372 IIOLINESS NECES purity of heart. Soalso it hath the promises of this life, and that in thingstemporal and spiritual. In things tem- poral, we may take out, from amongst many, that espe- cial instance given us by the Psalmist: Blessed is he that çonsidereth the poor. Wisely to consider the poor in their distress, so as to relieve them according to our a- bility, is a great act and duty of holiness. He that cloth this, saith the Psalmist, he is a blessedman. Whence cloth that blessedness arise, and wherein doth it consist? It cloth so in a participation of those especial promises which God bath annexed unto this duty, even in this life: o The Lord will deliver him in the time of trou- ble; the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, " and he shall be blessed on the earth; and thou wilt a' not deliver him into the hand of his enemies; the a Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languish- ing; and thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness," Ysal. xli. 1, 2, 3. Many especial promises in the most important concerns of this life, are given unto the right discharge of this one duty: For godliness bath the pro- mise ofthis life. And other instances might be multi- plied unto the same purpose, It is so also with respect unto things spiritual. So the apostle Peter having re- peated a long chain of graces, whose exercise he pre- senteth unto us, adds for an encouragement, Ifye do these things, ye shall never fall, 2 Peter i. 10. The promise of permanency in obedience, with an absolute preservation from all such fallings into sin as are incon- sistent with the covenant of grace, is affixed unto, our diligence in holiness. And who knows not how the scripture abounds in instances of this nature? That which we conclude from hence, is, that together with the command of God requiring us tobe holy, we should consider the promises wherewith it is accompanied, SARY FROM R.C. (among other things,) as an encouragement unto the cheerful performance of that obedience, which the com- mand itself makes necessary. Sect. 37. Wherefore the force of this argument is evident, and exposed unto all. God bath in this matter positively declared his will, interposing his sovereign authority commanding us to be holy; and that on 'the penalty of his utmost displeasure; and he bath there. withal given us redoubled assurance, (as in a case wherein we are very apt to deceive ourselves) that be we else what 'we will, or can be, without sincere ho. !Mess, he will neither own us, nor have any thing to do with us. Be our gifts, parts, abilities, places, dig, nities, usefulness in the world, profession, outward du- ties what they will, unless we are sincerely holy, which we may not be, and yet be eminent in all these things, we are not, we cannot, we shall not be accepted with God. Sect. 38. And the Holy Ghost is careful to obviate a deceit in this matter, which he foresaw would be apt to put itself on the minds of men. For, whereas the foundationof our salvation in ourselves, and the hinge whereon the whole weight of it doth turn, is our faith, men might be apt to think, that if they have faith, it will be well enough with them, although they are not holy. Therefore, because thisplea and pretence of faith is great, and apt to impose on the minds of men, who would willingly retain their lusts, with an hope and ex- pectation of heaven, weare plainly told in the scripture, that that faith which is without holiness, without works, without fruits, which can be so, or is possible that it should be so, is vain; not that faith which will save our souls, but equivocally so called, that may perish foreeca with those in whom it is,
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