look the Means and Helps, and yet de- SERM. V. pend upon the End. The Refolution we fpeak of is good and neceffary; but if a Man refolves to go a long Journey, and sets forth without taking anyOrder for the needful Provifions, he will foon refolve to come back again. The Obfervation therefore is, that whofoever would repent to Purpose,. and fo do the confequent Works, is obliged to make a particular Study of the Method and the Affiftances, by which, in Probability, he may be fupported and guided in his new Courfe. The Bodies of Animals cannot grow without Nourishment, nor the Fruits of the Earth ordinarily without cultivating; nor the Fruits of Repentance without Difcipline. The Manners of Children are formed by the careful and conftant Hand of their Parents or Masters; and Men, whofe habitual Disorders make it neceffary theirs should be formed anew, must be Masters to themselves; and their Hours of Care and Thoughtfulness should prefcribe the general Employment to all the reft. It is true, the Means and Helps to a holy Life are prescribed in the Scripture; but then, fome VOL. I.

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SERM. of them are not enjoyn'd, but in certain V. Circumstances; and the Measure and Frequency of fome others may be adapted variously to Variety of Circumftances; and some again are fo general, that they require every Man's Thought and Difcretion to apply them ufefully to his own Cafe. 'Tis apparent therefore, that a right Conduct in this Affair is naturally the Fruit of ferious and repeated Deliberations, and faithful Searches into the Conftitutions and Habits of our Mind, and all Things indeed within and round about us. Thereupon our Reason will form Refolutions as ftrong for the neceffary Means, as for the End itfelf. Without the wife Choice and conftant Ufe of which Means, it is as weak to hope for the Reformation of vicious Habits by the Force of a general Refolution, as it would be to cure a chronical Diftemper that had corrupted the Mass of our Blood by one fingle Dofe of Phyfick.

The endless Variety of Mens Circumftances makes it neceflary to forbear particular Rules. Every one must study and determine for himself, with Diligence and Impartiality, with regard to his Aversions.

or

V.

or Fondneffes; or confult alfo with fuch SER M. as he has Reason to think beft qualified to advise him; which laft (by the way) fhould be well confidered; fince it is evident, there are Cafes and Perfons, not a few, where it is no lefs neceffary to procure others to think for them, than generally it is for all Men to think for themselves.

I have no more now to add, but the naming to you the principal of these Helps and Inftruments to conduct and fupport Men in a holy Life: The first is, Meditation, or Reading, and Hearing of our Duties, and the Motives to them. The fecond, Prayer, and other Acts of Devotion. The third, Acts of Mortification and Self-denial: And the last, (which yet is a Branch of the former) the Withdrawing from all the Occafions and Incentives of our Evil-doing.

God grant that we may difcern wifely, and use faithfully the Means neceffary for every one of us in particular; and bless them to the Production of Fruits meet for Repentance, that fo we may flee, by that only Way, and be delivered from the Wrath to come, through Jesus Christ.

L 2 SERMON VI.

SERM.

VI.

SERMON

VI.

Of the Reason and Ufe of Prayer.

St. LUKE xi. 9.

And I fay unto you, Ask, and it fhall be given you; seek, and ye fball find; knock, and it fall be opened unto you.

HE Beginning of the Chapter, you will find our Lord, at the Requeft of one of his Disciples, teaches them a Form of Prayer for their Ufe, the fame which has been juft now repeated. To THAT, for their Encouragement in the Duty, he fubjoins the following Parable, the 5th and next Verfes, Which of you

Shall

Shall have a Friend, and shall go unto him SERM. at Midnight, and fay unto him; Friend, VI. lend me three Loaves, for a Friend of mine in his Journey is come to me, and I have nothing to fet before him: And be from within fhall anfwer and fay, Trouble me not; the Door is now fhut, and my Children are with me in Bed: I cannot rife and give thee. I fay unto you, though he will not rife and give him, because he is his Friend; yet because of his Importunity, he will rife and give him as many as he needeth. Then follow the Words of my Text, as the Inftruction of the Parable; And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Doubtless a Man, confidering the Majefty, Holiness, and Goodness of Almighty God, will be furprized at first with the Matter and Application of this Parable, and that of the unjust Judge, in the xviiith Chapter, which feared not God, neither regarded Man. But when he shall likewise have confidered the Perfection and Wifdom of the Teacher, like whom never Man Spake, he will only admire the L 3

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