SEÇT. III.) THE HAPPINESS OPSEPARATE SPIRITS. 407 and there may be some inimitable and transporting mo- dulations of divine praise, without the material instru- ments of string or wind. The soul itself by some philo- sophers is said to be mere harmony; and surely then it will not wait for it till the body be raised fren the dust, nor live so long destitute of all melodious joys, or of that spiritual pleasure which shall supply the place of melody, till our organs of sense shall be restored to us again. But is all heaven made up of praises ? Is there no prayer there ? Let us consider a little : What is prayer, but the desire of a created spirit in an humble manner made known to its Creator? Does not every saint above desire to knew God,. to love and serve him, to be em- ployed for his honour, and to enjoy the eternal continu- ance of his love and its own felicity ? May not each happy spirit in heaven exert these desires in a way of solemn address to the divine Majesty? May not the happy soul acknowledge its dependance in this manner ,upon its Father and its God ? Is there no place in the heart of a glorified saint for such humble addresses as these? Does not every separate spirit there look and long for the resurrection, when it is certain that embodied spirits on earth who have " received the first fruits of grace and glory groan within themselves, waiting for the redemption of the body, ?" Rom. viii. 23. And may we not suppose each holy soul sending a sacred and fervent wish after this glorious day, and lifting up a desire to its God about it, though without the uneasiness of a sigh or agroan ? May it not under the influence of divine love breathe out the requests of its heart, and the expressions of its zeal for the glory and kingdom of Christ ? May not the church above join with the churches below in this language, Father, "thy kingdom come, thy will bedone on earth as it is in heaven ?" Are not the souls of the martyrs that were slain, represented to us under the altar, crying with a loud voice, " how long, O Lord, holy and true ?" Rev. vi. 9, 10. This loóks like the voice of prayer in heaven. Perhaps you will suppose there is no such service as hearing sermons, that there is no attendance upon the word of God there. But are we sure there are no such ,entertainments ? Are there no lectures of divine wisdom änd grace given to the younger spirits there, by 9D4
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