Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

154 THE TRUE DOCTRINE.is in heaven.' In the same way tliat he Avas in heaven at that time, hemay have been in heaven with the penitent thief during the forty daysbetween his death and ascension.78G. " The history of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke xvi.) plainlyteaches that both the righteous and the wicked, at death, pass into sl fixedand eternal abode, where no change is possible. No comment on the passageis necessary. This portion of Scripture has a thousand times beentortured out of its meaning by crrorists of variouskinds, and as often hasits testimony fallen back into the church's healthful stream of sound views.As a sheep, carried away from the fold,returns when set free, so this passagealways comes back again ; for the voice of a stranger it heareth not,nor followeth787. " In the Revelation, John, in his vision, saw the souls of departedmartyrs and saints ^ in heaven,' ^ under the altar,' ^before the throne ofGod,' &c., and in the company of each other, of God, of Christ, and ofangels, in the central and highest heavens, and in that place where thesaints go no more out forever. Let it be remembered, also, that all thisis before the resurrection ; and if the following passages are carefully considered,they will leave no doubt on any candid mind that the saints are,immediately after death, admitted into heaven. To quote them all wouldbe too tedious ; a reference to them is sufficient : Eev. v. G-l-l ; vi. 9-12vii. 9-17; xiv. 1-6; xiv. 12, 13.788. '^ For further proof still the reader is referred to Acts vii. 592 Cor. V. 1-9; Phil. i. 21-24; 2 Tim. iv. 6-9; Eph. iii. 15. In thislast passage, the whole family of Christ is represented to be at two places,in heaven and on earth ; but according to the other theory, there oughtalso to be some in Hades, or the third place.789. ''It may also be remarked that the misery of the wicked commences,according to the Scripture, immediately after death, and beforethe resurrection, and that their condition is unchangeably fixed. This isevident from Luke xvi.;that those who had died impenitent inand also from that passage in Jude where he saysthe destruction of Sodom and Gomorrahwere, at the time he wrote, ' suffering the vengeance of eternalfire.' In like manner it is said of the righteous at death, that they areblessed ' from henceforth ;' and of those who were clothed in white robes,having come up through great tribulation, it is said, therefore are theybefore the throne of God.'790. " These passages arc plain, and it would, in all probability, neverhave been attempted to make them mean any thing different from theirplain sense, were it not for some difficulties, which, it is thought,stood in the way of the doctrine that the souls of the saints pass immediatelyat death into heaven.Let us look at these, and see whether theyare not fancied difficulties, which one glance at the truth ought to remove :791. (1.) "It is said that the soul, in a state of separation from the