666 The Holinefs of God: Vol. I. his unitedPerfethons, efpecially from his Goodnefs, and thofe Perfeátions which are a-kin to it. Separate from God thefe Perfeétions which Holinefs includes in it, and what would be left but an OmnipotentEvil, an Eternal BeinginfinitelyKnow- ing, and infinitely able to do mifchief ? which is as plain and notorious a Con; tradiotion, and as impoffible a thing as can be imagin'd ; fo that if we have any fparks of ambition in us, wecannot but afpire after Holinefs, which is fo great an Excellency and Perfe&ion of God himfelf. There is a vulgar prejudice againit Holinefs, as if it were a poor mean thing, and below a great and generous Spi- rit ; whereas Holinefs is the only true greatnefs of Mind, the moft Genuine Nó- bility, and the higheft gallantry of Spirit ; and however it be defpifed by Men,' it is of a Heavenly Extra%ion, and Divine Original. Holinefs is the firft part of the Character of the wifdom that is from above. Jam. 3. 17. The wifdom that is from above, isAll pure, then peaceable, gentle, andeàfte to be intreated, full ofmer. cy, andgood fruits, withoutpartiality, and without hypocrifie. t. Holinefs is an of ential andprincipal ingredient of Flappinefs. Holinefs is a Rate of Peace and Tranquility, and the very Frame and Temper of Happinefs ; and without it, the Divine Nature, as it would be imper£ed, fo it would be mi- ferable. If the Divine Nature were capable of Envy, or Malice, or Hatred, or Revenge, or Impatience, or Cruelty, or Injuftice, or Unfaithfulnefs, it would be liable to Vexation and Difcontent, than which nothing can be a greater diftur- bance of Happinefs : fo that Holinefs is neceffary to our Felicity and Content- ment ; not only to the happinefs of the next life, but to our prefent Peace and Contentment. If reafonable Creatures could be happy, as brute Beafts are in their degree, by enjoying their depraved Appetites, and following the DiEtates. of Senfe and Fancy, God would not have bound us up to a Law and Rule, but have left us as he hath done unreafonable Creatures, to fatisfie ourLofts and Ap: petites, without check and controul : but Angels and Men, which are reafonable Creatures, have the Notions of Good and Evil, of Right and Wrong, of Come- linefs and Filthinefs, fo woven and twitted into their very Natures, that they can never be wholly defaced, without the ruin of their Beings ; and therefore it is impoffible that fuch Creatures fhould be happy otherwife, than by complying with thefe Notions, and obeying the Natural Diáates and Suggeftions of theirMinds ; which if they negledt, and go againfi, they will naturally feelRe- morfe and Torment in their own Spirits ; their Minds will be uneafie and unquiet; and they will be inwardly grieved and difpleafedwith themfelves for what they have done. So the Apoftle tells us, Rom. t. That even the moft degenerate Hea- thens had Confciences which did accufe, or excufe them, according as they obeyed, or did contrary to the Dic ates of Natural Light. God therefore, who knows our frame, hath fo adapted his Law to us, which is the rule of Holinefs, that if we live up to it, we (hall avoid the unfpeakable torment of a guilty Confcience ; whereas, if we do contrary to it, we (hall always be at difcord with our felves, and in a perpetual difquiet of Mind ; for nothing can do contrary to the Law of its Being, that is, to its own Nature, without difpleafure and reluaancy, the con- fequence of which, in Moral Aétions, is Guilt, which is nothing elfe, but the Trouble and Difquiet which arifèth in ones Mind, from confcioufnefs of having done fomething that contradiâs the perfeiive Principle of his Being, that is, fomething which did not become him, and which, being what he is, that, is areal finableCreature, he ought not to do. So that in all reafonable Creatures there is a certain kind of Temper and Difpoft- tion that is neceffary and effiì,tial to Happinefs, and that is Holinefs ; which as it is the Perfeilion, fo it is the great Felicity of the Divine Nature : And on the con- trary, this is one chief part of the Mifery of thofe wicked and accurfed Spirits the Devils, and of unholy Men, that theyare of a'temper contrary to God, they areEnvious, and Malicious, and Wicked, that is, of fuck a temper as is natural- ly a Torment and Difquiet to it felf ; and here the foundation of Hell is laid in the evil difpofitions ofour Spirits, and till that be cured, which can only be done by Holinefs, 'tis as impoffible for a wicked Man to be happy, and contented in himfelf, as it isfor aSick Man to be at cafe ; and the externalprefence of God, and
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