112 THE WORLD TO COME. Lion of all the inhabitants of the upper world. These are mere common subjects of discourse. But I chose rather at present to consider this word, NIGHT, in its literal sense, and shall endeavour to represent part of the blessedness of the heavenly state under this special description of it. There is no night there. Now, in order to pursue this design, let us take a brief sur. vey of the several evils or inconveniences, which attend the night, or the season of darkness here on earth, and shew how far the heavenly world is removed, and free from all manner of incon- venience of this kind. 1. Though night be the season of sleep, for the relief of nature, and for our refreshment after the labours of the day, yet it is a certain sign of the weakness and weariness of nature, when it wants such refreshments, and such dark seasons of re- lief. But there is no night in heaven. " Say, O ye inhabi- tants of that vital world, are ye ever weary ? Do your natures know any such weakness? Or are your holy labours of such a kind, as to expose you to fatigue, or to the your spirits 1" " The blessed above mount úp towards God as on eagle's wings, they run at the command of God, and are not weary, they walk on the hills of paradise, and never faint," as the prophet Isaiah expresses a vigorous and pleasurable state, chapter xl. 31. There are no such animal bodies in heaven, whose natural springs of action can be exhausted or weakened by the business of the day : There is no flesh and blood there to complain of weariness, and to want rest, O blessed state, where our facul- ties shall be so happily suited to our Work, that we shall never feel ourselves weary of it, nor fatigued by it, And as there is no weariness, so there is no sleeping there. Sleep was not made for the heavenly state. Can the spirits of the just ever sleep under the full blaze of divine glory, under the inces- sant communications of divine love, under the perpetual influ- ences of the grace of God the Father, and of Jesus the Sa- viour, and amidst the inviting confluence of every spring of blessedness. 2. Another inconvenience of night, near a-kin to the for- mer is, that business is interrupted by it, partly for want of light to perform it, as well as for want of strength and spirits to pursue it. This is constantly visible in the successions of la- bour and repose here ou earth ; and the darkness of the night is appointed to interrupt the course of labour, and the business of the day, that nature may be recruited. But the business of hea- ven is never interrupted ; there is everlasting light, and ever- lasting strength. " Say, ye blessed spirits on high, who join in the services which are performed for God and the Lamb there ye who unite all your powers in the worship and homage that is
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