<AECT. THE HAPPINESS OP SEPARATE SPIRITS. 42g self with all the contents : And this was necessary that he might manage, and govern the affairs of the church and the world in the several .successive ages according to the counsels of the Father. He therefore, and he alone among creatures, knows the endfrom the begin- ning, as I hinted before. But as the seals of this book are opened by degrees, and the counsels of God are executed in the lower world, doubtless the angels that are ministers of the providence of Christ, carry tidings to heaven of all the greater changes that relate to the church ; and Jesus the Son of God, the King of saints and of nations, receives the shouts and honours of the heavenly world, as fast as the joyful .tidings arrive thi- then. Nor is this spoken by mere conjecture, for the scripture informs us of the certainty of it. We have frequent ac- counts in the book of Revelations, of ., °w special ho- nours that were paid to him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb at certain special periods of time. When he first took upon him the execution of his Father's decrees, the living creatures " and elders fell down before the Lamb, and they sung a new song, say- ing, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; and ten thousand times ten thousand angels echoed to the song with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb.that was slain;" &c. Rev. v. 8, 9, 11. So when the servants of God were sealed in their foreheads, the innumerable multitude of saints shouted salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb ;" &c. Rev. vii. 9,'.10. So when these venth angel sounded, therewere great voices in heaven, saying, " the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and, of his Christ, and lie shall reign for ever: and ever : and the four and twenty elders fell upon their faces, and worshipped and gave thanks ;" Rev. xi. 15,16. Again, when the old dragon and his angels were. cast out 9f heaven, there was a loud voice, saying, now is conic salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and thepower of his -Christ: for the accuser of our bre- thren is cast down ;" Rev. xii. 9, ,10. So upon; the fall of Babylon, chap. xiv. and the victory of the saints,, chap. and the final destruction; of antichrist, chap. xix. glen are -new honours done by the saints to God WA g E 4
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