The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 596

LOVE

556 bodies something of

greater and

still

essentially belongs to the tional

first

more sacred importance, which

Christian congregation.

Interna-

intercommunication was to be developed gradually

translation of the

Word

of

God

the

;

into the languages of the world for

the universal preaching of the Gospel would occupy

many

centu-

Even now it is not universal; and only in heaven, after the judgment, the anthem shall rise to the Blessed Trinity from all peoples and tongues. And yet, while this was tarrying, and the Church of the New Testament was just beginning to manifest itself, it pleased God on Pentecost, by the miracle of tongues, to make men listen to the glorious message which came from the lips of the apostles, to every one in his own language. And the same is true with reference to the communion of goods. Even this shall ries.

one day be a reality.

for

the mutual

sin

Heaven's outward, visible goods shall be enjoyment of all the redeemed. But, by reason of

and present limitations,

this is

now

In Paradise pri-

impossible.

Adam nor Eve had anything that did not belong to the other. The whole garden was theirs and its possession mutual. Division took place only after the breach had come, and will continue so long as the breach shall last. But as on Pentecost the miracle of tongues was the prophecy, manifestation, and incipient realization of what before the Throne of the Lamb shall be a glorious, universal reality, so was the communion of goods the prophecy, manifestation, and incipient realization of what shall be the communion of external gifts in the vate possession

was out

of the question.

Neither

heavenly glory.

There

is

not only an immortality of the soul, but also a resur-

rection of the body.

Wherefore the glory of the

New

Jerusalem

may

not be presented as consisting only in the spiritual and invis-

ible.

Heaven exists, and in that heaven Christ sits upon the throne body which the Father has prepared for Him. The Father's

in the

house

when

is

not a

fiction,

but a real city with

many mansions and ;

the glory shall have come, after the great and notable day of

the Lord, the felicity of God's children shall be not only a spiritual delight, but also the

beauty.

As

enjoyment

of

outward and

visible glory

and

there were in Eden, so there will be in heaven, exter-

when he walk in his glorified body. And, since body and soul in perfect and indissoluble union shall work upon each other in a harmonious manner, the communion of saints must have two sides: a

nal goods in relation to man's external bodily appearance, shall

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