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tion of virtue unto him, he saw all things clearly, ver. 25, It was not a sight of another kind which he then received, than what he had at first ; only its imperfection whereby he * saw men like trees walking,' was taken away. Nor will our perfect vision of things above, be a grace absolutely of another kind from the light of faith which we here enjoy ; only what is imperfsct in it will be done away, and it will be made meet for the present enjoyment of things here at a dis- tance and invisible. Love shall have its perfection also, and the least alteration in its manner of operation of any grace whatever. And there^is nothing that should more exxite us to labour after a growth in love to God in Christ, than this, that it shall to all eternity be the same in its nature and in all its operations, only both the one and the other shall be made absolutely perfect. The soul will by it be enabled to cleave unto God unchangeably, with eternal delight, sa- tisfaction, and complacency. Hope shall be perfect in enjoy- ment, which is all the perfection it is capable of. So shall it be as unto other graces.
This subjective perfection of our nature, especially in all the faculties, powers, and affections of our souls, and all their operations, belongs unto our blassedness, nor can we be blessed without it. All the objective glory in heaven would not in our beholding and enjoyment of it (if it were possible) make us blessed and happy, if our own natures were not made perfect, freed from all disorder, irregular motions, and weak imperfect operations. What is it then that must give our nature this subjective perfection? It is that grace alone whose beginnings we are here made partakers of. For there- in consists the renovation of the image of God in us. And the perfect communication of that image unto us, is the ab- solute perfection of our natures ; the utmost which their ca- pacity is suited unto. And this gives us the last thing to be inquired into, namely, by what means in ourselves we shall eternally abide in that state. And this is by the unal- terable adherence of our whole souls unto God, in perfect love and delight. This is that whereby alone the soul reach- eth unto the essence of God, and the infinite incomprehen- sible perfections of his nature. For the perfect nature hereof, divine revelation hath left it under a veil, and so must we do also. Nor do I designedly handle these things in this place
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but only in the way of a direction how to exercise our thoughts about them.
This is the notion of heaven which those who are spiri- tually minded ought to be conversant withal. And the true stating of it by faith, is a discriminating character of be- lievers. This is no heaven unto any others. Those who have not an experience of the excellency of these things in their initial state in this world, and their incomparable transcendency unto all other things, cannot conceive how heavenly glory and blessedness should consist in them. Unskilful men may cast away rough unwrought diamonds as useless stones ; they know not what polishing will bring them unto. Nor do men unskilful in the mysteries of god- liness, judge there can be any glory in rough unwrought grace ; they know not what lustre and beauty the polishing of the heavenly hand will give unto it.
It is generally supposed that however men differ in and about religion here, yet they agree well enough about heaven ; they would all go to the same heaven. But it is a great mistake, they differ in nothing more ; they would not all go to the same heaven. How few are they who value that heavenly state which we have treated of ; or do under- stand how any blessedness can consist in the enjoyment of it ? But this and no other heaven would we go unto. Other notions there may be, there are, of it, which being but fruits and effects of men's own imaginations, the more they dwell in the contemplation of them, the more carnal they may grow, at best the more superstitious. But spiritual thoughts of this heaven, consisting principally in freedom from all vsin, in the perfection of all grace in the vision of the glory of God in Christ, and all the excellencies of the divine na- ture as manifested in him, are an effectual means for the improvement of spiritual life, and the increase of all graces in us. For they cannot but effect an assimilation in the mind and heart unto the things contemplated on, where the principles and seeds of them are already inlaid and begun. This is our first direction.
2. Having fixed right notions and apprehensions of
heavenly things in our minds, it is our duty to think and
contemplate greatly on them, and our own concernment in
them. Without this all our speculations concerning the
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nature of eternal things, will be of no use unto us. And unto your encouragement and direction, take these few short rules relating unto this duty. 1. Here lies the great trial whether we are spiritually minded or no, by virtue of this rule ; ' If we are risen with Christ, we will mind the things that are above;' Col. iii. 3. 2. Here lies the great means whereby we may attain farther degrees in that blessed frame of mind, if it be already formed in us, by virtue of that rule ; ' Beholding the glory of God as in a glass, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory;' 2 Cor. iii. 18. (3.) Here lies the great evidence whether we have a real interest in the things above or no : whether we place our portion and blessedness in them by virtue of that rule; 'Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.' Are they our trea- sure, our portion, our reward, in comparison whereof all other things are but loss and dung? we shall assuredly be conversant in our minds about them. (4.) It cannot be imagined, that a man should have in him a principle cog- nate and suited unto things above, of the same kind and na- ture with them, that his soul should be under the conduct of those habits of grace, which strive and naturally tend unto perfection, labouring greatly here under the weight of their own weaknesses, as it is with all who are truly spi- ritually minded, and yet not have his thoughts greatly ex- ercised about these things ; 1 John iii. 3.