HAPPINESS is what all Mankind are in an eager pursuit of, in this there is an unanimous agreement: But where it is to be found, where­in it consists, and by what Methods to be obtained; has been a controversy agitated by those, who have been under the sole conduct of the dim light of Nature. The greatest Sages in the Rolls of Antiquity, the brightest Philoso­phers [Page 2] (however successful in their enquiries after and discoveries of Nature) here have been vari­ous and perplexed in their Schemes, for want of that additional light of Revelation, which we thro' the distinguishing Goodness of GOD en­joy. This is our great advantage that unto us are committed the Oracles of God. ^* The sacred Vo­lumes wherein are contained the Writings of the Inspired Pen-men, set this matter in a clear and shining light, this not only informs what and where it is, but how we may attain to it, directs to the measures by which we may, and without which we can't arrive to the enjoyment thereof. This happiness and Blessedness is to be found in GOD alone, agreable to that of the Psalmist ^†, Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. For there is no other Object that has that durable and substantial Goodness, as to be able to satisfy the desires of a Rational and Immortal Being; and in this doth true happiness consist, viz. in the ac­quiescence of the Soul in such an Object. Those that have sought after it else-where have or will find their mistake, and in the end subscribe Solo­mons conclusion ^‖, Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

The acquiring of this Happiness, is what every Rational Being will endeavour, unless he re­nounces his reason, and submitteth to the conduct of a vitiated will, and corrupted affections.

There is another desire (besides that of their own happiness) in which Men almost universal­ly [Page 3] agree; soil the Good and Welfare of their Posterity. This seems to be an Impression stamped on the whole Rational World; yea and in some degree on the Brutal too, by the GOD of Nature: and the want of this Natural Affection in any, is by the Apostle rank'd with the most odious and detestable Vices ^* Such Monsters in humane Shape Nature has sometimes produced; & whose detestable Names are upon record to their eternal infamy: such an One was Liberius whose common saying was ^† [...]. When I am dead let heaven and earth be all in flames, I regard it not: but Nero that blemish and scandal to humane Nature mends it with, [...]. Yea while I live, let it be so ^‖ But these are exceptions and their sayings were a renunciation of humanity, whose Names ought not to be mentioned but with abhorrence; nor written except to render them odious. But this is a truth that for the general is undeniable, That Men have a concern for the good, and prosperity of the succeeding Generations. They do not only enquire after, and seek for their own perso­nal felicity, but are desirous to lay a foundation for Posterity to be happy upon; that it may be well with their Children after them. So that it is a matter of importance, & that which concerns us all, what steps to take, what methods to pursue, that we may secure to our selves & to Posterity, a durable and permanent happiness.

Now this is what our Text directs to, viz. To fear God and keep all his Commandments always'. [Page 4] This we are told if we do, (which GOD of His infinite Grace grant we may do) it shall be well with us and our Children for ever.

The words in our Text may be considered, [...] [...]ther,

1. As expresive of the gracious desires of a bountiful and merciful GOD; for the happiness and welfare of the Children of Men. O! that there were such an heart in them, &c. The man­ner of Speech plainly denoteth the greatness of his concern for the Obedience and Happiness of His People, and their Posterity. The Grace and Goodness of GOD terminates not on the present, but extends to succeeding Generations; and his desires are not only that they would serve Him, fear Him, and keep His Commandments; but that it might be well with them for ever. And GOD doth not absolutely and unconditionally will their perpetual felicity, but that they may arrive to it in the ways of his appointment, by an universal & constant Obedience to His Com­mands, which are Holy, Just and Good▪ There is an inseparable connection between these, so that whoever aspires after happiness by any other Methods than that of Obedience, will assuredly meet with disappointments, and miss of the end proposed; and on the other hand, whosoever serveth the LORD with a perfect heart and a willing mind, and persevereth therein to the end, shall most certainly obtain that bliss and happi­ness, which GOD of His infinite Grace hath pro­mised to reward His faithful Servants & Follow­ers with. Thus GOD was graciously concerned [Page 5] for His people of old, and no less are His regards to His Covenant-people now; and herein ap­pears that Grace, that Goodness, that Condescen­tion, as gives us just cause to say, Lord what is Man, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of Man that thou makest account of him? Man who is like to vanity, whose days are as a shadow that passeth away, ^*

2. These words may be considered as expresive of the duty of GOD's People, viz. To fear God and keep his Commandments all, and always, and as a Motive to urge and constrain to the practise of their Duty, viz. That it may be well with them, and their Children for ever. So holy are the Commands, so perverse the Wills, and corrupt the Hearts of the Children of Men, that renders necessary the most powerful perswasives, the most alluring motives, and most forcible arguments, to bring them to Obedience, and to yield an en­tire submission to the Will of their most Right­ful Lord and Sovereign: who might have exacted homage of His Creatures, without promising of any Reward; but He is nevertheless from the plinitude of His goodness, encouraging them to their Duty, by the gracious offers of peace and prosperity, both in the present & future world▪ and agreeably we generally find His holy Com­mands and gracious Promises together in His Blessed Gospel: and thus He chooses to draw us as with the cords of a man, and the hands of love, ^† None shall serve the LORD for nought, but He [Page 6] will be a bountiful rewarder of them that seek Him ^*, which should stop those vicious and blasphemous Mouths who say, What is the Al­mighty that we should serve Him, and what profit: should we have if we pray unto Him? ^† Tho' some may say, We have laboured in vain, and spent our strength for nought and in vain. This is only with reference to Men. They may also further say, My judgment is with the Lord, and my work or reward is with my God, ^‖

As to the Duty in our Text pressed upon Men, and the reward promised, both as to the Na­ture of it, and its extensiveness; they shall be considered hereafter. And from the words as expressive of GOD's gracious Desires con­cerning us, and our Children: And of our Duty which we owe to GOD, in order to secure to our selves and Posterity a lasting and abiding Happiness, I shall make these two Observations, which are proposed to be the subject of our en­suing Discourse.

• OBSER. I. GOD is not only desirous to be ho­noured by the Service and Obedience of His People, but of the welfare and happiness of them, and their Posterity.
• OBSER. II. That to Fear GOD and Keep His Commandments, ought to be the great concern, as it is the great Duty of His People, because their Own, and Posterity's Happiness depend thereon.

[Page 7] We shall begin with the first of these Obser­vations which is,

THAT GOD is not only desirous to be Ho­noured by the Service and Obedience of his People, but of the Welfare & Happiness of them and their Posterity.

This shall be spoken to under these following Positions.

1. That GOD desires and seeks his own Glory. For this He spoke a World into Being, and by His Almighty Power & Resistless Arm, doth so rule & govern all the things contained, and all the actions by His Creatures done therein, as to shew forth the honour and magnify the power, and wisdom of their Creator. The things which He hath made shew forth His Eternal Power and Godhead ^*, and all things shew forth the Praises of the most High. For this end, the Lord, agreable to the saying of the wise Man ^†, Made all things for himself, i. e. The ultimate and supream end and design of GOD in making of them, was the advancement of His own Glory: And indeed it would be below and inconsistent with a Perfect Being, to have any other than this, as His principal aim & end. The most Perfect Being will have the most perfect End and Designs in all His Actions. And it is in­compatible with the Divine Nature, to do any thing, that shall derogate from His most Glori­ous Perfections; so is it likewise to Him to form [Page 8] any other principal End in His Actions, than His own Glory. That which was in appearance, a dishonour done to the Divine Nature; (I mean its union to the Humane Nature in the person of our blessed Lord, Who appeared in the form of a servant) was in reality the greatest and brightest manifestation of the Glory of GOD that ever was made to a sinful world. So many times in the Divine Actions, tho' we don't see how GOD consults His own Glory; for Clouds and Darkness are round about His Throne: Yet in the Event it shall be made apparent, that no­thing short of an Infinite Wisdom could so have ordered and disposed of all things and actions, for the accomplishing of that great & glorious end. 'Tis true that some of His Rebellious and perverse Creatures refuse to give Him Glory Actively, but GOD will make their perverse­ness and Rebellion to serve the same great De­sign, and will Glorify Himself upon them passive­ly, who refuse to give that Tribute of Honour and Praise to Him, to whom its due.

2. That GOD is honoured and glorified by the service and obedience of His People.

As we have said before, for this end they were made to Glorify GOD; so this is the way by which they do Him Honour. Not that there can be any addition made to His Essential Glory, for that is Infinite: but by the Obedience of His People, the Divine Honour & Glory is declared in the World. Tho' this Essential Glory can't ad­mit of or suffer diminution, yet His Declaritive [Page 9] may; with respect to the former, it may be said, that neither our Obedience nor Disobedience can't affect it. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do? Consonant to what Elihu saith ^* If thou sinnest what dost thou against him; or if thy Transgressions be multiplied what dost thou unto Him? Or if thou be Righteous what givest thou him; and what receiveth he at thy hand? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. But al­tho' it cannot be diminished as to its Essence, yet as to its Manifestation, it may suffer an Eclipse. As the light of the Sun, is not lessened by the interposition of the Moon between us and that, where by its rays are intercepted; yet the manifestation of that light to us, is. When we by a constant course of Obedience have our light to shine before men: They by that light have manifestations of the Divine Glory, and will glorify our Father which is in Heaven ^† And indeed the way of Obedience, is the only way by which we can give an Active Glory to GOD, and for this end He gave us Being; and such a service and obedience are His just and righteous expectations from us: and which we can't deny, without laying our selves open to the severe rebukes and hot displeasure, of an injured & in­censed Deity.

If any should Object, That since our services and our iniquities can't really make any additi­ons to, nor abridge, his Glory and Happiness; [Page 10] wherefore should He be desirous of our Obedi­ence, or resent our transgressions of His laws?

To which this may be replied, That notwith­standing the making GOD more or less Glorious or Happy, be out of the reach of any created Be­ing: yea, and in its own nature an Impossibility, and therefore not to be effected by OMNIPO­TENCY it self. Yet there may be reasons as­signed. why GOD should take complacency and satisfaction in the faithful & sincere endeavours of His People to serve and honour Him; and to have a holy fire of resentments enkindled in His breast (tho' not to the disturbance of the divine Calm, or the discomposure of His serene Mind, as it too frequently on such occasions discovered in His Creatures, in their state of imperfection) at the transgressors of His Holy & Righteous Laws. For the true and just cause of Love & Hatred, is not for any benefit received, or injury done, but the account & intention where with such Actions are done, which deserve love & respect, or anger and displeasure. For a person may accidentally and fortuitously do another a service and benefit, which had it been done willingly and with a de­sign, had merited his esteem and favour, but the want of this circumstance entitles him to neither. So also on the other hand, a Person that mista­kenly or by a meer chance injures another in his Interests, deserveth not his Anger, which had been otherwise, had there been design in it. He deserved no thanks who by stabbing gave vent to an Impostume, and thereby saved a Life, which was his Intention by that act to have destroyed; [Page 11] and to bring this to the present case: GOD is not desirous of the Obedience of his Servants, be­cause of any Advantage acruing to Him, nor dis­pleased with the Sins of his People, because of any real disservice done him: but He eyes the Intention and Design of the Agents, and accor­dingly will graciously Reward those that design his Honour, and aim at his Glory: While he will express his Resentments and terrible Indignation, against those that pour Contempt on his Holy and Righteous Laws, by living in an avowed and open Transgression of them, tho' neither really is GOD made more or less happy by them, but He is the same Unchangeable GOD in his Essence and Glory, Yesterday to day and for ever ^*

3. That GOD is desirous of the Welfare and Happiness of his people and their Posterity. GOD hath given the clearest Demonstration that can be, that he has our Prosperity & Feli­city at Heart. But before we proceed to enu­merate those Instances, by which GOD has ma­nifested this gracious define concerning us, it will be necessary to enquire in what sense Desires are imputed to GOD. For it will come near the borders of Blasphemy in thought, and is a giving into, the pernicious Principles of a Sect unworthy of the Christian Name ^‖ to ascribe literally and without a Figure those Passion, which are Inci­dent to imperfect Creatures, to GOD, who is a pure and simple Being ^† which far be it from us, [Page 12] to entertain a tho't, so derogatory to the Glory, and so inconsistent with and destructive to the Idea impressed on our Minds. It is not to be ad­mired that these who ascribe human Shape and Figure to the glorious GOD, if they assign hu­mane Passions too, but it would be a wild imagi­nation in such as have formed an Idea of GOD, as an infinitely Perfect Being, compleatly and perfectly Blessed in himself, to attribute humane Passions or Affections, such as Fear, Hope, Anger, Desire, &c. to a Being thus infinitely Blessed in himself, in the same sense as they are in Man; No, tho' these are spoken [...], yet when they occur in holy Writ, they are to be taken figuratively, only in reference to His outward Works and Dispensations, correspondent and an­swerable to the Actings of Men, in whom such Affections are, and under the power whereof they are, in these Actings. And so here Desire as it denotes a Passion is to be taken metaphori­cally, and denotes as such, when ascribed to GOD, that his outward Dispensation towards his People, are correspondent to what Men are wont to do when this Affection is working within them for the accomplishment of that which their Desires carry them after; but it must be granted that this particular Passion of Desire, may be more strictly than many of the Affections attributed to GOD, for frequently it denotes GOD's Essential Goodness and Kindness, which is secondarily ma­nifested by the Effects thereof on the Children of Men, the same may be said of Love, Joy, &c.

[Page 13] But we shall proceed to show that our bounti­ful and gracious GOD hath in many ways and instances innumerable, discovered a tender con­cern for the welfare of His People, in all Ages of the World.

1. GOD when He created Man discovered this concern in the great & noble entertainment He made for him: A Paradise abounding with De­lights; and in every thing that had any tendency to render a person happy. He was made Lord of the World, and all things therein, the Birds in the Air, the Beasts on the Earth, and the Fishes in the Sea, paid Him homage; all which he might have held to Eternity, had he not by a fa­tal mistake hearkened to the delusion of a wily Serpent, rather than to his great and bountiful Creator, which procured his Exile from that happy Station, and was justly turn'd into a ma­roon'd World overun with thorns & thistles, with the sweat of his brows to earn his bread, and in sorrow to eat thereof all the days of his Life; ^‖ and this horrible Ingratitude to his bountiful Benefactor, and vile Contempt of his Righteous Sovereign, laid the fatal foundation for that Deluge of cala­mitous Woes & Miseries which hereupon broke in upon a sinful World, which his wretched Pos­terity this day, and shall to the end of time, la­bour under, and must have done to Eternity, had not the same gracious Desires in the Divine Be­ing of the Welfare of Mankind, interposed, and infinite Wisdom contrived a way for their reco­very [Page 14] from that horrible pit, into which the sin of their prime Ancestor had cast them. But this leads to another instance of the same gracious desires in GOD, of the welfare of His Creatures.

2. GOD has further manifested the same gra­cious and merciful Disposition, in the Methods He took for the delivery of miserable Man out of his lost and undone estate, by sending His Only Begot­ten Son, to undertake their Redemption, and de­liverance there-from. Never was there such a demonstration given, of the intenssness of the di­vine desires of Man's Happiness, as in this: the love of GOD herein manifested passeth Knowledge: the length, the breadth, the heighth, the depth there­of is incomprehensible ^*. When there remained nothing for forlorn Man to look for but the dread­ful frowns & fiery indignation of the Almighty GOD, who is a Consuming fire. Then even then, was a time of love: He spread his skirt over them, and covered their nakedness; sware unto them, and entred into Covenant with them, ^†. No­thing less than a Love as strong as Death, which many waters can't quench, nor flouds drown; was evidenced by this Undertaking of the Son of GOD, for the restoring of Mankind to his primitive, or rather a superior happiness, to that which he had by sin made a forfeiture of. And if we should enter upon a retail of the par­ticulars and overt acts, by which he gave mani­festations of his gracious Affections towards us, Time would fail, and Eternity not be too long to [Page 15] enumerate them. But let this in general suffice And we pass to a third,

3. GOD's gracious dealings with his Ancient People the Seed of Abraham, whom GOD graces with the honourable title of His Friends. There are amazing instances of the admirable Patience, Forbearance, and long-Suffering of GOD, towards that stiff-necked and perverse People, which are clear and shining evidences of GOD's gracious desires towards them; and that there is nothing more agreable to Him than to show and exercise his loving kindness and tender compassions, to promote and further their happiness, and to make his People a blessed People. If we trace them thro' the Wilderness, where they had so many signs of GOD's immediate presence with them by going before them in a Pillar of fire by Night and of smoke by Day; (for this I must look upon as miraculous notwithstanding what has been offered by a late numourist to the contrary ^*) His giving them food from Heaven, and springs of water from the Rock, and innumerable other instances of His goodness with them; we shall see so much of the Divine Grace, as will fully discover the merciful regards of a compassionate GOD. And if we on the other hand consider the behaviour of that People under so many tokens of his favour and immediate presence, it will greatly enhance the Divine Benignity, and fill us with admiration, that their Idolatry, their Mur­muring their tempting of GOD; their vile Adul­teries [Page 16] &c. It boredoms, had not provoked a Holy and Jealous GOD, to have deemed them to Cor [...] and his Comrades fate, to be swallowed up they and theirs. That rebellious People are a stand­ing Monument of the unbounded Patience of a Righteous GOD. And after their settlement in the Land of Canaan, notwithstanding their re­peated aggravated provocations, in worship­ping of strange gods; the gods of the Nations round about them; and the major part of the Tribes for many Generations successively, going a whoring after the Calves of Dan & Bethel; and the abounding of the most detestable and abomi­nable Wickednesses among them; yet GOD of his infinite Grace and Mercy had Compassion on them, his bowels yearned towards them, and he expresseth himself infinitely concerned for their Welfare: He mourns over them, and shews the greatest lothness to part with them. What could be spoken with a greater Pathos than he utters himself in? Hos. 11. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee Israel? How shall I make thee as Ad [...]a [...]? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. And when the Iniquities of the Jews had arrived to that height, that Divine Justice would bear no lon­ger, and no other Method but that of Severity would take; GOD scatters them among the Na­tions, but still has them in his gracious Remem­brance, and at the expiration of seventy Years, raises them up a Deliverer, who sends them away in Peace to their own Land; and they are again [Page 17] received into Favour. And further, though for their final obstinate rejecting of the Messiah, and the barbarous Crucifixion of the Lord of Life and Glory, they were cast off▪ and at this Day are labouring under the Curse imprecated, His Blood be upon us and our Children ^†; I say altho' they were thus broken off, yet it seems as if that People were not forgotten, but that there is a time approaching, when they shall be again in­grafted in. When all Israel shall be saved. Of this the Prophets and the Apostle Paul gave abun­dant Confirmation. Besides which their conti­nuing even to this Day a separate People, not mingling themselves with other Nations, altho' dispersed over the face of the whole Earth, seems plainly to point out a Design in Providence for their Restoration. All which serves to demon­strate the Goodness and Grace of our GOD, and that he will not hold and retain his Wrath for ever; Such are his desires of the Welfare of his People,

4. The gracious Calls, Invitations, Requests, Intreaties & Expostulations, made by GOD and his Servants the Holy Prophets and Blessed Apostles to his People, is yet a further illustration of the gracious Desires in GOD for the Happiness and Welfare of Man. Nay the Chastisement & Cor­rection which is bestowed upon his Children flows from the same Fountain, and is the Fruit of Pa­ternal Love, and evidenceth his tender concern for them. The very thought of approaching de­struction [Page 18] to his People, so affected the tender Heart of the Blessed JESUS, as to cause the Tears to run down his Cheeks, and to break forth in doleful Accents, and in a Language inimitable: O Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee ^* And again, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy Peace! ^‖ But there is thro' the whole sacred Oracles such plentiful discoveries of the good Will of GOD towards his People, as would be endless to come to particulars, and should fill us with admiration, and cause us to cry out with the Psalmist, What is Man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of Man that thou visitest him.

And if it should be enquired, Whence it is that GOD is thus desirous of his People's Happiness? Why such low vile & sinful Creatures, should have so much room in GOD's Heart? compared with whom we are but [...] the drops of the Bucket and the small dust of the Ballance. To which I can only reply 'tis from the Essential Goodness of his Nature. It is of the Essence of Goodness to be communicative. That which giveth Rise to all GOD's Desires and Actions, must be looked for within Himself. 'Tis nothing in the Creature, I mean no worth or dignity in them, that is the Cause. Had the Almighty when Man fell, turned him into the World to shift for himself, and taken no more thought and concern about him, he then had had as much and more [Page 19] than he deserved. Neither is it any need that GOD has of us or our Services, that is the cause hereof; for Man can't be profitable to God, as [...]e that is wise may be profitable to himself ^† It is no Gain to him, tho' a Man maketh his ways perfect, but all must be referred to God who is essentially Good, and therefore communicative of his Goodness to his Creatures, who all drink at that Fountain of living Water.

But nevertheless, I know not why it may not be justly supposed, that one great motive with GOD thus to desire and seek the recovery of Man from his fallen and miserable State, was to frustrate & disappoint the great Enemy of GOD and Man, the wicked and malicious Devil, who triumphed over the ruins of the Fall, and blessed himself in having been Instrumental to deface the Divine Image impressed on Man, and thereby gratified his accursed Malice against GOD and his Creature made in his likeness, by which he imagined irrecoverably to have ruined, & there­by to have brought them in for sharers with him in those Eternal Flames of Vengeance prepared for the infernal Spirits, and to have robbed GOD of his Honour, and Man of his Happiness; the very thought whereof gave Ease & Satisfaction in the midst of that gloom and horror, that ever­lastingly adheres to the apostate Angels. Then these fallen Stars sang together; and these Sons of Perdition shouted for joy. I say that this may be thought a motive with the Divine Being, to [Page 20] desire, seek and accomplish the restoration of Man, and thereby to frustrate the great Expecta­tions the Devil had of the happy success of his Temptation; and thereby also to add to the Pu­nishment of His and our great Adversary; For the rescuing of Mankind out of their hands, cre­ated such an uneasiness in them, as will not a lit­tle add to the torture, that is inseparable from their malicious and envious breasts: So that what they proposed to themselves as a Happiness is by the just Judgment of GOD in the event made an addition to their Misery; and such an addi­tion as their belying of GOD when they seduced our first Parents, justly deserved. This Sin of the Deceiver, as well as of the Deceived, deserves punishment. Whether a Creature in a full state of punishment be under a Law that obliges to O­bedience, & so whether capable of sinning i. e of transgressing a Law, I shall not now determine; but by the by say, that there are (at least in my apprehension) stronger Arguments to vindicate Di­vine Justice, in inflicting Eternal Punishment on Sinners, than those built on this Hypothesis, soil. Of their sinning [...]. But I think it evi­dent from the sacred Scriptures, that the apostate Angels are not at present in the full Possession of their demerited Punishment; for tho' they are ejected from their first habitation, and are reserved in chains of darkness, yet 'tis to the Judgment of the great Day ^* Which plainly intimates, that then they are to enter upon the full Possession of [Page 21] their deserved Torments. And the speech of the Gadarene Devils, whose Names were Legion to our Lord when He came into that Coast, is a fur­ther confirmation, [...] thou come hither to torment us before the time? ^*. And if so, they may justly fall under a law, and be obliged to Obedience; and for the transgression thereof incur a greater Punishment. But I wave the further prosecution of this digression, and together with it this Doctrine, when I have entered,

1. A Caution to all to beware that they do not presume to continue in sin, because of the tender Mercies and gracious desires that there are [...] GOD, of our Welfare and Happiness. It is to be feared that there is that baseness in the hearts of many to take encouragement from the Grace of GOD to go on in the imagination of their own hearts, to add sin to sin, and to promise themselves peace and happiness, thro' a mad pre­sumption on the Divine Mercies, as tho' the Al­mighty had no other perfection to be glorified but this, and that this shall be magnified at the ex­pence of the other glorious Attributes of the Di­vine Essence. Such Presumers may without pre­sumption expect the sword of Divine Justice; and that the Lord will not spare them, but his anger and jealousy shall smoke against them; that all the curses that are written in the Book of GOD shall lie on them, and that the Lord shall blot out their names from under heaven, ^†

[Page 22] 2. An Exhortation to the People of GOD herein to imitate their heavenly Father; like Him to be desirous of, and endeavouring the welfare & hap­piness of our fellow Creatures. If GOD who is infinitely above Man, is thus tho'tful of us; How much more should we, seeing they are flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. There is nothing renders a Man more unlike GOD, than a narrow contracted Spirit, whose views terminate on his own dear self, and whose proper emblem is the Hedgehog, who wraps it self up in its own soft down, and turns out brizzils to all the World be­side. The more communicative & diffusive per­sons are, the more noble and excellent they are, and the nearer approaches they make to the Di­vine Pattern; who causeth his Sun to shine, and his rain to fall both on the just and the unjust. To be desirous of, to have an eye to, and in their sphere to seek the welfare & prosperity of a Peo­ple, is incumbent on all. But more especially are those that are titular Gods ^*, I mean the Rulers of a People: Their obligations are very singular, to conform and regulate themselves, in all their Administrations, by the divine Standard, or Pattern; and this will discover that they do not only bear the Title of gods, but the Image also of Him that is the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth, and who judgeth among the gods. But I must proceed to the second Observation.

[Page 23] OBSER. II. To Fear GOD and keep his Com­mandments ought to be the great Concern, as it is the great Duty of his People; because their own and Posterity's Happiness depends thereon.

Our GOD is a great, a glorious and an Al­mighty GOD, therefore to be feared; his Com­mandments Holy, Just and Good, therefore to be obeyed: and these two as the Wise Man saith ^*. To Fear GOD and keep his Commandments are the whole Duty of Man. And 'tis an Act of Grace that GOD has made our Duty and Interest in­separable the one from the other; so that by O­bedience to the righteous Laws of our Sovereign, we do both Honour him, and consult our own Welfare and Happiness. While we are in the way of our Duty, we are in the way to Heaven. GOD as being our absolute Sovereign might have exacted a Servitude of us, without promising or granting any Reward; and when we had ac­complished the Business he had set us, have turned us into the dark and silent Grave, from whence there had been no Resurrection; but thro' the Bounty of a good and gracious GOD, there are glorious Rewards for them that diligently seek and serve Him ^†. But I speak to this Doctrine under three following Heads.

1. To Fear GOD and keep his Commandments is Man's great Duty. All the bright and glori­ous Perfections of the Divine Essence, claim our [Page 24] Fear & Reverence, and his Sovereignty obligeth to Obedience. His giving to us Being, and by the word of His Power upholding us in Being, gives him a Right to Command, and bringeth us under an obligation to fear & obey. It was a proud and haughty Speech of obdurate and hard hearted Pharoah ^‖, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice, I know not the Lord &c. But if we consider a Circumstance herein it will not appear so black and blasphemous, as at first sight. For when Moses came to Pharaoh with his Message, he delivereth himself as in the first Verse; Thus saith Jehovah the GOD of Israel: which Name Jehovah we may justly suppose Pharaoh wholly unacquainted with, and might imagine it to be the Name of some petty Deity, to whom that enslaved People paid Adoration; and therefore accordingly replies, Who is Jehovah? that I should obey his Voice! I know not Jehovah nei­ther will I let Israel go: which consideration softens the expression. By the Fear of GOD in our Text we are to understand that gracious Habit or Principle in the Soul, whereby the Heart is inclined or disposed to have an awful reveren­tial regard to GOD, to his whole Will and all his ways; so as to fear to do what he for­bids, or forbear what he prescribes: Consonant hereto GOD saith, I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me: And this Affection is what a glorious GOD hath a just expectation of from his People; and it is the [Page 25] Principle from whence all sincere and acceptable Obedience flows; and frequently in the Divine Writings these two are found together. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him. ^* And in many other Places too many to mention here, as well as in our Text.

And as to the keeping of the Commandments: We must have a Respect to them all, and perse­vere therein to the end; agreable to our Text; All the Commandments. Which denotes the univer­sality and constancy of our Obedience. There's no Command tho' never so small must be left undone; for indeed GOD has by terrible and amazing Judgments testified His concern for some of the lesser matters of his Law. A Fire from Heaven destroys Nada [...] & Abihu, because of a failure in a Circumstance, when in execu­ting their Priestly Office. The Men of B [...] ­mesh met with a terrible Destruction from the Lord, because they looked into the Ark; and Uzzah was smote dead on the spot only because he touched the Ark of the Lord. All which should serve to instruct us, that we are to have a regard to all GOD's Commands, and not to leave undone the very least of them.

2. The Happiness of a People and their Posterity, depends on the fearing of GOD, and keeping his Commands. The Happiness which our Text speaks of is, I presume, a temporal Happiness, as indeed are many of the Promises of the Old Testament: I say many of them; for I am far from the [Page 26] opinion of them, that would have us to believe, that the Mount Sinai Covenant had no other than temporal Sanctions, and that the Hopes of GOD's People extended no farther than the Enjoyment of a prosperous State in the earthly Canaan for a moderate Term of Years An Opinion fit for none but the Sadduces to embrace, who say there is no Resurrection, Angel or Spirit ^*. But all the other Sects as well as the Pharisees, confess both. But this, I say, is a Promise of Temporal Felicity, as is evident from what follows in the Context, ver. 33. That ye may prolong your days in the Land, ye shall possess.

The way to attain this Felicity is that prescri­bed in our Text, which is abundantly confirmed in the sacred Writings, in the Story of GOD's dealing with Israel, a stiff necked and perverse Generation, who while they served GOD, were a flourishing People, & GOD made their Enemies to be at Peace with them; No weapon formed against them prospered: GOD frequently made bare his Arm and took Vengeance on their Ad­versaries. When his People hearkened to him, and Israel walked in his ways, then [...]e subdued their Enemies and turned his hand against their Adver­saries, he fed them with the finest of the Wheat, and with Honey out of the Rock he satisfied them ^†. And on the contrary, when they relinquished their Rightful Lord, broke thro' his Righteous Laws, and went a whoring after other gods, they were exposed to the rebukes of an incensed Deity, and suffered the dreadful strokes of Divine [Page 27] Wrath and Fury. GOD has literally fulfilled, what he expresly threatned them with in case of Disobedience, and as punctually performed all his Promises to them; when they hearkned dili­gently to his voice, and observed and did all his Commandments; then the Lord set them on high above all nations of the earth, and his Blessings came upon them and overtook them, when they they hearkned to the voice of the Lord their God ^*. But whether GOD doth observe the same ex­actness in conferring temporal Blessings, and in­flicting Punishment under the Gospel, as of old under the Sinai Covenant Administration, may admit of Debate; and whether temporal Promi­ses and Judgments were not more fulfilled in the Letter, in the times of the Old Testament, than in the Days of the Gospel, wherein they are often exchanged into spiritual Blessings & Curses. For how exactly soever they were then accom­plished upon a People considered as a politick Body, there was not the like with reference to particular Persons. Job takes notice of this, and expostulateth upon it; Wherefore do the Wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in Power? Their seed is established in their sight, and their off-spring before their eyes: Their Houses are safe from fear, neither is the Rod of God upon them †. Asaph likewise mentions this, as that which had stumbled him, and made him envious at the fool­ish, when he saw the Prosperity of the Wicked ^‖. There are Divines of great fame that suppose [Page 28] these Promises are now as punctually performed to a People, considered as embodied, or a Society, as then; but it may be questioned whether the Arguments, wherewith they endeavour to confirm their Opinion, be forcible, and whether it be a Truth that admits of no exception. As those had drawn a false inference who had concluded that those Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, were greater Sinners than others ^*; so to infer that a Town, Province or Nation when under heavy and distressing Judg­ments, are more Vicious than other Places whom GOD visits not with the like Calamities, is un­just and uncharitable. No reason can be assigned why a Holy GOD for wise Ends may not bring great distressing Judgments on Ten Thousand Good Men, tho' they are formed into Civil So­ciety, as well as upon Job who was perfect and upright, by GOD's own acknowledgement. If GOD for the good of his own Children whom he loveth, doth sometime chasten them sore, why not for the Good of a Society? Or is GOD more regardful of the Welfare of Particulars, than of a whole Kingdom or Nation. But this is what suffices to my present purpose, that this is the general way of GOD, in his Providence, to Ho­nour those that Honour Him, and to exalt a Righ­teous Nation. And further, the fear of GOD, and Obedience to his Commands not only renders a People Happy, but layeth a foundation for the Prosperity & Welfare of succeeding Generations.

[Page 29] The Virtue and Religion of Ancestry has a great tendency to render their Posterity virtuous and religious. The Examples of Parents have a wonderful Influence on Children; They work more efficaciously than their Precepts. Man­kind are generally of a Temper to be led rather than drove. This is more plainly discovered in the evil Examples which they readily give into; as we find verified in the sacred Story. So like­wise hath a good Example and a religious Educa­tion a powerful Influence on Posterity: They frequently inherit their Fathers Virtues, and in this way a foundation is laid for their happiness. And again, GOD of His rich & boundless grace, extends His Patience and long-suffering to a cor­rupt Posterity, for the sake of their Religious and Vertuous Ancestors: As GOD visits the iniquities of Father upon Children to the third and fourth Generation, so likewise on the other hand. Thus GOD for faithful Abrahams sake, shewed kind­ness to his Posterity. As the vices of Fathers do bring down Judgments on their corrupt Off-spring, so their Faith, and other graces convey down Blessings of a Temporal nature: For as no Man shall suffer eternal Punishment for his Fa­thers sins, so neither shall any inherit eternal Life for his Fathers Obedience Jerusalem was saved by GOD, in the siege laid by Senacheri [...] for David his Servants sake, many ages after his Death ^*: And the succession of the Line of Jehu possessed the Crown of Israel for four Descents, [Page 30] for the zeal he exerted against the house of Ahab and Baals worshippers. Thus we see Posterity may fare the better for the vertues of their An­cestors. Neither is there any room to charge GOD with partiality or respect of persons, tho' He spares a corrupt Offspring from religious An­cestors, and brings down heavy and speedy Judg­ments o [...] a Generation but equally as corrupt, that are sprung from vicious Predecessors. For none would bring the same charge against an earthly Sovereign, in the like case, should he pardon a Treason committed against his Majesty by one whose fore-fathers had been eminent for their loyalty to their Sovereign, tho' at the same time he should order the execution of the Son of a treacherous Father, when but equally involved in [...] same crime with the fore-mentioned. Thus we see, how the happiness of the succeeding may be promoted by the Religion and Piety of the preceding Generation, and that the way to their happiness is, to Fear God and Keep his Command­ments.

3. That therefore it greatly concerns a People to fear GOD, and keep all his Commandment al­ways. This concern David the best of Kings, and a holy Prophet of the Lord, had so much upon his heart, that when a Dying he gave it in charge to his People, that they should keep and seek for all the Commandments of the Lord their God, that so they might possess their Land, and leave it for an in­heritance to their Children after them for ever ^*. [Page 31] The Man that is unconcerned about his own wel­fare, is stupid and tho'tless, and seems not only destitute of rational, but sensitive powers. If he that neglects to provide for his own house is worse than an Infidel. He that is unconcerned about his own Welfare is worse than a Brute, for these are leaving no essays, within the reach of their powers, unattempted, to promote their own comfortable Subsistence. The Law of Self Pre­servation leads to it, which is not only impressed on the Rational but the Brutal World too.

And besides this the Welfare of your Posterity hath such a dependency hereupon, as be speaks your great Concern. Our Children which shall succeed us, when we pass off the stage, will face the better for our Obedience and Fidelity to our GOD: a care and regard to their Young is dis­covered in the Brutal Herd, (which consideration alone (by the way) must satisfy every Man of reason that they act from a Principle superior to that of tho'tless and unactive Matter, and for ever baffle the notion that some of our modern Philosophers have endeavoured to impose upon the World, of their being but meer Machines;) and shall not Man lay himself out, in prosecuting of all those measures▪ whereby he may not only make himself Happy, but entail a Blessing on Genera­tions to come. If we of this Land consider the great Declensions & Apostacies, whose black and dismal Symptoms appear so fresh and lively upon us, we may, under GOD▪ impute the con­tinuance of that degree of Prosperity which yet remains to us, to that life and power of Religion [Page 32] and Godliness, which shone forth in the Lives of our Fore-fathers who were planted in this Wil­derness a noble Vine, and wholly a right Seed. Let us therefore know the Lord God of our Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind ^†; for if [...] seek and serve Him, he will be found of as, but if we forsake Him, he will cast us off for ever. Tho' GOD remembers hitherto the kind­ness of our Youth, and the love of our espousal, when our Fathers went after him in the Wilder­ness in a land not [...]o [...]n; when our Israel was Ho­liness to the Lord, and the first fruits of his in­crease; and therefore hath hitherto extended his Favours, and dealt with us according to the mul­titude of his Compassions: yet seeing we have been a rebellions House, and in some measure are turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine, we can't expect that GOD will always bear with us. Tho' GOD exercised a long Pati­ence towards Judah, for David his Servant's sake, yet by their continual backslidings, they stirred up his fiery indignation to lay Judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, disannulled their covenant with Death and their agreement with Hell could not stand, when the overflowing scourge pass [...]d thro' he trod them down by it. The like Fate we may look for, seeing we have left our first Love, unless we remember from whence we are fallen, and repent and do our first works and are watchful, and strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die. This is what be­hoves [Page 33] all Orders of Men, that have at Heart the Prosperity of our Sion, that by fearing GOD and keeping his Commandments, they lengthen out the Tranquillity of this Land. To this let us all strenuously apply our selves, that our Glory may not depart from us, and that GOD write not an lchabod upon us. And unto this GOD by signal and amazing Providences in the Year past hath loudly call'd us; for GOD speaketh by his Works, as well as by his Word. The melting Heat, the scorching Drought, the blazing Sky, the stor my Wind, the thundring Heavens, the pr [...] ­ing, trembling Earth, have lift up their V [...]ie [...], and given an Alarm to a sleepy, declining Gene­ration. And let him that hath an ear, [...] As it ought to be the great Concern of all so seek their own and their Posterity's Happiness, so more particularly, of our Political Fathers in the Com­mon wealth, whose Authority and Abilities put them into a Capacity of being more serviceable than others. An affectionate and tender Con­cern for the Welfare of those over whom they bear Rule, is what Nature & Grace calls for. What GOD from whom they derive their. Au­thority requires, and Man justly expects, and for to promote and further this, they are in many re­gards qualified above others, and have great Advantages put into their hands.

'Tis a great Service such may do to the Reli­gious Interests of a People, by their Examples. There is nothing perhaps tends more to promote Religion among a People, or has a stronger in­fluence on their Manners, than the vertuous Ex­amples [Page 34] of the Great & Honourable. Regis ad Exemplum. And on the contrary nothing more debauches and corrupts a People, than the Pre­cedents of those who are by title Gods, and by practice Brutes. It has been remarked by some whose Hearts have been wise to discern Time and Judgment, that it was the Debauchery of a Court, that brought in such a Deluge of Vice and Pro­faness upon our Nation, that neither a Succession of Virtuous Princes, nor all their Societies for Reformation of Manners have been able to re­move. We have abundant confirmation in the History of the Kings of Judah & Israel, of the readiness of a People to follow the Examples of their Sovereigns. The Magistrate never better consults his own Honour and the People's Happi­ness, than when he leads them by a vertuous and religious Example. And on the contrary, Dis­solute Rulers corrupt their Manners, and bring down Judgments upon them, (Delirant Reges, pi [...]ctuntur A [...]i [...]i,) and fully those Posts of Ho­nour which they sustain.

And further, Civil Rulers may promote the Welfare of a People, by exerting the Powers which they have received from GOD, to restrain and suppress Transgressors, by being a terror to evil Doers and a praise to them that do well: And hereby they will assert the Dignity of their Cha­racter, and Generations to come shall call them Blessed; when by good Examples they draw, by Good Laws they bind their People, and by Executions strike Terror to the bold & daring Transgressor. Such show themselves Fathers to [Page 35] their Country, and pursue the most natural Me­thods to establish the Felicity of a People, and to convey it to their Posterity, and procure to themselves the Name of the Righteous, which shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

BUT I would more particularly in the first place humbly Address His Honour the LIEU­TENANT GOVERNOUR and Commander in Chief, and the Honourable His Majesty's COUNCIL for this Province, by whom I am this Day called to speak in the Name of the LORD.

May it please your Honours,

We esteem it as a Favour from GOD, and our Honour, that we see the first Chair of Dig­nity filled, and the Council Board surrounded with the Sons of our Sion, who are not only bound by Sacred, but also by the bonds of Nature to seek the Peace and Prosperity of all her Children. Our Hope is (and we bless GOD we have grounds for it,) That you your selves will fear GOD and keep all his Commandments always: And that you will improve the Powers that GOD, your KING and Country repose in you, that those over whom you bare rule may do the same, and especially those that immediately derive their Power from you, I mean those that Preside in our Courts of Judicature; Our Judges and Justices that they he Men that fear GOD, and fear an Oath; that will see the good and whole­some Laws made for the promoting of Religion duly executed; and whose Religion and Morals [Page 36] shall have a powerful influence on the Manners of the People; who shall be equal to the Trust put into their hands, and shall dare to unsheath the Sword of Justice against the great and bold Transgressor; whom neither personal Respects, self-Interest, Cowardice or Bribes can prevail with to pervert Justice, nor be imposed on by the thin Sophistry and Quibbles of those whose Interest it is to prolong it: Who can say with Job 29. 14. I put on Righteousness and it cloathed me: My Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem: Who will be Eyes to the blind, and Feet to the lame: A Father to the poor; and search out the cause that he knew not: Break the Jaws of the wicked and pluck the spoil out of their Teeth.

Your Honours are betrusted with our Liber­ties and Privileges both Civil and Sacred, which were conferred on us by King WILLIAM and Queen MARY of immortal Memory; or ra­ther by them restored to us; when they had been unjustly invaded in an arbitrary Reign▪ wherein almost all the Rights and Privileges of our Nation were sacrificed. We trust you will protect us in, and that you will speak comfor­tably to our College. Churches and Ministry. We know that your Justice and Love to your Country, will make you tender of them, and we trust that you will assert them, and not suffer our Rights to be trampled or broke in upon, by the Haughty and Insolent; and do us Justice when any vile misrepresentations are made at Home against us, by those who are the Enemies to our Constitution both in Church and State. [Page 37] For the Truth of it is, such we have: We have nourished up in our own Bosom, those who seek the Ruin of both. These with the greatest In­justice as well as odious Ingratitude, have basely represented us as tho' we neither feared GOD, nor honoured the KING: concerning some of whom we may say, as Julius Caesar to Brutus, when together with others they were basely mur­dering of him, Et tu quo (que) [...]i Fili. Tho' we have not strained the Doctrine of Loyalty to that excessive heighth which some have done; nor been Debauched with their Notion of Indefeasible Hereditary Right. Doctrines never designed for their own Practise, but to impose it as a burden on the Shoulders of others, and they not touch it with one of their Fingers: Principles that have been at the bottom and given life to those un­happy Strifes and scandalous Divisions that have plagued the Nations for a Century of Years. Yet we can vie with any for Loyalty to our PRINCE: At the Demise of our late most gra­cious SOVEREIGN of Blessed Memory, none paid a larger Tribute of Tears; and at the happy and Peaceable Accession of his present sacred MAJESTY to his Father's Throne, none more heartily re­joyced, (whom GOD long preserve) which en­courageth us to expect his Favour; and that you Great Sir, that have the Honour to represent Him, and those Honourable Gentlemen that are or may be of His Council, will seek our peace and guard our Liberties.

[Page 38] I would in the next place humbly Address my self to the Honourable and Worthy Gentle­men, that are vested with the power of the Elections of this Day.

It is our just and reasonable Expectation from You, that you faithfully discharge the trust re­posed in you by GOD, your KING and Country; that you your selves seek the Prosperity of this People; and that you make Choice of such to be of his Majesty's Council, as shall be true to the Temporal and Religious Interests of this Land. That in your Elections you be not under the in­fluence of any private or sinister view: That you choose Men that Fear GOD and Honour the KING; Men of approved Fidelity to their Prince and Country; Men of Courage & Resolution, that dare assert the Rights and Liberties of the People, and will give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to GOD the things that are GOD's; and that will not give into any measures destructive to our true Interests Civil & Religious, tho' they should miss of popular Applause, and endanger a being dropt at the next Election: Men of Wisdom and Skill, equal to the Province they undertake, and that know what Israel ought to do in such a Day as this; who shall not tremble at the frowns of the Great, nor have a fondness for that insignificant toy & trifle, popular Praise: That in your Choice you be not biassed by personal Re­spects, nor prejudiced by secret Suggestions: Nor suppose a Man qualified to set at the Honourable Board meerly because he will be a Tool to pro­mote some particular Design or Interest in view; [Page 39] but Men of known Character for Piety towards GOD, Loyalty to their Prince and Probity to­wards Men; Men who shall act up to their Dig­nity and scorn to be under the malign Influences of a Party Spirit, who shall always have the true Interest of their KING and Country in view, and steadily prosecute all measures conducive thereunto; whom neither Frowns nor Bribes can divert therefrom.

Your Wisdom, Piety and Zeal for the Glory of GOD, and the Welfare of this his People are greatly relied upon; and a Unanimity in pusu­ing all proper Methods for the accomplishing hereof is much desired and wished for. This will show you to be Fathers to your Country, and will give us a joyful Prospect that it shall be well with us and our Children for ever.

I would in the next place apply my self to my Reverend Fathers and Brethren in the Mi­nistry; not for their Information, but to excite and quicken them to the industrious Improve­ment of the Talents, Advantages and Opportu­nities put into their hands to promote the Inte­rests of the People that the great Shepherd of the Sheep hath committed to their Charge. We of all Men are the most deeply obliged to Fear GOD and keep his Commandments, and to lay out ourselves, that others may do so too; that we may be able, when the chief Shepherd shall appear, to give up a joyful Account of our selves and them that He hath committed to our Care; and may receive a Crown of Glory that [Page 40] fadeth not away. To promote practical Reli­gion should be the great end of our Ministry: This is what is worthy to expend our Zeal upon, and not in unhappy Jangles about speculative Opinions that have no influence on our Morals. Though by the Deeds of the Law, shall no flesh be justified, yet without the Deeds of the Law, can none be saved: Though a Man be a sound Believer; (I mean Orthodox in the faith) unless he be a sincere Convert, his Religion is as a sound­ing Brass and a tinkling Cymbal. I would not be understood to intimate as if Moral vertues, were to be i [...]sisted upon only or principally in our Preaching & inculcated upon our Auditory; No, Faith in JESUS CHRIST and Repen­tance unto Life are the great Doctrines of the Gospel; and which when rightly understood, will be found to be the foundation of all true Obe­dience: and these only conduce to make us a Holy & Religions People. For this end CHRIST, when personally here preached them: and for this he gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a pecu­liar People zealous of good works. And to prose­cute the same glorious End, & by the same Means, is incumbent on Gospel Ministers who will never more succesfully promote the interests of Reli­gion, than by Preaching the Doctrines of Faith and Repentance. In this let us labour, and be unwearied: Tho' the work be difficult in it self, and many discouragements attending of it, arising from Hell beneath, and its children here on Earth; [Page 41] yet we have this to encourage us, that He that hath sent us hath promised to be with us unto the End of the World. Our Work is great, our Strength is small, our Time is short, some of our best & most industrious Labourers in GOD's Vineyard, are cal­led away to receive their Wages; & we are left to bear the heat & burden of the Day. All which Con­siderations should make us more prayerful, more diligent, more laborious in our ministerial Work, that we may approve ourselves faithful to GOD, faithful to his People, faithful to our own Souls; and this will intitle us to an untarnished, unfa­ding Crown of Glory when the chief Shepherd shall appear.

I shall Conclude when I have briefly addressed my self to the People of this Land, that they would lay these things to Heart and strenuously apply themselves to seek their own and Posteri­ties Welfare and Happiness in the way & me­thod in our Text prescribed. Without you, all that our Rulers in Civil and Sacred Orders can do, will not avail. Tho' our Legislators enact never so many good Laws for the regulation of the Morals of a People, unless You do your part, and improve the Power and Liberty you are in­vested with in your several Towns to make choice of such for your Grand-jurors, Tything men, &c. as are Men fearing GOD, Men of Truth & Fide­lity, Men of Wisdom equal to the Trust commit­ted to them and have the interests of Religion at heart; who will carefully inspect the Manners of the People, and bring the Transgressors to open [Page 42] shame and punishment. I say, unless you are careful and conscientious in this, all our Laws for the reforming the Manners of a corrupt People, are insignificant, and our Law-makers labour in vain. And tho' the Ministers of the Everlasting Gospel should set the Doctrines thereof in the clearest and brightest Light, and with the most cogent Arguments, and forcible Motives press practical Religion upon their People; unless you encourage their hearts & strengthen their hands, and joyn with them in their endeavours to stem that torrent of Vice & Profaneness which has broke in upon us; They will take up that Melancholly complaint, we have laboured in vain, and spent our strength for nought and in vain. Oh! that there were such an heart in this People to Fear GOD and Keep His Commandments: And to exert themselves in their several Capacities so to promote the Peace and Prosperity of our Church and State: to put up strong Cries to our Fathers GOD, that He would pour out a Spirit of Re­pentance and Reformation on their degenerate Offspring. Then the LORD our GOD will be with us, as He was with our Fathers, and never leave us nor forsake us. This GOD of His In­finite Mercy grant for the sake of His only SON our blessed Saviour, to whom be Glory & Praise for ever, AMEN.