plation do there present themselves unto us with the greatest advantage; and then, if ever, doth the soul make its most powerful sallies towards heaven, and assault it with a holy and acceptable force. And certainly the neglect or careless performance of this duty, is one of the chief causes that bedwarfs our religion, and makes us continue of so low a size.

But it is time I should put a close to this letter, which is grown to a far greater bulk than at first I intended: if these poor papers can do you the smallest service, I shall think myself very happy in this undertaking; at least, I am hopeful you will kindly accept the sincere endeavours of a person who would fain acquit himself of some part of that which he owes you.

A PRAYER.

"And now, O most gracious God, Father and Fountain of mercy and goodness, who hast blessed us with the knowledge of our happiness, and the way that leadeth unto it, excite in our souls such ardent desires after the one, as may put us forth to the diligent prosecution of the other. Let us neither presume on our own strength, nor distrust thy divine assistance; but while we are doing our utmost endeavours, teach us still to depend on thee for success Open our eyes, O God, and teach

us out of thy law Bless us with an exact and tender sense of our duty, and a knowledge to discern perverse things. O that our ways were directed to keep thy statutes, then shall we not be ashamed when we have respect unto all thy commandments. Possess our hearts with a generous and holy disdain of all those poor enjoyments which this world holdeth out to allure us, that they may never be able to inveigle our affections, or betray us to any sin: turn away our eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou us in thy law. Fill our souls with such a deep sense and full persuasion of those great truths which thou hast revealed in the gospel, as may influence and regulate our whole conversation; and that the life which we henceforth live in the flesh, we may live through faith in the Son of God. O

that the infinite perfections of thy blessed nature, and the astonishing expressions of thy goodness and love, may conquer and overpower our hearts, that they may be constantly rising toward thee in flames of the devoutest affection, and enlarging themselves in sincere and cordial love towards all the world, for thy sake; and that we may cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in thy fear, without which we can never hope to behold and enjoy thee. Finally, O God, grant that the consideration of what thou art, and what we ourselves are, may both humble and lay us low before thee, and also stir up in us the strongest and most ardent aspirations towards thee. We desire to resign and give up ourselves to the conduct of thy holy Spirit; lead us in thy truth, and teach us, for thou art the God of our salvation; guide us with thy counsel, and afterwards receive us unto glory, for the merits and intercession of thy blessed Son our Saviour." Amen.

NINE DISCOURSES

ON

IMPORTANT SUBJECTS.

THE SUPERIOR EXCELLENCY OF THE

RELIGIOUS.

PROV. XII. 26.

The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. HE who considereth the excellency and advantage of piety and religion, how conformable it is to the best principle of our nature, and how profitable to our interests, may just wonder and be surprised at the bad entertainment it receives in the world; and easily conclude, that this must needs flow from some gross mistakes about it, and prejudices against it; since it is so natural to us to love that which is good, and delight in that which is amiable, when things are not misrepresented.

Certainly all who are enemies to holiness, have taken up false measures and disadvantageous notions of it. The sensual person hateth it as harsh and unpleasant, doing violence to his carnal appetites; and looks on religion as a contrivance to deprive and rob him of the pleasures of this world, by proposing those of another. The politic wit slights it as foolish and imprudent; and though he acknowledges it a necessary instrument of government, a good device to overawe a multitude, yet he counts a great weakness to be further concerned in it than may be consistent with, and sub

servient to secular designs. Again, the gallants of our age despise it as a base ignoble temper, unworthy of a high birth and genteel education, incident to meaner souls, proceeding from cowardly and superstitious fear, depressing the mind, and rendering it incapable of high and aspiring thoughts. Hence they make it their business to pour contempt upon piety, and advance the reputation of those vicious courses which themselves have embraced; and because there are yet some left, who, by practising and recommending virtue, do oppose and condemn their lewd practices, they study to avenge themselves on them by the persecution of their tongues, and all the scoffs and reproaches they can invent and utter: which hath proved a mean most unhappily successful to deter many weak minds from goodness, making them choose to be wicked that they may not be laughed at.

It is to discover the grossness of this mistake, and expose the absurdities and unreasonableness of these principles and practices; to vindicate the excellency of piety, and to recommend it to all truly generous souls, that we have made choice of this text, which tells us in short and plain terms, that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.

None can be so little acquainted with the scripture dialect, as not to know, that though righteousness in its truest acceptation importeth only the observation of those duties we owe our neighbour, yet it is usually taken more largely for piety and virtue in general. And good reason too, since there is no part of our duty but we owe it as a debt unto God; no exercise of religion but it is an act of justice: whence the clear importance of the text is, that whatever excellency other persons may pretend to, the pious and religious men are the truly noble and generous persons in the world; as the Psalmist expresseth it, The saints are excellent ones in the earth.

Now, we shall not trouble you with any further explication of the words, which are so clear, or with any division of a proposition so simple: but shall illustrate