly insist upon, be such as have no connexion with his true interest, or subserviency to it. And let us inquire upon these two heads; whether our prayers, in these respects, do not run in such a strain, as that they cannot possibly be understood to mean him, or have a true reference to him.

1. In respect of the carnality of them. When we pray for the people of our own land, or for the Christian church more generally, what sort of evils is it that we find our hearts most feelingly to deprecate, and pray against? what are the good things we chiefly desire for them? We find ourselves, 'tis likely, to have somewhat a quick sense and dread of the calamities of war, depredation, oppression, persecution, and we feel, probably, somewhat of sympathy within ourselves, when we hear of any abroad, professing true, reformed Christianity, that suffer the spoiling of their goods, are banished from their present homes, dragged to prisons, pressed with pinching necessities, for the sake of their religion; and it were well if our compassions were more enlarged in such cases. And if we should hear of nations depopulated, cities sacked, towns and countries deluged with blood and slaughter, these things would certainly have an astonishing sound in our ears. But have we any proportionable sense of the spiritual evils that waste and deform the Christian church, exhaust its strength and vigour, and blemish its beauty and glory? Ignorance, terrene inclination, glorying in the external forms of religion, while the life and power of it are unknown and denied, estrangement from God, real infidelity towards the Redeemer, veiled over by pretended, nominal Christianity, uncharitableness, pride, wrath, strife, envy, hatred, hypocrisy, deceitfulness towards God and man? We ought to lament and deprecate the former evils without overlooking these, or counting them less, or being less affected with them. We are apt to pray for peace unto the Christian community, for halcyon days, prosperity, the abundance of all outward blessings, in conjunction with the universal reception of such forms of religion, as are most agreeable to our minds and inclinations. But do we as earnestly pray for the reviving of primitive Christianity, and that the Christian church may shine in the beauties of holiness, in heavenliness, faith, love to God and one another, in sim

plicity, meekness, patience, humility, contempt of this present world, and purity from all the corruptions of it. This we chiefly ought to have done, without leaving the other undone. Which while it is left out of our prayers, or not more principally insisted on in them, how ill do they admit of enforcement by this argument from the name of God! For do we think it is so very honourable to his name, to be the God of an opulent, luxurious, voluptuous, proud, wrathful, contentious people, under what religious form or denomination soever ?

2. But also do not our prayers chiefly centre in ourselves, while we make a customary (not understood) usc in them of the name of God? And when we principally design ourselves in our prayers, what is it we covet most for ourselves? "Tis not agreeable to the holy, new divine nature, to desire to engross spiritual good things to ourselves; when for others, we desire only the good things of this earth. But if our prayers do only design the averting from ourselves outward calamities, or inconveniences, and the obtaining only of ease, indulgence, and all grateful accommodations to our flesh, how absurd an hypocrisy is it to fashion up such a petition, by adding to it, for thy name's sake! As if the name of God did oblige him to consult the ease and repose of our flesh! when our souls, thereby, are made and continued the nurseries of all the evil, vicious inclinations, which show themselves in our practice, most of all to the dishonour of that name! What subordination is there here? Manifest is the opposition of our carnal interest to the interest and honour of the blessed name of God. If a malefactor, convicted of the highest crimes against the government, should petition for himself to this purpose, that it will bring a great disreputation upon authority, and detract from the famed clemency and goodness of the prince, if any punishment should be inflicted on him for his offences, or if he be not indulged and suffered to persist in them; how would this petition sound with sober, intelligent men? 'Tis no wonder our flesh regrets suffering, but 'tis strange our reason should be so lost, as to think, at random, that right or wrong the name of God is not otherwise to be indemnified than by its being saved from suffering. As if the gratification of our flesh and the glory of God's name were so very nearly related, and so much akin to one another! And now this carnal self-interest, insinuating itself, and thus distorting our prayers, is the radical evil in them, and the first and original part of their faultiness. For it is not likely we should love others better than ourselves; therefore we cannot go higher in supplicating for others. But yet we inconsiderately mention the name of God for fashion's sake, though it be no way concerned in the matter, unless to vindicate and greaten itself, in rejecting us and our prayers together.

2. The further use of what hath been said upon this subject, will be to persuade and engage us to have more regard to the name of God in our prayers, especially in our praying about national and public concernments; or such external concernments of our own as are involved with them. That, in the habitual temper of our spirits, we be so entirely and absolutely devoted to God, and the interest of his great name, that our prayers may savour of it, and be of an agreeable strain; that the inward sense of our souls may fully correspond to the true import of this argument, and our hearts may not reproach us, when we use it, is only pretending God, but meaning ourselves, and that only our carnal self, the interest whereof alone can be in competition with that of God's name, and which, while it prevails in us, will be the measure of our prayers for others also; that the meaning of our words may not be one, and the meaning of our hearts another, that we may truly mean as we speak when we use the words for thy name's sake. And that our hearts may bear us this true testimony, that we desire nothing but in due subordination to the glory of his name; external favours with limitation, only so far as they may; and spiritual blessings absolutely, because they certainly will, admit of this subordination. And to this purpose let it be considered,

1. How unsuitable it is to the condition of a creature, that it should be otherwise. That were certainly a most uncreaturely prayer, that should be of a contrary tenor.

Ir was apprehended the entire thoughts of this great man, upon so important a subject, might be very useful to the world, and acceptable to many; and though they are only a specimen of his ordinary course of preaching, without any finishing hand, or further design, or perhaps, always his ripest thoughts; yet they carry the lively signatures of the admirable genius, and excellent spirit, which always appeared in his composures, and rendered them so peculiarly fit to instruct and impress the minds of men. Whosoever considers the compass and variety of the matter, the thread and connexion of the thoughts, the striking imagery, and the pertinence and pungency of the expression, will see reason to admire the vast capacity of the author, and be easily disposed to forgive any lesser neglects and escapes; especially when he only proposed to speak familiarly and without any written notes, and allowed himself a liberty in expressing the well digested and disposed conceptions of his mind.

It will be necessary for your satisfaction, as well as the reader's, to assure you, that the same care has been taken, and the same method observed, in reviewing and transcribing this part of the subject, as was used in the other; as the manuscript was writ by the same skilful and diligent hand.

The intimacy of a long friendship, and mutual respect, the endearments of the nearest relation, for several of the latter years of his life; the high honour you always paid him, and the singular value he expressed for you, living and dying; give you the best title to these two volumes of posthumous discourses of the Spirit, and of Family Prayer; and to any respect we are capable of showing you. We believe the noble argument, as well as the excellent author, will be peculiarly acceptable and delightful to you, who were so well acquainted with his spirit and preaching; and may contribute to a well-grounded peace of mind in a clearer discerning of a regenerate state; and to your daily walking in the Spirit, and improvement in the spiritual life.

Goodman's-Fields,
July 9, 1726.

This is the sincere desire of,
Honoured Madam,

Your respectful humble servants,

W. HARRIS,
JOHN EVANS.

SERMON I.*

John iii. 6, latter part.

That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

fountains of evil and good, unto the children of men, according as the one or the other hath place in them. The whole verse presents us with a view of both; "that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit;" though I am to insist, as my design requires, only upon the latter. Some perhaps, taking some notice, that there is a universal death reigning over this THE apostle represents the different states of men,accord- world, by reason of that carnality which hath spread itself ing to the different temper of their minds, as they are either through it; may be prone to inquire, From whence is it, carnal or spiritual; the misery and deadliness of the that so prevailing a carnality should so mortally have taintformer; Rom. viii. that "to be carnally minded is death:"ed the spirits of men every where? And this our Lord the life and peace which is involved in the other; that "to be spiritually minded is life and peace." We are presented in this text with a view of the two great fountains of that carnality and spirituality, which are themselves so great

* Preached November 25th, 1677, at Cordwainer's Hall.

gives no other account of, and only resolves the matter into ordinary human propagation; "that which is born of the flesh is flesh." His account is not such as seems to aim at gratifying the curious, but such as wherein the