nature of the service which is here required of us, and to prove that it is a reasonable service, and what God has a right to require of us. We are required, 1st, To do justly. Justice is a very comprehensive, as well as a very important, term. It implies truth and honesty in all respects. It obliges us to speak the truth on all occasions, for nothing is more necessary to justice than the truth. We cannot do justly in any case without a knowledge of the truth; and if we know the truth, and do not speak it, we act most unjustly.. Especially we do wrong and great injury to others, when we bear false testimony, or bring false accusation, against them. There is hardly any greater sin than that of perjury; and the love of scandal, and a disposi tion to slander our neighbour, is a direct violation of the law of God. To do justly is also to act honestly on all occasions. Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter,* is expressly commanded as a positive duty, which cannot be dispensed with on any pretence. To injure the property or the character of another is an offence both against truth and honesty; and if we carry these principles out in a religious, as well as in a moral sense, we shall see that they extend to sincerity in our Christian profession, and in every act of worship. So far from objecting to the truth of the Gospel, or opposing its sacred and salutary doctrines, we are to receive them with all readiness of mind, and to be steadfast in * 1 Thess. iv. 6. maintaining them. We should remember that the only ground which was fruitful in the parable of the Sower, was that where the hearers of the word received the seed in honest and good hearts. To do justly, therefore, is to act honestly and rightly, with a proper regard to truth, both in a moral and religious sense. We are here required, 2ndly, To love mercy. Mercy signifies Christian charity in its highest sense. It is benevolence and humanity exercised towards those who are in affliction or distress. Of course the poor, especially the aged, the sick, and the infirm, are the objects of this compassion and charity. Much of the goodness of the Christian character is included in that of the merciful man; and it was for this reason that our Lord declared, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. By the goodness of the Christian character, I mean that good feeling and disposition of mind, and that good-will towards our fellow-creatures, and more particularly towards such persons as are proper objects, which proceeds from the true and genuine principles of the Christian religion. The merciful man delights in alleviating the miseries of human life. He desires to imitate the example of a merciful God, who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.* As we have the poor always with us, it is our duty always to assist their endeavours, and to relieve their wants, as much as circumstances will admit and our means will afford. * Matt. v. 45. There are many passages of the Bible which teach us this duty, and warn us against the want of charity and mercy. It is, in fact, that duty which we owe to our neighbour, and which is founded upon the love of God. He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth; but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy (or blessed) is he.* And again: He that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor.t but the wicked regardeth not to know it. The righteous considereth the cause of the poor, Both the law and the prophets speak the same language on this subject. The poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in thy land.§ The Prophet Daniel, in his faithful address to the king of Babylon, gave him this excellent counsel, when he admonished him to rule with righteousness, and to have a proper regard to the wants and necessities of the poor. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. The argument of the prophet was plainly this: that if the king had a proper regard for the poor, and relieved their wants, God would regard him with favour and approbation according to his Divine nature. We are strictly * Prov. xiv. 21. + Prov. xiv. 31. commanded to do good to all men, and especially to them who are of the household of faith; which teaches us that the pious poor have a double claim to our charity and compassion-as poor, and as religious: and it looks as if that man had but little goodness and religion in himself, who could suffer any human creature, much more one who fears God, to want the common necessaries of life, when it is in his power to supply them. Those who are brought into distress by poverty and affliction of any kind, may reasonably expect mercy and compassion from every true Christian, even if they have not a right to relief* by the law of the land. But no law + ought to be made contrary to this precept and this principle of the Christian religion, for every law of human policy ought to be enacted in a manner consistent with the Divine authority. This is strictly a matter of conscience, and applies to Christians of every denomination, who profess to make the law of God the rule of their conduct in this world. The service here required is, 3rdly, To walk humbly with thy God. Humility is the crowning virtue of the Christian character. We are taught not to arrogate any merit to ourselves, if we obey the doctrines of the Gospel. We cannot be justified by our own good works before a God of infinite perfection, nor atone for our sins by our own repentance, for future amendment of life will not expiate the guilt of past iniquities. But we are taught a far better and * See Page 46. + Ibid. safer system of religion, by walking humbly with our God. To walk with God, in scriptural language, signifies to be a true, a faithful, and an obedient servant of God. Thus it is said of Enoch, that he walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.* His piety and holiness were so great, that it pleased God whom he served with so much sincerity and zeal, to distinguish him, by translating him to heaven without suffering the penalty of death. We are also informed that Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation ; and Noah walked with God.t As a reward for his faithful services, his Lord and Master saved him and his family in the ark from perishing in the mighty waters of the deluge. Thus we, like the righteous in all ages and countries who have gone the same way to heaven, are instructed also to walk with God; and what is of the greatest importance, we are, like them, to walk humbly with God. We are to bring all our thoughts and desires, as well as our actions, into subjection to his will. If we would obtain the pardon of our sins, and be at peace with God, we must become obedient to the voice of the prophet in the words of the text, in reply to the anxious inquiry of the penitent Israelite. We are to humble ourselves before God, and to seek his mercy through the Mediator. are to look to Christ as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and to trust in him as our atonement and righteousness, and as the only means We John i. 29. |