414 THE HAPPINESS OP SEPARATE SPIRITS. fDISC, IT, separate souls, may be easily proved many ways, viz. from the very nature of human reason itself : from the narrowness, the weakness and limitations even of our in- tellectual faculties in their best estate ; from the immense variety of objects that we shall converse about ; from our peculiar concern in some future providences, which it is not likely we should know before they occur: and from the glorious new scenes of the resurrection. 1. We may prove the increase of knowledge amongst the blessed above, from the very nature of human reason itself, which is a faculty of drawing inferences, or some new propositions and conclusions, from propositions or principles which we knew before Now surely we shall not be dispossessed of this power when we come to hea- ven. What we learn of God there, and the glories of his nature, or his works, will assist and incline us to draw inferences for his honour, and for our worship of him. And if we could be supposed to have ever so many propositions or new principles of knowledge crouded into our minds at the first entrance into heaven, yet surely our reasoning faculty would still be capable of making some advance by way of inference, or building some superstructure upon so noble a foundation. And who knows the intense pleasure that will arise perpetually to a contemplative mind, by a progressive and infinite pur- suit of truth in this manner, where we are secure against the danger of all error and mistake, and every step we take is all light and demonstration. Shall it be objected here, that our reason shall be as it were lost and dissolved in intuition and immediate sight, and therefore it shall have no room or place in that happy world? To this I would reply, shat we shall have indeed much more acquaintance with spiritual objects by immediate intuition, than we ever had here on earth ; but it does not follow thence, that we shall lose our reason. Angels have immediate vision of God and divine things ; but can we suppose they are utterly incapable of drawing an inference, either for the improvement of their knowledge, or the direction of their practice ? When they behold any special and more curious piece of divine workmanship, can they not further infer the exquisite skill or wisdom of the Creator? And are they not capable of concluding, that n M
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