Abernathy - Houston-Packer Collection BX9178.A33 S4 1748 v.2

Of Godlinefs. toy and again*, not every one that faith unto SEAM. me, Lord, Lord, 'hall enter into the king- VIII. dom of heaven, íhall be accounted a real chriflian and godly perfon, an approved wor- (hipper of God, or profeffor of religion, and rewarded as fuch, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. As the laws of God, the dictates of eternal reafon and truth are the tranfcript of his own moralperfedions, it amounts to the fame thing, if we fay that godlinefs comprehends the imitation of thofe perfe &ions, and that they only are godly per- fons whofe tempers and converfations are formed to a refemblance of the reäitude and goodnefs of the divine nature ; they who are followers of God as dear children who are holy in all manner of converfation, as be is ho ly, pure and per feel as their heavenly Father is, kind, compafíìonate and merciful, after his example. This doElrine has been always taught in the true church, and care taken to prevent men's falling into that, fatal error of placing the all of religion in aEts of devotion, while they neglected that much more fubflantial proof of refpe& to the Deity, the imitating of his righteoufnefs and mercy. The Pfalm, Mat, vi, zE. in

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