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SERMON V.

I KING'S II. 2, 3.

2, 3. Verses. I go the way of All the Earth; Be thou frong therefore and show thyself a

Man:

And keep the Charge of the Lord thy God, to Walk in his Ways, to keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Fudgments and his Teftimonies; as it is written in the Law of Mofes ; That thou mayeft Profper in all that thou doeft, and whither foever thou turneft Thyself.

W

E find God complaining of fome, by the Mouth of the Prophet Malachi, that were ftill grumbling and repining, That they Serv'd God for Nought, That his Worship was a Useless Unprofitable Thing, that

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lay as a Dead Rent-Charge on their Estates, and ferv'd only to drain their Folds and their Stalls for Sacrifices and Oblations, but turn'd to No Account; Mal. iii. 14. Tour Words have been stout against me, faith the Lord; For ye bave faid, It is Vain to Serve the Lord, and what Profit is it, that We have kept his Ordinances? And when they came, as the Apostle expreffes it, grudgingly and as of Neceffity to Offer their Sacrifices and Oblations, No wonder if God rejected their Vain Oblations, and they returned with out a Bleffing.

But those that Serve God with Faithfulness and Integrity, Reap other Fruits of their Service. The Holy David that had walkt before him, with a True and Upright Heart, towards the Close of his Days, upon the refult of all the Obfervation he had made, gives us a very Different Account of God's Dealings with his Servants I have been Young, (fays he,) and now am Old; and yet faw I never the Righteous Forfaken, nor his Seed begging their Bread.

Being Now therefore to leave the World, and at his Departure to give Advice, from his own long Experience, to Solomon his Son, how He might Flourish and Profper in it, he takes Care to Inftru&t him now in his Youth, of what I 2

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mighty Advantage the Favour of God would be to him all his Days; and of what Fatal Confequence it would be to him to Provoke God, and Incur his Difpleasure: As in the Parallell Place, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. And now Solomon my Son, Know thou the God of thy Father, and Serve Him with a Perfect Heart and with a willing Mind; For if Thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if Thou Forfake him, he will Caft thee off for

Ever.

He Conjures him therefore with his Dying Breath, to take Care above all Things to Secure God on his Side, as the only Way to Profper in all his Undertakings I am going the way of all the Earth; Be Thou Strong therefore, and fbow Thyself a Man; And Keep the Charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and Keep his Statutes, and his Commandments and his Judgments and his Teftimonies, as it is written in the Law of Mofes; That Thou mayeft Profper in All that thou doeft, and whither foever Thou turneft thyself.

There are Two Things here Recommended, Courage and Piety. The Former of Thefe, (Courage, and Refolution,) was perhaps recommended to him, with Special Regard to his Regal Dignity. Not but that Courage and Conftancy of

Mind is neceffary, in fome degree, for every One of what Condition foever, for the Discharge of their Duty to God and Men; But is more especially Neceffary for Princes, who have fo many Difficulties to go through, fo many Temptations to Conquer; The Temptations to Wealth and Power and Flattery: Who Seem to be Above Laws, and have None to Reftrain or Correct them if they Do Amifs; And have this farther Duty incumbent upon them, that they are not only to take Care Themfelves to Keep God's Commandments, but must fee that Others Do fo too; and Punish All that Tranfgrefs them, of what Quality or Degree foever they are. ---- These Confiderations might make Courage more especially Requifite for Solomon, in his Regal Capacity: But Piety and Obedience to God's Laws, are neceffary to Every one, of what Rank or Condition foever: And they are recommended upon This Argument, that they are the Proper Means to procure God's Favour and Bleffing-That thou mayeft Profper in All that thou Doeft, and whitherfoever thou turneft thyself.

This was the Death-bed Charge of the Man after Gods own Heart, the Best Legacy he could leave to his Son: Which will afford us this General Point

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of Doctrine, That God's Providence does ufually favour Vertue, and Crown Piety and Obedience with Profperity and Success, in_all Good and Honeft Undertakings Keep the Charge of the Lord thy God, to Walk in his Ways, &c. That thou mayeft Profper in all that thou doeft, and whitherfoever thou turneft thyself.

Not that Profperity and Worldly Succefs are certainly to be depended upon, as the Neceffary never-failing Fruits of Piety; But that the Service of God, and the Practice of Vertue, are the likeliest Way to Profperity and Succefs, even in Our Worldly Affairs; and, (unless it be in fome Particular Cafes, and for Particular Reafons of Providence, hereafter to be mentioned,) do very fairly lead and Contribute to them. And that first by Moral; and secondly by Natural Efficacy.

First Morally; For as much as they are the Only Means to intitle us to God's Favour, and Engage His Bleffing on our Enterprizes, who has the Management of all Natural Means, and the Final Difpofal of all Events; and who Ruleth Ep. i, 11. All Things after the Counsel of his own Will: So that the Succefs of All our Affairs muft Finally depend upon His Good Will and Pleasure, Now his

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