neglect or ingratitude of the world, will all prove extremely useful and beneficial; every thing will inftruct him, every thing will afford an opportunity of exercifing fome virtue or another; fo that fuch a one fhall be daily learning, daily growing better and wifer.

§. 2. The two great inftruments, not of regeneration only, but alfo of perfeverance and Perfection, are the Word and the Spirit of God. This no man doubts that is a Chriftian and therefore I will not go about to prove it: nor will I at prefent difcourfe of the energy and operation of the one, and the other; or examine what each is in its felf, or wherein the one differs from the other. 'Tis abundantly enough, if we be affured that the gospel and the Spirit are proper and fufficient means to attain the great ends I have mentioned, namely, converfion and Perfection. And that they are fo, is very plain from thofe texts which do exprefly affert, that the gospel contains all thofe truths that are neceffary to the clear expofition of our duty, or to the moving and obliging us to the practice of it. And that the Spirit implies a fupply of all that fupernatural ftrength, be it what it will, that is neceffary to enable us, not only to will, but to do that which the gofpel convinces us to be our duty. Such

our

are,

are, Rom. i. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, hath made me free from the law of fin and death. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All fcripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Cor. xii. 9. And be faid unto me, my grace is fufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Moft gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may rest upon me. 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 'Tis needlefs to multiply texts on this occafion; otherwife it were very eafy to fhew, that all things neceffary to life and godliness, are contained in the Word and Spirit; that whatever is necessarily to be wrought in us to prepare us for, or entitle us to eternal falvation, is ascribed to the gospel and the Spirit. This truth then being unquestionable, that the gospel and the Spirit are the two great inftruments of Perfection; we may from hence infer two rules, which are of the most universal ufe, and of the most powerful efficacy in the pursuit of Perfection. 1. We cannot have too great a value, too great a paffion for the Book of God; nor fix our thoughts and hearts too earneftly upon the truths of

it. We must imitate the Theffalonians, in behalf of whom St. Paul thanks God, becaufe when they received the word of God which they heard of him, they received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, I Theff. ii. 13. that is, we must entertain the gospel, as that which has infallible truth in all its doctrines, uncontroulable authority in all its precepts, a divine certainty in all its promises and threats, and a divine wifdom in all its counfels and directions: and he that thus believes will certainly find the gospel to work effectually in him, as it did in the Theffalonians. What light and beauty will he difcern in all its defcriptions of our duty! what force in all its perfuafions! what majefty, what dignity, what life, what power, what confolation, what fupport! in one word, what heavenly virtue will he difcern in each part of it, and what vast and unfathomable wisdom in the whole compofure and contrivance of it! how will he then admire it, how will he love it, how will he ftudy it, how will he delight in it! how will he be tranfported by the promises, and awed by the threats of it! how will he be pierced and ftruck through by thofe exaggerations of fin, and captivated and enamoured by those lively and divine defcriptions of virtue he meets in it! how will he adore the goodness of God, confpi

confpicuous in our redemption! how will he be inflamed with the love of Jefus, and be amazed at his condefcenfion and humility! this and much more is the natural effect of our receiving the gospel as we ought, and pondering the truths of it with devout and inceffant meditation. This the royal Pfalmift was abundantly fenfible of, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not fin against thee, Pfal. cxix. II. Thou through thy commandments haft made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy teftimo. nies are my meditation, ver. 98. To which I might add many other verfes out of that Pfalm, containing the various and mighty effects of the word of God. Nor will any one think that I attribute too much to the ftudy of this word of life, who fhall confider that it is one of the great works of the Holy Spirit, to incline our hearts to the teftimonies of God, to write his laws in our hearts, to difpofe us to attend to revealed truths; and, in one word, to fix our minds and thoughts upon them. 2. Since the Spirit, together with the gospel, is a joint principle of regeneration and Perfection, 'tis manifeft, that we ought to live in a continual dependance upon God. He must be our hope and confidence in the day of trial: He must be our praise and H 3 boaft

boaft in the day of victory, and in the day of peace when we lie down, and when we rife up, we muft fay with the Pfalmift, 'Tis thou, Lord, that makest me dwell in Jafety, Pfal. iv 8. We must look upon our felves as furrounded by enemies, and befieged by fpiritual dangers, as David was by temporal: and as be in the one, fo must we in the other, expect ftrength and falvation from him. Through God we shall do valiantly, for be it is that shall tread down our enemies, Pfal. lx. 12, Many nations compass me round about; but in the name of the Lord I will deftroy them. And when we have conquered temptations, and routed the powers of darkness, we must afcribe all, not to our own ftrength, nor to our own watchfulness, but to the grace and the power of God. If the Lord himself had not been on our fide, now may Ifrael fay; if the Lord himself had not been on our fide, when the legions of hell combined with the world and flesh against us, they had fwallowed us up alive, Pfal. cxxiv. 1, 2, 3. Now, many will be the happy effects of this dependance upon God; we fhall be paffionately defirous of his prefence, of his grace and favour; we fhall drefs and prepare our fouls, we fhall awaken and difpofe all our faculties to receive him; we fhall ever do the things that may invite and prevail with him to abide with us; we shall be apprehensive of

his