Isa. Iviii. 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

8. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

5.

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

1sa. lxi, 8. For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering.

Jer. vi. 20. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Jer. vii. 2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings;...

22. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

23. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

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Jer. xiv. 12. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them.

La. iii. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Hos. vi. 6. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Joel ii. 18. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God.

Jon. ii. 9. I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed.

Mi. vi. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come

before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

7. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Mal. iii. 3.... That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

THE FAVOUR OF GOD

A SHIELD AND A BLESSING.

Gen. vi. 8. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Gen. xii. 2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

Gen. xxiv. 35. The Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great.

Gen. xxvi. 27. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?

28. And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee;...

29. That thou wilt do us no hurt,...as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace thou art now the blessed of the Lord.

Gen. xxxi. 4. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock.

5. And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

7. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

26. And Laban said to Jacob,...

29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

31. ...And Jacob answered and said unto Laban... 42. Except the Lord God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Gen. xxxix. 2. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man...

3. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him...

20. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound and he was there in the prison.

21. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper. of the prison.

22. And the keeper of the prison committed to