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III.

SERM. counfels, that I should make thee a defolation, and the inhabitants thereof a reproch. That is, the ordinances and practifes of Omri and Ahab, two of the most wicked of their Kings, were ftill obferved and followed. And it is plainly declared, that if they perfifted therein, their ruin was inevitable.

Such is the context. And in this way, I think, the coherence appears clear and eafie.

text.

I now proceed to explain the words of the After which I fhall add a reflection or two by way of application, and conclude.

I, I begin with a diftinct explication of the feveral particulars in the text.

He hath fhewed thee, o man, what is good. This fome understand, as if the Prophet faid: I will fhew you, or God will now shew you by me, giving the following answer to your enquirie.

Others understand the original expreffion exactly, as here rendered in our translation: He has fhewed thee, o man. Whoever a

mongst you make this enquirie, if you think and confider, may perceive, that God has

already

III.

already taught you, what are the fervices he SERM. requires, and what things are the most acceptable to him. He teaches you by your own reason, if you will ufe it. He has also fhewed you this in his word, in the law, and in all the revelations he has made unto

you.

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12. 13.

...

XXX.

11. 12.

So in the law of Mofes: And now, Ifrael, Deut. x: what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to ferve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul: to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ftatutes, which I command thee this day, for thy good. Again: For this commandment, which I command thee this day: it is not hiden from thee, neither is it afar off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldft fay: Who Shall go up to heaven for us, and bring it to us?... But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayeft do it. See I have fet before thee life and death,

And the particulars, here infifted on, are but the fum and fubftance of the ten laws, or precepts, delivered with fo much folemnity at mount Sinai.

And

SERM.

III.

If. i. 16.

17.

Hof. vi.

6.

And many of the Prophets speak in perfect agreement the fame with what is here faid in Micah. So in Ifaiah: Wash ye, make you clean: Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Ceafe to do evil, learn to do well. Seek judgement, relieve the oppressed,... Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord. Though your fins be as scarlet, they Shall be white as fnow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. And in Hofea : I defired mercie, and not facrifice: and the knowledge of the Lord more than burntofferings.

Therefore what is here faid had been before, and often taught, and fhewn to this people by reason, and by other Prophets and meffengers, But God now reminds them of it, and fhews it them again by this Prophet. He bath fhewed thee what is good, or right: what is in itself reasonable and excellent, ufe-. ful and profitable.

He hath fhewed thee, o man, whofoever thou art, that makeft this enquirie, and art defirous of fatisfaction, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercie, and to walk humbly with thy God?

These

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These particulars need not to be much en- SERM. larged upon. You have often heard them difcourfed of. A brief explication therefore of these words, reminding you of what you know already, will fuffice.

The feveral branches of our duty are fometimes reduced in Scripture to the love of God, and our neighbour. At other times they are ranged under three general heads. St. Paul fays: The grace of God has appeared Tit. ii. 12. to all men, teaching us, that we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent world.

The order likewife, in which these general branches are mentioned, is varied. Our Lord fays, that the love of God is the firft and great commandment. And in the law of Mofes, writen on two tables, the duties immediatly refpecting God are first placed, But in this text it is firft faid, we should do justly, and love mercie: then, walk bumbly with God. And in the place just cited from Paul, living godly is mentioned laft.

But the order is of little moment. For the

feveral branches of duty can never be separated. And our Saviour having faid, that to love Mat. xxii. the Lord our God with all the heart and with 37... 39.

all

SERM. all the foul is the first and great command

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20, 21.

ment, presently adds: And the fecond is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy1 John iv. felf. And St. John fays: He that loveth not his brother, whom he hath feen; how can be love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him: that he who loveth God, love his brother alfo.

The duty of fobriety is not particularly mentioned in this text of Micah: as it is also omitted elsewhere, when our duty is fummarily comprehended in the love of God and our neighbour. But it is always fuppofed or implied, though not expressly mentioned. For without it we cannot perform any part of worship and fervice to God in a reasonable and acceptable manner. And divers inftances of intemperance are social, and directly injurious to our neighbour: and others lead to unrighteoufneffe. A prevailing love of this world, an inordinate affection for earthly things, covetoufneffe and ambition, are inconfiftent both with the love of God, and of our neighbour,

What does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly? This comprehends every thing that

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