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SECT.
TEE
IiAPPINE$$
OF SEPARA`Il'E
Si'LRITS.
If:
I
were
to.
branch
it into .particulars,
.I
would
game
but
these
three,
viz:
1.
A
great
increase
of
knowledge
without the
ini<xture
of
error.
Q.
A
glorious degree
of
holiness
without
ih.e
mixture
of
.the
least
Con-
stant
peace and
joy without
the
mixture
of
any
sorrow
or uneasiness..
Letuss
con
Sider
them distinctly;
1...A
great increase of
knowledge
withoutthe
mixture
of
error
¡;
and
in
this
sense it
is
perfect
knowledge.
Part
of
the
happiness of spirits
consists
in
contempla-
tion.;
and
the more excellent the
object
is
which
we con
-
template, and
the
more perfect our acquaintance
with it,
the greater
is
our
happiness.
Therefore
the-knowledge
of
God, the
infinite and
eternal
Spirit,
is
the
tree
felicity
of
all
the ranks of created
spirits
in
the
upper and
lower
worlds.
What
unknown and unrivalled beauties are
con
-
tained
in
the
attributes of
leis
nature
!
What
a heavenly
pleasure
it
is,
to
lose ourselves amongst the boundless
perfections
of
his self-sufficiency
and
eternal 'existence,
his
wisdom, his
power,
his
justice,
bis .holiness,
his
good-
ness,
and
his
truth!
And
what
a
divine.harmony amongst
them
all.
How does'.the
philosopher entertain
and feast
.himself
with
daily'discoveries of
new
wonders amongst the works
of
God, and .beholds the
of
the hand
of
his
Creator
on them
all
!
What superior
glories
are
seen'
by
the
in-
quiring christian amongst the
,greater wonders
of
his
grate"
and:he
receives the discovery of-them with
supe-
rior
delight, for
his
eternal
life
is
in
them.
John
xvii.
3.
This
is
lijé eternal,
that
they
might
know
thee
the
only
true
Gorl,.
aaad
Jesus Christ
whom
thou
just
sent.
To
know
the
Father
and
the
Son
according
to the
revelation
which
they have given
of
,themselves in
the gospel,
is
not
only the
way
to obtain
life
eternal,
and
consequently
the
business of the saints
below
;
but
the knowledge
of
this
Seri
and this
Father
in
their
natural
glories,
in
their per-
sonal
characters,
in
their
sublime and mysterious
rela
tions to each
:other,
and
in
their
most
amazing
contri-
vances and
transactions for
the recovery
of
lost sinners,
may
be
matter
'of
the most pleasing
enquiry,'and
delieious
contemplation
to
the
anger
themselves
;
a
'Pet.
1.
12
These'are the
things which
the
angels desire
tò
look into.
And the spirits
of
the
just
-made
perfect
are
ettmployed
in