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DISCOURSE
IX.
NO
PAIN AMONG
THE
BLESSE714
REV.
XXi.
4.
Neither
shall
there be any
more
pain.
THERE
have been
some divines in
ancient
times, as
well
as in
our present
age,
who suppose this
prophecy
relates
to some
glorious and
happy event
here
on
earth,
wherein
the saints and faithful followers
of
Christ
shall
be
delivered
from the
bondage and miseries to
which they
have been exposed in all
former
ages,
and
shall enjoy
the
blessings-
which these words promise. Among these
writers
some have
placed
this
happy state before
the
re-
surrection
of
the
body
;
others make it to belong to
that
first
resurrection
which
is
spoken
of
in Rev.
xx.
6.
But
let
this prophecy
have
a particular
aspect upon what
earthly period
soever,
yet
all
must
grant
it
is
certainly
true
concerning the heavenly state
;
from whose felici-
ties,
taken
in
the literal
sense,
these figurative expres-
sions are derived
to
foretel
the
happiness
of
any
period
of
the
church
in
this world
;
and
in
this
sense, as
part
of
our
happiness
in heaven,
I
shall
understand the
words
here,
and
propose them
as the
foundation
of
my
present
discourse.
Among
the
many things
that
make this
life
uncomfort-
able, and
render mankind
unhappy here
below,
this
is
one
that
has
a
large
influence, namely,
that
in
this
mortal
state
we
are all liable
to
pain, from which
we
shall
be
perfectly delivered
in
the
life to come.
The
greek word
which
is here
translated
pain,
signifies also toil
and
fa-
tigue and
excessive
labour of the
body, as well as
anguish
and vexation
of
the
spirit
:
But
since in
the
two
other
places
of
the New
Testament
where
it
is
used,
the
word
more
properly
signifies the
pain
of the
body,
I
presume
to
understand it
chiefly in
this sense also
in my
text.
I
need
not
spend
time in
explaining what
pain
is,
to
persons
who dwell
in
flesh
and
blood:
There
is
not
one
of
you
in
this assembly
but
is
better acquainted
with the
nature
of it
by
the
sense
of
feeling,
than it
is
possible for