418 (HAPPINESS OF SEPARATE SPIRITS.' that the degress of its grace and holiness, or conformity to God, may grow brighter and much improve by nearer approaches to God, longer acquaintance with him, and the continued influences ofhis majesty and love. Now let me propose arational account of this matter to the consideration of those whose minds are raised above commonpre- judices. The holiness of an innocent creature, consists in attaining the knowledge ofthe nature and will of God, according to the ut- most ofits own presentcapacity, and the means of discovery which it enjoys, and in the various exercises of love to God in an exact proportion to its knowledge : or to express it briefly thus, an in- nocent creature is perfectly holy, when it knows and loves God to the utmost reach ofits present powers. Ifthis be done, there is no sinful defect, no guilty imperfection ; and yet there maybe al- most an infinite difference in the various degrees ofpower and ca- pacity, of knowledge and love, amongst innocent spirits : One spirit may be formed capable of knowing much more of his Maker than another, and maybefavoured with rich discoveries. Now ifevery new divine discovery raise an equal proportion of love in the soul,th en it is possible that any soul might be perfectly holy at its first entranceinto heaven, and yet may make sublimeadvances in holiness hourly. Can we suppose that innocent Adam, at his very formation in paradise, knew all the wonders of divine wisdom and goodness, that ever he wasdesigned to attain, had he lived sinless and im- mortal ? And then can we believe since his, knowledge of his Maker's goodness and wisdom was to receive continual advances that he should admire himno more, and love him nobetter after a thousandyears converse with him, than he did at his firstcreation ? Now thecase of thesaints in heaven is much the same. The rule andmeasure oftheir dutyis their knowledge, and therule and mea- sure oftheir knowledge is their own capacity, and their means of discovery. They never fall short oftheir duty, and therefore they haveno sin t And thus their holiness may be every moment per- fect,and yet perhaps every moment increasing, as their capacities are enlarged, and receive new discoveries, through all the ages of their immortality. Happy souls, whose aspiringknowledge, and love, and zeal, mateonward hourly, and getstill higher to their God t Surely while they behold hisfacein the unveiled beauties of his holiness, they shall love him with warmer zeal, and be more abundantly satisfied with his likeness ; Psal. xvii. 15. After all that I have said on this subject, some will insist on this objection, viz. Can there be any such thing as imper- fection in heaven ? Is it not said to be a perfect state ? Now if the spirits above be always growing in excellency and
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