Inge. vIIL1 A SOUL PREPARED FOR HEAVEN'. 477 for thou hast created all things" for thy pleasure : chapter iv. i 1. " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and strength, glory and bles- sing, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto God, by thy blood, out of every kindred and nation ;" chapter v. 9, 1 ,,2. " Now it is evident that those whose hearts and lips are joyfully fitted to pronounce this holy song, and to join in this harmony, are fitted also for these blessed em- ployments of the heavenly state : And yet at the same time theyabase themselves in the dust of humility, and, with the living creatures, or angels, they fall down before the throne, and with the elders they cast down their crowns at his foot, they confess themselves the sons of earth and dust, and would appear as nothing while God is all :" Rev. iv. 9, 10. and v. 8. Are all the powers of glorified nature in heaven active in the unknown services of God and Christ there ? So the saints are trained up for this service and this activity, here on earth, by diligence and delight in their less noble employments. the inferior labours and duties that provi- dence demands of them here, whereby theyare prepared for more glorious employment on high ; for heaven is no idle or inactive state. Do some of the satisfactions of the heavenly world arise from the " sweet society of the blessed above, their fervent love to each other, their mutual delight in holy converse, the joy that arises in the heart of each upon a survey of the happiness of all the holy and blessed inhabitants ? Does benevolence and goodness of every kind overflow in the heavenly world ?" It is plain that God is trainingup his own children for this blessed- ness, by employing them in this manner while they are below : He is in some measure fitted for this heaven, who can say, " the saints are the excellent of the earth, in whom is all my delight ;" Ps. xvi. S. I love them from my soul, because they love my God, and my Sa- viour. I see the image of the Father, and of Jesus his Son in them, and I cannot but love that image whereso- ever I behold it. I feel myself ready to rejoice when my fellow-christians partake of joy, and I long for that tem- per of mind when I. shall delight myself in the felicity of all my fellow-saints in perfections and shall make their
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