Imatges de pàgina
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"fruitful" and he charges the church at Sardis, Rev. iii. 2. " to be watchful, and strengthen the "things that remain, that are ready to die." Exhortations of a fimilar nature abound in the apoftolical writings.

More especially are the books of Scripture recommended to our ufe, as containing the best inftruc tions for a good life; and being a hiftory of the divine proceedings, respecting the human race, they neceffarily exhibit fuch views as cannot but make an impreffion, in the highest degree, favourable to virtue. Mofes repeatedly charges the Ifraelites to read and meditate upon his laws and writings, Deut. vi. 6. "Thefe words which I command

thee this day fhall be in thine heart. And thou "fhalt teach them diligently unto thy children, " and fhalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine "houfe, and when thou walkeft by the way, and "when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up.". The fame injunction he repeats, Deut. xi. 18. The kings of Ifrael were moreover required to write out a copy of the law with their own hands, Deut. xvii. 18. "And it fhall be when he fitteth upon the "throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a

copy of this law in a book, out of that which is "before the priests, the Levites. And it fhall be "with him, and he fhall read therein all the days. "of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, and thefe ftatutes, to do them, &c." David fays

a good man, Pf. i. 2. That "his delight is in the "law of the Lord, and in his law doth he medi"tate day and night;" and, Pf. xxxvii. 31. "The law of his God is in his heart; none of "his fteps fhall flide." Laftly, the apostle Paul commends the parents of Timothy, and mentions it as a great advantage to him, 2 Tim. iii. 15. that," from a child he had known the holy fcrip"tures, which, he fays, were able to make him "wife unto falvation, through faith which is in "Chrift Jefus." Concerning the same scriptures, he adds, that they are "profitable for doctrine, for "reproof, for correction, for instruction in righ"teousness: That the man of God may be per"fect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Solomon repeatedly admonishes young perfons concerning the danger of bad company. Prov. i. 10. "My fon, if finners intice thee, confent thou "not" v. 15. "Walk not thou in the way "with them; refrain thy foot from their path.” And he obferves in general, Prov. xiii. 20. that, " he that walketh with wife men fhall be wife: "but that a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” The apostle Paul alfo cautions the Corinthians on this head, when he fays, 1 Cor. xv. 33. "Be "not deceived: evil communications corrupt good "manners."

The practice of our duty is, in general, reprefented in the fcriptures as pleasant and easy, when

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we are accustomed to it. Thus Solomon fays, of wifdom, Prov. iii. 17. that " her ways are ways "of pleasantnefs, and all her paths are peace;" and David fays, Pf. cxix. 165. "Great peace "have they who love thy law and nothing shall "offend them." Our Saviour also says, Matt. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of 66 me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye "fhall find reft unto your fouls. For my yoke is "eafy, and my burden is light."

xi. 29.

But, notwithstanding this, we are warned, agreeable to what reafon and nature would apprize us of, that before vicious habits are fubdued, and virtuous ones formed, great exertions of courage and refolution will be neceffary; and the difficulty, in this cafe, is by no means concealed by the writers of the Old and New Teftament, efpecially the latter, who generally wrote in times of perfecu tion. Their writings, accordingly, abound with exhortations to exert proportionate courage and fortitude.

Our Lord expreffes the difficulty of conquering a propensity to certain vices, by a very ftrong figure, when he fays, Matt. v. 29. "If thy right 66 eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caft it from "thee, &c." He also gives us an idea of the great hardships which may attend the profeffion of chriftianity, when he says, Luke ix. 23. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, L 5

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"and take up his cross daily, and follow me, &c." Accordingly, we are exhorted by the apostle Paul, Col. iii. 5. To "mortify our members which are "of the earth," and, Rom. xii. 2. not to be "conformed to this world: but to be transformed "by the renewing of our mind." We fhall find, however, that the fcriptures propose to us rewards and encouragements, abundantly adequate to the labour and difficulties of which they apprize us.

Lastly, we are most earnestly exhorted to watch over one another, and to promote our mutual edification by every proper means. Mofes fays, Lev. xix. 17. "Thou fhalt in any wife rebuke thy "neighbour, and not fuffer fin upon him." The book of Proverbs contains excellent obfervations concerning the benefit of inftruction and reproof. Prov. xxviii. 23. "He that rebuketh a man af"terwards fhall find more favour than he that "flattereth with the tongue," and David fays, Pf. cxli. 5. "Let the righteous fmite me, it ❝ shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it <fhall be an excellent oil." The author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews enjoins, Heb. iii. 13. that we" exhort one another daily while it is called, "To-day; left any of us be hardened through the "deceitfulness of fin." We are, in many places, cautioned to give no offence; that is, to cause none to offend, by any improper liberty of ours. The apofile Paul enlarges much upon this subject, I

Cor

Cor. x. Laftly, the apoftle James speaks in the highest terms of the man who contributes to the fpiritual benefit of another, James v. 19. "Bre"thren, if any of you do err from the truth, and

one convert him: Let him know, that he who "converteth the finner from the error of his way, "fhall fave a foul from death, and fhall hide a multitude of fins."

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SECTION V.

General remarks concerning morality.

Shall close this account of the morality of the
Bible, with fome obfervations of a more general

nature.

It is unquestionably a juft maxim in itfelf, and a clear doctrine of the fcriptures, that no partial obedience to the law of God will be accepted, inftead of univerfal obedience, which is absolutely required of us. A just respect to the authority of God, as our fovereign, lawgiver, and judge, will certainly lead us, as it did the Pfalmift, Pf. cxix. 6. "to have respect to all his commandments,” and not to admit of fome, and refufe others, as we shall judge it reasonable and expedient; or, which is generally the fame thing, as we fhall find it convenient to us. Such a conduct would not be excufed

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