.SECT. 11 THE HAPPINESS OF SEPARATE SPTRTTS. 311 Now it'is evident the apostle here means their spirits which are in heaven, and departed from these mortal bodies, because the train of blessed companions, which he describes just before, leads our thoughts to the invisi- ble world, If we can suppose any part of these two verses to refer to earth, and our present state, it must be when he says, ye are 'come to mount Zion, to the city of the living God, that is, to the visible church of Christ, under the gospel dispensation. But then he adds, you are come also to the heavenly Jerusalem, which may probably include all the inhabitants of heaven in general; and descending to :particulars, he adds, to an innumerable company of an- gels, and to the general assemblyand church of the first born who are written in heaven : whereby we must 'un- derstand the whole invisible church of God among men, if we do not confine it to those who are already of the church triumphant. And next he leads us to God the Judge of all, and to spirits of just men made perfect; that is, spirits .released from flesh and blood, who have stood before God their judge, and are determined to a state of perfection in heaven. Besides,,when St. Paul speaks of fellow-christians here on earth, it is not his manner to call them spirits, but Men, or brethren, or saints, &c. therefore by the naked and single term spirits, he distinguishes these persons from those who dwell in mortal bodies,. and raises our . thoughts to the world of blessed souls, released from the wretched ties and bondage of flesh and blood, the spirits of good men departed from this earth, and dwelling in the better regions of heaven. I would here take notice also, that the apostle perhaps in this place chuses rather to call them just or righteous ,men, which is a term used frequently both in the Old and New Testament, that he might include the patriarchs and the Jewish saints as well as the souls of departed christians. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Noah, Daniel, and David, Job, Moses, and Elijah, dwell in that happy world, :with a thousand other spirits of renown in the ancient church, as well as the spirits of those that have seen the , Messiah, and believed in Jesus of Nazareth. What a noble and wondrous assembly ! What an amaz- ing and blissful society of human souls, :gathered from
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