Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

can be provided for, or fecured, without the practice of fociable and political virtues; yet 'tis certain, that not only in many extraordinary cafes there would be no reward at all for virtue, if there were not one referved for it in another world; but alfo in most cafes, if there were not a future pleasure, that did infinitely outweigh the enjoyments of this life, men would fee no obligation to Perfection. For what fhould raise them above the love of this world, if there were no other? or above the love of the body, if when they died they fhould be no more for ever? and certainly our minds would never be able to foar very high, nor fhould we ever arrive at any excellence or Perfection in any action, if we were always under the influence of the love of the world, and the body.

3. A life to come is alone a fufficient motive to Perfection. Who will refuse to endure hardship as a good foldier of Chrift Jefus, who firmly believes that he is now a fpectator, and will very fuddenly come to be a judge and rewarder of his fufferings? how natural is it to run with patience the race that is fet before us, to him who has an eternal joy, an eternal crown always in his eye? and if a life to come can make a man rejoyce even in fuffering evil, how much more in doing good? If it enable him to conquer in the day of the

church's

church's tryal and affliction, how much more will it enable him to abound in all virtues in the day of its peace and profperity? how freely will a man give to the diftreffed members of Chrift, who believes that he fees Chrift himself standing by, and receiving it as it were by their hands, and placing it to his own account, to be repaid a thousand-fold in the great day of the Lord? how eafily will a man allay the ftorms of paffion, and caft away the weapon of revenge and anger, with indignation against himself, if his faith do but prefent him often with a view of that Canaan, which the meek in heart fhall inherit for ever? how importunately will a man pray for the pardon of fin, whofe fenfe, whofe foul, whofe imagination is ftruck with a dread of being for ever divided from God, and excluded from the joys and virtues of the bleffed? how fervently will a man pray for the Spirit of God, for the increase of grace, whofe thoughts are daily fwallowed up with the contem→ plation of an eternity; and whofe mind is as fully poffeffed of the certainty and the glory of another world, as of the emptinefs and vanity of this? how natural, finally, will it be to be poor in fpirit, and to delight in all the offices of an unfeigned humility, to that man who has the image of Jefus washing the feet of his difciples, anda

"

little after afcending up into heaven, always before him?

But I know it will be here objected, we difcern not this efficacy you attribute to this motive. The doctrine of another life is the great article of the Chriftian faith, and it is every-where preached throughout Christendom; and yet men generally feem to have as much fondness for this world, as they could were there no other: they practife no virtues but fuch as are profitable and fashionable, or none any further than they are fo. To this I anfwer; tho' most act thus, there are many, I hope very many, who do otherwife; and, that all in general do not, proceeds from want, either of due confideration or firm belief of this doctrine of another life. First, From not confidering it as we should. 'Tis the greateft difadvantage of the objects of faith, compared with thofe of fenfe, that they are diftant and invifible. He therefore that will be perfect, that will derive any ftrength and virtue from this motive, must supply this diftance by devout and daily contemplation; he muft fetch the remote objects of faith home to him; he must render them, as it were, prefent; he must see and feel them by the strength of faith, and the force of meditation; which if he do, then will his faith certainly prove a vital and victorious principle; then will

[ocr errors][merged small]

no pleasure in this world be able to combat the affured hopes of an heaven, nor any worldly evil or difficulty fuftained for virtue, be able to confront the terrors of an bell. A fecond reason why this motive doth not operate as it should, is want of faith. We doubt, we waver, we ftagger, we take things upon truft; affenting very flightly and fuperficially to the doctrine of another life, and looking upon good works rather as not injurious to this world, than ferviceable to a better: and then 'tis no more wonder that the unbelieving Chriftian does not enter into Perfection and reft, than that the unbelieving Jew did not: 'tis no more wonder, if the word of life do not profit the Chriftian when not believed by him, than if it do not profit a pagan who has never heard of it. And what is here faid of infidelity, is in its measure and proportion true when applied to a weak and imperfect faith. He therefore that will be perfect muft daily pray, Lord, Ibelieve; help thou mine unbelief. He muft daily confider the grounds on which the faith and hope of a Chriftian ftand the express declarations of the divine will concerning the future immortality and glory of the children of God; the demonftration of this contained in the refurrection of Jefus from the dead, and his afcenfion, and feffion at the right hand

hand of God: and to this he may add, the love of God, the merits of Jefus, and the ftate and fortune of virtue in this world. From all which one may be able to infer the undoubted certainty of another world. The fum of all amounts to this: whoever will be perfect, muft daily, I fhould, I think, have faid almost hourly, ponder the blessedness that attends Perfection in another life; he muft ponder it feriously, that he may be throughly perfuaded of it; he must ponder it often, that the notions of it may be fresh and lively in his foul.

SECT. II.

Of the feveral parts of Perfection, illumination, liberty, and zeal.

W

HAT the feveral parts of religious Perfection are, will be eafily dif cerned by a very flight reflection, either on the nature of man, or the general notion of Perfection already laid down. If we confider man, whofe Perfection I am treating of, as it is plain; that he is made up of foul and body, fo 'tis as plain that moral Perfection relates to the foul, as the chief fubject of it, and to the body no otherwise than as the inftrument of that righteoufness which is planted in the foul. Now in the foul of man we find these three things; ·understand

L

« AnteriorContinuar »