that might be the cause of them; but Father attend to this divine counsel, "Sin no more, left a worse thing come unto thee." The arrows of the Almighty are many and terrible; and, if the wicked turn not," He hath bent his bow and made it ready." He is able to try them with more plagues than can be expreffed, even in this world; and, if they are incorrigible under his judgments, to pursue them with everlasting punishments in the next. On the other hand, how gracious and comfortable this caution to the corrigible offender?" Behold thou art made whole; fin no more." Which though it does imply, what was before noted, that fin is fometimes the occafion of a man's temporal calamities; yet does it imply likewife, that if he take warning from his past sufferings, repent and amend; there fhall upon that account no further evil happen

unto

unto him, either here or hereafter.All the tranfgreffions that he hath committed, they fhall not be mentioned: He hath " an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, who died for his Sins, and rofe again for his Juftification."

SERMON VI.

MICAH, vi. 8.

He bath fhewed thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk bumbly with thy God?

WHEN we confider the many

expensive as well as troublesome Rites and Ceremonies instituted among the Jews by divine authority, and required of that people under the severest penalties; in respect to which their Religion was indeed a hard yoke, and a burthen too heavy to be borne.

When

we

་་

we confider this, it may seem strange how one of their own Prophets could expoftulate with them as in the text: As though nothing more had been expected at their hands, than to behave conformably to the great duties of moral righteousness ;-" to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God."

The truth is, thofe ritual ordinances were of a fecondary and fubordinate obligation. In that they were appointed by God, they were doubtlefs intended for good purposes, and were therefore not to be neglected: But when put into the scale with the weightier matters of the moral law, they were, comparatively fpeaking, of no confideration; the one great end of all positive inftitutions be ing to promote genuine piety and virtue. Thus, the peculiar ceremonies in use. among the Jews were evidently calcula ted to preserve them from Idolatry, and

the

the Heathen Rites, of which they were extravagantly fond; and to keep them close to the worship of the one true God: Whilft fome were observed as commemorative of past mercies, in order to excite a generous gratitude within them towards their Almighty Deliverer; and others, as typical of future bleffings; with intent to animate their faith and truft in the divine promises.

When therefore the Prophet had in the former part of this chapter reproved the people for their fins; and afterwards, in the verses preceding my text, had introduced them as folicitous and inquifitive how they might propitiate God's displeasure, and avert his judgments; faying, "Wherewith fhall I come before "the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him "with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased