DISCOURSE II. 425 Its intomore intimate acquaintance with his human nature and his united godhead, than many years of converse with him by all the mediums of ordinances, those divine glasses wherein we see him darkly, as the apostle speaks, and whereby God and Christ represent and manifest themselves to saints on earth. Andas our knowledgeshall receive immense and surprizing improvements by these new methods of discovery, so I think it shall in due proportion advance our holiness or conformityto God the Father, and his brightest image Christ Jesus : for we cannot behold them in such a manner without a glorious transformation into their likeness, as I have hinted already. 'When a soul, that hath anew nature given it by sanctifying grace, is placed in the immediate view and presence of God the most holy, it will ever be growing into a greater degreeof near- ness and love, and it will be powerfully changed more and more into the likeness of God himself, as a needle when placed within the reach of a loadstone's attractive power, ceases not its motion till it be joined in perfect union, and itself acquires the virtues of that wonderful mineral. Nor is itpossible in heaven that we should advance in know. ledge and holiness without an equal improvement in felicity and joy. Onearth indeed we are told, he that will live godly, shall suffer persecution and he that increases knowledge, increases sor- row; 2 Tim. iii. 12. and Eccles. i. 18. But as heaven is high above the earth, so are the'customs and theblessings of that state superior to this.; for there are no present sorrows to be known, nor any future to be feared. And holiness has no enemy there. All things round the saint, shall have a tendency to promote his blessedness. The spirit of a good man released from the body, and ascending to heaven, is surrounded with thousands and ten thou- sands of blessedspirits ofthe human and angelicorder: When it gets within the confines of the heavenly country, it sweetly and insensibly acquires the genius and temper of the inhabitants; it breathes, as it were, a new air, and-lives, and thinks, and acts just as they do. It shines and burns withnew degress of know- ledge, zeal and love, and exults in the transporting communica- tions of the sane joy. How vastly shall our understandings be improved by the kind narratives and instructions of the saints that arrived at heaven before us, and byconverse with the minis - tering angels. You will say perhaps, that we shall have no need of their teaching when we get to heaven, for we shall be near to God himself, and receive all immediately from him. But bath the scriptureany where excluded the assistance of our fellow-spirits ? God can teach us here on earth immediately by his own Spirit, without the use of books and letters, without
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