The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

This Religious tendency of the Soul to God, as the Supreme Lord and our utmost End, sanctifies our Actions, and gives an excellency to them above what is inherent in their own nature. Thus moral Duties towards Men,¹ when they are directed to God, become Divine. Acts of Charity are so many Sacred ⟨p. 321⟩Oblations to the Deity. Men are but the Altars upon which we lay our Presents, God receives them, as if immediately offered to his Majesty, and consumed to his Honour. Such was the charity of the Philippians towards the relief of the Apostle, which he calls An odour of a sweet smell, a Sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. ²The same Bounty was an act of Compassion to Man, and Devotion to God. This changes the nature of the meanest and most troublesome things. What was more vile and harsh than the employment of a Slave, yet a respect to God makes it a Religious Service, that is the most noble & voluntary of all humane Actions. For the Believer addressing his service to Christ, and the Infidel only to his Master,³ he doth cheerfully what the other doth by constraint,⁴ and adorns the Gospel of God our Saviour as truly, as if he were in a higher condition.

This Religious tendency of the Soul to God, as the Supreme Lord and our utmost End, sanctifies our Actions, and gives an excellency to them above what is inherent in their own nature. Thus moral Duties towards Men,¹ when they are directed to God, become Divine. Acts of Charity are so many Sacred ⟨p. 321⟩Oblations to the Deity. Men are but the Altars upon which we lay our Presents, God receives them, as if immediatly offer'd to his Majesty, and consumed to his Honour. Such was the charity of the Philippians towards the relief of the Apostle, which he calls An odour of a sweet smell, a Saerifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.