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SERMON I

ISAIAH lviii. 1.

Cry aloud, fpare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet; and fhew my people their tranfgreffion, and the houfe of Jacob their fins.

HEN we reflect that God

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hath planted in the breast of every man, a confcience, which approves our good actions, and accufes our evil deeds, and continually calls them to our remembrance; there seems but little occafion for any one to undertake the ungrateful task of reminding men of their fins; much less that a prophet should be particu

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particularly inspired for that purpofe, and commanded, in the ftrongeft terms, to" fhew the people" of Ifrael " their tranfgreffion, and the

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houfe of Jacob their fins."

But when we confider that this hath been the constant practice of all the prophets from Mofes, that this was the chief intention of their miffion; and further, that the hearts of men are often hardened, that their consciences are either lulled asleep, or, as it were, feared with a hot iron; and that they even fin against conscience; and that they rafhly and violently run on from one wickednefs to another; to their own eternal perdition, we shall be forced to acknowledge the urgent neceffity there is that God fhould fend us fuch remembrancers,

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membrancers, and his mercy in fending them; and fhall be as thankful to those who have the courage to reprove us, as to the hand that holds us from tumbling down a precipice, or from finking to the bottom of the sea.

And how can they who call themfelves God's minifters, who think themselves commiffioned by him, and, who watch for your fouls; how can they excuse themselves, upon every necessary occafion, from exhorting and reproving, from remonftrating with, and threatening you? Might they not justly, for their neglect of this duty, be accounted as dogs, which being set to guard the flock, gave no notice when the wolf was coming? And ought they not to receive

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