Spiritual Per[eflion. CHAP. XL Strifine/s in judging oiir /<Ives, and Cando11r. in judging othm, a jign of excellent Holii:ef;. Preferring the TeflirnonJ of an unreproachmg Confcten« before the Praife of Mm , an Argt1ment of excellent Grace. The {ertotu performance of Rdij,t.ow D~tte~ in {ecret . ~ Jign of A Heavenly Spirit. The forgivin$ Injuries, Jtnd ovac~m_mg Evtl wJ~h. qoo'd, the ejfCfJ of eminent Grace. The more recep~tvt Perfons are of Sptrtttlal t'ldmomtton, to pre · vent or recover them from Sin, the more holy. The de!Jberate deftrc of D rath, that we ma1 be perfefJI] hoiJ, a>gues an ex<eUent degree of Holine{s. DirefJiom to follow Holine{s ill our early .Age, !Pith 2:..Jal, with AlacritJ, and rm/Ainttng P.erfeveranc_e. The An{'ver to ObjefJiom againjl jlriving after perfefJ Holinefs. That 'tis impo/ltb!e to obtain it. That the Dut} is extreamly difficult. • TIJat 'tis tmceceJfarJ. Other Argtements propormdecl to excite tu to this DuiJ. The Gofpd the prr/efJ Rule of Holinefs. Examples ofPerfefJion to raifc m to the befl heighth. The Example of our HeaveniJ Father , ofo11r Redeemer, of the .Angels, of excellent SAints, propounded. Our pre{ent Ptact, and future Glory, are increa/ed by o11r excelling in Holinefs. . 4 . TO be !lriB:and fevere in judgingourfelvcs, to be candid and favourable to others, argues a M an to be a proficient in PraB:ical Reli gion. The Divine Nature planted ia the Saints, is as contrary to Sin, asLife is to Death ; and according as Grace is more lively in them, there is a quicker perception, a more feeling fenfe of Sin, and a ftronger dete!lation of it. For the clearer apprehcnfions we have of the Maje!ly and Purity of the Law·giver, the more extenfive under!l:anding of the perfeB:ion of the Law, . the Rule of our Duty and Judgment, the more intimate and exaB: infpeB:ion ofour Hearts and AB:ions, the more deeply we are affeB:ed with our defects and defilements. How does Agur ( whofe Wifdom and Holinefs appears in his choice of a Mediocrity before Riches) vdifie htm{elf, Srtre/7 I ammorebrtlitifb thAn any Mrm, and have not tbe underflanding of A Man; I neithel' learned wifdom, nor have the underjlanding of the hoiJ. With whac an emphafis does he expre[s it, Sure/1 I have not: It was not a fuperficial acknow ledg'?ent~ but. proceeded from *:~~~~1i~! ~i~~of.~til:: 1~0;!J7o ~~;~tfig~~i:r~t~h~~~ be;;g/~;~~~;~ u~~:~~f~ his Vifion of God upon a high Throne, and all the SanCii:ies of Heaven about him in a Po· !l:ure of Reverence, how does he break forth in perplexity! Wo u me, for I am a Man ,f Jfo.d. fiNelean Lips, and dwell with l' people of untleJtn Lips ; for mine lJel htwe {cen the i(jng, the Lord of Hojls. St. Paut, tho' the moll exaB: ob[erver and example of the Duty of Chriftians, who never fhed a Tear for his Sufferings, how paffionately does he complain of the reliques of Sin? 0 wretched man that lam, IPho {ballddivtrme from this bodJ of Death? A fcratch in a pieceofCanvas is hardly difcovered; but if a PiCiure be drawn upon it, 'tisvery vifi ble. When the Image of God is drawn in the Soul, the lea!l: Sinsare obferv'd. But with whatallaysdoesche Apollle [peak of the fierce Zeal of the )ews, again!l: the Dodrine of the Gofpel, and the profeffors of it? I bear them record, thq have a Z,Jal for Rom.9. '· God, but not according to knoovledge. He diltinguifbes between the fincor ity of their Zeal, and the errot· of it in che mi!laken Object. But he dete(\s his own perfccuting the Church (though capable of the fame allays) as fury and madnefs. Ifthere be any mitigaring.circumfiance , as in voluntary Ignorance, fudden Surprize, or a thong Temptation, (as in Peter'~ 6:afe, his Mind was[o intent upon avoidingthe 'pre[ent danger, that he did nor-con· fider his Duty to his Ma!ler ; and this qualified his Sin to be an Infirmity, and not treacherous Infidelity) if there be no defign'd depravednefs, and pe!l:ilent perverfenefs of Mind, Charity will make an indulgent allowance for it. It is the infeparable propcrcy and excellency of that grace, It bu.rs AD things, believes a!ltiJings, hopes aU thing s, endures all things; P~tB~~r:.m tjl ~~sf~[0as ~a~o~~~:~t~~~ ;~~~~fst~n~e~/[[}~~on. He that hates nothing in a Sinner but ;:;:~~:~:u;;;m Th~re are many that dilate and difperfe thei~ fight to difCover the faults of others, but pmatum. Aug. do1not contratl: it to look inward, and fee their own. They are D1arp in obferving and aggravating other Mens 6ios, to be etleem'd zealous; and fometimes Hypocrifie is fpun fo fine, as to fee m to be uncounterfeic Holinefs: But they cannot concea l thernfc1vcs from Gnd and Confcience. The fincere Chri!lian fees hi s own fpots, and the fenfc of them in. dines him to be favourable to chafe whoar~ O'l)trtllkm 1vith a fAult. To overcome our own PaL.ons, and meekly eo bear the Paffions of others, is che effca of viCtorious grace. The ~e~~·~t.a:~t~ of Humility ICes a lu!lre upon all others graces, and makes them amiable in Nnnn 2 5· To
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