57 Concerning our imitation ture, that they may be for ever approaching nearer to it, and yet never over- take it. And this feems tó be no inconfiderable ingredient, and enhancement of the happinefs of Heaven, that the Holinefsof good men (which is the f militude of God) is never at a ftand, nor at its full growth and period ; but that the glorified Saints (yea and ble[fed Angels too) may be continually growing and improving, and they themfelves í1i11 become . better and happier to all eternity. And this in my apprehenfion is no undervaluing the happinefs of Heaven, that it is not fo perfect at firft, as it fhall be afterwards ; becaufe it is granted on all hands, that the happinefs of thofe good Souls, who are already in blifs, (hail be more perfect and compleat at the Refurrection. And why may it not then be continually in- creafing, and be augmented Hill more and more, without any dint or final period of its perfeâion ? In this World we are apt to faint in a long courfeof goodnefs, and to be weary ofwell-doing. But in the other (late, when Men (hall be ftrongly byaffed to goodnefs, and have nothing to pull them back, it will then be fo far frpm being a trouble, that methinks it fhould be a mighty pleafurè to the bleufed, to find that there is no end of their doing good and becoming better. For if conformity to God be the ground and foundation of all Happinefs, then ourBlef. fednefs will advance proportionably, as we grow more and more like to him. This I confefs were a difmal Confideration, to think that in Heaven we { hould be liable to relapfe, to go backward, or fa11 from that holy and happy date. But this is a comfortable Confideration, that our holinefs and happinefs fhall ne- ver be at a ftand, that it is fecure fo far as it goes, and that we cannot lofe what we have once attain'd, as we may do in this World. This methinks fhould "be a trouble to no Man, that as good and happy as he is at fird, he {hail Hill be bet- ter and better, moreand more happy without end. But be that as it will, and as God pleafeth (for we do but talk in the dark about our future date,) this is certain, that an equality with God in any of his Perfelions is not to be attained by anyCreature, and therefore cannot be thought to be the meaning of this Precept : But that which our Saviour requires, is a vigorous imitation of this Pattern ; that we have this example of the Divine Ferfetl'ion always before us, and that we be continually endeavouring, as much as in us lies, to bring our (elves to the neared refemblance of God, that pofiibly we can. And if this be our fincere care andJudy, we need not doubt but that it will find acceptance with God, and that he will be gracioufly pleated to edeem us for his Children ; and if there need a pardon for it, that God will forgive wherein we fall fhort of the Perfetlion of that Pattern, which we can never imi- tate to Perfec`iion. And happywere it for us, if this were all the groundof our fear and trouble, that whenwe had done all we could, we mutt dill fall much fhort of thePerfetlion ofGod's Law, and the Duty therein laid upon us ; alas ! which of us does near fo much as we can, and is not confcious to himfelf that it is through. his own fault and negle&, that he is fo unlike his heavenly Father in Goodnefs and Mer- cy, in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs ; and that he dill partakes in fo great a meafure of thofe, not only unreafonable and brutifh, but even devilith Paffions of Malice and Haired, of Rage and Cruelty, of Impatience and implacable Revenge ; and that thefe ungodlike Qualities do fo frequently prevail upon us, and have fo much dominion over us I We are fo far from being what we ought, in thefe and many other refpe6ts; that we are far from what we might be, if we would mind our Duty withcare and,confcience, and make it our fincere endeavour to fubdue our felves to a con- formity to God, and to a perfect holinefs in his fear. Would we but often fet God before our Eyes, and reprefent to our [elves thole excellent and amiable Perfetlions of the Divine Nature, which are fo comfortable and beneficial to us, and'to which we ftand fo .infinitely oblig'd, his Goodnefs and Mercy and Patience, upon which all our hopes of Happinefs do depend, and to which we are indebted, that we are not miferable pall recovery ; that Goodnefs and Patience which he continually exercifeth towards us, (for we pro- voke
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=