a glorious harvest, indeed, arife from his labours, and you with him, and all those before fent to labour among you, rejoice together in the kingdom of glory.

Now, unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majefty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.

4. Rev. David Bostwick, who was dismissed to take the charge of the Presbyterian church in New-York.-The time of settlement, and ́ death, or removal of the above, unknown.

5. Rev. Ifaac Mills, ordained and installed 1762, died in the spring 1774.

6. Rev. Matthias Burnet, received their call, and went to refide with them in the fall of 1774, was ordained and installed April 1775, difmiffed May 1785, and re-fettled at Norwalk, in Connecticut, November 2. 1785.

7. Rev. George Faitoute, their present minister, installed December 15. 1789.

SER

SERMON XVIII.

THE NATURE AND NECESSITY OF

GOOD WORKS.

BY

GEORGE FAITOUTE, A. M.

Minister of a Prefbyterian Church, Jamaica, Long-Island.

B

PSALM CXVI. 9.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

RETHREN, if the tree be good, its fruit will be

good alfo; and if the heart of any man be right with God, fo will the tenor of his life be.

Whatever pretences men may make of love, or regard to God, they cannot be accounted his fincere friends, but by an an/werable external conduct. The reality of our faith cannot be well proved or ascertained, without good works; for faith without works is dead, being alone, faith the Apostle James; and these things, faith St Paul to Titus, I will, that thou affirm conftantly, that they who have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works ;

these things are good and profitable unto men.

Confonant to this is the promise, or folemn vow of the Pfalmift, in the words just read in your hearing; I will, faith he, walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Here we may take notice,

1. Of the matter of the duty in which the Pfalmist promiseth to engage, expreffed in the words, I will walk. This phrafe is taken differently by commentators; some take it for an expreffion of his confidence in the continuance of God's favour towards him; that God, who had freed him from the jaws of death, would now continue him in the land of the living,

And so they interpret the paffage thus, I shall walk; that is, I fhall be preferved, and continue fome time longer on earth, to advance the glory of God. By others, it is understood as expreffing a duty on man's part, rather than a kindness on the part of God; in this fenfe of the word I would rather acquiefce, as this phrase is most commonly in Scripture used to exprefs a duty. It was required of Abraham as a duty to walk before God: I am the Al mighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect.

The Pfalmift, in this place, by expreffing his purpose under a folemn promife, binds himself to perform the duty promised; the word walk implies motion, and a proceeding on in that motion, ftep by step, and from one place to another. Taken metaphorically, it fignifies the practice of what is good and lovely, as the words following intimate.

2. The manner in which he purposed to walk before the Lord, that is, in fuch a manner, that God, the Searcher of hearts, would be pleased with it, and approve of it.

3. The place and time, while he continued on earth, and remained among the living.

The

The fingle doctrine from the words to which I fhall fpeak at this time, is this, That our inward affection to God must be declared, or manifefted, by our outward converfation. I shall,

I. Confirm the propofition:

II. Shew you why our inward affection to God muft be declared by our outward conversation.

III. Confider the neceffity of good works.

First, I will endeavour to confirm the propofition, that inward affection to God must be declared by our outward converfation.

That inward affection to God is to be manifefted by an outward walk with God, may be proved by that connection which there is between them. The one cannot be without the other; fo in Scripture, walking in God's ways, and keeping his commandments, is inferred from the fear and love we have of him. Bleffed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways. Fear God and keep his commandments, faith Solomon; and St John tells us, This is the love of God, that we keep his command

ments.

Moreover, this duty is frequently preffed in the Scriptures. We find God commanding Abraham to walk before him. I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect.-And now Ifrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways. And this kind of walking is highly commended :-These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and Noah walketh with God. To the fame purpose is that declaration, concerning Zacharias and Elizabeth; they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

t

Befides, walking before the Lord has been abundantly rewarded; and therefore fays the Pfalmift, Great is their peace who love thy law, and nothing ball offend them; and in keeping thy commandments there is a great reward. How diftinguished a reward did the righteous Lord beflow on the pious Enoch? And Enoch walketh with God, and he was not, for God took him. And fuch will be the reward of all, who walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Sooner or later God will take them home to himself.

Secondly, I am to fhew, why our inward affection to God must be declared by our outward conversation. This will appear from the following confiderations.

1. In this way God is glorified. By a holy practice, we fhew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light? and thus, Men may fee our good works, and glorify our Father who is in Heaven. The more fruitful we are in good works, the more is God our maker glorified; for herein, fays our Lord, iş, my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. Now, what can be more defirable than to honour the glorious Father of our spirits? A fon honoureth his father, faith a prophet, and a fervant his mafter. Shall we then call thofe men fons of God, and fervants of the Moft High, who are regardless of the glory of God, and remain unmoved by a motive so good and powerful? Since walking piously glorifies God, all who have an inward affection for him will carefully maintain good works. A due efteem of God is manifefted only by making him our fupreme end. And so we are directed by the Apostle Paul, to aim in all we do at the glory of God, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2. By an holy and righteous walk others are benefited....

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