SERM. humble Confeffion of our Sins a great part X. of our Prayer, and go through it with that Self-abafement and Remorfe the poor Publican fhewed. And this will furely be accepted of him who hears the Cry of the Penitent, and defpifes not the Sacrifice of a contrite Spirit (p). Lastly, Let all our Prayers be animated with Faith and Hope. With Faith in the Merits and Interceffion of Chrift, and Hope in the Mercy of GOD, and his readiness to forgive returning Sinners through him. This is that great and blefed Hope which the Gofpel hath fet before us. An Advantage which the Publican had not, but which we who are favoured with the Light and Grace of the Gospel do abundantly enjoy. And which may infpire us with ftrong Confolation amidst all that fear and forrow with which a Confcioufnefs of Guilt may fometimes opprefs our Souls. For where Sin bath abounded the Grace of GoD in Chrift hath fuper-abounded, which is of many Offences to fuftification, and reigns through Righteousness unto eternal Life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. (*) Pfal. li. 17. Thus Thus then let us learn to pray. For fuch SERM, is the Prayer that Christ commends, and fuch X. the Prayer that GOD accepts. Thus let us come to the Throne of Grace, and we shall never go from it unheard, unaccepted or uncomforted. I fhall only add as a Conclufion of the whole, that this happy, pious, praying frame of Spirit, we should daily endeavour to improve and cultivate, and to carry it with us into all the varying Scenes of Life. And to retain fuch a Seriousness of Mind, a Reverence of GOD, and habitual Difpofition to Prayer, is the full Import of that Precept of the Apostle, which requires us to pray without ceafing (q). And happy were it for us, if we could more conftantly preferve that calm and holy frame of Mind, in which we shall be always fit to pray, and glad to die. SERMON XI. The Principle and Practice of RE- A SERMON preached to Young PEOPLE. ECCLES. xii. 13. Let us bear the Conclufion of the whole matter, fear GOD, and keep bis Commandments: For this is the whole Duty of Man. T HIS is the practical Improvement of the best Sermon that ever was preached, on the most ferious Subject that ever was The Preacher was Solomon; the moft renowned for Wisdom of all the Sons handled. of Men; a great part of which he dearly bought 275 XI. The Principle and Practice, &c. bought by his own Experience. His text SERM. was, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity (a). This Subject he treats of in a very lively, copious, and affecting manner, as every Preacher does that Subject, the Importance of which he hath had long experience of himself. And having fully proved and illuftrated this Truth in the preceeding Difcourse, he concludes all with this fingle Use by way of Application, Let us bear the Conclufion of the whole matter, fear GOD, and keep his Commandments: For this is the whole Duty of Man. In the Original it is-for this is the whole of Man. A phrase of much greater Latitude than that which is used by our Tranflators, who by inferting the word Duty have too much confined the Senfe. These words contain a very comprehenfive Duty enjoined, and the reason of it annexed. The Duty enjoined, or inferred from the whole Subject of the foregoing Sermon, is, Fear GOD, and keep his Commandments ; the reafon of it annexed is, for this is the whole of Man. I fhall fpeak to each of these distinctly, and then conclude with an Appli fa) Chap. i. z. SERM. Application fuitably adapted to persons in XI. youthful Life, for whofe benefit this Difcourse is principally intended. I. In these words we have a very comprehenfive Duty commanded, or inferred from the Subject of the preceding Dif courfe. And that is, fear GOD, and keep his Commandments: The first containing the Principle, the other the Practice of all real Religion. Each of which I must explain as diftinctly as my time will admit. Religion confifts of two parts, the inward and outward, or that of the Heart and that of the Life; the Root and the Fruit; the one called the Principle, and the other the Practice of Religion. 1. We have here the Root or Principle of Religion; which confists in the fear of GOD, from whence all true Religion in the Life muft flow. And fince it is impoffible the Fruit should be good unless the Root be fo, it highly concerns us to look well to this firft Principle of all Religion; to fee to it that the true fear of God hath taken poffeffion of our |