DISC. IX.1 NO PAIN AMONG THF. BLESSED. 501 SECTION II. The second general enquiry was this, " What just and convincing arguments or proofs can be given, that there are no pains or uneasy sensations to be felt by thesaints in a future state, nor to be feared after this life ?" My answers to this question shall be very few ; because I think the thing must be sufficiently evident to those who believe the New Testament, and have liberty to read it. Argument I. " God has assured us so in his word, that there is.no pain for holy souls to endure in the world to come." My text may he esteemed a sufficient proof of it; for whatsoever particular event or period o church on earth this prophecy may refer to, yet the description is borrowed from the blessedness of heaven ; and if there shall be any such state on earth, much more will it beso in the heavenly world,' whereof that period on earth i but a shadow and emblem. We are expressly told, Rev. xiv. 13. in order to encourage the persecuted saints and martyrs, " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth, for they rest from their labours, or pains, and their works follow them ;" that is, in a way of gracious recompence. It is granted indeed by the papists themselves, that in heaven there is no pain ; yet they suppose there are many and grievous pains for the soul to undergo -in a place called purgatory, after the death of the body, be- fore it arrives at heaven. But give me leave to ask, does not St. Paul express himself with confidence concerning himself and his fel- low-christians" that they shall be present with the Lord when they are absent from the body," 2 GOY'. v. 8. Surely the state wherein Christ our Lord dwells after all his sufferings and agonies, is a state of everlasting ease without suffering ; and shall not his followers dwell with him? Do we not read in theparable of our Saviour, Luke xvi. 22. that " Lazarus was no sooner dead, but his soul was carried by angels into the bosom óf Abra- ham, or paradise ?" Every holy soul, wherein the work of grace is begun, and sin hath received its Mortal wound, is perfectly sanctified when it is released from this body; and it puts off the body of sin and the bodyof flesh toge- ther, " for nothing that defileth must enter into paradises or the heavenly state, Rev. xxi. 27. K.3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=