Spirit11al Perfeelion. Befides, the holy Spirit isgriev'd and quench'd by their reotling his pure Mdtions: and if he be withdrawn, 'tts impolfible they thould be renewed by.a fenous Repenrance. 'TIS as reafonable to exped', that the Sun fhou!d crofs the Order ?f Nature, and nfe l~ rhe We~\ as that rhe Son of righteoufnefi foould ,arife with healing in hJJ wing,J, upon an h~~1tual ob{h.. nate Sinner in the hour of death. They are ufually left to hardnefs and fiup1dtry, to prefumption or to defpair. Some are.asi~fenfi?le; fome prcf~me to obtain an ea~y entrance into the Kingdom of Life, and thmd1fappomtment exceed1ngly exafperates thm fad exclu• lion ; others who were fearlefs of the lafi Enemy when afar off, in hiS approaches,. they re• member what they have be~n, and apprehended what they rnuil: be wtthou_r a mrraculous ~~:~~~; ~~~ ~~~~~~~;i'o~1,k~b~JP~;~e~o:3~: ~~!c~j~J [Z!~:,i:s: ~:~gfo~~~~'ife~~eE;~J:} thdr de_lim a•tl hopes, Eternal Happinefs, c.urs them mo~e terribly than the pangs of Death. The refied:lon on their wafimg the treafure of t1me, wuhout any 1mprovemenc for thr·:r Souls, is apricking thorn in t~eir eyes, an.d forces out juft but ~npro~table_ tears. How dole-- ful is the feparation of Soul and Body here, and how woful W11l thetr umon be at the Jail day ~ Otbat men utere wife toconjiderth~irlatte;end, that they woulef call deat~ tocounfel; with what evidence and efficacy would!t convmcethem of the neceflity of a umely prepa• ration for Eternity t 'Tis too late to go to buy Oil, when the Bridegroom is coming. :z.. Let us follow Holinefs ze>loufly. D;lires without confequent Endeavours, are pretences; ineffeCtual Refolutions contradiCt themfelves. What fire, vigour, and ad.iviry, tu:sa;ter ~~, 0~~=~e~~~;?a:/re?e;';/t;::to: ~Z,Z'~a~::;;:::r:;;~Ei;jn:£,:~~ J~~~~hr~!,o/i count notmyfeiftohaveapprehended; !Jut thu one thing I tlo, forgettiHg thoft thinf!.S that ate :;::::i th~";;~~;;;ttt::;;,;;;hoff~tt~f:.'!~t :~~ tt~~~,:.~,~~;.~a;~et'd:~:~'~i~, t:u fpeed. It fhould exc1te Compaflion and Indignation, to fee the Love of this vain perilhing World to be more active and zealous, than the Love of the blelfed eternal World. That the Tempter with fuch wretched Wages, the trifles of Time, fhould induce Men to be his Slaves; and God with the glorious Reward of an everla!ling Kingdom, fhould not perfwade them to be his Sons, to be like him in Holinefs. That Men lhould fo violently run down the Hill to the Earth, and be fo remifs and flow in their motion upward to Heaven. The vainglorious, excited by the edge of Ambition, will venture on prefent death, with fond hopes of furu~e fame. Strange pur~haf:! The Covetous, with th; moll eager applica• tion of means, fl:uve to heap up uncertam Rlches: , The voluptuous, wtth vehement affections, followPleafures. But to obtain the highefi Honour, Crele!lial Treafure, to enjoy the purefi delights, Men think lazy Formality, and flack endeavours fufficient. Whereas the moll ferious Thoughts, flagrant Delires, !teddy Refolutions, and all poflible !ndufiry, are requifite in our holy Calling, that we may have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God. J. Let us follow Holinefs with alacrity and chearfulnelS. Our Saviour tells us, 1TiJ his meat a•<i dri•k to do hiJ Father's wiU. The practife of Holinefs is vital and nourilhing, and pleafant to the rafie. There is a high relifh in Victory of any kind, but efpemlly over our moO: dangerous Enemies; it replendhes with cordial Contentment; whu joy arifes from fubduing unruly Paflion•! Suppofe Anger has often foil'd me, and like an unmanaged and c~~~:d~; ri!r~f~;i~~sa~~r~:~~~~.in;~n~~ff~v~r~o~e~:~i~~dG;uci~~ ~Jr~~rc~TJ~~e;~nwah~~ i a fpring of Joy rufhes into the Soul1 If the Graces of the Spirit are more radiant and vigorous in theirexercife, the Reward is fuch a dear ferenity of Mind, as is the reflection of Paradife, a Heaven upon Earth. Profperity in a Calling makes Men diligent and delighrful in it. But when the practice of Religion is con!lrain'd and tedious, God receives no Honour, and Man receives no Praife, nor Joy, as the Reward of it. 4· Let us with unfainting perfeverance firive after perfec::t Holinefs. There are tinClures of .Original Sin cleaving to the bell Saints, defects in their Graces and bell Duties: There are many degrees of afcent before we come to the highefi point ofPerfection. Let u• firive with our utmofi poffibility, to anticipate Heaven. We muft not be fatisfied with fome art~inmcnts, and prefume we are perfect. We mufl be contending, till our conquefi over Sm be clear ar.d complear. The refletlion upon our progrefs will give new Spirirs to proceed to new work. To him that continues in weU·doing, glory and immortality is t ;Je rewflrd. Di~i~i f,.f.cit Per(everance is the Crown of Chrifiianity. ptrifll. Aug. 2. I now come t_o anfw~r the Allega_tions that are brought to difcou~age Men from ·endcavours after perlett holinefs. I have 1n the Preface Anfwered fome of the pr\ocip>l Obj echons : l will confider fome otbers, to remove the mort plau6ble Pretences. Tbe
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