584 Concerning ovr imitation y0 l. I. If we would preferve in the Minds of Men any reverence and'efleem for Re- ligion, we mutt take heed how we dearoy the Principles of Natural Religion, and undermine the Peace andHappinefs of Human Society, for the glory of God, and under pretence of following Divine Revelation, and being led by a Church that cannot err : for every Church loth certainly err, that teacheth any thing plainly contrary to the Principles and Dictates of Natural Religion, and utterly inconfiitent with the effential Perfeaions of God, and with the Peace and Order of the World : for God is not the Godof Confufon, but of Order ; which St. Paul appealeth to, as a Principle of Eternal Truth, and naturally known : But they that pretend that Religion prompts Men to Sedition and Cruelty, do reprefent God as the God of confufion, and not of order. Therefore whatever Men may through an ignorant zeal, or for ambitious Ends, pretend to be Religion ; let us place it in that which is u.nqueaionable, the imi- tation of the Divine Perfellions, and let us (as the Apoflle exhorts) put on, as the Elea of God, bowels of mercy, kndnefs, meeknefs, long-fufering, and aboovye ail, let us put on Charity, which is thevery bond of perfediim. The great Perfe&ion of the Divine Nature, or rather the very Enence of God is Love. So St. john fpeaks, God is love, and he that ilwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, andGod in him. And 'tis very remarkable that in thefe very qualities of Charity, and Kindnefs, and Compaffìon, which we peculiarly call Humanity, we approach neareft to the Divinity it fell, and that the contrary Difpofitions do transform us into wild Beans and Devils. And yet as feverely as I fpeak againn thefe Principles and Practices, I have an hearty pity and companion for thote'who are under the power of fo great a De- lufion, and upon a pretence ofbeing made the only true Chrillians in the World, are feduced from Humanity it felf, and fo far from being made good Chriflians.by thefe Principles, that they are hardly left to be Men ; being blinded, and led by the blind, they fall into the ditch of the groffeft and fouled Ìmmoralities ; filch as are plainly enough condemn'd by the light of Nature, if there were no Bible in the World. Not but that we Proteflants have our Faults and our Follies too, and thofe (God knows) too many and too vifible ; we poffefs more Truth, but there is little Peace among us; and yet God is as well and as often in Scripture called the God of Peace, as the Godof Truth. In this great Light and Liberty of the Reform'd Religion, we are apt to be wanton, and toquarrel and fall out ; we are full of Heats and Animofities, of Schifms and Divifons, and the way ofpeace we havenot known.God grant that at !aft in thisour Day (when it concernsus fo much) we may know the things that belong toour Peace, before they be hid fromour eyes. You fee in what things the Praáice of Religion mainly confias, in our like- nefs to God, and refemblance of him in Holinefs and Goodnefs ; and without this we are utterly incapable of happinefs : we cannot fee God-, unlefs we be like him. The Prefence of Go.j can adminiaer no Pleafure, no Felicity to us, till we be changed into his Image ; till we come to this temper, to hate Sin, and delight in purity and holinefs, we can have no delightful communion with the Holy God ; till our Pallions be fubdued, and our Souls difpofièa of thofe devi- lifh and ungodlike Qualities of Hatred and Malice, of Revenge and Impatience, and till we be endued with the Spirit of univerfal Goodnefs and Charity, we are not fit company for our Heavenly Father ; we are not qualified to dwell with God, who is love anddwellsin love. So far as we aredefeóive in thefe DivineQualities and PerfeEtions, fo far we fall fhort of the temper of Happinefs. There is a dire and eternal Oppofition between the holy and good God, and the evil difpofitions of wicked Men, and till this Oppofition be removed, it is impoff]ble we Ihould find any felicity in the enjoyment of God. Now the Nature of God is fix'd and unchangeable, God cannot recede from his own Perfeaion, and therefore we mull quit our fins : Thou canif not change God, therefore change thy felf, and rather think of putting off thy corrupt Nature, which may be chan- ged, than of altering the Divine Nature, withwhom is no variablenefs norfhadow of turning_ God condefcended to take our Nature upon him, to make us capable of Happinefs ; but if this will not do, he will not put off his own nature to make us happy. SERMON
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=