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"ed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, "in which it was impoffible for God to lie, they "might have ftrong confolation, who have fled for "refuge, to lay hold upon the hope fet before "them (r)." And, what this hope is, he fubjoins in the following verfe; "It is that which entereth "within the vail, whither our forerunner is gone, "even Chrift Jefus." Now, what greater fecurity could have poffibly been given you? God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. What he has promifed, is the refult of infinite wifdom; it is what he has power to fulfil, and therefore he will make it good. Nay, though his promise be indeed fufficient fecurity, yet, in condefcenfion to our weakness, he has added the fanction of his oath. And, what more facred and inviolable than an oath? What oath so sacred as the oath of God himfelf confirming his promife? Well, therefore, might the apoftle, in the text, appeal to the Corinthians themselves, with respect to the certainty of this promised reward: " Ye know," fays he; it is not an uncertain, or probable opinion merely, but ye know, upon the most solid and satisfactory grounds, "that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

And, now, fhall not this certain, this glorious reward of eternal life, animate and encourage you to be ftedfast, immoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord?

Imagine, you not only fee your exalted Saviour offering you an eternity of joy, a kingdom with God, a crown of life and righteousness, that fadeth not away; but that you hear him faying, "Be thou faith"ful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of "life. To him that overcometh, will I grant to fit "with me in my throne, as I alfo overcame, and am "fet down with my Father in his throne." And, will not this kindle your ardour? Will it not arm you

(r) Heb. vi. 17, 18.

you with facred refolution, and make you redouble your activity and diligence in the work of the Lord? How mean, alas! and fordid are your views, if it has not this effect upon your mind? or, rather, how unbelieving are your hearts, if you have no fenfe or esteem of this heavenly reward, correfpondent to its real excellence and worth? But I hope better things concerning you; and things that accompany falvation, though I thus speak.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye ftedfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forafmuch as ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

And, now, may the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, and work in you that which is wellpleafing in his fight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

SER

SERMON XXII.

ON IMITATING THE MORAL PERFECTIONS

OF GOD.

MATT. V. 48.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is Heaven is perfect.

W

THEN our Saviour appeared in the world, and claimed the character of the True Meffiah, his enemies objected to him, that, by his doctrine, he destroyed the law and the prophets, and loofened our obligation to the duties of morality; an objection, which, if well founded, would have been à juft cause of prejudice against him, and more than fufficient to prove him an impoftor. But, fo far was this from being the cafe, that the great defign and tendency of that religion which he publifhed to the world, was, to form the minds and manners of men to a conformity to his heavenly Father, the unerring Pattern of purity and holinefs. He gave us a perfect rule of life, fupported by the authority of God, and enforced by his own example. He inftituted a rea fonable fervice, a religion every way well calculated for promoting real and substantial goodness, and for raifing

raifing the hearts of men to the highest pitch of virtue. Of this, the discourses of our Saviour, which fstand upon record, give us the most complete evidence. His excellent fermon on the Mount, is particularly a fummary of pure religion, containing such perfect instructions, as have raised the admiration even of his most implacable enemies.

But, efpecially, the divine example is proposed to our imitation, as the best and most effectual standard in order to be perfect. We are therefore required to cultivate a noble ambition of becoming followers of God: "Forgetting those things which are behind, "and reaching forth to shofe which are before, we

are commanded to prefs toward the mark, for the "prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus ;" and in this manner leaving the firft principles of the doctrine of Chrift, to be still going on to perfection. But, this is nowhere more exprefsly required, than in the words of the text; "Be ye therefore perfect, "as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

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Thefe words are an inference from our Saviour's discourse to his difciples. In the 43d verse of this chapter, he takes notice of an excellent moral precept, which comprehends the whole of that duty we owe to our neighbour, but which had been grofsly perverted by the Jewish teachers: "Ye have heard," fays he," that it hath been faid, thou fhalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy." He then corrects the partiality of this law, and inculcates upon his difciples, the practice of goodnefs, mercy, and patience, even toward their worst and most malicious enemies : "Love your enemies," fays he; "blefs "them that curfe you, do good to them that hate. "you, and pray for them that defpitefully use you "and perfecute you." And to engage them to this moft excellent duty, he propofes the example of his. heavenly Father, who beftows the bounties of his Providence upon the evil and unthankful; "That 2 A

ye,"

"ye," fays he, "may be the children of your Father "which is in heaven; for he maketh his fun to rife ❝ on the evil, and on the good, and fendeth rain "on the juft, and on the unjuft." And this argument he farther enforces, by affuring them, that unlefs fuch difpofitions prevailed in their breasts towards their enemies, fo. far from refembling God, they would only be on a level with the very worst of men:

For if ye love them," fays he, " that love you, « what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans << the fame? And if you falute your brethren only, "what do ye more than others? Do not even the "publicans fo?" And then he concludes his argument in the words of the text, "Be ye therefore per"fect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

The duty, therefore, which our Saviour in this place more immediately recommends, is that of imitating God in the amiable qualities of goodness, mercy, and forbearance. Our love to others, must be generous and difinterefted, unconfined by partial and limited views; and, with refpect to its object, bountiful even as that of God himself. We must be ready to commiferate the wretched; we must show forbearance to the injurious, and a hearty good-will to our enemies. As the precept in the text, however, is introduced by our Saviour as the conclufion of his whole foregoing difcourfe, in which he vindicates the moral law from the mifreprefentations of the Jewish teachers; and as perfection, in the language of scripture, is used to fignify every moral excellence, we hope it will not be thought foreign to the defign of eur Lord, if we confider it in this extenfive view, viz.. as recommending to us, the imitation of God, in the moral perfections of his nature.

In difcourfing on this fubject, we propose, by Divine affiftance, Firft, To fhow you, in what manner we are to conceive of God as perfect: Secondly, We all endeavour, to explain the true meaning of the

precept:

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