be benefited by it. Their whole pursuits on which alone they were used to depend for happiness, will be gone, never again to be enjoyed; the reflection, that by a different conduct they too might have received the favour of heaven, will contribute to render them doubly miserable. While the good are anticipating far greater capacity for happiness by the reunion of their souls with bodies, and also a change of place which will afford them increased opportunities of delightful employments—the bad must, on the contrary, view their next change of state only as introducing them to new torment, adding bodily to mental pain. These thoughts, and the anticipated consequences of the judgment, without a trial or condemnation by a special sentence, will account for separate souls suffering torment in Hades; and such effects of their by-past lives cannot be viewed in the light of punishments inflicted on them, more than a man's own conscience is on earth from the moment that sin has been committed. In the disembodied state, however, there can be no doubt that conscience will exercise far more power, and will be more attended to, than often occurs here on earth, where dissipation and worldly employments contribute to make us indifferent to its remonstrances. "That there is, in a lower degree, a reward for the righteous, and a punishment of the wicked in the state intervening between death and the resurrection, is no more repugnant to the divine perfections" (in Dr. Campbell's opinion) "than that there should be (as in the course of Providence there often are) manifest recompences of eminent virtues, and of enormous crimes, in the present world. Add to this, that Josephus, in the account he gives of the opinions of the Pharisees, or those Jews who believed in a future state, mentions expressly the rewards of the virtuous, and the punishments of the vicious in Hades." It is not, however, so proper or natural to view these as of the nature of direct rewards or punishments, farther than as what must arise from remembrances, from hopes and fears; for otherwise it would not be altogether consistent with our trial and sentence being delayed till the last day, belleve that we should be previously rewarded or punishe. The fines with which the soul of Dives was said to be urmented, are held by the Roman Church, and by some inter Chrstans, as really some kind of fire, although they aim.t mat they cannot comprehend how flames can have my suca effect upon spirits, which they could neither conBuse but even search. It should also be considered, that in samman insure, we still speak of being tormented with zie fames zf Love, of patriotism; and of burning with rewenge: if demg commed by hate, care, &c. without inanding a refer to any real burning or visible flames whatAs to whether there shall be actual flames in the lake off, as the Scripture sometimes terms the hell of eternal pustment, tus is quite a different inquiry; but it will be remembered that it mates are to have material, though mmra kodes. Whatever terms may be applied to the Jums re pleasures in the middle state, it is perfectly clear, that they cannot be called the punishments or rewards which are to be distributed in the eternal state after the day of ipärmeni. The entrance of souls into the middle states, and the assigning to each its place there, is but a private affair, in comparison with that of the public retributions of vice and virtue, which will be exhibited before all who have ever lived in the world when the last day bursts upon us. Then will be awarded those punishments and rewards denounced and promised, and we shall receive them in both parts of our nature at the same time. Since this last state belongs to the body as well as the soul, it is very properly set before us now as more prominent than the other, and more capable therefore of making an impression on us than the notion of mere spiritual things, from whatever resulting. CHAPTER XII. An Inquiry into the probable employments and sources of pleasure in our future states of being; but principally in reference to the expected joys of that heaven, into which the redeemed of God shall ascend after the resurrection and judgment, to remain there for ever. Enrich me with a knowledge of thy works. Snatch me to heaven; and show thy wonders there, World beyond world, in infinite extent, Profusely scatter'd o'er the blue immense."-THOMSON. "What if earth Be but the shadow of heaven, and things therein It is not absolutely necessary for us to be acquainted, while in this world, with the real nature of the pleasures which the blessed shall enjoy in heaven, but it may nevertheless be of very great consequence to have more just and true notions of the heavenly state and its pleasures, than what are generally entertained; especially as they are believed by many to be at direct variance with all our present notions of happiness, for no pleasure of any kind which we know of on earth would continue so, if never varying, and uninterruptedly pursued for ever. It may not be necessary to have any previous knowledge of a distant land in which we are at a future time to reside, but there are few who would not be ex tremely anxious to learn, before-hand, all that they could discover relative to it. It is not necessary that we should be aware how we shall spend the next year of our life on earth, if we shall live so long, but it would be esteemed by all most interesting information. How then can it be said, as it has been urged against this inquiry as to heavenly joys and employments, that the manner in which we shall be there made happy, is at present of no moment, because it is not also necessary? The investigation is very far from useless or unprofitable, for its result may establish in our minds more correct ideas,—may inspire us with a more ardent devotion,-a more anxious endeavour to obtain what we may be led to anticipate.* We shall be following the advice given us to set our affections on things above, more than on those of this world, and it would indeed be a strange interpretation of this advice, to understand it to mean, that we should be careless of what those pleasures and rewards are to consist in until they be experienced. Let us then endeavour to contemplate for a while the scenes beyond the resurrection-beyond the disembodied state-and gaze in idea into the bright regions of eternal day, which we hope then to enter;—where, not only free from care, but in possession of unalloyed pleasure, and engaged in delightful and sublime employments, we shall forget our transient cares in this world. Let us try if we— "Can look to heaven with more than mortal eyes, Nothing can be more vague and undefined than the ideas commonly imagined of the heaven where we are to enjoy our eternal reward, and although it was written before the The London newspapers lately reported the examination of an infidel butcher, at one of the courts of justice there; who, in reference to the Christian heaven, declared he had no wish to go to such a place, as he understood its happiness only to consist in sitting or standing on clouds and singing psalms for ever! Some devout Christians have scarce more extended ideas of heavenly delights. time of our Saviour-that eye had not seen, nor ear heard, neither had it entered into the heart of man to conceive the happiness prepared for those who love him-yet the gradually increasing knowledge which the great Author of nature is pleased to be continually bestowing upon us, may not, in our enlightened days, render these words so applicable as they once were, when men knew little or nothing of the true system of the visible universe, and when philosophy cared little for inquiring into the natural appearances around us. St. Paul tells us, too, that the Holy Spirit had revealed to the Apostles the things prepared for the blest,* and therefore the great ignorance regarding them which he alludes to, as previously existing, did not extend beyond his time, but what he speaks of as being "written," is sometimes still quoted to show that man can know nothing about them. It must be admitted that we can only conjecture on many things relative to heaven; at the same time that, founding strictly upon revealed truths, and, in further illustration, calling to our aid those sublime discoveries which modern learning has traced out and observed among the works of God, we may perhaps be enabled to form more reasonable conjectures than even some of the learned might at first be disposed to allow could be done; and far beyond what would ever enter into the imaginations of the vulgar. The reality will unquestionably greatly exceed what we can at present conceive, but more can be fairly deduced from direct revelation in the sacred writings than is commonly supposed. In Mr. Dick's Philosophy of a Future State, he observes: "We are assured that the foundation of this felicity to be enjoyed in that world, rests on the absence of every evil, and the attainment of every perfection-that the principle of depravity must be destroyed, and the affections purified and refined before we can enjoy the inheritance of the saints in light.' These are principles which are clearly exhibited in the Scriptures, which are accordant to the dic * 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. |