Senn. I:XXXVIII. TheHolinefs of God. 665 Pvilgood ; that Sin, which is the vileft thing in theWorld, should be efteemed and cherith'd, and accounted a piece of gallantry; and reckon'd.amongft the Ex, cellencies and Accomplithments of Human Nature ;'and Holinefs, which is fo great a Perfection, Ihould be a Name of Hatred and Difgrace, to be contemned and perfecuted ; that that which is the Glory of Heaven, and the molt. radiant Perfection of the Divine Nature, should be matter of fcorn and contempt, . as the Apoftle fpeaks in another cafe, Behold! ye Defpifers, andwonder, andperifh. Do ye think the Holy and Juft God will put up thefe Affronts, and Indignities ? Ye do not only defpife men, but ye defpifeGodalfo. You cannot contemn that which God accounts hisglory, without reviling the Divine Nature, and offering defpite to God himfelf. The malice reachethHeaven, and is levell'd against God, when- ever ye flight Holinefs, 4. If God be a Holy God, and bath Inch a repugnancy in hisNature to fin, then this is matter of terror to wicked Men. The Holy God cannot but hate fin; and be an Enemy to wickednefs ; and the hatred of God is terrible. We dread the hatred of a great Man, becaufe where hatred is back'd with power, the Effe&s of it are terrible. But theHatred of the Almighty and Eternal God, is much more dreadful, becaufe the Erects of it are greater, and more lofting; than of the hatred of a weak mortal man. We know the utmoft they can do; they-Can but kill the body ; after that, they have no more that they can do ; they can- not hurt ourSouls ; they cannot followus beyond the Grave, and purfue us into another World : But the Effects of God's Hatred and Difpleafure are mighty and lafting, they extend themfelves to all Eternity ; for who knoweth the Power of his Anger ? Who can tell the utmoft of what Omnipotent Justice can do to Sin- ners e It is a dreadful thing to fall into the handsof the living God ; becaufe he that lives for ever, can punifh for ever. We are miferable, if God do not love us. Thofe words, my foul (hall have no pleafure in him, ftgnifie great mifery, and ex- brefs a dreadful Curfe; but it is a more pofitive expreflion of mifery, for God to. hate us ; that lignifiesRuin and Deliruction to the utmoft, Pfal. f. 4. Thou art not a God that bath pleafure in wickednefs, neither (hall evil dwell with thee. This is a aiwms, and expreffeth lefs than is intended. God is far from being of an indiffe- rent negative Temper towards fin and wickednefs therefore the Pfalmift adds, thou hateff all the workers of iniquity; and then in the next verfe; to Phewwhat is the effect of God's Hatred, thou fhalt de/lroy them that fpeak leafing., Therefore Sinner, fear and tremble at the thoughts of God's Holinefs. _S. Imitate the Holinefs ofGod; this is the Inference here in the Text,beye ho- ly ; for I arm holy. Holinefs, in one word, contains all the imitable Perfections of God; and when it is faid, be holy, 'tis as much as if he had faid, be ye Good, and Patient, and Merciful, and True, and Faithful ; for I am fo. Therefore Re- ligion is call'd the knowledge of the holy one, Prov. 9.1o. and Chap. 3o. 3. And our imitation of God is expresléd by our putting on the newman, which after God is created in righteoufnefs and true holinefs, Eph. 4. 24. Seeing then this is the chief Excellency and Perfection of God, and the fum of all the Perfections which we are to imitate; and wherein we are to endeavour to be like God, let us confortri our felves to the holy God ; endeavour to be habitually holy, which is our con- formity to the Nature of God ; and ai ually holy; which is our conformity to the Will of God. I will not enlarge upon- this, becaufe I have prefs'd the imitation of thefe particular Perfections, Goodnefs, Patience, Juftice, Truth, and Faith- fulnefs upon other Texts. I thall onlymention two Arguments, to excite and quicken our Defires and Endeavour after Holinefs. z. Holinefs is an imitation of the highefi Excellency and Perfection. Holinefr I told you, lgnifies a feparation from Sin and Vice, and all moral Imperfeétion, and consequently, doth comprehend and take in all the Moral Perfections of the Divine Nature, the Goodnefs, and Mercy, and Patience, and Justice, and Vera- city, and Faithfulnefs of God ; now thefe are the very Beauty and Glory of the Divine Nature. The firft thing that we attribute to God, next to his Being, is his Goodnefs, and thofe other Attributes which have a neceffary connection with it; for. his Greatnefs and Majefly is nothing elfe but the Glory which refults from QA cl his
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