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That our Duty towards our Neighbour is alfo contained in this other Rule of loving him as our felves, or, in other Words, of doing to all Men as we would they should do unto us; on which, as our Bleffed Redeemer likewife obferves, hangs all the Law which refpects our Neighbour, because it comprehends all the other Particulars of our Duty to him.—For he who will behave himself in this manner towards others, muft love, honour, and fuccour his Father and Mother, becaufe he defires that Affection, Efteem, and Affistance from his own Children. He must honour and obey the King, and all that are put in Authority under him; because he would expect they should bonour and obey him, if he was in Authority, and they his Subjects.-He muft fubmit himself to all his Governors, Teachers, Spiritual Paftors, and Mafters; because he might with Reason expect the fame Submiffion from them, if he was the Teacher and they the Disciples.-He muft order bimfelf lowly and reverently to all bis Betters, because he defires the fame decent Regard from all his Inferiors.-He must burt no body by Word or Deed, because he would have no body hurt him.-He must be true and juft in all bis Dealings, because he expects Truth and Juftice from other Men.-He must bear no Malice nor Hatred in his Heart, because he defires that others would forgive him.

He must keep his Hands from picking and ftealing, because he defires that no body would

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steal from him. He must keep his Tongue from Evil-fpeaking, Lying, and Slandering; because he refents it as the greatest Injury, if others cenfure, defame, or backbite him.-And in order the more effectually to keep within these Bounds, he must keep his Body in Temperance, Soberness, and Chastity, thereby to avoid as much as poffible all Incentives to injure others; he must not fo covet or defire other Men's Goods, as to endeavour in any unjust Manner to get them to himself; and that he may not be tempted to do this, he must learn and labour truly, that is, honeftly, to get his own Living; and to do his Duty in that State of Life, into which it shall please God to call him.

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LECTURE V.

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E have now gone through the feveral Parts of our Baptifmal Vow, and seen what we ought to avoid, to believe, and to do; and I should therefore proceed no farther, if it were abfolutely in our own Power to discharge all the Parts of it. But alas! every Man's Experience must convince him, that he has a Law in his Members, which is continually warring against the Law of his Mind, and bringing him into Captivity to the Law of Sin and Death; that his Inclinations and Paffions are ever prompting him to tranfgrefs his Duty; and that his carnal Mind is not fubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be (Rom. viii. 7.) by his own Power only. He therefore must have fome Divine Affiftance to enable him to perform the Duties of a faithful Chriftian; and fince the Holy Scriptures teach us the proper and neceffary Means to obtain that Affiftance, the Cate chifm goes on to inform us in the Nature and the Neceffity of the Means we are to use, and of the Manner in which we ought to use them. These Means are Prayer, and the Sa craments of the Chriftian Church; and we next proceed to confider the former.

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Prayer

Prayer is the Elevation of the Mind and Heart to God, either in mental or verbal Addreffes to him; that is, either when we vocally call upon him with our Lips, or only lift up our Thoughts to him without exprefsing them in Words.-And this, as has been obferved, is part of our Duty to him as the great Author and Preferver of all things.-It is the reafonable Service of every rational Creature, who knows his hourly Dependance upon the Giver of Life, and is fenfible of the numberless Bleffings he hereby receives from him.-It is alfo a very proper Means to imprint in our Minds a due Awe and Reverence of the Supreme Being; and to keep us mindful of and careful in the Obfervance of his Laws. It is likewise a great Privilege, that finful Men are permitted to approach the Majefty of The Infinite God; and it is the peculiar and invaluable Privilege of Chriftians, that they can offer up their Prayers to him in and through the Merits and Interceffion of his Beloved and Eternal Son. But the Duty of Prayer is here chiefly confidered with respect to the Affiftance we want to enable us to do our Duty. This Affiftance, or Help, is the Grace of the Holy Spirit; and Prayer is both a certain Means and a neceffary Condition of our obtaining it.—If we ask not, we shall not receive; but God has promised us, that he will give us his Holy Spirit, if we ask him aright, and improve thofe Talents which he has given us.

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