SE$M. XÌI.7 THE SCALE OF BLESSEDRE$S. 111 Lord, as it is expressed metaphorically, Rev. vii. 15. though in trùth there is no night there ; for they who dwell with God, dwell in light everlasting: They ap- proach to their Maker in most pleasurable acts of wor- ship, without any interposing cloud to hide his face from them, without clogs and fetters to hold them at a distance, without wanderings, without sins, and without temptations. O blessed state ! .O glorious felicity ! They behold the beautyof the Lord, transported in divine contemplation, infinitely various and. immortal. They feed upon his goodness with all the raptures of refined love, and are' held in long ecstasy under the permanent sensations of the love of God. Yet in this state of perfect glory, there are doubtless some different degrees of nearness to God, and conse- quently there are different ranks and orders of blessed spirits. This is evident amongst the angels beyond all contradiction: for though all of them behold the face of God continually, Mat. xviii. 10. yet Gabriel seems to be a favouriteangel, standing in the presence of God,; and employed in the noblest errands to men, Luke i. lg, And we read of seraphs and cherubs, angels and arch- angels, thrones, dominions, and principálities; . which plainly exhibits to us a celestial hierarchy, or superior and subordinate ranks of glory and power. And why may it not be so amongst the saints on high, those sons of Adam who are made like to angels ? They are so many stars that shine with various degrees of splendor, as they are placed nearer to the Sun of Right- eousness, and receive and reflect more of his beams. I. might multiply arguments on this head, but I shall at present ask only these two or three convincing ques- tions. Can we ever imagine - that Moses the meek, the friend of God, who was, as it were, his confidant on earth, his faithful prophet to institute a new religion, and establish a new church in the world ; who, for God's sake, en- dured forty years of banishment, and had forty years fatigue in a wilderness; who sawGod on earth' face to face,, and the shine was left upon his countenance : Can we suppose that this man has taken his seat no nearer to God in paradise, than Sampson and Jepthah, those P
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