5 For all their fins they ftrive to fcreen- Loving to have their good works feen, 6 Others yet more to vice inclin'd, God's worship they refuse to mind,.. 7 Some boast of Chrift, and in his name 8 O Lord, fend forth thy truth and light,— Difpel the gloomy fhades of night 9 Convince, convert, and far remove. CLXIV. On true Religion. HERE virtuek in her place refides, 8 W There love bears fway without controul: 8 Hence peace and joy therein abides, 2. True chriftian's goodnefsm, meeknefs" hath They're juft', fhews mercy', has true faiths, -- 8 8 32.-Mar. xii. 38, 39, 40.-Luke xx. (i) Phil. iii. 19. (g) Matt. xxiii. 5, 46, 47: (h) Jude 12. (k) Phil. iv. 8.-2 Pet. i. 3, 5. (n) 1 Tim. vi. 11. (q) 2 Cor. xi. 2.. (s) 2 Cor. v. 7. (v) 1 John iii. 3. (1) Gal. v. 22. (j) Pfal. xliii. 3. (m) Rom. xv. 14. (p) John viii. 32. (f) Pfal. xxxvii. 21. (u) Rom. v. 2 W 3 They feel compaffion for mankind, 4 They friends and foes in want relieve, 5 They seek no reft in names or forms, 6 When falfe profeffors difappear, 7 They're not puft up when mortals fmile, CLXV.. Remarks on Religion, Caution to Hypocrites, and En- couragement to Believers. O! virtue's path" is falfely trod, If here its pleasures are not known; The faint has free access to God, And lives by faith to him alone. 8 8 8 (w) Heb. x. 34. (x) Frov. xxii. 9. (y) Pfal. cxliii. 10. (z) 2 Cor. x. 5. (a) Col. iii. 17. (b) Lev. xxv. 35.-Rom. xii. (e) Eph. iv. 32. 20. (c) 2 Cor. vi. 6. (d) I Thef. ii. 7. (f) Prov. xvi. 32. (g) Acts xxvi. 22. (h) 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. (i) Eph. iv. 24. (j) Eph. vi. 18. (k) 1 Cor. x. 1o. (1) Matt. x. 38. (m)Rev.ii.10. (n)Prov.iv.18. (o)Rom, v, 2.—Eph, ii, 18, —¡¡¡, 122. 2 'Tis true he's not exempt from pain, 3 The Tempter may fuggeft and try From heav'n the Holy Ghoft' reveals 5 Hereby then let men afcertain How far God's favour they've received; 6 To this, ye hypocrites, give ear, 7 But ye memorials" of the Lord, 8 Your trials here will foon be o'er, (p) John xvi. 33. (f) 2 Cor. xii. ro. (u) Exod. xiii. 9. (q) 1 Cor. x. 13. (r) Heb. x. 15, 16, 17, (s) Matt. xv. 7, 8, 9. (t) Amos v. 21. (v) Eph. iv. 24. (w) Rev. xxii. 5. The Prophet tells us, that the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and ASSURANCE for ever, Ifa. xxxii. 17. but hypocrites and unbelievers of every fort are entire Arangers to this. I CLXVI. On the peaceable nature of Chriff's Kingdom. CHE HRIST's kingdom is a place of peace*, All wars, and rage, and tumults ceafe, 2 Wrath cannot come, or blood be shed 3 The wolf doth there dwell with the lamb 4 A little child them all doth lead, And has no cause to be afraid : 'The cow and bear, their young ones feed 5 The lion tamely straw doth eat put 6 The weaned child his hand doth Amen. (y) Matt. xxv. 46. (z) Ifa. xi. 6, (x) Ifa. ix. 6, 7. CLXVII. On the Houfe, Prophets, and People of God. "TH 10 HELordhimfelf hath faid,mine houfe fhall be 10 An house of pray'r for ev'ry nation free! Of this then let not hirelings ever make A den of thieves who hire for preaching take. (a) Ifa. lvi. 7.—Matt. xxi. 13.—Mar. xi. 17.—Luke xix. 46. 10 ΙΟ In the open air it would be improper to ufe the word this, becaufe it implies being in a houfe; but every houfe where God is publicly worshiped, as well as the Temple at Jerufalem, ought to be confidered as filled with the Lord's prefence. Jefus faith, where two or three are gathered to together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Matt. xviii. 20. This is known and understood by his children; here they fit under the droppings of his fanctuary, feel and know the Holy One of Ifracl. Sometimes they are remarkably refreshed by hearing the faith. ful minifters of the gospel freely deliver what they freely receive from God, for they are all baptized into one fpirit, and they hereby know that he that hath fent them is true: But where God thus condefcends to meet his children, the place ought not to be defiled by hireling preachers and money-changers who make merchandize of the gofpel; teaching only for filthy lucre's fake, Tit. i. 11. left God, who is jealous of his glory, fay, as he did in the days of old, Who bath required this at your hand to tread my courts? Ifa. i. 12. Thus faith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, they bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and be that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him, Micah. iii. 5. I have not fent thefe prophets, yet they ran: I have not Spoken to them, yet they prophefied, Jer. xxiii. 21. Therefore, behold I am against the prophets, faith the Lord, that fteal my words every one of bis neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, faith the Lord, that use their tongues, and fay, He faith. Behold, I am against them that prophefy falfe dreams, faith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I fent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they fhall not profit this people at all, faith the Lord, Jer. xxiii. 30, 31, 32. Hear this, I pray you, ye beads of the house of Ifrael, that abbor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerufalem with iniquity. The beads thereof judge for reward, and the priefs thereof teach for bire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and fay, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us, Micah. iii. 9, 10, II, From all thefe paffages it is clear that there are no true prophets but thofe which are CHOSEN SENT BY THE LORD. If fo, there can be no true preaching without true fending; nor is any one truly fent (however furnished with AND |