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those controversies which concern my subject, it was with no other defign, than to guard and fortify my reader against the ill influence of feveral errors, with which they abound. I decline all ufelefs fpeculations, and labour wholly to restore religion to its native strength and beauty; fo that I think this objection will not touch me, who do not propofe to write a learned, but à useful book.

If any man be apprehenfive, that'tis impoffible to affert the doctrine of Perfection, without looking a little too favourably towards Pelagianifm or Enthufiafm, or fomething of this kind; I do here affure fuch a one, that I advance no Perfection that raises men above the ufe or need of means, or invites them to neglect the word, prayer, or Sacraments, or is raised on any other foundation than the gospel of Christ. I revive not Pelagianifm, nor clash with St Austin; I need not those conceffions which he makes Cæleftius in the close of his book de Perfectione fuftitia. I am perfuaded that the ftrength of nature is too flight a foundation to build Perfection on: I contend for freedom from no other fin than actual, voluntary, and deliberate and let concupifcence, or any unavoidable diftemper, or diforder of our nature, be what it will, all that I aim at here is, the reducing, not extirpating it. And finally, how earneftly foever I

exhort

exhort to Perfection, I can very well content my felf with St. Auftin's notion of it, namely, that it is nothing elfe, but a daily progress towards that pure and unspotted holinefs, which we shall attain to in another life.

Thus, I think, I have fufficiently guarded this following difcourfe against the mifapprehenfions and jealoufies of all, who have any ferious concern for religion, how much foever they may be fwayed by fome particular opinions. But after all, I do not expect that it should meet with a very obliging reception from a great part of the world. Many there are, who will ever openly rally and ridicule all attempts of this kind: and there are others, who will fecretly flight and inwardly despise them, as the vain and fond projects of well-meaning indeed, but very weak and unexperienced mortals. But this moves me little; these men are generally too much strangers to fincerity, to be competent judges of Perfection: nor do I wonder, if the corrupt and vicious part of mankind be infected with as much malice and envy against extraordinary goodness, as fome are against power and greatnefs. The consciousness of much bafeness and corruption in one's felf, is apt to make one strive to bring down all men to the fame level, and to believe that there is nothing of Perfection in the world, but only a groundless or hypocritical pretension to

it. This is an opinion that ill men greedily embrace, because it gives them fome kind of peace, fecurity, and confidence; whereas the contrary opinion, as it would be apt to make them afhamed of their preJent ftate, fo would it make them fearful and apprehenfive of their future one. I write not therefore to fuch as thefe, nor can be much concerned what cenfure they pass on a defign, against which they have an inveterate and obftinate averfion.

The method I obferve in this treatise is : in the first fection, I confider Perfection more generally in the fecond, the feveral parts of it; and in the last, the obstacles and impediments of our attaining it. In the two first fections, I always firft fix and explain the notion of that state of virtue which I difcourfe of. Next I proceed to the fruits or advantages of it; and in the laft place prefcribe the method by which it may be attained,

SECT.

SECT. I.

Of Religious Perfection in general.

CHAP. I.

Perfection a confirmed habit of holiness. This notion conformable to reafon and fcripture The nature of an habit confidered, according to four properties of it.

M

OST difputes and controverfies arife from false and mistaken notions of the matter under de

bate; and fo I could fhew it has happened here. Therefore, to prevent miftakes, and cut off all occafions of contention (which ferves only to defeat the influence and fuccefs of practical difcourses) I think it neceffary to begin here with a plain account what it is I mean by Religious Perfection.

Religion is nothing elfe, but the purifying and refining nature by grace, the raifing and exalting our faculties and capacities by wisdom and virtue. Religious Perfec

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tion,

tion, therefore, is nothing elfe but the moral accomplishment of human nature, fuch a maturity of virtue as man in this life is capable of; Converfion begins, Perfection confummates the habit of righteoufnefs: in the one, religion is, as it were, in its infancy; in the other, in its ftrength and manhood; fo that Perfection, in fhort, is nothing elfe, but a ripe and fettled habit of true holiness. According to this notion of religious Perfection, he is a perfect man, whofe mind is pure and vigorous, and his body tame and obfequious whofe faith is firm and fteady, his love ardent and exalted, and his hope full of affurance; whofe religion has in it that ardour and conftancy, and his foul that tranquillity and pleafure, which befpeaks him a child of the light, and of the day, a par taker of the Divine Nature, and raised above the corruption which is in the world through luft.

This account of religious Perfection is fo natural and eafy, that I fancy no man will demand a proof of it; nor fhould I go about one, were it not to ferve fome further ends than the mere confirmation of it. It has manifeftly the countenance both of reafon and fcripture; and how contradictofoever fome ancient and latter schemes of Perfection feem to be,, or really are, to one another; yet do they all agree in effect

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