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the woeful case of all mankind since the fall. When Christ comes with regenerating grace, he finds no man sitting still, but all posting to eternal ruin, and making haste towards hell; till, by conviction, he first brings them to a stand, and then, by conversion, turns their hearts and lives sincerely to himself. This end, and its excellency, is supposed to be known, and seriously intended. An unknown good moves not to desire or endeavour. And not only a distance from this rest, but the true knowledge of this distance, is also supposed. 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 lost his God, and his soul, and not cry, I am undone? The reason why so few obtain this rest is, they will not be convinced that they are, in point of title, distant from it, and in point of practice, contrary to it. Whoever sought for that which he knew not he had lost? They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. (b) The influence of a superior moving cause is also supposed; else we shall all stand still, and not move toward our rest. If God move us not, we cannot move. It is a most necessary part of our Christian wisdom, to keep our subordination to God, and dependence on him. "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."(c) Without me, says Christ, ye can do nothing.(d) It is next supposed, that they who seek this rest, have an inward principle of spiritual life. God does not move men like stones, but he endows them with life, not to enable them to move without him, but in subordination to himself, the first mover. And, farther, this rest supposes such an actual tendency of soul towards it, as is regular and constant, earnest and laborious. He that hides his talents, shall receive the wages of a slothful servant. Christ is the door, the only way to this rest. But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way; (e) and we

(b) Matt. ix. 12.
(d) John xv. 5.

(c) 2 Cor. iii. 5.
(e) Matt. vii. 13.

must strive if we will enter, for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able: (f) which implies, that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. (g) Nor will it bring us to the end of the saints, if we begin in the spirit and end in the flesh. (h) He only that endureth to the end shall be saved. (i) And never did a soul obtain rest with God, whose desire was not set upon him above all things else in the world. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (k) The remainder of our old nature will much weaken and interrupt these desires, but never overcome them. And considering the opposition to our desires, from the contrary principles in our nature, and from the weakness of our graces, together with our continued distance from the end, our tendency to that end must be laborious, and with all our might. All these things are presup posed, in order to a Christian's obtaining an interest in heavenly rest.

§ 4. Now we have ascended these steps into the outward court, may we look within the vail? May we show what this rest contains, as well as what it presupposes?-Alas, how little know I of that glory! The glimpse which Paul had, contained what could not, or must not, be uttered. Had he spoke the things of heaven in the language of heaven, and none understood that language, what the better? The Lord reveal to me what I may reveal to you! The Lord open some light, and shew both you and me our inheritance! Not as to Balaam only, whose eyes were open to see the goodliness of Jacob's tents, and Israel's tabernacles, where he had no portion, and from whence must come his own destruction! not as to Moses, who had only a discovery, instead of possession, and saw the land which he never entered! But as the pearl was revealed to the merchant in the Gospel, who rested not till he had sold all he had, and bought it! And as heaven was opened to blessed Stephen, which he was shortly to enter, and the glory (h) Gal. iii. 3.

Luke xii. 24. (1) Matt. xxiv. 13.

(g) Matt. xi. 12.
(k) Matt. vi. 21.

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showed him, which should be his own possession!The things contained in heavenly rest are such as these;-a ceasing from means of grace;-a perfect freedom from all evils; the highest degree of the saints' personal perfection, both of body and soul;— the nearest enjoyment of God the chief good;—and, a sweet and constant action of all the powers of body. and soul in this enjoyment of God.

§ 5. (1) One thing contained in heavenly rest, is, the ceasing from means of grace. When we have obtained the haven, we have done sailing. When the workman receives his wages, it is implied he has done his work. When we are at our journey's end, we have done with the way. Whether prophecies, they shall fail; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it also, so far as it had the nature of means, shall vanish away. (1) There shall be no more prayer, because no more necessity, but the full enjoyment of what we prayed for: neither shall we need to fast and weep, and watch any more, being out of the reach of sin and temptations. Preaching is done; the ministry of man ceaseth; sacraments become useless; the labourers are called in, because the harvest is gathered, the tares burned, and the work finished; the unregenerate past hope, and the saints past fear, for ever.

§ 6. (2) There is in heavenly rest a perfect freedom from all evils; all the evils that accompanied us through our course, and which necessarily follow our absence from the chief good: besides our freedom from those eternal flames, and restless iniseries, which the neglecters of Christ and grace must remedilessly endure; a woeful inheritance, which, both by birth and actual merit, was due to us as well as to them! In heaven there is nothing that defileth, or is unclean: all that remains without. (m) And doubtless there is not such a thing as grief and sorrow known there: nor is there such a thing as a pale face, a languid body, feeble joints, unable infancy, decrepit age, (m) Rev. xxi. 27. xxii. 15.

(1 Cor. xiii. 8.

peccant humours, painful or pining sickness, griping fears, consuming cares, nor whatsoever deserves the name of evil. "We did weep and lament when the world did rejoice; but our sorrow is turned into joy, and our joy shall no man take from us."(n)

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§ 7. (3) Another ingredient of this rest, is, the highest degree of the saint's personal perfection, both of body and soul. Were the glory ever so great, and themselves not made capable of it, by a personal perfection suitable thereto, it would be little to them. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (o) For the eye of flesh is not capable of seeing them, nor this ear of hearing them, nor this heart of understanding them: But there the eye, and ear, and heart, are made capable; else how do they enjoy them! The more perfect the sight is, the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical the ear, the more pleasant the melody. The more perfect the soul, the more joyous those joys, and the more glorious to us is that glory.

§ 8. (4) The principal part of this rest, is our nearest enjoyment of God the chief good. And here, reader, wonder not if I be at a loss; and if my apprehensions receive but little of that which is in my expressions. If it did not appear, to the beloved disciple, what we shall be, but only in general, that when Christ shall appear we shall be like him, (p) no wonder if I know so little. When I know so little of God, I cannot much know what it is to enjoy him. If I know so little of spirits, how little of the Father of spirits, or the state of my own soul, when advanced to the enjoyment of him! I stand and look upon a heap of ants, and see them all with one view; they know not me, my being, nature, or thoughts, though I am their fellow-creature: how little then must we know of the great Creator, though he with one view clearly beholds

(n) John xvi. 20, 22. (0) 1 Cor. ii. 9. (p) 1 John iii. 2.

us all! A glimpse the saints behold as in a glass, (q) which makes us capable of some poor dark apprehensions of what we shall behold in glory. If I should tell a worldling what the holiness and spiritual joys of the saints on earth are, he cannot know; for grace cannot be clearly known without grace; how much less could he conceive it, should I tell him of this glory? But to the saints I may be somewhat more encouraged to speak; for grace gives them a dark knowledge and slight taste of glory. If men and angels should study to speak the blessedness of that state in one word, what could they say beyond this, that it is the nearest enjoyment of God! O the full joys offered to a believer in that one sentence of Christ, Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. (r) Every word is full of life and joy. If the queen of Sheba had cause to say of Solomon's glory, Happy are thy men, happy are thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom; (s) then sure they that stand continually before God, and see his glory, and the glory of the Lamb, are more happy. To them will Christ "give to eat of the tree of life; and to eat of the hidden manna; yea, he will make them pillars in the temple of God, and they shall go no more out; and he will write upon them the name of his God, and the name of the city of his God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from his God, and he will write upon them his new name;" yea, more, if more may be, "he will grant them to sit with him on his throne." These are they "who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb: therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their

(9) 2 Cor. i 18. (7) John xvii. 34. (s) 1 Kings x. 3.

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