Spiritual PerfeElion. How fhould 1t upbraid us, that we fall fo ~ore in the imi[ation of Angelica! Obedieoce who are u_nder ~qual, ~ay pe_culiar <?bligauons _to ple_afe God? The Grace of God in ou; Redempnon, IS more tllullrwully vtfible than 10 thm Creation: The Goodner; of God was mofl free in making the Angels; but 'ris ~erciful in faving Man from excream Mi~ fery, the dd<rc of his Difobedience. The Divme Power made the Angels, but Meo are redeemed by the dearefi Pnce, t~e Blood of the Son of God. In this God commended his Love_ ro us, tlu.t wf:tn we were Sinntrs, he gave his Son to dJe for us. Now Beneficence is magmfied by the Principle and motive of it; GiftS are cndear'd by the Affcl:tion of the Gtver, and ingenuous Thankfulnefs chiefly «fpeCls it. All the precious Benefits aod vital In~ue[lCes, that we receive, a~e from ~~e dearell Love of ~ad: Suppofing the' Angels rece1ve as great Favours from Ius boumlful'Hand, yet rhere IS a dearer difcovery of his Hearc, his tender and compaffiooate Love in our Salvation. How fhould this Confideration i~fpire our Prayers with a holy Hear, that God would in li ghten our Minds to know hiS holy, acceptable and perfea Will; and incline our Wills to choofe it, and ena. ble us to do it, as the Angels, the moll illuminate and zealous Servants of Gcd? 4· The Scripture has lighted up excellent Examples of Ho!inefs in the Lives of the Saints upon Earth, for our direaion and imitation. There is a great advantage by looking on BxlimpleS: they are more infl:ru8ive than nal<ed Precepts, and man: clearly convey the knowledge of our Duty. A Work done in our fight by another, dircl.\susbctter in Lhe pra8ife of it, is more acceptable, and of more p:lwcrful efficacy to reform us, than Counfd and Admonition by words. A Reproof, if fpoken with an imperious air, where. in Vanity has a vifiblc afcendant,. is heard with diftallc, and often with difdain; hue an excellent Example is a filent Reproof, not direl.l:ed itrtnediarely to irregular Perfons, but chfcovers what ought to be done, and leaves the applk.n ion ro thcmfelvcs, and theim. preffionismore quick and penetrating than of words. T<o difficulc Precepts, no Argu. me ne is more cff,ctual than Examples; for the poffibility of doing them is confirm'd by Inflances in others; and the pretence of Infirmity is taken away. The Command binds us to our L' uty, Exampks incomage us t0 ptafurmance. The pattem of the Angels, who are pure Spirits, is nocfo inRuemLI up:ln ~s, as the pattern of the Saints, that is more correfpondcnt and proportionate to our prefcm fla tc; as the Light of the Stars, that are fo vafily difiant, is not fo ufeful in managing our Aff.1i " , as the light of a Candle that is ne.tr us. The Saints are nearly allied tn us; lhey are clothed with the fame frail gar. mcntof Flefh, they had like Pallions, and •. ·e re in the fameeontagious World, yet they were hol y and heavenly in their AffcClions and All ions : They lived in civil Converfati· on wit h Men, and fpiricual Communion with God. This wil1 take away the pretence of Infirmity ; for we have the fame word of Grace, and fpirit of Grace to llrengtheo us. The Pral.\ ifc of Holinefs is regular and uniform, wherein the Saints refemble one an<Jo ther; yec there is a confpicuouslingularity of a8iveorfuffcring Graces in fomeSaints, that eminently diflinguifh them from others; and thefc we fhould efpecially regard. EnociJ rvalktd with God: His Life was a contin~al regard of God, therefore he was tranllaced into his glorious l)refence. Abraham·~ Faith was illufhious, in that without reiu· aancy, he addrefs'd himfelf to offer up htS beloved Son; a Command fo heavy, that God would not permit his performing it. Mo/<s Selt:denial was truly admirable, in chooling to live in a folitary naked Defert, rather than in the Egyptian Court 1 whereiD was the hei ;; luh of Pomp, and the centre of Pleafure. Job's Patience was unparallel'd, when incompafs'd with the fharpefi Affiil.l:ion. Daniel prefer'd a Den of Lyons toDariu.isPa· late, rather than negleEt one day his defired Duty of Prayer to God. Whom would it not in A::~ me ro read the Narrative of the Tryals of the exce11ent Saints recorded in the 1 uh eo the Htbrt1vs? They were perfecured and patient, affi.it}ed and relign'd; th~y c,.~ ,.g~ •dtx· were viCt orious over the blandifhments of the alluring World, and the terrors of the en.. i:~~;:::::~· ;:~~~g\~oj~~~~s ;,;e0~~~~~~r~;;;:i~::~;:~~~Ala~~~;~ e~~;:s ~sn~0:J~~~=r~la;; i7i~~ ~~~i~~~~ mur? from rhe prat.liccof others, \Vill make Obedience more eafie, and befl: lead ~s co_~ra .. Cl ice. Thefe'excell<nt Examples fhould mai<e us blufh with Shame, and bleed wtth Gnef, rhat notwirhfbnding rhcre is a more copious communication of 'Grace by the Gofpel, than under the Law, and a more clear revelation of the glorious Reward, we are fo ma.. ny degrtes below them. Nothing will convince us more of ou~ Nc.i:ligence, than corn· parariveand ex!.!mp_!ary Inftrutlion. There is an envious Ernulat~on amongrhofe _chat are in Publick Places; 'c;s nor fo plcaling eo fee many below them,as 'us_ unea~e and_ g:1evo~~ to ke any above rh~.:m. This !~ems rob~ one of thofc Plants, that in I~S n atJ~c Sod IS pOifon· ous, but tranrp!anrcd into another Chmat_e, and under another Heave~, Is not o_nly J.JOO· ~~?~t!~';: \~W~/;~~fs. 'ris,a noble EmulatiOn wo1 thy the brcall of a Sawlt, to llnv;.' o~~~
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