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their fuperior light and diftinguished advantages, they never went fo far in religion, as these poor Affyrians did? Bring the enquiry home. See how it is with you. You have been educated under the cleareft light of divine revelation-have been inftructed in the nature and perfections, in the government and will of God-have been taught what is the defign of personal afflictions and public judgments, and what is the moral use which you fhould make of them-have heard your duty, in all its branches, often stated and inculcated, and the terms of your eternal felicity repeatedly propofed and urged. And what have you done? Have you fhewn as much fenfe of a Deity-as much regard to his governing hand-as much concern to learn his will-as much folicitude to approve yourselves to him, as thofe poor heathens? If you live without prayer-without attendance on the means of religious inftructionwithout felf-examination--without a fenfe of your dependence-and without regard to God's providence, you are more remote from religion than they were.

The concern in Samaria to obtain the favour of the god of the land, and to be instructed in his will, feems to have been general. Is there any fuch general concern among us? There are doubtlefs many who believe the truth, and feel the importance of religion. But is this our general character? Is there not rather a prevailing indifference and carelessnefs?

As the people in Samaria fent far for a priest of the Lord to inftruct them; fo, we may conclude, they diligently attended on his inftructions when he came. This priest would naturally call them together to hear the law on the fabbath-the day divinely instituted for the purpofe; and certainly

they paid fo much regard to the day, as to affemble and receive inftruction. But how many among us waste the fabbath in indolence, or profane it by unneceffary labours and vain amufements? How many contemptuously turn away from the stated inftructions of the fanctuary, and fay of God's worship, What a wearinefs is it?

Only one judgment, the incurfion of ravenous beafts, brought these Samaritans to confideration. But what good effect has been produced among us by a series of remarkable difpenfations both corrective and merciful? We may well be ashamed and afraid when we reflect, how much they did, and how little we do, to avert the difpleafure, and procure the favour of God.

But still let it be remembered, that they came fhort of a fincere and acceptable fervice, because, while they feared the Lord, they ferved their graven images. The motives, which governed them in their religion, were of a worldly nature. They were more concerned to rid the land of wild beafts, than to rid themselves of their fins. And inftead of directing their fervice to the one fupreme God, they divided it between him and their own falfe divinities.

We fee, then, that men may make the appearance of a reformation, and yet fall fhort of fincere repentance. Let us not reft in external forms, partial amendments, and divided fervices; but devote ourselves wholly and without referve to God, and walk before him in fimplicity and godly fincerity. The fincerity of the heart is the life and foul of religion. And fince, without this, men may seem to do much in religion, let us take good heed to ourselves, that we reft not in the form of godliness, when the power of it is wanting.

There are those who seem to themselves to

be religious, when all their religion is vain. See that ye be not deceived. God requires truth in the inward parts. "If any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature; old things are paffed away, and all things are become new."

This brings us to another observation from our text, That true and acceptable religion is pure and fimple, directed to God and to him only.

This obfervation we will referve to be illuftrated in another difcourfe.

SERMON XXVI.

True Religion pure and fimple.

H. KINGS xvii. 40, 41.

Howbeit, they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. So thefe nations feared the Lord and ferved their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, fo did they unto this day.

THE Affyrians, who were sent to re-peo

ple Samaria, after the native inhabitants had been carried to Affyria, found themselves dangerously infefted with lions. This calamity they imputed to their ignorance of the religious fervice, which Jehovah, whom they called the god of the land, required of them. A Jewish priest was fent from Affyria to inftruct them in the character and worfhip of the true God. Under his miniftration, they were fo far reformed, that they feared the Lord; but ftill, attached to the notions in which they had been educated, they worshipped their graven images. And thus did their children af ter them from one generation to another.

Hence we have remarked,

I. The powerful influence of cuftom and edu cation in matters of religion. And,

II. The general fenfe of mankind, that there is fuch a thing as religion, and that it is a matter of univerfal and indifpenfable obligation.

We now proceed to remark,

III. That true religion is pure and fimple, free from corrupt mixtures, and uniformly directed to one great end.

Thefe Affyrians "feared the Lord." They acknowledged the God of Ifrael; but, at the fame time, they ferved their own gods; and therefore the fervice, which they paid to the true God, was of little value.

As there is one God, the fole author and gov. ernor of the universe, and the fountain of all excellencies any where feen, and of all bleffings any where enjoyed, fo we are required to give him our higheft regards, and to ferve him with undivided affection; and we are forbidden to worship any other object in oppofition to him, or in conjunction with him. And to us, who have been taught the unity of the godhead, nothing is more obvious than the neceffity of directing all our religious honours and fervices uniformly to this allperfect Being. We eafily fee, that thofe Samaritans, by mingling idolatry with the worship of the true God, utterly corrupted their religion. But let us enquire, whether we, in fome other way, may not be guilty of the fame corruption.

When we are under any remarkable and fevere affliction, we perhaps think of God, acknowledge his power and fear his anger; we are more ftrict and conftant in attending on his worship; we pray oftener and defire the prayers of others. But do we, at the fame time, fearch our hearts, mortify our lufts, fubdue our paflions and renounce our fins? If not, what is our religion better than the motley religion of the Samaritans? The man,

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