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little after afcending up into heaven, always before him?

But I know it will be here objected, wę difcern not this efficacy you attribute to this motive. The doctrine of another life is the great article of the Chriftian faith, and it is every-where preached throughout Christendom; and yet men generally feem to have as much fondnefs for this world, as they could were there no other: they practife no virtues but fuch as are profftable and fashionable, or none any further than they are fo. To this I anfwer; tho' most act thus, there are many, I hope very many, who do otherwife; and, that all in general do not, proceeds from want, either of due confideration or firm belief of this doctrine of another life. First, From not confidering it as we fhould. 'Tis the greateft difadvantage of the objects of faith, compared with thofe of fenfe, that they are diftant and invifible. He therefore that will be perfect, that will derive any ftrength and virtue from this motive, muft fupply this distance by devout and daily contemplation; he muft fetch the remote objects of faith home to him; he muft render them, as it were, prefent; he muft fee and feel them by the ftrength of faith, and the force of meditation; which if he do, then will his faith certainly prove a vital and victorious principle; then will

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no pleasure in this world be able to combat the affured hopes of an heaven, nor any worldly evil or difficulty fustained for virtue, be able to confront the ter rors of an hell. A fecond reason why this motive doth not operate as it should, is want of faith. We doubt, we waver, we ftagger, we take things upon truft; affenting very flightly and fuperficially to the doctrine of another life, and looking upon good works rather as not injurious to this world, than ferviceable to a better : and then 'tis no more wonder that the unbelieving Chriftian does not enter into Perfection and reft, than that the unbelieving Few did not: 'tis no more wonder, if the word of life do not profit the Chriftian when not believed by him, than if it do not profit a pagan who has never heard of it. And what is here faid of infidelity, is in its measure and proportion true when applied to a weak and imperfect faith. He there fore that will be perfect muft daily pray, Lord, Ibelieve; help thou mine unbelief. He muft daily confider the grounds on which the faith and hope of a Chriftian stand ; the express declarations of the divine will concerning the future immortality and glory of the children of God; the demonftration of this contained in the refurrection of Jefus from the dead, and his afcenfion, and feffion at the right

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hand of God: and to this he may add, the love of God, the merits of Jefus, and the ftate and fortune of virtue in this world. From all which one may be able to infer the undoubted certainty of another world. The fum of all amounts to this: whoever will be perfect, muft daily, I fhould, I think, have faid almoft hourly, ponder the bleffedness that attends Perfection in another life; he muft ponder it feriously, that he may be throughly perfuaded of it; he must ponder it often, that the notions of it may be fresh and lively in his foul.

SECT. II.

Of the feveral parts of Perfection, illumination, liberty, and zeal.

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HAT the feveral parts of religious Perfection are, will be easily difcerned by a very flight reflection, either on the nature of man, or the general notion of Perfection already laid down. If we confider man, whofe Perfection I am treating of, as it is plain; that he is made up of foul and body, fo 'tis as plain that moral Perfection relates to the foul, as the chief fubject of it, and to the body no otherwife than as the inftrument of that righteoufness which is planted in the foul. Now in the foul of man we find thefe three things; underftand

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understanding, will, and affections: in the improvement and accomplishment of which, human Perfection must confequently confift. And if we enquire wherein this improvement or accomplishment lies, 'tis a truth fo obvious, that it will not need any proof, that illumination is the Perfection of the understanding, liberty of the will, and zeal of the affections. If, in the next place, we reflect upon the defcription I have before given of Perfection, nothing is more evident, than that to conftitute a firm babit of righteoufnefs, three things are neceffary: 1. The knowledge of our duty, and our obligations to it. 2. The fubduing our lufts and paffions, that we may be enabled to perform it. Laftly, Not only a free, but warm and vigorous profecution of it. In the first of these confifts illumination; in the fecond, liberty; and in the third, zeal. Upon the whole then 'tis evident, both from the nature of Perfection and of man, that I am now to treat in order of these three things, illumination, liberty, and zeal, as fo many effential parts of religious Perfection. Nor must I ftop here, but must to thofe three unavoidably add humility: for whether we confider the fins of the perfect man's paft life, or the flips and defects of his beft ftate; or whether we confider man's continual dependance upon God in all respects, but especially in reference to

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the beginning, progrefs, and confummation of his Perfection; or whether, lastly, we confider the fcantiness and deficiency, not only of this or that man's Perfection in particular, but of human Perfection in general, we cannot but conclude, that nothing can become mortal man (even tho' all the excellence human nature is capable of were united in one) better than humility. Humility therefore muft begin and compleat-religious Perfection; it must accompany the Chriftian in every stage of his fpiritual progrefs; it must crown all his actions, and add that beauty and excellence, that grace and luftre to all his other virtues, that is wholly necessary to render them acceptable to God.

The general notion of Perfection being thus refolved into its parts, 'tis plain I am now to difcourfe of each of these. And what I have to fay on each ought, accordding to the ftrict rules of method, to be comprized within the fame chapter: but to confult the cafe and benefit of my reader, I fhall flight this nicety, and diftribute my thoughts into as many chapters as I shall judge moft convenient for the ease and fupport of the memory.

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