6·p ~piritual Perjeflion. The i11fini;.l! bu!iod~ of Govern•ng a Kingdom , is no e'.(emption w Princes trom Read- ~:/:,; ~~~eo;~rso!r~~dli;~~ :2:, ~:Cm~;"je~r'~~,;~z::~:t !,;~ ;: ~: r:::~:;;s:o rtad-t11e Larv of ~· The Word mull be li ncerely received as 'ris finccre!y deliver~d. The Rule i~ to la7 a{idt afl {uptrjlurty r.f nauf!.htimfs, tmd rudve tht tngra(ud rrord, t!Jat U 11b/e 10 f,;; nnr Soul!. Thr.:rc IS no food more eafi ly rurn'd into Blood than W.i!k; but if rhc Stomach be foul, it fowrs and corrupts, and is hunful to the Body. The Word of Grace if received into a fincere Hearr, is very nutritive, ir Confirrns and Comfo:u rhe Soul; but if there be f<1 lfi! Prin:ip!es, Carnal Habits, Scnfl.Jal Aft~Etions, it proves dan"'C· rous. A Carna l Man will !Ct t he Grace of che GoljJc! againft dte Precep1s a~d ~~f~ ~~er:{o~~~~u~~~~~ut regarding the Conditions of them, and from holy Prcmi!!es BrieAy , 1-!earing t he \Vord is not an Arbitrary, bu t an inclifpr: nfable Duty. The Pf.:~lm i !l puts the que11ion, He rhat planud rh, tar, jba!lnot lu bear? and it mav be faid with the fame ConviB:icn, l-ie that gi-r-·es tu tbe (awlty of hearint,, foal/ not llf he h ud? But we mu ll not refl in the bare hearing, for ' tis an introduClJ vc preparing Ducv in order to praCbfe. T here may be an increaft: in Knowledge, fJme ConviC:bom J;l<e a Oalb of Lq:~htening, fome melr ing of the Affections, !JI<e a dafh of Hain, foon over; fi-;rne RdOludons of Obedience, but w~thom finccrc pra£ti cc, the Mtm iJ a H(aur cn/1 , and dtuivrs Umftlf Every Sermon that he hears will, notwi !hltanding his vain Hope~ , bt: an argument againll him at the Day of J udgmcnr. The Re!idence of the praCtical Truths is ra:hcr in the Heart chan in the Head: if the;- !"!re cnly in t he Head~ they .1.re l·ept in tJnri[!,hteouf,. rfJ: yet there is no Cectit more Cornmcn. M en thznk they are r nrich'd with the Ideas and Notions of Div ine Trurhs in their Minds , wi d10ut the hab its of Graces in their Hearts. Briefly , The End and Worl< of the Evangelical Mini!lry is the Perfection of the Saints: as the Apo!llc de. ~lares , . 1¥t lllarn evu~ man . and tratl1 ever1 ma.n, that !lit 1174J prr{rnt tvtry mm prr{rff tn Cbr~ft ']t{tu . Th.1s teflimony is given of EpapbraJ, a Servanr of Chrilt, Thar he,/. WllJS labour'd fervent/! in Pra7er, that tbe Coloffiam mif!.ht be prrfdl and comp!tat in all tht will ofGod. ~· The Religious Ufe of the Sacrament of the Lord"s Supper, is an excellent Means for the I ncrca fc of Grace. The fhtc of Grace is reprdCmed under the Simi· litude of a New Mao, horn from Heaven, and partaker of a Spiritual Life, that Confills in Holinef; and Joy. This Spiritual Life fuppofcs a Spiritual NouriilJment to preferve ir, and a ,'-, pirirual Appetite, and that a Spiritual f.a tiog and Drinking. Our Savi.our deno~inares himfelf by the Charaaer of Lif~ : I am r.he Jt11!J, t!J( truth, and tht lr(t ; he be1ng t he Principle and Prefcrver of the Sp1rim<~l L1fe. l n rhe Sacrament , he is the Brrad of Life: there are the SacreJ Memorials of his Crucifixion, of his 13ody and Blood, rvhi."h are meat inderd, tmd ttrt tirink·indcrd, [hat afford a m0re fiJbfhntial and excellent Nouri!bment_for the Life of the Soul, than the pe:-iil1ing Food Joh. 6. t hat fupparrs the Body. Our Sat·iour cells the J crrs, To11r fatbcrJ rat M.mna in t he rvifdtrnr{s, and ar( dead: the Bread of AntriJ.~ould not pref~ rve them from .~each, ~ur the B~rad of God is the Prir:ciple of Eternal L1fc. He is pleafl!d to dc~i famJ!Larly wuh u.s~ fuJta bly to our Compofit!on :wd Capacit}", and bumbles himfelf m a Sacramcncal Union with the Elemencs, that S1ght may affill Faith. ' This is a pofitive [nftimtion#, that derives its Authority and Goodnefs from the Prccepr of OUI' Soveraign and Saviour. It was his dyi.ng Charge to his Difciples, to which a frecial and moll reverent obfc rvance is due. ·Tis rev.ocable in irs Naturr, but not to ceare withou t the will of the Legi!1:uor, either exprefly dec!ar'd, or venuaily by the ceaCing of the end of it. As the Ceremonial Law is abolilh'd by t~e [dm.c A'Uthorit y t hat ordain'd it, the end of tile Inftiturion bei ng obtain'd. B~t thrs Ord1· nancc is by our Saviour commanded ro continue till his Second Coming in Glory, the end of it being rhe revival of the memory of his Death. I will not inGil upon the feveral Conformities between the ~arural Food .and (be Spiritual; for the principal Corrsparifon and refemblance is in the End for wh1ch f>od is neceffary and appointed , wirhouc which there can be no fubfi l1 ing Life: but con· fi de r how the Life of the Soul is fhengthned in thi s Ordinance, which is net a ?aked fign of his Sufferings for us, but rile fi:al of the Covenant of Vracc, and w he!~m our Saviour, though his bodily Prelence be confin'd to Heaveil, yet does rea lly anj fpmtua l! y exhibi t himfdf wich all his f..•ving: Benefits to fincere llclievcrs. Confider how Rcpcn· tancc, Faith and Love arc increas'd by rh is Ordinance. 1 , R~pent2nce
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