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which we are Indifpenfably required to give of our being filled with all wisdom and fpiritual understanding. It was the great Defign of our Bleffed Saviour's Manifestation in the flesh, to destroy the works of the Devil, to reduce us from the Dominion of Sin, and reftore us to the fimilitude of God, by the Conformity of our Lives to his Holy Will revealed from Heaven. Whofoever nameth the name of Chrift, does it Unprofitably and in Vain, if he fails of departing from all Iniquity. We can have no claim to the Privileges and Promises of the Gospel, but by our Fidelity in performing the Conditions of them. For we can have no Juft hope of entring into Life, but by keeping the Commandments, or, by taking effectual care, that our Lives be, as the Commandments themfelves are, Holy, and Juft, and Good. 'Tis the Highest excellency of Conduct which we are to arrive at, before our Converfation can be indeed fuitable to the Gofpel; For 'tis to be observed, that befides the Rules prefcribed to all our Outward actions, relating to God, our Neighbours, and our

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Selves, the Gofpel requires from us maInternal Qualities and Difpofitions, a great Variety of Graces, Tranfcendently Good in Themselves, as well as the Nobleft Principles and Foundations of Action; infomuch that they plainly carry along with them, an abundant Intrinfick Evidence of their own Divine authority: Their Perfection teftifies their Origin, and their Tendency fhews that they are from Above; For they Improve and Refine our nature, and raise it to the utmoft Perfection 'tis capable of, on this fide Heaven,

That this Argument therefore may leave the more useful and lafting Impreffions upon you, I fhall pafs on, from this General view of it, to a Short representation of as many of thofe Particular Graces, relating to it, as the Time will allow me to mention.

1. The First is Purity of heart. There is no true worth or excellence in the Faireft and moft Beautiful outward behaviour, unless it be built upon a true Principle of Goodness Within. So curious a Gloss may poffibly be laid, by an Artful

Artful hand, upon Hypocritical actions, that the most piercing eye of Man cannot reach to the Bottom of them, or, perceive any manner of Difference between Real holiness and these Counterfeit Images of it. But fuch masterly Appearances of Religion, which frequently gain the Admiration and Applaufe of Men, are ever an Abomination in the fight of God. Those who are most effectually restrain'd from Evil actions, or, excited to Good ones, by a Principle of Vain-Glory, or any other worldly view, freely entertaining and Indulging their minds with Evil Thoughts, may seem to be religious, but their religion is vain. They are not in Any refpect obedient unto God; For the Vifible part of their Lives is a Fraud put upon the World, to bribe Mankind into a good opinion of them; and their Inward parts are very Wickedness. Let us therefore continually revolve it in our Thoughts, that none but the pure in heart fhall fee God; either in fpiritual fellowship with him upon Earth, or the eternal enjoyment of him in Heaven.

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2. The fecond Chriftian Grace that I fhall mention is Humility in Mind and Thought. Be ye clothed with Humility, faith the Apostle, intimating, that this virtue should be Particularly and Eminently Confpicuous in us. And, left we fhould be mistaken in the Nature of that Humility, which becometh the Elect of God, we are elsewhere taught, in a Metaphor of the like Import, to put on Humbleness of Mind. For 'tis in this, and in all other Graces, as in the Cafe of Purity, that the Soul is the Seat of them; And if they have not gain'd Intire Poffeffion and Dominion There, the most plausible external representations of them are always Infignificant, and often Sinful. A Man of the Haughtieft Mind may poffibly behave himself, in the moft Condefcending and Humble manner, for the fake of being Thought humble and condefcending, and of fecuring to himself, by Artifice and Addrefs, that Deference and Refpect from the World, which he would be fure to forfeit, by an Infolent and Overbearing Demand of it: But does he not, all the while, offend God the

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more, by adding Hypocrify to Haughtiness, and making the false Appearances of Humility Ministerial to his Pride? Humility then is, Principally, a Quality or Affection of the Soul; And 'tis under This view of it, that our Bleffed Lord requires us to be Humble, and to become as little children: Not unlike to This is David's manner of expreffing his Humility; My heart is not haughty. My foul is even as a weaned Child. How highly Neceffary, Amiable, and Acceptable unto God this excellent Frame of Spirit is, himself hath declared by his Holy Prophet: * Thus faith the High and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and boly place; with Him also that is of an Humble Spirit. And as this Grace is Neceffary to Qualifie us for receiving the Full Influences of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, here on Earth; So is it neceffary to Qualifie us for the Attainment of happiness in Heaven. For if the Angels fell from Heaven by Pride; we can

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