6o5 Spiritual Perfeelion. - --- T -his_m_a_y -be-i-llu-tl-ra-ted-:--by~its contrary: T=h--"er-c -,r-e -Si-ns_o_f-vo-ri-ou-s k-·in_d_s a-o-d d- eg-re-es. ~~i;~~~· \ ~n~~r:1~i~~: ~~;:~~,u~;e r~~~' ~~~~~~i"(;h~:~~~:~f~ ;:~ Y b~~;~~a~~~ ·~~en~~~i:;i Men I~ is nat ural Sons. Carnal Sws,. w iHch the Soul i_mmers'd in_ Fie01 indulges, all rio. tou ) Exce.ffc:s , I_ntemperaoce, Incon_ttncnce, and the ltke, of whtch a rneer Spirit is nor ca p:l bl e. ocnom10a tes Men the Ca ptiV ~: s and Slaves of Sat an. Now Spirirual ~ ins induce a greater guilt, and deeper pollution t han Carnal. Thecxa£lcr rcfemblanceof rhe ev il one, ma l\cs finful Men more odious to God. 2. Lov~ is more ext,en~ve in its influence th~n Faith ~nd Hop_e; their operations :1re con fin~ to rhe Pcdon t? whom they a_re.. 1 h~ .Jufi h\·es by _Ills own Faith, and is faved b~ I11s own Hope, wahout c0mrnumcarmg Lde and Salvauon to others: Bur 'tis t ile fpim and per fcchon of Love to be benefi ci• l to all. Love comforts tile affiiCled relieves the indigent, directs thofe who want Counfcl. 'Tis the \'ita! cement of Ma n~ l<i nd. In the Univerfe, Converfarion and reciprocal Kindnefs is tile Blood and Spirits of Society, and LO\·e makes the circulation. 1· Love gives value and acceptance to all other Gi fts and Graces, and their operari. ons. The A poll le tells us, Though I h,vc the .gift of Prophu io, and rmdcrjland all MJ · Jlcr ics . and 111i Knowledge; thou?,h I have all Faub, And could remove mountams and h:Jve not Cht~rity, I am nothillf!. · And thouf.h 1 btjlow aRmy Goods to feed t l-e f cor. .'andtho 11oh I f!.ive my Bod1 to be burned, and have not C~arity, it profiurh me ~othin,~ . W i ·hO~ c Charier , Paith is .bUt a dead atfenr; Ho~e is lil<c a T~mpa ny , ~he b1gger t t grows, die more cungerous tt proves. The moll d1ffufive Benefi.cence wtrhout Love , is but a ~;~~~i~:ktc~ i; :;ci~~;ed· ·:~d ~~~ar;~~dij~n~a~!n~hcT~;tr/11;~~~' t}::o 1'/.:;~es0fca~einf~vt~; Trea/itry of the Temple, were of more value, in our Saviour 's account, than the ticb Offuing s of others; I:or fhe gave her Heart, the moll preci ous and comprehenfive Gitr, with them. Tbe givinz or1r Bod~es to be bnrntd for the truth and glory of the GofjJel, is the highctl expreffion of Obedience, whicli the Angels are not capable of performing; yet without Charity, Martyrdom is buc a vainglorious bl ~ zc, and the fCalmg the Trurh with our Blood, is to fea l our Shame. and Follr. Sincere Love when it cannot exprefs it felf in fuitable effeEl:s, has this priv1ledge, eo be accepted in God's fight, as if it were exuberant and evi dent in outward aaions; for God acupu the Will for the Deed: if tlure be jirji a JVi/ling mind, it is accrpted according to whAt 4 M,n hAtb, and not according to tiJAt he hath not. n;;, 1,,..,1.,, 4· Love is the perfeCl:ion. of rhe Law, the fum and fubtlance of every Precept. All ti:m lftl4 , 01mo· particular Duues, though ddbngmfbed 10 the matrer, are umred m Love, as their prin. :~:::,;;:£. ~!~~1i!rt~d, c~~~~ity~t. 4:~i;e~:f~~~esfa·;,Juhda;, al!r~t~v~'ed~~~~fi::~ryb/~~g:~c~:,~c~: ..,.w,m,fortl- "Libe ral Love gives fupplies to the Poor, patient Love forgives InJunes. ~;:::n~: .. ;:~·- L~vc is the end and perfection of rhe Gof~el. Now tl;e end of the Comma>~dmmt .u ur Deumf.wle CIJJtrtiJ, 011t of a pu-re H~art, and agood Co,/ctence, and Failh u»fi{~ned. Some retlram ?;,(:~::;;,, ~lfeP;~~tre~0~:·.'1J~~e~rir~~J~;fi~at;h~hJf~~~!n:~~te:~~e~~~~e~,~sa ~!~e~~~t~~u~~~ difom,mrnn not in that the one commands, and the other does not command, bur in the nature E;E,:~::::: ~a~;~l ~~~e~ac~.h~~n~;~~ve1~: tr:;,,f~;::m':pj~ ~0th~0,:~,"'~~~ ~J~~t~h~[,!;i~;,i;~~ ~·\d' Ma.. in thf name of his Son Jrfru Chrift. The word 4n•"l", is by the Apoa!e ufed for : ~?~·;; '.'s. ~~d~;,i;;;~~n~f i~1eth~Ce1~~i~g~s:~fc~n~r~ft~e ~c;~~~~ r~~;et't~fi:h~h~c~:~~~~io~l~: :~~ '· Th .tr •· '• of Philofophy is Knowledge and Moral Venue; the end of Rhetoric!< is Eloquence. Alb '•· ' ' · Thus the end of the Gofpel, the Divine DoCl:rine of our Salvation, is Love, a Crelerri al PerfeClion . Faith in the redeeming Mercy of God, is the produCl of the Gofpel, nor of rhe Law, and Love is the end ofFaitb: Now the end is more excellent than the means to obtain it. In this refpeCl, Love is greater than Faith. Briefly, Love is llil"d the Bond of Ptr{eflion, as it unites and confummatcs other Graces, compreheods a~d fatlens them. Love to God draws forth all the aCl:ive powers of the Soul m Obedience. He that with a full and fervent Will applies himfelf to his Dmy, w1ll mare eafily, pleafantly, and exaCl:ly, perform it. The Love ·of God will form theSou l into a more entire conformity to his Nature, and obedience to Ius Law; and ra1fe 1t to a greater eminency of Holinefs than the clearetl knowledge of all Preceprsand Rules c•:.d~ove nfvtr fails. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are difpen!ed and c~nrinued according to our dilferent fiatcs. Some are necdfory in the prefmt !late of the .Ch~;,~;~
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