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

THE TRUE DOCTRINE. 155body, cannot be in the same state, nor properly in the same place, as itwill be after the resurrection ; and as heaven is to be the eternal abode ofthe saints after the resurrection, it cannot be a proper abode for thembefore. This objection has, however, no force. There is, for instance, inthis world, a great difference between a person in childhood and old age,yea, before he is born and after, or between his sleeping and waking state;and yet he is in all these in the same world, in the same place, and is thesame person. The state and condition of the Saviour differs widely fromthat of any saint or angel, and yet both arc in heaven. So angels andhuman spirits differ, and yet both arc in one company and in one place.So in heaven the condition of the saintsbefore and after the resurrectionmay differ much, and yet they may be, in both cases, in the same place.792. ^'(2.) The saints cannot enter heaven, it is said, before they arejudged; and as the day of judgment is represented to be after the resurrection,the saints cannot enter heaven until after that, and consequentlynot immediately at death. "VYe may, however, consider, as is generallydone, that the day of judgment is only a public and final consummation ofthe decision of man's destiny. Although God can, and no doubt, does,for himself, judge and decide for each one when he dies, yet it seems necessaryfor the glorious praise of his justice and righteousness that allother intelligences should see the propriety of his decision. This is necessary,that every mouth may be stopped ;appointed a day in the which he willthat man whom he has ordained.and in order to do this he hasjudge the world in righteousness by793. ^^ (3.) It is also said that the condition of many is represented inthat day to be undecided. Thus many are said to be disappointed;coming to be judged, they find that their expectations of heaven are vain,and they say, ^ Have we not prophesied, cast out devils, and done manywonderful works in Thy name V Now it is said that if these persons hadbeen in a fixed state before, they could not have been in doubt on thismatter. The force of this objection is only apparent. The representationsof the judgment are after the manner of men, and consequently ourconceptions of it must be more or less according to what we are accustomedto see on earth. The Saviour is warning his hearers not to delaypreparation for death; and, in order to impress his solemn exhortation,tells them that many will find themselves disappointed in their expectationsin reference to the final decision of their judge, and that their hopesof heaven, being built on the sand, will fail at last. It does no more exclusivelyrefer to that day than the many warnings to prepare to meet theSon of Man refer to the time of his second coming. He is always coming,and to prepare for death is to prepare to meet him. So to find ourselvesdeceived at the day of death is the same as to find ourselves deceived atthe day of judgment,794. " (-4.) Again, it is said that in some cases the full effects and