c1 Difcarrrfeaftrue happineffe. all Schoole Divines; and very found and Orthodox in true Divinitie. ,The iniquitie,defe6ls,or exorbitancy ofany parti- lar, ofone eircumflance makesh anaólion evill : but an ab- folute integritié of all concurrents is reputed to make a. good worke acceptable to God, comfortable and profitable to a Chrillian : The endmull be good, theglory ofGod; the a6lion it felfin its ownnature mull be juil and warrantable ;. the circumllances honefl and feafonable;. the meane.s dire6l, and lawfull; the fountaine,theheart,fincereand fan6lified.If this latl be wantingefpecialIy, though otherwifeit be never foglorioully conveyed, never fo wifely mannaged, ofnever. fo goodly a thew to theeies ofthe world; yet it isnot onely marred and defaced, 'and no a6lion of grace, but odiousand abominable in the light of God. The Moraliosby the light of nature faw a truth proportionable to this, even in the a6lions of vertue: The truthand.worth wherofthey did cen- fure and efleeme, notby thebareoutward a6lion, but by the inward,. free and independent uprightneffe of the mind;. And therefore toan a6lion truely vertuous they required a refolved knowledge, an irrefpe6tive and advifed freedome offpirit, a conoant andreafie habite of the mind, an entire love to the fairenefle of vertue. So that whatfoever honefl a&ions fprung from pallion, humour, feare, refpe6l, ambi- tion or the like ;. they accounted vertuous and good, onely by accident and occafion , not inwardly and effentially Whereupon they hold, that many great and honorable at- chivements of ancient Worthies amongfl the Heathens, howfoevertheywere admirable in the eies ofmen, and be- neficial' to the publike State (for fometimes out of fome fudden elevation offpirit,, or pang of vaine-glory, they were even prodigall of their lives and blond,. for thegood and deliverance oftheir Country :) yet to the authors and' a6lors themfelves they were not the true workes of ver- tue, but ofambition, and a delire of immortal" fame.. It is evento in the highera6lions ofgrace and religion : Betides the outward performance, God requires finceritie of heart,. and truth in the inward parts, to make them gracious and acceptable:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=