PART III.
MICAH VI. 8.He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, &c.
HE hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, what it is thou wert made for, even that which is fitted and propor∣tioned to thy Soul, that which is lovely and amia∣ble, and so a fit object to look on, that which will fill and satisfy thy Soul, and turn the greatest evil the world can lay as a stone of offense in thy way into good, and raise it self upon it to its highest pitch of glory; And this he hath made plain and manifest, drawn out in so visible a character, that thou mayest run and read it. And thus far we have already brought you.
We must yet lead you further, even to the foot of mount Sinai; What doth the Lord require of thee? This is as the publication of it, and making it a Law.* 1.1 For with the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet,* 1.2 and the voice of words, this voice was heard, I AM THE LORD. THƲS SAITH THE LORD, is the Prophets Warrant or Commission. I THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN IT, is a seal to the Law. By this every word shall stand, by this every Law is of force. It is a word of pow∣er and command and authority: For he that can do what he will may also require what he will in heaven or in earth. So then, if he be the Lord, he may require it. In this one word, in this Monosyllable, all power in heaven and in earth is contained. For in calling him Lord he assigneth unto him an absolute Will, which must be the rule of our Will, and of all our actions, which are the effects and works of our Will, and issue from it as from their first principle and mover. And this his Will is at∣tended 1. with Power, 2. with Wisdome, 3. with Love. By his Power he made us, and still protecteth and preserveth us; and from this issu∣eth his legislative Power. Again, as by his Wisdome he made us, so by the same Wisdome he giveth us such a Law as shall sweetly and certainly lead us to that end for which he made us. And last of all, his Love it is to the work of his own hands thus to lead us. And all these are shut up in this one word Lord. Let us view and consider all these, and so look upon them as to draw down their influence and virtue into our souls, to work that obedience in us which this Lord requireth and will reward.
First, it is the Lord requireth. I need not trouble you with a recital