203 / 674
SEftM.
`CL.]
THE
LIVING
ABOVE THE
DEAD.
183
jects, or
occasions,
or
seasons
proper
to excite them.
Therefore
the saints
above
are not
defective
in
any vir-
tue or
grace,
though they
have
no
actual
exercise
of
se-
veral of
them in
heaven.
So
God himself
would
not
be
in himself
less
merciful if
he
appeared
in
any
province
of
his
dominion where
there
was no
creature
in misery,
and
consequently
no
proper
object
for mercy.
He
is
a
God
of
infinite compassion
and
forgiveness
still,
though he
has no
immediate
new
exercises
of
them
in
heaven,
in
a
world where no sinners
are
:
for
sin
and misery
are the
only
proper
occasions
of
forgiveness
and
mercy.
Thus
the
saints in heaven
are perfect
in
grace and holiness,
even
though there are
no
proper
objects
or occasions,
for
this holiness
or this grace
to
manifest
itself
in such
peculiar
instances
as
I
have
been describing
in
this dis-
course.
Objection
II.
How can
it
be said,
that
a living
Christian has
any
advantage above the dead
?
Is
not
'heaven
better than earth?
And
upon
that
account,
is
not
death often represented
to us
under
most pleasing
colours
in the gospel, as
it
is
an escape from the
sins
and
sorrows
of
this
present
state, and
as
it
conveys
us
into the
world of
blessed spirits,
where there are infinite
advan=
tages above any thing
to be
enjoyed
in
this
life
?
Answer.
Though
the
living
saint
has some
advantages
which
the
dead
cannot
partake
of,
yet
it
is
very
true,
that
the honours, the pleasures, the joys, the
perfections,
and
the
advantages
of
heaven, when
"summed
up toge-
ther, are
far more and
greater,
and
are
infinitely
prefer-
able
to those on
earth
;
but
they
are not
all
of the same
kind.
When
we
compare the
state of
grace
and
the
state
of
glory together,
we
may
boldly
say,
the state
of
glory
bas
vastly
the
preference;
and
St.
Paul himself
thought
so,
Phil.
i.
21, 23.
To
be dissolved,
and
to be with
Christ,
is
far better" than
to dwell
in
this
sinful
world.
He
asserts
it,
that
death
would be
his own
gain
;
yet still
be allows
there are
some
advantages
of
this
life,
which
death would deprive
him
of;
for,
says he,
" for
me
to
live
in
the
flesh, will
be
for the
honour of Christ
in
his
churches;
and
I
shall have this
fruit
of
my life,
even
the
furtherance of your
.
faith and
joy
;"
verses
22, 25.
When
we
are encouraging
Christians
to
live
above
the
fear
of
death,
we
represent
to them all the glories
and.