1 Cor. 1.12 '- Cor. u: SpirituaL PerfeClion. fallify their Refolutlons, and like a Lion Oipt from his Ch~in, that returns to his fierce. nefs with his Liberty, fo they relapfe into their old Rebel!tous ~ins. The reafon is they were not inwardly deanfed from the Love of Sin, nor chang'd into the Likenefs of'God. In all their Mifcries they were in the fta~e of unrcnewed Nature, though relh:iin'd from the viGble Eruptions of it. But real Samts have their Converfation all of a Colour: in Profpcrity and Adverlity they are Holy and Heavenly. In fhorr, Sincere Chrillians lludy the Divine Law to know the extent of their Duty, and delight m the dtfcovcry of tt : they do not declme the ftntl:ell Scrutiny. 'Tis David1s Prayer, Lord, /edrch me and try me, and {te whtther ther-e be any way of wi&l·ednef; in me, and difcover it to me that I may forfake it. Confci~nce will be quick and tender like the Eye, which if any dirt be in it, weeps it out. There may be Rebels in a Loyal City, but they arc not conceal'd and cherifh'd: the Loyal Subjetts fearch to difcover them, and cart them out: But the Hypocrites hate the light, becArife tluir duds are evil: they cherifh a wilfu l Ignorance, that _they may freely enjoy their Lulls. The lincere Chriftian aims at Pcrfetl:ion: he Prays, Refolves, Watches, Mou rns and Strives againll every Sm. This is as neceffary to uprighrnefs, as 'cis impoffible we fhould be without lpot or blemifh here: bot the' Hypocrite, though he Externally complies with fome Precepts of eafy Obedience, yet he will not forfake his fweet Sins. Now if any lin beentertain'd or unrenounc'd by a Perfon, he is unregenerate, and a Captive of Satan: as if a Bird be infnar'd by one Leg, 'tis as furely the prey of the Fowler, as if it were feiz'd by both Wings. I il1all only add, Sincerity commends us to God, it gives value to the meaneft Service, and the want of it Corrupts the moll eminent Service. Jehris Zea l was a bloody Murther, though the deftruB:ion of .Ahab's Family was Commanded by God. The Confcioufncfs of Sincerity rejoices the liviug Sa int with prefent Comfort, and the dying wit h the hopes of future Happinefs. The Apoll le, when forrounded with Calamities, declares, 'thU if our rejoycing, the ttjlimoJJJ ofConfcicncc, that with ftmplicity, And god· ly Jinctrity, we h1.ve had our Converfation in thid World. Hezekiah having receiv'd a Mor· tal Me!fage by the Prophet, addrefs'd l1imfe!f to God ; Remember, 0 Lord, I befwh thee, how I have walked before thee, m trMh, wtth aper/el1 heart. Trurh and Perfc8ion are eqlll· valent; this was a reviving Cordial in his dying Hour. A fincere Life is attended with a happy Death, and that is attended with a more happy Life. God is the Rewarder of Moral Venues, wtth Temporal Bleflings, but he is the Eternal Reward of Godly Sincerity. This is the firft Notion of perfeB: Holinefs in the prefent !late. 2. There is an Integral Perfetl:ion of Holinefs: that is, an entire conjugation of all thofe Santl:ifying-Graces of which the Image of <;iod confills. : ,e New Creature in its forming is not like the effecrs of Art, bur the living produtl:ions of Nature. A Sculptor in making a Statue of Marble; finithes the Head, when ' the other part is but rude !tone. But all the parts of a Child in the Womb, are gradually form'd together, till the Body is complete. The Holy Spirit in renewing a Man, infu[es a univerfal habit of Holinefs, that is ComprehenGve of all the variety of Graces to be Exercis'd in the Life of a Chriflian. As the Corrupt Nature, ftil'd the Old Man, is complete in its Earthlv Members, a\! the Lufts of the Flefh, both of the deliring and angry Appetite, and di[pofes without the corretl:ive of Rellrai ning-Grace, the Natura l Man to yield to all Temptations: he wil1 be Fierce wi_tl~ the C~:mteritious, Lice nt io~s wi t~ rhe_Ditfolute, Imcmperacc with the Drunkard, Lafc1VJOUS wuh the Impure, Imp1ous wa_h the Scorners of Religion. Thus the Divine Nature, ftil'd the New Man, is complete tn all Spiritual Graces , and inclines and enables the Santl:ified to do every good Work. The fruit of the Spirit, iJ Love, JoJ, Peace, Long-{tiffering, Gmtlm~fl, Goodruj, Fa~th, Meek'!rfi, Ttm· perance. Although they are dillinguifh'd in their AaJvity, and particul ar Objecrs, )et mey always are JOyn'd in the fame Subjetl:, and Concentre in God, who is Immuta bly Holy and One. They are mix'd in their Exercife without Confufion : As in a Chorus, the variety of Voices is Harmonious ahd Confpiring. ~pirirual Graces accordwg r_o ch_c degrees of their Perfetl:ion, fuch is the degree of their Union. Every real Satnt IS conform'd to Chrifl, of whom he receiveJ t,ract for grace. There are Spmcual GJft~ of Arbitrary Difpenfation: the word of Wifdom, the word of /(nowledg<, thegift I of Healmt,, the work< of MiraciCJ, are feparately given. But when the Sptrit prepares a ~oul for hiS Habitations, he purifies it from Sin, and adorns it with every Grace: 1f there be_ a_defeEl: of aoy Grace, rhe oppofite Sin in its power remains in the Soul, and ma[~es H Iffi• poflible for the Holy Spirit to dwell there. . _ . 'Tts to be obferved, that when a Promife is made to any particular Grace mScnpture, that Grace is to be confidercd in union wich other Gl'accs. Ou.r Saviour tells us, ~hoever believes {ball be fa"ed, And ~t. Paul, infpired by the Spirtt of our Saviour, fT~~;
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