[77] Reason an infufficient Guide in Matters of Religion. SERMON IV. PSALM xix. 7. The Teftimony of the Lord is fure. T HE Word Teftimony may here be understood, either literally, of that external Evidence, which The Almighty was pleased to give the Jews of the Divine Authority of His Laws; or figuratively, of those Laws themselves fo attefted and proved. In the former Senfe, the Pfalmift's Affertion is; That God had given fuch Proofs of the Authenticnefs of His Commandments, as might, with the greatest Affurance and Dependance, be relied on; And in the latter, he affirms, that thofe Commands, which He had given, were the best and surest Rule by which Men could walk, and would cer tainly lead them to that Happiness which they fought in pursuing them. And both Senses taken together, imply both the Goodnefs and Condefcenfion of Almighty God, in vouchfafing Men a Guide, fo fure, and fo ftrongly proved to come from Himself; and the Happiness of His chofen People in fuch Vouchfafements. So that we may conceive the Pfalmift to be here afferting, That The Great Creator of all Things had given the Jews as evident Marks of Himself in the moral or rather the religious World, as in the natural; and that they might as clearly discover His Beneficence and Authority in the one as in the other. The whole Pfalm is a Parallel drawn between the Goodness of God, confidered as The Creator and Governor of the World, and His Beneficence, as King and Lawgiver of the Jews; and the chief Defign of it evidently was to poffefs himself and others with a due Sense of the mighty Benefits received, and a proGratitude and Thankfulness for them. And in pursuance therefore of the fame pious Purposes, it must ever be right and proper for us to apply thefe Words to our felves; and to enquire, whether at all, or per how |