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the ravished virgin, that cried out for rescue from violence, was declared by God himself innocent; so when the tempted soul, with strong cries, prays for divine relief, God will not lay those terrible injections to our charge. Our Saviour "was tempted by the unclean spirit, yet was holy, harmless, and undefiled;" and has a compassionate tenderness for those who are tempted, and will make them partake of the fruits of his glorious victory. It is true, if the injections of satan are cherished by the carnal mind, they are ours by adoption, though of his begetting. The devil put in the heart of Judas, the design of betraying Christ, but it was entertained by his covetous mind, and involved him under the heaviest guilt. The inclinations of carnal men are to various sins, to which they are more inclinable by the temptations of satan; but that does not excuse them from guilt.

CHAP. V..

The perfection of holiness considered. The perfection of innocence. The perfection of grace. The perfection of glory. The essential perfection of grace consists in sincerity. Constancy proceeds from it. Integral perfection, comparative perfection, intellectual and moral. The threefold comparison of moral perfection. Relative perfection according to the conditions of the saints in this life. Absolute perfection only attained in heaven.

I NOW come to discourse of the perfection of holiness, the sublime object and aim of the desires and endeavours of sincere christians. I shall premise there is a threefold perfection of grace, and the perfection of glory.

First. The perfection of innocence. God made man upright, in the bright image of his holiness. The excellency of the efficient cause, infers the excellency of the effect: and the final cause was for his own glory, and man's happiness, in order to which he was endowed with those moral perfections, as qualiged

him to obtain that end. There was an exact regularity in all his faculties: the enlightened mind directed the will; the will commanded the affections, the affections ruled the senses. He had power to stand, but was free to fall: with his original perfection there was a possibility of sinning and dying. The eyes of his mind were clear, discovering his duty and felicity; and the assisting grace of God was like the sun shining in the air to actuate his visive faculty; but he wilfully shut his eye, and fell from that height of happiness into a pit without a bottom.

Secondly. The perfection of grace: this in the language of scripture signifies uprightness and sincerity, and is attributed to the saints in several respects, which I will particularly consider.

Thirdly. The perfection of glory. This implies a union of all excellencies in a sovereign degree. The church in the present state is compared to the moon, that receives light from the sun in half its globe, but in the next state will be filled with light as a ball of crystal penetrated by the sun-beams. The church shall be "glorious in holiness, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." Natural righteousness was of short continuance, as nature left to itself always is: but the supernatural state is not only "undefiled, but fades not away." The perfection of paradise was frail, for man in his best state was changing: from this root his ruin sprang: but the perfection of heaven is immutable, for there God" is all in all." His influxive presence is the productive and conservative cause of their holiness and blessedness.

I will now consider the perfection of grace that is attributed to the saints in the present state.

1. There is an essential perfection, that consists in the unchangeable nature of things, and is absolutely requisite to the kind. A gradual perfection belongs to individuals, and is various all gold is not refined to the same degree and height of purity but true gold, though in the lowest degree of fineness, will endure the furnace and the touchstone, and by that trial is discerned from counterfeit metal. There are different degrees of active heat in fire: sometimes it flames, but always burns, if

fed with combustible matter.

Now the essence of true holiness consists in a conformity to the nature and will of God, whereby a saint is distinguished from

the unrenewed world, and is not actuated by their principles and precepts, not governed by their maxims and customs.

There are different degrees of holiness in the saints, but sincerity is inseparable from the being of it.

(1.) This includes a conformity in the heart and life to God. As a good complexion flourishes in the countenance from the root of a good constitution within: so real holiness shining in the conversation, proceeds from an internal principle of life seated in the mind and heart. The understanding esteems the precepts of God's law, as best in themselves, and best for us: the will consents to the sanctity and royalty of the law. David declares, “I esteem all thy commandments to be right: and I hate every false way." If the divine will be the reason of our obedience, it will be impartial. Many elude duty, and deceive conscience by partial respects to the law: they will make amends for delinquencies in some things, by supererogating in others that are suitable to their carnal ease and interest. Thus the pharisees were mighty sons of the church, very accurate in sanctimonious forms, great pretenders to piety, but stained religion with injustice and uncharitableness. They pretended to love God, but hated their neighbour: they fasted twice a week, but devoured widows' houses: they were very nice in observing the numerous rites of religion, but neglected the duties of substantial goodness. There is not a more exact resemblance between the immediate sight of the face, and the sight of it by reflection in a clear and true glass, than the spirit of the old pharisees is like the formalist in every age. Thus among the papists, how many under the veil of virginity conceal the grossest impurities, and under the appearance of poverty, are covetous and rapacious? But our Saviour tells us, "unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." If our obedience be not of equal extent to the rule, if there be an indulgence to contravene any precept, the words of St. James are decisive and convincing. "Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one instance, he is guilty of all.” In one allowed sin of omission or commission, there is a universal disobedience to the authority of the Lawgiver. Although the best saint on earth is not without sin, yet the least is without guile.

(2.) Sincerity produces constancy. There is a strict connexion between the leading faculties, and their inward operations, with the outward actions. According to the renewed temper of the mind and will, such is the tenor of the life. Pure religion and undefiled before God, that is exercised from divine principles, and eternal motives, will fortify a christian against all temptations: he will neither be allured nor terrified from his duty.

Some when religion is in public esteem, are forward professors: but if the testimony of truth exposes them to reproach, as seditious and disloyal, and the consequences of that reproach, they will comply with the temper of the times to secure their secular interest. And as there are change of garments, summer and winter-garments according to the seasons of the year, so they have change of religions as the times vary. Persecution discovers them to have been formal professors, without the spirit and depth of religion in their hearts. But sincere christians are conspicuously such in the fiery trial. It is observed in digging wells in the hot months of July and August, if a vein of water flows, it is a sign of a lasting spring: thus if in the burning heat of persecution the profession of the pure religion is declared, it is an argument it proceeds from sincere grace, "that will be springing up to everlasting life." There are numerous examples of the holy martyrs, who despised the enraged world, as a swarm of angry flies, and turned persecution into a pleasure, and with undeclining fervour and courage persevered in the confession of Christ, till they obtained the crown of eternal life. Unfeigned faith and sincere love are the strongest security against apostacy: he that is found at the centre, is unshaken by storms. The doubleminded, whose hearts are divided betwen the enlightened conscience, and their carnal affections, are "unstable in all their

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Some have short expiring fits of devotion: while they are in afflicting circumstances either by terrors of conscience, or diseases in their bodies, or disasters in their estates, they resolve to be regular and reformed in their lives, to walk circumspectly and exactly: but when they are released from their troubles, they degenerate from their designs, and falsify their resolutions, and like a lion slipt from his chain, that returns to his fierceness with his liberty, so they relapse into their old rebellious sins. The reason

is, they were not inwardly cleansed from the love of sin, nor changed into the likeness of God. In all their miseries they were in the state of unrenewed nature, though restrained from the visible eruptions of it. But real saints have their conversation all of a colour : in prosperity and adversity they are holy and heavenly.

In short, sincere christians study the divine law to know the extent of their duty, and delight in the discovery of it: they do not decline the strictest scrutiny. It is David's prayer, "Lord, search me and try me, and see whether there be any way of wickedness in me," and discover it to me that I may forsake it. Conscience will be quick and tender like the eye, which if any dirt be in it, weeps it out. There may be rebels in a loyal city, but they are not concealed and cherished: the loyal subjects search to discover them, and cast them out: but the hypocrites "hate the light, because their deeds are evil:" they cherish a wilful ignorance, that they may freely enjoy their lusts. The sincere christian aims at perfection: he prays, resolves, watches, mourns and strives against every sin. This is as necessary to uprightness, as it is impossible we should be without spot or blemish here: but the hypocrite, though he externally complies with some precepts of easy obedience, yet he will not forsake his sweet sins. Now if any sin be entertained or renounced by a person, he is unregenerate, and a captive of satan: as if a bird be ensnared by one leg, it is as surely the prey of the fowler, as if it were seized by both wings.

I shall only add, sincerity commends us to God, it gives value to the meanest service, and the want of it corrupts the most eminent service. Jehu's zeal was a bloody murder, though the destruction of Ahab's family was commanded by God.

ness.

The consciousness of sincerity rejoices the living saint with present comfort, and the dying with the hopes of future happiThe apostle, when surrounded with calamities, declares, "this is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that with simplicity, and godly sincerity, we have had our conversation in this world." 1 Cor. 1. 12. Hezekiah having received a mortal message by the prophet, addressed himself to God; "Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee, in truth, with a perfect heart." Truth and perfection are equivalent; this was a reviving cordial in his dying hour. A sincere

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