39# IIArrrxrgS Òr SEPARATE SPIRITS. beholdinghim face toface; 1 Cor. xiii. 12. bybeing present with the Lord; 2 Cor. v. 8. by being where Christ is to behold his glory; John xvii. 24. Sometimes the saints above are said to serve idea as his servants ; Rev. xxii. 3. Sometimes they are represented as worshipping before the throne, as being fed with the fruits of the tree of life, and drinking the living fountains of water; Rev. vii. 15, 17: and xxii. 1, 2. and let it be noted that twelve manneroffruits grew on this tree, and they were new every month also. Sometimes they are held forth to us as singing new song to God, and to the Lamb ; Rev. xiv. 3: And at ano- ther time theyare described as wearing a crown of righteousness and glory, of sitting on the throneof Christ, ofreignimg fòr ever and ever, and ruling the nations with a rodofiron ; 2 Tim. iv. 8: 1 Pet. v. 4. Rev. xxii. 5. Rev. ii. 26, 27. And in another place our happiness is representedas sitting down withAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven ; Mat. viii. 11. Now surely this rich variety of language, whereby the heavenly state is proposed to us in scripture; must intend a variety of entertain- ments and employments, that may in some measure answer the glory of such expressions. It is not only the powers of our un- derstanding that shall be regaled and feasted in those happy regions with the blissful visionof God andChrist, but our active powers shall doubtless have their proper entertainments too. When angels are so variously and delightfully employed in ser- vice for God) in his several known and unknown worlds, we cannot suppose the spirits of just men shall be eternally confined to a sedentary state of inactive contemplation. Contemplation indeed is a noble pleasure, and the joy of it rises high when it is fixed on the sublimest objects, and when the faculties are all exalted and refined. But surely such a sight of God and our dear Redeemer as we shallenjoy above, will awaken and animateall the active and sprightly powers of the soul, and set all the springs of love and zeal at work in the mostillustrious instances of unknown and glorious duty. I confessheaven is described as a place of rest, that is, rest. from sin and sorrow, rest from pain and weariness, rest from all the toilsome labours and conflicts that we endure in a state of trial ; but it cannever be such a rest as lays all our active powers asleep, or renders them useless in such a vital and active world. It would diminish the happiness of the saints in glory to be un- employed there. Those spiritswho have tasted unknown delight and satisfaction in many long seasons ofdevotion, and in athou- sand'painful services for their blessed Lord on earth, canhardly bear the thoughts of paying no active duties, doing no work at all for him in heaven; where business is all over delight, and labour is all enjoyment. Surely his servantsshall serve him there, as well as worship him. They shall serve him perhaps as
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