Spiritual PerfeClion. ThAt Faith /tftJrat e f rom c);,:;·it} "u , of 110 AVail for Salvation. T hough I ha '!)( _tJIL F~tirh , {~ t bat [ could remov e mo1mtai!'S, ~nd hav e not ChariiJ, I am r.othing. A Fanh rhat Go:.;s not work by Love , and is not p rod~ Cl i ve pf Obedie nce , is o.f no fJ.v ing efficacy. ~ r. 'l~tmu puts the ~cfiior. , 117/;ar _doth it _ pr~fit , my Bret l~ren, though a Man (ap , h: h_.tth Fai~b , and bat h r.ot i1' orkJ? Can Fart h fave hrm .> 'Tis cvJdenc it does not: For noth1ng alft.: rts or de ni es more ll rongly tha ~ a ~efiion. ~e. tbat does not .by Faith in_ the Son of God live a holy Life, mull dye for ever. St.1ohn a!fures us, Tbat we are m a jlate 1 John;. r~ . o' ftn ·otJr n:it h Gorl, if we love tbe Brethren. We h1_o:v that 1ve have pa§d f ro.m _Drath to I if e, bccau(e me love the Brethren. But the linceray of our _Love t~> !he Children of God, is proved br our Love to God, ar.d kaping his Commandrmnu , and JS tnfeparable_from 1}ofm s- ::1. ir. When:. et'<.:r Salvation is promifed to a particular Duty, it mull Ue u nG er lto o~ in a collcai ve ft: nfi· . \Ve read, 111hoever /hAll call 11pon the name of the Lortl, p;a/1 be Javed : AB:s 2. 21. ~nuJ ;o;:r~~;{}r;zi; :~~;~;naur~ ~fr~fi:~dr~b~ ftlif. 1Y ~~l~~r~t:~ ;etfi t~; ~;,r;;a~1:,~fF~ic~ 1 J ohn l· ~ r. and Fervency : '/be rffdlt~~tl fervent Pra)'er of a righuorH Man avails much. . The conncxi- Jur.es 5- 16. on of fav ing Graces cannot be broken. St. Pettt; excites us, to g ive all diligence to add to o11r Faith, in the M yJleries of Godlinefs, Vertt!e; an aB:ive power to render it lively and · ope rat ive, otherwife Faith is a mere fpeculative dead atfl!nt: To Valur, /(norrledge; Prudence to direa its exercife in the feafons wherein, and the manner how our Dllties are eo b~ p:r formcd : To !(now/edge, Temptrance, to regulate our A pp~tites and Enj oymcnts in the ufe of things pleafing ro the Senfes : To Temper4»ct, Patienu. to endure rhe Evils m which we arc expofed in this lower !late; which is equally, if not more necc!fary and excellent : Fo r Human N ature is more affected and tempted by f11arp Pains and Grief. than de ligh ted with Pleafure: Without the exercife of thefe Graces, our Religion will be by li es and ll .a fll cs, wirh interrupting intcrvds: To Patience, Godlint{s ; that is, a re· fpect to the Commands of God as our Rule, and his Glory as our End, that is diltinguifh'd from mere Morality, that proceeds only from Hi.:! man Rc:afon, and rcfpetls the civil Happinefs : To Godline.f. Broth"IJ·kindnrjf: A fincere Love to all of the fdme Heavenly Extraction, in whom the Image of God ihines: And to BrotheriJ:kindn<fi, Charity: That extends to all the partakers of our common Nature. All Sp1ntual Graces take t hei r refide nee together in the Soul; not one fingly enters, and keeps entire poffeffion. Our Saviour tells the young Man who had lived fo regularly, tbat he was lovely in his Eyes; If tho~ ,.i/t b< P"f<a, l!o and {ell all, and ~iv< to the Poor, And com< follow me. He _wanted Chanty and Self.demal to make his Obedience entire. 3· There is a comparative Perfefrion: This in Scr.ipture is lntelle£lual or Moral. (t. ) Intellectual Perfe£lion. The Apoltle excites theH<bmrs, Wbmfore l.aving th< Hob. G. ' · DoUrine of tbe btf!. iltning ofChrijJ, let tiJ go on to Perjeflron: To more eminent degrees in the Knowledge of the Gofpel, both ol the fupernatural Doctrines of the Gofpel, or the Duties cont ained in it. Of the firll the Apo!!le is to be undcrllood, w, j}.ak Wif rlom among thofe tlu1t are pa fa1: That is, declare Divine Myfieri_cs tq thote who are pre~ paced ·ro recet ve them. The Light of Nature declares the Being of God, and his Effent! al Pcrfe£bons, WtfOom, Power, and Goodnefs, {hining in his Works; but not his Coun. feh_, in ?rder to our Salvation: ]\To Man hath fun God at anJ time : The onlrbegottm, John 1- t9. winch io m t ht bofom of the Father, he hat I~ dalared him. There are fame notices ot Good ~nd Ev il, cf Venue arid Vice, by the infiructive Light of Reafon, but not fufficient ro •nform us of our full Duty. The difcovery of the purity and perfection of the Moral Law is from God. The Gofpel, like a clear and equal Glafs, that difcovers the beaut ies and blem11hes of the Face, makes known to us what defiles, and what beautifies the Soul. Now ' ris ou r Duty to increafe in Knowledge, both in the extent and degrees, and -in the quality and efficacy of it. . '· In the extent and degrees. There is a mutual dependance.of Divine Truths; one Illuftrates and infers another: There is an harmonious agreement between them: one fupports another; and 'tis our Duty to apply our Minds intenfely to underlland them. How many t ha t have the Revelation of the Gofpel, are mean proficiems in the School of H ea...ven! ~f- thefe the A pofi:le fpeaks with reprehenfion, Tbq ncedrd to be taught again, the pr(l Pnnoples of the Oracles of God; and are become {ucb that lud nted of milk, {lnd not of Jlrong mtat: U1hcre_,.u olhers wcr' com' to fult age, and had thtir {m{u excrtifed, to di{- mn more perfelliJ ~ood and evil. How many Profeffors need the firll Principles of ReligiOn to be planted 1n them? They pretend to exempt their Ignorance from difcred it, G g g g 2 that
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