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with a price," says the Apostle: from whence his inference is, "Therefore we must glorify God with our body and our spirit, which are his." And in another place he expresses the same idea in terms still more accommodated to the language of our text; "I beseech you," says he, "by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable servicef."]

2. To serve him with the best of all that we have

[The poorest among the Israelites, whose cow had enlarged his little stock, must immediately devote that little acquisition in sacrifice to God. If it were an horse or an ass that had produced him a foal, he must redeem the foal with a lamb, or "break its neck;" God having decreed, that his people shall derive no comfort or advantage from any thing, with which they are unable, or unwilling, to honour him.

Thus are we bound to "honour God with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase." We must not stay till we have got in our harvest, and then spare to him a pittance out of our abundance; but we must devote to him a portion of what he has already bestowed, and trust him to supply our remaining wants. Strange will it be indeed, if, when "he has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," we can grudge him any thing that is in the power of our hands to do.] ADDRESS

1. Inquire into the nature and ends of God's ordi

nances

[The rites of baptism and the Lord's supper are very little understood amongst us: whereas, if we would inquire into the reason of these institutions, we should find them lead us immediately to the great work of redemption: in the former of them we are dedicated to Him who has redeemed us from the bondage of corruption; and in the latter, we renew to him, as it were, our baptismal vows, and derive strength from him for the performance of them. In the common ordinances of divine worship we should see the care which God has taken to make known to us the way of salvation, and to display to us the exceeding riches of his grace in Christ Jesus. If we duly considered God's design in appointing an order of men to minister in his sanctuary, we should not complain that we heard so much of Christ; but rather, we should go up to his house hungering and thirsting after him, as the bread of life and the water of life.

2. Devote yourselves to the service of

your God[The names of the first-born, and of them only, "are written in en." If therefore we would partake of the

[graphic]

Rom. xii. 1.

g ver. 13.

h Note c.

heavenly inheritance, we must regard ourselves as "an holy nation, and a peculiar people." What the Levites were externally, that must we be in the inward devotion of our souls. We are not loaded, like them, with the observance of many burthensome ceremonies; but the sacrifices of prayer and praise we ought to offer unto God continually; and, in this respect, we are to emulate, as it were, the saints in heaven, who rest not day and night in ascribing glory" to Him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood." We should distinctly consider ourselves as "his purchased possession," and account it our highest happiness and honour to be in every thing at his disposal.]

3. Endeavour to instruct others in the great work of redemption-

[On all the different occasions it was appointed, that children should make inquiries into the reasons of the various institutions which they saw; and that such explanations should be given them, as should tend to perpetuate divine knowledge to the remotest generations. Such inquiries we should encourage amongst our children: and we should cheerfully embrace every opportunity that is afforded us, of instructing them in the things belonging to their eternal peace. If such catechetical instructions were given in our different families, to how much greater advantage would the word of life be dispensed! Our hearers then, being habituated to the consideration of divine truths, would enter more easily into the various subjects that are set before them. They would attend both with pleasure and profit, more especially when they were arrived at years of discretion; whereas now, the greater part of our auditories hear as if they heard not, and continue years under the ministry of the Gospel without ever understanding its fundamental truths. Let this attention then be paid by all parents and masters to their respective families; yea, let the ignorant in general, whether children or adults, be the objects of our affectionate regard: and let us all, in our respective spheres, contribute, as we are able, to impart the knowledge of Christ to others, that they also may behold the salvation of God.]

i Rev. xiv. 4. The redeemed are to "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

k Exod. xii. 26. and xiii. 8. and Josh. iv. 6, 7.

LXXX.

GOD'S CONDESCENSION TO HIS PEOPLE'S WEAKNESS.

Exod. xiii. 17, 18. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the

with a price," says the Apostle: from whence his inference is, "Therefore we must glorify God with our body and our spirit, which are his." And in another place he expresses the same idea in terms still more accommodated to the language of our text; "I beseech you," says he, "by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."]

2. To serve him with the best of all that we have

[The poorest among the Israelites, whose cow had enlarged his little stock, must immediately devote that little acquisition in sacrifice to God. If it were an horse or an ass that had produced him a foal, he must redeem the foal with a lamb, or "break its neck;" God having decreed, that his people shall derive no comfort or advantage from any thing, with which they are unable, or unwilling, to honour him.

Thus are we bound to "honour God with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase." We must not stay till we have got in our harvest, and then spare to him a pittance out of our abundance; but we must devote to him a portion of what he has already bestowed, and trust him to supply our remaining wants. Strange will it be indeed, if, when he has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," we can grudge him any thing that is in the power of our hands to do.] ADDRESS

66

1. Inquire into the nature and ends of God's ordi

nances

[The rites of baptism and the Lord's supper are very little understood amongst us: whereas, if we would inquire into the reason of these institutions, we should find them lead us immediately to the great work of redemption: in the former of them we are dedicated to Him who has redeemed us from the bondage of corruption; and in the latter, we renew to him, as it were, our baptismal vows, and derive strength from him for the performance of them. In the common ordinances of divine worship we should see the care which God has taken to make known to us the way of salvation, and to display to us the exceeding riches of his grace in Christ Jesus. If we duly considered God's design in appointing an order of men to minister in his sanctuary, we should not complain that we heard so much of Christ; but rather, we should go up to his house hungering and thirsting after him, as the bread of life and the water of life.

2. Devote yourselves to the service of your God— [The names of the first-born, and of them only, "are written in heaven"." If therefore we would partake of the e 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. f Rom. xii. 1.

g ver. 13.

h Note c.

heavenly inheritance, we must regard ourselves as "an holy nation, and a peculiar people." What the Levites were externally, that must we be in the inward devotion of our souls. We are not loaded, like them, with the observance of many burthensome ceremonies; but the sacrifices of prayer and praise we ought to offer unto God continually; and, in this respect, we are to emulate, as it were, the saints in heaven, who rest not day and night in ascribing glory" to Him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood." We should distinctly consider ourselves as "his purchased possession," and account it our highest happiness and honour to be in every thing at his disposal.]

3. Endeavour to instruct others in the great work of redemption—

[On all the different occasions it was appointed, that children should make inquiries into the reasons of the various institutions which they sawk; and that such explanations should be given them, as should tend to perpetuate divine knowledge to the remotest generations. Such inquiries we should encourage amongst our children: and we should cheerfully embrace every opportunity that is afforded us, of instructing them in the things belonging to their eternal peace. If such catechetical instructions were given in our different families, to how much greater advantage would the word of life be dispensed! Our hearers then, being habituated to the consideration of divine truths, would enter more easily into the various subjects that are set before them. They would attend both with pleasure and profit, more especially when they were arrived at years of discretion; whereas now, the greater part of our auditories hear as if they heard not, and continue years under the ministry of the Gospel without ever understanding its fundamental truths. Let this attention then be paid by all parents and masters to their respective families; yea, let the ignorant in general, whether children or adults, be the objects of our affectionate regard: and let us all, in our respective spheres, contribute, as we are able, to impart the knowledge of Christ to others, that they also may behold the salvation of God.]

i Rev. xiv. 4. The redeemed are to "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."

k Exod. xii. 26. and xiii. 8. and Josh. iv. 6, 7.

LXXX.

GOD'S CONDESCENSION TO His people'S WEAKNESS.

Exod. xiii. 17, 18. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the

land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.

IN whatever light we view God, whether as a God of power or of love, we are constrained to say, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord!" Behold the issue of his contest with the haughty Pharaoh: the very instant that the full time is arrived, the time predicted four hundred and thirty years before, the proud monarch not only consents to the departure of Israel, but urges them to go with all possible expedition; and the whole land of Egypt is become so anxious for their departure, that every person is glad to give his most valuable raiment, together with his jewels or vessels, of silver or of gold, to any Israelitish woman that asks them of him. Yet, though thrust out by the inhabitants, the Israelites do not go out as by flight, but, in an orderly manner, "harnessed," that is, arranged as an army, in five different divisions"; yea in a triumphant manner also, laden with the spoils of their vanquished enemies: "nor was there one feeble person among their tribes;" not one was left behind; nor was one single person unfit to undertake the journey. Thus was the power of Jehovah magnified in the completest victory that can possibly be imagined; a victory, not over their arms merely, but over their proud, obstinate, rebellious hearts.

But we are no less called to admire the kindness of God to his people, than his power over his enemies. He knew, that his people were dispirited through their long and cruel bondage; and that, if he led them the

a Exod. iii. 21, 22. and xi. 2, 3. and xii. 35, 36. The Israelites did not borrow them with any promise of returning them; but asked for them, and required them: and the people, partly through fear, and partly through a temporary willingness to compensate for the injuries they had sustained, hastily gave them whatever they desired.

b The marginal reading in the Bible says, five in a rank: but this, allowing three feet between each rank, and two thousand ranks in a mile, would make the van and rear to be sixty miles apart: for there were no less than six hundred thousand men, besides women and children.

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