568 Concerning the Perfec`ion of God. Affurance of the reality of a future State, and of the Rewards and Punifhments of it, the Greatnefs and Eternity of thefe is fuch an amazing Confideration that no diflance can render them inconfiderable to a prudent and thinking Man. And tho' the Men of the World have an entire Principle, which is not divided between God and the World ; whereas in good Men there is a great conflict of contrary Principles, the Flefh and Spirit : yet this difadvantage is likewife balanced by that powerful A(Lflance of God's Grace, which is promifed to all good Men, who heartily beg it of him, and are fincerely refolved to make ufe of it. And lofily, tho' the Men of the World have many Ways to compafs their Ends; yet the Children of Light have one great and infallible one. All the Means which the Men of the World ufe to accomplifh their Defigns, may fail and mifcarry ; for the Race is not to the fwift, nor the Battel to the Jlrong, nor yet Bread to the wife, nor Riches to Men of unr/rJlanding, nor Favour to Men of skill ; but time and chance happen to all : but he that fincerely ferves God, and ufeth the Means for the at- taining of Everlafting Salvation, is fore to attain it ; if we feek the Righteouf- nefs of God as we ought, we ¡hall certainly be admitted into his Kingdom. And this furely is an unfpeakable Advantage which the Children of Light have above the Children of this World, that if we faithfully ufe the Means, we cannot fail of the End ; if we have our Fruit unto Hahne's, our End (ball le Everlafling Life ; which God of his Infinite Goodnefs grant to us all, for his Mercy's fake. SERMON LXXVI. Concerning the Perfeéion of God. MATTH. V. 48. Be ye therefore perfec?, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfecrt. TIL H E S E words are the Conclufon which our Saviour draws from thofe Precepts ofgreaterperferlion, than any Laws that were extant in the World before. Ver. 44. Ifay unto you, love your Enemies, biefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, andpray for thofe that defpitefully ufeyou, andperfecute yon. And to perfwade them hereto, he propounds to them the Pattern of the Divine Perfetlion ; telling them, that being thus affected towards their Enemies, they fhould refemble God, y. 45. That ye may be the Children of your heavenly Father ; for he maketh the Sun to rife on the evil, and on the good, andfendeth Rain on thejug, andon the unju/i. And then he tells us, that if we benot thus affedfed towards our Enemies, and thofe that have been injurious to us, we are fo far from being like God, that weare but juft level with the wort of Men, ver. 46, 47. For ifye love them which loveyou, what rewardhave you? do not even the Publicans the fame ? Andif ye falote your Brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the Publicans fo ? And then concludes, that if we would attain that perfetlion which theChri- fiian Religiondeigns to advance Men to, we muff endeavour to be like God in thefe perfetlions of Goodnefs and Mercy, and Patience; Be ye therefore perfid, as your Father which is in Heaven is perfetl. In which words we have, Firß, The abfolute Perfetlion of the Divine Nature fuppofed ; as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. Secondly, It is propounded as a Pattern to our imitation. Be ye therefore perfetl, &c. In handling of thefe words, I fhall do thefe four things,, I. Confider
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