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not the light of reafon discover to us the excellencies of these attributes. Now the holiness, juftice, and mercy, which the light of reafon discovers, are the moral virtues which we are obliged to follow after; they are alfo the perfections which we afcribe to the Deity: fo that whether we follow the dictates of reafon in endeavouring after thefe virtues, or whether we look up to the Deity, and copy from the perfection of his nature; it is evident, that in both cafes we follow the fame virtues, though placed before us in a different view. For, fince our notion of the perfections of the Deity muft be formed from fuch natural notions of moral perfection, as reason and the light of nature can supply; whether we confider thefe perfections as inherent in the Deity, and endeavour to copy after the first and great original, or whether we take our natural notions of moral virtue, as principles and rules of religion, which ought to influence and direct our lives, the iffue will be the fame with refpect to our practice. It is easier for men, when once they have a notion of a perfect righteous Being, to confider, in particular cafes, what fuch a Being would do or approve, than to run up in an abstracted way of reasoning to first principles and maxims for direction. But whichever way you take, the inquiry is the fame, namely, what is fit and reasonable to be done in this or that cafe: and let the method of inquiry be what it will, the judgment must be such as our prefent fhare of reafon will enable us to make. And therefore the imitation of God is a principle of religion arifing from, and depending on, the right use and exercise of reafon, as much as any other what

VOL. II.

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ever. And this may ferve to shew upon what foundation the imitation of God ftands in natural religion, and how we may apply this principle for our direction in particular cafes. It may fhew also what is to be understood by being perfect, as God is perfect it is abfurd to aim at the measure of his perfection; but we are then, to all the purposes of life and religion, perfect as he is perfect, when we do nothing but what he will approve for to ftand approved in the eye of an all-perfect and holy Being, is the true perfection of every creature. This is the Christian excellency, as described by St. Paul in the words once already quoted, and with which I fhall conclude this difcourfe, That we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

DISCOURSE XLVI.

JOHN iii. 19.

This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

MAN being a reasonable creature, and endued with faculties to judge and choose for himself in all cafes, it is contrary to nature to fuppofe, that there fhould be any thing abfolutely or neceffarily good to him; fince the advantage to be drawn from any thing whatever depends on the right use and application of that thing to its proper ends and purposes. Wholesome food is good for the found; but if taken in undue measure, it grows into a disease. Phyfic is proper for the fick; but if the patient will not fubmit to proper regulations, that which might have been his cure will certainly be his destruction.

As it is with respect to the body, fo is it likewise with refpect to the mind; there is no fuch thing as an absolute or neceffary cure for the frailties and infirmities of it, but the propereft method for attaining that end muft ftill depend on the proper ufe and application of it. The best instructions are of no use whilft not attended to; and the greateft helps

and affiftances yield no profit, as long as they are rejected and despised.

Were the cafe otherwife, that is, were there any fyftem of religion pretending, in virtue of fome uncontrollable power, to make men righteous, fuch a fyftem might be valued as a good piece of fpiritual mechanism; but it could never be confidered as a rule of virtue and morality, fince the operation of the will being excluded, the morality of all human actions would be excluded with it.

And hence it follows, that the utmost that can be done for us in religion, is so to inftruct us, that we may not err for want of knowledge of our duty, and fo to aid and affift us, that it may be in our power, whenever it is in our will, to obey. Any thing beyond this is inconfiftent with reafon and freedom, and therefore can have no part in a religion defigned for the government of rational free agents. And this being the cafe, that must in the comparison be judged to be the beft religion, which does moft fully enlighten our understanding, and which does in the moft perfect manner reftore us to our liberty and freedom, by removing the impediments which arife from the weakness and corruption of our nature. All who live under the influence of fuch a religion as this, as they have a certain way to happiness marked out for them, if they choose to walk in it, fo are they certainly doomed to condemnation upon their disobedience. For there are but two forts of men who can hope to escape punishment; the righteous, who have no reason to fear judgment, and the finners, who offending through ignorance or

weakness, have fome plea to make for mercy and forgiveness. But the finners who knew their duty, and were fo affifted as to have been able, had they been but willing, to perform it, have nothing to expect but condemnation. What the Apostle therefore in the text has declared to us, is no more than a natural confequence drawn from the excellency of the Gospel, and the perverfenefs of men, confidered together: This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Were the Gospel lefs perfect than it is, or lefs known to the world, finners would have more to plead in their own behalf: but fince they want no light to direct them, no affiftance to fupport them in doing their duty, they are left without excufe for their difobedience. The Gofpel, which was given to them for life and falvation, will be their judgment and condemnation; and the fault is all their own: they have as little reason to complain of the Gospel religion upon this account, as the dying patient has of the phyfician, whose wholesome medicines he wantonly abufed to his own deftruction. Were the Gospel merely a matter of advice, which men might follow, or let alone, as they found moft convenient for their own purposes, they would then have lefs to anfwer for, if they neglected it. But the Gospel is a law proceeding from the best and highest authority, given by God to his creatures; and we are bound at our peril to take notice of it: if we will not walk in the light of God's law, when it fhines fo brightly before our eyes, we fhall be condemned for choofing darkness rather than light. This is the meaning of

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