Spiritual PerftEliori. Gold though ia tl~e lowcfl: degree of fioenefs, will endure the Furnace and the Touchfiom/, and by that tryal is_ difcern'd from. Counterfeit .Metal. There are different degrees of active heat in Ftrc: fome times tt Flames, but always Ruros, if fed with Combntltble matter. Now the EtTence of true Holinefs confills in a Conformity to the Nature and Wiil of God, whereby a Saint is dillinguifht from the unrenewed World, and is not acted by their Principles and Precepts, not govern'd by their Maxims and Cufiorns. There are different degrees of Holinefs io the Saints, but Sincerity is infeparable from the Being of it. This includes firll a Conformity in the Heart and Life to God. As a good Complexion flourifhes in the Countenance from the Root of a good Conl1:itution within: fo real HolinefS 0Jiniog in the Converfation, proceeds from an Internal Pri -:ciple of .Life feated in the Mind and Heart. The U nderllanding ellecms the Precepts cf Cod's Law, as bell in themfclvcs, and bell for us: the Will Confenrs to the San-'tity and Royalty of che Law. David declares , I ejlum all thJ CommandmentJ to he T~f!.ht: and I hate '""7 f•!f< '"l· If the Divine Will be the reafon of our Obed ience, it wtll be impartial. Many elude Uuty, and deceive Confcience. by partial refpeas to the L aw: They will make amends for Delinquencies in fol'ne thmgs, by Supererogatiog in others that are fuitabJe to their Carnal Eafi.! and lntereH. Thus the f.Jh,;rifuJ were mighty Sons of the Churcb, very accurate in San8imoniolls Forms, great pretenders to Piety, but fiain'd Religion with lnj ullice and Uncharitablenefs. They pretended to love God, but hated their Neighbour: they Fafl:ed twt ce a Week , but Devour'd Widows Houfes : they ~~c~~b~f;;,t;~it~~~d0nb[f:.vin.y,~l!~~e~~~;;~~o~;c;!a~ r~r:~t~~~~eb~~t::;~~~~~ ~~em~~:~~! fi~ht of tile Face, and. the fight of it by refl~ ·J ion in a clear and true GlaiS, than the fpu·it of the Old Plmifw is li ke the Formahfl iu every Age. Thus among the.Papills, how many under the Va1l of Virginity conceal the groJTell Impurities, and under the appeara nce of Poverq', are Covetous and Rapacious? But our 'iaviour tells US1 rmlcfs 011r riJ!.hteou{nt/s excuds the r~1,hteoujne[1 of the Scribo and Pharifeo, 1Ve cannot tnter into the !(jngdom nf Heav<n. If our Obedience be not of equal Extent to the Rule, if there be an Indulgence to Contravene any Precept, the \\'ords of ,Jt. Jamu are decifive and convincin~. rYhot'1Hr (baU /:up t!Je whole Law, and yet of/end in one inflance. he is g.r~ilty of all. In one atlowcd fin of Omifiion or Commi!Tioo, there is a Univerfal Di[obedJcoce to the Autho.ricy of the Lawgiver. Although the bcfr Saint on Earth is not without Sin, ~et the leafl1s wi thout Guile. l. · ~iocerity produces Confl:ancy. The~e is a ftritl: Connexion between the leading Faculnes, and thei1· inward Operation~ , wah the outward Aaions. According to the renewed Temper of the Mind and Wtn, fuch is the tenor of the Life. Pure Religion and undt! fil<:d befl~ re God, that is exercis'd ~rom D1vine Principles, and Eternal Motives, will fortify a Chn!lian againll all Temptations: he will neither be allur'd nor terrified from his Duty. Some when Religion is in publici< Elleem, are forward ProfeiTors : but if the Te!limony of Truth expofcs them to Reproach, as Seditious and DiDoyal, and the Confequences of that Reproach, they will comply with the Temper of the Times to feeurc their fccular Interelt. And as there are Change of Garments, Summe r and Winter~ Garments according to the Seafons of the Year, fo they have Change of Religions as the Times vary. Perfl!cucion difcovers them to have been forma l Profeffors, without the fpirit and depth of Religion in their Hearts. But fi neerc Chriflians arc confpicuouDy fucn in the Fiery Tri al. 'Tisobferv'd in digging Wells in the hot Months of ']11/y and Au~rifi, if a Vein of Wacer flows, 'cis a fign of a lalling Spring: thus if in the Burning. Heat of Perfkcution the Profeffion of the pure ~eligion is declar'd, '~is an Argument ic pro· cceds from finccre Grace, thllt wiU he fpringtiJg rtp to Evrrlajling Life. There are numerous Examples of the Holy Martyrs, who defpifed the enraged World, as a fwarm of angry Flies, and turn'd Pcrfecution into a Plea{Ure, and with undeclining fervor and Cour.age pcrfcver'd in the Confe!fwn of Chrifi, till they obtain'd the Crown of Eternal Life. Unfeigned Faith and Sincere Love are the firongell fecurity againll Apollacy : he that is found at the Centre, is unfhakcn by Storms. The double-minded, whofe Hearts are divided between the inlightned Confcience, and their Carnal Affections, are unflable in all tbezr JVayJ . . Some h~ve fhort expiring fits of Devotion: while they are in afflicting Circumllances c1tber by 1 errors of Confcience, or Difeafes in their Bodies, or Difidters in their Eftates, they rcfolve to be regular and reform"d in t heir Lives, to walk circumfpectly and cxa81y: but when they are rcleas'd from their Troubles, they degenerate from their Defigns, and G g g g • falfify
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