CHAP.I. upon the Epiftle of JAM E s. be thou upright : Or elfe 'cis meant of the perfeetion of duration, and perfever~tnce: Or rather, lafily, Thatperfctlion is intended, which is called, theperjeflion ofparts ; That we might be fo per– feFJ, or entir~, that ne;> ~eceffary grate mig~t be ~ack~ng ~ That having other gtfts, they mtght alfo have the gtft of patience, and the .whole image ofChrifi might be compleated in them ; That no– thing might be wanting which is neceifary ,to make up aChrifiian : Some indeed make this a legal fentence, as implying what God may in Iuftice require, and to what we fhocld in Confcience aJm ; to wit, exafl perfeilion, both in parts and degrees. 'Tis true, this is beyond our po'Wtr; but becaufe we have lofr our po'Wer, there is no reafon God fhould lofe his right. 'Tis a faying of* Au- • A"g. in lib. ftin, 0 homo iw. prteceptione cognofce quid debea& habere, & i~ cor- de corrept. & reptione cCJgnofce tuo te viti8 non habere: Such precepts ferve to grat. ' 1P 3· lhew Gods right, andquick,.en m to duty, and hum!Jle Ju with the fenfe ofour own weaknefs. So much God might require, and fo much we had power to perform, though we have loft it by our own default : This is true, but the former interpretations are more fimple and genuine. The Notes are thefe : I. The perfetlion ofour graces u not difcovered, till we are put OGh{tbervat~ 1 • d I A P 'l k'll . d'r d. u mzatoru upoiJ many an great tr}a s. s a ~ ots s 1 tS 11cerne m a-amm tranqui!- ftorm, fo is a Chrifrians.grace in many and great troubles. Well/run mare & then, In all that cloth befall you, (ay, yet patience hath not had its ob[equms vrn~ perfe~ work. ExpeEltttion ofa worfer thing mak.!;th le{[er troubles tm IJott ofl7nd:t bl -v rJl d · · d h adverfl allqu&d more cow;norta e : .1. et tru , an pattence u not rawn out to t c . t • r · . mcurra oplli'tt:t hetghth. The~p~filefatt~, Heb. I~. 4• Yet le.ha:-'e not refijfed quod a 11 imttm unto blood, ftrwmg agam(t fin. Should we famt ma leifer tryal, probet, Sen. ad before the perfeet work cometh to be difcovered! Job was in a Marc. cap ~. fad condition, yet he pntteth an harder cafe, 1ob 13. 1 5. If he foould kjllme,yet I will truft in him: In an higher tryal I fhould not faint, or murmur. · , 2. Th~tt the exercife ofGrace mujl not be interrupted, till it be Obflrvat. 2 ~ · full andperfetl; till it come to ¥~yov T;li.Hov, a perfeCt work. Ordi- . nary fpirits may be a little raifed for a time, but they fall by and by agam ; qat. 5. 7• Ye did rmt Well, Who hind-redyeu ? You were in agood way of) faith and patience, and went happily forward; But what turned you out of the way? Implying, there was as little, or rather lefs reafon, to befai1ft in the progrefs, as to be difcouro>lged E 2 in
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