God's providence; he may depend upon God for his concurrent benediction; he, with an humble boldness, may address prayers to God for his protection and aid. He, so doing, hath interest in divers clear declarations and express promises of good success; such as those: Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him in truth: he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he will hear their cry, and will save them.* He may dare to refer his case to the severest examination, saying with Job, Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity; and with the Psalmist, Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.TM He with an humble confidence can appeal to God, borrowing the words of Hezekiah, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight." Hence, The hope of the righteous, as the Wise Man telleth us, is gladness. He, considering the goodness, the justice, the fidelity of God, whereof his integrity doth render him capable and a proper object, cannot but conceive a comfortable hope of a good issue. his success, yet in the integrity of hist heart, and the innocence of his deportment; even as blessed Job did under all the pressures of his adversity: for, till I die, said he, I will not remove my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.1 So true it is upon all accounts, that, according to that assertion in the Psalm, Light is sown for the righteous, and joyful gladness for the upright in heart." VII. He that walketh uprightly is secure as to his honour and credit. He is sure not to come off disgracefully, either at home in his own apprehensions, or abroad in the estimations of men. He doth not blush at what he is doing, nor doth reproach himself for what he hath done. No blemish or blame can stick upon his proceeding. By pure integrity, a man first maintaineth a due respect and esteem for himself; then preserveth an entire reputation with others: he reflecteth on his own heart with complacence, and looketh upon the world with confidence. He hath no fear of being detected, or care to smother his intents. He is content that his thoughts should be sounded, and his actions sifted to the bottom. He could even wish that his breast had windows, that his heart were transparent, that all the world might see through him, and descry the clearness of his intentions. The more curiously his ways are marked, the more exactly his dealings are scanned, the more thoroughly his designs are penetrated and known; the greater approbation he is sure to receive. The issue of things assuredly will be creditable to him; and when the daylight hath scattered all mists, hath cleared all misprisions and mistakes, his reputation will shine most brightly; the event declaring, that he had no corrupt ends; the course of his proceedings being justified by the very light of things. And obtaining success, he doth not only enjoy the material pleasure thereof, but the formal satisfaction that it is indeed good success, or a blessing indulged to him by special favour of God; enabling him to say with the Psalmist, The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. However, an upright dealer hath this comfortable reserve, that whatever doth befall him, however the business goeth, he shall not condemn and punish himself with remorse; he shall not want a consola- God himself will be concerned to vintion able to support and to erect his mind. dicate his reputation, not suffering him to He shall triumph, if not in the felicity of be considerably defamed; according to 1 Jer. xxxii. 19; Prov. xxiv. 14; Heb. iv. 16. that promise, He shall bring forth thy * Psal. xxxvii. 5; lv. 22; Prov. xvi 3; Ec- righteousness as the light, and thy judgclus. ii. 10; Psal. xxxiv. 22; xxvi. 1; xxxiii.ment as the noon day. That in Job will 21; Prov. x. 24; Psal. clxv. 18, 19; xxxiv. 15; be made good to him, Then shalt thou xxvi. 11; Job xxii. 27. 1 Job xxxi. 6. Psal. xcvii. 11. Psal. vii. 8; xxvi. 1. • Prov. x. 28. VOL. I. n 2 Kings xx. 3. P Psal. xviii. 20, 21. 7 9 Job xxvii. 5, 6. lift up thy face without spot. And he may confidently aver with the Psalmist, Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments." If he findeth good success, it will not be invidious, appearing well deserved, and fairly procured: it will be truly honourable, as a fruit and recompense of virtue, as a mark and pledge of the divine favour toward him. As he doth not affect any poor base ends, so he will not defile his fair intentions by sordid means of compassing them; such as are illusive simulations and subdolous artifices, treacherous collusions, sly insinuations and sycophantic detractions, versatile whifflings and dodgings, flattering colloguings and glozings, servile crouchings and fawnings, and the like." He hath little of the serpent (none of If he seemeth disappointed, yet he will its lurking insidiousness, of its surprising not be disparaged: wise and candid men violence, of its rancorous venom, of its will excuse him; good men will patron- keen mordacity,) but much of the dove ize his cause; no man of sense and in- (all its simplicity, its gentleness, its fideligenuity will insult on his misfortune.ty, its innocence,) in his conversation He shall not, as the Psalmist assureth, be and commerce. ashamed in an evil time. Yea, often his repute from under a cloud will shine, if not with so glaring splendour, yet with a pleasant lustre; uprightness disposing him to bear adverse events with a graceful decency. VIII. The particular methods of acting which uprightness disposeth to observe, do yield great security from troubles and crosses in their transactions. What is the conduct of the upright man? He is clear, frank, candid, harmless, consistent in all his behaviour, his discourse, his dealing. His heart commonly may be seen in his face, his mind doth ever suit with his speech, his deeds have a just correspondence with his professions; he never faileth to perform what he doth promise, and to satisfy the expectations which he hath raised. He doth not wrap himself in clouds, that none may see where he is, or know how to find him; may discern what he is about, or whither he tendeth. He disguiseth not his intents with fallacious pretences of conscience, of public good, of special friendship and respect." His wisdom is ever tempered with sincerity, and seasoned with humanity, with meekness, with charity; being the wisdom which is from above, first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." He sometime may prudently reserve his mind, not venting it by foolish loquacity: but his words do never clash with his meaning, so as to deceive or disappoint any man. He may warily prevent harm and decline perils: but it is without hurtful countermining, or devising mischief on his neighbour." He may discreetly pick out seasons, and embrace opportunities of righting or benefiting himself: but he never will seek or lay hold of advantages to prejudice others." He sometimes may repress insurrections of anger or disgust: but he never doth allow them to bake into rancour or malice.h He may be apt to use courteous, affable, obliging demeanour, serving to breed friendships, and to stifle enmities: but He doth use no disingenuous, spiteful, he never thereby meaneth to gull, inunjust tricks or sleights, to serve the pre-veigle, and entrap men; or to procure instruments and aids of any perverse design. sent turn. He layeth no baits or snares to catch men, alluring them into mischief or inconvenience." He is no enemy to himself, but (according to the obligations of reason and conb Psal. x. 7; lv. 21; lxiv. 6; x. 9, 10; lvi. 5; Rom. xvi. 18; Ecclus. xix. 26. science) he hath always a regard to the good of others; nor is ever so selfish, as to be unjust or uncharitable to any man. The principal engines he doth employ for achieving his enterprises are, a careful and cautious providence in contriving, a sedulous and steady diligence in acting, a circumspect heedfulness not to provoke any man by offensive carriage, by injury, by discourtesy, to obstruct him; but rather by kind demonstrations and real beneficence to engage men to further him in his proceedings: but especially his main instrument, wherein he most confideth, is devout supplication to God for his succour and blessing. Now, is not this conduct the most secure that can be? doth it not afford many great commodities and advantages? doth it not exempt from manifold fears, and cares, and crosses, and slaveries? It cannot but derive blessings from the God of truth, the great friend of simplicity and sincerity, the hater of falsehood and guile.' And, humanly regarding things, he that useth these methods, doth from them obtain many conveniences. He doth not lie under perpetual constraint, engaged to keep a constant guard upon himself, to watch his memory, to curb his tongue, to manage his very looks and gestures, lest they betray his intentions, and disclose his plots. He is not at the trouble of stopping holes, of mending flaws, of patching up repugnances in his actions, that his mind do not break through them. He is not afraid of the disappointment and shame which attend the detection of unworthy designs. He is not at pains to obviate the jealousies, the surmises, the diffidences, the counterplots, the preventive oppositions and assaults, which gloomy closeness and crafty dissimulations ever do raise against the practisers of them. In fine, men do not shun the conversation and the commerce of an upright person, but gladly do consort and deal with him; do seek his acquaintance and alliance: they are not apt to distrust him, to suspect him, to be shy and reserved in their intercourse with him; but readily do place an entire confidence in him, and use a clear frankness toward him. No man doth fear him as danger Prov. xii. 19, 22 ous, or will cross him as an adversary. Whence, as he seldom hath cause to fear, or occasion to contest with others, so he doth undisturbedly enjoy the benefits of society with great safety, ease, and comfort. IX. Lastly, an upright walker hath perfect security, as to the final result of affairs, that he shall not be quite baffled in his expectations and desires. And if prosperity doth consist in a satisfaction of mind concerning events, he cannot fail of most prosperous success. Whatsoever he doeth, saith the Psalmist of him, it shall prosper.* How is that? doth he, if he warreth, always get the victory? is he perpetually, when he tradeth, a considerable gainer? will he certainly, after sowing, reap a plentiful crop? Probably yes; and perhaps no. Yet assuredly he shall prosper, in the true notion of prosperity, explained by those divine sayings: Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance for ever. Surely I know it shall be well with them that fear God.' He cannot be much defeated in his purposes: for, as to his general, principal, absolute designs (that is, his design of pleasing God, and procuring his favour; his design of satisfying himself, and discharging his conscience; his design of promoting his own spiritual interest, and saving his soul; his design of doing good, of exercising charity to his neighbour, of serving the public, of obliging the world by virtuous example, and by real beneficence ;) these he cannot fail thoroughly to accomplish nothing can obstruct him in the prosecution: nothing can debar him from the execution of these undertakings: in spite of all the world, by the succour of that divine grace which ever doth favour and further such designs, he most happily will achieve them. And for other inferior designs, he can hardly be crossed in regard to them; for it is an essential part of integrity, not otherwise to affect or aim at private, secular interests, than under condition, and with a reservation, if it be God's pleasure, if it seem good to divine wisdom. He * Psal. i. 3; Prov. xii. 21. ! Psal. xxxvii. 37; Isa. xxxii. 17; Eccles. 1 Prov. xxvi. 25; x. 18; xxi. 6; Psal. xxvi. 4. viii. 12. countenance those who have regard to his will, and who repose confidence in his aid; discriminating them from such as presume to act against or without him, in his providence. As they do render him his due respect, by submitting to his authority, and avowing his power; so he will acknowledge them by signally favouring their concerns." Even his truth and fidelity are engaged in their behalf; seeing he very often hath declared and promised, that in all matters, and upon all occasions, he will be ready to bless them." knoweth that his pains employed on any honest purpose, in a fair way (be it to procure some worldly advantage for himself, for his relations, or for his friends,) are not lost, if they have the fruit of sub-defiance to his will, with no deference to mission to God's will, and acquiescence in the event disposed by him. He is assured that it is good luck to have his project blasted, and that missing is better than getting, when by sovereign wisdom it is so determined. He therefore could not so fix his heart, or engage his affection in any such concern, that his mind is surprised, or his passions discomposed by a seeming adverseness of events to his endeavours. So that in effect he can X. To conclude: it is an infinite adhave no bad success. For how can that vantage of upright dealing, that at the occurrence be deemed bad, which plain last issue, when all things shall be most reason dictateth in certain judgment to accurately tried and impartially decided, be most expedient for him about which a man is assured to be fully justified in he ever was very indifferent, and with it, and plentifully rewarded for it." As which at present he is not heartily dis- then all the deceits, which now pass unpleased? How can it be taken for dis- der specious masks, shall be laid bare; appointment and misfortune, which one all varnish of pretence shall be wiped was prepared to embrace with satisfac-off; all perverse intrigues shall be untion and complacence? Yea, to a per-ravelled; all wicked and base intentions son so disposed, that success which seem- shall be quite stripped of the veils which eth most adverse, justly may be reputed now enfold them; all shrewd contrivers the best and most happy, as promoting ends incomparably more excellent than any worldly gain; as producing fruits exceedingly more wholesome and more savoury than any temporal commodity; as exercising and improving the divinest virtues (humility, patience, meekness, moderation, contentedness,) a grain whereof is worth all the wealth, all the preferment, all that is desirable in the world. 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 Wherefore let the worst that can arrive (or that which human blindness and fondness do count the worst,) yet upright per-merest shallowness; that he who is true sons do not come off ill, or so (matters being rightly stated) as to be losers upon the foot of the account. and just to others, is most faithful and friendly to himself; that whoever doth abuse his neighbour, 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 SERMON VI. OF THE DUTY OF PRAYER. 1 THESS. v. 17.—Pray without ceasing. an the hearts; and then shall every man | sorts of devotion, or all that part of relihave praise of God. Unto which our gious practice wherein we do immediateupright Judge, the King eternal, immor-ly address ourselves to God, having by tal, invisible, the only wise God, be hon- speech (oral or mental) a kind of interour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.' course and conversation with him. So it includeth that praise which we should yield to God, implying our due esteem of his most excellent perfections, most glorious works, most just and wise dispensations of providence and grace; that thanksgiving whereby we should express affectionate presentment of our obligation to him for the numberless great benefits we receive from him; that acknowledgment of our entire dependence upon him, or our total subjection to his power and pleasure; together with that profession of faith in him, and avowing of service to him, which we do owe as his natural creatures and subjects; that humble confession of our infirmity, our vileness, our guilt, our misery (joined with deprecation of wrath and vengeance,) which is due from us as wretched men, and grievous sinners; that petition of things needful or convenient for us (of supply in our wants, of succour and comfort in our distresses, of direction and assistance in our undertakings, of mercy and pardon for our offences,) which our natural state (our poor, weak, sad, and sinful state,) doth engage us to seek; that intercession for others, which general charity or special relation do require from us, as concerned or obliged to desire and promote their good. All these religious performances, prayer, in its larger notion, doth comprise; according whereto in common use the whole body of divine service, containing all such acts, is termed prayer; and temples, consecrated to the performance of holy duties, are styled houses of prayer; and that brief directory, or pregnant form of all devotion, which our Lord dictated, is called his prayer and in numberless places of Scripture it is so taken. 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, endeavouring somewhat to explain it, and to urge its practice. Pray without ceasing. For understanding these words, let us first consider what is meant by the act enjoined, praying; then what the qualification or circumstance adjoined, without ceasing, doth import. 1. The word prayer doth in its usual latitude of acception, comprehend all : In a stricter sense, it doth only signify one particular act among those, the petition of things needful or useful for us. But according to the former more comprehensive meaning, I choose to understand it here; both because it is most commonly so used (then, especially, when no distinctive limitation is annexed, or the nature of the subject-matter doth not re |