and lovely, whatever it be, unless the Principle, the Motive of it be wife and rational; therefore Wisdom cannot be feparated from the Notion of Holiness. Power must needs be comprised in it too; for Beneficence, which is at least one great Branch of Holiness, muft unavoidably imply Power in the Benefactor, and Impotence and Want in the Beneficiary. This is the Notion wherein Holiness, when ascrib'd to God in Scripture, is generally taken. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hofts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory, expreffes the Greatness and Majefty, as well as the Rectitude and Purity of the Divine Nature: and to fanctify the Lord God in our Hearts, is in the Language of the Scripture, not only to love him for his Goodnefs, but revere and fear him for his Majefty and Greatness. The Excellencies of the Creatures, their Fitness and Subferviency to the great Ends of their Creation, is the glory of the Creator, just as the Beauty, Strength and Convenience of the Work is the Honour of the Architect. If the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the irra onal and inanimate Parts of the Creation, fhew forth he glory of God, How much more do fpiritual and rational Beings? Virtue is the Perfection of Reason, and Zal of Virtue. For this is that which directly and immediately advances thofe great Ends that are dearest to God, as has been abundantly made out.

PER

PERFECTION.

S

OME feem to have entertain'd fuch a notion of

Religion, as if Moderation here were as neceffary as any where else. They look upon Zeal as an Excefs of Righteoufnefs, and can be well enough content to want degrees of Glory, if they can but fave their Souls. To which End they can fee no neceffity of Perfection. Now I would befeech fuch ferioufly to lay to Heart that Salvation and Damation are things of no Common Importance, and therefore it highly concerns them not to be mistaken in the Notion they form to themfelves of Religion. For the nature of Things will not be alter'd by their Fancies, nor will God be mocked or impofed on. If we deal fincerely with ourselves, as in this Cafe it certainly behoves us to do, we must frame our Idea of Religion, not from the Opinions, the Manners, or Fashions of the World, but from the Scriptures. And we must nat interpret these by our own Inclinations, but we must judge of the Duties they prefcribe by thofe Defcriptions of them, by thofe Properties and Effects which we find there. We must weigh the Design and End of Religion, which is to promote the glory of God, and the good of Man, and to raise us above the World and the Body. We must then fee how our platform, or model of Religion, fuits with it; and if, after we have done this, we are not fully satisfy'd in the true Bounds and Limits which part Vice and Virtue, it cannot but be fafeft

fafeft for us to err on the Right Hand. We ought af ways to remember too, that the repeated Exhortations in Scripture to Diligence, and that the moft Earnest and Indefatigable ones, to Vigilance, to Fear and Trembling, to Patience, to Steadfaftnefs, and fuch like, are utterly inconfiftent with an Easy, Lazy, Gentle Religion. That the Life of Jefus is the faireft and fulleft Comment on his Doctrine; and that we never are to follow the Example of a corrupt World, but of the best Men and the beft Ages. This one Thing alone will convince us, what Endeavours, what Virtues are neceffary to gain an incorruptible Crown. See with what Courage nay Joy too, they took up their Crofs and fol low'd him! How generous were their Alms! The Riches of their Liberality were confpicuous in the very Depth of their Poverty. What Plainnefs and Singleness of Heart? what Grace and Warmth ? what Peace and Joy fhow'd itself in their Converfation! What Modefty, what Humility in their Garb, Deportment, and the whole Train of Life! How frequent, how fervent, and how long too were their Prayers and Retirements? In fine, the Spirit and Genius of a Difciple of Chrift difcovered itself in all they faid and did; and the Virtues of their Lives did as evidently distinguish a Chriftian from a few or Pagan, as their Faith. How lovely was Religion then? how full its Joy; how ftrong its Confi dence? Then did Chriftians truly overcome the World. Then did they live above the Body. Then was the Crofs of Chrift more delightful, than the Ease or Honour, the Pride or Pleasure of a finful Life. Then did they truly, thro' the Spirit, wait for the Hope of Righteoufnefs by Faith. Let us now compare our Lives with theirs, and then fit down content with poor and beggarly Attainments, if we can. Let us put our Virtues in the Scale against theirs; and if we have any Modefty, the Inequality will put us out of Countenance we shall blush at our Vanity, and fhall not have the Confidence to expect the fame Crown, the fame King

dom,

dom, with them. But as too lax a Notion of Religion is apt to beget too much Indifference and Unconcernednefs, fo will it be said too exalted a One is apt to beget Despair, which is a no less Obstacle of Perfection.

Many there are, who forming their Judgment upon the Slips and Defects of good Men, and the Corruption of human Nature, conceive Perfection to be a meer imaginary Notion. They believe indeed, that confidering how apt Man is to fall fhort of his Duty, 'tis very fit that, the Rule preferibed him fhould be exact, and that he fhould be frequently prefs'd and exhorted to Perfection: But that the thing itself is too difficult for mortal Man to attain in this Life. To this Objection I muß oppose these few Things, which I believe will be fufficient to remove it.

The beginning of Virtue is the most difficult Part of it. The nearer we approach to Perfection, the easier as well as pleasanter is Religion: And therefore, whoever ftartles at the Difficulties which lie in the Way to an exalted Virtue, has as much Reason to be startled at thofe which will encounter him upon his first Entrance into Religion, and yet these must be conquer❜d.

The avoiding the Difficulties of Religion, does but plunge us into worse: We are neceffarily under this Dilemma: If we will attain the Peace and Tranquillity of the Mind, we muft mortify and reduce the Appetites of the Body. If on the other hand, we propofe to gratify the Appetites of the Body, and enjoy the Pleasure of Sin, we cannot do fo without offering Violence to the Mind. And if fuch be the War and Oppofition between the Soul and the Body, that there is no way to a true and well-fettled Peace and Pleafure, but by the Reduction and Mortification of the one or the other, then it will be easy to refolve what we are to do. those Appeals which Atheifts themselves make to Reafon, proclaim the Soul of Man to be the Ruling and Nobleft Part of him; befides, the Soul is the more vital, the more tender and fenfible Part of us; and confequently,

For

the

the Affliction of this must render us far more miserable than any Hardships or Difficulties Virtue can impofe upon the Body. Whatever be the Difficulties of Virtue, they will foon vanish, if we often call to Mind, that Peace and Joy are the Fruits of Virtue, but Shame and Remorse those of Sin; that no Man ever yet repented of refifting and conquering his Lufts, but no Man ever yet did not repent of following them, unless he dy'd as much a Brute as he liv'd. That Heaven is a cheap Purchase whatever it cofts us, but the Pleasure of Sin a very dear one, how eafily foever we come by it; and that we are not our own Masters; there is a God to whom we ftand accountable for our Actions: And confequently whether we will, or will not, we muft either undergo the Hardship and Discipline of Virtue, or the eternal Plagues and Punishments of Sin.

The Truth is, this Opinion of the Impoffibility of Perfection, has both been begot and cherish'd by those wild Schemes of it, which have been drawn by the Hands of a flaming, indeed, but an indifcreet Zeal. But we have here recommended to the World no fantaftick or enthufiaftick Perfection. We have advanc'd no Heights of Virtue, but what many do, we hope, at this Day actually feel and experiment in themselves: None we are fure but what the Followers of the Bleffed Jefus actually attain'd and practis'd. Be ye Followers: of us, fays the Apoftle, as we are of Christ. Their Lives were as bright a Rule as their Doctrine, and by their own Actions they demonstrated the Power of the Faith they taught. They did not, like the Scribes and Pharifees, bind heavy Burdens upon others, and not move them with their Finger. They did not, like Plato and Ariftotle, magnify Temperance and Modefty, at the Tabernacles and Carnivals of Princes; nor commend the Pleasure of Wisdom, in the Garden of Epicurus. But they liv'd as they taught, unspotted by the Pleafures, unbroken by the Troubles of the World; modeft, ferene, equal and heavenly-minded; in Honour or Dishonour,