515 / 674
DISC.
ix.]
NO PAIN
AMONG
THE
$LESSER.
495
complaints
to'him,
that wecannot
worship
him,
nor
work
for
him as
we
would do,
because
of
the anguish.and ma-
ladies
of
nature:
And what an indisposition and backwardness
do
we
feel
in
ourselves
to
fulfil
many
of the
duties towards
our
fellow-
creatures
while
we
ourselves
are under present
smart
and anguish?
Pain
will so
sensibly affect
self
as
to
draw off
all
our
thoughts thither, and
centre
them
there,
that
we
cannotso
much employ
our
cares and
our active
powers for the benefit
of
oi;r
neighbours:
It
abates
our
concern
for our friends, and
while
it
awakens
the
spirit
within
us
into keen sensations, it takes
away the activity
of
the
man
that
feels
it
from
almost
all the services
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
di-
vine,
through any
uneasiness
of
the
body
?
When
we
shall
never more
be
subject to
any
of
these painful
impe-
diments,
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
ser-
vices
to
God our Father, and to
the blessed
Jesus,
as
re-
quire
much
superior
capacities
to
what
we
here
possess,
and shall
find
no weakness, noweariness, no pain
through-
out
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,
I
am
'sick
Everlasting
vigour,
chearfulness and ease shall
render
every blessed soul
for ever zealous and active in obedi-
ence, as the angels
are
in
heaven.
3.
"
Pain
unfits
us
for the enjoyments
of
life, as
well
as
for
the
labours
and duties
of
it."
It
takes
away
all
the
pleasing satisfactions
which
might attend
our circum-
stances, and
renders
the objects
of
them insipid
and un-
relishing.
What
pleasure
can
a
rich
man
take
in
all
the
affluence
of
earthly
blessings
around
him, while
some
painful
distemper holds
him
upon
the rack,
and distresses
hint
with the
torture
?
How
little delight
can
he find in
meats
or drinks
which
are
prepaired
for luxury,when
sharp
pain
calls all his
attention
to the diseased
part? What