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understanding, will, and affections: in the improvement and accomplishment of which, human Perfection must confequently confift. And if we enquire wherein this improvement or accomplishment lies, 'tis a truth fo obvious, that it will not need any proof, that illumination is the Perfection of the understanding, liberty of the will, and zeal of the affections. If, in the next place, we reflect upon the defcription I have before given of Perfection, nothing is more evident, than that to constitute a firm babit of righteousness, three things are neceffary: 1. The knowledge of our duty, and our obligations to it. 2. The fubduing our lufts and paffions, that we may be enabled to perform it. Laftly, Not only a free, but warm and vigorous profecution of it. In the first of thefe confifts illumination; in the fecond, liberty; and in the third, zeal. Upon the whole then 'tis evident, both from the nature of Perfection and of man, that I am now to treat in order of these three things, illumination, liberty, and zeal, as fo many effential parts of religious Perfection. Nor muft I ftop here, but must to thofe three unavoidably add humility: for whether we confider the fins of the perfect man's paft life, or the flips and defects of his best state ; or whether we confider man's continual dependance upon God in all refpects, but especially in reference to

the

the beginning, progrefs, and confummation of his Perfection; or whether, laftly, we confider the fcantinefs and deficiency, not only of this or that man's Perfection in particular, but of human Perfection in general, we cannot but conclude, that nothing can become mortal man (even tho' all the excellence human nature is capable of were united in one) better than bumility. Humility therefore must begin and compleat religious Perfection; it must accompany the Chriftian in every ftage of his fpiritual progrefs; it must crown all his actions, and add that beauty and excellence, that grace and luftre to all his other virtues, that is wholly neceffary to render them acceptable to God.

The general notion of Perfection being thus refolved into its parts, 'tis plain I am now to difcourfe of each of thefe. And what I have to fay on each ought, accordding to the ftrict rules of method, to be comprized within the fame chapter: but to confult the ease and benefit of my reader, I fhall flight this nicety, and diftribute my thoughts into as many chapters as I fhall judge moft convenient for the ease and fupport of the memory.

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CHAP. I.

Of illlumination. I. The diftinguishing characters of illuminating truths. 1. They purify us. 2. They nourish and strengthen us. 3. They delight us. 4. They procure us a glorious reward. II. The nature of illuminating knowledge. 1. It must be deeply rooted. 2. It must be diftinct and clear. 3. It must be thoroughly concocted.

I.

§. 1. W point of illumination, as it does

HAT it is. It happens in the

in that of happiness: all men, at first hearing, form in general an agreeable and pleafing notion of it; all men admire and love it; but few have any distinct and true understanding of thofe things which 'tis made up of. All men conceive illumination to be a ftate of light and knowledge, as they do happiness to be a state of pleasure but are as little agreed in particular, wherein confifts the light or knowledge which makes the one, as wherein confifts the pleasure that makes the other. The luft and paffion of fome, the fuperftition and prejudice of others; curiofity and confidence, weakness and design, enthusiasm and fancy, embroil and perplex all things. However, every honeft man hath a clue, by which he may efcape out of this labyrinth. The fcripture fhines with bright and gracious beams

through

throughout all this darkness: and, if we will attend to it, we cannot wander into any dangerous mistake. This describes the ftate of illumination very plainly to us, calling it fometimes wifdom, fometimes knowledge and understanding; fometimes faith, fometimes the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Next, it acquaints us with the defign and end of it; namely, to convert us from the power of Satan to the fervice of the living God, to purify and fanctify us, to enable us to approve the holy, acceptable, and perfect will of God, and, in one word, to make us wife unto falvation. Nay, it proceeds further, and points out to us particularly the truths, in the knowledge of which illumination confifts. Thus the Old Teftament reckons wisdom to be, fometimes the knowledge of God, fometimes the knowledge of his law, fometimes the understanding of proverbs and parables; these containing as it were the foul of moral inftruction, and wrapping up in a few and lively words, whatever the experience of the aged, or the obfervation of men of the most piercing judgment, thought beft deferved to be tranfmitted to pofterity. But all this amounts to the fame thing, and all the descriptions of wisdom in the Old Testament may be fummed up into that one, Job xxvii. 28. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart

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from evil is understanding. The New Teftament tells us, this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou hast jent: that Chrift is the way, the truth and the life: that in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge: that true understanding confifts in knowing the will of God; which will is our fanctification. And when St. Paul underftands by wisdom, as fometimes he does, the penetrating into the fpirit and mystery, the depths and receffes of the Old Testament, and difcovering the great defign of man's redemption, carried on through all the ages of the world, and through a wife variety of difpenfations, this alters not the notion of illumination: for this does not point out to us any new or different truths; but only regards one peculiar way of explaining, or establishing and confirming the great Chriftian doctrines. To conclude; we may easily learn what fort of knowledge the Spirit of God recommends to us above all other, from thofe petitions which St. Paul puts up for the Ephefians and Coloffians. For the former he prays thus; that the God of our Lord fefus Chrift, the Father of glory, may give unto you the fpirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your underftanding being enlightened, that yemay know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints,

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