Religion is not fatisfied by a partial Compliance. It is not fufficient, that the Mind be ftored and poffeffed with fome good Notions and Principles, or the Will directed aright in fome Inftances of Duty, to refuse certain Appetites, and ab ftain from certain Sins, or to live in the Performance of any one particular Species of good Actions. But the whole Man in all the Parts and Abilities of his Nature, in his Thoughts and Intentions, in his Inclinations, Actions, and Conversation, his whole Spirit Soul and Body, must be conformable to the Rules, and Leffons of Religion. To amend a little the Outfide, to abftain from fome Things manifeftly wicked, to practise some outward Duties, fome Actions that have but the Semblance of Piety;---all this is no more than the Holinefs of the Pharifees, who made clean the Outfide, but within were full of Extortion and Excefs. (Matth. 23, 25.) Such is the Religion of too many that call themselves good Chriftians, who have

all

all the Form of Godliness without any of the inward Spirit and Life. But thou blind Fol

lower of the pureft Religion in the World, cleanse first that which is within, and purify thy Heart.---If the Fountain be clear, the Streams that iffue from it will partake of it's Purity.

to But, on the other hand, let us not think with fome modern Enthusiasts, that the Rectitude of our Minds, and the Strength of our Faith is alone fufficient to fave us, fufficient even to make Vice Virtue, and change Evil into Good. They profefs to believe that all depends on the Disposition of the Mind. Have but Faith, or rather a blas phemous Prefumption, and thou canst not fin. Guilty thou mayeft be indeed of the material Actions of Difhonefty, Intempe rance, and filthy Lufts: But Faith will fanctify all this, nor fhall any Wickedness be imputed. Such are the facrilegious Doctrines of mad or knavifh Men, condemned very plainly by the Apoftle, who requires a

blameless

blameless Body as well as a believing Mind, and commands us to glorify God in our Body and in our Spirit, which are God's. (1. Cor. vi. 20.)

A fecond Requifite in the Holiness of Christians relates to the Duration and Continuance of it,---that we be preferved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

The fame Idea of Chriftian Duty the Apostle gives us, (Philip. ii. 15.) where he exhorts the Philippians to be blameless and barmless, the Sons of God without Rebuke; and in this Epiftle to the Theffalonians he befeeches God to ftablish their Hearts unblameable in Holiness before God even the Father. (Ch. iii. v. 13.)

But is not this an hard Saying, and an impracticable Demand? Can it be poffible for Creatures fo weak and imperfect as we are to live blameless, to preferve our Innocency from all Spot and Blemish, and to stand without

without Rebuke before the infinitely pure God? This is the common Pretence for rejecting every Exhortation to Perfection, and deferves therefore to be carefully examined.

The Apostle doubtlefs is fincere and in earnest, when he requires this Degree of Purity in those that name the Name of Chrift. It is the fubject of his Prayers to the infinite God, and therefore unquestionably a serious Duty; and not impoffible likewife, fince a wife and good Man, as St. Paul certainly was, would never pray for Impoffibilities. And yet it is too true likewife on the other hand, that there is not a juft Man that dwelleth upon the Earth, and finneth not. Allowed Infirmities there are, from which human Integrity is never free. After our most diligent Endeavours in the Race of Virtue "there will be Lapfes, there will be Inad"vertencies, there will be Surprises." Let us therefore enquire what the Scripture means in those Paffages, and they are not a few

few, in which it commands us to be blameless before God.

In order to this, Sincerity, and Growth, and Perfeverance in Piety are evidently neceffary. We are then without Blame, when God, that fearches the Heart, fees that we act fincerely; when the ruling Principle of our Minds is an unfeigned Defire and steady Refolution to do his Will, flowing from a fovereign Love of God, that gives him the Preference to every other Affection. The blameless, as a fenfible Writer defcribes the righteous Man, is one, who loves "his Duabove all Things, who fears God, and efchews Evil, whom no Allurement of t worldly Pleasure, Profit, or Honour, no "Fear of worldly Lofs, or Suffering, can per"fuade to defert his Duty, to act against his "Confcience, or wilfully and deliberately to

ty

tranfgrefs any known Law of God; not "the Man who is entirely free from Failings, "which, ftrictly speaking, may be called fin

Abernethy's Sermons on various Subjects, Vol. I. P. 259.

ful,