the Cha'-a ler of his true bifciples. 209 heart and in truth. This manner of fpeak- S E R M. ing is very ufual in the New Teflament. At IX. the r i th verfe of this chapter, our Saviour `'V`' orders the apoftles, when they went into any city or town, firft to enquire, who in it were worthy ; that is, as far as can be judged, men of probity and candor. Sin- cerity is the fum of moral worth ; and the whole value depends upon it, when a reli- gious profefjîon is the point to be eftimated. The apoftles, after their matter, fpeak in the fame (train. St. Paul exhorts chriftians to walk worthy of God, which he explains, " * by walking worthy of the vocation, " wherewith they are called." That is, fuitably to the hopes, the privileges, and the rules of it. God has called us to his king- dom and glory, and he has called us to holinefs. To be worthy of him, therefore, and of his calling, is to fulfil the obligati- ons of our religious character, as his pro - feffed fervants and followers, and to be qua- lified upon his own terms for the recom- pence he has promifed. It is never to be imagined that men could lay any previous obligation on God, or our Lord Jefus Chrift. The divine mercy prevented us, when we VOL. I. Eph. i.V. r. P were
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=