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fountains of pleasure, which the finner never taftes of, which he cannot relish, which he is a ftranger to: Next, As to outward things, that he has even here, many advantages above the other. But what is more confiderable yet, is,

All the claim the finner lays to pleasure, is confined to the prefent moment, which is extremely short, and extremely uncertain; the time that is past and to come, he quits all pretenfions to, or ought to do fo. As to the time paft, the thing is felf-evident: for the finner, looking back, fees his pleafures and Jatisfactions; the good man his trials and temptations paft and gone: the finner fees an end of his beauty and his ftrength; the good man of his weaknesses and follies: the one when he looks back is encountered with fin and folly, wickedness and fhame; the other with repentance and good works: guilt and fear haunt the reflections of the one, peace and hope attend those of the other. As to the time to come, the atheist hath no profpect at all beyond the grave, the wicked Chriftian a very difmal one, the weak and imperfect a doubtful one; only the wife and perfect an affured, joyful, and delightful one. And this puts me in mind of that which is the proper fruit of Perfection, and the trueft and greatest pleasure of human life, that is, affurance, afsurance of

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the pardon of fin, affurance of the divine favour, affurance of immortality and glory.

Need I prove, that affurance is an unfpeakable pleasure? One would think, that to man, who is daily engaged in a conflict with fome evil or other, it were fuperfluous to prove that it is a mighty pleasure to be raised, tho' not above the affault, tho not above the reach, yet above the venom and malignity of evils: to be filled with joy, and ftrength, and confidence; to ride triumphant under the protection of the divine favour, and fee the fea of life, fwell and toss itself in vain, in vain threaten the bark it cannot fink, in vain invade the cable it cannot burst. One would think, that to man, who lives all his life long in bondage for fear of death, it fhould be a furprizing delight to fee death lie gasping at his feet, naked and impotent, without fting, without terror: one would, finally, think, that to man, who lives rather by hope than enjoyment, it fhould not be neceffary to prove, that the Chriftian's hope, whofe confidence is greater, its objects more glorious, and its fuccefs more certain than that of any worldly fancy or project, is full of pleafure; and that it is a delightful profpect to fee the heavens opened, and Jefus, our fefus, our Prince and Saviour, fitting at the right hand of God.

Thus

Thus I have, I think, fufficiently made out the fubferviency of Perfection to the happiness of this prefent life, which was the thing proposed to be done in this chapter. Nor can I imagine what objections can be fprung to invalidate what I have faid; un-lefs there be any thing of colour in these

two.

1. To reap the pleasure, will fome one fay, which you have described here, it requires fomething of an exalted genius, fome compass of understanding, fome fagacity and penetration. To this I answer, I grant indeed that fome of those pleasures which I have reckoned up as belonging to the perfect man, demand a fpirit raised a little above the vulgar: but the richest pleasures, not the most polished and elevated fpirits, but the most devout and charitable fouls are beft capable of. Such are the peace and tranquillity which arifes from the conquest and reduction of all inordinate affections: the fatisfaction which accompanies a fincere and vigorous difcharge of duty, and our reflections upon it; the fecurity and reft which flows from felf-refignation, and confidence in the divine protection: and laftly, the joy that fprings from the full affurance of hope.

But 2dly, It may be objected, 'tis true all these things feem to hang together well enough in fpeculation; but when we come

to

to examine the matter of fact, we are almoft tempted to think, that all which you have said to prove the ways of wisdom, ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace, amounts to no more than a pretty amusement of the mind, and a vifionary scheme of happiness. For how few are there, if any, who feel all this to be truth, and experiment the pleasure you talk of? How few are they in whom we can discover any figns of this fpiritual joy, or fruits of a divine tranquillity or fecurity? I anfwer, in a word, the examples of a perfect and mature virtue are very few; religion runs very low, and the love of God and goodness in the bofoms of moft Chriftians fuffers fuch an allay and mixture, that it is no wonder at all, if fo imperfect a state breed but very weak and imperfect hopes, very faint and doubtful joys. But I fhall have occafion to examine the force of this objection more fully, when I come to the obstacles of Perfection.

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CHAP. V.

Of the attainment of Perfection: with a particular account of the manner, or the feveral fteps, by which man advances or grows up to it: with three remarks to make this difcourfe more useful, and to free it from fome fcruples.

I

Have in the firft, fecond, and third chapters explained the notion of Religious Perfection. In the fourth chapter I have infifted on two effects of it, affurance and pleafure: my method therefore now leads me to the attainment of Perfection. Here I will do two things. ft, I will trace out the several steps and advances of the Chriftian towards it, and draw up, as it were, a fhort hiftory of his fpiritual progress, from the very in ancy of virtue to its maturity and manhood. 2dly, I will difcourfe briefly of the motives and means of Perfection.

Of the Chriftian's progress towards Perfection.

Many are the figures and metaphors by which the fcripture defcribes this; alluding one while to the formation, nourishment, and growth of the natural man; another while to that of plants and vegetables: one

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