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THE HAPPINESS
OF
SEPARATE SPIRITS.
tDISC.
II.
Paul
was
of
this
opinion.
However, this
we
are sure
of,
that
a
sanctified soul
released
from the body,
shall
be
made
free from
every
sin,
and
its
absence from
flesh
and
the
world have
a
large,
if
not
a sufficient influence to
effect this
freedom.
And
if
.we
should
grant
it,
that
a soul
just
dismissed
from
this world
is
not
perfectly sanctified
by
the mere
influence
of
this release
;
yet this perfection
is
suffici-
ently secured
by
its
dismission from
flesh
;
for when
absent
from
the
body;
it
is
present
with the
Lord
:
And
this leads
me to the
next particular,
viz.
IV. At
death
the spirits
of
the
just
released from
bodies,
enter into another
state,
a
different world,
were
they
have
a
thousand advantages for improvement in
knowledge, and advances in holiness
and
joy,
vastly
beyond what
any thing
in this world could
furnish them
with.
They
see
God,
and
are
for
ever
with him.
They be-
told,
him
face
to face, as
I have before
explained
it,
in
a
more
immediate and intuitive
manner;
and doubtless
such a
sight
fills
the
spirit
with
a clearer
and
brighter
idea
of
the
nature
and
attributes
of
God, than all the
former
lessons
it had
learned
in
the
books
of nature and
of
scripture
could
ever
give it.
They
see
our
Lord Jesus
Christ,
our
glorified Saviour,
in such
a way and
manner
as
glorified
separate
spirits can
converse
with
spirits imbodied
;
and one such
view as this
will
perhaps
lead
us
into more
intimate acquaintance
with
his human
nature
and
his
united
godhead,
than many
years
of
converse
with him
by
all the mediums
of
ordi-
nances,
those
divine glasses
wherein
we see
him darkly,
as
the apostle
sneaks,
and
whereby
God
and Christ
re-
present
and manifest themselves to saints on earth.
And
as
our'
knowledge shall receive immense
and
surprizing improvements
by
these
new
methods
of
dis-
covery, so
I
think
it
shall
in
due
proportion
advance
our
holiness
or
conformity
to
God the Father,
and
his
brightest
image
Christ Jesus
:
for
we
cannot
behold them
in
suet)
a
manner without
a
glorious
transformation
into
their
likeness,
as
I
have hinted already.
When
a
soul,
that
bath
a
new
nature
given
it
by
sancti-
fying grace,
is
placed
in
the immediate
view
and
pre-
sence of God
the
most
holy,
it
will
ever
be
growing
into
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