A 138 The Favour of God obtained by Wifdom. S E R M. them the vanity of fuch pretences, which V. were refuted by many plain inffances de- """v"--) monftrating that God had no regard to them. Their own hiftory (hewed that though he brought their fathers out of Egypt with a ftrong hand, and they did eat fpiritual meat, and drank fpiritual drink, yet with many of them he was not well pleafed. He afterwards forfook Shiloh, the tent which he placed with men; and the ark of the covenant in which they trufted for their defence, was taken into captivity, the temple itfelf was burned ; and the laft fatal cataffrophe of the yewifh nation demonftrated that the favour of God is not annexed to the greateft out- ward privileges, fince even they may come fhort of it, whofe are the fathers, and the giving of the Laws, and the fervice of God, and the promifes. After fuch examples, íhall we vainly imagine that any external privileges, profeffions, or ads of devotion, will entitle us to the divine acceptance ? Our bleffed Saviour hath taken much pains to guard his difciples againft fuch a pernicious error ; he bath expreflly affured us, that if we fhould fay to him at the Taft day, have we not eaten and drank in thy prefence, pro- phefied in thy name, and in thy name have caft out
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