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THE Committee of the Religious Tract Society intend to publish a ✓ ✓ new Edition of these excellent Sermons, after they have been carefully revised by the Sons of the venerated Author, who have kindly presented them to the Institution.

J. Hill, Printer, Black Horse Court, Fleet Street, London.

CONTENTS.

VOL. II.

Sermon

XIV. The Lord's Prayer. Matt. vi. 9—13.

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XV. The Danger of Formality and Hypocrisy. Matt.

vii. 21.

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XVI. The Pharisee and Publican. Luke xviii. 13.
XVII. Zeal for the Salvation of Sinners. Rom. x. 1.
XVIII. The Prodigal Son, or the Penitent Joyfully re-
ceived. Luke xv. 24.

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XIX. Christ the Way to God and Heaven.

John vi. 37.

61

John vi. 37. 73

XX. Coming Sinners welcome to Christ.
XXI. The vain Excuses of Sinners exposed. Luke xiv.

18.

XXII. Christ the Bread of Life, and the nature of Faith

in him. John vi. 27.

...

85

97

XXIII. A Sinner changed by Grace. 1 Pet. iv. 3, 4. 109 XXIV. Dives and Lazarus, or the Sufficiency of Scripture for the Purposes of Salvation; intended as a Check to Infidelity. Luke xvi. 31.

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XXV. The Pleasures of Religion; Addressed particu

larly to Youth. Prov. iii. 18.

XXVI. The Value of the Soul. Matt. xvi. 26.

121

133

145

SERMON XIV.

MATT. VI. 9, 10, 11, 12, AND 13th VERSES.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven: Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

PR

Amen.

RAYER to God is the bounden duty of all men. We live, and move, and have our being in him."-" Every good and perfect gift proceeds from him." "Men ought, therefore, always to pray, and not to faint." We are so sinful that we always need mercy. We are so weak that we always need help. We are so empty that we always need supplies. We are so exposed that we always need protection. How reasonable, then, is it, that we should continue in prayer!

We

But we greatly need direction in prayer. know not how to pray, nor what to pray for, as we ought. Therefore Christ has been pleased to teach us in these words, which contain an excellent pattern for prayer. Not that we are tied down to use these very words, much less to use them always ; but after this manner we are to pray. Now, as many persons constantly use this prayer, it may be very useful to explain it; because it may be feared that a great many say the words without knowing their

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meaning, which is formality at best; and many contradict every part of this prayer by their wicked lives, which is base hypocrisy. May we, therefore, be assisted by the good Spirit rightly to understand it, that so, whenever we use it hereafter, we may offer up a reasonable and spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

I. Our Father, which art in heaven. We should always begin our prayers with proper thoughts of God. And what thoughts of him are so proper as. those suggested by these words; namely, his goodness and his greatness? As a Father, he is good. As a heavenly Father, he is great. Thus are we taught to approach him both with confidence and with reverence.

As the Creator of all men, God may, in a general sense, be called the Father of all: but it is in a higher and sweeter sense that he is here called a Father. We are to take it in a gospel view-God reconciled to believing sinners through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. God is angry with the wicked every day. He does not look down upon them with a father's eye, nor do they look up to him with a childlike spirit. Therefore this prayer is not fit for the use of a man who lives in sin; whose carnal mind is emnity against God. How dare the swearer, the liar, the drunkard, call God a Father? God will not own the relation. If such men pray, might they not rather cry-Our Father which art in hell? for Christ said to such persons, "Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John viii. 44.

But when a person is convinced of his lost estate by sin; when he is enlightened to know Christ as a Saviour; and when, by precious faith, he comes to God through him; then God is reconciled to him; his anger is turned away, and he comforts him.

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