Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/89

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1 King. 15. 14. 2 Chron. 15. 17. Thus Noah, Gen. 6. 6. Job 1. 1. Hezekiah, 2 King. 20. 3. are said to be perfect. David to walke in his integrity, Psal. 26. 1. yet these examples must not be referred to the second degree of perfection. The body is intire, when all parts are so knit together, that each is preserved, and fit for his office: the soule is intire, when all the parts of righteousnesse are rivetted together amongst themselves, and in the whole: the conversation is intire, when no office of life is neglected, no precept carelessely forgotten or sleighted; when no occasions or occurrences can remove men from their holy purposes undertaken according to Gods word. This perfect man is set as opposite to the unstable, double minded, perverse, froward and restlesse, who are off and on, turned upside downe with every contrary wind, divided and at odds with themselves; who loppe and straiten the Commandements as will best stand with their occasions, take and leave at pleasure, rest in the externall acts of piety or justice, or cleane depart from Gods Commandements. The integrity of the upright shall guide him, but the perversenesse of transgressors shall destroy them, Prov. 11. 3. If I say I am perfect, mine own mouth shall prove me perverse, Job 9. 20, 21, 22, Who so walketh intirely shall be safe, but he that is perverse in his double wayes shall fall in one, Prov. 28. 18. So it is noted of Abijam, that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, 1 King. 15. 3. of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, they did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with perfect hearts, 2 Chron. 25. 2. & 26. 4. & 27. 2. 2 King. 14. 3. & 15. 3. and of Solomon, that when he was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord, as was the heart of David his father, 1 King. 11. 4.

2. That is said to be perfect, which hath obtained an high degree of perfection, not simply, but in comparison of that which is beneath: when a man is so habituated in his course, that he hath attained a facility and constancy in well doing. Children new borne are perfect, that is, intire: but when they be come to ripe age, they are perfect in comparison of themselvs as new born babes. But every growth argueth not comparitive perfection, but that only which is so great, that it may seeme to introduce a new forme: or when by long practice a man is so habituated in his course, that he hath attained a facility and constancy in well doing. Children are more