664 The :t c> inefs ofGod. Vol. I. one to another. Light and Darknefs are oppofed , as Habit and Privation ; if Light be pleafant and comfortable, then Darknefs is difmal and horrid. And fo Holinefs and Sin are oppofed ; if Holinefs be the higheft Perfection of any Na. ture, then Sin is the grand Imperfection and the loweft Debafementof any Being; becaufe it is the moft oppofte to that , and at the furtheft Diftance from that which is the firft Excellencyand Perfection. This fhould rectify our Judgment. and Efteem of Things and Perlons. We ad- mire and efteem Riches, and Power, and Greatnefs ; and we fcorn and contemn Poverty, and Weaknefs, and Meannefs; yea; Grace and Holinefs, if it be in the Company of thefe. We are apt to reverence and value the Great, and the Rich, and the Mighty of this World, the they be Wicked ; and to defpife the poor Man's Wifdom and Holinefs: But we make a falfe Judgment of Things and Perlons. There is nothing that can be a Foundation of Refpect, that ought to command our Reverence and Eiteem, but real Worth and Excellency and Per-. fee-lion ; and according to the Degrees of-this, we ought to beftow our Refpe t, and raife our efteem. What St. James faith of refpefl ofPerfons, I may apply in this Cafe, yam. z. 4. Areyenot then partial in yourfelves, and become judges of evil thoughts? We are extreamly partial; we make a falle Judgment, and Reafon ill concerning Things, when we admire gilded Vices, and Wickednefs exalted to high Places ; I mean ungodly rich Men, and ungodly great Men; for wicked Men they are properly ungodly, unlike to God ; and when we contemn poor, and mean, and afflicted Holinefs, and Piety. Were but our Eyes open, and our Judgment clear and unprejudic'd, we fhould feeabeauty and refplendency in Good- nefs ; even when it is under the greateft difadvantage, when it is cloathed with R,aggs, and fits upon a Dunghill; it would fine ne through all thefe Mills, and we fhould fee a Native Light and Beauty in it, through the darknefs of a poor and low Condition:. And we fhould fee Wickednefs to be a moft vile and abjell thing, when it appears in all its gallantry and bravery;we fhould lookupon the poor righte- ous Man, as more excellent than his Neighbour; and the prophane Gallant, as the off. fcouring of theEarth. We fhould value a Man that does juflice, and loves mercy, and(peaks the Truth tohis Neighbour; we fhould efteem any one more upon the Account of any one of thefe Pimple Qualities, than we would another Man, de- flitute ofthefe, upon the account ofa Hundred Titles ofHonour, and tenThou- fand Acresof Land. A Wicked Unholy Man, he is a vile Perfow, who defèrves to be contemned ; and a holy man he is the right honourable. PEAL r 5. 4. In whole Eyes a vile Perfon, is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. The vileperfon is oppofed to him thatfears the Lord. He that is bold to affront God, and fin againfi him, is the bate and ignoble Perfon. God himfelf, who is pofleft of all Excellency and Perfection, and therefore knows belt how to judge of thefe, he tells us howwe fhould value our felves and others, 5ter. 9. a3, ì4. Let not the wife man glory in his Wifdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; bet not the rich manglory in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he under- flandeth andknoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercife loving-kindnefs, judgment, and righteoufnefs in the earth: for in thefe things I delight, faith theLord. To know thefe Divine Qualities and Perfections, liignifìes here, to underhand them fo as to imitate them. I do not fpeak this to bringdown the value ofany that are advan- ced in this World, or to lefTTen the refpect which is due to them ; I would have nothing undervalued, but Wickednefs and Vice; and I would have thofe who have ftore of worldly Advantages to recommend them, to add Religion to their Riches, and Holinefs to their Honour, that they may be.currcnt for their intrinfck value, rather than for the Image and Pifiare of worth which the World hath ftamp'd upon them. 3. If Holinefs be the chief Excellency and Perfection of the Divine Nature, then what an abfurd and unreafonable thing is ir, to fcorn and defpife Holinefs, to mock and deride Men under this veryTitle .! TheWorld is muchblinded, that they do not fee the great Evil of Sin, and the Beauty and Excellency ofHolinefs but that Men fhould be fo infatuated, as to change the nature of things, and to miflake things of fo vaft difference, as Sin and Holinefs ; to call Good Evil, and Evil
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