respect no creature can be like him; yet it is represented as a thing in defign, "that we fhould be partakers of his holiness, Heb. xii. 10. And it is a precept to us, that "as he which called us is holy, fo we fhould be holy in all manner of converfation," 1 Pet. i. 15. This last paffage may ferve in some measure to explain, how we are required to bear God's image in holiness. We cannot perfectly be like him in this character in degree, but we fhould afpire to "be holy in all manner of conversation:" i. e. As God's holinefs fignifies the univerfal rectitude of his nature, and his utter averfion to all evil; fo we fhould be adorned in heart and life with the whole chain of graces and virtues becoming our nature, and abhor evil of every kind. We fhould not only be folicitous about one or another particular excellence, but an uiversal rectitude; nor fatisfy ourfelves with declaring war against a particular fin, but be at mortal enmity with every known fin. That, and that alone, is a Gofpel-conformity to divine holinefs: and where the divine nature is formed, there is that likeness, tho' not without imperfection in all. 2. As it is a difpofition founded in light and knowledge, it bears in our measure a refemblance of God.. Thus the new man is faid to be renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him," Col. iii. 10. It is the peculiar glory of the bleffed God, that he fees all things and all their relations in one entire unerring view; fo that it is not poffible that he fhould be miftaken or mifled at any time, that he would do any thing rafhly or at : at random. The acts of his will (to fpeak of God after the manner of men, and in a way accommodated to our apprehenfion) are always fuitable to the perfect light of his underftanding. Man in innocence had light fufficient to difcern all that was right and fit for him to do, and was difpofed to follow that light this was the rectitude, the orderly state of his nature. But by the apoftacy, the light which was in him is become darkness; ignorance and error mislead him, or the light of his mind is ineffectual, and over-powered in its influence by headstrong appetites and paf- · Lions. Now the first step towards a man's coming to himfelf again, and recovering the image of God upon him, is the re-entrance of light into the mind, and that with fuch efficacy as to renew the difpofitions of the foul by it. Hence, as God's perfect holiness is defcribed by his being perfect light; "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all," 1 John i. 5. fo our finful ftate is defcribed by "walkin darkness ;" and our renewed ftate by "walking in the light, as he is in the light," ver. 6. 7. 3. As it is a difpofition to righteousness, to do justice to all, it is a conformity to God. "The new man is after God created in righteoufnefs, Eph. iv. 24. This is a perfection often afcribed to God. He is righteous in all his ways. Is there unrighteoufnefs with God?" fays the apoftle; "God forbid," Rom. ix. 14. Though fometimes clouds and darknefs are round about him, fo that we may not be able at prefent to give a thorough account of the juftice of his proceedings; yet for cer tain righteoufnefs and judgment are the habitation of his throne, Pfal. xcvii. 2. And as this is a neceffary perfection of his own nature, so he cannot but love it in his creatures. "The righteous Lord loveth righteoufnefs," Pfal. xi. 7. When the temper of our fouls is to do righteoufnefs, to give God his rights, and our fellow-creatures theirs, according to all the claims they have from us in our several stations and relations, this is a refemblance of God; and fuch a one as the fcripture makes neceffary to prove our relation to him. 66 In this the children of God are manifeft, and the children of the devil. Whofoever doth not righteoufnefs, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother," John iii. 10. Which laft character leads me to obferve, that the chriftian temper is eminently a god-like tem per. 4. As it includes goodnefs, love and mercy in it. Thefe are illuftrious attributes of God, wherein he particularly glories, and of which he has given moft bright and frequent inftan <ces. In these we are eminently called to imitate him. So great is the benignity of his nature, that it is faid of him more than once, "God is love" and correfpondent to this divine excellence, St. John calls upon us : "Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love," 1 John iv. "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him," ver. 16. And the exhortation to : 7. VOL. I. 8. G imitate too. imitate God, which another apoftle gives, tho' expreffed in general terms, yet plainly appears by the connection to refer particularly to this excellence, Eph. iv. 31, 32. "Let all bitternefs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chrift's fake hath forgiven you." Immediately it follows, chap. v. 1. 2. "Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love." When we love all good men with a particular affection, because of God's holy image upon them, we write in our measure after his copy, for he does fo But he is alfo good to all; his tender mercies are over all his works: creation, providence and redemption are full of the difplays of his good-will and grace he is rich in mercy to the miferable, to the unworthy, to his enemies. The evidences then of a godlike temper in us will be the more confpicuous, by how much the more diffufive, and free, and difinterested our affection is; by how much the readier we are to fhew compaffion to the miferable, forbearance to the injurious, and a hearty good-will to our enemies. The laft inftance of likenefs to God is preffed upon us in the ftrong terms by our bleffed Saviour, Mat. v. 44, &c. I fay unto you, love your enemies; blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven," (i. c. fhew your felves to be fo by acting like him ;) "For he maketh his fun to rife upon the evil and upon the good, and fendeth rain on the juft, and on the unjuft. For if ye love them [only] which love you, what reward have ye ? do not even the Publicans the fame ?" And he clofes all with thofe emphatical expreffions, ver. 48. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." By which we may understand him to mean one of these two things either that in this branch of imitation, every good man fhould aim at the fulleft conformity to God poffible; here be perfectly like God as far as you can, there is no danger of overdoing: or, that there is no part of the image of God, which we can bear in this life, that is more perfect of our natures. 5. As it comprehends truth and faithfulness. It is the glory of God to be "a God of truth." Deut. xxxii. 4. and of his people, that they are "children that will not lie," Isaiah lxiii. 8. God is faithful to all his promifes and engagements: "faithful is he that hath promised." And it becomes us to be fo in all the engage. ments we lay ourselves under to God or man; when we vow to pay unto the Lord; and if we have fworn to our own hurt, yet not to change, i. e. if we have engaged ourfelves even to a disadvantageous bargain with our neighbours, we muft ftand to it; which is made one character of a citizen of Zion, Pfal. xv. 4. God is fincere in his declarations; and fo fhould we be in all our profeflions of respect either to God or man. If we profess honour and regard either to God or man with our lips, while our |