his Commandments? Surely we have clean• fed our Hands in vain. SUCH Language as this would indeed justly follow upon fuch Obfervations, if the Grave put an end to our Beings; or if the Scriptures had left us in the dark as to a future State: But when we are forewarn'd not to judge of Love or Hatred by the Things that are before us, and are directed to another World to look for the impartial diftribution of Punishments and Rewards; our Expectations of Happiness or Mifery fhould be transferr'd to the Life to come; and we ought not to draw any Conclufions to the difadvantage of Religion, from what its Profeffors or Oppofers may meet with at prefent. We fhall at laft, doubtlefs, fee fufficient Dif ference made betwixt those that ferv'd God, and thofe that difhonour'd Him, to fatisfy for the present undiftinguish'd Difpenfations. THIS we have a brief Representation of in our Text, and the two preceding Verfes. I have feen the Wicked in great Power, and Spreading himself like a green Bay-tree; yet be paffed away, and lo he was B 2 not: not: yea I fought him, but he could not be found. Whereas on the other hand, Mark the Perfect Man, and behold the Upright; for the End of that Man is Peace. Thefe Words plainly divide themselves into two Parts; the one fetting forth the Character, the other the End of a Pious Man; both to be mark'd and confider'd by US. 1. We have a Defcription and Character of a Good Man, in these two Words, Perfect and Upright. II. We have an account of his End; that is Peace. I fhall be as fhort as conveniently I can upon the firft, that I may a little more enlarge upon the fecond; and I fhall contract under both, to leave room for what I know you will be expecting, and more attentive to. I. LET us a little confider this Character and Defcription of a Good Man. The Hebrew is, Mark Perfection and behold Upright Uprightness: But if we read it fo, it must be added, to make it Senfe with the Context, For in whomsoever you fee thefe, the End of that Man is Peace. Our Transla tion therefore renders it very agreeable to the Intent and Defign of the Author (who is here comparing the Righteous and Ungodly together) Mark the Perfect Man, &c. WHATEVER Emphasis the Ab. ftract may seem to carry in it, yet to be fure the Perfection and Uprightness intended, and fpoke of in this place, is what we are capable of coming up to in our prefent Circumftances, as Lapfed, Apostate Creatures: As we find in the cafe of Job, who was juft fuch a Person as we are here call'd upon to obferve and take notice of; God himself witneffing concerning him, that He was a Perfect and an Upright Man. * Yet Job afterwards fpeaking of Perfection in the ftricteft Senfe, fays, If I say I am perfect, is shall alfo prove me perverse. To be abfolutely free from Sin, is what no meer Job i. Ch. ix. v. 20. B 3. Man Man ever did, or can attain to in this World. There is not a just Man upon Earth that doth good, and finneth not. * THE Perfect Man is one who, according to the fenfe of the Covenant of Grace, fincerely, and to the utmost of his Ability, ftudies to know, and endeavours to obey the Commands of God; heartily bewailing all his Defects, mourning for all his Sins, and conftantly striving to amend what he fees amifs. So I take Perfection and Uprightness to be but two different Expreffions of one and the fame thing. Which the Apoftle fully explains in his own Practice, when he fays, rierein do I exercife my felf, to have always a Confcience void of Offence, toward God, and toward Man. || PERFECTION, as it is afcrib'd to any fince the Fall, is to be measur'd by a fincere Compliance with the Terms of Salvation; not by a compleat obferving, and keeping fricly to the Rules of Dury. Ecclef. vii. 20. Se o 1 Joh. i 8. Pro perfecto eft, qui perfecto proxiaus. Ads xxiv. 16, That That Man is Perfect, who attains to what God accepts, tho' he cannot fulfil all that God commands. NOW a Perfon may be faid to arrive at this, when he firmly believes the great Truths of Religion; and without Referve, or Exception complys with all its Injunctions. He is not afraid, nor afham'd to own God before Men; but accounts it his Honour to be employ'd in his Service: And yet he does not fatisfy himself in an external Profeffion meerly,but is careful to maintain the Power as well as Form of Godlinefs. He is one that feeks to cover no Sin from the fight of God; and that earnestly defires no Duty may be conceal'd from his own Eye. Willing to know, and acknowledge the worst of his Cafe, and to be acquainted with the ut most of what is commanded. HE is one that's fettled and effablij}'d in the ways of Holinefs, ftarting back at no feeming Difficulties; difcourag'd by no Oppofitions; drawn afide by no Temptations; but with a fteddy and unfhaken Purpose pursues his Intentions of Perfeverance. He is not carry'd away with B 4 the |