A discourse relating to the much-lamented death and solemn funeral of our incomparable and…

The Vision of God therefore, or their perfect Knowledge of him, with whom they must ever have most of all to do, as the principal Object of their Fruition and Enjoyment, must be the primary and the leading thing in this their Perfection: For no doubt it is that Perfection which directly concerns their ultimate Satisfaction and Blessedness, which is here intended; with which their eternal Employment is most conjunct and complicated, as we shall after see: They enjoy and adore the same blessed Object at once, and in doing the one, do the other.

The Vision of God therefore, or their perfect Knowledg of him, with whom they must ever have most of all to do, as the principal Object of their Fruition and Enjoyment, must be the primary and the leading thing in this their Perfection: For no doubt it is that Perfection which directly concerns their ultimate Satisfaction and Blessedness, which is here intended; with which their eternal Employment is most conjunct and complicated, as we shall after see: They enjoy and adore the same blessed Object at once, and in doing the one, do the other.

And besides the Knowledge of him, there must be by his Beams, and in his Light, (Ps. 36. 9.) the perfect Knowledge of all that it is needful or requisite they should know, without which, since all their Enjoyments in the Heavenly State must be in their first Rise intellectual, 'twould be impossible they should ever perfectly enjoy any thing at all. And that this Perfection of just Mens Spirits is intended to be summarily comprehended in the Perfection of their Knowledge, is more than intimated by that Series of Discourse which we find, 1 Cor. 13. 9—12. ⟨p. 18⟩The Apostle comparing the Imperfection of our present with the Perfection of our future State, sums up all in this, that we know now but in part, and that then we shall know as we are known: But the Perfection of this Knowledge he seems more to state in the manner of knowing, than in the extent and compass of the things known. That in this latter Respect it may admit of Increase they cannot doubt, who consider the sinite Capacity of a created Mind, and the mighty Advantages we shall have for continual Improvement, both from the clear Discovery of things, in that bright and glorious Light, and from the Receptiveness of our enlarged and most apprehensive Minds. But that State can admit of no culpable Ignorance, nor of any that shall more infer Infelicity, than include Sin.