lanta, fo also believers are retarded by this corruption in their Chriftian race! while the flesh continually lufts against the 'fpirit, it hinders the elect from chearfully performing what otherwise they would earnestly defire to do, Gal. v. 17. Rom. vii. 15, 16. By the Spirit the renewed man certainly tends upwards: but the flesh foon with great ftruggling pulls him down again, like a heavy stone tied to the feet of one of the fowls of heaven. With a courageous boldness believers enter upon all the exercises of every virtue or grace, Pfa. cxix. 128. Acts xxiv. 26. and while they go on in all the strength of the Lord their God, Pfa. Ixxi. 16. they undertake what far furpaffes the capacity and power of natural men, and thus, at a great pace, they prefs forward to perfection, like thofe who hunt down fome wild beast in hopes to poffefs it, Phil. iii. 14. But inherent corruption, innate perverfeness, heightened by so many vicious acts," the fin that easily befets us," Heb. xii. 1. again fpoils and taints all. And this abides in man till his death: It dwells, but reigns not, abides, but neither rules nor prevails; in fome measure it is rooted out, but not quite expelled: caft down, but not entirely caft out, as Bernard elegantly speaks in Pf. xc. Serm. x. According to the law of Mofes, when an earthen veffel was once ceremonially unclean it remained impure, till it was broken, Lev. xi. 33. Such earthen veffels are we, 2 Cor. iv. 7. for after we are defiled with fin, we do not attain to perfect purity, till the earthen veffel of our body is broken by the ftroke of death.

CXX. When the Apoftle speaks of the conflict between the fpirit and the flesh in a fanctified perfon, we are not to think, that the conflict arifes only from this, that the glandula pinealis can be impelled on one fide by the foul, on the other by the animal fpirits, and that thefe two impulfions are often contrary; fo that the flesh may be then judged to prevail, when the animal fpirits prove the ftronger; but the fpirit to predominate, when the foul, by a determinate judgment, proves more powerful in the impulfions of that pineal gland. For though it is a very great truth, that the inordinate motions of the animal spirits excite very many vicious thoughts and appetites in the foul, yet the conflict of the spirit with the flesh does not consist in that of the foul with the body. As new habits are put into the foul by the fanctifying Spirit; fo there are likewise in the foul itself the remains of the old man : these are two distinct principles of action. But fometimes when the man is left to himfelf, he may think, reafon, defire, from that vicious principle; at other times, he is excited by the Spirit of God, he acts from a new principle

principle of grace, which has not yet expelled all the power of fin; from thefe oppofite principles, and their reciprocal actings arifes that warfare we are speaking of, which is principally carried in the foul itself; according as it is either depreffed to earth by inherent corruption, or raised to heaven by a principle of a more noble life, produced by the Spirit. And when the Scripture fpeaks of flesh, it does not mean the body of man, but all the remaining corruption, which in its measure doth really abide in part in the body and its members, while it still has its principal feat in the foul itself, which is the proper immediate fubject both of virtue and vice. The enemies therefore in this combat, are not foul and body, but the grace of the fanctifying Spirit, and the remains of natural corruption.

CXXI. But known to God are the reasons of his conduct, in difpenfing the operations of the Spirit of grace in believers, fo that the remains of the flesh are not entirely expelled in this life, For, 1ft, He would by this, fhew the difference between earth and heaven, the time of warfare and of triumph, the place of toil and of reft, that we may the more earnestly long for our translation out of this valley of fin and mifery into the heavenly country, where every thing fhall be made perfect; and may with open arms, embrace death, which will bring us to that perfection, crying out with the apoftle; " O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom vii. 24.

CXXII. 2dly, He is willing to exercise and accuftom his people to patience, humility, and fympathy or fellow-feeling. As in old time, he suffered the Amorites and Philistines to remain in the land of Canaan, for the exercife of the Ifraelites; to prevent their growing indolent through a flothful eafe, and diffolved in too much profperity and quiet fo in like manner, he exercises his faints by the remains of the flesh. For, nothing teaches them to think more lowly of themselves than a daily fense of so many infirmities: nothing is more effectual to bring them to patience, than the conftant affaults of those most wicked enemies, from whom, to their confiderable grief, they have often experienced blows and wounds. Nothing, in fine, is more adapted to render them more sympathifing, with refpect to the failings of others, both in judging concerning their state, and their general converfation, than the confciousness of their own defects, Gal. vi. 1.

CXXIII. 3dly, By this means he ftrongly convinces all that the falvation of his people is owing only to his most free grace. For who, that is confcious of his own infirmities, and

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daily failings, but must be obliged to acknowledge, that he obtains life from God, not as the judge of merit, but as the beftower of pardon? The rigour of the law excluded from the priesthood the blind, the lame, the disjointed in any member, or those, who had any fuch blemish, Lev. xxi. 18. What then can we infer, but that the grace of the Gofpel is unmerited, which admits to the heavenly priesthood, and does not refuse accefs to the holy of holies made without hands, to those who have far worfe diforders of mind? If, notwithstanding fuch imperfection, it be scarce, if at all poffible, to banish the arrogance of merits out of the church, what would it be should we teach the poffibility of perfection?

CXXIV. 4thly and laftly, It becomes the wisdom of God to raise his people by degrees to the highest pitch of holiness. As in the creation of the first world, he began with a rude chaos and indigested mafs, which in fix fucceffive days, he fashioned into this beautiful frame, till, having given the finishing hand, he rested on the Sabbath, Gen. ii. 2. So, in the creation of the new world of grace, beginning with nothing, he gradually leads his people higher and higher, till on the expiration of this earthly week, on the dawn of the heavenly fabbath, he crowns them at once with holiness and glory.

CXXV. It cannot indeed be denied, that fometimes the fcripture makes mention of fome, who are faid to be perfect even in this life. But it is to be observed, that the term perfection, is not always ufed in the fame fenfe. For, 1ft, there is a perfection of SINCERITY confifting in this, that a man ferves God with an unfeigned heart, without any reigning hypocrify. In this fenfe it is faid of Job, that he was on, perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil," Job i. 1. In the fame fenfe, Hezekiah protests that he had walked before God" in truth and with a perfect heart, and done what was good in his eyes," Ifa. xxxviii. 3. 2dly, There is a perfection of PARTS, and that both fubjective with refpect to the whole man, in fo far as he is " fanctified wholly, in fpirit, foul and body," 1 Theff. v. 23. And objective, with respect to the whole law, when all and every one of the duties prescribed by God are observed without exception. Of this David was speaking, Pfa. cxix. 128. "I efteem all thy precepts concerning all thing; to be right; and I hate every falfe way." And it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke i. 6. and they "walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless." 3dly, There is a COMPARATIVE perfection afcribed to thofe, who are advanced in knowledge, faith and fanctification, in comparifon

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comparison of thofe, who are ftill infants and untaught: in this manner John diftinguithes little children, young men, and fathers, i John ii. 12, 13. In that fenfe Paul fpeaks of the perfect, i Cor. ii. 6. and Phil. iii. 15. 4thly, There is alfo an -VANGELICAL perfection, or with a veil or covering of grace, according to which, thefe perfons are looked upon as perfect, who fincerely endeavour after perfection, God, for the fake of Chrift, graciously accepting the attempts of a ready mind, and accounting every thing to be done, because what is not done is forgiven. The Apoftle fpeaks of this 2 Cor. viii. 12. "For if there be firft a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." Thus " are complete in Chrift," Col. ii. 10. his moft perfect righteoufnefs covering all our defects. However this is to be underftood in a proper manner; for the judgment of God is always according to truth: he fo judges of us and our actions, as they are and feeing we ourselves and our actions are imperfect, he cannot but judge us to be fo. This is what we would fay agreeable to fcriptúre, that God, on account of the most perfect obedience of Chrift, graciously accepts the fincerityof his people, nor lefs bountifully rewards them, than if their holiness was in every refpect complete. 5thly and laftly, There is also a perfection of DEGREES, by which a perfon performs all the commands of God, with the full exertion of all his powers without the leaft defect, having rooted up every depraved luft. This is what the law of God requires.. And this is that perfection which we deny the faints to have in this life, tho' we willingly allow them all the other kinds above mentioned.

CXXVI. It is certainly true, that when God enjoins us by his law, to love him with our whole heart, foul, and strength, thefe expreffions denote an abfolute perfection, both of degrees and parts. Nor can he require any thing lefs than the most perfect obedience of man, even of finful man, as we fhewed, book. 1. chap. 9. fect. 11, &c. But when it is faid of Jofiah, 2 Kings xxiii. 25. "And like unto him there was no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his foul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Mofes," this is to be understood in a certain diminutive fenfe, fo as to denote his fincerity, and the beginnings of, and endeavours after a due perfection, and to fignify God's gracious ef teem of him in the Meffiah. In the fame fenfe, the Jews in the time of Afa, bound themselves by an oath to feek the God of their fathers," with all their heart, and with all their foul," 2 Chron. xv. 12. All which are faid to have been done, v. 15. But yet none will fay that the Jewish people completely fulfilled VOL. II:

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all the holiness that the law required, feeing the high places were not taken away out of Ifrael, verfe 17. And then who will imagine that the condition of an entirely perfect obedience was exacted of the defcendants of David, before they could come to be partakers of the promises that were given them; yet this the words of God feem naturally to import, 1 Kings ii. 4. "If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before .me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their foul." And that the commendation given Jofiah cannot be taken in its full import, appears from comparing it with 2 Kings xviii. 5. where it is faid of Hezekiah, "After him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. If thefe words be taken in both places in their full import, and are not reconciled by a favourable interpretation, they involve a manifeft contradiction. Wherefore it is evident that in both places there is a kind of hyperbole, or the commendation of both kings is not to be understood abfolutely, but conditionally, in the order taken for the reformation of the public worship; in which the one may be faid in a different refpect, to have done fomething more than the other.

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CXXVII. We beg, indeed, in the Lord's prayer, that God's will may be done in earth, as it is in heaven, in which confifts the utmost perfection of piety; nor did the Lord Jefus prescribe to us that part of the prayer in vain and John fays, i John v. 14. "Whatever we afk according to his will, he heareth us :" But we cannot infer from hence the abfolute perfection of holinefs in this life. For the particle as, does not in this petition denote an abfolute equality in degrees, but a fimilitude in the thing, and the manner of it, in the fincerity, readiness, and alacrity of fubmiffion to the will of God, as well his commanding as his decreeing will; for it is ufed both in the fourth petition, and Mat. v. 48. in the fame fignification. The godly are indeed allowed, nay are commanded to afpire to perfection, and to endeavour to come the nearest to it poffible; it is also acceptable to God to exprefs that love of perfection in their prayers; however feeing God has exprefsly declared, that he does not give his people abfolute perfection in this life, it is the duty of all to acquiefce in this difpofition of the divine will, nor are they allowed to beg of God, to grant them that perfection here, which they know he has not appointed for this, but for the other life.

CXXVIII. We very well know, that our Lord, Luke xv. 7. fpeaks of "one finner that repenteth, and of ninety and nine juft perfons, which need no repentance." But neither does this