Spiritual Per[ef1ion. ~~:i~,a~t~h~~~aJ~o~~efl~~a~a;~~~;'st?e~;ni~~i;n~~~ ~~rv~o~~~~~~~ia~~~~t,~~:r~,i~Jor~;at thou fhalt .be .old, t!;oufoalt J}retcb o!d thy bands, a~td anotber /hall carrl the_e where tiJJu' wou!Jfi mt '. figmfytng h1s D.:ath, The ctr~umO:ances, whe.n _tiJor{ art old, 1mphes an nnwillingnefs to dw, wh~n t~e nat~ral term of L1fc _was nc~r exp1:mg._ Yet Peter had been a fpettaror of our Sa~wur s glonous Transfiguration, and of Ius tnumphant Afcent to Heaven from Mount Olt'lJet. The bdl of us have rcafon to joyn in the language and defire of the Spoufe Dmw u..J to thy Uej(ed prefonce, and we will ru11 after thee: So ilrong is the b:lnd of Naturai Love, that fallens the Soul and Body, and fuch a reluctancy there is againll a difl'olution. But St. P4ul declares, I dejire to he dif!olwd, and to he 1vltb Chri/1, wbich is far hetter ,. He was contented to live for the femce of Chnll, but dcfirous to dye to eojoy his Prefence in the SJnctuary of Life above. This was his fixed and unfatisfied dcfi re. How few are arriv'd to fuch a beighth of fpirituahty? This defire is the fruit of Faith, with rcfpect to the Reality and Glory of the eternal fl:ate, and our intereft in it. Accord ing as rhe revelation of the invifible l{ingdom is in our Minds, fuch is its attractive power in our Hearrs. 'Tis the efftct of divine Love in a degree of eminence. To vanquilh the Terrors of D:ath that are infuperable to Humane Refolutions, and with a clear alid chear(ul fpi rit to l~ave the Bo. dy in the Grave, that we may for ever be fref'd from Sin, and made like to Chrifi in Purity and Glory, is the effect of Love !lronger than D , ath. :1. Vfe, is to excite us to foDow holinefs ; to make it the great de1ign, !l:udy, and cnde3 • vour of our Lives to grow in Grace. 'Tis true, the beginning, the profecution, and pcrfed:ion of Holinefs is from God; but 'cis by the fubordinate concurrence of the renc:\l:ed Mind and Will1 the leading Faculties, that we are advancing towards Perfrdion. God gives Venue to the Seeds, Temper to the Scafons, and Form to the Fruits; but Men arc to plant and water the Fruits of the Earth. Without God our Endeavours are weak and in· effectual, but by his Bldling are fuccefsful. I will fir!\ fet down Directions how we 11ould follow Holinefs: Secondly, Anfwer the Carnal Allegations again!\ our !lriving after Perfe· ction: Thirdly, Proceed to add other Motives to enforce the Duty: Fourthly, Propound the Means that may be effectual for this excellent End. 1. We m\l!l in our early Age follow Holincfs. Men commonly deceive Confcience and elude their Duty by delays : They are unwilling to be holy too foon , and in an excel: lent degree: They prefume ~here will be time enough h~reafter for to reform themfelves; after their Voluptous Affectwns are fausfied,. after thm worldly Acqu1fit1ons, they will forfake their Sins, and become holy. But thiS IS unaccountable folly, rather a Delirium than Difcourfe. There are innumerable Contradid:ions, of which the Lives of Men are compounded ; they complain as if time were intolerably lhort, and wafte it as if it were intolerably long: They ufe all Arts, that Months may feem as Hours, and Years pafsas Days. But in ·no in!lance is this folly more vifible, than in neglecting the working c•t their OIVn Sai7.Jation, till Time and Grace are pafi, when no perfon can alTure himfel f of rbe m:xt Minute: They prefume upon fuch a remote pollibility, that after the beft ef their days are fpent in the Vanities and Bufinefsof the World, there will be time to do the one thingneceffo· ry· How many are difpatch'd to theGrave and Hell in the mid!\ of their hopes of long Life, and their rcfohnions of future Repentance? Death often fleals u~on Men unobferv'd, andfometimes.unfelr. Now fince time is fo fl10rtand flippery, and Life is dying everyday, it is allonilhing that fo many are carelefs of fecuring future Bleifednefs. But fuppofe their time is lengthened our, how is the difficulty increas'd. of their bein~ renewed, and reformed in thetr Hearts and Converfations? The Natural V1cious Ir.clinatl• ons by cuftom in Sin are confirm'd Habits; their Paffions are more violent, the power and liberty of the Mind is broken, and cannot reduce them under the empire of Reafon. Men think there will bean ebbing and retiring of their carnal Affections in Age, when the fenfi· tive Faculties aredifabled from the grofsads of Sin; but vicwus defires are not cur'd by Impotence. The love to Sin incr_eafes by the repeated pleafure of it: Ca" the /Ethiopian cba11gt bis skin, or t/;e Leopard lm [pots, tben may ye tba4 art accuflomed to ~o evzi, do weD. By Cufiorn Mens Lufis are more rebellious to Reafon, more untraCtable to D1fcip1ine, more averfe from holy Counfel. The good or the evil Habits of one Age, ate with their Verrues and Vices tramfus'd to the nexr. 'Tis extraordinary when an evil Child becomes afober modefi Yoyth, or a d1f~ folute Youth becomes a religious Man. Childhood is as the Seed, in who le Venue rhe Tree of Life is contain'd. The CharaCters that are cut in the Bark, when the Tree grows, dec P, Iy and vif1bly remain. 'fis as painful as death to change a fin lul Life of !ll '"Y Years, and begin a contrary courfc of Adions. There arc two branches of folly VIliblc m tl1e World , Men will not do when tl!eycan, and afterwards cannot do when they woul~cfides
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