3 6o Of the Necef ty of goodWorks. Vol. II: pity in the World. But let us not deceive our felves ; This was always Reli- gion, and the condition of our acceptance with. God, to endeavour to be like God in Purity and Holinefs, in Juftice and Righteoufnefs, in Mercy and Good- nefs, to ceafe to do evil, and to learn to do well. And this you will find to be the confiant Doetrine of theHoly Scriptures, from the beginning of the Bible to the end. Gen. 4. 7. If thou doefl well, (halt thou not be accepted? Pfal. r5., r, 2. Lord, who (hall abide in thy tabernacle ? who fhall dwell upon thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketb righteoufnefs, andfpeaketh the truth fromhis heart. Pfal. 5o. 23. To him that ordereth his converfation aright, will I fbew the falva- tion of God. Ifa. s. i6, 17, a8. Wafh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from" before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, feek judg- ment, relieve the opprefed, judge the fatberlefs, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us realm together, faith the Lord, Though your fins be as . fcarlet, they fball be as white as Pow. Ifa. 3. to, i r. Say ye to the righteous, that it pa be well with him: for they fhall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it fball be ill with him : for the rewardof his bands fhall be given him. Micah 6. 8. He bath fhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do jufily, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? And our bleffed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount, tells us plainly what manner ofperfons we mutt be, ifever we hope to be happy, and to enter into the Kingdom ofGod ; and wherein his Religion confifts, in righteoufnefs, and puri- ty, and meeknefs, and patience, and peaceablenefs, and declares matt exprelly, that if we hope for Happinefs upon any other terms than the praftice of thefe Virtues, we build upon the fand. Ails: to. 34. Ofá truthIperceive, fays St. Peter there, that God is no refpetier of perfons ; but in every Nation, he that fearethGod, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him. Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatfoever a man foweth to the flefh, (hall of the flefb reap cor- ruption; but he that foweth to the fpirit, fhall of the fpirit reap life everleefling. Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for becaufe of theft things cometh the wrath ofGod upon the children of difobedience. 2 John 3.7. LittleáhiI- dren, let no man deceiveyou. He that loth righteoufnefs, is righteous,- even as be is righteous. And here in the Text, This is a faithful faying, citc. Thefe things aregood andprofitable to men, acceptable to God, and honourable to Religion, and the onlyway and means to eternal life, through the mercy and merits of Jefur Chrifl our bleffed Lord and Saviour. SERMON CLV. Of the Neceffity of good Works. TIT. III.8. This is a faithful Paying, and thefe things I will that thou affirm con- ffantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good Works. Theft things are good and profitable unto Men. The third j Come now to the Second thing I propofed, which was to anfwer an Objeftion Sermon on j or two, to which the preaching of this kind of Doftrine may feet liable. thuText. Fif, That this is to advance and fet up Morality. Secondly, 5
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