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X. To conclude; it is an infinite advantage of upright dealing, that at the last issue, when all things shall be most accurately tried and impartially decided, a man is assured to be fully justified in it, and plentifully rewarded for it. As then all the deceits, which now pass under specious masks, shall be laid bare; all varnish of pretence shall be wiped off; all perverse intrigues shall be unravelled; all wicked and base intentions shall be quite stripped of the veils which now enfold them; all shrewd contrivers and engineers of mischief, all practisers of unjust and malicious guile, shall be exposed to shame, 'shall lie down in sorrow' so then the righteous man shall stand in great boldness;' his case will be rightly stated, and fully cleared from slanderous aspersions, from odious surmises, from unlucky prejudices and mistakes: what he hath done shall be approved; what he hath suffered shall be repaired. So that it then evidently will appear that upright simplicity is the deepest wisdom, and perverse craft the meerest shallowness; that he who is true and just to others, is most faithful and friendly to himself; that whoever doth abuse his neighbor, is his own greatest cheater and foe. For, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, every man's work shall be made manifest.' 'The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.' Unto which our upright Judge, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.' Amen.

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SUMMARY OF SERMON VI.

I THESSALONIANS, CHAP. V.-VERSE 17.

MANNER in which St. Paul, after discussing main points of doctrine or discipline, frequently proposes good advice and rules of conduct, without any formal method or strict connexion. Example of that in the text. For the understanding of it, we must consider what is meant by the act enjoined, or praying, and what is the import of the qualification or circumstance adjoined, without ceasing.

1. The word prayer does, in its usual latitude of acceptation, comprehend all sorts of devotion, or all that part of religious practice wherein we do immediately address ourselves to God, holding by speech, oral or mental, a kind of intercourse and conversation with him: this point enlarged on. In a stricter sense it signifies only one particular act, the petition of things needful or useful to us. It is in this discourse understood in the first and comprehensive meaning: reasons for this given.

2. Meaning of the expression without ceasing. It is not to be understood as if we were obliged, in every instant or singular point of time, actually to apply our minds to prayer; for this is impossible, and therefore can be no matter of duty; is inconsistent with other duties, and therefore must not be practised, &c.; but the precept, like many others of a like general purport and expression, must be understood in a moral rather than a natural sense, according as the exigence of things permits, or the reason of the case requires. Various senses of

which it is capable, propounded on plain testimonies of Scripture, and agreeable to sound reason.

I. Praying incessantly may import the maintaining in our souls a ready disposition or habitual inclination to devotion; that which in Scripture is termed the spirit of supplication. This shown, according to moral estimation, and current language derived thence, to amount to a continual practice.

II. It may denote a vigilant attendance, with earnest regard and firm purpose, employed on devotion; such attendance as men usually bestow on their affairs, of which the actual prosecution sometimes stops, though the design continually proceeds; the mind ever so directing its eye towards them, as quickly to espy, and readily to snatch any advantages of promoting them this point enlarged on.

III. It may signify that we do actually embrace all fit seasons and occasions of devotion: this in moral computation passes for continual performance, as a tree is said to bear that fruit which it produces in the season, and a man is accounted to work in that trade which he exercises whenever he is called thereto. Many special occasions enumerated, in which this duty is indispensably required of us, both those which, as it were, outwardly prompt and urge us, and those which spring up within us, which we are no less obliged and concerned to embrace.

IV. Praying incessantly may signify that we should with assiduous urgency drive on the intent of our prayers, never quitting it, nor desisting, till our requests are granted, or our desires accomplished: thus doing we may be said to pray continually; as he that goeth forward in his journey, although he may sometimes rest and repose himself, is said yet to be in travel. Instances given in which this practice is recommended by holy Scripture. Shown also to be agreeable to and enforced by reason. Many assurances of good success to this practice in holy Scripture. It is shown that without it we cannot hope to obtain the precious things of God's bounty;

and that for the same reason that we pray at all, we should thus pray with continued instance.

V. Praying incessantly may import that we do with all our occupations and all occurrences interlace devout ejaculations of prayer and praise; lifting up our hearts to God, and breathing forth expressions of devotion, suitable to the objects and occasions which present themselves. This seems to be required by St. Paul, when he enjoins us to pray always in spirit, and to sing in the heart; that is, with very frequent elevations of spirit in holy thoughts and desires toward heaven, since we cannot ever be framing, or venting long prayers with our lips: this point enlarged on.

Other good meanings of this precept, according to which both Scripture and reason oblige us to observe it, are reserved for the next discourse.

SERMON VI.

OF THE DUTY OF PRAYER.

I THESSALONIANS, CHAP. V.-VERSE 17.

Pray without ceasing.

It is the manner of St. Paul in his epistles, after that he hath discussed some main points of doctrine or discipline, (which occasion required that he should clear and settle,) to propose several good advices and rules, in the observance whereof the life of Christian practice doth consist. So that he

thereby hath furnished us with so rich a variety of moral and spiritual precepts, concerning special matters, subordinate to the general laws of piety and virtue; that out of them might well be compiled a body of ethics, or system of precepts de officiis, in truth and in completeness far excelling those which any philosophy hath been able to devise or deliver. These he rangeth not in any formal method, nor linketh together with strict connexion, but freely scattereth them, so as from his mind (as out of a fertile soil, impregnated with all seeds of wisdom and goodness) they did aptly spring up, or as they were suggested by that holy Spirit which continually guided and governed him.

Among divers such delivered here, this is one, which shall be the subject of my present discourse; the which, having no other plain coherence (except by affinity of matter) with the rest inclosing it, I shall consider absolutely by itself, endeavoring somewhat to explain it, and to urge its practice.

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