When a child of God is released from the body, he is freed from the remains of depravity, and form this native bias to evil, and according to his nature, made perfect in holiness. His reason is retained; yea, his rational capacity is enlarged; and those who are associated with the blessed inhabitants of the upper world, doubtless enjoy better means of information than are to be found on earth.
Some indeed, have fancied, that soul and body sleep together from the epoch of death till the resurrection. That during that term, the soul is chained down in a state of insensibility! That the happiness of the saints, during the intermediate term, is no other than a sleep without dreams—a temporary nonexistence! Strange!
The thoughts of death would make the good man tremble, did he conceive such to be its nature. Here he is compassed with infirmity, and groans, being burdened. But such an existence, which capacitates him to do somewhat to honor God, and benefit man, is preferable to a suspension of existence.
Suspension of existence! What is a suspension of existence, but a temporary annihilation!—A complete solecism! From such a state there could be no resurrection. There could be only another creation, which must constitute not the same, but another creature. The idea of a suspension of existence, is scarcely supportable; and the reality of it contradicted by every part of revelation.
Death is represented in the Scriptures, as a separation of soul and body; not as their sleeping together. "Thou changest his countenance, sendeth him away;" is a description of death drawn by Job—which answers to that given of Rachel's—
"As her soul was departing, for she died." And a resurrection is represented as a return of the soul to the body from which it had been seperated: As of the widow's son whom Elijah raised from the dead —"And the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." The language of the New Testament is the same. "This day thou shalt be fellow sufferer on the cross, whose body was the same day committed to the grave." St. Paul "had a desire to depart and to be with Christ," which he opposed to abiding in the flesh. If soul and body sleep together in the grave, he would have been no sooner with Christ. than though he had lived here till the resurrection. When St. John was indulged a sight of heaven, he saw the souls of the martyrs who had been slain before that period, and heard them crying for vengeance on the murderers who were yet living on earth. [89]
The Scriptures are so explicit respecting the state of the dead, that a suspicion that they remain senseless while their bodies moulder in the dust, appears strange. The righteous dead certainly rejoice in God's presence and are associated with fellow saints. The Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, feed them, and leads them "to fountains of living waters; and God wipes away all tears from their eyes."
Neither do they remain inactive—"They serve God day and night —in his temple," some may say. God's temple may here mean the universe, that vast temple which he hath built in every part of which his saints may serve him. [90]
Surely the glorified spirit is not confined to a single apartment in the house of God, and not suffered to go abroad, and see his glory, and the exercise of his perfections in the works of creation and providence! Were such his situation, it would differ little from that of the delinquent who is confined to his cell, or prison. Such cannot be the state of a glorified soul—of a soul released from a body, which while on trial, served as a clog to restrain the servant, and prevent him from quitting the station, in which he had been placed, or leaving the work assigned him. It cannot be the state of one sanctified throughout; of one raised above temptation, either to stray into devious paths, or be slothful in the service of his God.
Much of our felicity here ariseth from a contemplation of the works of creation and providence. In these we see divine wisdom and goodness; learn to know God; to fear and love him. The good man carries this disposition with him when he exchangeth worlds; his desire of knowledge, and especially the knowledge of God, and the works and ways of God. And is there not reason to believe that glorified saints have power and liberty to range among the works of the all perfect Sovereign; trace the evidences of the divine perfections, and witness their effects, and that this is one source of their happiness?