Of the Blfdnefs of the Pure in Heart. 359 true felicity dependeth, is under no juft di- S E R M. retion. XIII, In a word, the purity of the heart c on- "--"I'd fifteth in fimplicity and godly fincerity, a deliverance from prevailing pailions, vicious propenfities, and irregular affetions, fo that the mind is impartially difpofed to attend to the clear evidence of truth and duty, and to follow its dire &ion. But it doth not Rand in a precife point, it admitteth of various degrees, and we fhould always endeavour to make progrefs in it. No man in this im- perfe± fiate is fo happy as to be wholly free from the leaft degree of infincerity, that is, of a fecret bias on his mind mifleading him on particular occafions. Habitual fin- cerity is the habitual prevalence of good af- fèétions, and a general governing difpofition to do whatever we can difcover to be right, This is abfolutely necefiary to our accept- ance with God and feeing him. AEtual fin cerity is an impartial difpofition to difcover what is right, and to do it in the prefent parti- cular infl.ance ofour conduct, having our minds unbiafed and free from the mifleading influ. ence of any paflion, or any private and felfifh motive whatever. This we fhould always aim at and endeavour to grow in it ; then fhall we afïure our hearts as pure before God, and A a 4 the
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