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"but to do justly, and to love mercy, and "to walk humbly with thy God?" To the fame purpose fee alfo Pf. 1. Jer. vii. 2. Hof. vi. 6. and Amos v. 21.

In the New Teftament, we find John the Baptift expofing the vain confidence of the Jews, on account of their having Abraham for their father, Matt. iii. 9. and our Saviour alfo, when they made the fame boaft, in his prefence, fays, John viii. 39. "If ye were "Abraham's children, ye would do the "works of Abraham. Ye are of your father "the devil, and the lufts of your father "will do." Again, fpeaking of his natural relations, he fays, Matt. xii. 50. "Whofo"ever fhall do the will of my father who "is in heaven, the fame is my brother, and "fifter and mother."

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If we confider the great object and end of all the parts of the fcheme of revelation, we cannot but fee that it was intended to promote the practice of moral virtue, in order to men's attaining to the greatest degrees of perfection and happiness. The ten commandments,

VOL. II.

mandments, which God fpake from Sinai, are all of a moral, and most of them of a focial nature. His earneft exhortations to the Ifraelites, through the whole of the book of Deuteronomy, enforces the practice of virtue in the ftrongeft manner; and fo do all the writings of the prophets. The purport of their earnest exhortations is, "Ceafe to do evil, learn to do well; turn ye, turn ye, "from your evil ways; why will ye die, "O houfe of Ifrael."

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Repentance and works meet for repentance, was the chief fubject of John the Baptift's preaching, and alfo of that of our Saviour. Our Lord's admirable fermon on the mount, confifts chiefly of precepts of the most fublime moral virtue; and he reprefents the fate of all mankind at the last day, as determined by a regard to their moral character only, and efpecially their benevolence.

Whenever the general defign of the gofpel is mentioned, it is always fpoken of as intended to reform and blefs mankind. Thus the apostle Peter, in his address to the Jews,

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after the effufion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecoft, fays, Acts iii. 26. “ God, hav'ing raifed up his Son Jefus, fent him to 'blefs you, in turning away every one of you "from his iniquities." To the fame purpofe the apoftle Paul, Titus ii. 1I. "The grace of God that bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that "denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we fhould live foberly, righteously, and "godly in this prefent world; looking "for that bleffed hope, and the glorious "appearing of the great God, and our Sa"viour Jefus Chrift: who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all "iniquity, and purify unto himself a pecu"liar people, zealous of good works.” And our Lord himself fays, John xv. viii. "Here"in is my Father glorified, that ye bear "much fruit."

Laftly, it is impoffible that the practicé of univerfal virtue, abfolute or relative, fhould be more ftrongly inforced than it is in all the apoftolical epiftles, and especially towards the clofe of them. See Rom. ii. 4.

&c. 12. 1 Cor. vi. 9. &c. Eph. i 4. v. 2. &c. 1 Thef. v. 22. the epiftle of James throughout, i Pet. ii. 11. &c. 1 John iv. 20.

It is in vain that we look for any thing that can be compared with this in any fyftem of heathen religion. Almoft the best that can be faid of them is, that they enjoin practices that are merely idle and infignificant; for too often they countenance the moft deftructive vices.

TH

SECTION III.

Of the goodness of God.

HIE goodnefs of God feems to be pretty clearly inferred from a view of the works of creation; a benevolent design being fufficiently manifeft in every thing that we understand. Indeed the great mixture that we fee of apparent evil is apt to stagger even well difpofed minds, efpecially when them

felves are affected by it; but in the fcriptures we fee all thefe doubts removed. All events are promifcuoufly afcribed to God; but his intention is reprefented as being good and kind, even when his proceedings are the moft fevere. David, addrefling himself to God, fays, Pf. cxix. 68. "Thou art good, "and docft good." Pf. cxlv. 9. "The "Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies

are over all his works." Pf. xxxiii. 5. "The earth is full of the goodness of the "Lord." Pf. cxlv. 15. "The eyes of all "wait upon thee, and thou givest them "their meat in due feafon. Thou openeft thine hand, and fatisfieft the defire of every living thing."

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Our Lord fays, Matt. xix. 17. "is none good but one, that is God;" and in his fermon upon the mount, he enforces the duty of univerfal benevolence by the confideration of that of our heavenly father, Matt. V. 45. "That ye may be the children of your

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father who is in heaven, for he maketh "his fun to rife on the evil and on the good,

"and fendeth rain on the juft and on the

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