SECT. t'.] TEE ñ.ÌPpINESS tlT` 5EtlrItATL+ SÌ'IR!'T`s. 479 or likeness to God, than the meanest saint or angel in heaven ? Is not their sublimer knowledge and nearness to God attended with proportionable rays of divine sanc- tity and glory? Is not the divine image in these exalted saints more complete than in the very lowest ? And yet we may boldly assert, that the meanest saint or angel there is so perfect in holiness, as to be free from all sin : There is nothing to be found in any spirit there, contrary to the nature or the will of God. So a soul released from the body mayperhaps grow in likeness and love to God 'perpetually, and yet it may have no sinful defects either in its love or conformity to God from the first moment of its entrance into heaven. I shall first illustrate this by two similitudes, and then propose a rational and clear account of it in a way of argument. When the distant morning -sun shines on a piece of po- lished metal,' the metal reflects the face of the sun in per - fection, when the sun first rises on it. But the same instruments coming directly under the meridian sun- beams, shall reflect the same image brighter and warmer : And yet every moment of this reflection from the morn- ing to the highest noon, shall be perfect, that is, without spot, without blemish, and without defect:" Such perhaps is the holiness of all the saints in heaven. Or shall I rather borrow a similitude from scripture, and say, the holiness of the spirits in heaven is compared to fine linen ? Rev. xix. 8. The " fine linen clean and white is the righteousness of the saints, Ta atxatcaµaTa TAO ayiwv. Now though a garment may be perfectly clean without the least spot or stain, yet fine linen may grow whiter hourly, as it is bleached by the constant influence of the heavens. So though every spirit be perfectly cleansed and purified from all sin and defilement, yet it is, not impossible that the degrees of its grace and holiness, or conformity to God, may grow brighter, and much im- prove by nearer approaches to God,longer acquaintance with him, and the continued influences of his majesty and love. Now let me propose a rational account of this matter to the consideration of those whose minds are raised above common prejudices. The holiness of an innocent creature consists in at
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