Confidence towards Cod, explained. 367 in the New Teftament, it would be a firong S ER M. prejudice againft it; for what man, atten- ,XIV. tively confidering the conftitution of his own `` .mind, will believe that there is, or can be, any juft ground ofhope towards God, while his heart doth not acquit him of hypocrify and iniquity ? or who that underftandeth and is perfuaded of the divine moral attri- butes, without which religion is loft, both natural and revealed, can think that God would require men to receive a principle which directly tendeth to overturn the obli- gations of morality, which our Saviour ex- preflly difowneth, for he, near the beginning of his minifiry, telleth a great affembly, that He came not to defiroy the law, but to fulfil it. But that this is not the doctrine of the facred writers, my text is a plain proof, and fo are many other of their declarations. Muff not every one who dealeth fairly by, the gofpel, and confidereth it impartially, be convinced that the defign of it is what St. Paul faith it is, namely, to teach us, that denying ungodlinefs, . and worldly lugs, ,we fhould live foberly, righteoufly, and godly, in this prefent world ; and upon that founda- tion only look with confidence for the bred hope. Is not the favour of God conftantly promifed to the virtuous and good, and his wrath
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