Unnatural thoughts against ourselves, and blasphemous of God, are usually from the tempter.

2. When they make terrible impressions upon our spirits, they are his fiery darts; for the native offspring of our hearts are conceived with freedom and complacency.

Α

3. They are our infelicities, but induce no guilt when resisted by us. rape may be committed on the mind; and as 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 compaspassionate 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.

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CHAPTER V.

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 holiness spoken of in Scripture; the perfection of innocence, the perfection of grace, and the perfection of glory.

1. 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 which qualified 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.

2. 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 shall particularly consider.

3. 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, which receives light from the sun in half its globe; but in the next state it will be filled with light as a ball of crystal penetrated by the sunbeams. 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 sprung 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 shall now consider the perfection of grace, which is attributed to the saints in the present state.

1. There is an essential perfection which 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 acted 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.

This includes first 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 concerning all things 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 respect 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 they 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 reflexion in a clear and true glass, than is between the spirit of the old Pharisees and that of 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

that 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 point, 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 tenour of the life. Pure religion and undefiled before God, 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 to the consequences of that reproach, they will comply with the temper of the times, to secure their secular interest. And as there is 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