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SERM. utter errour against the Lord; that is, to pro

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nounce falfe judgements, which are contrarie to the exprefs command of God in his law: to make empty the foul of the hungrie, and to caufe the drink of the thirfie to fail. The inftruments alfo of the churl are evil. He dewifeth wicked devices, to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy Speaketh right. But the liberal, the merciful, the generous, the bountiful man, deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things fhall be be eftablifhed.

The last thing in this text, faid to be required of men, is to walk humbly with God: or, as the Hebrew is, literally, and to humble thy-felf to walk with thy God. In the ancient Greek verfion, made before the coming of our Saviour, it is rendered: And be ready to walk with thy God. The meaning, I prefume, in the general, is: "And to refolve to obey all "God's commandments, and to continue

and perfevere therein always to the end of life."

I fhall briefly mention feveral particulars, comprehended in this article.

First, it is to refolve, to worship the true SERM. God, and bim alone. In the text it is the Lord III.

thy God: meaning the God that has made us, and preferves us the God that has dealt bountifully with us, who has fupplied and provided for us, who has helped and delivered us in times of danger and difficulty.

This, certainly, is one thing intended by the Prophet: to engage the people of Ifrael, according to the commandment of the law, as well as the dictates of reafon, to fear the Lord their God, and ferve him only: even God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, who had brought them out of the house of fervants, and had ever fince conferred upon them them many favours and be

nefits.

Secondly, it includes a respect to all God's commandments, and a readineffe to fubmit to his authority in all things, without any ception.

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Thirdly, this humbling ourselves to walk with God, or walking humbly with the Lord our God, includes dependence on him, trusting in him, and committing ourselves to him: believing, and hoping, that he will continue to protect and F 2

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SERM. defend us, and afford us all those things, which are needful and convenient.

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Fourthly, it includes contentment with our ftate, and worshiping and ferving God in a time of affliction and trouble, as well as in a day of cafe and profperity: Bleffing him not only when he gives, but also when he takes away: and acknowledging the wisdom and the righteoufneffe of all his dealings with us.

This is implied in devoting ourselves to his fervice. Under the former particular I mentioned dependence upon God, and committing ourselves to him. This contentment under afflictions, now mentioned, when they befal us, in the course of divine providence, is acting and exercifing that dependence, which we have made a profeffion of, and performing according to the engagements, we have entered intò.

Fifthly, to walk with God includes continuance and perfeverance in the fervice of God, and obedience to his holy laws and commandments, throughout the whole of our life, notwithstanding the temptations we may meet with, and though others fhould prove

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falfe to their engagements, and forfake the SERM, Lord their God.

Sixthly, it includes ferving God with a lowly bumble apprehenfion of our felves: confidering the fins we have been guilty of, the defects of our obedience, the imperfections of the fervices we perform for the honour of his name, or the good of others: and that when we have acted according to the best of our ability, we have done no more than our duty, and what we were under many obligations to perform: and humbly and thankfully owning the goodneffe of God in the encouragements he has given us, and the promises he has made of accepting our fincere obedience, and re-. warding it greatly beyond it's merit.

II. I fhall now add a word or two by way of application, and conclude. 1. We perceive, that the holy obedience, required of us, is of great extent: comprehending justice, mercie, and piety, with the feveral branches of each. It can therefore be no very eafie thing, to be truly religious, It must be a difficult, and an high attainment. We have need, as our Lord directs,

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SERM. to frive, to exert ourselves, and do our ut moft, to enter in at the ftrait gate, One

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came to our Lord, defirous to know what Mat. xix. he fhould do, that he might obtain eternal life, and faying, that he had kept all the commandments from his youth. But Jefus perceived, that he lacked one thing. And the event fhewed, that his heart was governed by an inordinate love of this prefent world and that he was not difpofed to do all that is requifite to fecure riches in heaven. Let us confider, and examine ourselves, whether this be our cafe.

2. Let us feriously attend to this reprefen tation of true religion, and remember, that the things here insisted on are of absolute neceffity.

There is no making up the controversie between God and finful men, but by repentance and amendment, or a return to real, and univerfal virtue and piety.

The difpleasure of God is not be appeafed by coftly oblations. But repent, and turn to the Lord with all the heart unfeignedly: break off every finful courfe; cease to do evil, and learn to do well: feek judgement,

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