That we must render him that religious Worship and Adoration that is justly due to him, and must be diligent in the Obfervance of thofe facred Rites and Ordinances which he hath appointed in his Word.

That we must afpire after a Conformity to him in his amiable moral Excellencies, as far as he is imitable by fuch Creatures

as we are.

And, finally, that we must be careful to maintain a conftant Regard to him in our general Courfe, having an Eye to his Providence in the Events which befall us, and doing what we do as in his Sight, in Obedience to his Authority, and in a Subordination to his Glory as our fupreme governing End,

Thefe are the Things in which true Godliness, or the Practice of the Duty required of us in the Divine Law towards God, doth eminently confift. And it will not be difficult to fhew, that the Exercifing ourselves this Way tendeth to promote our Happiness, and to produce a Pleafure and Satisfaction of the nobleft Kind.

Let us confider these Things diftinctly. Firft, True Godliness neceffarily includeth a firm Belief of the Existence and Providence

Providence of God, juft and worthy Conceptions of his glorious and incomparable Perfections, and, in Confequence of this, that our Hearts must be brought under the Influence of fuitable holy Affections and Difpofitions towards him. It is obferved by the inspired Writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that he that cometh unto God, i. e. he that would ferve him in an acceptable Manner, must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him. Heb. xi. 6. A lively Faith in an invifible Deity lies at the Foundation of all Religion and Godliness. And indeed this is a Principle which cometh to us confirmed by fuch clear and ftrong Evidence, that one would think no reasonable and confiderate Mind could feriously and in good Earneft doubt of it. This vaft Fabric of the Univerfe, which we continually behold, and particularly the wonderful Frame of our own Bodies, and the noble Faculties of our Souls, lead us by a just and natural Confequence to one fupreme original Cause, who was from everlafting, who gave Being to all other Things, but derived his own Being from none; who created Heaven and Earth, and all Things that are therein; and difpofed them in that beautiful Order in which they

now

now appear; and who continually up holdeth and preferveth this univerfal Frame, and governeth the Creatures he hath made by his conftant fuperintending Providence.

And, as we must have a firm Perfuafion of the Being and Providence of God, fo our Minds must be poffeffed with just and worthy Conceptions of his glorious and incomparable Attributes and Perfections; that he is a Being of almighty and irrefiftible Power, who can do whatfoever be pleafeth; of immenfe Greatness, who filleth Heaven and Earth, and is intimately prefent to every Part of this vaft Creation; that his Wifdom and Understanding is infi nite, and he knoweth, in every poffible Inftance, what is best and fitteft to be done; that he is of the most diffufive Goodnefs and Benignity, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works; that he is a Being of spotlefs Purity and Holiness, of impartial Righteousness and Equity, of invariable Faithfulnefs and Truth; that he is the fupreme univerfal Lord, who giveth Laws to his reafonable Creatures, and to whom they must be accountable for their Conduct; and that he will pu nish the obftinate Tranfgreffors of his Laws, and will reward thofe that love and ferve

him in Sincerity; and, finally, that he is the chief Good, the Fountain of all Joy and Glory and Felicity, in whom alone we can be completely happy. A Senfe of thefe Things, when duly received and entertained in the Heart, hath a natural Tendency to produce correfpondent holy Affections and Difpofitions there: A fuperlative Love to God, a profound Reverence of his Divine Majefty, an abfolute unreferved Submiffion to his Authority and Refignation to his Will, and a steady ingenuous Truft and Confidence in him; all which are neceffarily concluded in true Godliness, and are required of us in his holy and perfect Law.

There is no Difpofition towards. God which is more effential to true Religion, and on which a greater Strefs, is laid in the Sacred Writings, than Divine Love. Hence our Saviour, in Anfwer to the Question that was propofed to him, Which is the great Commandment in the Law? makes this remarkable Declaration, Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. This is the firft and great Commandment. Matt. xxii. 37, 3 38. This

Love to God is not to be understood of a mere tranfient Pang and paffionate Warmth

of

of Affection, but of the habitual abiding Difpofition of the Heart, founded in an inward Sense and Perception of God's infinite Excellency and Amiableness in himfelf, and of his infinite Goodness, Grace, and Mercy towards his Creatures, particularly towards us of the human Race. Where this Love to God is of the right. Kind, it hath a mighty attractive Force, whereby we are powerfully drawn to ferve and to obey him; and it rendereth the Obedience free and ingenuous. And hence it is declared, that this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous. I John v. 3. They are not grievous to a Soul animated with this Divine Principle. It kindleth in the Heart an earneft Defire to pleafe him, and to glorify him in the World; and causeth us to value his Favour and Approbation above all Things. Where this is the reigning Difpofition, it will over-rule and controul the corrupt and fenfual Affections, and will engage us, for his Sake, to mortify our moft beloved Lufts, and to make all the Interefts of the Flesh and of the World give Way to the fuperior Interefts of his Kingdom; fo that we shall not decline any Services or Sufferings to which we fhall be called for the Caufe

of