if we confider him in another refpect, not as a part of the natural world, but as a member of the CHURCH, as a worshipper of one only living God through Jefus Chrift his Redeemer; as a being perfwaded of an obligation to live in holiness and righteousness in this world, in hopes of an eternal reward in another; that is, if we confider him as a part of the moral and spiritual world, our reflections upon him, muft differ from thofe which we form of other Creatures.

We must not in this refpect affign him a certain degree of perfection, which is to be the end of all his labour: But we muft confider him in a continued growing state, every day adding to his former attainments of virtue, till it pleases God to remove him from this place of trial, to another more glorious place of reft.

A man confidered as a moral Being, that is, under the obligation of law, with regard to temporal rewards and punishments; and as a fpiritual Being, that is, under an obligation of law, with regard to eternal rewards and punifhments, cannot be imagined in any part of his life, to be fo compleat in his obedience and conformity to the will of God, as not to want many degrees of goodness, and to be far fhort of that perfection, which all men are obliged to endeavour to obtain. There is a time. when a man comes to his full ftrength of reasoning and activity of body, but no time can be affigned this fide the grave, wherein he can be faid to come to a perfection in virtue.

But although there was a certain point of perfec tion affigned to mankind to be laboured for, and a promife of exemption from all further trouble upon obtaining that perfection; the indolence of fome men, is fo great, that they would not strive for it. It is to these the author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews fpeaks, when he fays,When for the time ye ought to • See note page 42.

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be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become fuch as bave need of milk, and not of frong meat: The meaning of which words is this: As there are different kinds of food fuitable to the different ages of men, milk being as proper for children, as ftrong meat for grown perfons, fo are there different degrees of perfection, goodness, or virtue, whatever name we please to call it by, to be expected from men, according to the difference of their years. For every one, that useth milk, is unfkilful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe; but ftrong meat belongeth to them, that are of full age, even those, who by reason of use, have their fenfes exercifed, to difcern both good and evil.

A grown person therefore, ought to be more emi nent, both for the knowledge and practice of religi on, than a youth, who has not had time and experience to advance higher, than the first principles of Christianity; and in proportion, the older a perfon is, the more regular and steady obedience to the commandments of God is to be expected from him because, confidering all men under the fame obligation of induftry, to grow in virtue and the grace of God, he that has had moft time to act, may reasonably be thought to have advanced furtheft in this glorious labour; And he who begins fooneft, is most likely to have the longest time of Chriftian activity: For the infancy of natural life, fhould alfo be the infancy of the fpiritual; and fo the church confiders it, and adminifters baptifm to infants. But if either a neglect of education, or perverfeness, keeps any perfons eftranged from the laws of God for fome time of their life; repentance may foften their hearts, and open their minds, and the GRACE of GOD may excite them to begin the Christian courfe. Then are they

riλí¡w,, perfect, adult.

to

to relinquish their former bad customs, and apply themselves to the acquifitions of better; like diftempered conftitutions, which require a change of diet, they are to become as new born babes; defiring the fincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. As in one cafe, there is a neceffity for the moft fimple food, fo is there in the other, for the first and plaineft principles of divine knowledge.

Christianity therefore confidered as the religion of every particular perfon, whatever time of life it is begun, is always in a ftate of growth; that is, every true Christian is obliged always to endeavour to be better.

This point I will endeavour to prove from the Scriptures, and then make fome inferences from it.

IN the first place then, Christianity is often re prefented in the Scriptures, as a ftate of contention or earnest striving, for a reward worthy of our labour: Our Lord fays, ftrive to enter in at the ftrait gate and St. Paul compares Chriftians in this refpect, to competitors in a race, where the mutual emulation that glows in the breaft of every competitor, urges them to exert their greatest ftrength. Know ye not (fays he) that they who run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize; fo run, that ye may obtain: And every man that firiveth for the maftery, is temperate in all things, now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

© ãdoλov álso λoyixò, pure and rational. τα τοιχεια τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων.

Aoysov, rationale in facris literis.

1 Pet. z. 2.

Heb. 5. 12.

Vulg. Elementa exordii Sermonum Dei

As if the expreffion, the Elements of the explained word of God, Ta soxta Tar Royiwr, was not ftrong enough, the writer emphatically uses, the elements of the beginning of the explanation of the word of God, τὰ τοιχεία τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογιῶν.

1 Cor. 9.

M 2

In

In this paffage, the Apostle recommends diligence in religion very earnestly. He alludes to the Olympic games, which were Grecian entertainments, the chief of which were races, and therefore he puts Christians in mind of the great pains they ought to take, to make fure of Heaven, by alluding to these sports which were well known to them.

But there is a difference between the nature of their races, and our Chriftian race: That though in the former only one obtains the prize, he whose ftrength and speed brings him firft to the goal, in the latter, not only the foremost, that is, he who has advanced fartheft in piety and virtue, fhall receive a reward; but many more alfo, though far short of his progress, provided they have one neceffary con- . dition of having ftrove to the utmost of their abili ty; though one only receives the prize in the worldly race, many it is to be hoped, through the mercies of God, will receive the prize of the Chriftian.

St. Paul does not feem to have made ufe of this comparison by chance, or upon a particular occafion, but he thought it fo proper a reprefentation of the Chriftian labour, that he hints at it in other places, as in these words, reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God, in Chrift Jefus, (that is,) having my eye on the goal, and the way marked out for me to run to it; I make as much speed as I can poffibly, that so I may get the crown which is intended for me.

IN

'N the next place, it is to be obferved, that Chrif tianity is confidered as a warfaring ftate, and all Christians as Soldiers: And in this fenfe the Church of God upon earth, may be called a CHURCH MILITANT. St. Paul speaks thus of himself as a Chriftian, we do not war after the flesh, the weapons of our warfare, are not carnal: By thefe expreffions he fignifies to us, that the contention of a Chirftian

Chriftian with the wickedness of the world, is well represented by a state of war.

He has the fame meaning, when he says to Timothy, this charge I commit unto thee, that thou mightest war a good warfare; and again, to the fame perfon, thou therefore endure hardness as a good foldier of Jefus Chrift. He varies indeed the expreffion in other places, though he intends the fame fenfe: As fight the good fight of faith, lay bold on eternal life: And he fays of himself, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, fhall give me at that day: But let us throw fome fcriptural paffages together to this purpose; and remark upon them jointly. When St. Paul fays, the weapons of our warfare, are not carnal, he fays also, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of Arong bolds, cafting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Chrift. O Death, where is thy Bing? Q Grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jefus Chrift

e

f

It became bisnIn bringing many fons unto glo ry to make the captain of their Salvation perfect Thefe fhall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fball overcome them: For he is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. We wrestle not against the flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against fpiritual wickedness in high places".

d 2 Cor. 10.

с I

Cor. 15.

f Heb. 2.

& Rev. 17. 14.

h Eph. 6

M 3

To