DISCOURSE X. 219 warping from truth in our conversation, every degree of insits- cerity or fraud becomes a smarting uneasiness to the mind in the remembrance of our past follies in the present state. There is the highest abhorrence of sin among all the heavenly inhabi- tants, and this sight of God in the beauties of his holiness, and his perfect rectitude, is an everlasting preservative to holy souls against the admission of an impure or unholy thought; and therefore some divines have supposed, that the angels at their first creation were put into a state of trial before they were admitted to this full sight of the beauty of God in his holiness, which would have secured them from the least thought or step towards apostacy. " O my soul, of what happy importance it is to thee to maintain as long as possible, this sense of the purity, rectitude and perfection of the nature of the blessed nod, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, with the least regard of approbadon or allowance ? Hab. i. 13. And what infinite condescension is it in such a God to find out and appoint a way of grace, whereby such shameful polluted creatures as we are should ever be ad- mitted into his presence to make the least address to his majesty, or to hope for his favour. Besides in this sublime view of the holiness of God, we shall -not only love God better than ever, as we see him more amiable under this view of his glorious attributes, but we shall grow more sincere and fervent in our love to all that is holy, to every saint in heaven and on earth : We shall not bear any estrangedness or alienation from those who have so much of the likeness of God in them. They will ever appear to he the ex.. cellent of the earth, in whom is all our delight : Ps.. xvi. 2. Their supposed blemishes will vanish at the thought of their likeness to God in holiness : And especially our blessed Lord Jesus the Son of God, will be most precious and all - glorious in our eyes, as he is the most perfect image of his Father's holiness. There is nothing in the blessed God, but the man Christ Jesus bears a proportionable resemblance to it, as far as a creature can resemble God, and he will conse- quently be highest in our esteem under God, the Lord and Father of all. 9. The ever - pleasing attribute of divine goodness and love is another endless and joyful theme or object of the contempla- tion of the heavenly world. There this perfection shines in its brightest rays, there it displays its most triumphant glories, and kindles a flame of everlasting joy in all the sons of blessedness. But we in this world may have such glimpses of this goodness and love as may fill the soul with unspeakable pleasure, and begin in it the first-fruits and earnest of heaven. When we sur- vey the inexhaustible ocean of goodness which is iu God, which
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