SERMON XLIX.

HEBREWS vi. 1.

GO ON UNTO PERFECTION.

HE idea of a progreffive ftate is familiar to

THE

us. The corn-field was once a feed-bed : the foreft, a grove of faplins. The mind of the infant, acquires knowledge by degrees. Civiliza tion, and the arts of life make a gradual advance. Scarce any thing is created in fo perfect a state, as may afterwards attain.

it

The apoftle therefore advances nothing new, when he thus, agreeably to the general courfe of nature, requires us to go on unto perfection. He only gives the argument a religious turn; and ex

horts

horts the chriftian, who has the highest point of perfection before him, to aim at that point, as all nature, on every fide inftructs him.

In difcourfing on these words, I fhall endeavour to fhew you firft, in what the perfection of this world confifts-fecondly, what degree of perfection we may hope for in the next and lastly, that without the former kind of perfection, we can neither obtain, nor enjoy the latter.

I am to fhew first, in what the perfection of this world confifts.

Man, in a state of probation, is placed between two worlds, in each of which he has a separate intereft. His foul claims an alliance with one world-his bodily fenfes with the other: and he is of courfe drawn towards each in a different direction. One of these ftates of existence is fuperior in its nature: the other is more powerful in its effects. The world, in which we now live, is adapted to a mortal state and we are furnished with correfponding paffions, and appetites. These create various temptations, leading us from enjoyment to excefs. We have, at the fame time, powerful monitors to direct us how far to carry our worldly attachments-reafon-confcience

the holy fpirit of God-and his revealed word. These are ready, at all times, to remind us, that our great concern lies in a future life; and to affure us, that the next world is as preferable to this, as our fouls are to our bodies.-But ftill as all the accomodations of this life are not only suited to us, but prefent with us; whilft the objects of a future life are diftant-fpiritual-invifible-and unconnected with our fenfes-(thofe great inlets of earthly happinefs-) it is plain, that this world in general will be the ufurping ftate; and will be continually drawing us from our true interest in a better.

This is the nature of a ftate of trial, in which it is evident, that if we wish to go on unto perfection, we must live in a conftant ftrife with ourselves. We have occafion indeed for all our exertions in oppofing the temptations of the world, and our own wicked difpofitions: for the good, that we would, we do not: but the evil that we would not, that too often we do. We must be always therefore endeavouring to keep the inferior part of our nature in fubjection; and to give the fuperior the preeminence.

Now in this conteft, the well-ordered mind has little difficulty in excluding fuch thoughts as break

out

out into what are commonly called crimes. In fuch a mind therefore the great contest is with à variety of fiáller depravities. The world is continually affaulting us with falfe principles. The purity of religion is often put to trial; and a mañ will have enough to do, to maintain his faith his truft in God-and heavenly-mindedness, amidft the loose converfation, and loofe practice, which he muft continually withefs. His humility, and chriftian meeknefs will often meet with galling outrage from an overbearing world; and he must learn to fuffer many indignities, unless he will fubmit to receive his religion under the accomodating forms, in which it is too generally received.

These are the adverfaries he meets from without. In the mean time, he has much to contend with from within. Among the chief objects of his moral attention are ill-humours-peevifhnefsfour and fullen difpofitions avarice-ambitionenvy-vanity-felf-love-and above all, as the root of all, a too great attachment to the world. No breaft is fo pure, as not to be injured by one or other of thefe corrofive ingredients. Perfect virtue God does not expect. But he expects, that we fhould be in a degree conquerors-that the fuperior part of our nature fhould at leaft gain the

upper hand-and that we should be going on unto perfection continually endeavouring to conquer some bad habit, and to acquire fome good one.

In this ftruggle then between the two different parts of our nature; and in the victorious efforts of the better part, tho fhort of compleat victory, confifts that perfection, which is expected from us in this world. Let us now confider what degree of perfection we may hope for in the next.

Of the nature of that great exiftence, which awaits us after death, we have no compleat knowledge. All our knowledge on that head is drawn. from the two fources of analogy, and fcripturefrom neither perfectly.

Our intelligence from analogy—that is, from the resemblance, of one part of God's works to another, tho not conclufive, fhould not however be overlooked. It arifes chiefly from that wonderful attention of nature, which we have juft observed, in carrying its productions to perfection. We argue therefore as our bleffed Saviour did on a fimilar occafion, If God fo clothe the grafs of the field, will he not much more clothe you? If God raife the productions of the earth, and other bodies, through various degrees of perfection, is