Bates - BT766 B3 1699

82 Spiritual Perfecclion, ail God's Mercies, and our Sins deferve the heavieft of his judgments. Confider the Men that moff excel others, are as naked of Natural Good, as deflitute of Moral and Spiritual Good as others. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights : And as thofe are the befi Gifts that come from him in that notion, fó they are moll: de- pending upon him, and are continued by irradiations from him. There is a diffe- rence between the impreffions of Sounds, and the emanations of Light in the Air. Sounds are propagated by fucceffve mo- tion from one part of (pace into ano- ther ; after the frft caute, the founding inf}rument is filent. But a line of Light extended through the Air, depends in- tirely and neceffarily upon the original point of Light from whence it proceeds. The Rays of Light that fill the Air, in the firfi infant that the Sun withdraws from the Horifon, all vanifh. Thus 'all Spiritual Gifts depend continually upon the influxive prefence of God. Now how can we be proud of his moft preci- ous Gifts, ofwhich we make a forfeiture and cannot pofl'efs without Humility ? The moff eminent advantages which fome have above others, are the fhining marks of his Bounty. How abfurd is it

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