Spiritual PerfeCiion. CHAP. XII. Tht effeB~al means to rife to PerfeEli~n i11 Holine[s_. Vn{eig11ed Faith i1l our Saviour, IVho it the ejji~tent and exemplary caufe of_ mhere~t l-Jolmef!. Prayer~ me am t~ o/;tain an incre 3fe of'Holmefs: Frequent and attentzve hearz~g~ rea.clmg a~d medttatioH of the Word, a meanl· of growtb tn Grace. T'be Word muft be m~x d wztb Fazth, and an earnejJ defire ta improve Grace by. i~. It mu/l be laid up in the M1~d and Memory. It muff be jincerely recei1Jed Tbe Relrgzou.s Vfe of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, an exce/J~nt means to increaft Grace. Repentance, Fpir/; and Love are improved by it. 1he rentll)lNf., our Co-venant with Chri/1 in tbat Ordinance, U of great ufe for the advanciHg of .Grace, The Rfligious.Obferva. lion of the Lord's Day , m~l.:es us rn?re ho{1. !he frequent difcuffron of Confcience ZJ'Very in· Prumentat to increafe H olmefs. It mafl be diftinfl ~~~comparing our AEiions with the Rule ftri ow and fincere aJ prev ious to divin~Judgment, UJttb rejolut ion to reform wbat ll am ifs, ani frequ ent. I W ill now proceed to declare the means that are effectual for our obtaining Holinefs in -degrees of eminence. r. Unfeigned Faith in the Lord Jefus Cbri!l, who is the meritorious, efficien t and ex. emplary C1ufe of inherent Holinefs , and Actions Rowing from ir. The Death of Chrifi w as our Ranfom, not only to relea.fe us from the Curfe ot the Law, but the Domini.on of Sin : Thefe were infeparable in the defign of our Redeemer ; and are in the accompliih· ment of it; None are pardon'd, but they are fanctified. If the reimpreilion of the Image of God in us, had been only requifite for the refioring us ,.to his favour, our Saviour's dying had been unneceffary ;'his lnfiruction and Example, with the iaoctifying Spirit's Operations, had been fufficient; But till our Gailt was expiated, the Fountain was fea led · no emanations of Divine Grace flow,d forth. Chrifl gave himJ:!f for u;~, that he might re: deem us from aO iniquity, aJtd purifte us to himfelf a pecultar people, rualou.r of good 1vorks. Chri!l is the efficient Caufe of our Holinefs. We receive from God, the Author of Nature, the Natural Life, with all its Faculties; and by th~ conctJrrence previous and concomitant of his powerful Providence, we ad in the order of Nature: But the Super.. natural Life is conveyed to us from t he Son of God , the Mediator; Of biJ f•lnefs '" receive Grace for Grace : Our increafe is from our Head, the Fountain of Spiritual Senfe and Action. The Holy Spirit, who infpires us wi th the divine Life, confirms and improves it was purchafed by his Sufferings,. and is confer'd in his Exaltation. As in the operarion of the fen fitive faculties, though the Eye be clear and qualified for flght, yet 'tis necetTary th~re be a fupervenient Light to irradiate the Air, and actuate the vifive Spirits, that there • may be a difcovery of O bjects: Thus after the Soul is renewed by habitual Grace, there is m:celTa. ry the exciting affifii ng Grace of the Spi rit, to draw it forth into exercife every hour. The Sun is the hearr of the world, from which all vital cherilhing Influences are derived; Thus from tbe Son of righteoufnefs, with healing in hiJ wing s, continual lnAuences proceed: without which, the life of Grace would languilh and decay. In this there is adifpari tyb'- tween the vifible Sun, and the fpiritual: though the fruitfulnefs of every Plant is from his vital heat, and defcending Influences, yet the quality and kinds of the Fruit s, is from the Sap that di!linguilhes them : Grapes are from the Vine, and Peaches and Apples are from feveral Trees; but every Grace in the Saints is from the defcending influences of Chri!\. Now Faith is the means by which we receive the emanations of Grace from Chritl. The Apotlle tells us, rbe life tbat I live in tbe .flejh, is by Fait/; in the Son of God. The lirtl plantation of Holinefs, and the highe!l perfection of it attainable in t he prefent Life, is by Faith, that unites us to Chrifl:. A !incere reliance on him for continua l fupplies of Grace, gives verfue and effic~cy t o the means prefcribed in the Word. We arc commanded to groliJ in Grace, and in the experimental knowledge of our L ord and Saviour Je[lM Chrijl, ·the cffc.. dual means to obrain it. 3· Contempla te our Saviour as the exemplary Caufe of our Holinefs: His Pattern is not only a powerful one (which is conftdered before) but means ro bring us to Per feCtion. We are directed to look to Jefu.r, tbe author and fnijher of our faith, thdt we may run tl-e race Jet /;efore w, till we come eo its period a~d perfection. In the Go(pel there is a divine rcprcfentation of the Obedience and Sutfermgs of our Saviou r, wh'erei.n every Grace rhat adorns the Ch ildren of God, is exactly reprefemed, and all the Atfl1ctions and tender Tryals, wherewith God exercifes them in order to their Glory, were confecrated by his Example. This
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