V. He knoweth that his pains employed on any honest SERM. purpose, in a fair way, (be it to procure some worldly advantage for himself, for his relations, or for his friend,) are not lost, if they have the fruit of submission 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 have no bad success. For how can that occurrence be deemed bad, which plain reason dictateth in certain judgment to be most expedient for him; about which he ever was very indifferent, and with which at present he is not heartily displeased? How can it be taken for disappointment and misfortune, which one was prepared to embrace with satisfaction and complacence? Yea, to a person so disposed, that success which seemeth most adverse, justly may be reputed 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. Wherefore let the worst that can arrive, (or that which human blindness and fondness do count the worst,) yet upright persons do not come off ill, or so SERM. (matters being rightly stated) as to be losers upon the foot of the account. 27. V. Prov. xi. 20. xv. 9. If this do not satisfy grosser apprehensions, we may add, that even in these meaner concerns Almighty God is pleased commonly to reward and encourage upright persons by the best success. For he hath as it were a natural inclination to gratify those who desire to please him; and, as the PsalPsal. xxxv. mist expresseth it, hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants. He may seem concerned in honour to 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 defiance to his will, with no defeProv. xiv. rence to 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; see1, 2. xci. 1. ing he very often hath declared and promised, that 10. lxxxiv. in all matters, and upon all occasions, he will be Matt. vi. ready to bless them. 2. Deut. xxviii. 2. xxx. 9. Ps. cxxviii. xxxiv. 9, II. 33. Eccles. viii. 5. Prov.xxviii. 18.) 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, (Prov. xi. 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, V. shall lie down in sorrow: so then the righteous SERM. 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 merest shallowness; that he who is true 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 Rom. ii. 16. 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 Cor. iii. darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of13. iv. 5. the hearts; and then shall every man have praise 17. of God. Unto which our upright Judge, the King Tim. i. eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. SERMON VI. OF THE DUTY OF PRAYER. 1 THESS. V. 17. Pray without ceasing. SERM. IT is the manner of St. Paul in his Epistles, after VI. that he hath discussed some main points of doctrine eth not in any formal method, nor Among divers such delivered here, this is one, which shall be the subject of my present discourse; VI. the which, having no other plain coherence (except SERM. by affinity of matter) with the rest enclosing 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 sorts of devotion, or all that part of religious practice, wherein we do immediately address ourselves to God, having by speech (oral or mental) a kind of intercourse 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 an affectionate resentment of our obligation to him for the numberless great benefits we receive from him; that acknowledgment of our entire dependance 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 |