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CLXXXIII.

to disband and diffolve of itself, for want of mu-SERM. tual trust and confidence among men to hold it together.

And this want of faith, in both fenfes, we owe in a great measure to popery; which by its artificial ways of falfhood and perjury (which when they have to deal with hereticks, they have upon folemn occafions declared lawful) hath not only weakned, but even destroyed the credit of mankind with one another, as we find of late by fad experience. And as for infidelity in religion, they have not only given great occafion to it, by the monftrous abfurdities they have brought into religion; and by overftraining the faith of men in fome parts of it, have brought them to a difbelief of the whole; as is at this day too visible in many of the most knowing perfons of their communion, both in France and Italy but befides this, they have in their writings, to gain men to a dependence upon, and fubmiffion to the infallibility of their church, undermined the foundation of religion, and industriously endeavoured to bring men to fcepticifm and infidelity; hoping that when they have made men of no religion, they will be fit for theirs, which in too many respects is next to none; and in fome, worse.

But whether the judgment of the great day be near at hand, or farther off, Gop alone knows ; this is certain, that God hath in great mercy delayed it for a long time, becaufe "he is not will

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ing that any fhould perifh, but that all fhould "come to repentance." And it is no lefs certain that it may come at any time, and will come when men least expect it, when the world is in great fecurity, and very little apprehenfive of the near

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SERM.nefs and danger of it; which is reafon and arguCLXXXIII. ment enough to continual care and vigilancy: for

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it may come the next hour, the next moment, for any thing we know to the contrary: and whenever it comes, if we be not prepared, it will be too late to begin that work; if "our lamps be gone out," and we want oil," we cannot provide ourselves in such a hurry; we shall be full of fear and amazement, but we fhall" find no place for repentance," and a deliberate preparation for our great trial. As the great judge of the world then finds us, fo will he deal with us; fuch as our state and condition then is, fuch will be our fentence and doom to all eternity. And is not this argument enough to us to be always upon our guard, always watchful and always ready? because the Son of man may come at an hour "when we think not ;" and if we be not then prepared, it will be too late to fet about it; the opportunity of doing it, and we ourselves are loft for

ever.

This is the first direction our SAVIOUR gives us, continual vigilancy and watchfulness over ourfelves in general.

The IId direction is more particular, and that is prayer; "take ye heed, watch and pray." And the practice of this duty of prayer will be of great advantage to us upon these two accounts.

1. As it tends to awaken and excite our care and diligence in the bufinefs of religion.

2. As it is, if fincerely performed, effectual to engage the divine bleffing and affiftance to fecond our care and endeavours, and to fecure them from mifcarriage,

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1. It is very apt to awaken and excite our care SERM. and diligence in the business of religion. For when- CLXXXIII. ever we heartily beg of GOD to affift us by his 8 grace, to any thing that is good, we mind ourfelves of our own duty and both reason and scripture will tell us, that we pray to GoD in vain for his help, if we will do nothing ourselves; that it is grofs hypocrify, and an impudent mocking of GoD, to implore his grace and affistance, if we be not refolved to put forth our own endeavours. Prayer indeed fuppofeth that we ftand in need of the divine help; but it implies likewife a refolution on our part, to do what we can ourselves; otherwife "we "afk in vain," and have no reafon to hope that GOD will hear our prayers, and grant our requests though never so earnestly and importunately put up to him..

2. If we use our fincere endeavours for the effecting of what we pray for, prayer is the most effectual means to engage the divine bleffing and affiftance to fecond our endeavours, and to fecure them from miscarriage. And without the aid of God's grace, and his bleffing upon our endeavours, they will all be ineffectual, and fignify nothing; we shall not be able fo much as "to watch one hour." If God be not with us, "the watchman waketh but in vain :" for the way of a man is not in himself, it is not "in man that walketh to direct his fteps." It is neceffary therefore, that we continually implore the divine grace, and that we do not rely upon our own ftrength, and the fickleness and uncertainty of our own refolutions, according to the wife advice of Solomon, Prov. iii. 5, 6. "Truft in the LORD with

all thine heart, and lean not to thine own under

standing.

SERM." ftanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and CLXXXIII. «he shall direct thy paths." Therefore as ever we

hope to perfevere and continue in a good course, and to order our lives fo, as to be in preparation for judgment, let us every day, by continual and fervent prayer, apply ourselves to the fountain of grace and mercy, for his aid and help, to make us vigilant over ourselves, and all the actions of our lives; to enable us to "a patient continuance in "well-doing, to keep us from every evil work, "and to preferve us to his heavenly kingdom."

And to this purpose, we have all the encouragement which the affurance of the divine goodness, and the fecurity of his never-failing promise can give us. It is but afking and receiving. So St. James tells us, fpeaking of this heavenly wifdom to direct us in our christian course, so as we may be perfect

and entire wanting nothing." James i. 5. "If 66 any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of GOD, "who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." I proceed to

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Third and laft part of the text, which is the reason which our SAVIOUR here adds to enforce our care and diligence in a matter of fo great concernment, viz. the uncertainty, as to us, of the particular time, when this day of judgment will be. "Ye know not when the time is." Therefore we fhould always be in expectation of it, always in a readinefs and preparation for it. The certainty of the thing, and that " GOD hath appointed" and determined" a time, in which he will judge the world "in righteousness," though we were fure this day were far off, ought in all reason to make us very

watchful

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CLXXXIII.

watchful over ourselves, and very careful of all our SERM. actions, very strict and confcientious in the discharge and performance of every part of our duty. If there were no more but this, that we must one day be call'd to a strict account for all the actions of our lives, and receive the juft recompence of them, and according to the nature and quality of them be fentenc'd to eternal happiness, or everlasting misery; this alone were a mighty argument. So St. Peter reasons, 2 Pet. iii. 10, 11, 12. "But the day of the

LORD will come, in the which the heavens fhall "pafs away with a great noife, and the elements "fhall melt with fervent heat; the earth alfo, and "the works that are therein, fhall be burnt up.

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Seeing then all these things fhall be diffolved, "what manner of perfons ought ye to be in all holy "converfation and godlinefs; looking for, and

hafting unto the coming of the day of Gop?" that is, making speedy preparation for it. The very expectation of this "terrible day of the LORD," at how great a distance foever, fhould make us diligent, that whenever it shall be, "we may be "found of him in peace, without spot and blame"lefs."

But it adds a great deal of awe and force to this argument, to confider, that for ought we know to the contrary, this judgment may furprise us at any time; that this very night we may be awakened by the found of that mighty trumpet, which fhall pierce the ears of all the world, and fummon the living and the dead to judgment. And God, who is the lover of fouls, and defirous to fave us any ways, by hope G and by fear, by his mercies and by his corrections, by our knowledge and by our ignorance, hath pur

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