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and Difcoveries of a spiritual and eternal Happiness and Glory, he finds not Faith in Man to believe it. As the poor Man, that would not believe any one had fuch a Sum as an hundred Pounds, it was fo far above what himself poffeffed; fo Men will hardly now believe there is fuch a Happiness as once they had, much lefs as Chrift hath now procured. When God would give the Ifraeites his Sabbaths of Reft, in a Land of Reft, he had more ado to make them believe it, than to overcome their Enemies, and procure it for them. And when they had it, only as a fmall Intimation and Earneft of an incomparably more glorious Reft thro' Chrift, they yet believe no more than they poffefs, but fay, with the Glutton at the Feaft, Sure there's no other Heaven but this. Or, if they expect more by the Meffiah, it is only the Increafe of their earthly Felicity. The Apofle beftows most of this Epifle against this Diftemper, and clearly and largely proves, that the End of all Ceremonies and Shadows, is to direct them to Jefus Chrift the Subftance; and that the Rest of Sabbaths, and Canaan, fhould teach them to look for a farther Reft, which indeed is their Happinefs. My Text is his Conclufion, after divers Arguments; a Conclufion, which contains the Ground of all the Believer's Comfort, the End of all his Duty and Sufferings, the Life and Sum of all GospelPromifes and Christian Privileges. What more welcome to Men, under perfonal Afflictions, tireing Duties, Succeffions of Sufferings, than Reft? It is not our Comfort only, but our Stability. Our Livelinefs in all Duties, our enduring Tribulation, our honouring of God, the Vigor of our Love, Thankfulness, and all our Graces; yea, the very Peing of Qur Religion and Chriftianity, depend on the believing fericus Thoughts of our Reft. And now, Reader, whatver thou art, young or old, rich or poor, I intreat

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thee, and charge thee, in the Name of thy Lord, who will fhortly call thee to a Reckoning, and judge thee to thy everlasting unchangeable State, that thou give not these Things the Reading only, and fo difmifs them with a bare Approbation; but that thou fet upon this Work, and take God in Chrift for thy only Reft, and fix thy Heart upon him above all. May the liv ing God, who is the Portion and Reft of his Saints, make these our carnal Minds fo fpiritual, and our earthly Hearts fo heavenly, that loving him, and delighting in him, may be the Work of our Lives; and that neither I that write, nor you that read, this Book, may ever be turned from this Path of Life; left a Promife being left us of entering into his Reft, we Should come fort of it, thro' our own Unbelief or Negligence (a)!

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2. THE Saint's Reft is, "the most happy State "of a Chriftian;" or it is, or it is, "the perfect endlefs Enjoyment of God by the perfected Saints, according "to the Measure of their Capacity, to which their "Souls arrive at Death, and both Soul and Body "moft fully after the Refurrection and final Judg"ment." According to this Definition of the Saint's Reft, a larger Account of its Nature will be given in this Chapter; of its Preparatives (Chap. 2); its Excellencies (Chap. 3); and (Chap. 4) the Perfins fir whom it is defigned. Farther to illuftrate the Subject, fome Defcription will be given (Chap. 5) of their Mifery who life this Reft, and (Chap. 6) who alfo lose the Enjoyments of Time, and fuffer the Torments of Hell: Next will be fhewed (Chap. 7) the Neceffity of diligently feeking this Reft; (Chap. 8) how our Tule to it may be difcerned; (Chap. 9) that they who difcern their. Title to it fhould help thofe that cannot; and (Chap. 10). that this Reft is not to be expected on Earth. It will

(a) Heb. iv. 1.

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then be proper to confider (Chap. 11) the Importance of a heavenly Life upon Earth; (Chap. 12) how to live a heavenly Life upon Earth; (Chap. 13) the Nature of heavenly Contemplation, with the Time, Place, and Temper fitteft for it; (Chap. 14) what Ufe heavenly Con templation makes of Confideration, Affections, Soliloquy, and Prayer; and likewife (Chap. 15) how heavenly Contemplation may be affifted by fenfible Objects, and guarded against a treacherous Heart. Heavenly Contemplation will be exemplified, (Chap. 16) and the whole Work concluded.

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$3. THERE are fome Things neceffarily prefuppofed in the Nature of this Reft; as for Inftance,mortal Men are the Perfons feeking it. For Angels and glorified Spirits have it already, and the Devils and. Damned are paft Hope.- That they chufe God only for their End and Happiness. He that takes any Thing elfe for his Happiness, is out of the Way the firft Step. That they are diftant from this End. This is the woeful Cafe of all Mankind fince the Fall. When Chrift comes with regenerating Grace, he finds no Man fitting fill, but all pofting to eternal Ruin, and making hafte towards Hell; till, by Conviction, he first brings them to a Stand, and then, by Converfion, turns their Hearts and Lives fincerely to himself.———This End, and its Excellency, is fuppofed to be known, and feriously intended. An unknown Good moves not to defire or endeavour. -And not only a Distance from this Reft, but the true Knowledge of this Distance, is alfo fuppofed. They that never yet knew they were without God, and in the Way to Hell, did never yet know the Way to Heaven. Can a Man find he hath loft his God, and his Soul, and not cry out, I am undone? The Reafon why fo few obtain this Reft, is, they will not be convinced that they are, in Point of Title, diftant from it; and,

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