with a prevailing inclination and purpose to SERM. please him in all things.

: VIII.

How these excellent principles will exert themselves in the other world, in the perfected ftate of our nature, when we shall no more fee God darkly through a glass, by analogical obfcure representations, by remote, cold, and unaffecting reasonings, but face to face, and know even as we are known ; and what high pleasures will accompany the exercise of them when the glorious object will be intimately prefent to the mind, and as immediately perceived as the objects of fenfe now are, or even our own powers and actings, which we know by an inward confcioufnefs; how this will be, we cannot at prefent comprehend. The exercise of love and refpect, the fum of godliness, accom→ modated to our state in this life feems espe cially to confift in refignation; an entire acquiefcence in the order he has appointed, with confidence in his wifdom and goodness, and fubmiffion to his will. Such a temper as this is the natural, and indeed neceffary expreffion of the highest esteem and reverence in the relations we bear to him, as his creatures, dependents, and fubjects; the moft proper refult of our acknowledging his high

per

SERM. perfections and his government. So

VIII. minds are framed that we cannot but approve the conduct of that agent who doth what is perfectly wife and abfolutely good. If we diveft ourselves of prejudices, and lay afide partial confiderations, we shall certainly judge fo; and that accidental private inconveniences which may attend a well-contrived scheme for promoting the greatest good, ought not to be charged as a fault on the author, nor imputed to any defect of wisdom or goodness. If therefore it be a principle fufficiently evident that the governor of the world, to whose dominion all things are fubject, and who does whatsoever pleaseth him, is perfectly wife and good, it follows, that what he does is beft,, abfolutely, and in the whole; and confequently that intire refignation and dependence is due to him, that we fhould commit ourfelves to him, our ways and works to his direction, who is the faithful Creator, the just and wife, and gracious disposer of all things. Thus only it is that we teftify our affection to his character and his government. To love him whom we acknowledge to be the great ruler of the world, that fupreme all-comprehending mind, who fees every, even the minutest part in this great whole,

the

1

2

the universe, adjusts all the relations of things, SERM.
conducts them in the best manner, and di- VIII.
rects the intire chain of events for the greatest
abfolute good, and at the fame time to repine.
against any of his difpenfations, and to refift
his will, is a contradiction; for fuch mur-
muring, fuch refiftance really amounts to a
difesteem of his character, and difaffection to
his government.

The christian revelation, as in many other
points, particularly in this, gives great light
to the minds of men and relieves them from

many anxieties and diftreffes. However rea
fonable it might appear to be, it would be
difficult to abftract fo wholly from all con-
fideration of our own intereft, as to reft fully
fatisfied in an administration proved in general
to be the wifeft and abfolutely beft, without
any particular affurance of our own happiness.
But it has pleased God to give us an express
promise of eternal life, upon the condition of
repentance and fincere obedience; and not
only fo, but that all their afflictions and
trials fhall work together for the good of them
that love him. And this is a great support to
godliness; a great encouragement to trust in
God at all times, to hope in his mercy and
faithfulness, to caft our cares and burdens

upon

SERM. upon him, believing that he careth for us, VIII. and that he is a rewarder of all them wha diligently jeek him.

When I speak of refignation to God, I do not only mean that we, fhould be fatisfied with the occurrences of life, as ordered by divine providence, which is indeed an im portant part of godliness, and a noble expreffion of our love and refpect to the Deity; but that we should approve and actively obey his precepts, fubmitting to his moral, as well as providential government For his eternal laws of righteoufnefs are a part of his conftitution; the appointment of his wisdom and goodness for us, (excellently fitted to our nature, and defigned to lead us to our proper perfection and happiness) that we may fulfill the part which is affigned us, in the intire fcheme of his government, as the best fuited to our capacity. Obedience to his commands is a juft and natural expreffion of all dutiful and good affections to him, of fear, of love, of gratitude, and refignation, at least, all profeffions and ap pearances of refpect without it are but vain, and will be punished by him as a real indig nity. Why, fays our Saviour, call ye me Lord, and do not the things which I Jay?

A

and

and again not every one that faith unto SERM. me, Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the king- VIII. gom of heaven, fhall be accounted a real christian and godly perfon, an approved worfhipper of God, or profeffor of religion, and rewarded as fuch, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. As the laws of God, the dictates of eternal reafon and truth are the transcript of his own moral perfections, it amounts to the fame thing, if we say that godliness comprehends the imitation of those perfections, and that they only are godly per fons whofe tempers and converfations are formed to a resemblance of the rectitude and goodness of the divine nature; they who are followers of God as dear children who are boly in all manner of converfation, as he is boly, pure and perfect as their heavenly Father is, kind, compaffionate and merciful, after his example.

This doctrine has been always taught in the true church, and care taken to prevent men's falling into that fatal error of placing the all of religion in acts of devotion, while they neglected that much more fubftantial proof of respect to the Deity, the imitating of his righteousness and mercy. The Pfalmift,

Mat. v i.zi.