1 i SERM. an evil way: not confidering, how displea I. Pf. 1. 21. 22. 2 Cor. Gal. vi. fing such a course is to the divine being. These things haft thou done, and I kept filence. Thou thoughtest, that I was fuch an one as thyfelf. But I will reprove thee, and fet them in order before thee. Now confider this, ye that forget God: least I tare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. And in the New Testament, says St. Paul: Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith. Prove your own felves. And, If any man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, be deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work. Then shall be have rejoycing in himself alone, and not in another. St. John is directed by our exalted Lord, to write in this manner to the church of EpheRev. ii. 5. fus: Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen: and repent, and do the first work. 1 Cor. xi. And St. Paul observes: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged, or condemned, by the Lord. 21. 4. Which brings us to another argument for this practise: That God will hereafter try and judge us, and all men. There is a day appointed for reviewing the actions of all mankind. And then every one I. will receive according to what he has done in SERM. the body, whether good or evil. This should be of great force to perfuade us to think on our ways now, and serioufly to recollect our past conduct; that all instances of misbehaviour may be blotted out, and corrected by the tears of unfeigned and timely repentance, and by hearty reformation and amendment. 5. There is a great deal of reason to apprehend, that we shall be induced to think on our ways fome time before our departure out of this world. If ever we are brought into troubles and distresses, or have near apprehenfions of death and judgement: then these reflections will be unavoidable, and these thoughts will disturb us, when the benefit will be uncertain. It must therefore be prudent, to think on our ways in time, freely and voluntarily, and by a speedy and effectual repentance and amendment, to lay a foundation for pleasing reflections, and comfortable prospects, in a day of affliction, or at the time of death. 6. Lastly, Let us attend to the great advantages of thinking on our ways. It is a likely mean of repentance, of amendment, and of emprovement in every thing I. SERM. thing good and excellent. We shall then know ourselves. We shall fee the evil of fin, and be very sensible of the sad confequences of continuing therein. We shall turn from it, and carefully keep God's commandments, to the end, without any more deliberatly and wilfully forsaking, or turning afide from them. This is the leffon of the text, and of what follows. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. Which laft words, God willing, shall be the subject of our meditations the next opportunity. SER SERMON II. The unreasonablenesse of Delays in PSAL. cxix. 60. I made hafte, and delayed not to keep. T thy (teftimonies) commandment. HIS psalm is equally admirable for juftnesse and piety of fentiment, and for exactnesse and elegance of composition. The prevailing principle running throughout, is a high esteem and veneration for the revealed will of God: which under some expreffion of law, word, statutes, ordinances, teftimonies, or fome other phrase of like import, is mentioned C2 II. SERM. tioned in almost every verse of the pfalm. Notwithstanding which, and the length of the meditation likewife, it is not chargeable either with tediousnesse, or tautologie. But there is a great and surprising variety, and the attention of the reader is kept up from the begining to the end. Indeed the variety is such, that it is somewhat difficult to make a summarie of it's contents, or represent in brief the several thoughts, with which it is filled. However it may in general be faid, that the Pfalmist often profefseth the regard he had for the divine law. And he aims to recommend to others the ferious and diligent studie of it, and a fincere and constant practise of all it's precepts, as the only way to true blessednesse. He declares the great and frequent experience he had of fupport and comfort from it in his distresses and afflictions. He vows perpetual obedience and conformity to it, notwithstanding the discouragements he might meet with from the world about him, and the multitude, or the greatnesse of transgressors. He prays also for farther instruction in God's word, and help to keep it to the end. The psalm is suited to comfort the dejected, to |