---- - ------------------ _________ Spirit l~a l Perjefl_io_n_. _____ bc r of ProfdTors are more unwilling to fufpe£t the good:.efS and fafe ty o their condirion, than eo mill:akc, and be d!.:cdvcd for ever. But they are fO llrongl}' allur'd br worldly Objects, tha t though in their Lives rh;;;e are the vifiblc markscxclufivc of Sal\·ar ion, they are unconcerned. They arc farisfi'd with carnal vain hopes, wh ich are the feed of all E~'ib cv.amirrcrl, and the fpring of all Evils fi.tftfred. Hope that fhOL:!d incourage HolinefS, unboldcns \Vid<cdnefS; and that !hould lead Men to Heaven, precipiraresrhem into Hell. Ho\v g-reat will their fall he from a conceited Heaven imo a real Hell! Hope, t..l all the Pafllous, is thL: moll calm and quiet ; but when utterly difappoimcd in a matter of hiJh conccrnment, 'ris moll turbu lent; forthe conf~q uen~ Pallions1 Ddpair, Impatience, · Sorrow, Rage. arc the cruel rormentors of the Mmds at Men. /'/-1v wl1at rviUbuome of the hopt of the Hypocriu, JVhm. God {haD t~tke a1vay bis SorJI? He may fe ~.:d and cherifh it while he lives ; but in the fata l moment, when he dies, his blazing prc.;fumption will ex~ pir~, nor w be reviv'd fo r eve r. Bt~t the Rig.htw/14 luu hope in his death : The fan£tificd Spirit infpires and preferves Lif~ in ir, t ill 'tis confumma te in t hat Bleifedncfs that exceeds all our Dclircs, and exdut.!cs all our Fea rs for ever. z. The Hope of Glory fhould be a cunllant and commanding moti ve to purifieour felves. Hope is the great fpring of ad ions in th is World ; it enters inro all our deGgns, and mixes with all our endeavours. T he Husbandman ploughs in all t~e Frolls and Snows to which he is expofcd, in hope of a fruit ful Harvelt. The Mariner fails t hrough dangerous Seas, often inrag'J with Storms and Tempefis, and among Rocl~s and Sands, tor a hopefu l Ven tu re. How much more fho uld the Hope of Heaven make us active and ardent in fi:eking fo r it; con£idering we have infinitely greater fecuri ty of obta in ing it, the Word of God, and t he Object, is above all comparifon w it h t he t hi ngs of t his World. Here the wif{: fl: and moll dil igent are uncertain to obtain their Ends, the trifles which they earnefl ly expect, and are certain after a while to lofc them : But if we in the fi rft place feek the Kingdom of God , we fhall certainly obtain it, and 't is unforfeitable for ever. I will concl ude with the efficacy of this Argument declar'd by the Apottle, The Grau of God that hringeth Salvation blt4 "ppeared tmto tJ!i Men, ttMhing m, that denying Vngodlinefi a11d worldlr Lrifis, '"' {hould live godly, righteo11J1r and fober/y in thu prcfent World , looking for that bleffed hope, the glorioll4 appearance of the g reat God, and our Sa· v iour 'Jefru Chrijl. Thu will kup m jledfaft and rmmovrable, always abounding in t he work of the L ord. 4· T he Fear of God is a Grace of excell ent efficacy to perfect Holinefs in ,us : 'Tis the Apolt le' s di rcllion, perfdl ing Holinefs in the f<4r ofGod. The Divine Wifdom has annex'd Rewards and Punifhments to ltrengthen the authority of the Law, to work upon Hope and Fear, whrch are the fecret fprings of Humane Actions; and for the Honour of his Goodnefs and Jultice thar are principall y exercifed in his Moral Government. That hope may be a powerful motive t o do our Duty , and Fea r a ltrong bridle to reil rain from S1n, the reward mull exceed al1 the temptations of Profit , or Pleafu re, or Honour, that can accrue by mnfgre ffing the Law, and the pena lty of all the Evils that may be inAillcd for obedience to it. F rom hence it is, tha t divine Hope and godl y Fear have fuch a commaod1ng conquering power in the Hearts of true Believers, and are fo opera ti ve in their Lives, that t hey wi ll not neglcll their Duty to avoid the greatell Evil, nor commi t a Sm to obtain the grca tefi Good. ... The Grace of Fear I have dilcours'd of in another place, and fhall be the fhorter in the accoun t of ~ts namre , and cleanfing .V crtue here. Fear introduces feria us Religion, pre. J~rvcs and Jmprovc!:l it: 'Tis the Principle of C onvedion ro God, and lmocks at' the door of the Soul, chat Divine Love may have admi ffion incO it : lt arifes fromtheconvi8:ion ofGu ilr, ond the apprehcnfion of Judgmen t that fo llows. When Pa.l difcourfed of R~ghteottfne[s , a11d 1 empu~ncc , ani. J udgmenl t o ' ome, }f:!i.x trembled: The Prifoncr, \V l th t he t~l!iflance of ConfcJCnce , made t he Judg~ t rembl e. This Fea r was more torment r.!l an rcyerenec . Accord ing to the grcatncfS and nca~ncfs of an Evil, and rhc apprchenli?ns of ir, tht.: 11rcnger is the Fea r. In the turning of Sinners, the imprcffions of it are ddferem : Sr rongt: r dcg rces arc rcquiftce to ro uf~ t he obdurate, and ro ma l<c them fly from thc Wrarh w come. The Jaylor furpr ifed wah Terrors , cryes ouc, Sirs, 1viJAt {ball I do to he j.1:ued ? ,1 is fa id, T/;e Lord optn'd the heart of ~ ydia, as with an oyrd Key; but an ~drthqua!<e was neccffary w open the J ay l or'~ .. Ttll there is felt fcmet hing more to~·mcntmg th.m C<>rna l fweers are rleafing, Men V. Ill not mort ify t heir Lulls . One ~11i! n~t fu fE.:r a p:tr t of his Body to be cut off, unlcfS an incurable Gangrene t hrea tens f1):.-:..:dy De.:r\1. ·~ ' he World is prefi: nc and fCnfib le, and cominua ll y diverts men from the confi .b"J t ion cf t ci r Souls, unkfs Eterna l t hings arc by a lt rong app lication imprcfs'd on
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