2. The Precepts of Christ contain all solid substantial goodness, that is essentially necessary in order to our supreme Happiness, and prepares us for the Life of Heaven. In his Sermon on the Mount, He commends to us Humility, Meekness, and Mercy, Peaceableness and Patience, and doing good for evil, which are so many beams of Gods Image, the reflections of his Goodness upon intelligent Creatures. And that comprehensive precept of the Apostle describes the Duties of all Christians: whatsoever things are true;1 Truth is the principal character of our profession, and is to be expressed in our Words and Actions: whatsoever things are honest, or venerable, that is answer the dignity of our High-calling, and agree with the gravity and comeliness of the Christian profession: whatsoever things are just according to Divine and Humane Laws: whatsoever things are pure, we must preserve the Heart, the Hand, the Tongue, the Eye from impurity; whatsoever things are lovely and of good report, some Graces are amiable and attractive in the view of Men, as easiness to pardon, a readiness to oblige, compassion to the afflicted, liberality to the necessitous, sweetness of conversation without gall and bitterness: these are of universal esteem with mankind, and soften the most savage tempers. If there be any Virtue, and if there be any Praise think on these things. And St. Peter excites Believers, to join to their Faith, by which the Gospel of Christ is embraced, Intellectual and Moral virtues, without which 'tis but a vain picture of ⟨p. 317⟩Christianity. Add to your Faith Virtue, 2and to Virtue Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly kindness, and to Brotherly kindness Charity. He enforces the command, give all diligence that these things abound in you; and ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of Christ. Now these Graces purify and perfect, refine and raise the humane nature, and without a Command their Goodness is a strong obligation.
2. The Precepts of Christ contain all solid substantial goodness, that is essentially necessary in order to our supreme Happiness, and prepares us for the Life of Heaven. In his Sermon on the Mount, He commends to us Humility, Meekness, and Mercy, Peaceableness and Patience, and doing good for evil, which are so many beams of Gods Image, the reflections of his Goodness upon intelligent Creatures. And that comprehensive precept of the Apostle describes the Duties of all Christians: whatsoever things are true;1 Truth is the principal character of our profession, and is to be exprest in our Words and Actions: whatsoever things are honest, or venerable, that is answer the dignity of our High-calling, and agree with the gravity and comeliness of the Christian profession: whatsoever things are just according to Divine and Humane Laws: whatsoever things are pure, we must preserve the Heart, the Hand, the Tongue, the Eye from impurity; whatsoever things are lovely and of good report, some Graces are amiable and attractive in the view of Men, as easiness to pardon, a readiness to oblige, compassion to the afflicted, liberality to the necessitous, sweetness of conversation without gall and bitterness: these are of universal esteem with mankind, and soften the most savage tempers. If there be any Vertue, and if there be any Praise think on these things. And St. Peter excites Believers, to joyn to their Faith, by which the Gospel of Christ is embrac't, Intellectual and Moral vertues, without which 'tis but a vain picture of ⟨p. 317⟩Christianity. Add to your Faith Vertue, 2and to Vertue Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly kindness, and to Brotherly kindness Charity. He enforces the command, give all diligence that these things abound in you; and ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of Christ. Now these Graces purifie and perfect, refine and ra•se the humane nature, and without a Command their Goodness is a strong obligation.
- 1Phil. 4.8.
- 22 Pet. 1.5.
