SECT. III.] THE HAPPINESS OP SEPARATE SPIRITS. 401 able' to the means he useth ; and therefore he infuses more and higher glories into vessels more enlarged and better 'prepared. Some of the spirits in heaven may be trained up by their stations and sacred services on earth for more ele- vated employments and joys on high. Can we imagine that the soul of David, the sweet psalmist, the prophet, and the king of Israel, is not fitted by all his labours and trials, all his raptures of faith, and love, and zeal, for some sublimer devotion and nobler business than his own infant child, the fruit of his adultery ? And yet our divines have generally placed this child in heaven, be- cause David ceased to mourn for him 'at his death, and `said that he himself " should go to him ?" 2 Sam. xii. 20, 22. Deborah, the prophetess, judged Israel, she animated their armies, and sung their victories : Is not Deborah engaged in some more illustrious employment among the heavenly tribes, than good Dorcas may seem to be capable of, whose highest character upon record is, that " she was full of alms-deeds, and made coats and garments for the poor;" Acts ix. 36, 39. And yet perhaps Dorcas is prepared too for some greater enjoy- ments, some sweeter relish of mercy, or some special "taste of the divine goodness above Rahab the harlot; Rahab, whose younger character was lewd and infamous; and the best thing that we read of her is, that her faith 'under the present terror of the armies of Israel taught her once to cover and conceal their. spies: And, unless she made great advances afterward in grace, surely ber 'place is not very high in glory. The worship of heaven, and the joy that attends it, may be exceedingly different in degrees according to the different capacity of spirits; and yet all may be perfect and free from sinful defects.' Does not the sparrow praise the Lord its Maker upon the ridge, of á cottage, chirping in its native perfection ? and yet the lark ad- vances in her flight and her song as far above the sparrow, as the clouds are above the house- top. Surely superior joys and glories must.belong to supe rior powers and services. Can We think that Abraham and Moses, who -were trained up in converse with God face to face; as a man converses with his friend, and who followed him through VOL. III.
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