7he Harmony of the Vivine Attributes r<-.A./"'1 Fourth~], He bath prerented the firongefi Inducements and Motives to perruade us 10 Chap. 16. be Holy. VV'\..1 F;rjl, He bath given 10 Men the mofi perfefl: Laws as the Rule of Holiners. The principal parts of the Holy Life, are, ceajing from evil and doing weU, Ira. 1. 16, 17. Now the Commands of Chrifi refer to the purifying of us from Sin, and the adorning us with all Graces for the difcharge of our univerral Duty. 1. They enjoyn a rea l and ~bro!ute feparation, ji-on1 aUjiltbinefs of the Flefh and Spirit, ~Cor. 7· 1. The outward and mward Man mufi becleanfed, not on ly from Poll utions of a deeper .dy, but from all Carnallity and Hypocriry. The Grace ofGod that brings Salvation_ h&th ttppeared to tlUMen, teachi11g them to do1J Vngod/inefl, a11d worldly L11jh, Tit. 2. 11 , 12. All ;hofe irregular and impetuo.us Deltres which are raifed by worldly Objelts, Honours, Rtches and Plearures, and retgn m worldly Men; Pnde, Covetoufners and Voluptuoufners. TheGofpel ismoficlear, full and vehement, for the true and inward Mortification of the whole Body of Corruption, ofevery particular darling Sin. "It commands us to pl•ck, unt the right E7e, and to cut off tbe right Hand, Mat. 5· 29, 30. that is, to part with every grateful and gainful Lufi. It obliges us to crHcijj the Flefh, with the AJfeOionr and L~tjlr, Gal. 5· 2 ·, 11. The Laws of Men regard external Altions as prejudicial to Societies: But of Thoughts and Rerolutions that break not forth into att, there can be no humane accufation and judgment; they are exempted from the Jurifdiltion of the Magifirate. But the Law of Chrifi reforms the Powers of the Soul, and all the mofi fecret and inward motions that depend upo_n t~em .. It forbids the firfi i:re_gular I':'preffions of ~h~ carnal Appetite. We mufi hate Sm m al11ts degrees, firangle It m the Bmh, defiroy 11 m the conception. We are enjoined to fly the appearances and acce!fes of evil; whatever is of a furpicious Nature and not fully confifient with the Purity of the Gofpel , and whatever invites to Sin and expofes us to the Power of it, becomes vicious, and mu{\ be avoided, That glori: ous Purity, that fi1all adorn the Church when our Redeemer prefents it without {pot or wrinkje, or anJfitchthing, Ephef. 5· 27. every Chriflian mufi afpire to in this Life. In fhort, the Gorpel commands us to be HofJ"' God;. HofJ, 1 Pet. 1. 1 5· who is infinitely difiant from the leaf\ conceivable Pollution. · o. The Precepts of Chri.fi contain all folid fubflantial Goodnefs, that is e!fentially nece!fary in order to our rupreme Happinefs, and pr~pares us for the Life of Heaven. In his Sermon on the Mount,he commands to us Humility, Meekners and Mercy, Peaceableners and Patience, and doing good for evil, which are fo many. Beams of God's Image, ~r~!;~~?i~h:s ~~~ec;e~~~b~~ ;:;.o~u:ret:~~:~tc~:illl~~~~· wZ.~J.,~~:t tZ~;;r;~e~~;,~ Phil. 4· -8. Truth is the principal Charalter of our Profeffion, and is to be exprefi in our Words and Atl:ions: J'Vhatfoever thing1 are honefl., or venerable, i. e. anfwer the Dignity of our High-calling, and agree with the Gravity and Comelinefs of the Chrifiian Profeffion: Whatfoever things are j,ifl, according to Divine and Humane Laws: Whatfoever ~~;i{; ~rjfh:~fo:~r~hi~g~r;;~rl:~e~~:~~f~o~~:e~o~~~· r~:e~~~~e~e;r~1~".nT{b~~ ~~:!at~~: ltive in the view of Men, asealtnefs to pardon, a readinefs to oblige, Compaffion to the affiilted, liberality to the neceffitous, fweetnefs of Converfation without gall and bitterners; there are ot univerral efieem with Mankind, and fnften the mofi ravage tempers: If there be any Vert~te, and if there be any Praife, think on theft thiltgs. And St. Peter excites Believers, to join to their Faith, by which the Gofpel of Chrifi is embrac'd, intelleltual and moral Vertues, without which 'tis but a vain PiQ:ure of Chrifiianity: Add to yo11r Faith Ver/Jte, and to Vert11e Knrmledge, and to Knowledge Tempenmce, ttnd to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godlinefs, and to Godlinefs Brotherlj-Kindn,fs, and to BrotherfJKindnefs Charity, 2 Pet. 1. 5· He enforces the Command; Give aU diligence that thefe things ahound in you, and ye pJa.U neither be b~:rren nor mtfrllitfitl in the Kn()W/edge of Chrift. Now there Graces purify and perfelt, refine and raire the humane Nature, and without a Command thei r Goodnefs is a firong Obligation. I will take a more diflinlt view of the Precepts ofChrifi as they are fet down in that excellent Abridgment of them by the Apoflle. The Grace of God that bringeth S•lvatif!ll hath appeared to aU Men, teaching us, that denying V>~godlinefs and wordfJ Lufts, we fhould live Soberly, Righteoujly, and Godly ilt th;. prefent World, Ttt. 2. 11, 12. Here is a diflribution of our Duties with rerpell: to their feveral Objects, our felves, others and God. The fir{\ are regulated by Temperance, the fecond by Jufiice, the tll.ird by c'odliners. And from the accomplifhment of there is formed that Holinefs witb.out which no Man {h~Jl fee God. r. In
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