Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A53980
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A sermon preach'd at Whitehall before the Queen, March the sixteenth, 1691 by Edward Pelling ...
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Pelling, Edward, d. 1718.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing P1101; ESTC R6815
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11,035
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34
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the Church Militant yet that they pray for particular Persons or in particular Cases or that they pray as Mediators or that they are to be prayed to themselves all this we utterly deny But it is a Truth unquestionable that they Adore the God of Heaven in such a way as is suitable to a State of Bliss and Perfection Admiring the Glories of his Nature extolling His Majesty Praising him continually and never resting from giving him Thanks for the Infinite Riches of his Grace and Goodness This appears from many Passages in St. John's Revelation where the Four Beasts are said not to rest Day or Night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty and the Four and twenty Elders are said to fall down before him that sat on the Throne and to Worship him that liveth for ever and ever and with Harps and Golden Vials full of Odours to Sing a new Song unto the Lamb And the Angels themselves with the Beasts and Elders are said to Worship God saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God and the like For though this was a Visionary Representation not a set History of the particular State of Heaven yet the Analogy it bears to it plainly shews that the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect do with the Blessed Angels make up one Heavenly Chorus to Adore the Infinite Majesty of God and to chant out Praises and Hallelujahs unto him to Everlasting Ages 3. And hence it follows Thirdly That the Life of the Saints in Light is a Life of the most Divine Contemplation also For this is the Ground of that Adoration and Worship which is paid to the Creator of all things and so St. John speaking of the Day of Appearance tells us That then we shall see God as he is 1 Jo. 3. 2. For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face saith St. Paul 1 Chr. 13. 12. and again Then shall I know even as also I am known By which several Expressions it is evident that though the Saints of God have very imperfect Conceptions and Glimpses of him in this Mortal Life and though it is impossible for them being Finite Creatures to have an Adaequate and Comprehensive Knowledge of him in any State whatsoever yet when the Glory of God shall be Revealed in them they shall clearly and closely perceive every thing that is knowable of God with the most ravishing satisfaction shall Contemplate the Beauties and Glories of his Essence and as fully as 't is possible understand his Perfections together with the astonishing Reasons of his Decrees and Operations Whatever Notions our Souls have of God in this Life we are fain to gather by looking into the Glass of his Creation and of his Word as the Means of seeing what we are able to discover And that Imperfect Vision we have is but a Reflex Vision by the help of weak Consideration and Discourse And hence it is that our Apprehensions are so childish in Comparison we Argue like Children Speak like Children and Understand like Children whose Conceptions are rather Dreams and Fancies than the Results of Solid and Man-like Reason But when that which is imperfect is done away the Soul is blest with a direct and immediate view of God with a clear Understanding of the Excellencies of his Nature how Wise and Just and Good and Powerful God is and how wonderfully Righteous and Gracious in all his Works 4. From this clear and intimate Knowledge which the Saints in Light enjoy it follows yet further that their Life there is a Life of Purity because St. Paul tells us that without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. and our Saviour's Promise of seeing God particularly belongs to such as are Pure in heart Math. 5. 8. We come into this World unclean from the very Womb and as we grow up we contract a great deal more Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit by medling too much with the World and by suffering our foolish Appetites to run out after the Corruptions of it To Cleanse and Sanctifie our Souls and so to fit them for a Life of Bliss and Perfection with himself is the great Work of God here And this he does by the Ministry of his Holy Word by the use of Holy Sacraments by the inward Motions and Operations of his Holy Spirit and by that variety of Holy Laws which he hath laid before us And hence it is that there are so many Vertues proposed to our Practice proper and peculiar to this Mortal State wherein we are surrounded with Misery and Temptation as Moderation Temperance Meekness Self-denyal Patience Fortitude Justice Submission and the like For though these Vertues are highly consonant to Human Reason yet the great Advantage they bring in order to a future Life is the most considerable Excellency of them for all these serve in their several kinds and in a great measure some to subdue and tame our wild Spirits and to prepare them for a Life of everlasting Peace others to mortifie us and make us weary of our Lusts others to curb and bridle our Passions others to defend us from Temptations others to wean our Affections off from the World all of them to Spiritualize our Natures to scour us from our Dross and Tin and in one respect or other so to purge the Soul that when it goes out of the World being sprinkled with the Blood of Christ it appears Pure and without Blemish in that Heavenly Sanctuary whither nothing that is Unclean can come This is that Holiness and Purity of Heart which prepares the Saints for the seeing of God And as this Pure State fits them for the Beatifical Vision so doth the Beatifical Vision fix and confirm them in that State and renders it unchangeable The Reason is because all manner of Perfection which the Heart of Man can desire being in God and in God only every Soul that is with him must needs be satisfied to the full and the Understanding and Affections must of necessity be so employed and fixt upon him that the Will cannot possibly be averted from Enjoyments so infinitely Perfect and Satisfactory The very Nature and Condition of that Blessed State cannot permit any Souls to wander in the least from an Infinite Good and therefore they must Everlastingly continue Pure and Spotless like the Holy Lamb of God whose Will was perfectly Conformable to the Will of his Father Who knew no Sin neither was any Guile to be found in his Mouth 5. Besides these Positive Felicities which the Saints in Light enjoy I think there is but one particular Thing more which is Revealed to us of their Life in Heaven and that is That they bear a Resemblance and Similitude of God himself Thus St. John tells us 1 Jo. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear that is it doth not yet distinctly and fully appear what we shall