HÁPPINItS' OF strAtASË srtntis; Luke xx. 37, 38. nor haveproved the doctrine of the resnrrec' lion from the doctrine of the separate state of souls : -It is as if lie had said, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are dead long ago; but God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still. Now God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living; there+ fore the souls of those patriarchs are yet alive, for they all live to God in the separate state, and they shall appear in their com- plete human nature, soul and body, at the resurrection. This is the language and the force of our Saviour's argument,andthere- fore Imust believe the soul of Abraham is alive now When Jesus promises the penitent thief upon the cross. Luke xxiii. 43. This day shalt thou be with. me in paradise ; can we persuade- ourselves that he intended no more than that the thief should be with him in the grave, or in a state of indolence and insensibility? Does he not assure him in these words, that there is a state of happiness.for spirits dismissed from the body, whither the soul of our Lord Jesuswas going,, and where the dying penitent should find him ? Sowhen the-infidelJews stoned Stephen thefirst martyr, Acts vii. 59. whilehe expressed his faith and hope in these words, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit : was this spirit of his tobe laid asleep till the resurrection ? Can we sup- pose the dying saint would have made such a request upon so lethargic a principle, and in the viewof such a stupid state.? No, surely ; for he expected, and desired, and prayed to be received todwell where Christ is, and to behold that glory which he had a glimpse of in the agonies of death. Would the apostle Paul have been so willing to be absent from the body, where he did much service for his Saviour, if he hadnot a joyful view of being present with the Lord G As he ex- presses it, 2Cor. v. 8. What Bothhe mean by this blessed lan- guage of presence with the Lord, if his soul was to lie asleep in a senseless and inactive state till the second coming of Jesus ? Or would he have told the Philippians, chap i. verse 23. that he hada desire todepart, and to be withChrist, which is far better, if he had hoped for no advantage for his spirit by it but a, mere stupid indolence and rest in the silent grave ? Besides, we are told of rebellious spirits that are in prison; I Pet. iii. 19, 20. and of Sodom and Gomorrahsuffering the ven- geance of eternal fire; Jude, verse 7. Whether this be material fire, ormerely a metaphor to express torment, is not necessary to enquirehere : But surely we can never imagine that the justice of God has provided the prison of hell and fiery torments for the souls of the wicked, separate frombodies, andyet that the mercy and goodness of God has provided no heaven of happiness for the spirits of those that have loved, honoured and obeyed him all the days they dwelt in the flesh. There is then, there is certainly a state of happiness prepared for holy souls immedir- ately after death.
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