[3.J Prayer ; for it is God that perfects us, 1 Peter v. 10. He must be sought to ; his blessing maketh the means effectual.
4. Think much and often of your perfect blessedness, which you expect according to promise, which wdll quicken and excite you to more diligence. There is a time coming when the mind shall be filled with as much light, and the heart with as much love and joy, as the capacity of it is able to contain. There will be : —
[1.] A complete vision of God and Christ, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. No desire of the mind shall be unfilled or unsatisfied with the knowledge of God in Christ.
[2.] A complete possession and fruition of God. Here we are in a waiting, expecting, longing posture, but there is a plenary fruition ; we are filled up with all the fulness of God, Eph. iii. 19, and 1 Cor. i. 30. God is all in all.
[3.] A complete similitude and transformation into the image of Christ, 1 John iii. 2 ; Ps. xvii. 15. Here grace is mingled with cor- ruption ; we are like God by the first-fruits of the Spirit, but unlike him by the remainders of corruption ; but in heaven we shall be wholly like him. Here we resemble Christ, but we also resemble Adam, yea, and often show forth more of Adam than Jesus ; but there we only show forth the holiness and purity of Christ, his image shineth in us without spot and blemish.
[4.] A complete delectation arising from all the rest, the vision, fruition, and likeness of God, Ps. xvi. 11. Those delights are full and perpetual : our great business will be to love what we see, and our great happiness to have what we love. This is our never-failing delight ; we enter into our Master's joy, Mat. xxv. and 1 Peter iv. 13, ' That when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad with an exceeding joy.' The Lord hath reserved the fulness of his people's joy until that time when sorrow will be no more.
Use 2. Are we perfect, that is, grown Christians in the way to per- fection ?
The notes of it are : —
1. When there is such a base esteem of worldly things, that our affections are weakened to them every day. One half of religion is dying to the world, as the other half is living to God, the mortifying of self-love, and the strengthening and increasing our love to God.
vol. II. E
G6 AVIIAT KIND OF TERFECTION IS [PniL. III. 15.
Self-love is gratified by the pleasures, honours, and profits of the world ; so love to God uimeth at the enjoyment of God, when we get above the hopes and fears of the world, and the delights of sense. ' I am crucified to the world,' Gal. vi. 14, when everything is ' loss and dung ' ioY Christ's sake.
2. When more unsatisfied with present degrees of holiness, with a constant endeavour to grow better. Our maimed and defective ser- vice is a real trouble to us; we bewail our wants and imperfections ; I cannot do what I would : ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' It is the grief and shame of your hearts that you serve God no better ; you are still groaning, longing, striving after greater perfection : but when you allow your- selves in your imperfections, and digest failings without remorse, you are Aveaklings in Christianity. A true Christian desireth the highest degree of holiness, and to be freed from everything that is sin, cannot sit down contented with any low degree of grace ; it is a trouble to him that he knoweth and loveth God no more, and serveth him no better ; his smallest sins are a greater burden to him than the greatest bodily wants and sufferings, Eom. vii. 23, 24.
3. Such are more swayed by love than fear. Weak Christians are most obedient when most in fear of hell ; but the more we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, the more we advance towards our final estate. At first our pride and sensuality beareth sway and rule in us, and have no resistance, but now and then some frightenings and ineffectual checks from the fears of hell. Such they i are not converted yet. And if the sense of religion do more prevail upon us, yet our condition is more troublous than comfortable, and all our business is to escape the everlasting misery which we fear ; and so we may forsake the practice of those grosser sins which breed our fears, or perform some duties tliat may best fortify us against them. But this religion is animated by fear alone, without the love of God and holiness, that is only preparative to religion, near the kingdom of God ; but when really converted, we have the Spirit of his Son inclining us to God as u Father, Gal. iv. G. But as yet the spirit of adoi)tion produceth but weak effects ; we differ little from a servant ; it is ' perfect love casteth out fear,' 1 John iv. 18. When the soul loveth God, mindeLh God, and is inclined to the ways of God, delighteth in them as they lead to God, then we are in a better progress, and more prepared for our final estate: his great motive is love, his great end is perfect love. For the present he would serve him better, because he delighteth in his ways. ' Oh, how I love thy law 1 ' Ps. cxix. 97, and ver. 140, ' Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' They are willing and ready for God ; these are thoroughly settled in a Christian course.