26 Religion and Virtue, S E R M. the dominion of confcience over the lower I. appetites and paflions is abfolutely neceffary to preferve the harmony of nature ; and that the moft folid and permanent peace and joy, fpring from the love and obfer- vance of God's laws. And as wifdom is profitable to dire& men to the profecution of the molt worthy ends, another part of its province is chuffing the beft means for attaining them ; and this alto appeareth in religion. Its directions principally turn up- on the pra&ice of piety and virtue ; and what better and more natural way can there be for arriving at perfeftion in any thing, than pradifing that wherein we would be perfect ? If we would hope to be finally bleffed in beholding God's face in righte- oufnefs, what better preparation can there be for it, than, when we behold the glory of the Lord, difplayed in his word, to be changed into his image, to become parta- kers of a divine nature, and, cleanfing our- felves from the filthinefs of the flefh and fpirit, to perfect holinefs in his fear ; thus to grow up gradually, by a continual progrefs in every religious virtue, to a meetnefs for the inheritance of the faints in light. True it is, that through the prejudices which are natural
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=