Spiritual Per fec ion. 361 tradiaion .fo dire& and .palpable , that one word deftroys another ; as if one lhould fay, a living Carcafs, or a cold. Calenture. We muff adorn the Gofpel of Chrift by the facred fplendour of our A&ions. An innocent Life from grofs notorious Sins, is a poor Perfe&ion ; we muff thew forth the Vertues of him , who his called u.s to his l(,tngdom and Glo- ry. Men ulually obferve what is emi- nently better, or extreamly worfe, inany kind : The excellent Goodnefs of Chri- ftians recommends the Goodnefs of the Gofpel, and convinces Infidels, that it came from the Fountain of Goodnefs. The Primitive Chriftians endur'd the Fiery Tryal with infuperable Conftan- cy ; and the molt powerful Argument that infpir'd their Courage , defpifing Life and Death, was, that Chrift was their Leader in thole terrible Confluas ; he was their Speaator, when they incounter'd fierceBeaffs, and fiercer Tyrants, for the defence of his Truth, and Glory of his Name ; and while they were futfering for him, he was preparing Im- mortal Crowns for them. This St. Cyprien, in his Pa- floral Letters to the Chrifti- ans in Africa , reprefent Si vos acier vocaverit,f cep taminis vefiri dies venerit, mi- litate fortiter dimicate conftan- ter, fcientes vos fi+b oculis pre- fentú domini dimicare, con- jeffione nominis ejuc, ad ipfitts gloriam pervenire. .Quis non pre- tiofam in confpetlu Domini mor- tem nom fortiter conJlanter excipiat, placiturus ejats oculic qui nos in confegione nominisfui de fuper fpetlans, volentes com- probat , ad juvat dimicantes, vincentes coronat. Cypr. with
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