and Tears, and the most folemn Refolutions of Amendment, proftrate our selves before the Throne of Grace; imploring and befeeching God's Pardon and Forgiveness, and, if it be poffible, a lengthning of our Tranquillity.

O let us not refufe this opportunity of doing the greatest Kindness, and the best fervice to our Country, that we poffibly can. And therefore let us not only heartily bewail our own Sins, but the reigning Impieties and Wickedness, that our Nation ftands accountable for.

Now is the time, if ever, that we are all concerned to be importunate with God for our felves and our Country.

And a fitter Prayer for this purpose cannot be compofed for us, than that which Daniel put up to God for his Nation, and that at fuch a folemn time as this, when, as he tells us, he had set himself to feek God for his People, by Prayer and Supplication, with Fafting, and Sackcloth and Afbes.

The Prayer is in the 9th Chapter of his Prophecy; and I fhall conclude with it, and I earnestly beg of you all to join with me in it.

O Lord, the great and dreadful God, tha keepest the Covenant, and fbewest mercy to them that love thee, and to them that keep thy Commandments.

We have finned and done wickedly, and have committed Iniquity, and have rebelled; even

by

by departing from thy Precepts, and from thy Judgments.

O Lord, Righteousness belongeth unto thee; but unto us confufion of face as at this Day; to the Men of Judah, and to the Inhabitant's of Jerufalem, because we have finned abdinst thee. yamik Rob

But unto the Lord our God belong eth Mercy and Forgivenefs, though we have rebelled a gainst him; neither have we obeyed the Voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his Laws which he fet before us.

O Lord, according to all the Righteousness, we beseech thee, let thy anger and thy fury be turned aay from thy City Jerufalem, thy holy. Mountain. Becaufe for our Because for our fins, and the iniquities of our Fathers, Jerufalem and thy People are become a reproach to all that are about

us.

Now therefore, O God, hear the Prayer of thy Servants, and caufe thy Face to fbine upon thy Sanctuary.

O God, incline thine ear and hear: Open thine Eyes, and behold the City which is called by thy Name.

O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, bearken and do. Defer not for thy own fake, O our God. For thy City, and thy People, are called by thy Name.

And whilft Daniel was thus praying and confeffing his fins, and the fins of his People unto the Lord, and fupplicating for his City

X 2

Jeru

Jerufalem: Behold the Angel Gabriel was fent unto him from the Lord, with the glad tidings that God had heard bis Prayer for Jerufalem, and that it fhould be built, and the Lord would dwell in it.

O may we all thus Fast and Pray, as Daniel did, and may God Almighty give us fuch a return of our Prayers, Amen, O God for Fefus Christ his fake, to whom, &c.

SER

SERMON

PREACHED AT

X.

St. GILES in the Fields.

On the 28th of June, 1691.

Philip. iv. 8.

Finally, Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any vertue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I

Have the two laft Lord's Days made it my business to treat of this Text, in a way that I thought did moft tend to the Informing your Judgments: And to that X 3

J

We pur

209

purpose I have raised several Obfervations, and drawn feveral inferences from it.

I mean now to treat of it in another way, and apply my felf wholly to the preffing you to the practice of it.

And indeed the Nature of the Sermon I am to make, doth call for this from me. For I am now to take my leave of you; this being the laft time,in all probability, that I fhall Preach among you as your Minifter: And therefore I fuppofe good Advice and Exhortation will more become me at this time, than a clofe Difcourfe upon a Text.

And yet, my Text doth afford matter enough, without ftraining it, for fuch a purpofe: Nor indeed do I know a Text in the Bible, that I could more willingly pitch upon to leave with you, as the laft Advice I would give you, and as the Sum and Conclufion of my Preaching among you than thefe Words of St. Paul I have now read to you.

Let me therefore at this time addrefs my felf to you all, as the Apoftle here did at the conclufion of his Epiftle to the Philippi- | ans, Finally, Brethren, whatfoever things are true, &c.

Here are a great many things recommended by the Apoftle to our thoughts and purfuit. If we would make a diftribution of them, I believe they will all naturally enough fall under thefe Four Heads. For the