333 SERMON XLVIII. Of the great Duties of Natural Religion, with the Ways, and Means of knowing them. MICAH 6. 6, 7;8. Wherewith fialll come before the Lord, andbow my felf before the high God ? jhalll come before him with burnt offerings, with Calves of a year old? Will the .Lordbepleafed with thoufands ofRams, or tnith ten thoufands of Rivers of 0yl ? fallIgive my firfi born for my tranfgrejon, the fruit of mybody for the ofmyfoul? He hatb fhewed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what cloth the Lord re; quire of thee, but to dojufllyy and to love mercy and to walk huntby with thy God? IÑ the beginning of this Chapter, the Prophet tells the People of Ifrael, that the Lárd hid a Controverfie with them 9 and that he might ditet them how to take up this quarrel, he brings in one making this enquiry in the name of the People. Wherewith{hall I come before the Lárd, and bow my felf be- fore the high God ? That is, by what kind of Worfhip or Devotion may I ad- drefs my felf to hitn in the moft acceptable manner ? by what means may I hope to appeafe hisdifpleafure ? To fatisfie this enquiry, he firft inftanceth in the chief kinds of Sacrifices and Expiations that were in t fe among the yews and hea- then.'; ShallI come before himwith burnt offerings ? the conftant Sacrifice that was offered to God by way of acknowledgment of his Dominion over the Creatures; with Calvesofa rear old? which was the Sin-offering which the High- Prieft of- fered for himfelf.. Or will he Tather accept of thofe great and colily Sácrifces which were offered uponSolemn and Publick Occafions, fuch as that was which Solomon offered at the Dedication of the Temple? Will the Lord be pleafed with thoufands ofRains, or with ten thoufands ofRivers of0ÿl ? Or if none'otthere will do, {hall I try to attone him after the manner of the Heathen, by the deareft thing in the World, the firft-born of my Children? Shall Igive my fzrfl-born. for my tranfgrefflon, the fruit of my Body for the fin Of my Soul? If God was to be appealed at all, furely they thought it mutt be by föme of thefe ways, for beyond thefe they could imaginenothingof greater value and efficacy. But the Prophet tells them that they were quite out of the way, in thinking to pacifie God !Von thefeterms, that there are other things whichare much better and more pleating to him than anyof thefe Sacrifices. For fome of them were exprefly forbidden by God, as the offering up of our, Children; and for the -rett, they were not good in themfelves, but meerly by virtue of their Inftitution, and becaufe they were commanded. But the things which he would recommend to them, are fuch as are good in their own nature, and required of us by God upon that account. He bath {Hewed thee, 0Man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to dojufily, and to love mercy, and to walkhumbly with thy God? So that in thefe Words you have, Firfi, An Enquiry which is the belt way to appeafeGod when he is offended 3 Wherewith flsall l come before the Lord, andPowmyfelf before the high God? Secondly,
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