Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

3. Sin is a Contrariety to the unspotted Holiness of God. Of all the glorious and benign Constellations of the Divine Attributes that shine in the Law of God; his Holiness has the brightest Lustre. ⟨p. 17⟩God is holy in all his Works, but the most venerable and precious Monument of his Holiness is the Law. For the Holiness of God consists in the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his moral Perfections, Wisdom, Goodness and Justice; and the Law is the perfect Copy of his Nature and Will. The Psalmist who had a purged Eye, saw and admired its Purity and Perfection. The Commandment of the ¹Lord is pure, enlightening the Eyes. The Word is very near, therefore thy Servant loves it. 'Tis the perspicuous Rule of our Duty without Blemish or Imperfection: The Commandment is holy, just and good. It enjoins nothing but what is absolutely Good, without the least Tincture of Evil. The Sum of it is set down by the Apostle, to live soberly, that is, to abstain from any thing that may stain the Excellence of an understanding Creature: To live ⟨p. 18⟩righteously, which respects the State and Situation wherein God has disposed Men for his Glory: It comprehends all the respective Duties to others, to whom we are united by the Bands of Nature, or of Civil Society, or of Spiritual Communion: And to live godly, which includes all the internal and outward Duties we owe to God, who is the Sovereign of our Spirits, whose Will must be the Rule, and his Glory the End of our Actions. In short, The Law is so formed, that prescinding from the Authority of the Law-giver, its Holiness and Goodness lays an eternal Obligation on us to obey it. Now Sin is not only by Interpretation, a Reproach to the Wisdom and other Perfections of God, but directly and formally a Contrariety to his Infinite Sanctity and Purity; for it consists in a not doing what the Law commands, or doing what it forbids. ⟨p. 19⟩'Tis therefore said, That the Carnal ²Mind is Enmity against God: An active, immediate and irreconcilable Contrariety to his holy Nature and Will: From hence there is a reciprocal Hatred between God and Sinners: God is of purer Eyes than to behold