SECT. V.j THE HAPPINESS OF SEPARATE SPIRITS. 433 ledge on earth was imperfect, and his joys were so too : for he grew in wisdom and knowledge, " he was a man ofsorrows, and acquainted with grief. Though he were a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things that he suffered, and the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings ;" Heb. v. 8. and ii. 10. But when the time of probation and suffering ceases, then perfection is come, andglory appears. Hail, blessed spirits above, who have passed your state of trial well ! You have run the laborious race under many burdens, and you have received the prize. You have fought with mighty enemies, you have overcome a thousand difficulties, and you enjoy the crown. No more shall you complain of the mixture of error with your knowledge, no more shall you groan under the per- plexities of thought, the tumults of passion, the burdens of indwelling iniquity, nor cry out because of oppressing enemies or sorrows. The hour of your trial is finished. You have been sincere and faithful in your imperfect services, and you are arrived at the world of perfection. II. At the hour of death the spirits of the just leave all the natural and the sinful infirmities of flesh and blood behind them, which are the causes and springs of a thou- sand imperfections. The very natural circumstances and necessities of the body, and the inconveniences that attend it in this frail state, do very rauch embarrass and clog the spirit in its pursuit of knowledge, or holiness, or divine joy. The flesh is a dark covering to the soul ; it beclouds our ideas, confuses our conceptions, and prevents a clear and distinct knowledge of a thousand objects. It is a dull dark tabernacle for a spirit's residence. It has win- dows indeed to let in light, but those very windows, like painted or curled glass, too often discolour the objects, or distort the shape of them. Thèse very senses of ours frequently impose upon us in the searches after truth, and represent things not as they are in themselves, and in their own nature, but as they are useful and hurtful to us ; and often we pass a false judgment on the nature of things by their influence, and are led into many mis- takes in our enquiries after knowledge. Our fancy or ,imagination raises up false images of things, and we forsake the solid and real truth, to follow' VOL. III. F
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