LXVII. But that this pre-eminence of Christian virtues may appear more evidently, three things are diftinctly to be confidered: Ift, Their original. 2dly, Their rule. 3dly, Their end, for in these things their fuper-excellence consists above all the virtues or graces of the unfanctified.

LXVIII. As to their original, the virtues of the Heathen, and the actions proceeding from thence, have their rise from fome remains of the divine image, ftill left in man since the fall; fuch as innate notions, fome love of honesty, the incentives of a natural confcience; befides thofe, fome have had a liberal education, applied themselves to the study of philosophy, and enjoyed fome special benefits of the common providence of God, repreffing, reftraining and curbing innate corruption, and on the other hand, exciting them to the practice of a much more regular life, than the common herd of mankind, so that thefe virtues had no higher nor better original than nature, excited by the affiftance of common providence, Rom. ii. 14, 15. "the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law, and fhew the work of the law written in their hearts."

LXIX. But the practice of Chriftian holiness has its rife, 1st, From the Spirit of grace, which Chrift has merited for, and beftows on his elect; "whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not neither knoweth him," John xiv. 17. who feeing he is the Spirit of Chrift, excites in the elect, even the very fame motions and inclinations of foul, which are in Christ, and moulds and forms the whole life of Chrift in them: fo that they act, not by their own virtue or ftrength, nor by any innate principle of natural life, but by fupernatural grace, and the virtue of Chrift, 1 Cor. xv. 1o. " not I, but the grace of God, which is with me;" and Heb. xii. 28. " let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably."

For

LXX. 2dly, From faith, "without which it is impoffibe to pleafe God," Heb. xi. 6. For, vagisñrai, to please, signifies here to walk before God, as is evident from the foregoing verfe, where the Apostle fays, that Enoch, before his tranflation, had this teftimony, that he pleafed God. By which words he undoubtedly has an eye to what we have, Gen. v. 24. "And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." to walk with God, the Septuagint every where tranflate, vageSay To Os, to pleafe God; they alfo in fome places, render nr, to ferue, by the fame word. The Apoftle here imitates their way of fpeaking; in like manner, as Tit. ii. 9. where he enjoins fervants, vãow ivagésus įwai, in all things to please them, that is, fo to behave as in every thing to do what is well-pleafing to their mafters.

LXXI. But faith, without which nothing can be done, that is acceptable to God, is that virtue or grace, which is the beginning of the fpiritual life, or the first work of the Holy Spirit uniting us to Chrift. And there are various ways to prove that without this a man can do nothing that is good. Ift, Seeing faith apprehends and applies to itself all the efficacy of Chrift's merits, it has a power" of purifying the heart," Acts xv. 9. But fo long as that fountain of the heart is impure, nothing pure can flow from it: For "unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure!" not even their food; "but their mind and confcience is defiled," Tit. i. 15. On the contrary, "The end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. 2dly, By faith we are justified, and are restored to the favour of God. But it is neceffary that the perfons of finners be acceptable to God in Christ, before their works can be fo. For how can the work of that man please God, who is an abomi-nation and execration to him? First, God had refpect to " Abel, then to his offering," Gen. iv. 4. Be it far, fays Auguftine, lib. 4. contra Julianum, c. 3. "that any one should be really virtuous, who is not righteous. But be it far, that he fhould be truly righteous, who does not live by faith: for the juft fhall live by faith;" 3dly, It is not poffible, that any can truly love God, and endeavour from a principle of love to do what is acceptable to him, unless he know him to be fuch, as he manifefts himself in Chrift the Mediator. But it is the proper work of faith to behold God in Chrift; and thus faith worketh by love, Gal. v. 6. 4thly, As faith first unites us to Chrift, fo it continully draws virtue, efficacy and life from him, by a spiritual fuction and attraction, whereby we may be enabled to act in a holy manner: "The life which I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20."

LXXI. But befides that common faith, which is the fountain of all fpiritual life, another more special faith is requifite to the goodness of our actions, confifting in a certain perfua fion of mind, that the work we undertake is good and holy, or at least lawful, and no where prohibited. For whoever does any thing, about which he is not certain that it is accep table to God, does by that very action fhew, that he is not affected with a due reverence for the Deity, nor endeavours, as is fit, to avoid the displeasure and indignation of God. And to this I imagine, the Apostle has an eye, Rom. xiv. 23. le that doubteth, that is, who is not perfuaded in his confcience, that he may lawfully eat of any food; " is condemned if he eat ;" that is, is judged to have acted amifs; "because he eateth not

of faith; for, whatsoever is not of faith, is fin." For, here the Apostle preffes what he had enjoined, verfe 5. let every man be fully perfuaded in his own mind.

LXXIII. 3dly, The practice of Chriftian holiness flows from the love of God, and confifts in that very ambition, which we have recommended from 2 Cor. v. 9. of doing what is accep table to God. And in this, Christian holiness surpaffes all the virtuous actions of the Heathen, who were very justly commended, if what they did proceeded from the love of that virtue they were acquainted with; but as that love did not ascend to God himself, but centered in a created, nay, and a very defective thing, fuch as their virtue was, it was not a holy love but a vicious affection, which indirectly and finfully terminates in man himself.

LXXIV. Janfenius lib. 4. de ftatu nature lapfa. c. 11. feq. has treated diftinctly and at large on this fubject; where he fpeaks to this purpofe: "This therefore was the proper defect of philofophical virtue even when pureft, that being de lighted with a certain ruinous height of virtue, they earnestly defired it for this end, that they might be great in their own esteem, delight, and please themselves; whereas it became them to please God or the truth, as Auguftine fpeaks; this vice of felf-pleafing so closely adheres to those who seek not to please either God or men, that it is not poffible fuch persons Thould not fall into it." To which he immediately fubjoins: "whoever lifts not up his eyes to God in order to please him from the beauty of virtue, but admires it alone as the end of good, the fairest and the most exalted, it is impoffible that either defiring it he fhould not thence please himself, or not willing thence to please himself he should defire it. Seeing it is altogether neceffary the foul of man should delight in fomething. With what other object, pray, can a foul alineated from God be delighted, and looking down as we fuppofe, with contempt on the other meaner creatures, than with what he imagines to be most excellent among created things? but this is the mind itself now adorned with virtue; which ornament it judges the most becoming of all. He therefore neceffarily pleases himself from his virtue, who defires not by it to please either God or other men." All which is found and solid.

LXXV. Christian virtue therefore has a deeper and better original than any love of virtue whatfoever, or than any complacency in one's own actions. But faith, which reprefents God to the foul, as infinitely good and perfectly holy, and the moft bountiful rewarder of good actions, as alfo his laws as

full

full of equity and justice, enflames the foul with the love of a gracious God, and of his most equitable laws, and to deem nothing preferable to, nothing more valuable than by a con formity to thofe laws, to refemble him in his measure in holinefs, and in that resemblance to please him. That God looking down as it were out of himself, and from heaven, may alfo find upon earth what to delight himfelf in as his copy; which is the highest pleasure of a holy foul. So that it loves not virtue for itself alone, but for God whofe image it is, and whom in the practice of virtue it pleases. From this love to God fprings the practice of true holiness.

-LXXVI. I cannot but transcribe an excellent paffage of Clemens Alexandrinus to this purpose, who Stromat. lib. p. p. 532. thus gives us the picture of a holy perfon. "He who obeys the bare call fo far as he is called, labours after knowledge neither from fear nor from pleasure; for he does not confider whether any profitable gain or external pleasure will enfue, but being constrained by the love of what is truly amiable, and thereby excited to his duty, he is a pious worshipper of God, Were we therefore to suppose him to have received from God a liberty to what was forbidden, without any apprehension of punishment; nay moreover, had he a promise of receiving the reward of the bleffed, and befides was he perfuaded that his actions fhould efcape the notice of God, (which by the way is impoffible) he could never be prevailed with to act contrary to right reafon, after he had once chofen what is really lovely and eligible of itself, and on that account to be loved and defired." Than which nothing can be faid more fublime.

LXXVII. He would have a holy or fanctified perfon do every thing from a principle of love. "It becomes him who is perfect to be in the exercise of love, and fo endeavour after the divine favour and friendship, while he performs the commandments by love." But this love has not renown, nor any other advantage but virtue itself, pure virtue for its object; fo he frames his life after the image and resemblance of God, no longer for the fake of renown, or as the philofophers speak, exλav of a fplendid name; nor from the view of reward, either from God or men. Moreover, what renders virtue amiable to him, is not that philofophical agreement it has with right reafon, but because he beholds in it a resemblance to God, than which nothing can be imagined more amiable: for thus he defcribes it, what is truly good, he calls truly defirable, faying, it is good by an assimi Jation to God to become impaffive and virtuous.

LXXVIII, Yet we are not fo to understand these things as

if in the practice of holiness, we were not allowed to pay any regard to our own advantage, and that all love of ourfelves ought in this cafe quite to disappear. We are not only allowed but commanded to love ourselves; nor are we bound to love our neighbour without a love for ourselves. And this is not written, but a natural law which we have learned from no other quarter, but have received it from nature herself: " no man ever yet hated his own flefh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it," Eph. v. 29. We may also be lawfully ftirred up to the diligent practice of holiness by this love of ourfelves. God himself by this enticing motive invites his people, promising that "their labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord," 1 Cor. xv. 58. And to what, pray, tend all thofe promifes by which he has recommended his commandments to us, but that being excited by a defire of them we should more chearfully obey him? Not to love the promised good, is to throw contempt on the goodness of a promifing God. By the love of them not to be ftirred up to piety, is to abuse them to fome other purpose than God ever intended. David himself confeffed, that the commandments of God were even on that account, " more to be defired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; fweeter alfo than honey, and the honey-comb; becaufe in keeping of them there is a great reward," Pfa. xix. 10. 12. And the faith of Mofes is for the fame reafon commended, becaufe" he had a refpect unto the recompenfe of the reward, Heb. xi. 26. Nay, that faith is required as neceffary for all who come to God, whereby they may believe that "he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him," verse 6.

We

LXXIX. But then here alfo the love of ourselves ought to fpring from the love of God, be fubordinate thereto, and ren dered back to him. We muft not love God on our own account, fo as to confider ourselves as the end, and God as the means, by which we are made happy in the enjoyment of him: but because we are God's property, whom we ought to love above all, and therefore for his fake we are bound to ourfelves. are further to feek our own good, that therein we may taste the sweetness of the Lord, and that thereby we may be fo much the more improved and enriched as God's peculiar treafure. Thus the love of ourselves is at laft fwallowed up that ocean of divine love. Of this we fhall fpeak a little pre fently.

in

LXXX. Let us now confider the rule or standard of holinefs. Philofophers made the nature of man, right reason, and the examples of excellent men the rule. A few of them fpoke