i THE tiAPPINESS OF SEPARATE SPtÁITH. CDÍSC. rt, the word imperfect to forbid his assent; I desire be may not be disturbed' in the possession of his own sentiments, till the sweet and surprising sensations of ever-growing felicity convince him, that heaven is a place of glorious improvement. This. shall suffice for the third general. head of mydis- course, wherein I have shewn, that the perfection of the spirits of the just is such a perfection as admits of a rich variety of employments and pleasures, according to the various taste and inclination of the blessed ; it allows of their different degrees of felicity, according to their different capacities and preparations : It furnishes each blessed spirit with a frequent change of pleasures, and it gives room for perpetual increase. SECTION V. Of the means ofattaining this perfection. My fourth and last enquiry is this, how do these good spirits ofjust men arrive at this perfection. I answer, by the death of the body, and their depar- ture from flesh and blood. You will ask what reasons are there, why their depar- ture from the body should bring them into this perfect state ? I will content myself to mention these four : I. Because at death their state of trial is ended, and the time of recompence begins by divine appointment : Now all their imperfections must end with their state of trial. This is the account of things in the scripture ; lieb. ix. '27. " It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death thejudgment." At the hour of death those words are spoken aloud in the most dreadful or most delightful language; Rev. xxii. 11. " He that is unjust or filthy, let him be so still: He that is righteous and holy let him be so still. And then upon the ,determination of the state, the reward or recompence follows, vier. 12. My reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be. . Many inconveniences and imperfections, and difficul- ties are proper for a state of trial, arid by these methods we are trained up for glory. Christ himself was igno- rant of many things in the day of his trial ; his know,- J
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