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teftament fignifies the fame as the fear of God in the old) must believe that he is; and that he is a rewarder of thofe who diligently feek him. There can be no fear of God, unlefs we believe that he is worthy to be fear'd.

It is fome excellency, either real or fuppofed, which is the foundation of all honour and reverence. The reafon why we honour any of our fellowcreatures, is because we believe them to be poffeffed of fome perfections, and to have fome valuable endowments. Even fo that fupreme honour and reverence which we pay to the divine being, must be founded upon the belief of his fupreme glory and excellency. He muft be regarded by us as the felf-existent being, eternal and omniprefent, omnipotent and omnifcient. But this is not all it is likewife effential to the fear of God, that we should believe his providence, as well as his exiftence. For it is not very likely that we fhall have much regard for a being who, we imagine, has no regard for us, and thinks us beneath his notice and observance. Therefore he that fears God must not conceive of him as an idle fpectator of human affairs; but muft believe that he concerns himself in the government of

this world; that he narrowly obferves our actions, and will call us to an account for them, and render happiness or mifery to us, according as we behave ourselves virtuously or vicioufly. These are the principles which are neceffary to be believed by one who fears the Lord. But he must not reft here. For, II. He who would make good the character of fearing God, must obey the laws of God.

He must do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with God. He muft love the Lord with all his heart, and with all his foul, and with all his ftrength. He must worship him in fpirit, and in truth. He must pray without ceafing, and in every thing give thanks. He muft acquiefce in all the difpenfations of providence. He must not defpife the chaftning of the Lord, nor faint when he is rebuked of him. He muft not fret himself because of evil doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. Although the fig-tree should not bloffom, and there should be no fruit in the vines; although the labour of the olive fhould fail, and the fields Should yield no meat; although the flock Should be cut off from the fold, and there should be no herd in the ftalls; yet he should

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rejoice

rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of his falvation. This fhould be the temper of his mind with regard to his Maker.

And then for his fellow-creatures, many duties are incumbent on him with regard to them. He must love bis neighbour as himself. Whatfoever he would that men fhould do to him, he must do even fo to them. He muft not go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter and if he hath taken any thing from any man, he is bound to make reftitution. He must put away from him all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil Speaking, with all malice; and he must put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-fuffering. He must deal bis bread to the hungry, and bring the poor that are caft out, to his house; when he fees the naked, he muft cover him, and muft not hide himself from his own flesh. He must do good unto all men, as be bath opportunity; efpecially unto them who are of the houshold of faith.

And then with refpect to himself, he must be pure and chafte, fober and temperate; he must keep under his body, and bring it into fubjection; he must mortify his members which are upon the

earth;

earth; and crucify the flesh with the affections and lufts. He muft purify himfelf even as God is pure; and cleanse himfelf from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. He must keep his heart with all diligence. He fhould banish from his mind all vain and wicked thoughts: he should be much in the contemplation of divine things his treasure should be in heaven; and where his treasure is, there will his heart be alfo. He fhould set bis affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

This is the character of a religious man, or of one who fears the Lord. He believes that there is a God, and a future state of rewards and punishments: and the belief of these principles makes him very watchful over his own conduct. He confiders himself as continually under the eye of God; and therefore he abftains from every thing that would provoke his wrath and indignation; and practises thofe things which will recommend him to his favour and approbation. This shall fuffice for a defcription of the fear of the Lord. I will now,

Secondly, Prove that the fear of the Lord is wisdom. This I fhall do first

from

from scripture, and fecondly from reafon.

I. From fcripture. And I will begin with the text, which pofitively affèrts it. Unto man be faid, behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Pfalm CXI. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Prov. I. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools defpife wisdom and inftruction. Prov. IX. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Prov. XV. 33. The fear of the Lord is the inftruction of wisdom, or that which wisdom teaches and inftructs us in.

Solomon almost perpetually in his writings fpeaks of religion by the names of wisdom, difcretion, knowledge, underftanding; and of fin by the name of folly. Good men he calls wife, and wicked men fools. The new testament fpeaks in the fame ftyle. In the XVth chapter of Luke, which contains the parable of the prodigal fon, his recovery from a lewd and vicious courfe to fentiments of religion and piety is called a coming to himself; as if he had not been in his right mind before, whilst he followed

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