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as one, who walks not after the flesh, but after the fpirit; as one, whom the law of the spirit of life in Chrift Jefus has fet free from the law of fin and death; one, who gore, does not mind or relish the things of the flesh, but the things of the fpirit; one, in whom the Spirit of Chrift dwells: he does not stand at the door, and knock; he does not make a tranfient vifit; but here he reigns, and rules, and inhabits: one finally, in whom the body is dead because of fin, but the fpirit is life because of righteousness. And the result of all this is the joy and confidence, the fecurity and tranfport that becomes the child of God. Ye have not received the fpirit of bondage again to fear, but ye bave received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our fpirit, that we are the chil dren of God; and if children, then heirs, beirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift. And now 'tis no wonder, if the perfect man long for the revelation of the glory of the fons of God; if he cry out in rapture, If God be for me, who can be against me? who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? who shall feparate me from the love of Chrift? and fo on. If any one would fee the perfect man described in fewer words, he needs but caft his eye on Rom. vi. 22. But now being made free from fin, and become fervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. CHAP.

CHA P. II.

This notion of Perfection countenanced by all parties, however different in their expreffions. Some short reflections upon what the Pelagians, the Papifts, the Quakers, and the myftical writers, have faid concerning Perfection.

A

FTER I have fhewed that this no tion of Perfection is warranted by reafon and fcripture; I fee not why I should be very folicitous whether it do or do not clash with the opinions of men. But the truth is, if we examine not fo much the expreffions and words, as the fenfe and meaning of all parties about this matter, we fhall find them well enough agreed in it at the bottom. And 'tis no wonder, if (notwithstanding several incidental disputes) they fhould yet agree in the main: fince the experience of mankind does eafily teach us what fort of Perfection human nature is capable of; and what can, or cannot actually be attained by man. The Pelagians did not contend for an angelical Perfection, nor St. Austin deny fuch a one as was truly fuitable to man: the one could not be fo far a ftranger to human nature, as to exempt it in reality from thofe errors and defects which the best of men complain of, C

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Religious Perfection exp

and labour againft. Nor was S little acquainted with the power pel, and of the Spirit, as not enough affured that man migh ally good, and that fuch wer and acted by a firm faith, an love, and well-grounded hope pute between them then, conc fection, did not confift in th men might be habitually good in reality acknowledged on bot whether the best men were fu fects? For this too both fide but be fenfible of: but in the efpecially; First, What was to ted to grace, what to nature relates not to the definition Perfection, but to the fource of it. Secondly, Whether tho motions, defects, and errors the best men were subjec be accounted fins, or not? nei fide nor the other then, as far cern, did in truth mistake th buman Perfection: each place tual righteousness; the one co no more, nor did the other con in the perfect man. And whe ferted him free from fin, he di him free from defects: And other would not allow the be without fin, they did not by

ftand any thing elfe, but fuch diforders, oppofitions to, or deviations from the law of God, as the Pelagian himself must needs own to be in the perfect man. The dif

pute then was not, what man might or might not attain to? for both fides agreed him capable of the fame habitual righteoufnefs; both fides allowed him subject to the fame frailties: but one fide would have thefe frailties accounted fins, and the other would not.

Numerous indeed have been the controversies between the popish and reformed churches, about precept and counfel, mortal and venial fin, the poffibility of fulfilling the law of God, the merit of good works, and fuch like. But after all, if we enquire what that height of virtue is to which the best of men may arrive; what those frailties and infirmities are, to which they are fubject; 'twere, I think, eafy to fhew, that the wife and good are on all hands agreed about this. Nor does it much concern my present purpose, in what sense, or on what account Papifts think fome fins venial, and Proteftants deny them to be fo; fince neither the one nor the other exempt the perfect man from infirmities, nor affert any other height of Perfection, than what confifts in a confummate and well-established habit of virtue. Some men may, and do talk very extravagantly; C 2

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but it is very hard to imagine that fober and pious men fhould run in with them. Such, when they talk of fulfilling the law of God, and keeping his commandments, muft furely understand this of the law of God in a gracious and equitable sense: And this is no more than what the scripture afferts of every fincere Chriftian. When they talk of I know not what tranfcendent Perfection in monkery, they must furely mean nothing more, than that poverty, chastity, and obedience, are heroick inftances of faith and love, of poverty of fpirit, and purity of heart; and that an Af cetick difcipline is the moft compendious and effectual way to a confummate habit of righteousness. Finally, By the diftinction of precept and counsel, fuch can never intend furely more than this, that we are obliged to fome things under pain of damnation; to others, by the hopes of greater degrees of glory: for 'tis not eafy for me to comprehend, that any man, whofe judgment is not enflaved to the dictates of his party, fhould deny either of these two truths. 1. That whatever is neither forbidden nor commanded by any law of God, is indifferent. 2. That no man can do more than love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his foul, and with all his might, and his neighbour as himself. I fay, there is no degree or inftance of obedience, that

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