404 THE HAPPINESS OP SEPARATE SPIRITS. [DISC. Tr. to do great service for thy God and thy Saviour on earth, that thy reward in heaven may not be small ? Wilt thou not run with zeal and patience the race that is set before thee, looking to the brightest cloud of wit- nesses, and reaching at some of the richer prizes ? Re- member that Jesus thy judge is coming apace : He has rewards with him of every size, and the lustre and weight of thy crown shall most exactly correspond to thy sweat and labour. But I must not dwell always on this head : I proceed therefore to the next. III., The spirits of the just in heaven enjoy such a perfection as is consistent with perpetual changes of bu- siness and delights, even in the same person or spirit. They may be always perfect, but in a rich and endless variety. It is only God who possesses all possible excellencies, and powers, and happinesses at once, and therefore he alone is incapable of change But creatures must pos- sess and enjoy their delights in a succession, because they cannot possess and enjoy all that they are capable of at once. And according,to this consideration the heavenly state is represented in scripture in various forms both of business and blessedness. Sometimes it is described by seeing God Mat. v. 8. by " beholding him face to face ;" -1 Cor. xiii. 12. by being " present with the Lord ;" 2 Cor. v. 8. by being where Christ ".is to behold his glory ;" John xvii. 24. Sometimes the saints above are said to " serve hire" as his servants ; Rev. xxii. 3. Sometimes they are represented as worshipping before the throne, as being fed with the fruits of the tree of life, and drinking the living fountains of water; Rev. vii. 15, 17. and xxii. 1, 2. and let it be noted that twelve manner of fruits grewon this tree, and they were new' every month also. Sometimes they are held forth to us " as singing 0. new song to God, and to the Lamb ;" Rev. xiv. M. And at another time they are described as wearing " a crown of righteousness and glory. ofsitting on the' throne of Christ, of reigning fer ever and ever, and ruling the nations with a rod ofiron ;" 2 Tim. iv. 8. 1 Pet. v. 4. Rev. xxii. 5. Rev. ii. 26, 27. And in another place Our happiness is represented as sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in , the 5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=