The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

It may be enquired, what is the Subjective Glory, or what Change is to be wrought in our selves that we may enjoy this Glory? Now that consists principally as unto our Souls in the Perfection of all Grace, which is initially wrought and subjectively resides in us in this world. The Grace which we have here, shall not be done away as unto its essence and nature, though somewhat of it shall cease as unto the manner of its Operation. What Soul could think with Joy of going to Heaven, if thereby he must lose all his present Light, Faith, and Love of God, though he be told that he should receive that in lieu of them, which is more excellent, whereof he hath no experience, nor can understand of what nature it is. When the Saints enter into Rest, their Good Works do follow them, and how can they do so, if their Grace do not accompany them, from whence they proceed? The Perfection of our present Graces which are here weak, and interrupted in their operations, is a principal Eminency of the State of Glory. Faith shall be heightened into Vision as was proved before, which doth not destroy its Nature, but cause it to cease as unto its manner of Operation towards things invisible. If a man have a weak small Faith in this Life, with little Evidence, and no Assurance, so that he doubts of all things, questions all things, and hath no Comfort from what he doth believe; if afterwards through supplies of Grace, he hath a mighty prevailing Evidence of the things believed, is filled with Comfort and Assurance; this is not by a Faith or Grace of another kind than what he had before; but by the same Faith raised unto an higher Degree of Perfection. When ⟨p. 108⟩our Saviour cured the Blind man, and gave him his sight; Mark 8. at first he saw all things obscurely and imperfectly, he saw men, as Trees, walking; ver. 24. But on another application of Virtue unto him, he saw all things clearly; ver. 25. It was not a sight of another kind which he then received, than what he had at first; only its imperfection whereby he saw men like Trees walking was taken away. Nor will our perfect vision of things above, be a Grace absolutely of another kind from the Light of Faith which we here enjoy; only what is imperfect in it will be done away, and it will be made meet for the present enjoyment of things here at a distance and invisible.

It may be enquired, what is the Subjective Glory, or what Change is to be wrought in our selves that we may enjoy this Glory? Now that consists principally as unto our Souls in the Perfection of all Grace, which is initially wrought and subjectively resides in us in this world. The Grace which we have here, shall not be done away as unto its essence and nature, though somewhat of it shall cease as unto the manner of its Operation. What Soul could think with Joy of going to Heaven, if thereby he must lose all his present Light, Faith, and Love of God, though he be told that he should receive that in lieu of them, which is more excellent, whereof he hath no experience, nor can understand of what nature it is. When the Saints enter into Rest, their Good Works do follow them, and how can they do so, if their Grace do not accompany them, from whence they proceed? The Perfection of our present Graces which are here weak, and interrupted in their operations, is a principal Eminency of the State of Glory. Faith shall be heightned into Vision as was proved before, which doth not destroy its Nature, but cause it to cease as unto its manner of Operation towards things invisible. If a man have a weak small Faith in this Life, with little Evidence, and no Assurance, so that he doubts of all things, questions all things, and hath no Comfort from what he doth believe; if afterwards through supplyes of Grace, he hath a mighty prevailing Evidence of the things believed, is filled with Comfort and Assurance; this is not by a Faith or Grace of another kind than what he had before; but by the same Faith raised unto an higher Degree of Perfection. When