and from their old natural ftate, principles, and inclinations, that they might obey the Gospel; and they obey it with the whole foul, thro' the teaching and agency of the fame Spirit, that their hearts and consciences may be sprinkled and purged from all fin by the blood of CHRIST: As the Apostle writes alfo to the Theffalonians; God, faith he, from the beginning bath chofen you to falvation, thro' fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, whereunto be called you by our Gospel.

2. I infer, that God's elect are fanctified in their fouls, regenerated, and made meet for the inheritance with the faints in light, at the time of their being united to CHRIST, and believing on him but in their mortal flesh, which is their bodies, they are not thus fanctified; for thefe are ftill left in their natural state, fubject to death and corruption: Yet, because they are their bodies whofe fouls are purified and united to CHRIST, they are counted holy; as he faith of the Altar, whatsoever toucheth it is holy. And in due time these also shall be changed, made fpiritual, and glorious. For which cause every member thereof, even the whole body of a believer is to be employed in the service and work of GOD; in which fenfe (as I humbly conceive) the Apoftle prays that God would fanctify us wholly, even in body, foul, and fpirit:

And

And thus our bodies are the members of CHRIST, and temple of the HOLY GHOST. Therefore the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body; that its actions being regulated and governed by the renewed mind thro' the Spirit, they may be holy, peaceable, and temperate in all things; and that this is the will of God, as our Text plainly fhews: And again he faith, This is the will of God, even your fan&tification, that ye should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to poffefs his veffel in fan&tification and honour, not in the lufts of concupifcence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: For the faving grace of GOD teacheth us, that denying all ungodliness and worldly lufts, we should live soberly, righteoufly, and godly in this present world, looking for that bleffed hope, and glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.- Now, Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our fins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever.— Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XV.

T

HEBREWS vi. I.

Let us go on unto perfection..

HE Apoftle towards the close of the for

mer chapter, fharply reproves thefe believing Hebrews, for their flothfulness in following after, negligence in hearing, and dulness in apprehending that great falvation of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS, our Lord: And because they had spent much time already, and made but little progrefs in the knowledge of CHRIST; he now counfels them (leaving the first principles or rudiments of the doctrine of CHRIST) to advance, and press forward unto a further knowledge of CHRIST, and practical conformity to his example; to the end

that

that they might be confirmed and established: Yea,
he urges and ftirs them up to make a continual
progrefs therein; that being ftrong in the grace
which is in CHRIST JESUS, and abounding in their
love one towards another, and towards all men ;
they, as Chriftians, might arrive to their full fta-
ture, even to a full affurance of bope unto the end:
And hence he faith, Let us go on unto perfection.

The perfection of Chriftians, is without all dif-
pute a Scripture doctrine, the right knowledge of
which is of great importance to the difciples of
CHRIST; efpecially as there have been fo many
palpable mistakes and dangerous errors advanced
under the name and notion of perfection, that fome
perfons seem to abhor the very name itself, as if
there was no fuch thing: altho' the Scripture very
clearly, fully, and particularly fpeaks of it. I fhall
therefore attempt, by divine affiftance, to explain
this much controverted and important doctrine.-
And,

First, I fhall endeavour to settle the meaning of the word perfection.

Secondly; Shew wherein the perfection of a Chriftian doth properly confist.

Thirdly; Point out fome of the principal miftakes and errors concerning it: And,

Laftly; Conclude with an application.

FIRST