390 HAPPINESS 01 SEPARATE SPIRITS. bave been trained up in them with peculiar delight-for forty or fifty years, and devoted most of their time to these blessed con- templations, have surely gained some advantage by it, some pe- culiar fitness to receive the heavenly illuminations of these mys- teries above their fellow-spirits. There is also the soul of an ancient Eusebius, (g) and the latter'spiritsof an Usher (h) and a Burnet, (i) who have enter- tained themselves and the world with the sacred histories of the church, and the wonders of divine providence, in itspreservation and recovery. There is- a Tillotson, (k) that has cultivated the . subjects of holiness, peace; and ¡eve, by his penand his practice : There is a Baxter, (l) that has wrought hard for an 'end-of eon- troversies, and laboured with much zeal for the conversion of souls, though-with much more success in the last than in the first. Now though all the spirits in heaven enjoy the general hap- piness of the love Of God and Christ; and the pleasurable review of providence ; yet may we not suppose these spirits have some specialcircumstances of sacred pleasure, suited to their labours and studies in their stateof trial on earth ? For the church on earth is bnt a training-school for the church on 'high, and as it were atiring-room in which we are drest in proper habits for our appearance andour places in that bright assembly. But some will reprove me here, and say, what must none but ministers,` and authors, and learned men have'their distiñ- guished-rewards and glories in the world óf spirits? May not ar- tificers, and traders, and pious women be fitted by their character 'and conduct on earth for peculiar stations and employments in heaven ? Yes doubtless, theirzeal for the honour of God, their fervent love to Christ, their patience' under ling trials, and the varietyOf their graces . exercised according to their stations on earth, may render them .peculiarly fitted for special rewards on high': The Wisdom of God 'will not be at a'loss 'to find out distinguishing pleasures to recomponce them all ; though where the-very station andbusiness of this life -is such as makes a nearer approach to the blessedness and business of heaven, it is much easier for us to guess at the nature of that future !ecompence. -Let me ask, my' own soul then, " soul what art thou busy (g) husebius, one pf the fathers of the ehristian church, who wrote the his- torypf the primitive ages of Christianity. (h) Dr. JohnUsher, in the last century, archbishop of Armagh, whose chro- nological writingsAnd. his piety, have rendered his name honourable in- the world. (i) Dr. Gilbert Burnet,late bishop of Salisbury, whose oeriotís religion and zeal to promote it among the clergy, made him almost as famous as his History of theEnglish Reformation. (k) The names; of Dr. John Tillotson, late archbishop ofjCanterbury ; and of (I) Mr. Richard Baxter, a divine of great- note among the protestant dis- oenters, -need no further paraphrase tamake them known,
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