DISCOURSE I.X. 181 yet_ that new- raised body shall have neither any Springs of pain in it, nor be capable of giving anguish or uneasiness to the in- dwelling spirit for ever. 2. Another evil which attends on pain is this, that " it so indisposes our nature as often to unfit us for the businesses and duties of the present state." With how much coldness and in. differency do we go about our daily work, and perform it too with many interruptions, when nature is burdened with continual pain, and the vital springs of action are overborne with perpetual uneasiness ? What a listlessness do we find to many of the du- ties of religion at such a season, unless it be to run more frequently to the throne of God, and pour out our groanings and our com- plaints there? Groanings and cries are the language of na- ture, and the children of God address themselves in this lan- guage to their heavenly Father : Blessed be the name of our 'gracious God, who hears every secret sigh; who is acquainted with the sense of every groan, while we mourn before him and make our complaints to him, that we cannot worship him, nor work for him as we would do, because of the anguish and mala- dies of nature. And what an indisposition and backwardness do we feel in ourselves to fulfil many of the duties towards our fellow -crea- tures while we ourselves are under present smart and anguish ? Pain will sa sensibly affect self as to draw off all our thoughts thither, and centre them there, that we cannot so much em- ploy our cares and our active powers for the benefit of our .neighbours : . It abates our concern for our friends, and while it awakens the spirit within us into keen sensations, it takes awany the activity of the man that feels it from almost all the ser- vicee of human life. When human nature bears so much it can act but little. But what a blessed state will that be, when we shall never feel this indisposition to duties, either human or divine, through W any uneasiness of the body ? hen we shall never more be sub - ject to any uneasiness of the body ? When we shall never more be subject to any of these painful impediments, but for ever cast off all those clogs and burdens which fetter the active powers of the soul ? Then we shall be joyfully employed in such unknown and glorious services to God our Father, and to the blessed Je- sus, as require much superior capacities to what we here possess, and shall find no weakness, no weariness, no pain throughout all the years of our immortality ; Rev. vii. 15, None of the blessed above are at rest or idle, either day or night, but they serve him in his temple, and never cease. And chapter. iv. 8. no faintness, no languors are known there. The inhabitants of that land shall not say, 1 am sick : Everlasting vigour, cheer- At .
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