DISCOURSE 383 These are the evils that belong to earth and hell ; bid withinthe gates of heaven nothing must enter thattempteth, nothing that defileth; Rev. xxi. 27. It is the mixture of sinful thoughts and idle words, sinful actions and irregular affections, that makesour state of holiness so imperfect here below. We groanwithinour- selves, being burdened; we would be rid of these criminal weak- nesses, theseguilty attendants of our lives : But the spirits above are under a sweet necessity of being forever holy ; their natures have put on perfection ; the image of God is so far compleatedin them, that nothing contrary to the divine nature remains in all their frame ; for they see God in all the fairest beauties of hisho- liness, and they adore and love. They behold hint without a veil, and are changed into the same image, from glory to lory, 2 Cor iii. 18. If these words are applicable to the state of grace, much more to that of glory. They see Christ as he is, and they are made completely like him, 1 John iii. 2. which is trite con- cerningthe state of separate spirits, as well as the hour of resur- rection. As their love to God is perfect, so is their love to all their fellow- saints. We try to love our fellow-creatures and fellow- christians here on earth ; but we have so many corrupt passions of our own, and so many infirmities and imperfections belongto our neighbours also, that mutual love is very imperfect. Love is the fulfilling of the law ; Rom. xiii. 10. But we shall sever fulfil that law perfectly till we are joined to the spirits of the just in glory, where there is no inhabitant without the flame of sacred love, no single spirit unlovely or unbeloved. Iu those happy mansions there is no envy raised by the per- fections or the honours of our neighbour spirits ; no detracting thought is known there, no reproachful word is heard in that country ; and perhaps, no word of reproach is to be found in the whole heavenly language. Malice and slander, and the very names of infamy, are unknown in those regions ; and wrath and strife are eternal strangers. No dividedopinions, no party quar- rels, no seeds of discord are sown in heaven. Our little angry jars and contentions have no place there, and the noise of war and controversy ceases for ever. There are no offences given, andnone are taken in that world of love. Neither injury, nor resentment, is ever known or practised there, those bitter and fatal springs of revenge and blood. Universal benevolence runs through the whole kingdom ; each spirit wishes well to his neigh- bour as to himself; and till we arrive there, we shall never be made perfect in love, nor shall we see the blessed characters of it described in the scriptures fully copied out in living examples. In that holy worlddwells God himself, who is original love; there resides our Lord Jesus Christ, who is love incarnate; and from that sacred head flows an eternal stream of love through
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