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In If. lxv. 16. he is called the God of truth. It is faid of him, Pf. cxlvi. 6. " he

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keepeth truth for ever;" and he himself fays, Pf. Ixxxix. 34. "My covenant will I "not break, nor alter the thing that is gone "out of my lips:" and If. xlvi. 11. “I “have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; "I have purpofed it, I will alfo do it." Laftly, we read, Heb. vi. 18. "It is impoffible for God to lie."

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With refpect to facts, it is fufficient to fay, that no inftance is mentioned of the divine being having ever failed to fulfil any promise that he had made, refpecting either individuals, or nations of mankind; but a great variety of facts are recorded, in which the performance, exactly correfponds to the engagement. Ifhall recite only one of them. After the children of Ifrael were fettled in the land of Canaan, it is faid, Josh. xxi. 43. "and the Lord gave unto Ifrael all the land "which he fware to give unto their fa"thers and they poffeffed it, and dwelt "therein. And the Lord gave them reft

"round

"round about, according to all that he "fware unto their fathers: and there ftood "not a man of all their enemies before "them: the Lord delivered all their ene"mies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord "had spoken unto the houfe of Ifrael: all "came to pass."

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On fuch ground as this (the Jewish and christian religions having been proved to be divine) we have fufficient reafon to depend upon the truth of thofe divine declarations, the time for the accomplishment of which is not yet come; efpecially with respect to the grand catastrophe of the whole scheme, viz. that there will be a refurrection of all the dead, followed by an ample reward for the righteous, and an adequate punishment for the wicked.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER II.

OF THE DUTY WHICH GOD REQUIRES

OF MAN.

THE

HE unity, and the moral attributes of God being fo clearly revealed to us in the fcriptures, we naturally expect that the chief thing which he will require of man will be purity of heart and integrity of life, or the genuine principles, the uniform practice, and the confirmed habits of all moral virtue; comprehending an unfeigned reverence and love of himself, the highest respect for his authority, and a humble and chearful fubmiffion to all the difpenfations of his providence, together with all the natural expreffions of our dependence upon him, and obligation to him. We might alfo expect that he would require of us a fincere regard to the welfare of our fellowcreatures, and all thofe actions which natu

rally

rally arife from that generous principle, viz. all the duties of juftice, equity, and humanity. Laftly, we might expect that his authority should be interpofed in favour of thofe virtues which more immediately respect ourselves, and the government of our appetites and paffions; so that in all things we be chafte and temperate, no flaves to violent and unreafonable paffions, or to any affection of mind by which we might debafe our natures, or expofe ourselves to the temptation of disturbing and injuring others.

SECTION I.

Of the duty of man with respect to God.

THE

HE duties of piety, or devotion, confifting of a right difpofition of mind with refpect to God, and the actions which flow from that difpofition, are, in a manner, peculiar to the Jewish and chriftian religions; being almoft unknown to the Gentile

world.

world. But in the fcriptures very great ftrefs is defervedly laid upon them.

In general the fear and love of God, and an habitual regard to his infpection, authority, and example, are reprefented in the fcriptures as the most effectual guard, and the most powerful and animating principle of virtue; and every branch of virtue is conftantly spoken of as his exprefs command, and as an obfervance of the laws which he has thought proper to prescribe as the rule of our conduct. Sentiments of this kind are expreffed with an infinite diversity of manner through the whole of the Old and New Teftament; fo that the difference, in this refpect, between the books of fcripture and the best moral pieces of the heathen writers is exceedingly ftriking.

When Joseph was tempted to commit adultery in the most

plied, Gen. xxxix.

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private manner, he re

9. "How can I do this

great wickednefs, and fin against God?" Solomon alfo fays, Prov. ix. 10. "The "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wif

"dom ?"

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