________,"piritual Perfe[/iOii. rende r affca:on: when t hey fld from him, t hen he did overtake t'~c::l by pre;.r;;nrw~ .and prevailing Grac:!. They_ bdVe the quickeft fenf~ of th:.:~r OJ!~gati~ns to th~ Rt::cecmer, and the mo!l: {t:nfible R eh01es of his Love, in Commumon Wl(h hun. \Ne rcaJ of the Lame Ma n from his Birth, that upon his Miraculous healing, when he felt a .ne\V CUiJ rent of Sp irits in his N er ves, and his Feet and Arms were flreng~hncd. rhat he tntred :vJtb the Apojlles into the Temp!c, 'valking)a;Jdleapinl, and prat{ing of God. Thi~ is a refCm blance of the zea lous .-\.ffections of new Convc.rcs, when ther felit fuch an admirable change i(\ ri-Iem: thq run_ m the Wil)S of God's Commawdmems wttb enlarg~d hearts: they have~ fud~ flalhes of 11\umination; and raptures of Joy, that engage them 10 a Courfe of Obedience. The Holy Spirit infpiresthem wich new dcfires, and atfords new pleafur~s to endear Reli~ ~~~00°a~~ ~~:~fi;.n ~~~:s ·~~~~~~: ~~~ift~~~~'r ~~tfo~uer~~~ast~~~~~~ r~~~%fG1efs ut ~~~;~a~;~ our tells the Church of Ephe{t~&, I have/omewhat again {I thee, brcaufe tho11 haft left th7 (irfl /(Yl)e: Remrmber from rvhmce tiJou art fallen~ ~tndrtpent , and do thy ftrfl works. 'fis fa id of ']ehofdphat, t ha t he walk'dinthefirflwap of hu Father David: intimating there was a vilible declenfion in his Zeal. He was not fa accurate in his Converfa cion afterward . The Convt:rted are many times not fa frequent and fervent in God's Service, and though by the confi rainin~ J udgmem of Confcience, Dut ies are not co~ally omirted, yet they arc nor perform'd wi th chat reverenct: and deligh t as at firlt. They are more venturous ro engage rhemfelves io Temptations, and more ready to comply with them. They are tir'd' with the length ofrhcir Travel, and the difficulties o! rh~ir way, and drive on heavily. \Ve fhould with Tear~ of _confu~o~ remember the dtfpant~ bc[\vcen our zealous Beginnings, and !lack Profecuu on 111 Rehg10n; we fhould b_lufh With llla!lle, and tremble with fear, at the flrange decay of Grace, and recollea our felvcs, and re-mforce our will to proceed with vigorous Con~~ncy. And when the Saints ~re read;: t ~ enter i~co the unchangeable State, when the Sprrlt if to return to God that gave tt, how mure and tnt~nt are they to finiib the work of their Sa lvation? How fpirirual and heavenl y arc their d1fpofirions? With what fol emnity do they prepare for the divine Prefence? How exactly do they drers their Souls for Eternity, and trim their Lamps, that they may be admitted into the Joys of the Bridegroom? How is the world vilified in their efieem, anJ unfavoury to their delires? The Lord u exalted in that day. The ne1rer they approach ro Heaven, the more it s attra8:ivc force is felt. When the Crown of Glory is in their view, and they hear the Mulick of Heaven, and are refrerb'd with the Fragran~y ofParadire, what a blaze~fhol;- Affections breaks forth? When ] acoh was bleffing hiS Sons upon hiS dea th-bed, he \0 a ruddeo rapture addrelfes himfelfro God 0 Lord, I have WAited for thy Salvation! As if his Soul had arcended to Heaven befo re i; left the Body. Owhen{halli appear before God! was the faintingdefire of the Pfa!mifi. If Communion with God in the Earthly Tabernacle was fo precious, how much more is the immediate fruition of him in the Crelefiial Temple? If one day in t/;e Corms below he worth A tholl[&nd, an hour in the Courts above iJ worth ten thoufimd. Let us therefore by our rerious Thoughts oftenreprefent to our reJves the approaches of Death and judgment. This will make us contnve and contend for Perfection inHo!inefs. The Apofile exhortS the Romam to/hewforth the PowerofGodlimfs, from the conlideration of the day of Grace they enJoy, and the day of Glory they expect; for now ;, faiv&tton nearerthAnwhmyotlbt!uved. Let us do thofe things now, which when we come to die WC fhall wifh we had done. Thus doing, we fila !I be rranrmitted from the Militant Churchto the Triumphant, with ~Solemn Tellimon~ of our having adorned the Gofpel 10 our LIVes) WI~h the V1Etonous.1 elhmony of Confc1e~ce, th.at we have fought the gOod fight, kept the Fatth, and have finr{bed ourcour{e, and.received With the glorious Tefiimony for~~r Blelfed Rewarder, Well done good and faithful ServAnt, Enter into the Joy of thj Severai
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