PART III, of gracious 4f/ ions. 147 III. Thofe Afle&lons that are truly Holy, are primarily founded on the Lovelinefs of the moralExceliency of divine Things. Or, (to exprefs it otherwife ) a Love to divine Things for the Beauty and Sweetnefsof their moral Excellency, is the firft Beginning and Spring of all holy Affe&ions. Here, for the fake of the more illiterate Reader, I will explain what I mean by the moral Excellency of divine Things. And it may be obferved that the Word Moral is not to be under- flood here, according to the common and vulgar Acceptation of the Word, when Men fpeak of Morality, and a moral Behaviour ; mean- ing an outward Conformity to the Duties of the moral Law, and efpecially the Duties of the fecond Table ; or intending no more at fartheik, than fuch feeming Vertues, as proceed from natural Princi- ples, in Oppofition to thofe Vertues that are more inward, fpiritual, and divine ; as the Honeffy, Juftice, Generofity, Good-Nature, and publick Spirit of many of the Heathen, are called moral Vertues, it Diftin&ion from the holy Faith, Love, Humility, and Heavenly- mindednefs of true Chrifl:ians : I fay the Word Moral is not to be underífood thus in this Place. But in order to a right underffanding what is meant, it muff be obferved, that Divines commonly make a Diffin&ion between mori;! Good and Evil, and natural Good and Evil. By moral Evil, they mean the Evil of. Sin, or that Evil which is againff Duty, and con- trary to what is right and ought to be. By natural Evil, they don't mean that Evil which is properly oppofed to Duty ; but that which is contrary to meer Nature, without anyRefpe& to a Rule of Duty. So the Evil of fuffering is called natural Evil, fuch as Pain, and Torment, Difgrace, and the like : Thefe Things are contrary to meer Nature, contrary to the Nature of both Bad and Good, hate- ful to wicked Men and Devils, as well as good Men and Angels. So likewife natural Defe&s are called natural Evils, as if a Child be monftrous, or a natural Fool ; thefe are natural Evils, but are not moral Evils, becaufe they han't properly the Nature of the Evil of Sin. On the other Hand, as by moral Evil, Divines mean the Evil of Sin, or that which is contrary to what is right ; fo by moral Good, they mean that which is contrary to Sin, or that Good in Beings who have Will and Choice, whereby, as voluntary Agents, they are, and ace, as it becomes 'em to be and to a&, or fo as is rnoft fit, and fui- table, and lovely. By natural Good they mean that Good that is entirely of a different Kind from Holinefs or Vertue, viz. That which perfe&s or fuits Nature, confidering Nature abffra&ly from any holy or unholy Qualifications, and without any Relation to any Rule or Meafure of Right and Wrong. Thus Pleafure is ,a natural Good ; fo is Honour ; fo is Strength ; fo is fpeculative Knowledge, human Learning, and Policy. Thus: L 2 there
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