Of the Impediments of Perfection

Though I have been all along removing the obstacles of perfection, yet I easily foresaw there might be some which would not fall under the foregoing heads. For these therefore I reserve this place, these are five.

1. Some seem to have entertained such a notion of religion as if moderation were as necessary as anywhere else. They look upon zeal as an excess of righteousness and can be well enough content to want degrees of Glory, if they can but save their souls. To which end they can see no necessity of perfection. Now I would beseech such seriously to lay to heart that salvation and damnation are things of no common importance: And therefore it highly concerns them not to be mistaken in the notion they form of religion. For the nature of things will not be altered by their fancies; nor will God be mocked or imposed on. If we will deal sincerely with ourselves, as it certainly behaves us to do, we must frame our idea of religion, not from the opinions, manners or fashions of the world; but from the scriptures. And we must not interpret these by our own inclinations; but we must judge of the duties they prescribe, by those descriptions of them, by those properties and effects, which we find there. We must weigh the design and end of religion; which is to promote the glory of God the good of man and to raise us above the world, and the body, and see how our model of religion, suits with it.

And if after we have done this, we are not fully satisfied in the true bounds which part vice and virtue, it cannot but be safest for us to err on the right hand. We ought always to remember too, that the repeated exhortations in scripture to diligence, and that the most earnest and indefatigable to vigilance, to fear and trembling, to patience, to steadfastness, are utterly inconsistent with an easy, lazy, gentle religion. That the life of Jesus is the fairest and fullest comment on his doctrine: And that we never are to follow the examples of a corrupt world, but of the best men, and the best ages. This the one thing alone will convince us, what endeavors, what virtues are necessary to gain an incorruptible crown.

See with what eagerness the disciples of Jesus pressed towards the mark. See with what courage, nay joy, they took up their cross and followed him. How generous were their alms, so that the riches of their liberality were conspicuous in the very depth of their poverty. What plainness and singleness of heart, what grace and warmth, what peace and joy shewed itself in their conversation, what modesty, what humility in their carb, deportment and the whole train of life. How frequent, how fervent and how long too, were their prayers and retirements, in a one word, the spirit and genius of a disciple of Christ discovered itself in all they said and did, and the virtues of their lives did as evidently distinguish a Christian from a Jew or pagan as their faith. How lovely was religion then, how fullest joy, how strong its confidence. Then did they live above. Then was the cross of Christ more delightful than the ease of honor, the pride or pleasure of a sinful life. They did they truly through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Let us now compare our lives with theirs, and then sit down content with poor and beggarly attainments if we can. Let us put our virtues in the scales against theirs and if we have any modesty, the inequality will put us out of countenance. We shall blush at our vanity and shall not have the confidence to expect the same crown the same kingdom with them but as too lax a notion of religion will be apt to beget too much indifference so will it be said, too exalted an one is apt to beget despair. Which is a second and no less obstacle of perfection.

2. Many there are, who forming their judgment upon the defects of good men, conceive perfection to be a mere imaginary notion. They believe indeed that considering how apt man is to fall short of his duty, the rule prescribed him should be exact and that he should be frequently pressed and exhorted to perfection. But that the thing itself is too difficult for man to attain. But to this objection, I must oppose these few things:

(1). The beginning of virtue is the most difficult part of it. The nearer we approach to perfection the easier as well as pleasanter is religion. (2). The avoiding the difficulties of religion does but plunge us unto worse. We are necessarily under this dilemma If we will attain Peace and Tranquility of mind, we must mortify the appetites of the Body: If on, the other hand, we will gratify the appetites of the body, we cannot do so without offering much violence to the mind. And if this be so; if such be the opposition between the soul and the body, that there is no way to true peace and pleasure, but by the mortification of the one or the other, then it will be easy to resolve what we are to do. For those appeals which atheists themselves make to reason, proclaim the soul of man to be the nobler part of him. Besides, the soul is the more vital, the more tender and sensible part of us: And consequently the affliction of this must render us far more miserable than any hardships virtue can impose upon the Body. (3).Whatever be the difficulties of virtue, they will soon vanish if we often call to mind that, peace and joy are the fruit of virtue; but shame and remorse of sin:

That no man ever yet repented of his resisting and conquering his lusts, but no man ever yet did not repent of following them, unless he died as much as brute as he lived: That heaven is a cheap purchase, whatever it cost us; but the pleasure of sin a very dear one, how easily forever we come by it: And finally, that we are not our own masters: There is a God to whom we stand accountable for our actions: And consequently whether we will or not, we must either undergo the hardship and discipline of virtue, or the eternal plagues and punishments of sin. Lastly, the truth is, this opinion of the impossibility of perfection, has both been begot and cherished by wild schemes of it. But I have here recommended to the world, no fantastic or enthusiastic perfection: I have advanced no heights of virtue, but what many at this day actually feel in themselves. None, I am sure, but what the followersof the blessed Jesus actually attained and practiced. Be ye followers of us, said the apostles as we are of Christ. Their lives were as bright a rule as their doctrine: And by their own actions they demonstrated the power of the faith they taught. They did not, like the scribes and Pharisees, bind heavy burdens upon others, and not move them with their finger; they did not like Aristotle magnify temperance and modesty at the palaces and carnivals of princes; nor commend the pleasure of wisdom in the gardens of Epicurus. But they lived as they taught, unspotted by the pleasures, unbroken by the troubles of the world ; modest serene, equal, and heavenly minded, in honor or dishonor, want or abundance, liberty or prison, life or death. Let us then no longer object or dispute, but with faith and patience be followers of those who have inherited the promises. Being accompanied with a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily besit us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right-hand of the throne of God.

3.There are others who look on this doctrine of perfection as a design against the pleasures of mankind. What, says such a one, shall I let go my present pleasure out of my hands, to hunt after I know not what Shall I quit pleasures that are obvious, for such as have no being, it may be, but in speculation Or at least, are never to be enjoyed by any, but some few favorites of God Pleasures that have matter and substance in them, for such as I can no more grasp than I can dreams and visions But this I answer, this pretty talk is all but stupid ignorance and gross mistake. For, (1.) As to innocent and virtuous pleasure, no man need part with it. I endeavor not to deprive man of this, but to refine and purify it. And he that prefers either silly or vicious pleasure before religion, is wretchedly mistaken. For, (2.) perfect religion is full of pleasure. Had we but once arrived at true purity of heart, what could be so full of pleasure as religion What can be more delightful to a grateful soul than blessing and praising God; Hallelujahs to a soul snatched from the brink of destruction into the bosom of its master What can be more transporting than the tendernesses of a holy contrition, made up, like Mary Magdalene's, of sorrow and love, humility and glory, confusion and confidence, shame and joy What can be more transporting than love, the love of a Christian, when he is all love, as God is love; when he desires nothing in heaven nor on earth, but God; when all things are dung and drofs to him in comparison of Jesus (4.) If the pleasures of the world be more transporting than those of religion, it is because we have not faith. Lastly, what is insinuated in the objection, that the pleasures of the world are more numerous, or obvious, than those of religion, is altogether a false and groundless fancy. In every place and in every state, the pleasures of virtue wait upon the perfect man. They depend not, like those of the body, on a thousand things that are not in our power, but only on God, and our own integrity. These obstacles being removed and the mind fully convinced of the happiness that results from a state of perfection and of his obligation to furmount the difficulties which obstruct his way to it, there seems to be nothing now left to disappoint him of it, but too much fondness for the world, or too much indulgence to the body; which I am next, though but briefly, to consider.

4. There is a love of the world, which if it do not utterly destroy our hope of eternal salvation, yet it abates our vigor, hinders our perfection and bereaves us of many degrees of pleasure at present, and glory hereafter. The indications of this are too much concern for the pomp and shew of life; too much exactness in the modes and customs of it; too quick a sense of reputation, preeminence and praise; too much industry to grow rich, to add house to house and land to land; too brisk a relish of the pleasures of the world, too great a gaiety of mind upon success; too much dejection upon disappointments; too much care and too much diligence; an encumbering and embroiling one’s self too far in worldly affairs; too much levity, too much ease. These, I say, are the symptoms of a mind still tainted with a love of the world, though’ perhaps not to death. However, it will be enough to check the vigor and dilute the relish of the mind. Now the only way to overcome this defect and to captivate the mind entirely to the service of religion is to consider frequently and seriously the rewards of perfection, the pleasure that will attend it in another life. They who duly think, how soon the fashion, the pomp and grandeur of this world passes away, and how much better their heavenly country is than their earthly, will neither weep nor rejoice with too much passion; neither buy nor possess with too much application of mind. In one word, he that so thinks of that day, wherein Christ, who is our life, shall appear,, and we also appear with Him in glory, that he comes to love and long for it, will have no great taste of the honors, or the pleasures, or the interests of life ; nor will he be slothful or remiss, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Whatever degrees of affection he had for anything of that nature, they will all vanish; he will have no emulation but for good works, no ambition but for glory; I mean that which is eternal. In the pursuit of this will he lay out the strength and vigor of his mind, for this he will retrench his profit, for this he will deny his pleasure, for this he will be content to be obscure, mean and laborious; for if the world be once crucified to him, he will the more easily bear the being crucified to it.

5. After all, there is an infirmity of the flesh, against which, if we do not struggle heartily, we shall miscarry. The spirit is willing, said our savior, but the flesh is weak. Without much care and much watchfulness, the vigor of our minds will be relaxed, the force of our spirits will flag and droop, and we shall soon lose the relish of religion. The effectual remedies against this frailty and fickleness of our nature are two:

First, Godly fear; and this, the purity and preference of God, the strictness and impartiality of a judgment to come, the loss of an eternal crown, the terrors of eternal punishment, the number and strength of temptations, and the conscience of our own weakness, may work in us. Let us then, not only begin, but also perfect holiness in the fear of God. Blessed is he that feareth always. Secondly, the steadfastness of hope; of hope that waits and longs for the coming of our Lord. This will invite us often to take a view of Canaan; this will fill the mind often with the beauties and the glories of eternity; this will often call to our thoughts the security, the rest, the transports of another world, the love of God and of Jesus, incorruptible crowns, the Hallelujahs of Angela, the shouts of victory, the fruit of the tree of life, the streams that water the paradise of God. And every such object will chide us out of our weakness and cowardice; every such thought will upbraid us out of our laziness and negligence; we shall hear always founding in our ears the words of Jesus to his disciples, What! can ye not watch with me one hour and do you expect to reign with me forever! Or those to the Church of Laodicea, to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne; as I have overcome, and am sat down with my father in his throne.

And now, reader, if you find I have done you any service, the return I beg from you is, that you will first offer praise and thanks unto God and next, whenever you are in the vigor of the spirit, and the ardors of faith and love, before God in prayer, put up these, or the like petitions for me, which I now offer up for myself.

O my God and my father, increase the knowledge of thy word, and the grace of thy spirit in me. Enable me to perfect holiness in thy fear and to hold fast the steadfastness of my hope unto the end. Pardon all the sins and errors of my life and accept of my imperfect services through Jesus Christ. And because (though, after all we can do, we are profitable servants) thy infinite bounty will yet recompense our sincere endeavors to promote thy glory; let me find my reward from thee; or rather do thou thyself vouchsafe to be my reward. I should have ever thought myself unworthy to have put up this petition to thee O thou glorious and incomprehensible majesty, bad not thine own goodness, thine own spirit kindled this ambition in me. Behold! what manner of love is this, that we should be called the sons of God! These are the words of thy servant St. John: And now therefore my soul can never be at rest, till 1 awake after thy likeness: I can never be satisfied till I behold thy glory which vouchsafe me, I beseech thee, by thy mercy and thy faithfulness; by the sufferings and intercession of thy dearly beloved son.