545 / 674
Dts.c.
IX./
NO
PAIN
AMONG T'HE
XLESSET}.
525
tree
of
life,
and
with
unknown entertainments
suited.
to a glorified state.
He
shall lead them
to living
fountains
of
waters,
and
God
shall
wipe away all
tears
from
their
eyes
;"
Rev.
vii. 16,
17.
Thus
I
have
set
before you
the practical
lessons which
pain
is
designed to teach
us in
our
present.
state and
we
find
that
a body
subject
to
maladies
and
pains,
is
a
well-
appointed school, wherein
our great Master
gives
us
these divine
instructions, and trains
us
up
by
degreesjor
the heavenly world.
It
is
rough discipline indeed for
the
flesh,
but
it
is
wholesome
for
the
soul
:
And there
is
many a
christian here
on
earth
that
have been made
to
confess,
they had never learned the
practice
of
some
of
these virtues,
if
they
had
not
been
taught
by
such
sort
of
discipline.
Pain,
which
was
brought into human
nature
by
sin,
is happily suited
by
the providence
of
God to
such a
state
of
probation,
wherein
creatures born
in
the
midst
of
sins
and
sorrows
are
by
degrees
recovered
to
the
love
of
God
and. holiness,
and fitted for the world
of
peace and
joy.
But when
we
have
done
with this
world, and departed:
from
the tribes
of
mortal
men,
and
from all
the scenes
of
allurement and temptation, there
is
no
more need
that
such
lessons should
be
taught
us in
heaven,
nor
any
pain-
ful
scourge made
use
of
by
the
Father of
spirits, to
carry
_on,
or
to
maintain the
divine work
of
holiness and grace:
within
us.
Let
us
survey
this
matter
according
to
the
foregoing
particulars.
Is
it
possible
that
while
the
blessed
above
are
sur-
rounded
with endless
satisfactions
flowing
from
the
throne
of God and
the Lamb, they should
forget their bene-
factor,
and
neglect
his
praises
?
Is
it
possible they
should
dwell
in
immortal health and ease without
interruption,,
under the
constant
vital-
influences
of
the
king
of
glory,
and
yet want
gratitude
to
the
spring
of
all
their
bles-
sings
?
Nor
is
there
any need for the inhabitants
of
a world,
where no
pains
nor
sorrows
are
found,
"
to
learn
corn
passion
and sympathy to those
who suffer,"
for
there are
no
sufferers
there:
But
love
and joy, intense and
inti-
mate
love,
and
a
harmony
of
joy
runs through
all
that
blessed
company,
and unites them
in
an universal
sym-
pathy,
if
I may
so
express
it,
or.blissful sensation
of
each