400 Spiritual Perfection.' fuch, ifthey do not want Inftruhets; want Remembrancers of their Duty. Others are infeaed with Pride, and a workLeprofie thanNaaman's, of whom we read, that when the Prophet fent him a Meffage; that he fhould go and waft in 7ordan (even times, and he fbould be clean ; he was wroth, andPaid, Are not Abana and Pharpar, Rivers of Dama[us, better than the Rivers of Ifrael ? May I not trafb in them, and be clean? So there are fome, who being dire1ed to wafh themfelves often in the waters of Life, the Scriptures of Divine Infpiration, are apt to think, Are not the RiversofGreece and Rome , the eloquent Difcourfes of l'hilofophers, better, more perfeEive of their Minds and Anions, than the plain Rules of the Word ? But this proceeds from affeaed Ignorance, and wilful per- verfènefs; for not only fupernatural Do- &rines, neceffary to be believed, are only revealed in the Scripture, but the . Rules of Moral Duties, neceífary for pra}ice, are clearlyand compleatly only laiddown in it. Befides, as every thing in Nature has its Vertue by the appointment of God, and works for that end for which it was ordain'd ; fo the preachingof the Gofpel was appointed to begin and maintain the Life of the Soul, and powerfully works to
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