Spiritual PerfeE1ion. inlightning the Mind, exciting the Confcience, turning the Will, and purifying the AffeB:ions. ( 2 ,) After a Principle of Life and Holinefs is planted in us, we are, by a continual fupply oflhength from Chrift, a!lifted to exetc~fe It 10 all the ails that are ~~~p~~ct~ :ahc~sD;t~ec~:~~ian~ h~~:dism~fte~:'fi~~f~'w~~ti~e:hne ~:r~~,"'~~~:C!1]~ [p~[~~~ out of it ; and whm ' tis fowed, the natural qualities of the Earth, Coldnefs and Dri - ~:;~' ~;~h~~1~~,rr!~ llia:~?si~i~g;i~,h~~ew~~~~~u~~~W Ibnefl!~frc~~ y[. rh~r~;:~:"J;a~~l~ forth into flourifbing and fruitfulne£5 by the irradiating and warm inBu< of the Spirit. lbt we are fubordinate agents in carrying on the work of Grace to ~erfdtion. The !\ poll le exhorts us_ to work out our own Salvation with fear and tremblmg; for 'c is God works in us to will and to do. Carnal Men abufe the freenefs of Grace to loofenefs and fccurity, and the power of Grace to negligence and lazinefs. Our dependance on God infers lhe ufe of means ro fa\'e our Souls. Our Saviour commands us to watch and praJ, that rve may not enter into temptation. To watch wirhout Prayer is to prefume upon our own Strength: To pray without Watching is to prc{ume upon the Grace of God. The Lord's Prayer is the Rule of our Duty and Defires: We are i n~ag'd by every Pet it ion to eo opcrarc and concur with Divine Grace to obtain wha t ·~'t: pray for. Naaman prefum'd he fh ould be immediately clean fed from his Lcproue by the l'raye,r of Eilfba; but he was commanded to go and wafb himfelf in 1ordan feven times for his Purification. A fiream preferves its criftal clearnelS by continual runmng; If irs courfe be flop'd, it willllagnare and putrifie. The purity of the Soul is preferv"d by the confi:am c~ercife of habitual Grace. In lhort, we rnufi: be jea lous of our fdves, to prevent our be10g ful'priz'd by Sin, and continually addrefS to th~ Tbron~ of Grace, for the obtainin/!, Grace and Mmy in time ofneed; and by Faith apply the blood of [prinkling, that h'S a cleanftog Efficacy. The Death of Chrill memorioully procures the Spirit of Life and Renovar ion, and is the ftrongeft ingagement upon Chriftians to rnortific thofe Sins that were the caufc of his Agonies and Sulferings. ,, The parts of the Duty are to be conudered: the cleaofing us from the Defilements . 559 of I'le01 and Spirit, and the perfelling Hohnefs. · . ( •.) The cleaofing muft be univerfal, as the pollution is: we arc direlled to ci<allje J•m. •· s. o:~r hands, ~tnd pt~rifit our hearts, that we may draw near to God with acceptance. 'Tis obfervable that, in' a general fenfe, all Sins are the works of the Flefb: whatever is not divine and fpiritual is carnal, in the laoguage of Scripture. For fince the feparation of Men from God by the rebellious Sin of Adam , the Soul is funk into a ftatc of Carnaliry, reeking fo_r fatisfaB:ion in lower things; The tWO jarring oppofite Principles are Flefb and Sp1rit, lufiing againil one another.. 'Tis as carnal to defire vain Glory, or to fet the Heart on Riches, as to love fenfual Pleafures: For our Efteem and Love are entirely due to God for his high Perfellions; and 'tis a difparagement to for them on the Creatures, as if he did not deferve them in their malt excellent degrees . \\> hatever things are below the native worth of the Soul, and unworthy of its noblell operations, and are contrary to its bleffed end, defile and vilifie it. A more precious Metal mix'd with a bafer, as Silver with Tin, is corrupted, and lofes of its purity and value: Bu t in a contraaed fenfe Sins arc diftinguilh'd; fame arc attributed to the Spi rit, and fame to the Flefb. The Spirit is always the principal agent, and fomwmes the foie agent in the commiflion of Sin, and the foie fubjea of it: Of t his fort are Pride, Infidelity, Envy, Malice, &c. There are other _ Sins, wherem the Body confpires and concurs in the outward aas : They are fpecified by t he Apoflle, and difiingmfh'd according to the immediate fprings from w1~en ce they flow; the dc.uring and the •.ngry Appetites. The works of the Fl.efb are manifejltd, G.1.,.,9,••. Adultt?, Formcation, 'Vncleanmfs, L~j~tviou{nefs, ldolatrJ, Witchcraft, Hatred, Vari- Col.] .S',B~·· ttnu, ~m,Jattom, Wra~h, Strife. Sedtttons, Htrtjies, Envyings, Murders, Drunl:ennefs, Revt!lmgs, and fnch !tke. The cleanfing from carna l fou l Lulls, is like the walhing one that is fallen i~to the mire, which is a mixture of the two lowelt Elements, hea~•y Earth and fi•ppcry Water, that defi le by the touching them. The more fpiritual l.ufis are hke the llormy Winds, and fmoaky Fire, in which the two higher Ele- ~ents are comain'd. Pnde fweils .the Mind, and caufes violent agicarions in the Thoughts: Anger darkens aml fires It. The Lufts of the Flefb are tenacious by the force of the Imagmatlon , when converfant upon Objells prefcnred by the Senfes; but the Lulls of the Sp~rit arc form'd and wrought in its own forge, without the concurrence of the fenfual Fa:u ltics. Dddd The
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