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watch, ftand faft, to quit us like men, to be Strong, 1 Cor xvi. 13. To take to us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to ftand against the wiles of the devil, and when we have done all, to fland, Eph. vi. 11, 13. To ufe all diligence to make our calling and election fure, 2 Pet. i. 10. and fuch like? nay, which is very remarkable, these and the like exhortations were addreffed to Chriftians in thofe times, which had manifold advantages above these of ours. Ìf I fhould fay, that the Spirit of God, the fanctifying grace of God, was then poured forth in more plentiful measure than ever after, not only fcripture, as I think, but reafon too, would be on my fide. The intereft of the church of Chrift required it; fanctity being as neceffary as miracles to convert the Jew and the Gentile. But befides this, the then wonderful and furprizing light of the gofpel, the prefence of Jefus in the flesh, or of those who had been eye-witneffes of his glory; a croud of wondrous works and miracles, the expectation of terrible things, temporal and eternal judgments at the door, and an equal expectation of glorious ones too. All these things breaking in, beyond expectation, upon a Jewish and Pagan world, overwhelmed before by thick darkness, and whofe abominations were too notorious to be concealed, and too detestable

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testable to be excufed or defended, could not but produce a very great and fudden change. Now therefore, if in these times many did start forth in a moment fit for baptifm and martyrdom; if many amongst these were fuddenly changed, justified and crowned, I wonder not. This was a day of power, a day of glory wherein God afferted Himself, exalted his Son, and refcued the world by a ftretched-out hand. I fhould not therefore from hence be induced to expect any thing like at this day. But yet if, notwithstanding all this, Chriftians in thofe happy times, amidst so many advantages, ftood in need of fuch exhortations, what do not we in thefe times? if fo much watchfulness, prayer, patience, fear, abftinence, and earneft contention became them, when God as it were bowed the heavens, and came down and dwelt amongst men; what becomes us in thefe days, in the dregs of time, when God ftands as it were aloof off, to fee what will be our latter end, retired behind a cloud, which our herefies and infidelities, fchifms and divifions, fins and provocations have raifed? To conclude, he that will be perfect must not fit like the lame man by Bethef da's pool, expecting till fome angel come to cure him; but, like our Lord, he muft climb the mount, and pray, and then he may be transformed; he may be raised as

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much

much above the moral corruption of his nature by Perfection, as our Saviour was above the meannefs and humility of his body, by his glorious Transfiguration. Thefe two obfervations are of manifold ufe. For many expect pleasure when they have no right to it; they would reap, before virtue be grown up and ripened; and being more intent upon the fruit of duty, than the discharge of it, they are frequently disappointed and difcouraged. Others there are, who mistaking fome fits and flashes of fpiritual joy for the habitual peace and pleasure of Perfection, do entertain too early confidences, and inftead of perfecting holiness in the fear of God, they decline, or it may be, fall away through negligence and fecurity; or, which is as bad, the du ties of religion grow taftelefs and infipid to them for want of that pleasure which they ignorantly or prefumptuously expect fhould conftantly attend them: and fo they are difheartened or difgufted, and give back; which they would never do, if they did rightly understand, that Perfection is a work of time; that a fettled tranquillity, an habitual joy of fpirit, is the fruit only of Perfection; and that thofe fhort gleams of joy, which break in upon new converts, and fometimes on other imperfect Chriftians, do depend upon extraordinary circumftances, or are peculiar favours of

heaven,

heaven. Lastly, there are many, who have entertained very odd fancies about the attainment of Perfection; they talk and a& as if Perfection were the product, not of time and experience, but of an instant; as if it were to be infused in a moment, not acquired; as if it were a mere arbitrary fa vour, not the fruit of meditation and difcipline. 'Tis true, it cannot be doubted by a Chriftian, but that Perfection derives itself from heaven; and that the feed of it is the grace of God: yet it is true too, and can as little be doubted by any one who confults the gospel, and the experience of the best men, that we must watch, and pray, and contend, labour, and perfevere, and that long too, ere we can attain it. And whoever fancies himself rapt up into the third heaven on a fudden, will find himself as fuddenly let down to the earth again; if he do not use his utmost diligence to fortify his refolutions, to cherish the new born flame, and to guard and improve his virtues.

3dly, It may be objected against the account I have given of the growth of virtue, that when I come to the maturity of it, my colours are too bright, my strokes too bold, and the form I have given it too divine. For you defcribe it, will one say, as if man, now grown perfect, had nothing to do, but to enjoy God, and him

felf;

felf; as if he were already entered into reft, and did actually fit down with Chrift in beavenly places; as if, in a word, virtue were no longer his task, but pleasure; as if he had nothing to do but to rejoice continually, nothing further to prefs after, nothing to combat, nothing to contend with: whereas the fathers gencrally, and all judicious modern writers, feem to place Perfection in nothing higher, than in a perpetual progrefs towards it; they look upon life as a perpetual warfare, and utterly deny any fuch height or eminence as is raifed above clouds and ftorms, above troubles and temptations. But to this I have Several things to fay, which will clear my fense about this matter, and difpel all ob jections. First, I have defcribed the laft ftage of the Chriftian's fpiritual progress, which I call a ftate of zeal, and in which I fuppofe the Chriftian to commence perfect; this, I fay, I have defcribed in the fame manner, and, as near as I could, in the fame words which the fcripture does. Secondly, I do not pretend any where to affert, that there is any ftate in this life raised above trials and temptations. Alas! the most perfect man will find it work enough to make good the ground he has gained, and maintain the conqueft he has won; much watchfulness and labour, much humility and fear, and many other virtues

are

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