><68 Saint Pauls Legacy. the Corinthians, thefe he commendeth of them, wifheth for them, beftoweth on them, as the belt Legacy he had to give them, the belt poffel'ion he could think on to leave be- hind among them. And thefe gifts or Legacies of his, you have heard, are five ; the full opening and handling of which, requires no letfe then five dayes difcourfe : but my glaffe is almoft runne and my minifieriall breath is now expiring and going out, I (hall but briefly open them,and'leave them to your long and biting confideration. The firft is a Legacy of perfe&ion, Be ye perfeel : fill ye up that which is wanting,encreafe, abound, goe forward,be good proficients in Cftrills School, thriving trees in Gods Orchard, be more and more perfe &.And hence- obferve, that Doer. It is the duty, and muff be the care of Gods children to (trive to more fjiirituall perfeeion. As the houfe of David grew 'if ranger z Sam 3.r. andftronger in vzeory over the houfe of Saul, and full poffeilìon of the Kingdome : fo muff they grow fironger and ftronger in vi&ory over their corruption, and in the full poífeffion of z Per.3.i s. Chrift and his Kingdome. It is Gods charge, Grow in grace,, Flhef.S.i 8. as rich men in wealth, as trees in height : Beyee filled with the Spirit, as the Sea with waters, and as the ayre with light. It is the property and pra &ice of the Lords fervants, like Iohn z 5.z. good branches, to grow and beare more fruit ; to grow up in Chri fk Ephcf 4. t f, which is the bead, as the members in the body grow tip under Phif.3.c a,uz. the head ; to follow after, to preffe toward the mark, to reach forth to the things which are before, to apprehend that for which they are apprehended of Chrift lefus. As they that runne in a race are fwift, put to it with all their ftrength and ceafe not : fo the runners in the race of godlineffe are fwifr, put to it to the utnmofi, and ceafe not untill they have fully apprehended Iía.4o_3 :. Chrift : They runne on and faint not, they mount up like the Eagles, and come neerer and neerer unto Chrift, as the Eagles flye neerer and neerer, and ceafe not untill they come to the car- ceafe : for, Reajon r. Grace is of a growing and encreafng nature, it rifeth Ezck.47. f. higher and higher, like the waters which came forth under the Prv.4.01. thref old of the Temple :it fbinetb more and more like the light unto the Perf eft day. God
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