166 THE WORLD TO COME. when they are in their lonely retirements, they trace the footstep! of their beloved through all his labours and sorrows in this mor- tal state, even from his cradle to his cross ; they follow him in their holy meditations to his agonies in the garden, to his anguish of soul there ; through all his sufferings in death, through the grave his bed of darkness, and trace him on still to his glorious resurrection, and to his ascent to his Father's house, when a bright cloud like a chariot bore him up to heaven with attend- ing angels : This is my beloved, says the soul, and this is my friend, whom I shall see with joy in the upper world: He is al- together lovely, and he demands my highest love. It is part of the happiness of heaven to converse with the blessedGod by holy addresses of acknowledgments and praise, as it is described in Rev. iv. and v. and vii. They are before the throne of God ddy and night, and serve him in his temple ; Rev. vii. 15. and join with holy joy to pronounce that divine song, Blessing and honour, and glory and power, be to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever: chapter v. 13. Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, f'or thou hast created all things for thy pleasure: chapter iv. 11. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and strength, glory and blessing, for thou roast slain, . and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood, out of every kindred and nation ; chapter v. 9, 12. Now it is evident that those whose hearts and lips are joyfully fitted to pronounce this holy song, and to join in this harmony, are fitted also for these blessed employments of tile heavenly state : And yet at the same time they abase themselves in the dust of humility, and with the living creatures or angels, they fall down before the throne, and with the elders they cast down their crowns at his foot, they confess themselves the sons of earth and dust, and would appear as nothing while God is all ; Rev. iv. 9e 10. and v. 8. Are all the powers of glorified nature in heaven active in the unknown services of God and Christ there? So the saints are trained up for. this service and this activity here on earth, by diligence and delight in their less noble employments, the inferior labours and duties that providence demands of them here, where- by they are prepared for more glorious employment on high; for heaven is no idle or inactive state. Do some of the satisfactions of the heavenly world arise from the " sweet society of the blessed above, their fervent love to each other, their mutual delight in holy converse, the joy that arises.in the heart of each upon a survey of the happiness of all the holy and blessed inhabitants ? Does benevolence and good- ness of every kind overflow in the heavenly world ?" It is plain that God is training up his own children for this blessedness, by
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