more is it neceffary that God, who has the SER M. tendereft Concern for all his Creatures, VIII. and who is infinitely far from being fubject to fuch Paffions and Variableness as frail Men are, fhould defire to be imitated by his Creatures in thofe Perfections, which are the foundation of his own unchangeable Happiness ! PARTICULARLY, If God is himself esfentially of infinite Holinefs and Purity; it plainly follows, that 'tis impoffible but he muft likewife be of purer Eyes than to Hab. i. 13. behold with Approbation any manner of Impurity or Immorality in his Creatures. And consequently it must needs be his Will, that they fhould All (according to the Measure of their frail and finite nature) be Holy as He is Holy. IF God is himself a Being of infinite Justice, Righteousness and Truth; it must needs be his Will, that all rational Creatures, whom he has created after his own Image, whom he has endued with excellent Powers and Faculties to enable them to distinguish between Good and Evil fhould imitate him in the Exercife of thofe divine Perfections, by conforming ; all SER M. all their Actions to the eternal and unalVIII. terable Law of Righteousness. IF God is himself a Being of infinite Goodness; making his Sun to rife on the Evil, and on the Good, and fending Rain. on the fuft, and on the Unjuft; having never left himself wholly without Witness, but always doing Good, giving men Rain, from Heaven and Fruitful Seafons, and filling their Hearts with Food and Gladnefs it cannot but be his Will, that all reasonable creatures fhould, by mutual Love and Benevolence, permit and affift each other to injoy in particular the several Effects and Bleffings of the divine univerfal Goodness. IF God is himself a Being of infinite Mercy and Compaffion; as 'tis plain he bears long with men before he punishes them for their Wickedness, and often freely forgives them his ten thousand talents; it muft needs be his Will, that they fhould forgive one another their hundred pence; being merciful one to another, as he is merciful to them All; and having compassion each on his Fellow-fervants, as God has pity on Them. Again: Again I Love towards God, be an SER M. obvious and principal Duty of Natural VIII. Religion, in those who believe God to be the fupreme Good; it follows of neceffity, that Imitation of him alfo, muft equally be a Duty of indifpenfable Obligation. For God, being effential Goodnefs, Righteousness and Truth, can no otherwise have Love express'd towards him from his Creatures, than by their loving and imitating thofe Virtues in their Practice, which in His Nature are effential Perfections. Love of God, in any other fenfe than This, is nothing else; but unintelligible Enthufiafm. Laftly: If Happiness is Man's chief End; and perfect Happiness is, in the divine nature, in essential conjunction with perfect Holiness and Goodnefs; it follows neceffarily, that fo far only can any creature poffibly become like to God in the injoyment of Happiness, as he is firft made like to him in the participation of Goodness. THESE are the Obligations we are under, to imitate the God whom we worship; drawn from the confideration of the Nature of things; and of the Will of God as made known to us by the Light of Rea Lon |