must declare, that " God is not mocked ; but whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap : he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption ; and he only who soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Do not imagine that God will judge according to the estimate which you form of yourselves. No : He will take off the mask from the hypocrite, and judge every man according to his works. Intreat him, then, to put " truth in your inward parts, and to make you altogether new creatures in Christ Jesus ; so shall you be accepted in his beloved Son, and stand before him with boldness in the great day of his appearing."]
Isai. lviii. 5 — 11. Is it such a fast that I have chose??? a day for a man to afflict his soul ? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him ? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord ? Is not this the fast that I have chosen ? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke ? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou, hide not thyself from thine own flesh ? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily ; and thy righteous- ness shall go before thee ; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer ; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity ; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul ; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day : and the Lord shall guide thee continually , and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones : and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water tvhose ivaters fail not.
IT is not uncommon for persons who are hypo- crites at heart, to make a great profession of religion, and even to complain of God himself, as not recom- pensing sufficiently their zeal in his cause. The Pharisee who boasted of his fastings and his alms- deeds, is a just representation of this character. But against such persons it is the duty of a minister to