And therefore an eternal and
everlasting heaven, as eternal as goodness and as eternal as God
himself; and if we are living in it, we have all we need. But we may
begin to live in it here. To what particular place our souls go
after death, Scripture does not tell us, and we need not know. To
what particular place our souls and bodies go after the resurrection,
Scripture tells us not, and we need not know. But this Scripture
tells us, and that is enough for us, that they will be in heavenly
places, in the presence of Christ and of God. And this Scripture
tells us--and indeed our own conscience and reason tell us likewise--
that though death may alter our place, it cannot alter our character;
though it may alter the circumstances round us, it cannot alter
ourselves. If we have been good and pure before death, we shall be
good and pure after death. If we have been led and inspired by God's
Spirit before death, so shall we be after death. If we have been in
heavenly places before death, thinking heavenly thoughts, feeling
heavenly feelings, and doing heavenly deeds, then we shall be in
heavenly places after death; for we shall have with us the Spirit of
God, whose presence is heaven; and as long as we are holy, good,
pure, unselfish, just, and merciful, we may be persuaded, with St.
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