The Beauty and Benefit of Early Piety (Volume 4); Represented in Several Sermons Preached to Young People, on New-Years Days (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1752. Excerpt: ... SERMON VI. Religious Friendship; or, young Persons directed in the Choice of their Companions. Psalm cxix. 63. J am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. ONE needs not consult the preceding Verses, in order to settle the Sense of our Text, nor search the Context to find the Connection; for this Psalm consists, for the most Part, of independent Sentences: every Verse, almost, is an intire Proposition of itself, which neither wants, nor admits of any Light from what goes before or follows it; only thus sar there is a Connection through the whole Psalm, that every Part, and every Verse of it suits the general Design, which is a pious Meditation on the Excellency of God's Law, and the Happiness of those that keep it; and this is intermixed with sundry Petitions suitable to such a Subject. Here the Psalmist coniiders, and describes that sacred Regard which a good s. a good Man bears to the law of God; as it is variously expressed, by his loving it, meditating upon it, delighting in the Study of it, and endeavouring, with all his Care, to keep it, and practise according to it. Again, in this Psalm, he views the Law of God in different Lights, as it many Ways tends to make a Man good and happy, both here and hereafter: it is a Lamp to his Feet, and a Light to his Paths, guiding lost Sinners in the Way to eternal Blessedness: it affords a good Man Support and Comfort in this Pilgrimage State, and helps him to prepare for a future and eternal Blessedness. So great was the pious Psalmist's Love to the Law of God, that he loved all who kept it, and chose such Persons only for his Companions and Friends; as he declares in our Text; I am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. The right Choice o...