2. The perfection of grace and holiness is such as the saints may attain unto in this life: Col. iv. 12, 'That ye may stand perfect and com- ])lete in all the will of God.' So we are perfect when we want none of those things which are necessary to salvation, when we study to
58 WHAT KIND OF TERFECTION IS [PllIL. III. 1.").
avoid all known sin, and address oursolves to the practice of all known duty, servin*:: God universally and entirely.
Secondly, There is ])erfection legal and evangelical. Legal is un- sinning obedience ; evangelical is sincere obedience : the one is where there is no sin ; the other no guile, no allowed guile. The one standeth in an exact conformity to God's law, the other in a sincere endeavour to fulfil it ; the one will endure the balance, the other can only endure the touchstone.
1. The legal perfection is described Gal. iii. 10, 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of this law to do them.' A personal, perpetual perfect obedience. It supposeth a man innocent ; it requireth that he should continue so ; for the least offence, according to that covenant, liiyeth us open to a curse ; as the angels, for one sin, once committed, were turned out of heaven, and Adam out of paradise. The omitting of aught we are to perform, the commit- ting aught we are forbidden, yea, the least warping, as well as swerv- ing, by an obliquity of heart and spirit, maketh us guilty before God. Now this is become impossible through the weakness of our flesh. Rom. viii. 3. Man is fallen already, and hath mixed principles in him, and cannot be thus exact with God.
2. Evangelical : wlien the heart is faithful with God, fixedly bent and set to please him in all things : 2 Kings xx. 3, ' Remember, Lord, I have walked before thee in truth, and witlt a perfect heart.' This may be pleaded in subordination to Christ's righteousness ; this perfection is consistent with weakness : 2 Chron. xv. 17, ' Neverthe- less, the heart of Asa was perfect all his days ; ' and yet he is taxed with seveial infirmities. This perfection all must have : 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, ' And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind.' What is done for God, as it must be done willingly, readily, not by constraint, but the native inclination of the soul ; so perfectly, that is, with all exactness possible. As some may do many things which are good, but their hearts are not perfect with God : 2 Chron. xxv. 2, ' He did that which is right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.' Not a sincere bent of soul towards God alone. When the heart is divided between God and other things, Hoseax. 2, ' Their heart is divided ;' James i. 8, ' A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.' A heart against a heart; in point of faith, between God and other confidences ; in point of love, between God and the vanities of the world ; and God's interest is not chief, nor do we love liim above all things ; in point of obedience, between pleasing God and ])leasing men, and pleasing God and our own vain fancies and appetites, honouring God and promoting our worldly ends; you set uj) a rival and ])artner with God. Now this perfection we must have, or else not in a slate of salvation.
Thirdly, There is a perfection absolute and comparative.
1. That is.absolutely ])erfect to which nothing is wanting. This is in our Lord Christ, who had the Sj)irit without measure ; tliis is in our rule, but not in them that follow the rule: Ps. xviii. 30, 'As for God, liis way is perfect.' But that ab.solute perfectioti is not in any of the saints here upon earth, I prove by these arguments : —
Phil. III. 15.] attainable in this life v 59
[1.] Where there are many relics of flesh or carnal nature left, there a man cannot be absolutely perfect ; but so it is with all the godly, there is a double-warring working principle in them: Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary tlie one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' And it is actually confirmed in Paul, witness his groans, Rom. vii. 24, ' Oh wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver mo from the body of this death ? ' Mark there, the apostle speaketh of himself, not of another; of himself, in his present renewed estate, not of his past and unconverted estate, when a pharisee. His past estate he had spoken of, ver. 9, ' Sin revived, and I died ; ' but, ver. 14, ' I am carnal ;' and ver. 15, ' That which I do, I allow not ;' and ver. 18, ' How to perform that which is good, I find not.' Many things there said cannot agree to a carnal man. A.fi, for instance, not allowing sin, ver. 15; hating sin, in the same verse: ' What I hate, that do I ; ' so delight in the law of God, ver. 22. Again, there is a double man distinguished, ver. 17, ' It is no more I, but sin that dwelleth in me.' Again, he distinguisheth betw€en him and his flesh, ver. 18 ; so between an outward and inward man, ver. 22, 23. Lastly, He giveth thanks for deliverance by Christ, all which are competent only to the regenerate. Now, these things being so, surely God's best servants are not absolutely perfect.