Spiritual PerfeElion. to7 ~;i~-;r;~a to our Sin~Jl· r~'J~I.:s , rrom w hich t here is no p ~ r fd.:1 Frce_d~m here . R::p::nc .wc~ is a Duty of eo 1rl1nt re'w· .J!ution ; for while we are c! o.nht:d \\' j ch tr~d Ft~fh , in 11w1y tbt»jJ we olftnd aO. l-Ie is tht; betl S:tint who fdJom f.dls , an l ft'Ji!ddv n!e_s . What Ttrt,!itan [<~. id of h,mfd f is a;.J pl iClOie tO all, l!l"e .1re born {or RtpW!.JI1ct. W~ut IS more b:::co:ning a Chri(l ian, wl,_ilefo m.1ny defeas an~ delll~ments clcav~: to him, th~n _a m)Urnfu! fen re of rhem? T his 10 our dy ing Hours will make our Redeemer more pret: l · 0~5 ro us, and oJr rel i u1ce upon his Mer i t~ and Med iar ivn more comfonii-ble. Re pentam:c ihou\J acr._ompany us ro t l e ~ a t e s of Htavtn : Bu t R epen r an~·e ce~ fi.s_ fo r cvt :, when there is c nt trc l nnocence . Faah is as nc c<: lfilry as Life; , for: wear~ JUltl fi t: d by IC from the Condemnati on of the La w : But in t he fut ure fh te the re IS no uft: of it ; for in H eaven all Sins are pa rdoned, and in Hdl no Sins are for g iven. Fai t h ~ivcs us the pro(f~eU: of Heav n, Hope w aits fo r it, but Love alone takes t he p)!f.: ffi on F ,dd t refi5ns to fru i· tion, Hopt: van ifh e.:; in_ th~ Enjoyment o~ .our d~e fi r'd Hap?~ n~ ~s , bu't Love is m its E~a ltation. The Graces requd'ite for our M J! aant Srare , art: Sp1rtt ual Armour: t he Sh teld of Fdith, rhe Helmet of Hope, and when our Warfare is ended , t hey are ufe ldS. But Love and Peace and J oy, a re R obes fuitable eo our Triumphant State. , 'Tis true, there are fame aCls of Love t hl.t fuppofe Want and l\l i~ry, a'i aCts of Boumy and Cornpa!Tt~o, for there are ?~ 0b)(£ts in He.av~n to who~ they may be ex- . ra~~~: a~d\~e~[~~~r~~e~l=x~~~tst~~ ~;~~~a ~u:~z~ei~n~t:i~ : ~u~~~~;~e~dn,o a1~~~~;~ BldTed Spirits, t he O bjeEts upon wh~m ,~i~ Converfant. In H eaven ' d s more p~ re a ~1d n :F.n d. Here t he Love o f G od t akes lts nft: from the Love of our fd vc:;:s , t he re tts piln· cipa .l}' for the amiable Exc~ !l encies inherent in hi.mfelf. Her~ the Lo~c of t~e S1ints is not abfolutely pure: but 10 Heaven, whatever IS ddi reable 10 Love IS conu nued, and w hat is Carnal and defil.ing is purg~d away. The Smoaky Fire ischan~'d in to a ~ pi ri cua l FLt Jnc. The Aas of H arc more 1ntenfc, and the Exercife is without 1nterrupuon. In Hl!aven the Saints are cn!ighcned with Knowledge from rhe Father of lights, and inflam'd with Love from G od, who is Love: the more fully he is enjoy'd, the more fervcndy he is loved. Without Love t he re can be no Felicity in Heaven: for asde(ire without Fruition is a Torment , fo polfeffi on without Delight is Stupidity. The Joy of Heaven arifes either from the direct Fruition of God, or from the reflection upon the Ha ppin.e~s commumcat~d t~ the Sa1nts : and Love 1s th e. C_aufe of that Joy. Love tO Corpo real tlungs oft en declmes.m our poffeffing them: for Cuno iJ t y IS roan cl oyed, and Experience difcovers the ImperfeC.hons that were conceal'd, and according to the cool. ino of Love is the lclf, ning of Joy. From hence proceeds di~alts, and a fickle flight from on~ rhlng thing to another, wi~hout ever receiving any Satisf~Ebon. But the amiable Per.. feai ons of God are truly lnfimre; and che more clear the Vtfion, the more facisfying the Fruiti on is. The Br ightncfs and InAuence of the Divine Prefence, maint ains equal Love a nd J oy in the Ble!fcd. Acco rding to the degrees of Excellency in the O bject, and rhe vigorous Exerc ift: of the comprehenfive Faculties, the Underfi:anding and Wi ll upon it, fuch is our Fel icity. W he n the llt:a msof God's Face are received into the prepar'd Soul, 'c is ravifhed with unfpeaka ble Sweetnefs and Security, in his cver.farisfying Goodnefs ana Beaut y. T he p<rfe3: and mutu al L ove of the Saints cau!Cs a full overflowing J oy in Heaven. Sincere Love is always Benevolent~ and according to its Ardency, is the deGre of the Happinels of rhofe who are the O bJeas of it. From hence the delight of the Saints above is redoubled, by the fence of their Perfonal Happinefs, and the reflexion upon the happinels of all that blelfed Society, who are cemented by char dear Affection. Sorrow is allay. e.d by the "> ympathy of our Friends, but j oy is heightot:d by Communica.tion. So rrow, ]d<c a Stream di vided in many Channels, runs more ) hallow: but Joy, il k e a Sun-beam, retleCls with more intenfc Heat from the llrcaCl cf one endear1d to us by Love. In H eaven there is an Et ernal Extafie of Love and Joy. I 01all now proceed to Confider our Love to God, which is tlu Firfl ' »d Grtat Com· mand 1n Order and D1gnicy. ' Tis the uoiverfal Command that binds all Perfons, and in all times. Some prece: prs are particular, and refjJea the feveral Relations of men , either ~atura. l, Civil 0 1 Spiritual. Other Commands, though General, yet are w be perforrn'd 111 fpec1al Selfms. Pra ~' er is a univerfal ~Ut}' , for all are in a ftat e of de penda nce upon G od , a~d ' tis the appoint ed means to ~btaln his Favour and B:!ne fir s : 'cis a Dut y of Da ily Rcvolut lou, for we continu.tl1y it and 1n need of his tender and powerful Provide nce to beHo~v good .chings, a.nd avcrt n1l, but this, not to be our perpetual Fxt: rci ft::. For the re are orher .Duc!e.s ro. wh1ch we mu ll attend, that reC]uire a great part of our time. lf there !;isa ~~A~~~~~;~u~not~~c ~~~~~~a~~ea \:,~t~ci~~. ch~u~ 0to~~?:; :,i~~~:~~~e:re~oi~~~iuflfrn~~ Kkkk ~
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