The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

Love shall have its Perfection also, and the least Alteration in its manner of Operation of any Grace whatever. And there is nothing that should more excite us to labour after a growth in Love to God in Christ, than this, that it shall to all Eternity be the same in its Nature and in all its Operations, only both the one and the other shall be made absolutely perfect. The Soul will by it be enabled to cleave unto God unchangeably, with eternal Delight, Satisfaction and Complacency. Hope shall be perfect in Enjoyment, which is all the Perfection it is capable of. So shall it be as unto other Graces.

This subjective Perfection of our Natures, especially in all the Faculties, Powers, and Affections of our Souls and all their Operations, belongs unto our Blessedness, nor can we be blessed without it. All the Objective Glory in Heaven would not in our beholding and enjoyment of it (if it were possible) make us blessed and happy, if our own Natures were not made perfect, freed from all disorder, irregular motions and weak imperfect Operations. What is it then that must give our Nature this subjective Perfection? It is that Grace alone whose beginnings we are here made partakers of. For therein consists the Renovation of the Image of God ⟨p. 109⟩in us. And the perfect communication of that Image unto us, is the absolute Perfection of our Natures; the utmost which their capacity is suited unto. And this gives us the last thing to be enquired into, namely by what means in our selves we shall eternally abide in that state. And this is by the unalterable Adherence of our whole Souls unto God, in perfect Love and Delight. This is that whereby alone the Soul reacheth unto the essence of God, and the infinite incomprehensible perfections of his Nature. For the perfect nature hereof, Divine Revelation hath left it under a veil, and so must we do also. Nor do I designedly handle these things in this place, but only in the way of a Direction how to exercise our Thoughts about them.

This subjective Perfection of our Natures, especially in all the Faculties, Powers, and Affections of our Souls and all their Operations, belongs unto our Blessedness, nor can we be blessed without it. All the Objective Glory in Heaven would not in our beholding and enjoyment of it (if it were possible) make us blessed and happy, if our own Natures were not made perfect, freed from all disorder, irregular motions and weak imperfect Operations. What is it then that must give our Nature this subjective Perfection? It is that Grace alone whose beginnings we are here made partakers of. For therein consists the Renovation of the Image of God