Abernathy - Houston-Packer Collection BX9178.A33 S4 1748 v.3

the E, cellency of Taifdotn. 35 ever things are true, and pure, and jufl, S E R M: and honed, and lovely, I cannot think he II means that thefe things are fo becaufe pre - "-^1a fcribed as duty in the word of God, confi- dered as a divine law ; for then he would have expreffed himfelf more plainly and in- telligibly thus ; whatfoever things are com- manded, think on thefè things ; and though the very fame things are enjoined by the fupreme authority of God; and inforced by the gofpel motives, by which they derive a new obligation upon the mind of man ; yet honefly and turpitude, lovelinefs and de- formity, are charaElers of actions which can have no reference to legiflative authority, but purely to that impreflion of moral excellence which is made deep in the human heart. Befides, the character of excellent is in a peculiar, and indeed the higheft fenfe, ap- plied to God's laws and to himfelf, which thews that it is not to be underflood to be fixed by a pofitive declaration of his will ; for if it were, when it is laid that his laws are excellent, and himfelf an excellent Be- ing, the meaning would be, that his laws are, and himfelf is, jufl what he pleafes ; which is in effect to fay, that his moral perfe Lions are not effential to him. It re- mains then, that the original idea of excel - D 2 lence

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