To reſolve this doubt therefore more clearely and fully, it is neceſſary that we diſtinguiſh of perfection, and thereby make enquiry into the ſeverall kindes thereof, and thence ſee in what ſenſe a man may bee called perfect: Know we therefore that a Chriſtian man or woman may rightly be ſaid to be perfect ſundry wayes; for inſtance,

1. A Chriſtian may be perfect in reſpect of acceptation, though not in reſpect of operation; namely, in reſpect of Gods acceptance, who of his infinite goodneſſe, accepts the will for the deed; and therefore as in caſe of liberality to the poore, ſo in any other duty, whether of piety to God, or charity to man: If there be firſt a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, &c. ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 8.12. If a man or woman have a willing minde, joyned with a readineſſe of endeavour unto holy graces and duties, it is accepted with God as perfect obedience: Thus is he perfect in reſpect of acceptation, that is, of Gods acceptance, though not in regard of operation, his owne beſt workes deſerving no ſuch thing.

2. A Chriſtian man or woman may be ſaid to bee perfect comparatively, though not poſitively or abſolutely; comparatively, in reſpect of others, though not poſitively or abſolutely in himſelfe: For example, if a Chriſtian that devotes himſelfe to ſerve God in ſincerity, be compared with wicked, carnall, and worldly-minded men, who ſerve him not, he is perfect in compariſon of them.

So he or ſhe that makes conſcience of their wayes, though they have many failings, weakneſſes, and imperfections therein, and ſo not poſitively and abſolutely perfect in themſelves; yet are they perfect in compariſon of others that make no conſcience of their courſes, but follow their owne corrupt and vile affections, and ſeek not the power of godlineſſe, thus is he perfect comparatively, though not poſitively and abſolutely.

3. A Chriſtian man or woman may be perfect Evangelically, though not legally, that is, after ſuch ſort as the Goſpel accepts, although not as the Law enjoynes; for perfection of the Law, is, when a man loves God and his Neighbour, according to the Letter of the Law, namely, loveth God with all the heart, might, mind and ſtrength, and his neighbour as himſelfe; this perfection of love is found in no man in this mortall condition.

But 2. perfection of the Goſpel is that endeavour of obedience, which God accepts in Chriſt, at the hands of his children; which if it be in truth, ſincerity and ſingleneſſe of heart, it is accepted: Thus is he or ſhe a perfect man or woman, that deſires and endeavours after perfection, though in act they attaine it not: And ſo is the Apoſtle to be underſtood in that place before named, Phil. 3.12. not as though I have already attained, or were already perfect, i.e. according to the perfection which the Law requireth.

And yet afterward hee ſpeaketh of himſelfe and others, as being perfect, verſ. 15. Let us therefore, ſaith he, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; that is, as many as be perfect according to the Goſpel, namely, ſo as the Goſpel accepts perfection, that is, ſo it be in truth, ſincerity, and ſingleneſſe of heart: This ſincerity is the perfection of a Chriſtian: And ſo were. Noah, Abraham, Iob, Zachary, and Elizabeth, perfect in their Generations, that is, ſincere in the ſight of God both in heart and life.

4. A Chriſtian man or woman may be perfect in reſpect of parts, though not in reſpect of degrees: Perfection in parts, is when he hath all the parts of perfection, though in a weake meaſure: Perfection in degrees, is when he hath a full meaſure of Perfection in every part: For example, a child new borne is a perfect man in reſpect of his parts, becauſe he hath all the parts and members of a man; but hee is not perfect in degree, till every part grow up to his perfection.

So the child of God when he is new borne, by his ſecond birth or regeneration (whereof mention is made, Ioh. 3.3, 5.) is perfect in reſpect of parts, becauſe he hath all the parts of perfection, is renewed and changed in every part, though in a weake meaſure; and therefore the Apoſtle calls it a being ſanctified wholly, and a preſerving blameleſſe of the whole ſpirit ſoule and body, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. that is in all parts of ſoule and body, but yet he is not perfect in degrees, i.e. in that full meaſure and degree which the Law requireth in every part.

Thus it is ſaid of Aſa, 2 Chron. 15.17. that the heart of Aſa was perfect all his dayes, and yet in the ſame place it is ſaid, the high places were not taken away out of Iſrael, thoſe idolatrous places were not removed by him; yea, he failed in other things alſo, for it is ſaid, chap. 16.12. that in his diſeaſe be ſought not to the Lord, but to the Phyſitians: So then Aſa had 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 perfection in parts, he had a perſect heart, and ſo alſo perfection in ſome meaſure in all parts, but he attained not to perfection in degrees, be had not a ſull meaſure and degree of perfection in all parts, for he failed in the things before-named; he had his imperfection thorow the weakneſſe of ſanctification, which is not perfectly attained to in this life.

By all which it appeareth, that perfection cannot be denyed, but that a Chriſtian man or woman may attaine it, for ſo here you ſee ſuch a one called a perfect man, Mark the perfect man.

Perfect in reſpect of Gods acceptation, though not in reſpect of his own workes or opperation, God accepting his will more then deeds. 2. Perfect comparatively, though not poſitively or abſolutely, in compariſon of others not yet converted or ſanctified, though not poſitively and abſolutely in himſelfe.

3. Perfect Evangelically, though not legally, accordingly as the Goſpel accepts, though not as the Law enjoynes.

4. Perfect in reſpect of parts, though not in reſpect of degrees; having all the parts of perfection, though not a full meaſure of perfection in every degree; and this is the perfect man we are here to mark, and ſo you have the ſenſe of the firſt Precept, Marke the perfect man.

2. I may ſay of the ſecond, as our Saviour did of the ſecond Table of the Law, the ſecond is like unto it; for ſo indeed it is; and but, a further deſcription of the godly, who as in the former is called perfect, ſo in this latter, upright, and behold the upright. Here is alſo both the act and the object: 1. the Act is behold, 2. The Object or perſon is the upright; both theſe are in a manner the ſame with the former, and therefore I ſhall more briefly inſiſt thereon.

1. The Act is, behold, that is, take a ſerious view, look diligently, and with conſideration, conſider well, 2. The upright, that's the object: And this uprightneſſe is the ſecond property, whereby the godly man is here deſcribed, which is more fully enlarged Pſal. 32.11. upright in heart; that is, ſound and ſincere without guile, verſ. 2. And this is, when the heart is ſet right towards God in doing all duties of piety and charity towards God and men, truly aiming at the pleaſing of God, and not at by-reſpects: this is uprightneſſe of heart, called truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51.6. thou loveſt truth in the inward parts.

And although no man is indeed upright, without ſome crookedneſſe and declining from the ſtraight rule; yet becauſe here is, firſt a drawing neere, and endeavour after full perfection. Secondly, a comparative rightneſſe, in reſpect of the unregenerate, whoſe courſe is wholly crooked. Thirdly, the acceptance of a mercifull Father, therefore they are called upright. And thus you have the meaning of both Precepts, both in the act and object, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright.

Now let us ſee what may be obſerved from hence for our further inſtruction: And firſt of all, it is worthy our enquiry, why we are ſo earneſtly exhorted here, and that by a double precept, to mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; that is, to take ſuch a ſerious view of them, to look ſo wiſhly upon them, and with conſideration; ſurely, there is weighty reaſons why we ſhould do ſo, or elſe it would never be ſo earneſtly preſſed upon us.

And indeed many reaſons might be rendred, and time would faile to enlarge them; I will only pitch upon one, which I take to be moſt principall, and that is this, Marke the perfect man, and behold the upright; namely, for your imitation, mark and behold them, that you may imitate and follow them in their perfect, upright, and religious converſation, and this will direct us to this duty comprized in this Doctrine, namely,

That we are thus to honour the Saints living and dead, eminent in gracious practice, by following their holy examples. To this end therefore I ſay, chiefly, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, that we may make choice of them for our patternes, and follow their good examples.

To this end, St. Iames thus exhorteth, chap. 5.10. Take my brethren the Prophets for an example of ſuffering affliction and of patience: And S. Paul alſo claimes to himſelfe this honour, Phil. 3.17. Brethren be followers together of me, and mark them which walk ſo: Mark them, why ſo? as yee have us for an enſample, ſaith hee; namely, that you may follow our example: And ſo alſo he chargeth Gods people, to afford the like to their Paſtors, Heb. 13.7. Remember them which have the rule over you, &c. whoſe Faith follow, conſidering the end of their converſation. Mark, and behold that ye may follow their faith, &c. The Lord hath dealt very mercifully with us, as in many other things, ſo herein eſpecially, in providing us all helpes convenient for our ſalvation. Two ſenſes there are of learning, ſight and hearing, they are neither of them without their meanes of inſtruction.

As to our hearing hee hath furniſhed us with Paſtors according to his heart, which ſhall feed us with knowledge and underſtanding Ier. 3.15 and hath given us in our congregations, as formerly to the Jewes in the wilderneſſe, the voyce of cryers, Prepare the way of the Lord, Matth. 3.3. to whom we ought to attend and hearken what the Lord God will ſay.

So to our ſight, he hath not onely laid open the Booke of Scriptures, but alſo the great Booke of his creatures, wherein the rudeſt may reade his power and wiſdome, in plain characters written, as the Apoſtle ſhewes, Rom. 1.20. the inviſible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearely ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternall power, &c.

Yea, moreover to both theſe, he hath ſet before us the practice of his Saints, whoſe converſation we may ſee, and whom we are here called upon to mark and behold, by their perfection and uprightreſſe, tracing out unto us the way that leadeth unto life, therein providing, not onely the honour of his eminent Saints, but alſo our inſtruction and encouragement to ſanctity, perfection, uprightneſſe, and integrity, for theſe reaſons eſpecially.

1. Knowing how naturally we are addicted to imitation, and how examples move more then words, as Bernard ſaid, Validior ect operis quam eris vox, the voice of workes is of more force then of words. In this he would not be wanting unto us, that if we will needs be imitating, we may have ſuch patternes as ſhall not miſlead us into errour; but contrarily, ſuch as ſhall lead us on to perfection and uprightneſſe, and therefore to this end we muſt mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, and ſo honour them by following their holy examples.

2. Beſides, leſt any ſhould be diſcouraged with the opinion of inſuperable difficulty in the practice of the duties ſo to be imitated; he hath ſampled us with men of our owne mould, ſubject to like infirmities, that in the hardeſt and harſheſt of Chriſtian offices, have gone before us; inſomuch that the duty cannot be named ſo hard or harſh to fleſh and blood, wherein ſome of his Saints have not gone before us.

That, I think, may well be numbred amongſt the moſt hard and difficult propoſed by our Saviour, Matth. 10.38. Namely, to take up our croſſe and follow after him: And can we name the croſſe that ſome of the Saints have not comfortably endured? It is hard you will ſay to part with goods, yet there were ſome that ſuffered that ſpoile with joy, Heb. 10.34. It is hard to exchange hopes of advancement and preferment for rebukes; yet is this choſen willingly by Moſes, and counted honourable, Heb. 11.26. eſteeming the reproach of Chriſts greater riches then the treaſures in Egypt.

It were much, yea too much for many, to leave Country and Kindred and fathers houſe, yet did not Abraham ſo? Gen. 12.1. &c. Hardeſt of all were it to leave life, (ſith skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life, Job 2.4.) eſpecially to leave it by violent torments; yet what death can we think of, ſo full of ſhame or torture, but hath bin endured by the Saints of God, as Heb. 11.37. &c. they were ſtoned, they were ſawne aſunder, &c. ſo fatherly hath the Lord provided for our benefit, in providing this honour for his Saints, whom we are to mark and obſerve, that we may imitate and follow their godly and religious examples whether in doing or ſuffering.

This honor therefore we willingly afford the Saints, to make them our preſidents and patternes in holy practice, or if there be any other of due praiſe and commemoration of their vertues warranted by that ſaying of our Saviour touching that fact of the woman, powring ointment on his body for his buriall, Verily, ſaith hee, whereſoever this Goſpel ſhall bee preached in the whole world, there alſo ſhall this that this woman hath done, be told for a memoriall of her, Matth. 26.12, 13. and ſo alſo the author to the Hebr. chap. 11. doth commemorate at large the Faith and other vertues of the Saints, to their perpetuall praiſe and commendation.

Yet this ſufficeth not our adverſaries the Papiſts, to give this honour to the Saints, but they cenſure us as ſacrilegious, becauſe we give them not Gods honour, namely, the honour of invocation, becauſe we doe not pray unto them, and make them our interceſſours to God, though Auguſtine long ſince delivered it for a rule, Honorandi ſunt propter imitationem non adorandi propter religionem; the Saints are to be honoured for imitation, not worſhipped for Religion; and can they be more diſhonoured by any meanes, then by being made Idols?

Judge in your ſelves, whether doe more diſhonour them, we by denying them invocation; or Papiſts by refuſing imitation, which God hath allowed them; let it therefore ſuffice us to marke and obſerve them for our imitation.

It is not impertinent here to adde that enquiry, how farre the Saints practice may be our patterne; and how farre their example warrants or binds us to imitation?

For anſwer whereunto, wee muſt know, that their actions admit this diſtinction: 1. Some of them are noted as ſinfull (for the beſt have not been without their failings) wherein they bewrayed humane frailty, theſe are ſpectacles of naturall infirmity, not examples for like practice; they are written for our caution, not for imitation.

2. A ſecond ſort were done by vertue of ſpeciall diſpenſation: So Abraham attempts to ſlay his ſon, Gen. 22.10. ſo the Iſraelites rob and ſpoile the Egyptians, Exod. 12.35, 36. This is no warrant of couſenage to any man, for the generall rule bindes us to owe nothing to any man but love, Rom. 13.8. and it is a mark of the ungodly, to borrow without conſcience of paying againe, Pſal. 37.21.

3. A third kind they did by ſpeciall and extraordinary calling; as Abraham leaves his countrey for pilgrimage in Canaan, Gen. 12.1, &c. as Iohn Baptiſt profeſſed a kind of hermitage in the wilderneſſe, Mat. 3.1. Is not the popiſh inference pretty from thence? Therefore Pilgrimages are ſatisfactory, Hermitage a ſtate of perfection.

4. There is a fourth kinde occaſioned by ſpeciall neceſſity of times, or apparance of ſcandall; ſo the primitive Chriſtians had all things common, Act. 4.32. and Paul makes his hands miniſter to his neceſſities, Act. 20.34. Yet there is no footing herein from theſe examples for Anabaptiſticall communitie, nor neceſſity laid on Miniſters to uſe manuall labour, except where caſes and times are alike to thoſe.

5. The laſt ſort of the actions of Saints, which are principally, if not onely, written for our imitation, were their practices which doe accord with the generall Law morall, ſuch as thoſe of patience, humility, meekneſſe, obedience, &c. herein is our bond of imitation, to follow them in the practice of theſe and the like Chriſtian graces and vertues, marke and behold them, herein to imitate them.

Thus Sara is commended to our womens imitation, for modeſty and gravity in attire, 1 Pet. 3, 4, 5, 6. What ſhould I multiply words in this reſpect? The Apoſtle himſelfe hath ſet us our line, 1 Theſ. 1.6. namely, that we become ſollowers of them and of the Lord: Chriſt is the patterne of patternes, the rule and meaſure of all examples; Take my yoake upon you, and learne of me, ſaith he, Matth. 11.29. for I am meck and lowly in heart, &c. therefore Paul to his precept, Be yee followers of me, ſets this limit, even as I alſo am of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.1.

In him as the gifts of grace were tranſcendant, ſo their exerciſe ſupereminent; hee erres not that follows Chriſt as his precedent, in any thing wherein he is commanded imitation, nor he that followes the Apoſtles or Diſciples of Chriſt, with the limitations before-named, to this and therefore marke and behold the perfect and upright, to imitate and follow their holy example in all gracious practices.