bier .dcceptance with God. 51 the cattle in facrifice to God, ítill infiftíng SERM. that he had obeyed the voice of the Lord, as IL. verfe 20. but Samuel reje &s all his defences verfe 22. faying, Hath the Lord as great de- light in burnt-offerings and facr fces as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey, is better than facrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams ; and adds in the 23d verfe, Rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft, and flub - bornnef is as iniquity and idolatry. Rebellion againit the true God, by difobeying his com- mandments, is like ferving a falfe God ; and a pretended obedience to God which is only partial, while men feem in fome things to do his will, but omit other things as plainly en- joined, and will ftubbornly conduct their pro- felt obedience according to their own plea- lure or humour, this is really not ferving God at all ; for the mind which is truly de- voted to him, mutt be determined by his fupreme authority, both as to the matter and manner of obedience whenever his will is made known ; and no pretence can be more unreafonable and trifling than that we do the will of God, becaufe we do it in tome inftan- ces, when we knowingly neglect it in others. And, therefore, wilfully o tránfgrefs any one Qf
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