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THE HAPPINESS
OF
SEPARATE
SPIRITS.
DISC.
rr.
dencv
over inferior
ranks
of happy spirits,
may shine
bright
amongst them
as
the
morning -star, and
lead on
their
holy
armies to celestial works
of
worship.
The
scripture itself
gives us
a
hint of
such
employments
in
the angelic
world, and
such
presidencies
over some parts
of
our world,
or
of their own.
Do
we not read
of Ga-
briel
and
Michael,
and their management of
the
affairs
of
Persia, and
Greece,
and
Judah,
in
the
book
of Daniel?
And
it
is
an
intimation
of
the same hierarchy, when
some
superior angel
led
on
a
multitude of
the heavenly host
to sing an hymn
of
praise
at
Bethlehem,
when the
Son
of
God
was
born there
;
Luke
ii.
9.
13.
Now if
angels
are thus dignified,
may
not human spirits
unbodied
have
the
same office?
Our
Saviour, when he
rewards
the faithful
servant that had
"gained
ten pounds, bids
him
take
authority
over
ten
cities
;
and he
that
had gained
five,
had
five
cities
under
his
government
;"
Luke xix.
17,
&c.
So
that
this
is
not
a
mere
random
thought,
or
a
wild invention of
fancy,
but
patronised
by
the word of
God.
Among the
pleasures and
engagements
of
the
upper
worlds, there
shall be always
something new and enter-
taining
;
for
the works and the dominions of God
are
vast beyond
all
our
comprehension.
And
what
a
per
-
petual
change, what
a
glorious
but
improving
rotation
of
businesses and
joys
shall
succeed
one
another through
the
ages
of
eternity,
we shall
never
know
till
we come
amongst them. This thought
leads me to
the
last
particu-
lar,
viz.
IV. The
perfection which the blessed spirits
enjoy,
gives
room
for
large additions and continual improve.
ment.
Their knowledge
and
their
joy
may
be
called perfect,
because
there
is
no
mixture of
error
or sorrow
with
it;
and
because
it
is
sufficient every
moment
for
the
satis-
faction of present desires, without an
uneasiness
of
mind.
But
it may be
doubted whether
any
creature
ever was,
or ever
will be so
perfect,
that
it is
not
capable
cf
addi-
tion
or growth
in
any
excellency or enjoyment.
The
man Christ
Jesus,
in
his
present
glorified
state,
has not
such
a
perfection
as
this. FIe waits
daily to see
his
Father's
promises fulfilled
to
him
;
he waits
"
till
all
things
are
put
under him, and
his
enemies be made
his