The Life of Faith. 113 21. Sogood is Chritlianity, that it favoureth not any one_ fin, but is the greaten condemner of them all. It is all for knowledge againli hurtful ignorance ; it isall for humility agaiit all pride ; for felf denyal againli all injurious 'felfifhnefs ; for hi rituality, and the dominion of trueReafon, againtt fenfuality and the dominion of the fleth; for beavenlinefs againtt a worldly mind ; for fincerity and fimplicity againti all bypocrifie and deceit ; for love againti malice ; for unity and peace againtt divifions and contentions ; for juffice and lenity in fuperiours, and obedience and patience in inferiours ; for faithfulncfs in all relations ; Its precepts extend to fecret as well as open pra- &ices ; to the defires and thoughts, as well as to the words and deeds : It allowcth not a thought, or word, or ghost, which is ungodly, intemperate, rebellious, injurious, unchafte, or co- vetous or uncharitable, Mat. 5. 22. All the troublefome part of our Religion, is but our warfare againd evil ; againft fin, and the temptations which would make us fnful: And it mull needs begood, if all the confli&ing part of it be only againft evil, Gal. 5. 17, 21, 23. Rom. 6. &7. &8.1,7,8,9,10,13. 23. It teachcthus the only way to live in the greatef and moticonffant joy. If we attain not this, it is bccaufe we fol- low not its precepts. If endlefs joy forefcen, and all the forefaid merciesin the way, are not matter for continual de- light, there is nogreater to be thought on. Rejoycing alwaies in the Lord, even inour tharpeft perfecutions, is a great part ofReligious duty, Phil. 3, 1, & 4.4. Pfal. 33. 1. Zech. 10.7. Mat. 5.11, 12. Deut. 12. 12, 18. 24. It overcomcth both thedanger and the fear of death; and that mull be good, which conqucreth fo great an evil; and maketh the day of the ungodly's fears, and utter mifery, tobe the day of our defire and felicity, Rom. 6. 23. Cor, 15.55. Col. 3. 1, 4. Phil. 3.21. 25. It obligeth'all the Rulers of the world 'to ufe all their power to do good; aiming all fin within their reach; and to make their fubjeás happy both in body and in foul, Rom. r ;. 3, 4 5, 6. 26. . ItappointethChurches to beSocietiesofSaints, that ho- linefs and goodaefs contbfised' may be Nang and bononrable, I Coi.
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