Spiritual perfection, unfolded and enforced from 2 Cor. VII, 1 having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God / by William Bates ...

THE PREFACE.

THE great Design of God in his saving Mercies, is to transform us into the Image of his unspotted Holiness. We are elected to be holy; redeem'd to be holy; call'd to be holy; and at last, we shall be receiv'd into Hea∣ven, and made glorious in Holiness, with∣out spot or blemish.

It was worthy of the descending Deity into this lower World, to instruct and per∣swade Men, by his perfect Rules and Ex∣ample, to be holy as God is holy, in all manner of Conversation.

The Enemy of Souls, in combination with the Carnal Mind, use all their Arts to cool our endeavours in following Holiness; and raise an army of Objections to dismay us, and stop our progress to Perfection. Some∣times the Deceiver inspires a Temptation with so soft a Breath, that 'tis not dis∣cern'd: He suggests the Counsel of Solo∣mon,

Be not Righteous over-much: The intention of the wise Preacher, is to direct us in the exercise of compassionate Charity towards others, and not to censure them with Rigor and Severity for humane Frail∣ties; the Tempter perverts his meaning, to make us remiss in Religion, and shy▪ of strict Holiness. Moral Men value them∣selves upon their fair Conversation, they are not stain'd with soul and visible Pollu∣tions, but are externally sober and righte∣ous; and they will advise▪ that Men should not take a surfeit of Religion, but rise with an appetite; that 'tis Wisdom to use so much of Religion as may quiet the Cla∣mours of Conscience, secure Reputation, and afford some colour of Comfort: But 'tis a spice of Folly to be over-religious, and justly exposes Persons to derision, as vainly nice and scrupulous. They commend the golden mean, and under the pretence of temper, luke-warmness▪

The Objection in some part of it is spe∣cious, and apt to sway the Minds of Men that do not attentively consider things. To discover its false Colour, and to make a true and safe Judgment of our Duty, it will be useful to consider.

'Tis true, there is a mediocrity between vicious extreams, wherein the essence of inferiour Moral Vertues consists; for they

are exercised upon Objects of limited Good∣ness, and must be regulated both in our Af∣fections and Actions, correspondently to the degrees of their Goodness. Thus Fortitude is in the middle, between base Fear and rash Boldness; and the more firm and constant the habitual quality of Fortitude is, the more eminent and praise-worthy it appears. But in spiritual Graces, that raise the Soul to God, whose Perfections are truly infi∣nite, there can be no excess. The divinest degrees of our Love to God, and fear to offend him, our endeavours in their heigth and excellency to obey and please him, are our Wisdom and Duty.

That part of the Objection, That strict Holiness will expose us to Scorn, is palpa∣bly unreasonable, Did ever any Artist blush to excel in the Art that he professes? Is a Scholar asham'd to excel in useful Learn∣ing? And shall▪ a Christian, whose high and holy Calling obliges him to live be∣coming its dignity and purity, be asham'd of his accurate Conversation? Can we be too like God in his Holiness, his peculiar Glory? Can that be matter of Contempt, that is the supreme honour of the intelli∣gent Creature? A Saint, when despised with titles of Ignominy by the Carnal World, should bind their Scorns as a Dia∣dem about his Head; and wear them as

beautiful Ornaments: The Apostles re∣joiced, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. What Reproaches did the Lord of Glory suffer for us? And what Pride and Folly is it, that we should desire to be glorified by his suffering Reproaches, and not wil∣lingly endure Reproach for his Glory? Our continual and ardent endeavours to rise to Perfection, commend us to our Soveraign and Saviour. A cold-dead Heathen is less offensive and odious to him than a luke∣warm Christian.

It is a common Objection, That to live in all things according to Rule, to walk circumspectly and exactly, to be confin'd to the narrow way, will not only infringe, but destroy our Liberty. This is so pre∣cious a possession, that Men will defend their Liberty with their Lives▪ An inge∣nuous Person will rather wear a plain Gar∣ment of his own, than a rich Livery, the mark of Servitude. But if Men will ap∣peal to their Understandings, they will clear∣ly discern that the word, Liberty, is abus'd, to give countenance to Licentiousness. There is a free subjection, and a servile liberty: The Apostle tells the Romans, When ye were the servants of Sin, ye were free from Righteousness; and being made

free from Sin, ye became the servants of Righteousness.

The Soul has two Faculties, the Under∣standing and Will: The Object of the Un∣derstanding is Truth, either in it self or appearance; the Object of the Will is Good∣ness, either real or counterfeit. Liberty is radically in the Understanding, which freely deliberates, and by comparative Con∣sideration, directs the Will to choose Good before Evil; and of Good the greater, and of Evil the less. When the Understanding is fully illuminated of the absolute Goodness of an Object, without the least mixture of Evil, and represents it to the Will, it is an act retrograde in Nature, and utterly repugnant to the Rational Appetite, to re∣ject it. The indifference of the Will pro∣ceeds from some defects in the Object, or in the apprehension of it; but when an in∣finite Good is duely represented to the Will, the choice is most clear and free. Of this there is an illustrious Example in the Life of Moses; He refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter; choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the peo∣ple of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season: Esteeming the re∣proach of Christ, greater Riches than the treasures of Egypt: For he had an Eye to the recompence of Reward. His

inlightened Mind considerately ponder'd the Eternal Reward with the transient pleasure of Sin, and his Judgment was influxive on his VVill, to choose the glorious Futu∣rity, before the false Lustre of the Court. VVhat is the goodly appearance of the present tempting VVorld, but like the Rain∣bow, painted Tears? The heavenly Feli∣city is substantial and satisfying. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Li∣berty. He dispels the darkness of the Mind, and by its illuminating guidance, turns the VVill to accept and embrace those Objects that exceedingly satisfie its vast desires and capacity. This is an eminent part of the divine Image engraven on the Soul in its Creation: For God is sove∣raignly free, and does all things accord∣ing to the Counsel of his Will. Our Servitude was by Seduction; Eve being deceived, was in the Transgression. Our Liberty is restor'd by Light; The Truth makes us free. The necessity that proceeds from external Compulsion, and from the indeliberate and strong sway of Nature, that determines to one thing, is inconsistent with Liberty. The Understanding is a free Faculty in the apprehension of Objects, the VVill free in the election of them: But in the consequent choice of the VVill, that infallibly proceeds from Light and

Love, the perfection of its freedom con∣sists. VVhen God and his Commands are duely represented in their amiable excellen∣cies, the Love of the Law-giver, and his Laws, certainly produces Obedience to it with Choice▪ and Complacency. David ex∣presses his Affection to the Divine Law, and the principal motive of it, I love thy Law, because 'tis pure. As the Hands are free when they are directed by the Eyes and VVill; so a Saint, that with understanding and voluntary veneration worships God, and obeys his Precepts,* 1.1 which is our reasonable Service, exer∣cises and enjoys the truest, sweetest, and most honourable Liberty: If the Son make you free, ye are free indeed. Freedom and Felicity are inseparable: Servitude is the fatal concomitant of Vice. VVhen a Philosopher was ask'd, what Advantage he had obtain'd by the Study of Philosoyhy, he replyed, This among others, that if all the Laws were cancell'd, a Philoso∣pher would live as uniformly, according to the Rules of Decency and Honesty, as before. A Christian that has an in∣ward Principle of Divine Knowledge and Love, without the constraint of Paenal Laws, will from a clear Judgment and Election obey God with delight and con∣stancy.

There is a servile Liberty. There are three mistakes in the VVorld of eternal destructive consequence to the Souls of Men; concerning VVisdom and Folly, Happiness and Misery, Liberty and Servi∣tude. Some are seeming wise, whose Ig∣norance is esteemed Judgment: Such are the worldly wise, who contrive and labour to lay up treasures for themselves here, but are not rich towards God. Our Sa∣viour gives them a true Character, They are Fools. Others are esteemed happy in enjoying what they love; whereas if they set their Love upon those Objects that de∣serve not that principal Affection, but are pernicious to their Souls, they are truly miserable in the fruition of them. 'Tis the sign of God's severe displeasure to give Men up to satisfie their vile Affections. Some are seeming free, whose Bondage is esteem'd Liberty. Carnal Men presume of their Liberty, because they follow the swinge of their Appetites: But they serve divers Lusts and Pleasures, and are under the dominion of Satan, taken captive by him at his Will. As if a Horse that takes a career in a pleasant Plain were free when the Bridle is in his Mouth, and he is carb'd by the Rider at his pleasure. The Apostles say of Idolaters, That what they sacrific'd to Idols, they sacrific'd to De∣vils:

'Tis equally true, that when Men serve their Lusts, they serve the Devil, constructively▪ doing things pleasing to them.

VVhen Man turn'd Rebel against God, he became an absolute Slave: His Under∣standing is now in the Chains of Dark∣ness, under Ignorance and Errors; his VVill is inflav'd by infamous Lusts; his Affections are fetter'd by insnaring Ob∣jects▪ If no Man can serve two Ma∣sters, how wretched is their Condition, whose numerous and fierce Passions exact things contrary, and are their Tyrants and Tormenters continually. St. Peter speaks of impure Persons, Their Eyes are full of the Adulteress; they cannot cease from Sin: This is true of all Sinners, whose Hearts are possess'd by any kind of Lusts. They are hurried by them against the Reason and Rest of their Minds, to the commission of Sin; which is the most cruel and contume∣lious Bondage; and the more shameful be∣cause voluntary. But they are insensible of those subtle Chains that bind the Soul, and think themselves to be the only free Men: As when the Angel awaken'd Peter, to re∣lease him from Prison, he thought he saw a Vision; so when they are excited to go out of their dark Prison, they think the freedom of Duty, the gracious Liberty of

the Sons of God, to be a mere Imagination. Like one in the Paroxism of a Fever, who sings and talks high, as if he were in per∣fect Health, but after the remission of the Disease, feels his Strength broken with Pains, and himself near Deaths: Thus within a little while, when the furious pre∣cipitancy of their Passions is cool'd and check'd by Afflictions, they will feel and sink under the weight of their woful Bon∣dage.

Another Objection, and pernicious Fal∣lacy of the Tempter, whereby he frights many young Persons from the strictness of a holy Life, is, That Religion is a sowre Severity; they must renounce all Delights, turn Capuchins, if they seriously engage themselves in a Religious Course, and re∣solve to strive after pure and perfect Ho∣liness. But there is neither Truth nor Terror in this Suggestion to the inlighten'd Mind. 'Tis impossible true Holiness should make Men joyless, and in the least degree miserable, which is in the highest Perfecti∣on in God, who is infinitely joyful and blessed. Religion does not extinguish the joyful Affections, but transplant them from Egypt to Canaan. The Pleasures of Sin (which are only forbidden) in the first taste, ravish the Carnal Senses: But like

Jonathan's Honey, they kill by tasting; when the Sweetness is vanish'd, the Sting remains. Whereas the Joy that proceeds from the exercise and improvement of Di∣vine Grace, and the Love of God shed abroad in the Heart by the Holy Ghost, the Eternal Comforter, the present Re∣ward of it, is vital and reviving, the fore∣taste of Eternal Life. 'Tis true, Carnal Men are strangers to this Joy, they can∣not relish Divine Delights; but the Spirit of God, like a new Soul, inspires the san∣ctified with new Thoughts, new Inclinati∣ons, new Resolutions, and qualifies them, that Spiritual Objects are infinitely pleasing to them. And whereas Carnal Pleasures are but for a season, and within a little while dye, and end in bitter distaste, (Am∣non's excessive Love was suddenly turned into more excessive Hatred) Spiritual Joys are increasing and ever-satisfying. Now 'tis an infallible Rule to direct our choice, that is true Happiness, which the more we enjoy, the more highly we value and love.

I thought it fit to shew the Unreason∣ableness of these Objections, that are per∣verse and poysonous, which if not remov'd, would blast my Design, and desir'd Success, in the subsequent Discourses. But 'tis more easie to prove our Duty to follow Holi∣ness,

than to perswade Men to practice it▪ I shall only add, that the Reward of Ho∣liness being so Excellent and Eternal, our Zeal should encounter and overcome all Difficulties that oppose our obtaining it. The strongest and swiftest Wings are too slow to dispatch our way to Heaven. The Lord give his Blessing to make Sacred Truths effectual upon the Souls of Men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In regno nati sumus, parere Deo est regna∣re. In virtu∣te posita est vera felicitas. Sen. de Vita Beata.