Spiritual Perfe[/ion. ~~.u~fiefl~~~o~~raJ o\t:~~u~ic~;:~~~:~i.o~~yli~{o~~ 't~~ffi:~~f ~0i~~~~~~i~~e~ffi~:d~~~ ~fp~e~ ture; but rhc cafe of the Sick is defperare, when the only Med1cine, proper for his Cure incrcafes th~ Dif~afc, and bri ngs ~earh more certainly, and fpeed ily. Thofe who ar~ ddil'J by Carnal Lulls have a fpeml Curfe ; rhey provoke God to withdraw his Grace ~ccording tO that tearful Threarnmg , (_My Sptrtl /ba ll not alw"'}! flrwe rrmh Man, for~;; u Nrfb) ; and after [o dcfperate a fo rfwure, rhey are feldom redeemed and rel eafed from the Cha1ns of Darimefs wherein they arc bound. ~ccord io g ly Solomon fre~uemly repeats this Obfervarion ; The jlrAnr,e Woman jl.JIIers wtth her words: Her ho11[e inclines to t;~ /:{d; h~~:,te:/1~{e.10 !A:ed;:;;th ~;:e;;:;g~0::~:aze:s r:'J::p 4fi~i~,h;~~:::/:fho:;;~ of the Lord jbaN irrecoverably faR therein. If it be faid, that this reprefentation of the deplorable ftate of the unclean, fi:<ms to cut off all hopes of their reclaiming and Salvarion, and may induce Defpair: M•d• 10 . z1 , I anfwer, with our Sav iour, in anmher in(hnce, With Mm it is impo(fihl(, and not with 2 Pet. 1. 4 God ; for wit h God all things are pof/ible. He can open and cleanfe, adorn and beautify, the moll obfbnate and nnpure H~art . He can, by Ommpotent Grace , change a Brutifh Soul into an Ange lick, and plam a.Divine .Nature, tbAt .ab!Jors and eflapu t.h(C"n~ption in the World through Lufl. Notwuhftandmg the Sevemy of the Threatmng, yet the Divine Mercy and Grace has been exercifed and magnified in th~ renewing fuch pol· .lut ed Creatures. The Apoftle tells the Corintbians, tbty IVtre Formcators and Adulterus, b.t they were rvafhed, /an8ified and juflifi<d in the Name of the Lord ]if"' Chrijl. 1. Let them addrcfs their Requells to God, that he would cleanfe them from the guil t of their Sins in rhe J.!lood of Cluift, the only Fountain of Life ; aQd baptize them rvith thiHoly Ghojl "'with Firr, to purge away their Drofs and Pollutions. An unholy Life is the off.fpring of an unclean Heart. The loofe Vibrations of the impure Eye, t l'. e inticing \Vords cf the impure Tongue, the external Careffes and Incentives of Luft, are from the Heart. The Heart muft be purified, or the Hands cannot be cleanfed. 2. Supprefs the firft rifi ngs of Sin in the Thoughts and Defires. Sins at firft are eafily refilled ; but indulged for a time, are ddncultly rerralled. 3· Ab!lain fmm all Temptations to th~fe ~ios. As Wax near t~e Fire is eafily melted, fo rhe Carnal Affcll ions are fuddenly kmdled by tempting Ob)ells. The neglect of this Duty fills the Wo rld with fo many incorrigible S1nners, aod Hell with fa many loll ~ouls. Men venture to walk among Snares and Serpems without fear, and perif'b for the neglet.t of circumfpet.tion. 4· Do not prefume that you will forfake thofe Sins hereafrer, which you are unwil· li ng ro forfake ar prefent. There Js tn many, a ConHttt between ConvJilJOn and Cor· rupdon : They love Sm, and hate tt ; they delight m tt, and are _forry for tt; they c~n· not li ve without it, nor with it, in feveral refpeB:s: Now to qutet Confcience, and m· dulgc their Lu(ls, they pleafe themfelves wirh refolutions of a future Reformation. The Tempter often excites Men to confent for once, and obtains his aim: But 'm a voluntary difirailion to think Men may, without apparent danger, yield to a prefenc Temptation, refolv iog. eo refift future Temptauons: For tf \~hen the St reng~h 1s wnre, a Temptation captivates a Perfon., how much more eafily w1ll he be kept 10 bondage when the Enemy is more tyrannous and ufurping! m.ore bol_d a~d powerful, and tread s upon his neck, and he is more difabled to refcue hJmfclf? 1 he_ 1nlrghtned natural Con~ fcience is arm' cl againft Sin ; and tf Men regarded as d1aates, tf they beileved and \·a· lued Eternity, they might preferve themfelves from many Defilements : But (iod has never promifod to recover Sinners by fpecial Grace, who have neglelled to make ufe of common Grace. In Chart, confider what is more torment ing than all the Pleafurcs of Sin, that are but for a feafon, can be del ightful, the reflellion of the guilty accufing Confcience, and the tenible impreffion of an angry God for ever. CHAP.
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