his Friends here, fhall continue to be fo for ever hereafter. They only are, in the mean time, his true Friends, not that call him Lord, Lord; that barely acknowledge his Authority, and do no more; but, that fhew themfelves obedient to his Will, and are diligent Obfervers of their Duty, and perform whatsoever he injoins them. And as they only are his Friends, fo are they only their own Friends, because they take that wife Method and Course, which alone can make them Happy, and fix them in an incorruptible Inheritance, and an indefeasible Poffeffion, when they fhall depart hence and cease from their Labours, and their Good-Works fhall follow them.

SERMON IV.

83

ECCLESIASTES xii. 13.

Let us hear the conclufion of the whole Matter, fear God, and keep his Commandments: for this is the whole Duty of Man.

TH

HIS excellent Book, may not unfitly be call'd the Recantation of Solomon; a Prince famous for his Grandure and Voluptuoufnefs, which through a long Course of Profperity, and a peaceable Reign, he had enjoyed; but more defervedly eminent, for that extraordinary Wifdom, with which Almighty God had endued

him.

He had applied himself, as we read in this Book, to find out true and substantial Happiness; designing, when he fhould difcover it, to Solace G 2

him

himself, while he liv'd, with the defirable Object. In Order to this, he had Riches enough to make Experiments, and he did not fpare his Treasure to compafs his Designs; he had formed a variety of Schems and Projects, and left nothing undone which he thought might compass that Felicity: but after all his Searches, and laborious Purfuits, when he had taken a Review of what he had done for this Purpose, and given us a Catalogue and Inventory of all, he cafts up the Sum and Product of his Expences at the bottom of the Accompt: Vanity of Vanities, and all is Vanity. Having thus argued from fad and dear-bought Experience, and learned the trueft Wisdom, from the Defeat of all his vain Expectations; having fully confider'd withal,the empty and foolish Purfuits of Men; the Unfteadiness and Viciffitude of the Things that are done under the Sun, and the Vexation and Diffatisfaction of these Things, he contracts them all into this Point, and Concludes the Matter with this Advice: Fear God, and keep his Commandments; for this is the whole Duty of Man.

In difcourfing upon thefe Words of the Royal Preacher, I fhall confider these two following Particulars ;

First, The Subject Matter herein recommended.

Secondly, The Reafon and Argument wherewith it is enforced.

The firft Particular to be confidered, is The fubject Matter that is here recommended, and that is contained in thefe Words; Fear God, and keep his Commandments. To fear God, does in the Holy Scriptures fignifie one of these two Things, or both of them; either the whole Complex of Religion, or that Part of it only which relates to Divine Worship and Adoration. As it denotes the whole Complex of Religion, or the entire Service of God in all the Offices of Religion, we have it thus expreffed, Deater. Chap. 10, 12. And now O Ifrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of Thee, but to fear the Lord thy G 3

God