of gracious AAecl ons. the Seed, and in its putting forth Root and Sprout ; nor is it, perfected when it comes up out of the Ground ; nor is it perfected in bringing forth Leaves ; nor yet in putting forth Blofhoms : But when it has brought forth good ripe Fruit, then it is perfected, therein it reaches its End, the Defign of the Tree is finifhed : All that belongs to the Tree is compleated and brought to its proper Effect in the Fruit : So is Grace in its practical Exercifes. Grace is Paid to be made perfect or finilhed in its Work or Fruit, in the fame Manner as 'tis laid of Sin, Jam. r. 15. When Lull bath conceived, it bringethforth Sin ; and Sin, when it is fìnifhed, bringeth forth Death. Here are three Steps ; firfl, Sin in its Principle or. Habit, in the Being of Luft in the Heart ; and nextly, here is its conceiving, confifting in the immanent Exercifes of it in the Mind ; and lathy, here is the Fruit that was conceived actually brought forth, in the wicked Work and Practice. And this the Apoftle calls the ftnifbing or perfecting of Sin : For the Word in the Original is the fame that is tranflated perfected in thofe foremen- tion'd Places. Now certainly if it be fo, if. Grace be in this Manner made per- feì, in it's Fruit, if thefe praaical Exercifes of Grace are thofe Ex -- ercifes wherein Grace is brought to it's proper Effe6t and End, and the Exercifes wherein whatfoever belongs to it's Defign, Tendency and Operation is compleated and crown'd ; then there Exercifes muff be the higheft Evidences of Grace, above all other Exercifes. Cer- tainly the proper Nature and Tendency of every Principle, muff ap- pear belt and molt fully, in it's molt perfect Exercifes, or in thofe Ex- ercifes wherein it's Nature is molt compleatly exerted, and it's Ten- dency molt fully anfwer'd and crown'd, in it's proper Effect and End. If we would fee the proper Nature of any Thing whatfoever, and fee it in it's full Diftinction from other Things ; let us look up- on it in the finifhing of it. The ApoftleJames Pays, by Works is Faith made perfat ; and introduces this as anArgument to prove that Works are the chief Evidence of Faith, whereby the Sincerity of the Profef fors of Faith is juftified, Jam. 2. And the Apoftle 'John, after he had once and again told us, that Love was made perfect in keeping Chrift's Commandments, obferves i John q.. 18, That perfect Love caJleth out Fear: Meaning (at leaft inPart) Love made perfect in this Senfe; agreable to what he had faid in the foregoingChapter, That by loving in Deed, or Work, we know that we are of the Truth, and Jhall af- fure our Hearts, Ver. i8, xg. Argument IV. AnotherThing which makes it evident that holyPrac- tice is the principal: Evidence that we ought to make ufe of in judging both of our own and other's Sincerity, is, That this Evidence is above: all others infifted on in Scripture. A common Acquaintance with the Scripture, together with a little Attention and Obfervation, Will
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=