2250 Religion, our frit and great Concernment. Vol. I. us to feektheRighteoufnefs of God, without which we (hall never enter into his Kingdom ; and tofollow Holirtefs, without which no man fhall fee the Lord., Thirdly, Let us always remember that Righteoufnefr is of a great extent, and comprehends in it all Goodnefs ; it takes in all the Duties of Religion, and the Practice ofall of them ; it is a Complication of all Graces and Virtues, of all the Parts and Ingredients, of all the Duties and. Offices of a goodMani To de- nominate a Man Righteous, all Caufes mutt concur ; all the Effential. Principles and Parts of Religion and Goodnefs mutt meet together 5 Knowledge and Pra- dice, Faith and Good Works, Right Opinions and Real Virtues, an Orthodox Profeffion and a Holy Life, abftaining from Sin and doing of Righteoufnefs, Purity of Heart andUnfpotted Manners, Gòdlinefs and Honefty, the Bridling of our Tongue, and the Government ofour Patfons, and above all things Chari- ty, which is the Band of Perfe5 !on. For Righteoufnefr is ourCònformity to the Law of God, as Unrighteoufnefs and Sin is the Tranfgreffìonof it : Now this, if it be real and fincere, will be uni- form and univerfal, equally refpe Ling all the Laws ofGod, and every part of our known Duty, and will not content it felf with an efpecial regard to one or two Precepts of.the Law, rho' never fo confiderable, and then allow it felfin the neglect and violation of the re(t, no nor with the Obfervationof the Duties of one. Table of the Law, if it overlook the other ; no, nor with Obedience to all the Commandments of God, one only excepted. St. James, hath put this very Cafe, and determined it, That he that fhall keep the whole Law, fave only that he offend inone point, is guilty of all ; that is, he is not fincere in his Obedience to the reff : And therefore if we feek the Righteoufnefr of God, our Righteoufnefs mutt be Univerfal.; as he that hath called us is holy, fo muff we be holy in all manner ofConverfation, in the Tenor of our Anions; and the whole Courfe of our Lives ; and any one reigning Sin and Vice, any grofs and notorious. Defect in the Virtues of a good Life, will (poil our Rigbteoufnefs, and will effe- dually (hut usoutof the Kingdom ofHeaven. Fourthly, Let ús wifely fubordinate the feveral Parts andDuties ofReligion to One another, according to the intrinfical worth and value of them, that fo we may mind every part of Religion in its due Place, and according to the true Na- ture and Importance of it. Knowledge and Faith are in order to Practice, and a good Life ; and fignify nothing, unlefs they produce that ; the Means of Re- ligion, filch as Prayer and Fatting, diligent Reading and hearing the Word ofGod, Reverent and Devout Receiving of the Bleffed Sacrament, are, of lefs Account and Value, than that which is the End ofall thefe, which is to make ús inwardly and reallygood, and fruitful in all the Works of Righteoufnefr, which by lefts Chrifi are to the traife and Gloryof God. And therefore the Means of Re- ligion which I have mentioned, are to be regarded and ufed by us, in order to the attaining of thefe Ends, without which they are \meer Formality and Hypo- crify, and in(teadof finding Acceptance with God, they are an Abomination to hint, and his, Soul hates them. And fo likewife the Circumftances of Religion are lefs confiderable than the fubftantial Meansand Irlruments of it. And therefore all Rites and Ceremo- nies are in Religion of lefs Confideration, than theSub(tance of God's Wor(hip, and ought always to be fubordinate to it. In like manner, the Moral Duties of Religion, comprehended under the two great Commandments of the love of God, andour Neighbour, becaufe they are ofEternal and Indifpenfible Obligation, are to be preferr'd toMatters of meer pofitive Inftitution ; and where they cannot Rand together, that which is pofitive ought to be fet slide, and to give way for the prefent to that which is moral and good in its own, Nature, and not only becaufe it is commanded and enjoyn'd ; for in this Cafe God hath exprefly declared, that he will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice. Upon which ground our Saviour declares, that the Law of the Sabbath ought to give place to Works of Mercy. Upon the fame account Peace and Charity are to be valued above Matters of Nicety and Scruple, of doubtful Difpute and
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