Serm.LXXVII. of the Divine Pedec`uions. yoke him every day,) and exercifeth towards us on purpofe to endear thofe Perfe- [lions to us,from which we reap fo much comfort and advantage ; that by the Pat- tern of PerfeElion it felf, and the Example of him who is fo much above us, no ways obliged to us, nor tyed by any Intereft to be concerned for us, and who being happy in himfelf neither hopes nor fears any thing from us ; I fay by an example that has all thefe advantages, we might be provok'd to be fo affe&ed towards one another (who have mutual Obligations one to another, and mutual Expe&ations of Good or Evil one from another) as we have always found God to be towards us, and as we defire he fhould Hill continue ; and miferable Crea- tures are we, whenever he ceafeth to be fo : And we have reafon to fear he will ceafe to be fo, if this example of his Goodnefs and Patience towards us, do not transform us into the Image of the. Divine Perfelions, and prevail upon us tó imitate thofe Excellencies, which we have fo much reafon to approve and ad- mire, and be in love withal. Thefe Confiderations taken both from ingenuity and intereft fhould awaken our floth, and flit. up our moft refolute and vigorous endeavours after that Per- f¿lion which our Saviour here requires, and make us afhamed of our lazycom- plaints, that our Duty is fet fo high, that theendeavours of our whole life can- not reach it ; when yet we have hardly made one ftep towards it, and are fo re- milsand unconcern'd about it, as if we could do it at any time with the greateft -cafe, and at an hours warning, before we leave the World, could fulfil this Pre- cept of our Lord, of king perfell as our Father which is in Heaven is Perfect. And yet let me tell you, fo far as any of us are from refembling our Heaven ly Father in force good degree and meafure, fo far are we diftant from Heaven, and the temper of the Bleffed fo far are we utterly unqualified for the blifsful fight and enjoyment of God : for unlefs we be firft like him, we cannot fee him as he is : Only the pure in heart (hall fee God, and therefore every Man that hat this hope in him, fhould purifie himfelf even as he is pure. And thus I have, as briefly as T could, difpatch'd the four things I propound- ed for the Explication of thisText ; namely, how we are to conceive of the Di- vine Perfeiions, and to give force Rules to regulate and govern our Opinions concerning the Attributes and Perfetfions of God ; to explain the extent of this Duty, and vindicate the poffibility of it. All that now remains, is to draw force ufeful Inferences from this Difcourfe which I have made ; and they (hall be thefe two. I. That the irongeft and fureft Reafonings in Religion, are grounded upon the Effential Perfeílions of God. II. That the trueft and moft fubftantial Pra&ice of Religion, confifts in the imitation of God. I. That the ftrongeft and fureft Reafonings in Religion are grounded upon the Effential Perfeiions of God ; fo that even Divine Revelation it felf doth fuppofe thefe for its Foundation, and can lignifie nothing to us, unlefs thefe be first known and believed, Unlefs we be firft perfwaded of the Providence of God, and his particular Careof Mankind, why fhould we believe that he would make any Revelation of himfelf to Men ? Unlefs it be naturally known to us, that God is true, what foundation is there for the belief of his Word ? And what lignifies the Laws and Promifes of God, unlefs natural Light do first afliureus of his So- sereign Authority and Faithfulnefs ? So that the Principles of Natural Religion, are the foundation of that which is Revealed ; and therefore in Reafon nothing Can be admitted to be a Revelation from God, which plainly contradi&s his Effential Poledion ; and confequently if any pretends Divine Revelation for this Do&rine, That God hath from all Eternity abfolutely decreed the Eternal Ruin bf the greateft part of Mankind, without any refpeót to the Sins and Demerits bf Men, I am as certain that this Do&rine cannot be of God, as I am fure that God is Good and Jult : becaufe this grates upon the Notion that Mankind have bf Goodnefs and Juffice. This is that which no good Man would do, and there- fore cannot be believedof infinite Goodnefs ; and therefore ifan Apoflle or Angel from Heaven teach any Doélrine which plainly overthrows the Goodnefs and Eeeex Juftice, 579
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